[Tutorial] How to UN-brick Spica

**joelfun96** · 10-06-2010, 02:49 PM

So after seeing many threads that say "Don't blame me if I brick your Spica" , I decided maybe I should start an informative thread since i know nuts about coding and stuff like that. So here goes!

Oh by the way, those who are reading this post and haven't done either an ODIN backup or a PDA backup, you should do it now. Don't wait till its too late.

READ THIS FIRST
Before actually saying that applying well-known stuff (CyanogenMod alpha) bricked please, please read this.

FLASHING IN ORDER
FIRMWARE->ROOT (e.g. LK2.08 for original firmwares - Root (new Superuser), WiFi tether, bb [12.07.2010] )->DEODEXED KERNEL (e.g. http://forum.samdroid.net/f9/samdroi...i5700-en-1901/ )-> OTHER ADDONS (e.g. CyanogenMod-6.1.0-Spica-alpha6.2)

THOSE ASKING ABOUT MOUNT FUNCTION, PLEASE USE LK2.08 AND THE MOUNT OPTION IS RIGHT BELOW.

And this thread is just a general idea of un-bricking your Spica. Some issues can be solved with a simple patch. Check with respective devs for solutions before actually embark on your un-bricking journey.

BE FOREWARNED. DATA WILL BE LOST ON SOME OF THE PROCEDURES.

If still bricked, start the procedure below.

RELEASE THE KRAKEN!

Types of "Spoilt"

1. No booting, no download mode (vol down+camera+turnon)

-You most probably flashed either a corrupted bootlogo/ a bootlogo too large of a file size. ( Tutorial : How to create custom bootlogo & bootanimation )

- Try going to recovery through this if you can't enter recovery mode: (Haven't tried it personally yet)
Use adb program from android sdk. First you must connect the phone to the usb.
run this command:
adb device
then
adb shell
after that, you have the shell. run 'su' command (without quote) the run 'reboot recovery'. The phone will restart and enter recovery mode.
*thanks to jomir*
REPORTED NOT WORKING FOR THIS PROBLEM. WORKS FOR ANOTHER TYPE.. STILL TRY IF YOU WANT TO

-Send to samsung and pray hard that they give the warranty to you since the entire motherboard has to be changed.

2. Boot-able, Download mode can be accessed, Past boot splash, Boot loop on boot animation.

-Try clearing dalvik cache in recovery.

-Remove sd card *thanks to billamin*

-If it doesn't work, try clearing data-cache

-If it still doesn't work, flash new firmware.

(NOTE: This is one of the milder type of brick. Easily reversible.)

3. Boot-able, keep on booting to recovery.

(One of the more irritating bootloops)

-Check if all /system, /data and /sdcard are mounted (quite a bummer. almost took me a trip to samsung before finally solving this little problem)

-Try clearing dalvik cache

-If it doesn't work, clear data-cache

-Flash a new mod.

-Reflash a new firmware.

-If it still doesn't work, and you have done a pda backup for Odin in the past, try flashing that. (Weird but it worked for me once)

-restore /system backup (PDA/system) from recovery? (Please clarify. Haven't done that before.) (EDIT: Checked. Takes a very long time to restore. Give it around 12 hours.)

-Flash a 1.5 firmware and build up for 2.1. Further details click link. ( Boot loop )

-Send to Samsung.

4. Boot-able, unable to enter recovery mode.

- Try going to recovery through this if you can't enter recovery mode: (Haven't tried it personally yet)
Use adb program from android sdk. First you must connect the phone to the usb.
run this command:
adb device
then
adb shell
after that, you have the shell. run 'su' command (without quote) the run 'reboot recovery'. The phone will restart and enter recovery mode.
*thanks to jomir*

Anymore brick situations and fixes, kindly comment and i will try editing this post ASAP to help more people out.

**Ambio** · 10-06-2010, 07:57 PM

Thanks

**meditate2001** · 10-06-2010, 08:11 PM

yeah thanks...

**asquar** · 10-07-2010, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by joelfun96

-You most probably flashed either a corrupted bootlogo/ a bootlogo too large of a file size. ( Tutorial : How to create custom bootlogo & bootanimation )

-Send to samsung and pray hard that they give the warranty to you since the entire motherboard has to be changed.

This isn't strictly speaking true, albeit for most people it might be. The Troubleshooting guide in the leaked Service Manual has the JTAG pads specified, which are under the battery. I'm unsure if the hardware (cpu and flash) are supported by the opensource tools like OpenOCD however, but you can reflash devices from the interface.

Ofcourse since there's a sticker ontop of it, it'd void warranty to even look at it.

**billamin** · 10-07-2010, 03:54 PM

i u get stuck in a boot loop,,u can also try removing the sd card and see what happens..it worked a coupleof times for me..

**joelfun96** · 10-07-2010, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by billamin

i u get stuck in a boot loop,,u can also try removing the sd card and see what happens..it worked a coupleof times for me..

Umm can you specify which type of bootloop it falls under? Will edit it when i get more info

**tgpraveen** · 10-07-2010, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by joelfun96

You most probably flashed either a corrupted bootlogo/ a bootlogo too large of a file size. ( Tutorial : How to create custom bootlogo & bootanimation )

-Send to samsung and pray hard that they give the warranty to you since the entire motherboard has to be changed.

woah this is scary!
i didnt know it could happen just by too large bootlogo. i thought system should have provisions to just either not display bootlogo at all if such prob detected or maybe show blank screen for few secs when bootlogo should be shown and then go ahead in booting..