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Help Soft brick - no solution??

G

ghostjak

Newbie
I live in Brazil and my sister bought this Galaxy I9000 in USA. Installed MIUI with a little bit difficulty, used some stock ROM that forgot which one... And threw MIUI on top. Since everything's was working fine, i deleted the files used. A month ago, the battery ended and shut off automatically. As soon as i could i recharged it and the phone would'nt turn on anymore. Cleared all though CWM (data/cache/Dalvik) and it was usable again. Since i lost all the apps and stuff, decided to update the version of MIUI. It failed and since then i have the /mmcblk0p2 problem when trying to flash any ROM. Tried RiffBox too, but could get nothing to work.

1 - ROM's i have tried (with and without partition): Darky Ress Edition, EZBase, XXJVU, XXJPU, Heimdall, XXJPC, XXJVS

2 - tried using ADB but the eMMC don't remove my partitions so i can't create them manually and it does'nt accept me to create a new one over the older doing /dev/block/mmcblk0 mkfs ext2 either.

3 - tried deleting the partitions using Gparted live with no sucess either

I can enter Recovery and Download mode, change though kernel's, copy the files using CWM Mounts and Storage, just can't delete and copy new files... Including flashing ROM's! The first time i installed MIUI i got the same error, just can't remember which ROM was. And before, i could delete files in internal card.

If anyone have any ideas, feel free!! Since it's almost lost, i'm trying anything it seems to work. Right now all i get is Samsung logo and it reboots automatically...
 
ghostjak said:
If anyone have any ideas, feel free!! Since it's almost lost, i'm trying anything it seems to work. Right now all i get is Samsung logo and it reboots automatically...
Click to expand...

Have you tried using a Pit file to partition first before you tried a stock rom?
 
My cousin's I9000 crashed while it was on MIUI. I tried installing a stock ROM but the same red lines showing something like /mmcblk0p2 problems.

Then I found the solution. You need to flash a stock ROM which has dbdata.rfs included in the TAR file of PDA and you must re-partition using a .512 PIT file.

I used XXJVK full ROM (PDA, CSC and MODEM) and the phone came back to life.
 
Ijaz Ahmed said:
My cousin's I9000 crashed while it was on MIUI. I tried installing a stock ROM but the same red lines showing something like /mmcblk0p2 problems.

Then I found the solution. You need to flash a stock ROM which has dbdata.rfs included in the TAR file of PDA and you must re-partition using a .512 PIT file.

I used XXJVK full ROM (PDA, CSC and MODEM) and the phone came back to life.
Click to expand...

will try it... you used pit file?

update: didn't worked... Now the error is /cant mount efs - or something like that. Tried copying efs from backup with adb but it didn't worked either. It seems like my internal card became read-only somehow.
 
ghostjak said:
will try it... you used pit file?

update: didn't worked... Now the error is /cant mount efs - or something like that. Tried copying efs from backup with adb but it didn't worked either. It seems like my internal card became read-only somehow.
Click to expand...

If you don;t have external SD card, try flashing while an SD card is inserted (be it 1GB or higher, doesn't matter)

I remember I brought an SGS to life whose (one part of ) internal storage got faulty. The phone started booting up and working but only as a phone. Anything which needed storage like camera was not working. However, phone was storing SMS, call logs, contacts
 
xsenman said:
efs problems and solutions

Internal SD card unavailable
Click to expand...

didn't worked... the rom's i flashed it didn't booted properly, stucking in the samsung logo. Tried to delete efs folder through adb shell but couldn't either. As i check while the phone is plugged it seems like everything is normal, deleted folder and stuff, but when i restart it's all back like i never deleted anything.
Tried to flash with efs clear too, in Odin everything seems fine, but it won't load anything, stucking in the samsung logo again.
Any more ideas? Tried to use your repair pack but it was worse... The screen gets full of pixels and i can only see the progress bar. No boot too.
Tried to format the sdcard in low level with Mini Partition tool but the only thing that changed is that now i can't mount the card in windows through CWM, but problems are still there (mmcblk0p2 in some ROMs and /efs in the XXJVU)
Any more ideas?
 
ghostjak said:
didn't worked... the rom's i flashed it didn't booted properly, stucking in the samsung logo. Tried to delete efs folder through adb shell but couldn't either. As i check while the phone is plugged it seems like everything is normal, deleted folder and stuff, but when i restart it's all back like i never deleted anything.
Tried to flash with efs clear too, in Odin everything seems fine, but it won't load anything, stucking in the samsung logo again.
Any more ideas? Tried to use your repair pack but it was worse... The screen gets full of pixels and i can only see the progress bar. No boot too.
Tried to format the sdcard in low level with Mini Partition tool but the only thing that changed is that now i can't mount the card in windows through CWM, but problems are still there (mmcblk0p2 in some ROMs and /efs in the XXJVU)
Any more ideas?
Click to expand...

Try and get a hold of Stock Gingerbread firmware with individual files (including bootloaders) like JVZ Firmware

use odin

Procedure:

1. Get the phone to the Download Mode
2. Select PIT (usually 512)
3. Select BOOTLOADER (APBOOT)
4. Select PDA (CODE)
5. Select PHONE (MODEM)
6. Select CSC (CSC)
7. If 'Re-Partition' is not checked under 'Option', check it.
8. Press the Start button

Hope this will solve your problem
 
xsenman said:
Try and get a hold of Stock Gingerbread firmware with individual files (including bootloaders) like JVZ Firmware

use odin

Procedure:

1. Get the phone to the Download Mode
2. Select PIT (usually 512)
3. Select BOOTLOADER (APBOOT)
4. Select PDA (CODE)
5. Select PHONE (MODEM)
6. Select CSC (CSC)
7. If 'Re-Partition' is not checked under 'Option', check it.
8. Press the Start button

Hope this will solve your problem
Click to expand...
Installed right now and keeps giving me /efs error. Shall i root it and try to push /efs backup into it?
 
xsenman said:
yes, if you have backup, just push it in
Click to expand...
unfortunately i can't push the file... when i push the file, it seems ok but when i reboot the phone the file is gone.
do you know how to swap the internal sdcard with the ext card to install ROM in external card? i've seen in forums but when i try to install the ROM it looks like the phone ignores the existance of the card and try to install in the internal again.
 
ghostjak said:
unfortunately i can't push the file... when i push the file, it seems ok but when i reboot the phone the file is gone.
do you know how to swap the internal sdcard with the ext card to install ROM in external card? i've seen in forums but when i try to install the ROM it looks like the phone ignores the existance of the card and try to install in the internal again.
Click to expand...

Please try this


1. use root explorer to delete the efs folder
2. Reboot into download mode
3. Flash back to gingerbread JVZ with clear efs ticked

it should restore your efs

Roms are installed in the nand chip ( rom space) and cannot be switched
 
xsenman said:
Please try this


1. use root explorer to delete the efs folder
2. Reboot into download mode
3. Flash back to gingerbread JVZ with clear efs ticked

it should restore your efs

Roms are installed in the nand chip ( rom space) and cannot be switched
Click to expand...
i can't use root explorer because the phone isn't booting. there is another way? i've tried through adb but when i reboot the phone, the folder is there again.
 
What is Rooting? I just got an HTC EVO 4G LTE and have been reading about holding down buttons and installing drivers ... what the heck? Do I really need to do all of this to my new phone??
 
xsenman said:
ok, lets try this.download rescue kit from here Hotfile.com: One click file hosting: SGS_Rescue_kit-13-1-2012.rar and give it a go
Click to expand...
Downloaded, installed heimdall drivers, Unbricked and flashed with repartition but didn't worked either. Am i doing something wrong? I've tried to uninstall the samsung drivers and reinstalled but nothing changed.
Anything else i should try?

If at least i could trick the phone to boot from ext card and install there it would be ok.
 
ghostjak said:
Downloaded, installed heimdall drivers, Unbricked and flashed with repartition but didn't worked either. Am i doing something wrong? I've tried to uninstall the samsung drivers and reinstalled but nothing changed.
Anything else i should try?

If at least i could trick the phone to boot from ext card and install there it would be ok.
Click to expand...

can you quote exactly what you are getting when you boot the phone? I am getting confused, are you having an efs problem or SD card problem or both?



can you try and flash this speedmod kernel, this is what I use to solve problems like this in my Korean S version, this will read any partition, so is capable of getting you into recovery mode

http://www.4shared.com/file/i7w0psUp/0330_iCaRuS_SpeedMod_13OCUV_M1.html
 
i'm getting both errors... after using Odin it gives me the /efs error, but when i try to push the folder backup through ADB (since i can't boot the phone) everything works fine, until i reboot the phone. When i reboot in recovery mode and look the files through ADB, the files in efs folder are all missing again, as the push was unsuccessfull.

The exact error lines are:
E:check_selective_file: Can't mount /efs

--Installing package...
Finding update package...
Opening update package...
Verifying update package...
Installing update...
Successfully installed package.

--Copying media files...
Successfully copied meida files (yes, in phone it shows written in this way)

--Wiping data
Formatting /data
Formatting /dbdata
Formatting /cache
E:failed to mount /efs (Invalid argument)
Data wipe complete

--Applying Multi-CSC
E:failed to mount /efs (Invalid argument)
E:multi_csc: Can't mount /efs
Multi-csc applied failed
 
ghostjak said:
i
E:failed to mount /efs (Invalid argument)
E:multi_csc: Can't mount /efs
Multi-csc applied failed
Click to expand...


Ok, if you are very sure you have been following correct flashing procedures, meaning simple procedures like a battery pull before any flashing , going into recovery and factory wipe after a clean flash . can make a lot of difference

your main problem was your SD card was formatted to ext 2,3 or 4, which samsung cannot recognize, and you failed to format it to rfs before you flashed

the other options are

1) swap the internal SD card with the external SD card like this UPDATE: Modify vold.fstab file to swap internal/external storage card. Fixed - xda-developers

this would not solve the efs problem but would solve the wrong partition format problem of your internal SD card
But before you attempt this take your external SD card and format it to rfs in another samsung phone

efs problem, needs a clean replacement , you can try GS repair from play store after reboot

2. if all fails than this method..here you have no option but to change internal SD card by a technician liker this samsung i9000 e:can
 
xsenman said:
Ok, if you are very sure you have been following correct flashing procedures, meaning simple procedures like a battery pull before any flashing , going into recovery and factory wipe after a clean flash . can make a lot of difference

your main problem was your SD card was formatted to ext 2,3 or 4, which samsung cannot recognize, and you failed to format it to rfs before you flashed

the other options are

1) swap the internal SD card with the external SD card like this UPDATE: Modify vold.fstab file to swap internal/external storage card. Fixed - xda-developers

this would not solve the efs problem but would solve the wrong partition format problem of your internal SD card
But before you attempt this take your external SD card and format it to rfs in another samsung phone

efs problem, needs a clean replacement , you can try GS repair from play store after reboot

2. if all fails than this method..here you have no option but to change internal SD card by a technician liker this samsung i9000 e:can
Click to expand...
 
ghostjak said:
meaning if the swapping doesn't fix it there's no option but to change internal sdcard or mainboard/motherboard? :(
Click to expand...

swapping should allow you to boot up but if you cannot format your Internal SD card after that..than you have lost your internal sd card period

The other option is to change the internal SD card, with a new one ( your problem is solved) , it seem its similar to Nokia N95, only problem would be how much heat to apply to remove it. without damaging the motherboard. which the technician may not have experienced in your end.
 
vladyandrew said:
Buy an android JIG. With this JIG you can enter in download mode
Click to expand...

I already have a JIG and i can enter in download mode and recovery. The problem is that when i flash a ROM it doesn't install properly, as the sdcard is read only.

xsenman said:
swapping should allow you to boot up but if you cannot format your Internal SD card after that..than you have lost your internal sd card period

The other option is to change the internal SD card, with a new one ( your problem is solved) , it seem its similar to Nokia N95, only problem would be how much heat to apply to remove it. without damaging the motherboard. which the technician may not have experienced in your end.
Click to expand...

i saw the pics but don't have a N95 to try and broken ones are still expensive to just "try" fixing the i9000. Guess i will be trying flashing ROM's and stuff, couldn't even find the vold.fstab in /etc or /system/etc. I think my sdcard really got broken/****** up and i can't think of anything else.... Lost cause maybe :(
 
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