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Help Hangs forever at Samsung logo (after alleged update)

G

Grans

Newbie
EDIT- I have talked with a Verizon representative on the phone. Tried to do a factory reset but it didn't do anything to help me. Looks like it somehow got fried. How it got so i can't fathom. He is going to instead just replace my Fascinate. Apparently nothing can be done to save it. Thank god for the warranty!

I've got a Samsung Fascinate from Verizon Wireless. The issue here is that i received some sort of update on the phone (i've had a couple of updates within the past month or so, one i think was a lag fix or something based on some topics here, i dunno what other updates they gave but it HAS asked me to update twice before this one). I didn't know what the update did, and it wouldn't let me ignore it as it kept nagging me every few minutes even after telling it to bother me some other time. So it ended up forcing my hand there. Somewhere during the process, it restarted my Fascinate and the phone never got past the initial white Samsung logo (first logo you see after powering on). I gave the phone 20 minutes to do ANYTHING and no-go.

So i'm stuck. I couldn't even power off without removing the back panel and taking out the battery. No matter how many times i now remove the battery and power on, and no matter how long i wait, i cannot boot into my phone anymore.

So i'm kind of screwed here. What can i possibly do? I don't know what to do. I'm somewhat tech savvy, but my tech knowledge of phones is strictly limited to an automatic rooting process i saw here. My phone WAS rooted, for getting wireless tethering. But i've had it rooted for a long while now with no problems (and the rooting process went totally smoothly with no hitches, been working perfectly since the beginning).

One reason i'm asking here is because i'm skeptical about going to Verizon for help. I'm not sure what they'd do if they found out i rooted the phone or whatever. And i'm not even sure if they'll even help me at all without charging. At present, i can't even get into the phone at all, or access ANY features, mount the device to the PC, etc. I'm literally limited to being able to turn the phone on and getting stuck at the Samsung logo forever, and removing the battery to force it to go off. I don't know WHAT i could possibly do. Help would be GREATLY appreciated as i'm kind of in a huge fix...:(

I'll try to give any more info i can, but i don't even know what the update was. My mom also has a Fascinate which we purchased at the same time to take advantage of their buy one get one phone deal back last year, and it's strange that hers hasn't ever prompted her to update.
 
EDIT- Ok, MANY thanks for the help, you fixed my problem outright. Clean installation, works flawlessly so far. You're a lifesaver! But i don't know what i'll tell Verizon now... :P

Thanks for the advice. I might try it out (slow internet at the moment, but will download). I'm not sure how i'll explain this to Verizon though if i go through with it and actually manage to fix it. I've already had my order confirmed and it will be shipped to my local Verizon store on Tuesday. I'm not sure how i can just call them up and say it suddenly started working again. They don't support people altering their phones do they? Would i get in some sort of trouble, or what should i say to try to cancel the replacement shipped out to me? IF i manage to fix it that is.

I was actually looking forward to Froyo btw, but this updating fiasco has kind of scared me away from updating my phone. I was even considering trying a custom rom of it. But if Verizon's own auto update did this to my phone, i kind of cringe at what a bit of manual tinkering could do. Not even sure i have the courage to update it when it releases officially...

Since you have apparently gotten Froyo on your phone though, i wanted to ask something- Can i do an install of the Superclean froyo build instead of older firmware via odin/download mode? Guess that kind of gets off the point, but just thought i'd ask in case it's more stable than the older firmwares and doesn't force you to update stuff. I did notice that the froyo roms posted are around 100MB each, and the one you linked is 450MB. I would assume due to the size difference, there are important files in the old OS needed to install froyo...
 
Some of the roms are 'clean' meaning the don't have all the bloatware included. So that would explain the size difference. Yes, you can go straight to froyo. Just make sure you read up on how to install everything and ask questions if you don't understand. Better to ask than to brick your phone.

This: [ROM]DL09 Super Clean 0.4/EB01 2.4!! *UPDATED* - xda-developers
is the rom I am running. It is debloated and will accept themes.

But you need to get clockwork recovery running on your phone so read : [RECOVERY] Updated ClockworkMod for ALL ROMs - xda-developers and get that loaded if you haven't already.
You will also need a newer modem file so check this thread out for that info:
[RELEASE] EB01 rom, kernel, radio - xda-developers
 
Thanks to clockworkmod recovery, i think i managed to back my current configuration up (which is a nice clean reinstall that you directed me to). It should be noted that i was not able to backup from the Rom Manager's main GUI inside the android os. I had to boot from recovery mode or whatever, and get to the basic dos-like screen with green text.

I'm considering trying out Froyo Superclean. Having a bit of a hassle trying to find a decent guide on how to do it. I'm not sure if i need to just install it over my existing OS or wipe all data. I'm also not quite sure how to go about it.

I've gotten to the ClockworkMod Recovery v2.5.0.4 screen with a black background and generic green text (where i managed to make a backup). I've got other options such as reboot system now, wipe data/factory reset, install zip from sdcard, nandroid, and some others mixed into the ones i listed. I've also got the superclean zipped file in the root of my sdcard (the voodoo one that is around 150MB). Is it as simple as just hitting the install zip from sdcard option and selecting the superclean zip? Or am i missing some important steps? It's hard to find a decent step-by-step tutorial for this.

So far, i also flashed that modem file posted here-
[RELEASE] EB01 rom, kernel, radio - xda-developers

I'm not really sure what else i need to do. I apparently got the CWM rom manager and recovery set up properly because i was able to get it to backup my stuff. Not tried it in the GUI version on the Android OS, but the black screen with basic green text one (i figure doing it from there might be more glitch free). I really don't know what sort of steps i need to follow from here though if i want to try out froyo. I feel pretty confident that i can get back to my old OS if necessary thanks to your first post if i mess up the installation somehow. :)
 
You need the red CWM recovery, v2.5.1.x (thread link in Nunyazz post above). Before you install zip from SDcard for you first time going to EB01 Voodoo Superclean, you need to wipe data and wipe cache.

If you use voodoo, it is a good practice to disable the lagfix in the CWM menu before flashing anything in CWM or Odin, then re-enable it when done.
 
Ok, i wasn't sure what you meant by red, but i do now that i flashed it since the screen is red. I've got a screen that says-
CwM Voodoo LagFix Recovery v2.5.1.x
*list of options below*

I disabled the lag fix from the voodoo menu (or it says it's disabled anyways).

I will wipe my data and cache so i don't have any conflicts, but do i just install the superclean rom from this same menu right after wiping all the data out? I assume i do this by "install zip from sdcard". Then search the card for the proper zip file. In this case, "super_clean_2_4v.zip". Is that the way it's done? Or am i missing something?

BTW, i still can't get to the red screen in the Rom Manager GUI via Android OS. If i reboot into recovery from there, it's green. I have to boot to CwM recovery mode manually on bootup (or via Terminal Emulator) to see the red screen.
 
I think you have it straight, wipe then install from Sdcard, then reboot. Don't use ROM Manager. Once you have SuperClean, you will be able to get to recovery easily on the shutdown menu for future use, and I advise you to use CWM directly from now on rather that using ROM manager as a window to CWM.

Oh, and must important point: If your phone ever seems to hang at boot for too long after installing something, don't be quick to pull the battery. Usually best to just wait it out.
 
Yeah, i've switched to using CWM Recovery directly (boot from the Samsung logo with the keypress or whatever) instead of using the Rom Manager GUI. The GUI seems to not work properly. Direct works perfectly, it's just the Rom Manager that doesn't want to work.

Thank you both for all your help. I'm going to go ahead and try to wipe my data/cache and try to install SuperClean now. I'll edit this post later and report what happens. Wish me luck and thanks! :D

EDIT- Wow, that seemed fast and painless. Already got it running apparently. Seems to run fine and i think the internet and all works. Now for the adapting. Thanks again all, i'm off to play and install my apps. lol

EDIT 2- Ok, impressed and satisfied with everything but one thing. How can i set the phone not to go into sleep mode (turn the screen off) when plugged via usb to a power source?
 
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