Software jig for Samsung. Bringing a bricked smartphone back to life

Articles and Lifehacks

Brick is a slang name for a phone, the restoration of which is not impossible, but rather difficult.

Moreover, bringing the device to this state is easier than it seems, so let's try to figure out how to restore a brick phone.

Simple methods will not work here (otherwise the title of “brick” would not have been obtained), so let’s move straight to complex, but feasible at home methods.

Recovery and fastboot

The first method that we will consider is recovery, that is, restoring the phone’s firmware. You can use “native” firmware or third-party firmware as the base – it’s up to you personally.

Let's immediately consider the option with third-party software, since everything is a little more complicated here.

First of all, we need to install some kind of file manager in order to install CWM or TWRP (programs for flashing).
Press and hold the volume up/down buttons at the same time until the phone goes into fastboot mode. Here you select the “Recovery” item and then change the firmware to the one you want.
If everything goes well, then we can assume that the restoration is complete, but if not, then read on.

Jig is the last hope for recovery

If none of the previously discussed methods helped you, and it’s a pity to throw away your phone, then you can only hope for the Kulibins’ creation from the world of mobile electronics - the jig.
This device allows you to start firmware update mode on your phone even if you cannot get any signs of life from it.
The most remarkable thing about the jig is its design: we are not talking about any nano-programmers here.
This device, in fact, is just a phone network cable plug with a cut wire and short-soldered through a resistor of a certain resistance.
In general, as you understand, provided that you have a warm (as long as not scalding) relationship with the soldering iron, you can make it yourself.
So, remove the battery for 5-5 minutes, and after returning it, install the jig in the main socket of the smartphone (carefully, do not touch the resistor), after which the phone will restart and go into update mode - remove the jig and connect it to the PC to install the update.

Your Samsung after a failed firmware or obtaining rights Root turned into bricks and the device in your hand does not go into Download Mode? Then you should use the utility USB JIG Emulator.

What do I mean?

In the process of the firmware can be various unpleasant situations that may later lead to your smartphone or tablet production simply turns into a brick, the same result can be achieved and become root.

The worst option if Samsung can not be converted to manual Download Mode, and then sometimes there is a way!

USB JIG – is the hardware version of the device into flashing mode by closing certain USB communication and the use of a resistor on 300Kom, 1 / 4W.

Make a miracle can be their own hands, or to order from China.

There is also a program USB JIG Emulator which drives Samsung in Download mode, but programmatically and now will understand how to operate it. It is also worth adding that USB JIG Emulator works not in all cases absolutely, more precisely not on each device Samsung.

Instructions for the USB JIG Emulator

And so in order to put the Samsung in the Download Mode to start you need to download the utility USB JIG Emulator.

Find the latest version of the program can be in the official forum page. Compatible devices According to the author at:

Android
Qualcomm CPU
Broadcom CPU

How to transfer in Download mode using USB JIG Emulator

Stay with the site! Next will be even more interesting!

Most of the articles in the X-Mobile section are devoted to hacks and tweaks that require obtaining root rights, modifying the firmware, or replacing it with a custom one. However, not every reader is ready to subject their smartphone to such operations, fearing that they can turn the device into a brick or lead to instability in operation. Today I will debunk these myths and show that even in the most stalemate situation, bringing a smartphone back to life is not so difficult.

Destroying myths

Let's talk about what it really means to “turn a smartphone into a brick” and what other pitfalls can await the user on the way to changing the system and installing custom firmware. What glitches can be caught in this case and is it possible to kill a smartphone by reflashing it incorrectly? Will you lose the warranty forever or can the smartphone be returned to its previous condition? Can custom firmware really fail a smartphone owner at the most inopportune moment and are they worth it?

Myth 1. Incorrect flashing can kill a smartphone

A fall from the fifth floor can kill a smartphone, but not flashing it. The main problem that anyone who wants to reflash a smartphone faces is that during the installation of the firmware, a failure may occur, which will lead to its inoperability, and the smartphone will actually turn into a brick.

All this is true, but only on paper. To understand why, it’s enough to understand how the process of flashing a smartphone works and what system components are used. To be able to install third-party firmware on a smartphone, you need to unlock the bootloader (not in all cases), get root and install a custom recovery console (ClockworkMod or TWRP), capable of installing firmware with any digital signature.

The recovery console is stored in a separate partition of the internal NAND memory and is in no way connected with the installed operating system. After installing a modified version of the console, it will be possible to flash custom firmware or even another OS (Firefox OS, for example). If a failure occurs during the installation of the firmware, the smartphone will not be able to boot it, but the recovery console will remain in place, and all you need to do is boot into recovery again and reinstall the firmware.

In addition, any custom recovery console contains a backup/restore function, which allows you to make a backup copy of the main firmware and restore it unchanged (with all applications, settings and data) in the event that something goes wrong. In fact, the smartphone can be returned to its original state.

You may ask: what happens if the installation of the Recovery Console itself fails? Nothing, in this case the situation will be the opposite, when the operating system itself will remain in place, and the console will be lost. To deal with it, you just need to re-flash recovery directly from Android.

Hypothetically, one can imagine a situation where both the firmware and the recovery console are killed (although this is quite difficult to do), but even in this case, the primary bootloader, flashed into the permanent memory of the smartphone, will always remain in place.

Conclusion: it is impossible to kill a smartphone by installing third-party firmware through a custom recovery console. Either the recovery or the primary bootloader will always remain in place.

Myth 2. Custom firmware is unreliable

Firmware is different from firmware. On the vastness of the World Wide Web you can find a huge number of Android builds for every taste and color, and most of them are really slag, which can lead to instability in the operation of the smartphone and loss of some functionality. Therefore, the first thing to remember is that you should only deal with serious custom firmware developed by large teams of experienced developers. First of all, these are CyanogenMod, Paranoid Android, AOKP, OmniROM and MIUI.

Second. There are two types of firmware: officially supported and ported by third-party developers. The same CyanogenMod, for example, has an official version for the Nexus 4 smartphone, but does not have one for the Motorola Defy. But for Defy there is an unofficial port of CyanogenMod 11 from a developer with the nickname Quarx. The difference between them is that the CyanogenMod team is responsible for the support and proper operation of the first, while the second is Quarx personally. Official firmware versions are usually fully functional, but the correct operation of the latter depends on the third-party developer.

Well, third. There are stable and development versions of the firmware. Stable versions of CyanogenMod have the index M (CyanogenMod 11.0 M7, for example). This firmware version usually does not contain bugs. Development versions (in the case of CyanogenMod these are daily nightly builds) may contain bugs and are therefore not recommended for everyday use.

Conclusion: if you install a stable official version of the “normal” firmware on your smartphone, the risk of encountering bugs is minimal. Everything else is for experimenters.

Myth 3. Software that requires root rights can brick a smartphone

In theory, an application with root rights can do anything with the smartphone's firmware, including erasing it completely. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful with such software. The software we talk about on the pages of the magazine is completely safe and tested in our own skin. In addition, for all the time I have been using smartphones on Android (and this is starting from version 1.5), I never I haven’t encountered a situation where software with root support killed a smartphone.

Software distributed through Google Play usually fully corresponds to the stated characteristics, and if it led to a brick or left a backdoor in the depths of the smartphone, it would not last even a week in the store. In any case, here you need to follow the “trust but verify” rule and carefully read the instructions for using root applications.

Myth 4. Root rights make a smartphone vulnerable to viruses

What makes a smartphone vulnerable to viruses is not root rights, but the bugs used to obtain them. Rooting tools and viruses can exploit the same Android vulnerabilities to gain root privileges, so the fact that the device is rooted does not change anything. A well-written virus will not ask for permissions in the standard way, revealing its presence; instead, it will take advantage of the same vulnerability to obtain them covertly.

Moreover, having root, you get the opportunity to install the latest version of Android (in the form of custom firmware), in which these bugs are already fixed. Also, do not forget that most custom firmware allows you to disable root or create white lists of applications that can use these rights.

Myth 5. A rooted smartphone may fail

Software designed to obtain root does four simple things: launches an exploit that allows you to gain root rights in the system, mounts the /system partition in write mode, copies the su binary required to obtain root rights in the future to the /system/xbin directory, and installs the SuperSU or SuperUser application, which will take control whenever any application requests root privileges using su.

None of these steps can crash or kill the smartphone. The only thing that can happen is that the exploit will cause a segmentation fault and the smartphone will reboot, after which it will continue to work normally.

Myth 6. By getting root and installing custom firmware, I will lose the warranty

The guarantee is lost not from the fact of obtaining root, but due to its detection by the service center. Most devices can be unrooted using the Universal Unroot application or by reinstalling the stock firmware using the official application from the manufacturer.

There are, however, two exceptions to this rule. The first is the Knox system that comes pre-installed on new Samsung smartphones and tablets such as the Galaxy S4, S5, Note 3 and Note 10.1. Knox provides an increased level of Android security by responding to any firmware modifications and installation of third-party kernels and firmware. If the user performs these actions, the system sets a trigger that confirms the fact of the modification. The trigger is implemented in hardware (eFuse chip), so it cannot be reset to its initial position. On the other hand, it is not entirely clear whether the service center will refuse to repair the device on this basis. Second: the eFuse chip is installed on some other devices (for example, smartphones from LG), and it also allows you to accurately determine whether the smartphone has been rooted or flashed.

If we talk about custom firmware, everything is more complicated. Typically, the flashing operation requires unlocking the bootloader, and this can be done either using special exploits or using the smartphone manufacturer's web service. In any case, the unlocked bootloader will definitely indicate that the smartphone did not belong to a blonde.

On some smartphones, it is possible to lock the bootloader back, but you should learn about this separately, and also keep in mind that the newly locked bootloader will most likely receive the status Re-locked, and not Locked, as it was originally (this happens on HTC smartphones, For example). The only exceptions here are smartphones and tablets of the Nexus line, the bootloader of which can be locked and unlocked in three clicks without any dancing with a tambourine, and no one will find fault with anything.

INFO

On Linux, ADB and Fastboot can be installed separately from the Android SDK. On Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install android-tools-fastboot. On Fedora: sudo yum install android-tools.

To prevent Knox from interfering with root applications, you can disable it using the following command from the terminal: su pm disable com.sec.knox.seandroid.

conclusions

Getting root and flashing a smartphone are absolutely safe operations that cannot brick the smartphone for purely technical reasons. The only exception is an attempt to hack the bootloader in order to unlock it. In this case, the eFuse chip (if the smartphone has one) may work and block the ability to turn on the smartphone.

Fortunately, today smartphone manufacturers either prefer not to block the ability to turn on a smartphone with a hacked bootloader (by setting a trigger indicating the fact of such an action, as Knox does), or implement a special web service that allows you to painlessly unlock the bootloader with loss of warranty on the smartphone. which saves users from having to risk breaking the bootloader.

Problems that may arise during flashing

So, now let's talk about what problems can arise when getting root and flashing and how to deal with them.

Scenario one: after an unsuccessful flashing, the smartphone stopped booting

Unsuccessful flashing can be caused by several factors: the battery died and the firmware was only half filled; the firmware turned out to be faulty or intended for a different smartphone model. In the end, there was simply not enough space on the smartphone, which can happen when trying to install the latest version of Android on a smartphone that is three or four years old.

Outwardly, all these problems usually manifest themselves either in endless resets of the smartphone to the initial manufacturer logo, or in the so-called boot loop, when the boot animation plays on the screen for more than five to ten minutes. There may also be problems with the screen (multi-colored ripples) and a non-working touch screen, which also prevent the use of the smartphone.

In all these cases, it is enough to do one simple thing: turn off the smartphone by long pressing the power button, then turn it on while holding down the volume down button (some smartphones use a different combination), and after you get into recovery, reinstall the firmware (Install zip from sdcard - > Chooze zip from sdcard) or restore the backup (Backup and restore -> Restore). Everything is easy and simple.

Scenario two: the firmware works, but recovery is not available

This can happen after a failed installation or update of the Recovery Console. The problem is that after rebooting the smartphone and turning it on while holding down the volume down button, a black screen appears, after which the smartphone either resets or freezes.

Solving this problem is not easy, but very simple. You can install the recovery console on the vast majority of smartphones using the TWRP Manager, ROM Manager or ROM Installer applications. They themselves determine the smartphone model, download and flash the required recovery, without requiring a reboot. If you can’t restore the console with their help, just find instructions on the Internet for installing recovery on your device.

Scenario three: neither firmware nor recovery is available

To be honest, it is difficult for me to imagine such a scenario, but, as practice confirms, it is quite real. There are two ways to get out of this situation: use fastboot to upload recovery to your smartphone, or use a tool from the manufacturer to install stock firmware. We'll look at the second method in more detail in the next section, and I'll talk about fastboot here.

Fastboot is a tool that works directly with the device’s primary bootloader and allows you to upload firmware to your smartphone, recovery, and unlock the bootloader (in Nexus devices). Fastboot support is available in many smartphones and tablets, but some manufacturers block the ability to use it. So you will have to consult the Internet about its availability.

To access fastboot, you will need drivers and the Android SDK. When they are installed, open the command line, go to the SDK installation directory, then to the platform-tools directory, turn off the smartphone, turn it on with the volume buttons pressed (both) and connect it using a USB cable to the PC. Next, you need to find the recovery image in .img format for your device and run the command:

$ fastboot flash recovery image.img

Or even force the smartphone to boot recovery without actually installing it:

$ fastboot boot image.img

In the same way you can flash official firmware update:

$ fastboot update update-file.zip

You can find a recovery suitable for your device either on the TWRP website or in the XDA-Developers and 4PDA forums.

We return the smartphone to its original state

In this section, I will talk about ways to return your smartphone to clean stock, no matter what state it is in. These instructions can be used both to unbrick your smartphone and to remove traces of rooting and flashing. Unfortunately, I can’t talk about all possible models, so I’ll focus on the four most popular flagships: Nexus 5 (I call this sample the control one), Galaxy S5, LG G2 and Sony Xperia Z2.

Nexus 5 and other Google phones

Restoring Nexus devices to their original state is easier than any other smartphone or tablet. In fact, it is so simple that there is not even anything to talk about. In fact, all you need to do is install the ADB/fastboot drivers (on Linux you don’t even need them), download the archive with the firmware and run the script. The whole operation looks like this step by step:

from here.
Download and install Android SDK.
Download the archive with the firmware for the desired device from the Google website.
Turn off the device, turn it on with the volume buttons pressed (both) and connect using a USB cable.
Unpack the archive with the firmware and run the flash-all.bat (Windows) or flash-all.sh (Linux) script and wait for the operation to complete.
We launch the command line, go to the directory with the Android SDK, then platfrom-tools and execute the fastboot oem lock command to lock the bootloader.

For those who are interested in what the script does, here is a list of commands:

Fastboot flash bootloader bootloader-DEVICE-NAME-VERSION.img fastboot reboot-bootloader fastboot flash radio radio-DEVICE-NAME-VERSION.img fastboot reboot-bootloader fastboot flash system system.img fastboot reboot-bootloader fastboot flash userdata userdata.img fastboot flash recovery recovery.img fastboot flash boot boot.img fastboot erase cache fastboot flash cache cache.img

Galaxy S5

With the Galaxy S5 smartphone everything is a little more complicated, but overall quite simple. This time you will need the Samsung Odin application, which will be used to flash the smartphone’s firmware. Sequencing:

Download and install the latest version of Samsung USB drivers from here.
Download and install the latest version of Odin from here.
Go to the website samfirmware.com, enter the SM-G900F model in the search, find the firmware marked Russia, download and unpack.
Turn off the smartphone and turn it on with the Volume Down and Home buttons pressed, wait five seconds until a warning message appears.
Press the volume up button to put the smartphone into Odin mode.
We connect the smartphone using a USB cable.
Launch Odin, press the PDA button and select the file with the extension tar.md5 inside the directory with the unpacked firmware.
Click the Start button in Odin and wait until the firmware process is completed.

As I already said, this operation will return the smartphone to its original state, but will not reset the trigger installed by the Knox system (if it was in the standard firmware). Therefore, the service center may refuse to repair.

LG G2

Restoring the LG G2 to its factory state will also not cause any problems. The number of steps in this process is somewhat larger, but they themselves do not require special preparation and knowledge. So, what to do to return the G2 to factory firmware:

Download and install ADB Driver Installer from here.
Download the official firmware (Europe Open 32G or Europe Open) from here.
Download and install LG Mobile Support Tool, as well as FlashTool (goo.gl/NE26IQ).
Turn off the smartphone, hold down the volume up button and insert the USB cable.
Expand the FlashTool archive and run the UpTestEX.exe file.
In the window that opens, select Select Type -> 3GQCT, Phone Mode -> DIAG, in the Select KDZ file option select the firmware downloaded in the second step.
Click the CSE Flash button at the bottom of the screen.
In the window that opens, click Start.
In the next window, select the country and language and click Ok.
We wait for the firmware to finish, and then turn off and turn on the smartphone.

This is all. But keep in mind that, as in the case of Samsung, the smartphone will still have Rooted status, and this cannot be fixed.

Sony Xperia Z2

Now about how to return the Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone to its factory state. As in the previous two cases, this will require stock firmware and the official firmware utility. You launch the utility on your PC, connect your smartphone using a USB cable and start the update process. Step by step it all looks like this:

Download and install ADB Driver Installer from here.
Reset your smartphone to factory settings.
Download and install the Flash Tool from the official Sony website and the latest firmware from here.
Copy the firmware file to the C:/Flashtool/Firmwares directory.
Turn off the smartphone and turn it on while holding down the Volume Down and Home keys.
We connect the smartphone to the PC using a USB cable and launch the Flash Tool.
Click the button with the lightning icon in the Flash Tool. In the window that opens, select Flashmode, double-click on the firmware in the list that opens.

WARNING

In many smartphones, an unlocked bootloader will not allow an over-the-air update.

In 90% of cases, unlocking the bootloader will entail deleting all data from the smartphone, including the memory card.

conclusions

Flashing a smartphone, and even more so gaining root access, is not at all such a scary and dangerous operation as it may seem at first glance. If you do everything correctly and do not resort to tools that unlock the smartphone’s bootloader, bypassing the manufacturer’s tools, you will not be able to brick your smartphone. Yes, in some cases you will have to tinker to get everything back in place, but what is better - to use a locked smartphone that does not allow you to do even half of the things that it is capable of, or to gain complete control over the device? In the end, reinstalling Windows on a PC doesn't scare anyone.