In the techie world, the ‘brick’ is usually associated to the state of your phone, where no matter what magic you try to apply, your phone cannot be powered on at all. It is therefore no better than a high tech paper weight, or a brick if your phone happens to be one heavy phone.
Well, I thought my recently acquired Galaxy S was bricked yesterday. It’s almost unthinkable that a surreal phone sitting in front of me was staring at me like a brick. I had previously flash a corrupted kernel or interrupted the flash process, in all cases, the phone will just show a broken flash icon when I tried to power up the phone. The phone was recoverable in every incident, since I could bring the phone back to the “download mode” (i.e. bootloader mode), which allows me to re-initiate a firmware flash.
But not yesterday. I updated one part of the firmware, the flash process was successfully executed as indicated by the Odin flash application, and the phone was expectedly rebooted. But lo and behold, the phone did not wake up at all after the reboot. It stayed powered down, no display, no sound, no sign of phone trying to “breath”. Not even an icon on the screen that says corrupted firmware. The phone did not even react when I attempted to put it back to the “download mode”.
Thinking that the phone has just coincidentally run out of battery, I decided to put the phone on charge but but it was still no go after few minutes. As I tried to recap what I have done, I realised that I had done something a noob would not have done. I had ticked on “re-partition” option prior to the flash process in Odin. Coupled with the fact that I was flashing the CSC image (one part of firmware that provides operator specific configuration and/or software). Consequently, the phone had its entire system storage re-partitioned and end up with just that CSC code, without the remaining code, not even the kernel.
It was 1.30am at that particular moment, I reckon my sleepy head must be the reason behind this stupid action of mine. What I couldn’t comprehend, is how can this screw up impact the bootloader, which is responsible for controlling the phone action during the boot up. One thing certain though is that I had completely woken up as a result.
For a good 15 minutes, I have been thinking all possible remedies, including removing the battery (albeit doing it very quicky) and putting it back to restart the phone.
I was almost resigned to the fact that my phone has become a $950 paper weight. But being a stubborn person (or one who perseveres, depending on how you look at it), I did not like the idea of throwing in the towel. I remembered how my father would spend the entire night till morning, just to fix some simple computer glitches when I was a young boy. I think I might be like him for that night.
Then I was enlightened. I observed that in those attempts when I was trying to put the phone into the “download-mode”, the phone might already be in panic-boot mode. While I had removed the battery and put it back to restart the phone, it was done so quickly that the state of the memory may not have totally erased.
So there I went, took out the battery, left the phone for a minute, put back the battery, and powered on the phone into “download mode” right away. Lo and behold again, phone is alive again! I almost yelled with joy .
And the moral of the story?
Never do any “not for weak heart” tasks, and firmware flashing for that matter, in the wee hours of the day. You would end up staying wide awake for the whole night, regardless of whether the end result is positive or not.
On a lighter note, it appears that it’s impossible for Galaxy S to end up as brick. Not unless you literally make it to be so.
zen online journal 
Trust me it’s possible. I bricked mine: Got FROYO and when I went back again to 2.1 it was toasted, nothing worked, NO recovery, NO download. Only option is JTAG, but nobody did it yet and I am not a master (obviously) in firmwares.
So believe me, you can brick it and quite easy as you can see…
@anIdiot, are you rumy from xda-developers.com?
I read that he has his phone ‘bricked’ after moving from FROYO to 2.1. I think it gets complicated by the downloader mode gone due to the wrong firmware flash.
It looks like a problem with Clockwork recovery, rather than by the flash process. But nevertheless, thanks for highlighting that it’s still possible to brick or toast Galaxy S.
OMG! I bricked my galaxy s! I’ve checked the partation thing… so now how can i recover back my firmware to original state? can you help me with this one? Now seems like everything erased!
@olie,
before you get any more panic, can you take out your battery, leave it for 1 min, then put back, and put your phone into download mode (i.e. volume down + action button (centre) + power button). If you can get into download mode, your phone is not bricked yet, so don’t worry.
I had the same problem that you have. But I tried the same thing, and nothing happened.
I didn’t even get anything in the screen.
I don’t what more I can’t do…
@Diogo,
make sure as you take out the battery *and* any connecting cable.
let the phone clear off the memory (wait for 1 min), and then put back the battery and try to put your phone into download mode again.
@zen
I took out ALL conections and baterry for more than 6 hours.
It didn’t even charge the baterry if I put to do so…
Wow.. What a thrilling story. I like your effortness dude. I had the exact problem you had. When i read your story, i thought that someone would have stolen my story and posted on the net. Atlast I was happy that someone in this world had the same problem i had. You said that you resolved it finally. But you simply finished it by telling that you got the ” Downloading Mode” Display. I also have my phone in “Downloading Mode” State. But i don’t know what to do afterwards. I have flashed many times. The Odin Says that “Pass” and successfully completed. But it is not restarting then. No sound. No Display. No throbbing. No 3buttons combinations working other than “downloading Mode” again. i am very much upset. Could anybody help me out to see my phone again with that awesome looks.
Sadly, I just bricked my phone.
I tried to do a flash update, and it just went off and died.
3 button combo not working.
ADB, Odin and Keis not working.
I just had it for one lousy day!
I bought it abroad and now I have no idea what to do next.
Any ideas?
@Boaz, try take out the battery for a minute, and put it back and put your phone on download mode again. and see if it works.
if ur 3 button combo don’t work already, try this (although I think this requires a working rom)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=785201
Hi zen,
My phone refuses to turn on, and there for cannot enter into download or recovery mode.
Actually, it’s the 3 button fix from that post that got it bricked…
Actually, it is possible to brick one of the Galaxy S phones (the Captivate). AT&T pushed an update to fix the GPS lock problem that will try to install, fail, reboot, and then brick. So far, I don’t think anybody’s been able to get one working again – the three button fix is useless, battery removal doesn’t help, and no amount of finagling can get it to turn back on. Samsung has replaced some already, as has AT&T, but it’s not easy to get them to do it (as I am finding out the hard way). From reading forums, it’s nationwide and happening to almost everyone who downloads it via wi-fi or data, rather than going through Samsung Kies.
Ok guys! here you go…. If you feel like you bricked your phone and cannot boot into download mode.. there is a trick that might work for some or it might not doesn’t hurt to try, but damn sure worked for me… 1. Unplug your phone from usb 2. Take out battery (and mini sd and sim) 2. Plug usb back into phone. 3. Hold down up and down volume keys while putting battery back into the phone. IT SHOULD BOOT INTO DOWNLOAD MODE. if not sorry. Sometimes when people flash back and forth the up and down volume keys get reversed… so try volume down and power.. or volume up and power. GOOD LUCK!!!
OMG.. you save my SGS Vibrant :)) THANX ALOT BROO Finally 3 Hours searching on internet so waste the time.
Thanks for your comment on the web.
It`s useful for my bricked GALAXY S…
Good Luck !!!
Thanks man you just saved my phone. I totally got it bricked and thought all my money was at waste but now I’m back in downloading mode…thanks again!!!!
Thanks man, you save my phone’s life.
Thank you so so much!!! I read your page a while ago, and it stuck to the back of my mind. And sure enough I stuffed up something during a flash, and this advice worked like a charm
Hi , i thought i bricked my phone but got it into dl mode with the helpfull tip above,thanks!! Now im not sure how to get my phone back to a useable state. any help you could offer would be great!!
@bobby df
you can start your odin flash procedure again. Just make sure you got the proper drivers as wrong/outdated drivers might cause the odin flash not to be able to complete. As long as you have download mode in your device, you are safe.
Hi, nice post & congrats on being able to resurrect your device. I however, ain’t that lucky.
my phone can enter into download mode easily but that’s about it.
It doesn’t charge when connected to the A/C charger. with Odin, i’ve tried 4 different firmwares including the stock one but in all of them the flashing freezes at the beginning where it says ‘flashing firmwarefs.nfr’ or something like that. there’s a tiny blue progress bar on the download screen on the device but that’s it!
I have had 2 galaxy S’s Brick on me so far, but luckily I bought the replacement plan from the place I bought the phone, and the technicians were unable to unbrick it so I got new phones, now I am using the Nexus S
Hey guys, Thank for the topic
BUT I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM ~!
i tried removing the battery for whole night and i tried to connect it with usb and do the download mode
i tried to remove battery for a while then put it back with the download mode
nothing !! i get nothing
The Screen is still black i dont know if its charging with my A/C
any steps ?? because my phone is not responding at all
Please Help
I tried to change file system to ext2 and it started and all but was stuck there for 5-10 minutes so i panicked and tried to get in download mode couldn’t.So i just removed my sdcard battery then tried again pressing all power volume home key.It restarted couple of times then finally got in download mode.Then i reflashed it now it works.Problem was i should have waited for some more time as i again converted file system to ext2 i read in article it might take longer time like 15 mins.So done everything and still glad i didn’t brick it in panic.
my sgs vibrant is bricked tried to flash back to stock with odin the phone restarted and now nothing tried all above methods but still black screen. no download no recovery no keis or odin … no power ? unsure what to do but i am making a jig tomorrow. if this works anyone know where to get stock frimware for gt-i9000m its the new gingerbread please eamil if you know the answer @ joshdesbois@hotmail.com
thanks for reading and please email