[Q] Captivate without 3 button combo

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DemonWav

Senior Member
Sep 11, 2010
455
770
Lawton, OK
I've tried everything in the book, my Captivate is one of the phones that will not boot into recovery using any sort if button combo, I have to use ADB. My phone is rooted, lag fix, bloatware removed, sideloading enabled, MobileAP installed, and the Vibrant's GPS files installed, and I'm afraid that someday I'm going to need my phone in recovery/download for Odin3 because I've bricked my phone, but I wont be able too because if my phone's setup. I'm just asking, question of concept, is it possible for someone who knows what they are doing (I have no inexperience) to find the difference between a Captivate w/ the 3 button combo, and one w/o, so that I could manually enable it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
 

solufein

Member
Jul 24, 2010
17
0
if you brick your phone, your main worry is how to get into download mode. take battery out, put back in, hold volume down+power while plugging in usb cable. can you at least do that?
 

denellum

Senior Member
Aug 14, 2010
226
47
Dallas
www.denellum.com
I've tried everything in the book, my Captivate is one of the phones that will not boot into recovery using any sort if button combo, I have to use ADB. My phone is rooted, lag fix, bloatware removed, sideloading enabled, MobileAP installed, and the Vibrant's GPS files installed, and I'm afraid that someday I'm going to need my phone in recovery/download for Odin3 because I've bricked my phone, but I wont be able too because if my phone's setup. I'm just asking, question of concept, is it possible for someone who knows what they are doing (I have no inexperience) to find the difference between a Captivate w/ the 3 button combo, and one w/o, so that I could manually enable it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

go to where you got it, tell them its a samsung problem, they SHOULD replace it. Before you okay the replacement try to boot the phone without the sim to recovery.
 

scott2ride

Senior Member
try turning off. Unplug USB. Then hold down the Vol down button and the power button. Just the 2 of them.

Then insert the USB cable 2-3 seconds after holding those 2 keys down.

That worked for me even though I used to use Vol up and down and power all together.

Hope it works for you.
 
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buddy17

Senior Member
Aug 9, 2010
519
37
we need a sticky that includes EVERY single way of recovering from all these "bricked" phones. I'm nervous that it will happen to me one day and i won't know what to do. Everyone says there is always a way to unbrick, but there sure are a lot of people that have claimed to try every possible way of entering download mode and still not happen.....and i don't want to get stuck with them!

BTW, did you try plugging your phone into the wall for awhile and then going back to trying usb and download modes?
 
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jngtt

Senior Member
Nov 4, 2008
127
7
POS
i also have the same problem with a friends phone. i know the newer ones have issues with the 3 button combo and adb is the only way. i suppose there is a way to remove the block from boot that detects the command, maybe like a different firmware, i remembered that the stock i9000 firmware on the captivate uses only vo down + power to get to download mode but i will not want to risk the phone or it will be bricked.

i know alot of users in this forum are saying read the stickys but until u experience the problem, u will be singing a different tune. there are new captivate owners that cannot get into download mode with the 3 button combo.

i will confirm this and i have 3 other captivates that going into download mode no prolems with 2 possible 3 button combo, just only 1 that doesnot
 

bobbylx

Senior Member
Sep 12, 2009
749
123
Holly Springs, NC
Yes, I think someone needs to make a sticky for this. Mine works with 3 buttons, but I have seen many many users now that have 3 button disabled. I'm sure they appreciate all the suggestions, but every single person recommends the regular button methods that just don't work!

I would say, if it were me, I would stop modding it now before you f*** it up and return it to the store. I would also test the new phone in store until you get one that works.

I'm sure someone much smarter than I will figure out a software method for this. I find it hard to believe the when the phone is in Phone--!--computer mode that there is no possible way to force it into download mode via software. I know adb doesn't work, but theres got to be some other developer tool that will work.
 

l7777

Senior Member
May 2, 2007
563
187
Part of the issue is terminology.

Recovery Mode is what you use to clear cache, clear user data, or install an update.zip file by selecting "Reinstall Packages".

Download Mode is the screen with a yellow triangle and android digger icon and allows you to use odin to flash. This is the important one for recovering from a problem.


Both modes can be entered with ADB. Both modes can be entered with hardware buttons and that's where things get tricky.

On my phone, I can activate recovery mode with the steps below:

Power off
Hold both volume buttons
Press Power
Release power when I see the AT&T splash screen
Release the volume buttons a second or two after releasing power

If I continue to hold all three buttons, the phone simply boot loops at the AT&T screen with a blank flash in between. If I continue to hold the volume buttons after releasing the power button, the phone will boot normally. I have to release them to get into recovery. The phone also has to get past the AT&T splash screen before recovery will load.

I can only enter download mode with the steps below.
Phone off
Remove battery, sim, microsd
Hold volume buttons
Plug in USB
Plug in battery

The phone will then immediately enter download mode.


People need to be very careful when claiming what mode they are in and how they got there.
 
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buddy17

Senior Member
Aug 9, 2010
519
37
thanks for repeating what millions have already posted.....that doesn't work for a ton of people around here. Luckily, it does work for me, but in the case i get put in the same situation as those guys, i want to know how to get myself out. There are some people that know what they are talking about and still can't get into download mode, and yes, that is including adb reboot download

just because it works for you doesnt mean it works for everyone
 

bobbylx

Senior Member
Sep 12, 2009
749
123
Holly Springs, NC
I agree. I want to know just in case that happens to my phone one day. I refuse to think that without the 3 button option your phone can be hard bricked. Worst case some has to figure out a JTAG method.

And from reading a few threads, it looks like the build date is related to 3 button modes being disabled. Many users without 3 button have build dates between 8-11-2010 to 8-14-2010.
 

l7777

Senior Member
May 2, 2007
563
187
thanks for repeating what millions have already posted.....that doesn't work for a ton of people around here. Luckily, it does work for me, but in the case i get put in the same situation as those guys, i want to know how to get myself out. There are some people that know what they are talking about and still can't get into download mode, and yes, that is including adb reboot download

just because it works for you doesnt mean it works for everyone
Not sure if you were responding to me or not, I simply wanted to point out the difference between recovery mode and DL mode as I see plenty of posts where someone is trying to use odin but can't get into "recovery mode". I don't doubt that there are phones that won't work with the hardware buttons.
 

faspalma

Member
Jun 28, 2008
15
0
Welp, count me in as having a brand new Captivate that will not go into Recovery or Download mode. I've tried all the suggestions and stickies, as well. Its like the phone simply ignores button presses while starting up. I bricked my phone while attempting to reverse the lagfix. No idea how I managed that. It now will only boot to the AT&T splash screen... over and over. At least, I'm able to exchange it today as I just brought it home yesterday. I'm going to try boot into recovery before I leave the store with the replacement. Although, my fear is the "bad batch" from manufacturing is actually the new "anti-xda haxor" safe guard from Samsung.
 

pokedoke

Member
Sep 7, 2010
21
0
Welp, count me in as having a brand new Captivate that will not go into Recovery or Download mode. I've tried all the suggestions and stickies, as well. Its like the phone simply ignores button presses while starting up. I bricked my phone while attempting to reverse the lagfix. No idea how I managed that. It now will only boot to the AT&T splash screen... over and over. At least, I'm able to exchange it today as I just brought it home yesterday. I'm going to try boot into recovery before I leave the store with the replacement. Although, my fear is the "bad batch" from manufacturing is actually the new "anti-xda haxor" safe guard from Samsung.
I was in the same boat as you...both phones so far won't go into recovery or dl unless adb'ed... have had the same fear as you. However... sister's captivate goes into dl mode just fine. Got them both at the same time...

Let's hope there's some workaround for this somewhere down the road.
 

bobbylx

Senior Member
Sep 12, 2009
749
123
Holly Springs, NC
Those of you that are missing 3 button recovery and download mode, if your phone is working do this,

go to the phone keypad, dial *#*#197328640#*#* from there it will pull the service menu, go to Version Info, SW Version, READ ALL SW VERSION

Look at the line labeled RF CAL DATE.

Mine for example is, RF CAL DATE 07-11-2010 and my buttons work.

It looks like phones with an RF CAL DATE between 8-11-2010 and 8-14-2010 have the button problems. I just want to find as much data as I can to verify or not-verify this.
 

xtremekilla09

Retired Recognized Developer
Jan 28, 2009
1,464
523
Those of you that are missing 3 button recovery and download mode, if your phone is working do this,

go to the phone keypad, dial *#*#197328640#*#* from there it will pull the service menu, go to Version Info, SW Version, READ ALL SW VERSION

Look at the line labeled RF CAL DATE.

Mine for example is, RF CAL DATE 07-11-2010 and my buttons work.

It looks like phones with an RF CAL DATE between 8-11-2010 and 8-14-2010 have the button problems. I just want to find as much data as I can to verify or not-verify this.

Mine says 8-18-2010. Still no buttons working.
 

DemonWav

Senior Member
Sep 11, 2010
455
770
Lawton, OK
This is what I was talking about. I was in the middle of Odin3, going back to stock so I could take it back and do the "manufacturer defect" thing to get a new one, and out of no where, I didn't touch anything, nothing was unplugged, but my phone's screen went black, and it rebooted itself to the "phone+!+computer" screen. Anyone wanna give me some tips to maybe get them to replace my phone without looking at it, for the same "manufacturer defect" reason?

Oh, and by the way, my phone is one of the unlucky ones. So I can't boot into download mode. Period.
 

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    try turning off. Unplug USB. Then hold down the Vol down button and the power button. Just the 2 of them.

    Then insert the USB cable 2-3 seconds after holding those 2 keys down.

    That worked for me even though I used to use Vol up and down and power all together.

    Hope it works for you.
    1
    we need a sticky that includes EVERY single way of recovering from all these "bricked" phones. I'm nervous that it will happen to me one day and i won't know what to do. Everyone says there is always a way to unbrick, but there sure are a lot of people that have claimed to try every possible way of entering download mode and still not happen.....and i don't want to get stuck with them!

    BTW, did you try plugging your phone into the wall for awhile and then going back to trying usb and download modes?
    1
    Part of the issue is terminology.

    Recovery Mode is what you use to clear cache, clear user data, or install an update.zip file by selecting "Reinstall Packages".

    Download Mode is the screen with a yellow triangle and android digger icon and allows you to use odin to flash. This is the important one for recovering from a problem.


    Both modes can be entered with ADB. Both modes can be entered with hardware buttons and that's where things get tricky.

    On my phone, I can activate recovery mode with the steps below:

    Power off
    Hold both volume buttons
    Press Power
    Release power when I see the AT&T splash screen
    Release the volume buttons a second or two after releasing power

    If I continue to hold all three buttons, the phone simply boot loops at the AT&T screen with a blank flash in between. If I continue to hold the volume buttons after releasing the power button, the phone will boot normally. I have to release them to get into recovery. The phone also has to get past the AT&T splash screen before recovery will load.

    I can only enter download mode with the steps below.
    Phone off
    Remove battery, sim, microsd
    Hold volume buttons
    Plug in USB
    Plug in battery

    The phone will then immediately enter download mode.


    People need to be very careful when claiming what mode they are in and how they got there.