Help! Did I brick my TF within an hour of getting it ?!?! :(

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timekillerj

Senior Member
Sep 18, 2008
67
14
I just got my transformer, and tried upgrading to 3.1 (official, not primordial). I downloaded EP101_SDUPDATE.zip, put it on the tablet, rebooted into recovery etc. On reboot, it's not getting past the EEE pad ASUS screen. If I hold the power, it powers off and comes right back on. If I hold the down volume, it gives me the RCK option, but after I hit vol up it gets stuck on "Booting recovery kernel image". If I wait and choose the wipe option I get Magic value mismatch and some garbage after.

I tried adb, but it doesn't show any devices attached. Plugging in the usb, windows doesn't even indicate a device has been attached :(

Is there anything I can do? Please don't tell me I've already bricked this thing ... :(
 

jtn7040

Senior Member
Feb 8, 2009
289
11
Arlington, tx
do you have a microsd card in the slot.... or did u try to instal taht update directly from the transformer harddrive ie.. /mnt/sdcard/
 

timekillerj

Senior Member
Sep 18, 2008
67
14
Ok, I may have had the micro sd card in at the time, the first doc I read said to copy the update zip to internal memory, so I used the micro sd to copy it there. That doesn't really help me with my current situation though. I have the micro sd in, but trying to enter RCK hangs on "Booting recovery kernel image" and goes no further. After more testing and reading I found I can enter the nvflash mode (vol up + power), but that doesn't seem to get me any closer to unbricking this thing.

Anyone ? starting to get worried I'm screwed here.
 

ericc191

Senior Member
Jan 28, 2007
2,031
116
West Fork
Ok, I may have had the micro sd card in at the time, the first doc I read said to copy the update zip to internal memory, so I used the micro sd to copy it there. That doesn't really help me with my current situation though. I have the micro sd in, but trying to enter RCK hangs on "Booting recovery kernel image" and goes no further. After more testing and reading I found I can enter the nvflash mode (vol up + power), but that doesn't seem to get me any closer to unbricking this thing.

Anyone ? starting to get worried I'm screwed here.

If you cannot fix it, simply exchange it.
 

keroppilee

Senior Member
Apr 29, 2011
150
8
take that zip file and put it on the root (top directory) of your sd card then do the power plus down volume then up volume and it should upgrade to 3.1
 

timekillerj

Senior Member
Sep 18, 2008
67
14
Except that it doesn't work. As I said in my initial post, if I try to flash now, I get to the "Booting recovery kernel image" and it gets stuck there :(
 

keroppilee

Senior Member
Apr 29, 2011
150
8
You're sure the zipped file is sitting in the top directory of your SD card? If it is then I can't think of what might be causing your problen
 

timekillerj

Senior Member
Sep 18, 2008
67
14
Yep, it's definitely there :( I spoke with ASUS and they are sending me an RMA number. I was unaware the 3.1 update was not available for download or I would have told them this happened from the OTA update, instead they are saying this will be an "out of warranty" repair - no idea what they are going to charge to basically just flash it back to stock :\

I had it for an hour... *sigh*
 

dazz87

Senior Member
Apr 27, 2011
708
45
Yep, it's definitely there :( I spoke with ASUS and they are sending me an RMA number. I was unaware the 3.1 update was not available for download or I would have told them this happened from the OTA update, instead they are saying this will be an "out of warranty" repair - no idea what they are going to charge to basically just flash it back to stock :\

I had it for an hour... *sigh*

Wow that sucks out of warranty? Asus is amazing!!!:eek:
 

grinnerD

Member
Apr 19, 2011
38
3
london
check this thread

xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1105731

where we managed to get the official .13 from asus support and try to flash and get back to .13 at least,

also try a wipe with the rocker thing at boot....

good luck
 

timekillerj

Senior Member
Sep 18, 2008
67
14
check this thread

xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1105731

where we managed to get the official .13 from asus support and try to flash and get back to .13 at least,

also try a wipe with the rocker thing at boot....

good luck

Again, this would require a working recovery which I don't seem to have. Also, as I said the the original post, wiping just gives me "Magic value mismatch" and locks.

Pretty much accepted the fact that I'm boned here. I got a price estimate from Asus - minimum labor charge of $75. I guess it could be worse. Just wish I knew there was no official download so I could say the right things :\ Worst part of this is how long it took to get this thing, only to have it an hour before killing it. I've flashed my android phones hundreds of times, only ever bricked a device once before tonight.

I am disappoint.
 

Tjwoo

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2010
76
15
Again, this would require a working recovery which I don't seem to have. Also, as I said the the original post, wiping just gives me "Magic value mismatch" and locks.

Pretty much accepted the fact that I'm boned here. I got a price estimate from Asus - minimum labor charge of $75. I guess it could be worse. Just wish I knew there was no official download so I could say the right things :\ Worst part of this is how long it took to get this thing, only to have it an hour before killing it. I've flashed my android phones hundreds of times, only ever bricked a device once before tonight.

I am disappoint.

Call them back and say you were trying to update V8.2.3.13 actually from website? You thought it was 3.1
 

3DSammy

Senior Member
May 5, 2011
1,252
617
Toronto
timekillerj ,
If the suggestions you received do not work then join the #asus-transformer IRC channel. A developer in there has a method to unbrick a TF.

The developer already has helped two TF owners unbrick their TFs, one which was received with Android 2.2 installed. Just ask if anyone can help you unbrick your device and someone will likely direct you to the correct developer. Be aware that he lives in Europe so when you join the IRC channel that developer may be asleep.