eMMC fix?

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saranhai

saranhai

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i think i might have found a possible fix for the eMMC corruption.

credits go to 3p4145 for discovering this:
Well I am in no way an expert or have enough knowledge to find an answer.. but I have some basic idea... so here it goes...
If I understand correctly, the problem is that the eMMC driver chip gets corrupt...
This chip controls the MMC0 which is (part of the chip) the actual flash upon which the phone relies to store its stuff...

No Since the issue is seen with rooted phones more often, I would imagine something that was written to the mmc0 is causing issues.. Using root explorer, i found this file on my /proc/emmc

This file seems to have the some sort of memory locations for various directories on the mmc... a corruption of this file could be a bad thing... I am not saying that this is the cause.. but if anyone with a bricked phone could get into their FS (i have no clue how) and check this file.. we could look into coming up with a generic file with memory address that are common....
Mine seems to have locations address for:

misc
recovery
boot
system
cache
userdata
devlog
pdata
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

as he stated, the eMMC files that might be corrupted in the failed eMMC chips are located in /proc/emmc.
i have been able to get to this location using adb
Code: 
cat /proc/emmc
so, would it be possible to copy the correct files from a good chip to this location, and fix the failed eMMC problem?
the failed chip's filesystem got corrupted i think (correct me if i'm wrong)

i have the emmc file, pm me if you want it.
 
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suchavibrantthang

suchavibrantthang

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Dec 27, 2010
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seems like a good theory. let's say you do copy the files from a good chip over to the bad emmc...how could you simulate or know when/how the M4G2DE 2.10GiB units would fail?
 
TeeJay3800

TeeJay3800

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So it's a software failure and not an actual hardware failure? I'm not sure how likely this is to solve the issue, but any movement towards a solution is a good thing.
 
saranhai

saranhai

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TeeJay3800 said:
So it's a software failure and not an actual hardware failure? I'm not sure how likely this is to solve the issue, but any movement towards a solution is a good thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

it's more of a firmware issue. inside a computer, there are many different chips. some chips are consisted of firmwares, these are the ones that you can write to and change (like the eMMC chip). other chips, are completely hardware, you can't write to them, you can't change them.
so since the eMMC chip is consisted of "software", then maybe we can replace the corrupted files with good ones.

but i need some testers, since my dead eMMC chip is somewhere in tmobile's dead phones junkyard.
 
J

Jack_R1

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Aug 9, 2009
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If it's the chip itself that fails - then you can't fix it by writing something to it, since it won't write whatever you're trying to write to it. Trying that would be equal to trying to fix a failed hard disk by using it.

"Firmware" is just another term for software. No chip consists of firmware, firmware is written on memory (permanent or rewritable), which is read by some hardware (usually some type of CPU) that executes this firmware. eMMC is just a rewritable memory chip, and if the controller of the chip fails, or big chunks of the memory in this chip fail - it's not usable anymore.

And of course, there is no such thing as "driver chip". Driver is a program, software, that runs on CPU and is stored in - again - memory. eMMC controller, on the other hand, is hardware, a part of the chip itself. The failure is on a whole another level.
 
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TeeJay3800

TeeJay3800

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Jack_R1 said:
If it's the chip itself that fails - then you can't fix it by writing something to it, since it won't write whatever you're trying to write to it. Trying that would be equal to trying to fix a failed hard disk by using it.

"Firmware" is just another term for software. No chip consists of firmware, firmware is written on memory (permanent or rewritable), which is read by some hardware (usually some type of CPU) that executes this firmware. eMMC is just a rewritable memory chip, and if the controller of the chip fails, or big chunks of the memory in this chip fail - it's not usable anymore.

And of course, there is no such thing as "driver chip". Driver is a program, software, that runs on CPU and is stored in - again - memory. eMMC controller, on the other hand, is hardware, a part of the chip itself. The failure is on a whole another level.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You summed up my thoughts on the issue perfectly, especially the first paragraph. That's why I didn't understand why the OP's theory would work. I'm not knocking his efforts at all...anyone trying to fix the eMMC issue is doing a good thing, it just didn't make sense to me.
 
saranhai

saranhai

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oh...
sorry.. i thought the chip was just corrupted when it said "failed"...
well then nevermind, this wouldn't work.
 
3

3p4145

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Sep 18, 2010
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Thanks for talking abt this guys..
I understand what you guys are saying.. but quite often the HW itself is not bad but the address locations are corrupt.. Like I mentioned in my initial post... I am not sure what causes the fault.. but Once caused, IF there is a way to just re-write the addresses for these locations so that the driver chip/Controller chip can try to use the addresses provided is what I am trying to see..

This statement is right on the amrk: "eMMC is just a rewritable memory chip, and if the controller of the chip fails, or big chunks of the memory in this chip fail - it's not usable anymore."

now considering this, IF the controller is physical fault (as in fabrication fault, overheated transistors etc).. the nothing more can be done.. BUT if the fault is just in the addressing fail.. this providing the addresses should work wouldn't you think?

If someone has a brick on their desk they can try this.. Nothing really to loose right?

I would never suggest replacing the emmc file of a working chip.. now thats just crazy talk.. well if you have $500 to spare.. sure.. but I was thinking of fixing a broken one...


One more last thing: The only problem with this approach on a dead phone is getting access to the FS AFTER the phone is dead.. any ideas?
 
saranhai

saranhai

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3p4145 said:
Thanks for talking abt this guys..
I understand what you guys are saying.. but quite often the HW itself is not bad but the address locations are corrupt.. Like I mentioned in my initial post... I am not sure what causes the fault.. but Once caused, IF there is a way to just re-write the addresses for these locations so that the driver chip/Controller chip can try to use the addresses provided is what I am trying to see..

This statement is right on the amrk: "eMMC is just a rewritable memory chip, and if the controller of the chip fails, or big chunks of the memory in this chip fail - it's not usable anymore."

now considering this, IF the controller is physical fault (as in fabrication fault, overheated transistors etc).. the nothing more can be done.. BUT if the fault is just in the addressing fail.. this providing the addresses should work wouldn't you think?

If someone has a brick on their desk they can try this.. Nothing really to loose right?

I would never suggest replacing the emmc file of a working chip.. now thats just crazy talk.. well if you have $500 to spare.. sure.. but I was thinking of fixing a broken one...


One more last thing: The only problem with this approach on a dead phone is getting access to the FS AFTER the phone is dead.. any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

using adb you are able to get into the filesystem...
 
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tKoHaXoR

tKoHaXoR

Senior Member
Aug 5, 2010
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A failed partition update would mean the emmc file was corrupted??
Or failed partition update means it wasn't able to update partitions because the chip failed to re-initialize??

If the theory is correct, the EMMC file not the chip is actually screwed up and it can be fixed, but if the emmc chip is what failed then it is irrecoverable.
 
saranhai

saranhai

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tKoHaXoR said:
A failed partition update would mean the emmc file was corrupted??
Or failed partition update means it wasn't able to update partitions because the chip failed to re-initialize??

If the theory is correct, the EMMC file not the chip is actually screwed up and it can be fixed, but if the emmc chip is what failed then it is irrecoverable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

i'm pretty sure it the eMMC's filesystem got corrupted, but of course, i could be very wrong.
that's why we need a bricked MT4G with dead eMMC.
 
irrelephant

irrelephant

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Jan 17, 2010
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Has this been posted in the g2 forums? I know they have had some guys lookin into this as well...

Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA Premium App
 
Freek91

Freek91

Senior Member
Feb 10, 2011
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question: would the stock rom/pd image have this so called "good" file imbedded in it?

i ask because my current phone has gotten the cache errors while on rooted non-stock roms such as ice glacier and CM7..i was able to recover from them...but never once saw any issues after flashing completely back to stock...ive also not seen this issue arise after flashing from stock into Virtuous Unity and ive been on VU for almost 2 weeks and ive flashed a few radios and restarted my phone at least 2 dozen times to see if i get the cache error and so far nothing

all of which kinda leads me to believe that this very well could be a software or file issue thats being written maybe too many times or written with incorrect information due to flashing multiple roms or radios or something...i know not everyone with the "bad" emmc has had issues but maybe they arent doing something to trigger the bad errors
 
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    J
    Jack_R1
    If it's the chip itself that fails - then you can't fix it by writing something to it, since it won't write whatever you're trying to write to it. Trying that would be equal to trying to fix a failed hard disk by using it.

    "Firmware" is just another term for software. No chip consists of firmware, firmware is written on memory (permanent or rewritable), which is read by some hardware (usually some type of CPU) that executes this firmware. eMMC is just a rewritable memory chip, and if the controller of the chip fails, or big chunks of the memory in this chip fail - it's not usable anymore.

    And of course, there is no such thing as "driver chip". Driver is a program, software, that runs on CPU and is stored in - again - memory. eMMC controller, on the other hand, is hardware, a part of the chip itself. The failure is on a whole another level.
    View
    2
    T
    Tom Barrister
    dhkr234 said:
    (speculation that the opening poster's method doesn't work; the post wasn't quoted as-is because it contained unnecessary flaming.)
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    I spoke to HTC this morning, and it took a LONG time to reach somebody who was familiar with this.

    ACCORDING TO THE TECH (and I have no idea whether he was telling it to me straight or making things up), the problem is hardware-related. According to the rep, about one out of five of the suspect chips are actually defective; the other 80% are fine. Put into simple terms, the defect may cause the chip to be written to incorrectly, which may or may not corrupt things up to and including "bricking" the phone. The rest is summed up as best I can:

    1) Not all defective chips will go bad. It depends on how the phone is used. Repeatedly flashing ROMS and such will definitely speed up the process.

    2) If the phone gets bricked, and the chip is still usable, re-flashing may fix it. Of course, if the chip isn't usable anymore, the phone is finished.

    3) The rep recommends that if you get the bricked phone messages while flashing, you should attempt to flash "stock" back to it (i.e. Froyo 2.2.1, Gingerbread 2.3.4 etc.: what HTC put on the phone in the first place or sent OTA). If this works, do not attempt to root or modify it again. If it's in warranty, get it replaced. If it isn't, leaving it on stock will give the chip the best chance to not get any worse.

    Again, this is what I was told. I'm not a phone geek, so I have no idea if what he said was true or even possible.
    View
    1
    saranhai
    saranhai
    3p4145 said:
    Thanks for talking abt this guys..
    I understand what you guys are saying.. but quite often the HW itself is not bad but the address locations are corrupt.. Like I mentioned in my initial post... I am not sure what causes the fault.. but Once caused, IF there is a way to just re-write the addresses for these locations so that the driver chip/Controller chip can try to use the addresses provided is what I am trying to see..

    This statement is right on the amrk: "eMMC is just a rewritable memory chip, and if the controller of the chip fails, or big chunks of the memory in this chip fail - it's not usable anymore."

    now considering this, IF the controller is physical fault (as in fabrication fault, overheated transistors etc).. the nothing more can be done.. BUT if the fault is just in the addressing fail.. this providing the addresses should work wouldn't you think?

    If someone has a brick on their desk they can try this.. Nothing really to loose right?

    I would never suggest replacing the emmc file of a working chip.. now thats just crazy talk.. well if you have $500 to spare.. sure.. but I was thinking of fixing a broken one...


    One more last thing: The only problem with this approach on a dead phone is getting access to the FS AFTER the phone is dead.. any ideas?
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    using adb you are able to get into the filesystem...
    View
    1
    irrelephant
    irrelephant
    saranhai said:
    should i also post this in the g2 forums?
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    I believe there are a few ppl there with the failed emmc that still have their phones...

    Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA Premium App
    View
    1
    J
    Jack_R1
    There were numerous non-rooted bricked eMMCs reported in failed eMMC thread in General section, and also at least 2 threads in Q&A that I've participated in that dealt with non-rooted bricks.
    View

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