Fix: semi bricked/bricked SPH-L710 Sprint S3

[goku2778]

So so Sorry, if you were in CA, I'd come by so you could do it yourself. I;d even pay you good money. OK, sorry, I was freakin out, brah.

I did use ODIn and waited for a long time and the Samsung logo just hangs there. There is no progress, nothing. I can't get to the signing into Google or anything at all.

You said, " THEN you have to reinstall philz recovery with Odin, remove the knox again and reroot by reinstalling supersu." But I cant get past the logo. I see the "Samsung" for two secs, then "Samsung Galaxy Slll" then the Sprint logo goes by with music, then back to the "Samsung" logo where it sits forever. This is killing me.

oh...never said that before, damn. so odin is working it seems but you're somehow stuck in a boot loop now...sh&t...I'd be frustrated too with that, how many times have you tried the odin flash where you let it try to go all the way through?

when I did it, I left it plugged into my computer the entire time until it finished booting up for me to begin signing in...have you done that? and your phone is the right model sph-L710? if so and this keeps happening while doing this process, it's gonna suck to say but you may have to take it to a sprint tech and see what happens there, don't know if you got insurance or not but I'd just say that your phone just shut down on its own and has been in a non stop boot loop since, that's actually the state my phone was in when I had done this again just 3 nights ago and it worked 1st shot for me

 

[goku2778]

or you can try this, this is the debrick img method...again, I've never run this myself but it is a bit complex to do, so any issues or questions doing this part you're gonna have to post up in the thread:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2637424

 

[neadams99]

ODin tar file

or you can try this, this is the debrick img method...again, I've never run this myself but it is a bit complex to do, so any issues or questions doing this part you're gonna have to post up in the thread:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2637424

Ok,I'm going to check that link now.

Oh, that was scary. Not sure I've got skills enough to do that. May be forced to soon, however.

So, what did your ODin tar file contain? I just want to know what was sent over to my phone via that file. I wonder if sending it back to stock "a clean slate" and putting on 4.3 when I had been on CM10.2 and 4.3 may have been an issue. Can't imagine how or why but I thought I'd ask!? Any theories?

One thing to note: I do have the SPL-L710 which is a Sprint device that was flashed to Metro PCS. I have installed CM10.1 and then 10.2 using the SPL-L710 as device and it worked before so that wouldn't have screwed me up with this effort, right?

If I can get into recovery mode (did so once this afternoon-somehow) and then hit "reset to factory settings", then would that disable the Metro flash? Should I try to send a zip file over to the SD card and try to unbrick it that way? When I was in recovery mode I did not see any files under the Ti Backup folder, the download temp folder, or apply update from cache> in lost and found nor in recover when I drilled down. The TWRP folder did have some old files from gs3cm10.1.3 for boot data and system.But I was not 100% sure if I should try selecting the system folderfirst or data or boot. Since I've had bad luck f'ing around with the thing for past two days, I wanted to ask someone first. Lucky YOU.

 

[goku2778]

Ok,I'm going to check that link now.

Oh, that was scary. Not sure I've got skills enough to do that. May be forced to soon, however.

So, what did your ODin tar file contain? I just want to know what was sent over to my phone via that file. I wonder if sending it back to stock "a clean slate" and putting on 4.3 when I had been on CM10.2 and 4.3 may have been an issue. Can't imagine how or why but I thought I'd ask!? Any theories?

One thing to note: I do have the SPL-L710 which is a Sprint device that was flashed to Metro PCS. I have installed CM10.1 and then 10.2 using the SPL-L710 as device and it worked before so that wouldn't have screwed me up with this effort, right?

If I can get into recovery mode (did so once this afternoon-somehow) and then hit "reset to factory settings", then would that disable the Metro flash? Should I try to send a zip file over to the SD card and try to unbrick it that way? When I was in recovery mode I did not see any files under the Ti Backup folder, the download temp folder, or apply update from cache> in lost and found nor in recover when I drilled down. The TWRP folder did have some old files from gs3cm10.1.3 for boot data and system.But I was not 100% sure if I should try selecting the system folderfirst or data or boot. Since I've had bad luck f'ing around with the thing for past two days, I wanted to ask someone first. Lucky YOU.

ohhhhhhhhhhh, it was flashed to metro pcs...that could be the problem because with this you're reinstalling the completely stock sprint 4.3 for our models...so I don't know then with the metro pcs part of it, that could be the whole problem there

is there a metro pcs .tar file that could be flashed into it? I really have no ideas now because of that part, doubt also if even there is a recovery in your phone since it's basically wiped and not finishing a complete bootup to finish this install...try googling for the metro pcs 4.3 .tar file that can be used with odin????

how did it change to metro pcs in the 1st place, what did you have to do?

 

[goku2778]

Ok,I'm going to check that link now.

Oh, that was scary. Not sure I've got skills enough to do that. May be forced to soon, however.

So, what did your ODin tar file contain? I just want to know what was sent over to my phone via that file. I wonder if sending it back to stock "a clean slate" and putting on 4.3 when I had been on CM10.2 and 4.3 may have been an issue. Can't imagine how or why but I thought I'd ask!? Any theories?

One thing to note: I do have the SPL-L710 which is a Sprint device that was flashed to Metro PCS. I have installed CM10.1 and then 10.2 using the SPL-L710 as device and it worked before so that wouldn't have screwed me up with this effort, right?

If I can get into recovery mode (did so once this afternoon-somehow) and then hit "reset to factory settings", then would that disable the Metro flash? Should I try to send a zip file over to the SD card and try to unbrick it that way? When I was in recovery mode I did not see any files under the Ti Backup folder, the download temp folder, or apply update from cache> in lost and found nor in recover when I drilled down. The TWRP folder did have some old files from gs3cm10.1.3 for boot data and system.But I was not 100% sure if I should try selecting the system folderfirst or data or boot. Since I've had bad luck f'ing around with the thing for past two days, I wanted to ask someone first. Lucky YOU.

was looking up some things with your model and metro pcs and using Odin....after Odin finished some had your problem and this is what I found:


Q: I experienced bootloop or the phone just stuck on Welcome Logo (phone always stop at bootanimation) and it won’t boot normally?
A: You can fix it via recovery mode option, do this:
Boot in recovery mode
1. Press and hold Volume Up, Home and Power button.
2. Use volume keys to select, Up and Down and Power or Home key to select the option
3. Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset using the Home button.
4. Next select the Wipe Cache Partition
5. Lastly, select Reboot System Now to reboot your Galaxy S3 in Normal mode.

 

[neadams99]

will I then lose the Metro Flash?

was looking up some things with your model and metro pcs and using Odin....after Odin finished some had your problem and this is what I found:


Q: I experienced bootloop or the phone just stuck on Welcome Logo (phone always stop at bootanimation) and it won’t boot normally?
A: You can fix it via recovery mode option, do this:
Boot in recovery mode
1. Press and hold Volume Up, Home and Power button.
2. Use volume keys to select, Up and Down and Power or Home key to select the option
3. Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset using the Home button.
4. Next select the Wipe Cache Partition
5. Lastly, select Reboot System Now to reboot your Galaxy S3 in Normal mode.

Please send link of above info. The question before I wipe and do a factory reset is: Will I lose the Flash to the carrier Metro? I did search for this on the web and found that it depends on if it is in the system folder or not. How can I tell that?

Plus, another thing I could do is to simply use ODin to send the new twrp file over or use the Philz touch recovery and wipe the data, cache and dalvik then reinstall the CM11 or the stock that is on there from your files? Does that make sense?

Or else attempt the use of fastboot and command prompt.
Before I try that earlier link you recommended (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2637424 states: "THIS IMAGE WILL ONLY WORK IF YOU BRICKED AFTER UPGRADING TO 4.3 MK3. IT WILL NOT WORK IF YOU WERE ON 4.1.2 JELLYBEAN OR ANYTHING ELSE." I think I had must've 4.2.2, but possibly 4.3, {how can I make sure?} MD5 (with CM10.2) on the phone and was working on getting to 4.3 with CM11 when it crashed and failed.

 

[neadams99]

Works

Please send link of above info. The question before I wipe and do a factory reset is: Will I lose the Flash to the carrier Metro? I did search for this on the web and found that it depends on if it is in the system folder or not. How can I tell that?

Plus, another thing I could do is to simply use ODin to send the new twrp file over or use the Philz touch recovery and wipe the data, cache and dalvik then reinstall the CM11 or the stock that is on there from your files? Does that make sense?

Or else attempt the use of fastboot and command prompt.
Before I try that earlier link you recommended (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2637424 states: "THIS IMAGE WILL ONLY WORK IF YOU BRICKED AFTER UPGRADING TO 4.3 MK3. IT WILL NOT WORK IF YOU WERE ON 4.1.2 JELLYBEAN OR ANYTHING ELSE." I think I had must've 4.2.2, but possibly 4.3, {how can I make sure?} MD5 (with CM10.2) on the phone and was working on getting to 4.3 with CM11 when it crashed and failed.

OMG! Finally! The guy who flashed my phone called back and he says that the Factory reset and wipe of cache wont take away the Metro Flash. Doing so now--
YES! I have a working, albeit, stock SGS3 now. ... Yep, no superuser SU.
Ok, it is going to take time to get used to this pig, but I'll hold off on rooting & flashing the CM11 (that was the cause of all my issues) for as long as I can! THanks a zillion!
I wonder if I root the thing then redownload Ti Pro again if I can then restore back to the old CM10.3? And should I do this before I go try CM11?? OH, wait I must NOT f around with this for a few days/weeks/months. Or hours at least. Thank you again for your help and trying to walk me through this so nicely.

 

[goku2778]

OMG! Finally! The guy who flashed my phone called back and he says that the Factory reset and wipe of cache wont take away the Metro Flash. Doing so now--
YES! I have a working, albeit, stock SGS3 now. ... Yep, no superuser SU.
Ok, it is going to take time to get used to this pig, but I'll hold off on rooting & flashing the CM11 (that was the cause of all my issues) for as long as I can! THanks a zillion!
I wonder if I root the thing then redownload Ti Pro again if I can then restore back to the old CM10.3? And should I do this before I go try CM11?? OH, wait I must NOT f around with this for a few days/weeks/months. Or hours at least. Thank you again for your help and trying to walk me through this so nicely.

just saw both messages, I'm glad you got it cause I'm not lying, I was looking up things for it for at least 2 hours this morning while at work and kept checking if you saw my posts.

if your phone is now in the 4.3 from my bundle, just go to my rooting guide in my signature, you got the same model as me and virgin mobile users so if on 4.3 my guide will work fully for you...yes, titanium backup, reroot using my guide, and when done get titanium again BUT be ready for this possibility, your folder if you didn't back it up to your extsdcard it was most likely wiped when you reinstalled 4.3

just saying...but let me know in my other guide if you got any issues...if your phone took this flash from here, you'll be golden

 

[neadams99]

Rooted!

just saw both messages, I'm glad you got it cause I'm not lying, I was looking up things for it for at least 2 hours this morning while at work and kept checking if you saw my posts.

if your phone is now in the 4.3 from my bundle, just go to my rooting guide in my signature, you got the same model as me and virgin mobile users so if on 4.3 my guide will work fully for you...yes, titanium backup, reroot using my guide, and when done get titanium again BUT be ready for this possibility, your folder if you didn't back it up to your extsdcard it was most likely wiped when you reinstalled 4.3

just saying...but let me know in my other guide if you got any issues...if your phone took this flash from here, you'll be golden

Wow. Done! :laugh::laugh::good: No need to update the SU binary. This is the latest version, for now.

I couldn't do the back up before I rooted (tried to--but Ti needs root permissions). Afterwards, Ti did load but said that I have a new Android ID (helps the apps keep track of the devices using them) and asked whether I should update to new ID or not. Any idea what to choose? I know I can't get to the backups stored on SD card if I use the new ID but if I updt it to new ID, then what happens to my app + data from old ID? Maybe a moot point due to the fact that the phone was wiped with move to 4.3, right?! Yet, I do have my Ti backups stored on G Drive so maybe I can go there and get them again on this phone somehow?

Thanks again. I will not be flashing the new ROM (either CM11 or any other) as my husband and kids think I'd be crazy to do that at this point. I'll wait till the stable version comes out. Appreciate all your help. I'm now much relieved and more knowledgeable than Wednesday when this whole crazy thing started. You may now rest easy knowing that you have saved one more soul today from Android purgatory.:highfive::highfive:

 

[goku2778]

Wow. Done! :laugh::laugh::good: No need to update the SU binary. This is the latest version, for now.

I couldn't do the back up before I rooted (tried to--but Ti needs root permissions). Afterwards, Ti did load but said that I have a new Android ID (helps the apps keep track of the devices using them) and asked whether I should update to new ID or not. Any idea what to choose? I know I can't get to the backups stored on SD card if I use the new ID but if I updt it to new ID, then what happens to my app + data from old ID? Maybe a moot point due to the fact that the phone was wiped with move to 4.3, right?! Yet, I do have my Ti backups stored on G Drive so maybe I can go there and get them again on this phone somehow?

Thanks again. I will not be flashing the new ROM (either CM11 or any other) as my husband and kids think I'd be crazy to do that at this point. I'll wait till the stable version comes out. Appreciate all your help. I'm now much relieved and more knowledgeable than Wednesday when this whole crazy thing started. You may now rest easy knowing that you have saved one more soul today from Android purgatory.:highfive::highfive:

lol you're funny...you can use titanium to restore your user apps ( play store) no problem but not system apps if it's a new ID

 

[neadams99]

lol you're funny...you can use titanium to restore your user apps ( play store) no problem but not system apps if it's a new ID

Still have to work on the TiBu issue for restoring. I think it all got wiped off phone but it is on G Drive so I'll get on that soon.
ON another issue: WiFi Tethering Since I used your unbrick method and Root guide, I thought I'd ask you:
Can I use this post : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2224083


I checked the Baseband and it says I'm MK3, as based on your files, right?
I am running the Sprint stock ROM right?
It is the odexed version, correct?
Which file exactly would you recommend? I was going to use: http://d-h.st/T16
This ROM doesn't use multiview mod, right?

Since you were so kind as to get Philz touch recovery on my S3, would I just get the zip over to device using USB and then open zip file via Philz?

 

[neadams99]

Forget the last post. I got it done yesterday.

 

[salman121]

Hi goku2778,

Thanks you so much. You have been very helpful and I learned a lot from you.

I originally had my Samsung S3 Galaxy (SPH-L710) rooted when sprint/samsung pushed the 4.3 upgrade. All was working fine but it was not rooted anymore.

I rooted again successfully just to put the clean factory software back on. I successfully put the stock image (KIES_HOME_L710VPALEN_L710SPRALEN_618049_REV03_user_low_ship.tar.md5) back on after resetting the ROM count through Triangle away. Then it was doing the SPRINT or Samsung updates over the air when it restarted 3-4 times. Last time, it didn't come back when restarting.

I am not able to go into download mode anymore. Ordered a JIG through E-bay but it didn't help. Used it on my other S3 phone and it works. I went to Radio Shack and purchased 100K ohms, 1/4 Watts, 5% Tolerence resistors. When I checked with the meter, it was a lot less ohms. So I added 5 x 1k Ohms with the existing 3 x 100k Ohms resistors to make it right in the middle of 300k-301k Ohms, still no luck.

I even purchased a 16GB Class 10 Micro SD card and burned a image with Win32DiskImager for debrick_sph_l710.img, but my phone is not responding.

When I plug in my phone to computer, it shows as something Qualcomm 9600 ... for which I downloaded QHSUSB_Drivers_(x64) drivers and it showed up on Comm6. So I tried to use the Sprint 4.3 Stock Image (L710VPUCMK3_L710SPRCMK3_L710VPUCMK3_HOME.tar.md5) but it doesn't complete unless i need to let it sit for way longer than normal.

I noticed when I take the battery out and plug it into the charger, i see the red power light comes on for about a 30 seconds or so and then it goes off. It used to be always blue when working.

Could you please please offer any help?

 

[trufreak]

AWESOME!

BIG THANK YOU!!!! I had soft-bricked my phone and this is EXACXTLY I spent all day searching for thank you again!!!

 

[Waltec]

USB Debugging on softbricked S3?

Nice post, I am sure that it will save someone.

when I 1st rooted my s3 on 4.3, I messed it up lol I fixed it this way, which is installing a clean slate of 4.3 OTA via Odin...mine was a semi brick and keyboard was somehow gone as well, so this was my only choice:

1st download my bundle I made here
-once downloaded, extract the bundle preferably to your open desktop or wherever is easiest for you to guide through

your phone must have USB debugging mode enabled if you haven't done it already
-settings>more>developer options>enable usb debugging
-if you've never done this before, you'll have to go to: settings>more>about device>build number (tap on build number several times until the countdown states you're now a developer, once done press back once and developer options will now be present)

now once that's done, pull the battery, reinsert the battery and reboot into recovery by: holding volume up/home and power keys
once in recovery, do a factory data/cache wipe (fully wipe it out!)

now once that's done, pull your battery, reinsert your battery, hold: volume down/home and power keys and you'll be prompted with a warning and to press volume up to proceed, press volume up...this is "download mode"

on your computer, open the extracted bundle and run Odin 3.09 and make sure ONLY "auto reboot" and "f. reset time" boxes are checked
-connect your phone via usb cord and the ID: com will now light up and indicate it has detected your phone (if not, you'll need samsung drivers which can be found here)
-once recognized, load the necessary file by checking the box by the AP tab and then clicking the AP tab and load the .tar.md5 file in the bundled folder...this may take a few seconds, it's a large file so be patient
-once file is loaded, hit the "start" button and DO NOT INTERRUPT THIS PROCESS! once it's finished, again this is a large file and will take some time to finish, you'll see a "PASS" in Odin and also in the log box it will say "all threads completed (succeed 1/fail 0)

your phone will now reboot itself and restart with a freshly installed 4.3 OTA operating system! if it fails, try again and if it fails again, your phone may just be beyond repair...heard they can make a nice paper weight decoration lol GOOD LUCK!

To Reroot your phone: use my rooting guide

So, I'm stuck at the Samsung logo after mistakenly wrong my phone in CWM recovery n. Well this work if i can't do USB debugging setup because i can't bit the phone?

Thanks for this, regardless.

---------- Post added at 08:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:23 AM ----------

I wiped my phone by mistake. Can't enable USB debugging. Going to try this regardless, any advice for a phone that is stuck at the splash screen? Any idea if it will work?

 

[mattzeller]

Try wiping cache and dalvik in recovery, or refresh your ROM

 

[jthawken123]

Wow...

Well, I'd spent months trying to fix an erased MEID and IMEI and EVERYTHING else where there was device information, not to mention having totally screwed up the modems... It was a gnarly brick. Downloaded this, Odin, Start, BOOM! Perfectly new phone. Absolutely phenomenal. Thank you so much. Saved me hundreds of dollars!!!!!!

 

[pgellen]

hard bricked sph-l710t

Well, I'd spent months trying to fix an erased MEID and IMEI and EVERYTHING else where there was device information, not to mention having totally screwed up the modems... It was a gnarly brick. Downloaded this, Odin, Start, BOOM! Perfectly new phone. Absolutely phenomenal. Thank you so much. Saved me hundreds of dollars!!!!!!

I know it been awhile since you dealt with this but I was hoping you could help me with unbricking a very hard bricked sph-l710t s3 galaxy. if you could find the time. ive searched and searched and gone to so many threads that were down that its crazy. I really like this phone and I've only known for two days what happened. ive bricked 3 phones thinking the chip set crashed or something but something was nagging at me that there was something else going on. for three months ive been thinking this. then I happened to be n YouTube looking at bricked phones and lo and behold I saw a video of a jig opening up a locked phone. man I was jumping for joy. now cant find the files. I know how to make a jig but I found from xda that you don't need a jig. imagine my surprise.. so, if you get a little time could you help me out with the correct links and files? please? thank you

 

[Asymptot3]

Bruh...I've had this problem where i can't install any MM or Lolli rom at all anymore since i downgraded 2 month ago to a kitkat touchwiz rom. from updating/switching recoveries, wiping systems/cache/datas/dalvik and even reflashing stock nj2/nd8 to try again.....Nothing but bootloops. I'll try your package out and start fresh. Will report on what happens. Fingers crossed!
Edit: Wonder why when trying to flash the 4.3ota odin just "FAIL" tried nd8 and nj2 ...both worked