[HOWTO] Recover from a HARD BRICK [N900V] [MJE/NC2/NC4]

[hsbadr]

I TAKE NO CREDIT FOR CORE METHOD. I APPLIED IT FOR OUR DEVICE !

To make long story short, I've hard bricked my device while trying to patch/unlock the bootloader after successfully flashing a custom kernel (this tripped knox counter). After reading all guides that addresses the problem for other devices, I'm posting a 100% working solution for the most hated disaster in the Android rooting/flashing world. Moreover, this is very promising info for testing bootloader exploits.


What is Hard Brick?

Hard brick is the state of android device that occurs when your device won’t boot/respond/charge at all. This is mainly caused by flashing corrupted firmware, damaged bootloader, incomplete flashing in Odin/Download mode, or interrupted OTA upgrade. You can't recover from hard brick by traditional methods since your phone is ~dead & you can't enter any Recovery or Download Modes; You'll need to use JTAG (expensive service), USB JIG (cheap, but no gurantee), or this free guide/files to get it repaired.


What do you need?

- Hard Bricked Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (N900V)
- Micro SD Card: 4/8/16/32 GB micro SD card
- Unbrick Image: working dump with the same bootloader/version
- Image Writer: native commands on Linux/MacOSx or Win32 Disk Imager on Windows


How to recover?

1- Download Unbrick Image for your bootloader (MJE, NC2 or NC4) from here
2- If you're using Windows, download Win32 Disk Imager
3- Backup all files in the micro SD card you 'll use
4- Write the Unbrick Image to your micro SD card using Win32 Disk Imager or Linux/MacOSX commands
5- Remove battery, Insert micro SD card & then the battery
6- Hold Power + Home + Volume Down to enter Download Mode by bootloader on SD card
7- Flash Stock firmware via Odin & Enjoy

YOU MAY NEED TO TEST MICRO SD CARDS WITH DIFFERENT TYPES/SIZES & FORMAT AS EXFAT BEFORE WRITING AN UNBRICK IMAGE ACCORDING TO YOUR BOOTLOADER!

This method should work for most Hard Brick cases, especially those with flashing failures. However, some cases might need a repair service or a hardware treatment to recover. One thing you may try if you can't get a replacement (warranty claim) is from Samsung guide for N900 device that includes disassembly & making short of R4075 resistance (which isn't tested & for another device + I don't recommend it) as described here.

For Developer Edition, you need to create your own Unbrick Image since I can't share it for the device-specific bootloader. Just run this Unbrick Image Creator in recovery & it'll create "/sdcard/Unbrick_Files" in your internal SD card.

For more details, read the guides provided bellow in the credits section.


Downloads:

All files you may need are available in this folder.


Credits:

- designgears - for this guide
- Shabbypenguin - for this guide
- theramsey3 - for this guide
- dstruct2k - for this guide
- -Mr. X- - for this guide


Thanks to:

- @soundrizm - for creating the MJE image from his device
- @jrbxx7 - for creating the NC2 image from his device
- @K03WL3R - for creating the NC4 image from his device

XDA:DevDB Information
How to recover from a HARD BRICK, Tool/Utility for the Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Contributors
hsbadr

Version Information
Status: Stable

Created 2014-08-01
Last Updated 2015-02-15

 

[jrbxx7]

Nice work! Thanks

Tapped from an annihilated N10.1

 

[ncdub]

This is amazing progress for our devices @hsbadr. I, for one, can't thank you enough for all you're doing to keep our beautiful albeit locked down Note 3's on the forefront! Donation coming asap!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[ihavenewnike]

Wait, how can this help with unlocking bootloader? I have no developing background so this would be nice to know

 

[kvnhmmd]

This won't reset knox to 0 though, correct? So there's no way to reset to 0 yet?

 

[Night_Watcher]

I see there is a nc2 and nc4 unbrick image... If i am on the unified kk Jasmine rom firmware which image do i use... I thought i read on the Jasmine thread that it contained components of both...

Samsung Note 3 - VZW
Jasmine 2.0 v4
XDA Pro

 

[hsbadr]

Wait, how can this help with unlocking bootloader? I have no developing background so this would be nice to know

Testing bootloader exploits could easily HARD BRICK the device; now, we've a tested fully working fix for this disaster. So, devs can feel better with their tests.

This won't reset knox to 0 though, correct? So there's no way to reset to 0 yet?

This just enables booting the device from SD card so that you can enter Download Mode & revive it from HARD BRICK state. The knox counter won't change unless you've already tripped it while messing with your device at/before HARD BRICK.

I see there is a nc2 and nc4 unbrick image... If i am on the unified kk Jasmine rom firmware which image do i use... I thought i read on the Jasmine thread that it contained components of both...

It only depends on the bootloader version. The unified KK firmware doesn't include any bootloader; so, you'll need to use the Unbrick Image based on your bootloader (NC4 for OTA update or full NC4 tar via Odin & NC2 otherwise). You may try the NC2 image 1st which won't boot if you're on a newer NC4 bootlooder; if so, use the NC4 image.

 

[ihavenewnike]

Testing bootloader exploits could easily HARD BRICK the device; now, we've a tested fully working fix for this disaster. So, devs can feel better with their tests.



This just enables booting the device from SD card so that you can enter Download Mode & revive it from HARD BRICK state. The knox counter won't change unless you've already tripped it while messing with your device at/before HARD BRICK.



It only depends on the bootloader version. The unified KK firmware doesn't include any bootloader; so, you'll need to use the Unbrick Image based on your bootloader (NC4 for OTA update or full NC4 tar via Odin & NC2 otherwise). You may try the NC2 image 1st which won't boot if you're on a newer NC4 bootlooder; if so, use the NC4 image.

So now we can just randomly try bootloaders, like maybe the DE bootloader modified for a device?

 

[hsbadr]

So now we can just randomly try bootloaders, like maybe the DE bootloader modified for a device?

NO, don't! This is only for devs or users who know exactly what they're doing. If you flashed another device's bootloader, you may kill your device forever. However, you can use it to recover when you ACCIDENTALLY made your device hard bricked.

 

[ihavenewnike]

Ok. Thanks. Curious, how do you learn about these things. I would love to try some stuff. Hey I got the device for 50 off contract.

 

[ol`DXer]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Makes me feel better about trying different roms &mods.
had a Droid HD unlocked bootloader, bricked it many times.

 

[LillieBennett]

Could the unbrick files be made flashable. The DE 4.4 bootloader is now on new devices and many DE guys (me too) are interested in upgrading from 4.3? I bow low to @hsbadr really great work!

 

[hsbadr]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Makes me feel better about trying different roms &mods.
had a Droid HD unlocked bootloader, bricked it many times.

You're welcome! Glad I could help.

Could the unbrick files be made flashable. The DE 4.4 bootloader is now on new devices and many DE guys (me too) are interested in upgrading from 4.3? I bow low to @hsbadr really great work!

The purpose of Unbrick Image(s) is to revive a ~dead (hard bricked) device by booting from external SD card to enter Dwonload Mode & flash firmware to recover. You can pull all images from your device & on DevED, all of them can be flashable.

 

[NetworkPIMP]

Is the process similiar for a phone that was on MJE?

Scenario:

Phone was stock MJE.

Rooted w/ TowelRoot, installed SS 3.7.1

Rebooted to DL mode, Odin'd "unified firmware" from Jasmine thread (*I think this is where things went sideways b/c no NC2/4 rom was installed to stock slot, just the leftover MJE+TR+SS install).

Phone shutdown at the end of that Odin, and now will not power up / vibrate / enter DL mode / nothing ...


I put the NC2 debrick image on a 32GB Class4 MicroSD - no joy.

I was wondering if it's because the MJE bootloader is still there? Wouldn't I then need an MJE unbrick microSD img?

I figured as much so I made one by Odin'ing another phone back to Stock MJE, and doing a "dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0 of=/sdcard/unbrickMJE.img count=524288" and used that .img to make the MicroSD card (with Win32DiskImager)...

Still no joy... No power-up/buzz/dl-mode off of power button OR voldn+home+pwr, with and w/out USB cable...

(Yes, the card is fine, the battery is at 100%...)

I'm wondering if I made the .img incorrectly? OR, is this phone just completely eff-screwed now?? :crying:

Thoughts?

 

[Dc4479]

Still no joy... No power-up/buzz/dl-mode off of power button OR voldn+home+pwr, with and w/out USB cable...

(Yes, the card is fine, the battery is at 100%...)

I'm wondering if I made the .img incorrectly? OR, is this phone just completely eff-screwed now?? :crying:

Thoughts?

Does your phone vibrate when you attempt to turn it on? With the battery or without the battery but plugged into the charger? In my experience with hard bricks, the phone should at least vibe when you go to power it up. Also, not sure if it will make a difference but, try a class 10 card with the same amount of memory as the phone.

Other than that everything you did sounds correct.


Sent from my SM-G900V using XDA Premium HD app

 

[hsbadr]

Is the process similiar for a phone that was on MJE?

Scenario:

Phone was stock MJE.

Rooted w/ TowelRoot, installed SS 3.7.1

Rebooted to DL mode, Odin'd "unified firmware" from Jasmine thread (*I think this is where things went sideways b/c no NC2/4 rom was installed to stock slot, just the leftover MJE+TR+SS install).

Phone shutdown at the end of that Odin, and now will not power up / vibrate / enter DL mode / nothing ...


I put the NC2 debrick image on a 32GB Class4 MicroSD - no joy.

I was wondering if it's because the MJE bootloader is still there? Wouldn't I then need an MJE unbrick microSD img?

I figured as much so I made one by Odin'ing another phone back to Stock MJE, and doing a "dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0 of=/sdcard/unbrickMJE.img count=524288" and used that .img to make the MicroSD card (with Win32DiskImager)...

Still no joy... No power-up/buzz/dl-mode off of power button OR voldn+home+pwr, with and w/out USB cable...

(Yes, the card is fine, the battery is at 100%...)

I'm wondering if I made the .img incorrectly? OR, is this phone just completely eff-screwed now?? :crying:

Thoughts?

1st: you should have flashed full firmware to upgrade from JB; the unified firmware is for KK only !!!
2nd: If you can enter Download Mode, flash the firmware linked above to recover.
3rd: You should use Unbrick Image for the same bootloader & device (N900V MJE in your case)

Update: you may also try a USB JIG to enter Download Mode & flash the required firmware; you can create one or order it from Amazon.com (it's very cheap).

 

[ihavenewnike]

Can someone do a video tutorial on this.

 

[ryanbg]

An unbrick image may only be viable on a 32GB+ MicroSD. It must be at least the size of the eMMC chip on-board.

 

[rneteoriteflo]

Kudos to all the folks that are involved in this, a life saver for those in need for sure!:good:

 

[bossnyce]

Any luck with mj7 debrick.img