Note 8 Hardware of Software failure? Please help me

BluePhnx

Senior Member
Oct 12, 2014
722
355
83
Are there any partition files to repetition the phone memory for the note 8?

If so you can try that option in Odin.

Have you tried the nand erase option in Odin and the csc file (which factory reset phone)?

If that doesn't work them it's a hardware fault and NO software can fix that.

Have you tried talking to Samsung service center the cost of the fix is?
 

Mr. Orange 645

Senior Member
Sep 6, 2010
3,342
1,649
253
Springfield
@myrunes

In ODIN, go to the options tab. Check both nand erase and repartition. This about the deepest, lowest level flash and clean slate you can get. Unlocking the bootloader, rooting, and installing a custom ROM isn't going to fix your issue.

If repartition and nand erase doesn't work, then you need a new motherboard.
 

myrunes

Senior Member
Oct 16, 2016
50
2
0
I didn't try erasing nand or repartitioning but I am willing to try it. After all I don't have anything to loose from it. In the mean time I have been experimenting with flashing a combination firmware, you know the binary one. I saw some guides on Youtube where some Indians claimed that if you flash a combination firmware and, enable developer option and USB debugging then flash a stock firmware over it, the phone should get fixed and the DM-VERITY error should be bypassed. I tried it but same problem. While I had the combination firmware installed, the phone functioned perfectly, it didn't bootloop once however as soon as I flashed the stock firmware, bam, the bootloops returned. I don't think the board is dead electronically. I think this may be just software after all but its so complicated to fix it that I'm close to giving up on it. It already consumed soo much of my time. The problem is that I just now noticed that the combination firmware I used was a 7.1 Nougat and then I installed a 8.0 Oreo over it and from I saw in the videos those guys used the exact same combination version and stock version and now Im waiting for download to complete from sammobile.com I saw that binary version needs to match or otherwise it won't work?

I will test the combination trick one more time, this time with the correct versions and if the phone behaves the same and its a failure then I will try your suggestion. I will wipe nand and repartition. I hope there is no risk in doing that such as affecting the EFS partion or something...?

If anyone is interested let me know and I will keep you updated if I fix it.
 
Last edited:

myrunes

Senior Member
Oct 16, 2016
50
2
0
@myrunes

In ODIN, go to the options tab. Check both nand erase and repartition. This about the deepest, lowest level flash and clean slate you can get. Unlocking the bootloader, rooting, and installing a custom ROM isn't going to fix your issue.

If repartition and nand erase doesn't work, then you need a new motherboard.
Don't I need a PIT file before re-partitioning??? I can't just re-partition like that without a pit file, it will mess up the phone even more. I can't seem to find a N9500 pit file anywhere...
 

Mr. Orange 645

Senior Member
Sep 6, 2010
3,342
1,649
253
Springfield
Don't I need a PIT file before re-partitioning??? I can't just re-partition like that without a pit file, it will mess up the phone even more. I can't seem to find a N9500 pit file anywhere...
It should be built into the CSC_OYM file

You can probably try just a nand erase. If that doesn't work, try nand erase and repartition. Just make sure you use CSC_OYM, not HOME_CSC. You have nothing to lose.
 

myrunes

Senior Member
Oct 16, 2016
50
2
0
It should be built into the CSC_OYM file

You can probably try just a nand erase. If that doesn't work, try nand erase and repartition. Just make sure you use CSC_OYM, not HOME_CSC. You have nothing to lose.

So that means I don't need to add the pit file anymore in that pit tab? Or are you suggesting that I should add it and extract it from that file?

Thanks
 

myrunes

Senior Member
Oct 16, 2016
50
2
0
I finished flashing it in Odin like this: NAND erase, re-partition, pit file, etc.

If I start the phone normally it goes into "installing system updates" then "No command". I think this has to do with some recovery or bootloader mismatch or something? I don't know.... If anyone knows please help. Thanks.
 
Last edited:

Mr. Orange 645

Senior Member
Sep 6, 2010
3,342
1,649
253
Springfield
So that means I don't need to add the pit file anymore in that pit tab? Or are you suggesting that I should add it and extract it from that file?

Thanks
No. The pit file is built in. You don't have to add it. Just add the ODIN firmware as normal, then check nand erase and repartition. At least that is my understanding.
 

myrunes

Senior Member
Oct 16, 2016
50
2
0
No. The pit file is built in. You don't have to add it. Just add the ODIN firmware as normal, then check nand erase and repartition. At least that is my understanding.
I did that and it behaves exactly the same.

I don't know what to do with this phone anymore but here's the intriguing part I just noticed. Sometimes its even rebooting by itself in the combination firmware and that really shouldn't happen. Sometimes some green colors show up on screen. This happens mainly when the phone is under heavy load. Maybe the board is physically damaged. I am tending to believe 70% that the problem is hardware and only 30% software but I do not know I am not a technician. If the problem is hardware, what could it be? Is it fixable? A blown fuse or SMD or something?
 

Mr. Orange 645

Senior Member
Sep 6, 2010
3,342
1,649
253
Springfield
I did that and it behaves exactly the same.

I don't know what to do with this phone anymore but here's the intriguing part I just noticed. Sometimes its even rebooting by itself in the combination firmware and that really shouldn't happen. Sometimes some green colors show up on screen. This happens mainly when the phone is under heavy load. Maybe the board is physically damaged. I am tending to believe 70% that the problem is hardware and only 30% software but I do not know I am not a technician. If the problem is hardware, what could it be? Is it fixable? A blown fuse or SMD or something?
If it's hardware, you'll just need to do a motherboard swap.
 

myrunes

Senior Member
Oct 16, 2016
50
2
0
If it's hardware, you'll just need to do a motherboard swap.
I have made giant progress. I managed to disable CROM and flash a TWRP. I flashed a bunch of stuff such as Magisk, SuperSU, no-verity-opt-encrypt-6.0 and stock ROM but I get the same problems and stuff. What does this mean? Is my EFS partition corrupt? Or perhaps my bootloader is defective? What do I do now? Should I just root and flash a custom ROM? Would that solve anything?
I know the easy way out is to swap the board but I can't find a board here anywhere for this phone.

With stock ROM I get a blue screen saying "No Command" when I try to enter recovery mode or when I just do a normal power-up. Would flashing a custom ROM fix this "No Command" error?
 
Last edited:

Mr. Orange 645

Senior Member
Sep 6, 2010
3,342
1,649
253
Springfield
I have made giant progress. I managed to disable CROM and flash a TWRP. I flashed a bunch of stuff such as Magisk, SuperSU, no-verity-opt-encrypt-6.0 and stock ROM but I get the same problems and stuff. What does this mean? Is my EFS partition corrupt? Or perhaps my bootloader is defective? What do I do now? Should I just root and flash a custom ROM? Would that solve anything?
I know the easy way out is to swap the board but I can't find a board here anywhere for this phone.

With stock ROM I get a blue screen saying "No Command" when I try to enter recovery mode or when I just do a normal power-up. Would flashing a custom ROM fix this "No Command" error?
Well, you are now out of my realm of expertise. Hopefully someone can help you.
 
I didn't start anything, all I said is that I do not like Samsung anymore and its my business what I like and don't like and I don't want anyone to convince me otherwise. I can't believe a 1000 Euro phone fails irreparably! Of course I didn't pay 1000 but the guy who I got it from did and the principle itself is what pisses me off. What if I would have been in his shoes bought it new paid 1000 then total fail and unable to fix it just after 1 year!? If this was 1 in 1 million cases, ohh ok, tough luck what can I say? But this is actually extremely common with Samsung nowadays. It all started with Note 4. Note 4 was the first major Samsung disaster. Note 3 was a jewel of Samsung, the best Note ever produced. I not once seen a Note 3 with failed board even to this day after years of use, anyway avoiding more off-topic talk, I am aware about replacing the motherboard, I even mentioned it in my first post, even the title of the thread is "hardware or software" fault. This is from the bottom of my first post "So can anyone help me??? Is my problem just software? What can I do??? Or is the motherboard simply dead and gone and requires replacement? Motherboards for Note 8 are extremely expensive so I hope the motherboard isn't dead......."
Also the phone does not have any kind of physical damage whatsoever, it doesn't even have water damage, like I said in my first post, I disassembled the phone to replace its battery and it was sealed, never opened before, clean and no nicks and dents on its frame. Its like brand new.
I had a Galaxy Note 3 National BRAZIL, and after installing about 15 times in a row testing several ROMs, one of these several times my NOTE 3 stopped working and when I finally managed to write an OFFICIAL STOCK ROM it was totally corrupted, not allowing do nothing, not even type a text, and everything was messed up, if I unlocked the screen, it would change colors, if I clicked on icons they would change places, I tirelessly tried several official ROMS and Custom but the problem also migrated to the Custom ROMS, the solution was to run to the Authorized and pass that the defect occurred after updating via OTA (yes I didn't speak the truth, since it was explicit VOID 0x1 and I decided to test my luck) for my happiness the authorized one did not charge anything, only they changed the motherboard and gave me back my fully functional Galaxy Note 3 and I noticed that it was different because the CPU ID had changed and I had also made marks in places where I would know that it was replaced, besides of course my IMEI was also changed, on the same day I made ROOT, and SD SWAP, I used it for a few months and exchanged for a MOTO X2, because Galaxy Note 3 was the worst crap I have ever used in my life, a year later I went back to the GALAXY NOTE 3 and I was happy until I said enough.
In short, Galaxy Note 3 got bad due to my exaggeration in tirelessly testing several ROMs without even taking a break from testing ROM or another one day, this can also be a problem and cause damage to the NAND or wherever it has been. the problem on my old NOTE 3.
No device is proof of defects, the whole problem is people taking their blame.


I haven't seen you thank you once, besides being demanding and ungrateful.
 

jona_baires

Member
Nov 17, 2012
16
3
23
I don't have the knowledge from the other posters here (forgive my english please).
What I do have is the experience from the LG G4 bootloop affaire.
As many of you remember it was a faulty motherboard and nothing you do could repair this.
What I would try: Put you phone (off) in a plastic bag and in the freezer for 2-3 hours, then turn on the phone, if it boots normally even for a few minutes 100% is a hardware problem.

Again forgive my bad english.