samsung galaxy s6 edge phone which is stuck on Samsung Logo

[dilipl]

Hi
I have a samsung galaxy s6 edge phone which is stuck on Samsung Logo
after Samsung sent updates after 5 years no clue why ,
Is there any way to get my data out of the phone , Sadly I did not have it backed up

Please help , Thanks

 

[svim]

https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s6_edge-7079.php

Don't get your hopes up too much, with no back-up service set up previously the odds are any saved data on this phone isn't going to be recoverable. You do have a couple of options to try though.
-- Encrypting the internal storage media didn't become a default until Marshmallow (version 6.x), your S6 Edge was released with the previous version, Lollipop (version 5.x) so the odds are your internal storage is not encrypted (Even though your model may be currently running Nougat (version 7.x) the version upgrades to Marshmallow and then later to Nougat wouldn't have forced the storage media to be encrypted, that kind of re-formatting the entire storage media to be wiped clean in the process. The encryption was implemented as a factory-standard with new Marshmallow phones.) Unless at some point you did encrypt the internal storage, (the option to manually do so has been a long-standing feature), it will still be left as is. In that case, one of those otherwise dodgy and deceptive file restoring apps 'might' be able to recover your data. They did work on older Android phones with no encryption, but now that all smartphones have decrypted storage by default it's a different matter. But a lot of them require your device to be rooted so that's a limiting factor too.
-- When your phone is stuck in a boot loop, that's typically because something corrupted the installed Android operating system in some way. The phone goes through its normal boot up process and when there's no working operating system it just restarts, and that's the repeating cycle it gets stuck into.
So you 'might' be able to reload the Android operating system, and not wipe your user data in the process, but that's not a sure thing. Your phone's internal storage media is divided into several partitions -- most of them are dedicated to the Android operating system, and one set aside as your general data partition. Using the Odin utility, a common program used to flash Samsung devices, you'll be flashing a stock Samsung ROM onto your phone. The ROM contains the Android operating system and system apps, that's what gets rewritten into those system level partitions in your phone. If you're careful, the user data partition gets left as is so you're data is still there but there's now a clean and hopefully working, fully functional Android operating system.
Flashing your phone isn't necessarily difficult but it is quite involved. You need to pay attention to details, and don't try to take clever shortcuts. Go here:
https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/
and download the ROM that exactly matches your S6 Edge model. ROMs are device specific so don't pick one that's close or similar, they are not interchangeable with each other. So if you have a SM-G925F model that's the one to use, do not use the GM-G925L ROM. There are installation instructions on the download page of your choice, be sure to read through them and follow the directions. Be sure the 'Re-partition' option is NOT selected. You do not want to inadvertently force the Odin utility to wipe the partition table.

So to sum up, you'll need to install the Odin utility on a computer, possibly install the Samsung driver on your Win PC if you haven't done so previously, download the ROM (it is going to be bit sizable) onto your PC, and then follow the directions to flash the ROM onto your phone. Hopefully your phone is restored to working condition again, and with your data still intact.
And looking forward, you really should set up a comprehensive and automatic back-up solution.

 

[dilipl]

HI Svim ,

Thanks So much for getting back . Really appreciate it

I was planning on the Odin utility , but got really scared to do anything that involved downloading or replacing
things on the phone , As I have never done anything like that ever

I was hoping that there would be a way to load the Android Os on Sd card or Flash drive
And then boot the phone using that instead of the OS on the phone and then
mount the phone drive to get the data out , Do you think anything like that would be possible ??

Please let me know , Thanks

 

[svim]

......
I was planning on the Odin utility , but got really scared to do anything that involved downloading or replacing
things on the phone , As I have never done anything like that ever
.....

When a phone gets stuck in a boot loop, that only rarely will involve a simple fix. If you're expecting a quick, push-a-few-buttons fix, that's not likely. Flashing a phone for the first time is a bit nerve-wracking so you're not alone to be apprehensive. But in some circles it's a pretty common practice and the procedure has become a quite polished. Newer phones are trickier to root, Google, the manufacturers, and the carriers have become a lot less tolerant about it but with older phones, such as yours, they're still pretty manipulable. And it's better to experiment and teach yourself how to root a phone using a secondary phone, not your daily usage phone so there is that. But again, it's not necessarily difficult, but you do need to pay attention to details. Follow the instructions carefully, and just take one step at a time. Read each step, follow what it says, and do the same for the next step. When you've run through the listing hopefully when get to the last point where you restart your phone it'll boot up normally again.

 

[dilipl]

HI Svim .,


I had a few questions ..

Does going into Download mode will wipe all user Data ??
IF not Can I do this to check if my phone gets detected by Odin safely without loosing anything ??

Also wanted to understand few things like
Phone Model : SM-G925W8 PDA: G925W8VLU6DVG1
This version messed up the device which caused the boot loop

https://www.sammobile.com/samsung/g...M-G925W8/FMC/download/G925W8VLU6DVG1/1671845/

So should I use the above version or the version previous to this which was stable ?
https://www.sammobile.com/samsung/g...SM-G925W8/FMC/download/G925W8VLU6DRF1/224050/


I saw this video on Youtube

Based on this video he could directly connect the phone and Using AP he could install the firmware
and the data was not deleted also is this correct ??

But another video

the person mentioned if you want to save the user partition then
he says you have to use the HOME and CSC to save all user data , so he populates all the fields for odin
And at one point he says if u want to clean wipe then use CSC and do not use HOME if want clean wipe , This is quite confusing , not able to figure what is right and wrong

I wrote to all these guys but could not get any reply from them
I really hope you can help me here , Really appreciate all the help

Thanks

 

[svim]

No booting up your phone into Download Mode does not itself delete anything or make any changes to your phone at all. It's just one way to start up a Samsung device. (i.e. Safe Mode, or Recovery Mode, or the typical startup mode where the Android OS gets loaded up into RAM) When running in Download Mode however, that allows you, the user, to do things like flash a ROM.

Regarding, "This version messed up the device which caused the boot loop", that's not quite correct. The ROM itself isn't the problem, it's caused by some failure that happened during the upgrade process. Those stock Samsung ROMs are originally sourced from Samsung, they are essentially the same firmware Samsung uses when manufacturing their phones. Using your logic, the hundreds of thousands of S6 Edge phones running that ROM were faulty and unusable. That's not a reality so again no, it's not the ROM you need to worry about. Pay close attention to any and all error messages in the Odin log file. It's the flashing process you need to focus on.

Yes, use Home CSC if retaining stored user data is important, use CSC if it isn't. And be sure that the 'Re-partition' option in the Odin utility is not enabled.

 

[dilipl]

Hi Svim,

Thanks so much for the quick reply ,

Still a bit scared and confused about the process ,As i get only one shot with my phone and
I dont want to loose my data (Photos , Videos , etc ... )
I am trying to find /buy a phone close to my model to experiment with like you had previously suggested

It is sad though that Odin can access the partition to dump the firmware but not access the user data partition
to copy the data out from it , a lot softwares are promising that they can do it , but not able to trust them
as yet , they want me to boot into download mode and enter pressing the volume up button to access the phone
I am hoping this keeps the data safe like you had mentioned earlier ? (Sorry for repeat , as u can guess I am worried or may be too much )

So which video above do you think has the process laid out correctly ??
coz the first video just used AP and that is it and he said that the data was all there
where as the 2nd one was confusing
The suggestion for "use Home CSC if retaining stored user data is important, use CSC if it isn't"
I could not understand , I Want to keep all the data on my phone
so which ones should I use , to keep all the data on my phone

1: AP
2: AP HOME CSC
3: AP CSC

I wish I could zoom call with a pro like you and get this over with
Appreciate all the help , Thanks so much

 

[svim]

Personally, I only very rarely rely upon video tutorials and demonstrations for such things. Much prefer written guides, so I can't even comment which one is or isn't better than the other.
The internal storage in your S6 Edge is divided up into several partitions. Most are dedicated solely to the operating system, with one set aside as the user data partition. That user data partition is where all your saved files and data are stored along with apps you've installed and their configs and settings. When you do something like a Factory Reset, all that does is clear that user data partition. It does not do anything to any of those system level partitions. (Some people mistakenly claim a Factory Reset wipes away everything but that's not correct. Think it through -- if the operating system was actually deleted, how would the phone be able to continue working with no operating system?). In your situation, the phone being stuck in a boot loop, is an operating system problem. Your phone is able to boot up properly, that's because for some undermined problem the operating system is able get loaded into RAM like it normally does. The operating system needs to be loaded into memory before anything else does, so all a Factory Reset does is delete the partition data that has no relevance to the problem. When you flash a new ROM, that's a more expansive issue. Flashing a ROM is essentially the same as replacing the old existing operating system with a new clean operating system. This affects those system level partitions, but not necessarily that user data partition. That's why you choose to use either CSC or Home CSC, and be sure the Odin Re-partition feature is disabled. By wanting the save 'all' the data on your phone is based on a misconception. You want to save all your personal files, the operating system is also data on your phone but it's not something you need to retain.

If you are that apprehensive about Download Mode, again, it has nothing to do with the user data partition. But if you're not comfortable trying to flash your phone, it might be best to not do so. If you had been backing up your phone previously, it wouldn't be such a dicey situation but it's not a good idea to experiment and practice on a daily usage phone. Weigh your tech skill level versus how much you need to save those personal files and things. Have a more tech savvy friend or trusted local service shop do the flashing process, and just be sure to emphasize you need those saved personal files.

 

[dilipl]

HI Svim ,

Thanks for the getting back ,

I have been contacting local repair shops and samung official repair
samung official repair Guy mentioned that all the data will be wiped no matter what if they update via samsung server
one of the local repair shops said , they need to check the motherboard for issues its not the software ...

Finally today I found some one who sounded confident saying that he can update the
firmware and that should keep the data intact ,
Sadly even after doing full Android update/ replace the phone starts up
with INSTALLING UPDATE (fails here) -> gives a NO COMMAND ERROR then goes back to RECOVERY MENU

Any suggestions ? Do u think the firmware got replaced correctly ?? Is it the battery / Motherboard issue ?? Not enough space
I was hoping if the firmware came through at least the error should not be popping like before ..
Also how do people recover data if their phone is water damaged or does not switch on ??

Please let me know ...
Also Any views on Google Pixel 7 vs Samsung S22 ?? if you get time

Thanks a lot

 

[svim]

That's puzzling if that Samsung repair guy did say the data partition would be wiped regardless. Perhaps you misheard him? Otherwise he doesn't sound to be very competent. Samsung phones have had a massive number of devices with a long history of flashing firmware that isn't restricted to only Samsung staff. Their official, stock ROMs are for most part all obtainable to the public, along with relatively sophisticated utilities like Odin, Heimdall, and Samsung's Smart Switch to do the flashing process.

But anyway, getting back to your initial problem if your S6 Edge can't boot up and you didn't backup your data previously your options aren't very good.
Your phone originally came with Lollipop (ver. 5.x) running on it, yes? If so, there is a remote chance that one of those otherwise deceptive file recovery utilities might be able to retrieve some of your saved data. But don't get your hopes up too much. Google didn't include encrypting the internal storage media by default until Marshmallow (ver. 6.x) so Android phones manufactured prior to Marshmallow would be using unencrypted storage (well unless the user opted to manually encrypt). When the internal storage was just as is, it was easier to use a file recovery utility to copy off files but thankfully now it's a much more cumbersome process. Did you have a lock screen enabled?

If the firmware was flashed without errors and your phone is still stuck in a boot loop, that's not a good sign. That's likely to be an indicator that there's a hardware failure of some sort. Software solutions can only do so much, if there's a hardware problem (i.e. the storage media chip or some other vital component has failed) that's going to be harder to determine and with a seven year old phone probably not worth the expense to repair. If that local shop offered to check the logic board and give you a price estimate for what might be wrong, weigh your options Your saved data is more valuable than the phone itself but again, don't get your hopes up too much. Odds are your data on this phone is lost.
It's sounds preachy at this point but backups are important. At least with your next phone, be sure to implement an automatic, scheduled backup solution as one of the first things you do when setting it up.

 

[dilipl]

What I feel after the firmware was flashed or if anything was done then ,
It should not show the INSTALLING UPDATE Blue Screen Right ??
Coz the update if it was installed correctly this should not happen
Also I was hoping it would load up in SAFE MODE at least , will that happen ?
He mentioned I got updated to Android 7

I did have a Pattern Lock for my Screen , Is that bad news ??

There is no Hardware way to get the data ,Coz the data recovery guys have quoted 700$ to recover the data which is insane ...
I am still trying to understand how do people with so many issues like water damage , broken screen , etc ... get out of this ??

Ya Absolutely I ll be backing up from next time on without fail... Lesson Learned ..

 

[svim]

Your phone won't be showing any kind of 'flashing was successful' or 'flashing wasn't successful' indicator depending if the flashing process was actually done, it will either boot up properly or it won't. There's a detailed log readout in Odin or Heimdall utility that states whether the flashing process did work or if there was some error. But just to repeat, if there is a hardware problem you cannot expect a software solution will be able to fix that. Or in other words, you can flash the firmware once or a dozen times, and that won't fix the problem.
A lock screen is pretty much a necessary practice, so no it's not 'bad news', but in this particular situation it adds a layer of complexity. Since you prefer not to reveal if your phone did or did not come with Lollipop, this is all just idle conjecture:
-- Encrypting the internal storage wasn't a default until Marshmallow. It was a big step forward for privacy concerns (trivia, Apple has always implemented full-disk hardware-based encryption for iPhones, a more resource-efficient, robust way than Android's after-the-fact, modular, firmware-based encryption scheme. But no worries, Android later stepped up its game to FBE, File Based Encryption, a more versatile implementation.)
-- The thing to keep in mind is while full-disk encryption was enabled by default when Marshmallow was released, it's something that had to be initially done at the factory, by the manufacturers. Encrypting the storage media needs to be done before the Android OS gets installed, and before the user starts using it and adding our own stuff. Encryption is a fundamental change that affects the file system itself, so if there's saved data it's wiped during the process. It's also a matter where if your phone was originally running Lollipop, if you later upgraded it to Marshmallow or Nougat, that did not necessarily change the internal storage from unencrypted to encrypted. It will remain in same state as before. So your S6 Edge may or may not have an encrypted internal storage media, it depends on if the phone came with Lollipop (it won't be) or Marshmallow (more likely it will be). The current version of Android (in your instance Nougat) isn't a factor as in order to actually do full-disk encryption would involve fully wiping the internal storage clean and installing the Android OS from scratch.
-- The issue regarding a lock screen is just incidental. In a normal situation, when you start up your phone it will go through a quick summation of the hardware, then the bootloader passes off the process so the Android OS gets loaded into memory. Part of that process involves the OS detecting and reading the encryption key(s) so data can be accessed and read off the internal storage. But in your current state, when there's a bootloop the OS can't be loaded into RAM, so the whole encryption matter isn't a factor anyway.

That $700 quote sounds reasonable. Data recovery from a phone that won't boot is a time-intensive process that involves a trained technician and an investment in the proper tools and equipment. It's not a matter of some high school kid plugging the phone into a magic box that reads off the data by pushing some buttons. The phone needs to be disassembled and the internal storage chip on the logic board has to be accessed.
For a better visualization, the iFixit site has some nice repair guides for your model. This one details your phone's internals (see step 11 that highlights the NAND storage chip):
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Samsung+Galaxy+S6+Edge+Teardown/39158

There aren't a lot of viable options in this kind of situation. You can continue trying to find a magic fix for this, just be forewarned the Internet is saturated with lying trolls and there's no shortage of 'people' (a.k.a. 'bots') who claim such and such utility will fix anything for just a low price of whatever, so be judicious. I'd suggest you look forward and just get a new phone. Yeah, it's a pain in the a** to set up a new phone but at the same a new phone is going to be full of all kinds of new and different features and options.

 

[dilipl]

Hi Svim,
Thanks Again for getting back
While I am still figuring which phone to buy and looking at quotes from data recovery experts
I came around this post on XDA which tallks about being able to extract data from a phone ....

Do you think this one can help I saw this on xda forum , Is this legit ?? Also a youtube video which I am not able to trust ...


https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...data-from-a-phone-with-broken-screen.2339530/

Please let me know ,

Thanks

 

[svim]

Regarding that XDA link, you need to take the time to read through it thoroughly and pay attention to details. The first introductory posting states some important requirements because the following posts to the thread can't be done otherwise. Or in other words, there are conditional requirements and if your phone doesn't meet one of them, it's not going to happen.
In your case with a dead display you can't just start up your phone and go through the process needed to enable USB Debugging in the phone's Developer Options menu. You also need to have a custom Recovery installed (not possible without a working screen) so that's a dead issue too.
Given the things you've tried to restore your phone back to working condition, unless you have a sizable budget set aside for such things, I'd put data recovery on a low priority and just start looking forward to a new phone.