Want to buy a Hero, kinda bricked

[webbug]

Hi guys,
I want to buy a Hero from a guy which is, he says, blocked in some kind of boot loop. He said it looks like in this video: YouTube - How to Install Cyanogen from scratch at second 0:26 it blocks and then restarts.
Can I do something about it if I buy it?

Also what should I choose between a new iPhone 3G and this semi-bricked Hero which looks like new?

Thank you.

 

[G8D]

If he has rooted it and can access the recovery mode then you should be able to sort it with a quick wipe+update.zip..

 

[Slug]

I want to buy a Hero from a guy which is, he says, blocked in some kind of boot loop.

Can I do something about it if I buy it?

Perhaps, but only if you know exactly what he's done to cause this to happen. It could just be a bad ROM flash that could be fixed by reflashing, or it could be a corrupted boot/recovery image which would be more difficult.

what should I choose between a new iPhone 3G and this semi-bricked Hero which looks like new?

Based on what you know right now it's a no-brainer - the iPhone.

 

[andy d]

Go for the iphone.

 

[webbug]

He said something about making an update and something went wrong. He also said I can repair it at any service which has a JTAG cable but I'm afraid that's a bit expensive and I want to know if I can do it home myself without jtag.

I'll ask if it's rooted and come with an update.

PS: how do you access recovery mode?

PS2: @Slug I thought you'll say the iPhone but I already own a 2G and I really want a Hero, I guess what I wanted to know is how good is the Android vs. iPhone OS (especially now that the iPad was launched and an update is coming).

Thanks.

 

[Slug]

He said something about making an update and something went wrong.

Uh oh....

I'll ask if it's rooted and come with an update.

If it's rooted then you're probably laughing. So long as it's not truly 'bricked' i.e. completely dead then it should be recoverable.

how do you access recovery mode?

Power off, then hold down HOME and press POWER. Keep the HOME button pressed and it'll go into recovery mode. If you get a fairly extensive menu of options you've got a rooted recovery image onboard and things are looking good. Another thing to look for is a title on the recovery menu such as "JF1.4" or "RA-1.5.x"

 

[webbug]

Bad news. He said it was rooted and after the update the recovery menu didn t work. Is there a solution to that?

Thank you

 

[Slug]

Bad news. He said it was rooted and after the update the recovery menu didn't work. Is there a solution to that?

Possibly. Can you find out what the firmware "build number" is? It's listed in Menu-Settings-About phone. This will tell us more.

 

[webbug]

Possibly. Can you find out what the firmware "build number" is? It's listed in Menu-Settings-About phone. This will tell us more.

He doesn't know, he can't start the phone.
But when I get the phone what do I do? Reflash it? I new to android, does it have something like a service boot to flash it?

 

[bluenova]

If the recovery image is messed up you won't be able to re-flash it, which it sounds like it is as he was already suggesting to use JTAG to reload the recovery image which is no easy process. so if you cannot access the recovery image by holding home + powering on I would stay well clear of it.

 

[Slug]

Possibly. Can you find out what the firmware "build number" is?

He doesn't know, he can't start the phone.

In that case I agree with Bluenova.... walk away.

 

[webbug]

Ok, thank you guys.

 

[MESCU]

I am the stupid guy that got it!
The phone is bricked and in a boot loop of some kind.
here is a video of another phone with the same problem (identical):
YouTube - Hero bricked after radio update!

and here is a story that fits the profile but in my case didn't work :

A few days ago I bricked my phone. I performed a SPL flash which seemed to go ok, the phone rebooted and then just stuck at the first splash screen. I waited for 30 minutes and it was still there.

I then removed the battery, reinserted it, and tried booting into recovery mode. Nothing happened, it just stuck at the first splash screen.

So I removed the battery again, reinserted it, and tried booting into fastboot mode. Nothing happened, it just stuck at the first splash screen.

I repeated these steps a few times with the same result.

I tried booting it with the USB cable attached, the result was the same, and Windows showed the phone as an 'unrecognized device'.

At this point, I was nearly crying, my phone was a brick.

Then, for some reason I tried the following:
-On the PC, i ran the command 'fastboot boot recoveryimage.img'.
-At this point the command says 'waiting for device' (or something like that).
-I removed the battery.
-I Connected USB.
-I inserted the battery.
-I booted the phone while holding the HOME key.
-The phone still froze at the first splash screen, but then suddenly, the waiting fastboot command detected the phone and booted the recovery image! Yay!

mine is like the youtobe video so it doesn't respond to any of the following commands : fastboot, fast recovery, turn on with home, or any other stuff.
I see it as unknown device, and if I press the volume "up" key and then I put the battery back on it vibrates 3 times and the light switches to green.
so? any help in this matter? or any conclusion of it all?
TY tactu@msn.com

 

[webbug]

Too bad. Out of curiosity, how much did you paid for it? Also did you try the solution you posted above multiple times? It might not work the first time. Good luck

 

[MESCU]

add me on your messenger my ID is " tactumare ".
numai bine!

 

[dannywooly]

Go for the iphone.

Is that because it also gets stuck in loops or that fact that it can only do one loop at a time, cos it's poo!

 

[MESCU]

finally some one knew how to fix my HERO!
a guy with a lot of electronics knowledge and a device that connected directly to the matherbord and wiped the rom and rewrote it!
rom gets stock if you are smart enough to flush it with the wrong update (CMDA ta a GSM phone)!

so that's the only solution for this kind of situations!