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Help Can ANY soft brick be repaired?

RobMerrell

Newbie
Jun 16, 2016
13
0
I accidentally soft bricked my Galaxy S6 by not unlocking the bootloader before flashing a ROM. I managed to reset the phone using Smart Switch, but I proceeded to re-root the phone. However, I was not aware that you had to keep OEM unlocked while rooted, and I did not enable USB debugging. When attempting to reboot, I was met with the message "Custom binary blocked by FRP lock." I am not able to re-flash the stock firmware, as I had not enabled USB debugging, but Samsung Smart Switch fails each time I attempt to use it. I am bringing the phone to Best Buy tomorrow to attempt to have them professionally re-install the original (and official) firmware, but they have stated that the process is hit-or-miss. Should I count on the phone being repaired or dead?
 
Smart switch should work, what's the error it gives? Providing a model number would be helpful as well.

Have you tried locating then downloading the latest firmware for your device and flashing it via Odin?

If you flash anything older then what you have you would more then likely get a "Fail" message in Odin.
 
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Smart Switch gives only a blank error number. The model number is SM-G920T. I've attempted to flash 6.0.1 via Odin, but I always get a NAND write fail. Any ideas to fix it?

EDIT: I brought the phone to Best Buy, but they couldn't even touch the phone because rooting it voided the warranty. The only hope now is here.
 
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Smart Switch gives only a blank error number. The model number is SM-G920T. I've attempted to flash 6.0.1 via Odin, but I always get a NAND write fail. Any ideas to fix it?

EDIT: I brought the phone to Best Buy, but they couldn't even touch the phone because rooting it voided the warranty. The only hope now is here.
What version of Odin are you using? Are you inserting the correct serial number?

Desktop or laptop? USB 2.0 or 3.0 ports? Are you using a USB 3.0 cable or a 2.0 cable?
 
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I am using Odin 3.10.7. In Smart Switch I am inserting the correct S/N. I'm using a laptop with all USB 3.0 ports but a USB 2.0 cable.
There's the issue. USB 3.0 ports won't work. At least not for what you're doing. Find a friend with a PC with 2.0 ports or if you have a older PC stored somewhere.... it's time to bring it back to life for a bit.
 
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I thought that USB 3.0 ports would work if you used a 2.0 cable, as it used the 2.0 drivers. Is this incorrect?
USB 3.0 ports won't work even if you use a 2.0 cable. Find a friend or family member with a different PC. Or try talking really nice to a Best Buy rep and don't mention root.

They can see if the system has been modified, but a smile goes a long way. They may overlook it and carry on.

If it still continues to be a issue, use a different USB cable with a different PC.
 
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Thank you so much, James. I'm downloading the stock ROMs onto a flash drive, and I'm about to try to Odin my way into it with my father's old Macbook Pro (USB 2.0 ports). I did try to talk to the Best Buy rep, but I was told to be honest with him, and he said that he wasn't allowed to perform anything on it. I hope to God that this works. Thank you again for all of your help!
 
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I'm working on a laptop, and it's old as heck, so there are only two USB ports. I tried both, to no avail. There is no yellow ! triangle in Device Manager, as my phone is stuck in Download Mode/Recovery Mode and does not seem to appear to the computer in this state.
Have you tried a different USB cable? Some work better then others. One from the box that came with the phone might have a small break in it, while a old cable from a phone that's been long forgotten will work fine.
 
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Sorry, I'm on a terribly slow connection and didn't see your response. I just downloaded the USB driver itself and installed it. I'm attempting to use Smart Switch on my father's Mac, since the USB ports might have been the problem. However, I see no option for emergency software recovery and initialization. Where can this be found?
 
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Your laptop is a Mac, correct? As that is where the issue is.
I have a few Windows laptops. I had a MacBook but got rid of it as i rarely saw the need to use it.

The emergency repair is under "More" as seen in the picture.

I imagine Smart Switch looks the same pretty much around the world. This one i have is from South Africa as i work with a private investigator there.
 

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I had an idea: is it possible to make one USB 3.0 port on my laptop work as a USB 2.0?
This might work.

"if you use a USB 2 extension cable then it will prevent the 5 USB 3 pins in the plug from physically connecting the wires which carry the USB 3 handshake between the host and device. A USB 2 device or cable only has 4 pins. A USB 3 port will default to USB 2 signaling communication when only 4 pins are connected. A USB 2 extension cable only caries 4 wires that connect the 4 pins of USB 2 only communications."
 
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