Help Recover Data from Download Mode (broken screen)

ThePastaThief · Nov 15, 2016

Recently broke the screen on my s6 and went through the wringer trying to get it repaired. After a few days in and out of the shop the screen is still broken, and now I just want to get my music, photos, videos, etc off the phone so I can transfer them to a new one.

The problem: My pc is only recognizing that my phone is connected when it's in download mode, and smart switch / kies says the device is unsupported when connected this way. When I exit download mode, it isn't even detected. Is there any way to recover my stuff? Thanks.

UPDATE: I've managed to get the phone out of download mode, and the notification light at the top has turned on. It's just gradually fading back and forth from blue to light blue- I'm thinking this is a bootloop? It's still not being detected by my PC, and I still can't see or touch anything on the screen.

javiermil · Nov 23, 2016

Hi, you've tried Android Data Recovery?

ThePastaThief · Nov 23, 2016

The wondershare Dr.fone program? I did, their broken screen recovery tool only supports certain models of Samsung phones, and the s6 isn't one of them.

sank23 · Feb 27, 2019

Here is the user guide to extract data from broken Samsung via AutoPlay:

Step 1. Connect your broken Samsung to Windows PC with a USB cable. Then the computer will automatically detect your device if you have turned on USB debugging on your broken Samsung.

Step 2. When a AutoPlay window pops up on your computer, you can see several options on AutoPlay window. Please click "Open folder to view files" option from AutoPlay window. Thus you can view your personal files from your broken Samsung and transfer media files from broken Samsung to computer easily.

Step 3. Then please locate your media files from the file folders in Internal storage of Samsung, such as "Music", "Movies", "Pictures", "Podcasts" and etc. Then you can either copy the media file folder or a song/photo/movie from the folder by using "Ctrl + C", and paste them on your computer with "Ctrl + V". Or simply choose the item or file folder you need and move them on your computer via drag and drop. Thus you have export your media files from your broken Samsung with AutoPlay.

lunatic59 · Feb 27, 2019

sank23 said:
Here is the user guide to extract data from broken Samsung via AutoPlay:

Step 1. Connect your broken Samsung to Windows PC with a USB cable. Then the computer will automatically detect your device if you have turned on USB debugging on your broken Samsung.

Step 2. When a AutoPlay window pops up on your computer, you can see several options on AutoPlay window. Please click "Open folder to view files" option from AutoPlay window. Thus you can view your personal files from your broken Samsung and transfer media files from broken Samsung to computer easily.

Step 3. Then please locate your media files from the file folders in Internal storage of Samsung, such as "Music", "Movies", "Pictures", "Podcasts" and etc. Then you can either copy the media file folder or a song/photo/movie from the folder by using "Ctrl + C", and paste them on your computer with "Ctrl + V". Or simply choose the item or file folder you need and move them on your computer via drag and drop. Thus you have export your media files from your broken Samsung with AutoPlay.

Sorry, no.

Step1. Most people don't have USB debugging enabled and don't even know what it is. Even with it enabled, you'd need to authorize the connection on any PC that it hasn't been previously connected to. With a broken screen, it would be next to impossible to enable and authorize after the fact.

Step 2. Autoplay only pops up on a Windows PC if it detects specific media files. With most phones since Marshmallow (6.x) the default USB mode is "charge only" which means data transfer will not be possible until USB settings are changed to MTP mode. On some devices this isn't possible to set permanently.

Step 3. This is contingent on the phone being preconfigured for an automatic connection in the case of emergency. The better solution is to have your phone regularly backed up, preferably to the cloud.

bcrichster · Feb 27, 2019

ThePastaThief said:
Recently broke the screen on my s6 and went through the wringer trying to get it repaired. After a few days in and out of the shop the screen is still broken, and now I just want to get my music, photos, videos, etc off the phone so I can transfer them to a new one.

The problem: My pc is only recognizing that my phone is connected when it's in download mode, and smart switch / kies says the device is unsupported when connected this way. When I exit download mode, it isn't even detected. Is there any way to recover my stuff? Thanks.

UPDATE: I've managed to get the phone out of download mode, and the notification light at the top has turned on. It's just gradually fading back and forth from blue to light blue- I'm thinking this is a bootloop? It's still not being detected by my PC, and I still can't see or touch anything on the screen.

∆∆ This. ∆∆ This right here is exactly why it's a horrible idea for mfgrs to make phones/devices without a sdcard slot and the ONLY reason I never went for the S6 myself. Sorry to hear this is still afflicting ppl out there.. Good luck and best wishes

Edit: one last bit of advice is to make/use a Linux liveboot USB and try again as Linux doesn't require driver installations like that bloody virus known as Windows OS

These ones have fastboot and ADB preinstalled to make life easier:
Mint4Kitchen

mikedt · Feb 27, 2019

bcrichster said:
∆∆ This. ∆∆ This right here is exactly why it's a horrible idea for mfgrs to make phones/devices without a sdcard slot and the ONLY reason I never went for the S6 myself. Sorry to hear this is still afflicting ppl out there.. Good luck and best wishes

Edit: one last bit of advice is to make/use a Linux liveboot USB and try again as Linux doesn't require driver installations like that bloody virus known as Windows OS

Not always, especially with MTP, because some distros like Ubuntu have a policy of not including things by default that are subject to software patents and/or other proprietary non-free licensing, which MTP is AFAIK, i.e. Microsoft.

I've intalled Ubuntu on a system, found it wouldn't play MP3 but played OGG no problems, not until I specifically installed the additional codecs, which Ubuntu classified as "bad". And they have an "ugly" category as well, which is things to defeat DRM, like for playing DVDs and Blu-rays. Which also requires a separate deliberate install.

bcrichster · Feb 27, 2019

mikedt said:
Not always, especially with MTP, because some distros like Ubuntu have a policy of not including things by default that are subject to software patents and/or other proprietary non-free licensing, which MTP is AFAIK, i.e. Microsoft.

I've intalled Ubuntu on a system, found it wouldn't play MP3 but played OGG no problems, not until I specifically installed the additional codecs, which Ubuntu classified as 'bad'. And they have an 'ugly' category as well, which is things to defeat DRM, like for playing DVDs and Blu-rays. Which also requires a separate deliberate install.

Yes.. I got @SuperR to preinstall the adb &amp; fastboot into The Mint 4Kitchens, so it'll already be available upon boot and I didn't think about the codecs but file transfers should be fine

Help Recover Data from Download Mode (broken screen)

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