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Help Galaxy Tab S 10.5 stuck in "Downloading..."

K

koshki

Member
Hi. My SG Tab S 10.5 ( Android 4.4.2) was working fine last night. This morning I woke to find it frozen in the "Samsung" start up screen. I tried holding down the off button, but that didn't work. Then I tried doing what I thought was a soft reset by holding the volume up, off and on button all at the same time.

The screen flashed something scary and I panicked and tried to back out, but instead I got:

ODIN MODE
Product Name: SM-T800
Current Binary: Samsung Official
System Status: Official
KNOX Warranty Void: 0
RP SWREV: A1

"Green Android Guy"
Downloading...
Do not turn off target!!


It's been sitting like this for over an hour, and I'm afraid to do anything else to it. As far as I know, the battery in the Tab S can not be removed.

Could someone please help me? Is it trying to update the firmware? Have I destroyed my expensive toy?

Thanks,
Katherine
 
First, a caveat, I am just now researching these things so that I can root my new TAB S in the future, so I'm not drawing on a great deal of experience.

You have entered what is called "Download Mode" or, sometimes "Odin Mode" which allows you to flash root and new firmware. Nothing is being actually downloaded unless you set up Odin on your computer to do so, which it doesn't sound like you did.

I believe you can press (not sure if it is press or hold, try both) the download mode button combination (power + volume down + home) ... I think it will restart Download mode, but the first screen in download mode offer the option to press down to cancel (reboot to system) or press up to enter download mode.... just press down... your device will reboot.

Again, this is research, not experience.

You can check one of my sources here:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-tab-s/help/stuck-download-mode-t2836099
 
Thanks, Hook.

I was in touch with Samsung chat support yesterday, and they decided I need to send it in for service...after asking me to see if it would turn on by holding the power button for 30 seconds. Which it didn't. I haven't quite reached the point of shipping it off for a couple weeks, so I will try your suggestions.

But after reading your post, it occurs to me that I might have mixed up Vol up and Vol down. The online manual does not mention which direction is which. Since I frequently use my Tab S in the vertical orientation, I naturally assumed that volume down is the switch side AWAY from the power button.

However, the manual shows the Tab S in the horizontal orientation, in which volume down might be on the side NEAR the power button. Would you mind checking your Tab and let me know which side is which?

I left the tablet unplugged overnight, and it is now dead. I hooked it up using the Samsung cord to my computer, and I'm charging it now. But I will not try anything with it until I know for sure which direction is which, volume-wise!

I think I may have gotten myself in this situation because I used the wrong direction in the first place!

Thanks again.

K
 
Just as I hit "post reply" above, my screen woke up with the battery symbol, at 2%! That seems like a positive sign!
 
koshki said:
Thanks, Hook.

I was in touch with Samsung chat support yesterday, and they decided I need to send it in for service...after asking me to see if it would turn on by holding the power button for 30 seconds. Which it didn't. I haven't quite reached the point of shipping it off for a couple weeks, so I will try your suggestions.

But after reading your post, it occurs to me that I might have mixed up Vol up and Vol down. The online manual does not mention which direction is which. Since I frequently use my Tab S in the vertical orientation, I naturally assumed that volume down is the switch side AWAY from the power button.

However, the manual shows the Tab S in the horizontal orientation, in which volume down might be on the side NEAR the power button. Would you mind checking your Tab and let me know which side is which?

I left the tablet unplugged overnight, and it is now dead. I hooked it up using the Samsung cord to my computer, and I'm charging it now. But I will not try anything with it until I know for sure which direction is which, volume-wise!

I think I may have gotten myself in this situation because I used the wrong direction in the first place!

Thanks again.

K
Click to expand...

Yes, volume down is towards the power button. Good luck.

By the way, holding the power button for 30 seconds does nothing on my Tab either... first thing I checked. Maybe that isn't supposed to work in normal mode, but I've always been able to do that with my Nexuses and I find it odd that this TAB doesn't.
 
Ok, I just hit the power button once, and it has turned back on! Everything looks fine, thanks very much for your help.

So I guess the answer was to let the battery go dead.
 
koshki said:
Ok, I just hit the power button once, and it has turned back on! Everything looks fine, thanks very much for your help.

So I guess the answer was to let the battery go dead.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think that is always an option. ;) Glad it worked out.
 
All you had to do was hold down VOLUME DOWN + POWER until it restarted. This is the equivelant of a battery pull which you can use anytime.
 
Thanks, that's what I was trying to do in the first place.

But I was confused as to which direction was VOLUME DOWN and VOLUME UP. Pushing UP caused all my other problems.
 
My Tab S also "died" on me after just not not using it for a couple days (unplugged). I can't get it to respond to anything I've tried yet.......
~Holding [POWER] button for over a min.
~[POWER] + [VOL DOWN]
~[POWER]+[VOL UP]+[HOME] - (The "Clear Cache Partition" procedure)
~and even the "Safe Mode" procedure (forget what that was at this moment)
This happened once before and [POWER] + [VOL DOWN] saved me.... but so far that has not worked this time.
PLEASE..... does anyone have any other ideas? I tried (re)charging for several hours with several chargers/cord combos but have no way of knowing if it's even getting the charge (never had charging probs before).
Thank anyone in advance, Joe
 
Hi Joe,
The only thing I can suggest is to let it completely DIScharge and then REcharge it.

Mine woke up like nothing had ever happened. Good luck.
 
Hi Joe,
The only thing I can suggest is to let it completely DIScharge and then REcharge it.

Mine woke up like nothing had ever happened. Good luck.
 
Thanks man. I guess I can "try" that by just letting it sit unplugged again. IDK. I'm really bummed.... it's like it "broke" literally just "sitting there.
Any other input would be much appreciated.
 
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