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Help How do I recover data from an almost-bricked S3?

zilti

Lurker
May 21, 2013
7
0
Hi,
The title is probably a bit misleading, but I couldn't think of a better one.
Following still works on the S3 I have to recover:
  • I can get into the download mode
  • When I plug in the cable when it's off the charging screen with the endless-loading-circle appears - the circle freezes immediately
  • Turning it on normally gets it to freeze immediately at the first frame of the logo animation
The S3 has its original rom it was delivered with, and is rooted.
So there's no bootloader menu.

Is there a way I can recover data from this phone before wiping it?
 
It's a version sold in Switzerland, so I assume it's the international version.
What I've tried so far:
  • Connect it to the computer while it's in download mode. It gets recognized, but nothing is possible.
  • Called Samsung. "No, data recovery is not possible."
I thought a company like Samsung would have some sort of "rescue system" one could load onto the phone RAM via download mode (to then access the flash memory via USB), but nope.

Apps are not important; I need only to recover the contacts and if possible birthdays. Any other files would be bonus.
 
Upvote 0
So how do I flash? I downloaded the stock 4.1.2 Rom, but I can't flash it. Odin wants a pit file which will repartition and thus reformat the phone.
If I select "re-partition" instead of providing a pit file, it gives me an error about not being able to access a file (it doesn't say which one) on the phone.
I then tried to get the pit file from the phone using heimdall, which gives me an error message that it's not able to open the file.
 
Upvote 0
This is what I get:
<ID:0/003> Added!!
<OSM> Enter CS for MD5..
<OSM> Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..
<OSM> Please wait..
<OSM> I9300XXEMB1_I9300AUTEMA1_I9300XXEMB1_HOME.tar.md5 is valid.
<OSM> Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..
<OSM> Leave CS..
<ID:0/003> Odin v.3 engine (ID:3)..
<ID:0/003> File analysis..
<ID:0/003> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/003> Initialzation..
<ID:0/003> Get PIT for mapping..
<ID:0/003>
<ID:0/003> There is no PIT partition.
<ID:0/003> Added!!
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)
Putting the rom somewhere else than PDA of course doesn't work.
 
Upvote 0
The contacts should all be in the online google account.
Tbh i dont even know what a PIT file is, i just know how to use Odin to flash a tar file to the phone. Anything further than that is over my head. Maybe try posting in the Gt-i9300 All Things Root sub-forum near the top of this page for more specialised advice. Good luck man :thumbup:
 
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