Database Develop

[Q] Seems to be bricked..

Hey everyone, First time poster here and it seems my captivate is bricked. I'm fairly new to android but I caught on with ROM/kernel/etc.. flashing and all seemed to be going well. I saw the new 3.5 update for precision and wanted to update from 3.0. I did my usual thing and restored to stock with ODIN instead of flashing over. Rooted all over again, downloaded ROM manager and flashed clockwork recovery. I selected the ROM when I was in CWrecovery and rebooted.. but for some reason the phone never gets past the boot screen. The ATT logo shows up, then the suckerpunch logo (as suckerpunch is included in the precision ROM) and then the precision logo.. but it just keeps starting over from there. I thought I did a clean flash but something went wrong obviously.
Ive tried the three button combo and anything that has been stated before on here about the three button combo timing and whatever. So it seems that I cant get in recovery or download by using the traditional methods.
I'm guessing my phone is soft-bricked, which should be relatively easy to fix, but I can't get into any mode at all. Ive seen plenty of threads with people having boot loop issues but they seem to have been solved my some combination of buttons used or the ODIN usb download mode technique. Ive seen mention of using adb commands to get into download mode, but I think I have to have usb debugging enabled which I can't enable, clearly.
Any help would be appreciated, especially since in the meantime I'll have to use my old 903sh.

CCDillon said:
Hey everyone, First time poster here and it seems my captivate is bricked. I'm fairly new to android but I caught on with ROM/kernel/etc.. flashing and all seemed to be going well. I saw the new 3.5 update for precision and wanted to update from 3.0. I did my usual thing and restored to stock with ODIN instead of flashing over. Rooted all over again, downloaded ROM manager and flashed clockwork recovery. I selected the ROM when I was in CWrecovery and rebooted.. but for some reason the phone never gets past the boot screen. The ATT logo shows up, then the suckerpunch logo (as suckerpunch is included in the precision ROM) and then the precision logo.. but it just keeps starting over from there. I thought I did a clean flash but something went wrong obviously.
Ive tried the three button combo and anything that has been stated before on here about the three button combo timing and whatever. So it seems that I cant get in recovery or download by using the traditional methods.
I'm guessing my phone is soft-bricked, which should be relatively easy to fix, but I can't get into any mode at all. Ive seen plenty of threads with people having boot loop issues but they seem to have been solved my some combination of buttons used or the ODIN usb download mode technique. Ive seen mention of using adb commands to get into download mode, but I think I have to have usb debugging enabled which I can't enable, clearly.
Any help would be appreciated, especially since in the meantime I'll have to use my old 903sh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you describe exactly which three button methods have you performed? The one that always seems to work to get to download mode is hold both volume up and down and plug in USB cable to the computer and you should be able to get into download mode (of course after taking out the battery, shutting off your phone first). You should have ODIN open before this, then after that just press start on ODIN.
I believe people with captivates who have problems with 3 button combos have batch 1008. Please tell if you can't use the method above then we can check your batch.

koreancanuck said:
Can you describe exactly which three button methods have you performed? The one that always seems to work to get to download mode is hold both volume up and down and plug in USB cable to the computer and you should be able to get into download mode (of course after taking out the battery, shutting off your phone first). You should have ODIN open before this, then after that just press start on ODIN.
I believe people with captivates who have problems with 3 button combos have batch 1008. Please tell if you can't use the method above then we can check your batch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate the fast response.
Ive tried the above method and it didn't work. Ive also tried plenty of others like holding the power button with the two volume buttons (to try recovery) Ive also held the buttons down for certain amounts of time to see if my timing is just off, and pretty much a few other generic three button combos that are performed when this sort of thing happens. Instead of getting into download mode, it of course just shows the battery charging.
If the phone is plugged in while it is doing its rebooting cycle then ODIN actually detects it, but I still wouldn't be able to do anything I'm sure.
Ive read through many posts about this but I just cant find anything to work at all, maybe buying a jig would be the final solution. :/
EDIT: If it helps, before flashing my captivate for the very first time a month back, i was told to check to see if I could enter into download mode and recovery safely, which I could and this was on stock rom. Ive been able to get into download/recovery with other ROMs as well, idk what's up now though

CCDillon said:
I appreciate the fast response.
Ive tried the above method and it didn't work. Ive also tried plenty of others like holding the power button with the two volume buttons (to try recovery) Ive also held the buttons down for certain amounts of time to see if my timing is just off, and pretty much a few other generic three button combos that are performed when this sort of thing happens. Instead of getting into download mode, it of course just shows the battery charging.
If the phone is plugged in while it is doing its rebooting cycle then ODIN actually detects it, but I still wouldn't be able to do anything I'm sure.
Ive read through many posts about this but I just cant find anything to work at all, maybe buying a jig would be the final solution. :/
EDIT: If it helps, before flashing my captivate for the very first time a month back, i was told to check to see if I could enter into download mode and recovery safely, which I could and this was on stock rom. Ive been able to get into download/recovery with other ROMs as well, idk what's up now though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you could get into download before, I don't know why you wouldn't be able to do it now. The fact that you can see the battery charging icon indicates that you should easily be able to get into download mode. Can you double check your methods and if neither work, you could always go for JIG.

you may need to buy this to get into download mode:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...69977&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_623wt_1139

just to clearify and add one more thing to try...
you are experiencing a boot-loop not brick..
ive heard of boot loop problems sometimes getting into download mode by:
remove battery
plug in usb
hold volume buttons
put in battery
(slight change on usual method)
EDIT: you may also want to try the AIO captivate toolbox in the Dev section, it can try to put your phone into download mode

I had this happen before. I did what Tresselo said and it worked.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

plug in your usb cable. let the phone reboot and see if the comp recognizes the phone at any point during your boot loop. if it does - your in luck, sort of... I had this problem as well with the same ROM. idk if its the ROM or just me screwing up (probably me screwing up) anyhow, type this command into a command prompt (must have the android sdk and adb installed) get into the tools folder where ever that may be at for me its C:\android\tools
from this dir type this: adb reboot download - do this as soon as the comp recognizes your phone - should work.... IF the comp is seeing the phone. If its not you WILL need a JIG which can be made fairly easy.

Try adb if you haven't already. Instructions are in the stickies in the Dev section.
Sent from my Captivate using XDA App

Thanks for all the replies guys, got a good community here. Sadly no suggestions have worked at all.
jgc121 said:
plug in your usb cable. let the phone reboot and see if the comp recognizes the phone at any point during your boot loop. if it does - your in luck, sort of... I had this problem as well with the same ROM. idk if its the ROM or just me screwing up (probably me screwing up) anyhow, type this command into a command prompt (must have the android sdk and adb installed) get into the tools folder where ever that may be at for me its C:\android\tools
from this dir type this: adb reboot download - do this as soon as the comp recognizes your phone - should work.... IF the comp is seeing the phone. If its not you WILL need a JIG which can be made fairly easy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I downloaded the android SDK and installed all the necessary components, as soon as I hit the right directory (for me C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>adb reboot download) and I get "error: device not found". So adb seems to be running right and I may just have to get my timing right, but as of trying a good ten times I'm not having any luck.
When booting up my cap while plugged into the computer, the noise that signals a usb connection sounds and when going into device manager and looking at usb connections, its says samsung android device. Seems like I could get into download, but I guess I'll just keep trying to time it exactly right even though Ive hit the command near the connection noise every time.
I'm not losing hope, but I went ahead and ordered the jig off of ebay that mengbo posted, I'm really hoping that the jig could solve my problem for good. From your perspective guys, would the jig DEFINITELY work? Or is it just a kinda one shot, hope for the best thing?

The JIG is a pretty sure thing seeing as how you are just in a boot loop.

CCDillon, Im in the same boat as you. Same thing happened to me. I have tried a jig and it did not work for me. Hopefully it works for you. I have tried ADB also and it could not find the device. I really hope there is something out there that can help us.

aw man, that's not good at all.. hope you can find a way. Did you make a jig and were you using the same ROM?

Hopefully its just mine and the jig works for you. I didnt mean to scare you. I made a jig at first, and it kept booting the phone. Thought I didnt make it correctly so I got one off of ebay, thinking it had to work. That one did the same thing. Thought maybe it was a faulty jig and the guy I got it from ('mengbo' on this forum) sent me another one to see if that was it. The new jig he sent (that worked on his phone) did the same thing. So, something else is going on.
I was going from Phoenix 4.5 to Supernova ROM and it gave me the same error you got. Now it Boots the ATT screen then loops the Phoenix ROM logo over and over. 1 vibrate followed by 2 more

I'm hoping the JIG works for mine, otherwise I'm not sure what to do. I admit it does scare me a bit to see that you've tried all these different things with no result. I was scanning the precision thread and it seems one of the avid users/posters got caught in a boot loop and it looks like they have gotten out of it, I sent a PM so maybe I can see what that user did, though part of me is thinking that the three button method worked for him but for some reason not for me. This is very frustrating and I'll keep an update on everything, the JIG should be here in about 3 days or so.
Also, you think it may have something to do with how many times our phones have been flashed? Ive looked up to see if flashing is bad for the phones "health" but it seems flashing won't really hurt anything, nor have I really flashed too much. Btw, my phone acts the same you described as well, with the random vibrating and everything.
My mind just seems to be jumping to any random possibility, it just sucks not having a working phone.
Hope SOMETHING works for you

Seriously - you guys are all worked up over a boot loop. the JIG will put you into dl mode just fine... only time it has high chance of NOT working is if you only see black screen - no power up at all.... you can make a JIG by getting 3 - 100k ohm resistors and a 1k ohm resistor from radio shack for about $1.25... its simple.

I removed my 3 button combo accidentally by flashing att 1 click, theres an att 1 click with 3 button fix, flash that when you can get into download mode.
If you can connect with adb use it to go to download, if not, you need a jig... it works, I have been down your path!

jgc121 said:
Seriously - you guys are all worked up over a boot loop. the JIG will put you into dl mode just fine... only time it has high chance of NOT working is if you only see black screen - no power up at all.... you can make a JIG by getting 3 - 100k ohm resistors and a 1k ohm resistor from radio shack for about $1.25... its simple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1. Learn how to make the JIG you need HERE...
Or buy one from me HERE... < Shameless plug.

I was in the same situation as you guys after i had a bad flash and the loop on the bootanimation. I bought a jig online and it worked. The trick is to take out your microsd, and simcard and leave out the battery for 15 seconds. Then put back ONLY the battery in, and plug in the jig. It should turn back on and be put into download mode then flash with one click odin.

odin one click WITH 3 button fix....... saftey first.

[Q] [Help!] AT&T Galaxy Tab Black Screen Of Death

I have the SGH-i987 AT&T Galaxy Tab and while flashing it I recently got the black line in the middle problem. Considering the searches turned up a fix for that I followed the steps I could find (and using Odin) and was able to get it booting into the setup, after which I couldn't go any further because any attempt to get keyboard input caused it to crash and reboot. I've searched high and low for a way to get this thing back to stock and can't find a single source here or anywhere else on the web that is helpful. I'm hoping that someone here can help get me pointed in the right direction, because right now I have a useless device that does nothing but show me the battery is charged.
So you know: I've searched XDA and found nothing that applies to the AT&T model of the Galaxy Tab. The Verizon fix doesn't work and the T-Mo thread contains a dead link to the file I'd need. I've tried searching SamFirmware and it's been a completely useless experience-- whether that's due to poor layout and navigation or my being unfamiliar with how they keep any actual ROMs is beyond me, because the site just takes me in circles. Searching here hasn't gotten me anywhere either, since most point me to the Verizon thread (though one person has tried suggesting the T-Mo fix, but again dead links). I'm getting really let down, since I love how incredibly helpful and informative XDA usually is and this is one of those cases where I'm just spinning in circles trying to find an answer because I know the discouragement toward just showing up and screaming "Help!"
But I got nothin. I've done the searches. I've read plenty. I've searched the web (including this). I've been to the site that lots have claimed would have the file I was looking for. Nada.

Found this by searching in XDA under your device model, hope it helps
UPDATE: As rangercaptain notes, there's a simple fix (which I failed to find the first round) for the white line black screen brick (or whatever you want to call it.) For anyone else, this may still hold value for how to convert your AT&T Tab to a P1000 Euro version with phone functionality or if you need to otherwise recover/restore a rooted AT&T Tab that's not booting.
I bricked my SGH-I987 (don't ask how). It was an already rooted and unlocked Galaxy Tab I bought crippled (of course) from AT&T sans contract. It was bricked. I couldn't get to the bootloader but I could hear the Samsung startup sound and then I got a blank screen with a faint line through it.
Anyhow, here's what I did to recover it.
Install USB drivers (if not already installed, else skip. The files I eventually found were called usb_drivers_GalaxyS_x64.zip but work perfectly on my Win 7 Ult x64 system.)
Turn off Tab
Hold the [Volume Down] + [Power On] buttons until the Digging Android screen appears
Connect your Tab
Run Odin (as an Administrator if you're on Vista/7). If the phone is connected, you'll see COM with a value and color highlight (not blank and white). (I used Odin3 v1.7.exe)
In Odin, load the following files (which I downloaded from samfirmware.com - the download will be password protected with the password "samfirmware.com"):
PIT => P1000XWJJ4\P1_add_hidden.pit
PDA => P1000XWJJ4\P1000XWJJ4-REV03-ALL-CL639474.tar.md5
PHONE => P1000XWJJ4\MODEM_P1000XXJID.tar.md5
CSC => P1000XWJJ4\GT-P1000-CSC-SERJJ2.tar.md5
Make sure "Re-Partition" is checked
If all's set, click Start and Odin will do it's thing. The Tab will reboot a few times and I was done and "unbricked".

I've already tried that. I've tried using instructions that used Odin. I've tried instructions that used Heimdall. I've even downloaded and used this jar executable called soft unbrick or something like that.
This is driving me crazy. Nothing seems to work. In fact, the last thing I tried (which were instructions similar to yours) got rid of the white line but have left me with a plain black screen with the buttons lit on the bottom and nothing else. The only thing I can still do is get it into download mode.

sorry to hear that if i come across anything will post,

basia314, thanks for the attempt to help, but as soon as I did a google search on it I found the XDA thread in question, and it's one I've already found before. If you read the rest of the thread in question (here) you'll see that it doesn't work.
Currently XDA contains no thread with info on how to fix my problem. I've searched. Google has provided no links either. The closest I came to finding a solution is the suggestion that I let some guys fix it for $50.

GreNME said:
I've already tried that. I've tried using instructions that used Odin. I've tried instructions that used Heimdall. I've even downloaded and used this jar executable called soft unbrick or something like that.
This is driving me crazy. Nothing seems to work. In fact, the last thing I tried (which were instructions similar to yours) got rid of the white line but have left me with a plain black screen with the buttons lit on the bottom and nothing else. The only thing I can still do is get it into download mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You say you have tried that but your first post states that you did not find anything .... which one is it?
There is a stock AT&T rom here on XDA, where did you get the one you tried?
Can you get into Recovery? In the thread listed above one of the posts states that there is no boot image and a black Recovery screen that is functional. Maybe what you flashed is giving you these same results, have you tried waiting a bit longer after a flash to see if it will actually do anything, the first boot after a flash takes a little longer. Are you checking the re-partition box during the flash, the file linked in the other thread should be flashed with the re-partition box UN-checked.
Just trying to brain storm here, hoping you fix it.

Well, it's a moot point now.
After following the instructions here to fix a "soft brick" I've now gone to hard brick. Can't power it up at all and can't get it to download mode.
When I said I couldn't find anything here I mean I couldn't find anything that helped. I can find tons of threads, usually pointing to either dead links or saying "go to samfirmware" (which I do, and still find no helpful info). I've tried close to a dozen different things to try to get my Tab back, all things either found here on XDA or linked to in threads here at XDA. Not a single one worked. And now I have a Tab that is as bricked as can be.
Of course, I've found threads here that claim a Tab can't be totally bricked as well. Maybe their Tab can't be, or maybe they're keen on tearing the thing apart to fix whatever breaks, but I don't have the tools here to do that. For me, my Tab is as useful as a brick right now, and has been for a month of trying to get it back to normal.
For reference:
[x] I am following instructions as completely as they're given
[x] I read as much as I could find reference to for things I wasn't sure of ahead of time.
[x] I googled.
[x] In Odin I checked the repartition box when instructed to do so, and made sure it was unchecked when instructed so.
[x] I made sure every time that the device was recognized in Odin in Heimdal
But...
[x] Yes I was foolish to have not made a backup.
This is killing me, and I don't have the $50 USD to get someone to fix my Tab for me as claimed in this thread. So I'm stuck with a Tab that's bricked.

Still nothing
Interestingly, I could get Odin to see my device, but trying that stock ROM still failed. I have no way of knowing if I had it successfully in download mode because the screen is doing nothing. Completely black, no lights.
Any thoughts?

GreNME said:
Interestingly, I could get Odin to see my device, but trying that stock ROM still failed. I have no way of knowing if I had it successfully in download mode because the screen is doing nothing. Completely black, no lights.
Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So it's not completely bricked?
Just a question, but from the thread started by k0sh about unbricking, did you try and just leave your tab plugged into a WALL charger for a few hours.
I would attempt at restocking with the OVERCOME stock safe, following their instructions to the tit.
---------- Post added at 04:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:46 PM ----------
It does sound like you are experiencing the same black screen that I mentioned from the other post.
If you haven't done so yet, do try the re-stock instructions from the OVERCOME thread using their stock safe.

It spends most of its time connected to a wall charger.
I'm guessing it's not completely bricked, but it's non-functional to me since I can get zero screen feedback. This means I can't tell when it's in download mode or not.
What's "the OVERCOME stock safe", for reference? I ask because I've followed the instructions on several threads already, and the problem has gotten progressively worse. Also, I've followed instructions 'to the tit' as much as I'm capable so far, so it's not like I'd be doing any different with some new set of instructions. I don't like trying to take shortcuts, though I have to admit that I've had to try to research the meanings of other references made before (i.e. - I have no clue what "OVERCOME stock safe" is, though I assume it's a ROM that I'll have to follow three somewhat-related links to in order to get to the megaupload site to get it).

Addendum to above...
I didn't mean to come off as flippant, though I am a bit on the frustrated side considering every set of instructions I've been able to find to fix my Tab has resulted in it being worse than before the fix.
I'm trying to search for the instructions you reference, but not finding any detailed instructions anywhere. All I find is "flash OVERCOME using Odin" or something similar. As I said I have a completely black screen, so I have no indicator of whether I've got the thing in Download mode. Yes, I found out that it's not completely dead by using Odin to detect a COM connection, but that's not necessarily a guarantee that I have it in Download mode, is it?

GreNME said:
I didn't mean to come off as flippant, though I am a bit on the frustrated side considering every set of instructions I've been able to find to fix my Tab has resulted in it being worse than before the fix.
I'm trying to search for the instructions you reference, but not finding any detailed instructions anywhere. All I find is "flash OVERCOME using Odin" or something similar. As I said I have a completely black screen, so I have no indicator of whether I've got the thing in Download mode. Yes, I found out that it's not completely dead by using Odin to detect a COM connection, but that's not necessarily a guarantee that I have it in Download mode, is it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
alterbridge86 has a very well known thread in the Development section (Don't follow the links just yet) that has been around for a while, the OVERCOME team has provided us with many very stable and fast ROMS. To do a nice fresh install of their ROM they recommend doing a flash of a stock firmware to clear all the bits and bytes. If you follow the thread you will notice a detailed (and I mean detailed) instruction setup which is linked below.
Now, I'm not saying that you are not a smart person or anything so don't take any of the following as an insult, I just want to help so don't mind the simple instructions.
If I were you, after downloading all the files that you need for the stock safe stuff, to make sure you are properly in download mode when necessary do the following;
1) start the ODIN software on your computer.
2) connect your tab to the computer, check to see if odin connects
3) If odin connects than your tab is obviously ON, with the tab still connected to the computer press and hold the power button until the tab shuts off, at that point ODIN will disconnect.
4) press and hold the volume down button, then press the power button for a sec or two (the standard way to get into DL mode) and very shortly after you should get ODIN showing that it is connected again.
This will probably indicate that your tab has some functionality that you might be able to work with, but it wont be easy. After flashing anything you should wait a while as everything you flash will require a long first boot. Especially when you can't see any prompts. After flashing the kernel the install guide says you should hear a "sexy robot" voice (STEP 9). The flash will be quick but when the device reboots if you are not hearing the voice DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING, alot is happening in the background give it a good 5 minutes for it to finish (even 10 for safety), it should boot into the stock OS. If you don't see anything reboot your tab by holding the power button for 5-10 seconds to shut it off then turn it back on. BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, WAIT AT LEAST THOSE 5 MINUTES after flashing the kernel because it converts your system from RFS to ext4.
The OVERCOME rom thread is located here
The INSTALL GUIDE is located here
Good luck.

I'm about halfway through the process, and I've already got the screen working again.
I took the initiative to search around on the search string you gave me ("Overcome Stock Stable") and came across the same page you link to above. I was actually just about to post it here for future reference if anyone ever found themselves in my position again.
I'm trying to consider whether to leave it at stock or to flash the Overcome ROM on it. Your thoughts?
(and many, many, many thanks!)

GreNME said:
I'm about halfway through the process, and I've already got the screen working again.
I took the initiative to search around on the search string you gave me ("Overcome Stock Stable") and came across the same page you link to above. I was actually just about to post it here for future reference if anyone ever found themselves in my position again.
I'm trying to consider whether to leave it at stock or to flash the Overcome ROM on it. Your thoughts?
(and many, many, many thanks!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm very glad to hear that you got it working, I've got two tabs and half bricked both of them at one point or another. And I find it's actually not that easy to completely screw these things up, they just get frustrating trying to fix.
Anyway, you should definitely try the OVERCOME series of ROMs, they are really good. Lot's of small things that make it worth while as well as big improvements over stock (speed, battery etc.. etc..) I'm running BOCA on mine, had the Honeycomb RC1 on it for a few weeks and now am waiting for these wonderful devs to cook up a usable ICS ROM>
Enjoy

Go to: teamovercome.net and read. Their install instructions are some of the best I've read. These guys are really good.

Sorry I didn't see the second page, that you had gotten the answer already

[Q] Semi Bricked?

I've got an 896 Rogers Captivate that has been draining my sanity for hours now.
I managed to get it to download mode exactly ONCE out of ... literally eight hours of hold buttons, remove battery, replace battery, hold buttons, remove battery, etc etc.
I reached download mode by using the three button technique Volume Up + Volume Down + Power.
Once there I idiotically said "I can get here again.." and removed the battery.
I got this phone from a family member and managed to get it to download mode, but every other time I hold buttons (any buttons) it does exactly this:
If plugged into the computer it shows the loading daisy (which doesn't animate). I can hold any combination of the volume buttons and power button and it will flash black and return to the daisy.
If not plugged in, it shows the model number and 'Samsung'. Behavior is the same. Holding volume up, or down and the power button will flash black after eight seconds and then show the model and 'Samsung'.
I haven't tried Odin (although I've downloaded it and a rom thusly), a Jig, or any of the other brute force approaches to reaching download mode simply because I know that if I reached there once, I should be able to reach there again. Computers aren't sentient (although I swear this phone enjoys tormenting me).
Does any body have any insight to why I would be going through this?
Why won't it reach download mode again?
Just fyi: I have literally tried every button combination I can suss from the countless threads I've scoured and scanned.
Thanks in advance for any insight anyone can provide.

Just to make sure, as I didn't see it in the post, you did do v+/v- and insert the usb cord from a powered off state, right?
Also, check the captivate connection issues thread in my signature if you haven't already.

Different reaction
Hey thank you! Your list is handy!
I'm shocked I hadn't stumbled upon it already, or your signature for that matter..
Seriously can't understand how this is the first time I've seen it.
I've tried the [FROM A POWERED-DOWN STATE - BATTERY REMOVED] procedures but none of them got me into download mode.
Thanks all the same.
I'll try the battery charging list next.
Quick (and possibly stupid) question : Does it matter if it's an official Samsung USB cable?
As I noted in my initial post, I managed to get into download mode earlier today (little Android digging my grave with the same cable I've been struggling with for the past six hours.

Luck!
omigodomigodomigodomigodomigodomigod
okay, so I managed to get into d/l mode by plugging to power (outlet usb) and then applying three buttons.
So:
Battery Out
Plugged into USB
Battery In
Hold VolUp+VolDown+Power
Android man digging my grave showed up.
It should be noted that this same process was conducted several times against my PC upon which the technique worked several hours (and several hundred attempts, and half a season of StarTrek TNG) ago.
...now what (lol!)
I guess I'll fire up Kies and conduct a few more hours of scouring!

well you COULD go about flashing roms and kernels and modems to your hearts delight. But I would advise against that. I'd recommend first backing up EVERYTHING. Especially your /efs (you'll need to be rooted) folder if your considering flashing a rom. Once you do that you're free to flash. Just be sure to read the OP of the rom to make sure you meet the requirements for the rom or kernel, such as if you have the right boot loaders. As long as you read, you really can't go wrong with the captivate.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App

I'm not entirely sure how the phone reached this state but according to all the stuff I've read, if the phone is in this state it's recoverable using Kies.
However Kies doesn't seem to care that I've got this phone plugged in.
Frankly, there's nothing to back up, and if flashing out with Odin is the only way to establish a working Captivate then I suppose i've got some files to download.
Does anybody have any insight regarding Kies and getting it to play nice nice?

Do you have Samsung drivers installed?
Personally, I have only got Kies to work when the phone was actually on.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App

If your in download mode, I suggest just flashing back to stock using heimdal.
(I don't use odin 1-click stocks because my first attempt at using it corrupted my bootloaders. My phone would power on, go through the AT&T screen for hours. I also could not enter recovery or download using 6 different methods including a jig. I lost hope and accidentally left my phone on when I went to bed. I wake up next morning and it booted up. I used terminal emulator from the market and used the command Reboot Download. I worked, then I flashed back to stock using hiemdal. I am not completely sure why I shared this story but w.e )

"Bricked" Captivate???

I have a Samsung Captivate i897 for AT&T
Firmware version: 2.2 Froyo
Ok, so I had tried to foolishly upgrade my phone through Kies to 2.3 Gingerbread, knowing that I was
upgrading to the SIII in a few weeks anyway. Kies came back with a response that the upgrade
could not be finished, so I proceeded to follow the instructions and do an emergency recovery
of the phone, but after a while, that also failed.
After the recovery failure, I ended up with the "phone ! computer" screen (fromw what I've found, a
disconnect of the phone and computer). It took me several tries, but I found a forum somewhere
that showed me Odin (something I had never really played with for fear of bricking my firmware).
I followed the steps outlined in an xda forum by opening Odin and trying to flash the phone
back to stock.
But alas, my phone's screen turned red...which from some forums seems to be a problem with the
Odin installation. I had looked around a bit more on how to fix this issue, and eventually
arrived again at the Downloading... screen. This was promising at the very least,
but trying to connect to my computer started to fail. I would continually get "USB device
not recognizable" by Windows. I've tried multiple USB ports, reinstalling the phone drivers,
but could not get Kies or Odin to recognize it.
Now...the worst part. Someone somehwere suggested to restart the Download mode, which I did,
and now...the phone won't even return to the Downloading... or phone/computer screen. It's just blank.
Some have suggested that the USB cable or USB ports (more likely the computer) may be at fault
here as well. So I have ordered a cheap USB cable off of Amazon to maybe solve this issue.
The phone does not boot up to any screen, nor does it seem to charge (either in wall or
computer).
So my question is..., does anyone believe I have achieved an unsurmountable task in "bricking"
my Captivate, or is there hope yet that I can revive it from the dead. I plan on selling it online
for around $85 so that I can lower the price for the SIII, but a bricked phone won't get
too much.
Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to anyone who can enlighten me a bit here.

If u have zero signs of life, even when plugged into the wall charger, then u r hard bricked...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium

What did you do before losing download mode/phone-!-computer? Did you flash boot loaders?
Sent from my SGH-I897 JellyBro

If you are interested in trying to save your phone instead of scrapping it for the S3 you might look into either making a jig or ordering one. There is a thread somewhere on here that shows you step by step how to make one and it will force the phone into download mode if it's not completely bricked.
I have made one myself and it worked flawlessly and provided you have an extra micro usb sync cable that you are willing to destroy in the process it will cost you less than $5 to make.

been there..and i fixed mine
can you still do the up+down volume and plug usb to download mode?
Sent from my SGH-I897 using xda app-developers app

Dont know if this method works but its still an option for you to try, might as well.
Install Odin3 One-Click Downloader [I897UCJF6-final-OCD-REV0.exe] mediafire /?0w2y31maz8mdom4 (I cant seem to post link because Im a new member)
Its basically a hard format.
-Unplug your Phone from USB
-Launch the application
-Take out your battery for about 30 seconds and place it back
-Press and hold Volume Up & Down buttons
-As you're holding the 2 buttons, plugin the USB
-If the application recognizes your phone, just click [START] button and it will wipe everything on your phone (And I MEAN EVERYTHING, so its a sacrifice of losing whatever you had on to fix your phone), and have your phone in factory mode.
I fixed my phone when it was bricked this way. I reinstalled all the mods and updaters.
Hope it works for you!

Can't enter download or recovery, tried USB jig.

Hi there!
I'm wondering if you guys can help me brainstorm, or at least get to the root of the problem. Alright, so to preface... I'm using an ATT Galaxy S Captivate [i897]
I was updating my version of MIUI from the miui.us version 2.3 to version 4.0 [ICS.] This worked fine, and I had backed up my data with TitaniumBackup. However, I made a mistake: I chose one of the backup all options, where it backed up all my system data and app data. Little did I know, restoring the system data would completely own my phone. So I did a restore, rebooted, and my Captivate sits at the boot animation indefinitely. It won't get past it.
Somewhere along the line, my download mode and recovery mode 3-button combo got borked. They no longer work [trust me, I've tried every one.] When I try to enter recovery by pressing and holding a number of volume and power button combinations, it goes straight to the boot animation after the AT&T screen. When I try to enter download mode by pressing and holding volume/power, battery in, cable in, and every other possible combination [including switching the cable to different ports on my computer,] I simply get a "stuck" circular loading icon which flickers every few seconds. When I let go, it shows me a grey battery icon with that stuck loading circle overlaid.
So, moving on, I decided to disassemble my phone and try to reset it by shorting the TP contact in the back against the SD card slot. I wish I could find the thread; it's supposed to reset the device. It definitely causes my captivate to reboot [while it was stuck in the boot animation] but it didn't fix the problem. So I decided to make my own jig.
I built it out of three 100k ohm resistors, was super careful not to contact the metal parts of them while I plugged it into my phone. I tried plugging the micro B cable in first, then touching the resistor leads to pins 4 and 5 on the back end of the USB jig, but to no avail. I tried slightly different resistances, but no go. I tried connecting every pin to every other pin just for the hell of it, and no luck there either.
I don't have a soldering gun, so J-tagging is not an option [before I just buy a new phone, anyway,] and I'd rather not buy a USB jig because I'm not convinced it'll work. I know there are a lot of factors, and everyone says to try it 400 times, but I tried it more than I have patience for already. There's got to be something else wrong.
I'm wondering if TitaniumBackup has the capability to mess up the boot loader? If I accidentally overwrote system files with older ones, why would that cause it to get stuck in a bootloop? And where did my download mode go?
If anyone has any ideas, please let me know! I've done a massive amount of research on this. And I found some pretty brilliant ideas along the way, but none of them seemed to work for me. I'm to the point where I literally can't find any more references to problems similar to mine, so I figured I'd ask you guys!
TL;DR: I think by [accidentally] restoring system files with TitaniumBackup from MIUI 2.3 to 4.0, I may have completely owned the boot loader. Can this happen? And is there any fix? I can't get into download or recovery with button combination, jigs, or short-circuiting my phone in fun new ways.
Thanks

The phone by itself is not capable of writing to the bootloader. I am at a loss for why it doesn't work. All I can say is keep trying.
Sent from a jelly bean

korockinout13 said:
The phone by itself is not capable of writing to the bootloader. I am at a loss for why it doesn't work. All I can say is keep trying.
Sent from a jelly bean
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well. It might just be the way you wrote it, but you said "I try to enter download mode by pressing and holding volume/power, battery in, cable in...".
The correct method is exactly this.
1. Pull your battery.
2. Hold down volume button.
3. Insert battery.
4. Plug in USB.
5. You should be in DL mode.
Give it a try even if you think you have done it before....