Database Develop

[Q] Is there a way to debug stuck on boot problems?

I recently tried to flash my GN from ICS Stock ROM to CM9 ROM. I did the following:
- boot to CWM
- wipe the system
- flashed the new ROM
- installed GApps
- reboot
I tried it both with h0tw1r3-UCLE3-CM9-RC0 and Thor 0.12f ROMs and always got stuck on boot screen. The Samsung start screen appears and then only black. I flashed back the Stock ROM with CWM restore and now the phone works again as before, but I still would like to try a custom ROM.
The question is, is there a common way to debug this kind of problems? I guess I could spend some to look into it, but the system does not come up, so I don't even know where to start.

If you have adb setup you could use adb logcat to get in depth details of what happening when booting ( attempting to boot )
But i see your problem is because you flashed a CM9 over ICS, you MUST revert to GB before flashing any CM based ROMs.
Grab yourself a ODIN flashable GB ROM and flash it !
Then continue the above steps
EDIT: Prerooted GB ROM - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1535025
once installed, Flash a custom kernel like abyss and then wipe and then install ROM + Gapps.
DO NOT WIPE ON THE STOCK ICS KERNEL !

azzledazzle said:
But i see your problem is because you flashed a CM9 over ICS, you MUST revert to GB before flashing any CM based ROMs.
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Click to collapse
Ah, okay. Thanks, I guess I overlooked that in the instructions.
azzledazzle said:
once installed, Flash a custom kernel like abyss and then wipe and then install ROM + Gapps.
DO NOT WIPE ON THE STOCK ICS KERNEL !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because of the brick bug? Yes, I know.

One step further - but still not working
Okay, I tried what you suggested:
- flash pre-rooted GB ROM
- messy procedure with adb to get cwm recovery onto GB system
- flashed thor kernel
- wipe (factory reset)
- flashed new ROM with cwm (tried both thor or hotwore CM9)
- flashed gapps with cwm
- reboot
- running adb logcat while booting
The system still doesn't come up, but I got bootlogs from adb.
There are several errors, including missing files and a segfault. But to me nothing very enlightening, nothing that tells me why it happens. I attached the logs, maybe someone with more experience can make sense out of those and tell me what's wrong?

bricked and recovered my exhibit (how did i)

I've bricked my Exhibit in the following scenario
- running 6.0.x.x (of CWM)
- and latest version of Lianaro CM (4.2.2)
everything was fine untill i decided to give a try to jfbs kitkat rom, which required me to
- use latest cwm (6.0.4.7)
after flashing the new cwm and flashing the new rom, the rom went in infinite boot loop... nothing seems to be happening
(after multiple clean wipe and clean installs , i was not able boot in)
and i decided to do restore (which also fails with insufficient arguement)
and finally get back to stock via zip (using the jacola's build), which also fails for same argument length issue
so i decided to get back to stock via odin
i flashed (back to stock ) using jacola's build, but ended up with bricked device
finally i figured out
- i need to downgrade by cwm (recovery-clockwork-6.0.1.2-ancora.tar.md5) (Odin, OPS & recovery could be downloaded from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1867870)
- and get the zip file, use odin to flash it (uvlg3.odin.zip) (url, http://d-h.st/1ao) (and it's listed on jocala's site (with mirror)http://www.jocala.com/extras.html )
( the keys of home and back would be swapped in this cwm)
(don't forget to wipe the cache/dalvik partitions)
you can strat again fresh with this phone....
All credits goes to the respective developers (i've just posted how i made use of them to unbrick my phone)

You're my hero now. HA!!! I was modding my phone off the PACman ROM as their are issues with the screen sizes (especially concerning emails), and encountered an issue where it wouldn't go beyond the Samsung Screen.

i9305 stuck on boot logo

Hello XDA Developers!
I'm trying to install a custom rom om my i9305 bought in Denmark.
So far I have gotten the TWRP and Cyanogenmod recoveries to work, and through those I have successfully installed the two last versions of CM11 nightlies for the i9305 and the two last versions of AOSB 4.4.4 for the i9305. Yet I can't get any of them to boot past their respective logos (the phone moves nicely past the Samsung Galaxy S3 logo).
I have tried full system++ wipes, multiple Dalvik cache and cache wipes and Factory resets etc, but whatever I do my phone never gets past the CM / AOSB logo. I have waited for 20 minutes once for CM11 and once for AOSB, and 5+ minutes multiple times on both. Nothing changes.
Is there anyone out there with a 9305 that successfully installs custom ROM's that can help? Any help is greatly appreciated as I'm currently without a working phone
PS: Sorry if this is already an answered question. I googled extensively and looked at all the suggested threads before clicking "Submit" and couldn't find an answer.
Technical info:
Heimdall (latest unofficial from developer to get it working with OS X El Capitan)
Android Studio 1.4 with Platform Tools installed today
TWRP 2.8.7.0
Two latest nightlies from the official Cyanogenmod page attempted (I'm not yet allowed to post links), through TWRP as well as the recovery
Two latest versions from the AOSB website (still not allowed to post links, sorry)

MaHo_66 to the rescue
I was able to bring my phone back using the 9305N ROM posted on /galaxy-s3/development-i9305/rom-samsung-stock-4-4-4-rom-collection-t3124027
Still curious why it didn't work with the others, but at least now I have a phone again.

your issue is TWRP 2.8.7.0
several users, including me, had issues with the updated version as it's messes up with partitions etc. You experienced what we were having issues with. After installing the new recovery the installed ROM won't boot up anymore. The only way to fix this was to install stock ROM or a custom ROM based on stock.
I recommend to stay on TWRP 2.8.5.0 till the new version is fixed. Some users are working on a fixed updated TWRP recovery.

if you have made a nandroid backup of any previous rom that boots then try that, if that also fails to load then you need to install stock firmware again and start from the beginning again, stock firmwares can be found on samfirmware,
i have been flashing phones for several years, yet the other day i faced the exact same issue, not sure what caused it, it was also for the same device, stock firmware fixed all issues.
good luck

maultasche said:
your issue is TWRP 2.8.7.0
several users, including me, had issues with the updated version as it's messes up with partitions etc. You experienced what we were having issues with. After installing the new recovery the installed ROM won't boot up anymore. The only way to fix this was to install stock ROM or a custom ROM based on stock.
I recommend to stay on TWRP 2.8.5.0 till the new version is fixed. Some users are working on a fixed updated TWRP recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply! I also tried with the CyanogenMod Recovery, which ended the same way.
But installing a custom ROM based on stock worked, and is both way faster and pulls way less battery than the original ROM. So it all worked out in the end (until I can't resist the temptation and try to do it all again).

kamikaze702k said:
if you have made a nandroid backup of any previous rom that boots then try that, if that also fails to load then you need to install stock firmware again and start from the beginning again, stock firmwares can be found on samfirmware,
i have been flashing phones for several years, yet the other day i faced the exact same issue, not sure what caused it, it was also for the same device, stock firmware fixed all issues.
good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Custom ROM based on stock worked, thanks!
Were you able to install any custom ROMs after fixing your issue, or are you also "stuck" on a stock based ROM?

elysium7 said:
Custom ROM based on stock worked, thanks!
Were you able to install any custom ROMs after fixing your issue, or are you also "stuck" on a stock based ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I flashed carbon rom 4.4.4, twrp recovery is user friendly but on this particular device the recovery was cwm, I don't like stock based roms

kamikaze702k said:
I flashed carbon rom 4.4.4, twrp recovery is user friendly but on this particular device the recovery was cwm, I don't like stock based roms
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice, thanks! I'll try cwm next time then

S3 LTE won't go past bootscreen no matter what

So last time my phone was stuck on the device name and model number screen. I solved that issue by flashing TWRP using Odin.
but now the phone would not go past the boot screen no matter what I do. I re-flashed CM11 4 times now, factory reseted and wipe cache and dalvik cache. What should I do?

1. change your thread title please. Need help is not really helpful or directs to your issue.
2. what version of TWRP are you using? The official TWRP 2.8.7.0 does not work. Too long to explain why's that. To fix this issue there are some solutions if you flashed the faulty recovery:
- flash Stock ROM again and stay on TWRP 2.8.5.0
- some users fixed this issue by just flashing another recovery or just flashing a stock based custom rom to get their phone working. You still need to change recovery.
In my case I had to flash stock again and flash my preferred recovery again to get my phone working.

maultasche said:
1. change your thread title please. Need help is not really helpful or directs to your issue.
2. what version of TWRP are you using? The official TWRP 2.8.7.0 does not work. Too long to explain why's that. To fix this issue there are some solutions if you flashed the faulty recovery:
- flash Stock ROM again and stay on TWRP 2.8.5.0
- some users fixed this issue by just flashing another recovery or just flashing a stock based custom rom to get their phone working. You still need to change recovery.
In my case I had to flash stock again and flash my preferred recovery again to get my phone working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I should flash TWRP 2.8.5.0 and flash CM11 again? (because I don't have stock rom for S3 LTE)
Where can I get stock rom fro S3 LTE I can't seem to find it all, I find is firmwares.
Also, a few questions
1) If I give it into my phone carrier (Optus) would they know that it is rooted?
2) If they know it is rooted and with a custom rom and don't fix it for free is it possible to get it fixed by paying money??

The firmware provided by Samsung is the stock ROM I'm talking about
No, since you tried to flash a ROM through the faulty recovery you need to flash either official firmware from Samsung or a custom ROM based on Samsung stock like AMCHA or N4 Elite. I'd recommend to go with official Samsung firmware. After that go to stock recovery (it will come when you flash official firmware), do a factory reset and let the phone boot once. After that you can flash TWRP 2.8.5.0 and flash any ROM you want.
The new recovery from TWRP is too big for the S3. The S3 recovery is a little over 8MB, the new one needs more and messes up partitions etc. You won't be able to mount /system, /data and the recovery can't read your internal partitions as it should. Go with the way I provided. It seems like a lot of work but it's done in a few minutes.
For your two questions: yes and yes. But you can fix that on your own and don't need your operator or Samsung to get your phone fixed.

Thanks a lot for helping. I was scared to death cause if something happened I would've had to start using a old brick Nokia phones

Is it possible that after I flash the stock firmware, my phone still doesn't boot up?
I am basically a level above newbie, so I don't get what is happening. I see tutorials and do what they tell me to do. sometime I get what I am doing sometime I don't

as i said, after flashing stock, go into the recovery and do a factory reset. The phone will boot then

maultasche said:
as i said, after flashing stock, go into the recovery and do a factory reset. The phone will boot then
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok sorry for doubting you! My phone is working now, thanks a lot for your help

Glad it's working now, you're welcome

I have rooted my s3 via odin and now i wont to flash twrp via flashify. Now i have a bootloop on my s3. How can i recover the phone. i am a noob on s3 and i don*t know how i could go into fastbootmode. Please help me.

what S3 do you have? Which recovery did you flash?

maultasche said:
2. what version of TWRP are you using? The official TWRP 2.8.7.0 does not work. Too long to explain why's that. To fix this issue there are some solutions if you flashed the faulty recovery:
- flash Stock ROM again and stay on TWRP 2.8.5.0
- some users fixed this issue by just flashing another recovery or just flashing a stock based custom rom to get their phone working. You still need to change recovery.
In my case I had to flash stock again and flash my preferred recovery again to get my phone working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had this problem too! Flashed stock rom, then flashed TWRP 2.8.5.0 (I was using 2.8.7.0) and then flashed cyanogenmod 12 and boom it booted and worked!
Thank you very much!

Stuck on boot animation screen (jumping balls/ waves) regardless of which ROM I use.

Whichever flashing method I use (TWRP, fastboot) Whichever rom I use (I tried clean stock, pre rooted, MM, LP, backups), I can't get past the animation screen. Even restoring a backup through TWRP gets stuck at the same spot. The only ROM that works is LineageOS (based on Android 7.1). I tried wiping various combinations of dalvik cache, data, cache, system, internal storage - still always stuck on boot animation. I tried leaving it for a long time always, the longest was over 2 hours. I feel like I'm missing wiping something since it seems like the issue is going from a 7.1 rom down maybe?
More info: I was using SLiM ROM (MM 6.0.1) for a while but it got extremely slow and poor battery life after a while. I flashed LineageOS for Z3C and it worked fine, but wasn't my cup of tea, so I wanted to go back to stock-based. I figured I'd try eXistenZ (MM 6.0.1). The instructions said to be on 23.5.A.1.291 first, then root it, and then flash the existenz zip. I didn't downgrade to .291 the first time and it didn't work. Second time I flashed a stock D5803_23.5.A.1.291 (which booted up normally). Went through the rooting process (as seen here), and that worked fine. But the next step of flashing eXistenz didn't work. I tried again from the start, but this time I couldn't boot into after flashing 23.5.A.1.291 again. This is where the problem started. I tried Slim and various roms using fastboot, various versions of twrp, and even a 6.0.1 backup through twrp. Always regardless of ROM, it gets stuck on boot animation. Except for LineageOS.

Hi, I'm in the exact same situation, I have Lineage OS 7.1 installed and I can't go back to any custom ROM based on Android 6.0 stock, all I get is always a bootloop. The only other ROM I can install is Sony stock via Flashtool. I really don't know what the problem is, please let me know if you manage to solve this weird problem.

Install old twrp, wipe /apps_log.
Or use emma to get a clean device again.

I solved the issue installing stock Android 6.0 with Flashtool, twrp 3.0.2 and then flashing ROM. :good: