Topic: Hieroglyphics

[8ullfrog]

The golly does this mean?

Taking a flying golly at a rolling donut, I THINK I accidentally set the phone to target mode and wiped android, but that is literally a wild guess.

"golly an error code" says google, "we'll use cartoons"

[6pairsofshoes]

I just tried to find an answer and came up empty.  You have my sympathies.
My best guess is that it wants you to install an app or something, but I'm no gearhead.

[8ullfrog]

I think it wants an OS, but I have no idea how to load it.

[6pairsofshoes]

I'm not sure, but it seems you can do this via your desktop interface
https://www.reliancedigital.in/solutionbox/how-to-run-a-new-android-os-on-your-dated-android-smartphone/

You would first need to get an ‘unlock key’ which can be found on the respective manufacturer’s website. Search for your device key by typing in the device name followed by ‘unlocking bootloader’ on Google.
Start by downloading ‘Android Debug Bridge (ADB)’ and ‘Fastboot’ software on your PC (We recommend using a PC to unlock the bootloader). Also download the USB drivers for your specific device from the official website. This is essential in order for your PC to detect your smartphone when connected with the USB cable.

I'm not sure if this will work given the nice little disabled tableau you have produced above (blue box w/arrow and brainless droid icon).  But this seems like it's in the right ballpark.  You need to debug or restore a new operating system to the phone.  But I'm a computer moron, so I may just be blathering on.  Maybe one of the more experienced computer people on here has better ideas?

[8ullfrog]

That's one of the reasons I dislike android, despite using it every day. It's got the opaque wall of google, and they disable poo at whim.

Holy poo, I did a search on the image and actually got a result (my previous shot was blurry)
http://mobilizedtech.blogspot.com/2012/03/installing-android-40-ics-in-virtualbox.html

I already know that isn't helpful, the spch5001 topped out at 2.35 (froyo) It never made it to ICS.

I also found a website that gives you advice on how to unbrick your android phone. Unfortunately, it's for LG phones, not samsungmaphones.

I didn't even hack the bless'ed thing, I was trying to get into recovery mode because it was boot looping and got this unpleasant poo.

[6pairsofshoes]

This might sound crazy but is there any way you can call a human at Samsung and get some help reinstalling the operating system on the phone?  There has to be a way to download or transfer some version from a desktop.

I did find this.  Maybe it will help?  It's for samsung devices.  Apparently doing this will void your warranty, but I take it that this wouldn't be an issue.

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/galaxy-s20-series/custom-os-repair-full-device-reset/td-p/2664971

[8ullfrog]

I'm on bad terms with their support team.

Back when they replaced my 5 with the 7, they sent a phone and no AC adapter.

This was right when they were transitioning from microusb to USB-C, so they kept sending C equipment, and I kept refusing to pay to ship it back.

My CURRENT phone is actually the S20, with a bunch of marketing gibberish behind it.

The samsung fascinate is so far out of warranty it's about to start high school. Mom just wanted a small portable music player, and the fascinate is a 4 inch AMOLED.

[6pairsofshoes]

Yeah.  I figured it was an old phone she was using for gaming.  Best to check out that forum post I linked then.  I have no idea if it will help, but maybe?

Let us know if you have any luck with this.

[8ullfrog]

sadly, the odin "fix" appears to require the phone to be functional.

One of those "First, be smart from the start" situations.

Fired up my old thunderbolt (my first smartphone)

It works but google says my password is wrong. (it's not)

Man I wish I could kick Tim Google in the richard (I realize Tim Google is not a person)


turns out the Tbolt is the same size as the fascinate. Heavier, which sucks, but I'm not out in the cold.

Has a kickstand too, which I thought was rad when I got it.

[6pairsofshoes]

What model are you trying to reinstall the os on?

Most answers I find are for newer model phones and suggest Odin or taking it to a service center, neither of which will work for you.  I can dig around but it would help to know more about the phone and the original version of the narfed os.

[8ullfrog]

Samsung Fascinate. It's the Verizon version of the initial galaxy S.

I found a video where the guy had the same problem as me, but he was on an SII mini.

I actually bought a second one on ebay, and that one can't connect to PC. It loads its own driver software, but then attempts to install VMM, the verizon music manager.

Problem is, it tries to download VMM from Verizon.com.

Verizon nuked VMM in 2012 in favor of their own cloud cowpoo.

I used VMM a couple times on my thunderbolt when it was a current phone, it was like a shitty, clunky itunes.

Here's the video:

[6pairsofshoes]

I've yet to find someone with a solution that doesn't involve Odin.

Here's one forum where webworkings suggests a simple fix, but I would wager you've tried this (Hard Reset) and are far beyond this.  https://forums.tomsguide.com/threads/how-do-i-restore-the-operating-system-on-my-samsung-galaxy-s-tablet-gt-p5113.136421/

[8ullfrog]

Yeah, I'm a pretty old hand at factory resets. Any time I have to return or trade in an electronic, it gets the full lobotomy.

From what budget build says, the phone has alzheimers and can no longer see its OS, which was 2.35

From what I'm reading, 2.35 wasn't even supported on the Fascinate, so I dunno WTF there.

The ebay replacement unit is running 2.2, which is supported. But I can't clone it because 10 just sees it as a CD-rom drive.

I'm starting to think I'm going to have to just write the first unit off as bricked unless I get really bored and decide to learn android fudging.

Granted, back in the day I was pretty heavy into PSP (PlayStation Portable) fudging, and I had no business doing that. I ran so many random executables with that thing, it's a damn good thing I never had an online account tied to the things.

Another possibility I hadn't considered is that I might have baked it. There has been a heatwave recently, and my closet is on an exterior wall. The phone and my dead acer laptop were right up against that wall. I have made a mistake.