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Hardware 2.0

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

UPDATE - Windows Phone 7 update 'bricking' some Samsung Omnia handsets [inc possible fix]

By | February 22, 2011, 2:47am PST

Summary: Reports are beginning to circulate that Microsoft’s first update for Windows Phone handsets, released yesterday, is causing problems for some owners of Samsung Omnia handsets.

Reports are beginning to circulate that Microsoft’s first update for Windows Phone handsets, released yesterday, is causing problems for some owners of Samsung Omnia handsets. Some believe that this is down to a firmware issue on the Omnia, with firmware versions JI9 and JJ4 experiencing problems, while the JK1 firmware is unaffected.

The problem seems to occur at stage 6 of 10 of the update process, where the handset reboots after the update. But instead of rebooting properly, Zune throws up an error message:

RESTORATION ERROR

An error prevented the restoration of your phone to its previous version.

Your phone can’t be used in its present condition and there are no restore points for it on this computer. The phone might restart and return to normal if you disconnect it. For further assistance, contact your mobile operator.

ERROR CODE
C101002E

Once in this state, the handset seems to be bricked.

WinRumors has been doing some digging:

Granville says every time he turns the device on he’s presented with a “Connect phone to PC” screen and the device fails to initialize. Hard resets and trying it on multiple machines have not helped, he’s stuck. Granville isn’t alone however. A quick scan of Twitter shows that the picture is mixed. A large number of the issues stem from the backup process and its failure but only a small number of users are reporting that devices no longer boot-up correctly. Will Cahill, Michel Angelo and Steve Frolleau all report Samsung backup issues whilst Alex Roebuck, Mikael Petersson and Evan Bronstein all report non-functioning devices as a result of the update.

Microosft’s current response to the problem, which so far has only been via the Windows Phone Support twitter account (@WinPhoneSupport) is to tell affected owners to “sit tight” or take their handsets back to the store.

Microsoft has two KnowledgeBase articles covering Windows Phone issues that might be of help:

My advice is for Samsung Omnia owners (and anyone else relying on their WP7 handset) to steer clear of this update until the cause of the problem has been uncovered and fixed.

[UPDATE: Microsoft has now acknowledged that it is aware of this problem and is looking into the reports.]

[UPDATE 2: Here's a possible fix:

  • Unplug the handset from the computer and place on charge.
  • Turn handset off.
  • Turn handset back on holding Power + Camera + Volume Down buttons.
  • Hold buttons for 15 seconds. Continue to hold if asked if you want to format SD card. Keep holding the three buttons until handset enters 'Download mode' which will reinstall the OS.
  • If handset doesn't reboot within 15 minutes, switch it off and on.
  • Handset should be ready to set up again.

Hope this helps.]

[UPDATE 3: WinRumors has outlined a possible fix for the WP7 update handset bricking problem. It's long and convoluted, involved downloading firmware from untrusted sources and there are no guarantees ... but it could bring your bricked handset back to life.]

[UPDATE 4: Microsoft issues comment on the matter here.]

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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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Burning platform burning brighter
Jimster480 23rd Feb 2011
Very sad, the platform isn't in a great state. And now their update bricks some of the phones? Luckily not many people have them so not many are affected.
0 Votes
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Does this use Kies?

Samsung needs to come up with some decent software, like iTunes.
@alsobannedfromzdnet
iTunes...
I hope you are joking.
@alsobannedfromzdnet

Itunes is as great as the AOL desktop software of the 90's. IF that is what you consider 'decent', then to each their own.
@Cylon Centurion 0005
Agreed. I stopped using AOL's buggy, resource hogging software ten years ago and though I'm not a fan of Apple I did try iTunes for Windows recently, just to make a fair comparison to Zune; I found iTunes to be buggy and worst of all extremely slow. Obviously, I uninstalled it after a week or so of trying to find any small way in which it compared to the elegance and speed of Zune. Admittedly, my 9 year old niece got an iPad for Christmas and loves playing the free games on it so I have to credit Apple with making some really cool-looking toys but I don't need over-priced toys. Even my 28 year old son received an iPad from his girlfriend for Christmas and other than checking email, which he could already do on his phone, he rarely uses it. Except, of course, to make jokes about it on Facebook....
@xplorer1959
I'm not a fan of Apple I did try iTunes for Windows recently, just to make a fair comparison to Zune; I found iTunes to be buggy and worst of all extremely slow.

I think there is code in windows to hamper iTunes. There are no problems on OS X, with iTunes, it is quick and responsive on anything newer than a 10 year old PPC Mac. Now there is no way to try out Zune software on OS X as it is not available (you would have to buy a copy of windows to use it). So Zune software (written by Microsoft) is probably able to access the undocumented APIs that iTunes doesn?t have access to. But I would not put it past Microsoft to hamstring iTunes. I remember the registry hack that was used to fix FireWire, in xp. Seems Microsoft hamstrung it, to make USB 2 look better. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885222
Seems they knocked it down from 800 Mbs to 100 Mbs, and to fix it you had to hack the registry
@Rick_K

I think there is code in windows iTunes to hamper iTunes it on Windows.

Duh, of course it runs better on a Mac! It's a selling point! All Apple has to do is write ****** software, tell possible consumers how "God-awful" PCs are and sell some sucker a Mac which they didn't need.

No matter who you ask, iTunes is almost universally panned.
Microsoft is once again failing in mobile.

Updates for Windows Phone 7 are few and far between. When they get there, they offer little, apart from bricking the phone.
@zndac you ever think this could be why Samsung doesn't update their products much? But it Isn't just windows devices so get that out of your head.
@Peter Perry - Sorry Mr Perry, but Samsung mostly makes popular Android phones, and these aren't turning to bricks like the Windows Phone 7 ones are. Reports are that HTC Windows Phones are suffering the same problem.

After your Windows Phone gets bricked, the next thing to do is to dump it in landfill.
0 Votes
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Peter Perry, it's no use.
John Zern 22nd Feb 2011
People like zndac just post their hate drivel, allways sidestepping the issue that it happens on competitor's devices, too.

It's known as "selective memory", very usefull if you're anti-MS.
@zndac
Actually this could be a brilliant idea. If these phones get bricked, the users have to get new phones, which is more activated licenses. Count the replacement licenses without discounting the failed units. This could be like the great xbox 360 plan. Microsoft would count repaired xbox 360 as a gain in market share, as they refused to deduct those units from the ?Units shipped? each month.
@Rick_K

Too bad your Xbxo conspiracy theory falls apart when you realize that Xbox titles almost invariably sell more than their PS3 equivalents, so much so that it looks like it is Sony fudging numbers not Microsoft.
@Mythos7
What are you babbling about? Are you denying that the Xbox 360 had an extremely high failure rate? The failure rate was so high that companies offering extended warranties doubled the price. Or do you believe it was another console that caused the problem?
0 Votes
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They're just copying Apple again
John Zern 22nd Feb 2011
@zndac
As Apple bricked their own devices first via updates.
0 Votes
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Wrong!
use_what_works_4_U 22nd Feb 2011
@John Zern
One of Apple's updates caused some early iPhones to brick, but only if they were jailbroken. So basically, you update a modified OS and the update isn't compatible with the modifications. Solution was very simple. Factory restore the iPhone, *then* update it, then re-jailbreak it.

I suspect that something similar is going on here. Samsung's hardware is just far enough off from the reference spec that the update fails badly. It's partially Microsoft's problem. It's likely Samsung's fault, and it is very bad for their shared customer base. I hope that they can get the issue cleared up very soon. I'm about to replace my iPhone, and I'm taking a serious look at other smartphone alternatives, but this makes me more than just a little concerned.
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Few and far between?
John Zern 22nd Feb 2011
@zndac what is the time between Android updates, or iOS updates?

Sorry, you failed again. You're batting 1000 in that respect. wink
0 Votes
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@John Zern
iOS: 9-12 months
Android: At the mercy of your service provider (unless you want to root the device).

From a frequency standpoint this was actually quite timely. Given that you never know all the issues with an OS until it is getting used in the field I think Microsoft did a good job in *not* making people wait. The unfortunate side effect with *some* hardware is why I don't update any OS (including OS X and iOS on Apple built hardware) until after the initial reports come in.
@zndac
If you had read you would have seen its not windows 7 at fault but the samsung firmware version. Try reading before bashing windows at least its not like apple iphones that can't make calls.
@zndac
Yes, it is only few Samsung Ominia 7 neither HTCs nor Focuses reported this, also none of LG quantums, so it is an isolated case of hardware issue. So whats your point.
I would like to see Wp7 do well, but this is a very poor start and may cause untold damage to the OS's reputation. ....Serious own goal.
@RonanSail
Agreed. Very disappointing.
0 Votes
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Beta Testers
P. Douglas 22nd Feb 2011
@RonanSail,

I think MS should have a set of beta testers spread out across all networks and devices, and these updates should be rolled out to these beta testers, before they are rolled out to everyone else - if this is in fact not the case.
i would wager that EVERY update to ios and android has bricked atleast a few phones. i've had a samsung focus for a few weeks now and am looking forward to fixes for the few minor usability issues. i just realized i don't miss my android at all.
@RonanSail

Not disappointing at all. The problem is locallized to one device by one manufacturer. As long as they can get those folks back up and running it will be fine
0 Votes
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@RonanSail...This is a good start. There are only a small portion of Samsung WP7 devices affected, not all Samsung devices. The 'pre' update allows Microsoft the opportunity to identify any issues and ensure that the NoDo update is launched without a hitch. WP7 is and will do well.
Why are there so many versions of firmware on a new Samsung phones already. It sounds like Samsung was in a bit of rush manufacturing them. Though it still does not bode well for WP7 that this simple update is causing problems. Maybe we'll all be using either Apple-built iPhone, Motorola built-Androids or Nokia-built WP7s or RIM-built Blackberrys if upgrading is going to be this difficult on open platforms.

Also why would you advise non-Samsung users holding off on the update when there has not been a single report of a non-Samsung phone updating.
I still say this could be an underlying issue with Samsung.
0 Votes
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the bigger picture - update roll back
RonanSail Updated - 22nd Feb 2011
The real issue here is the WP7 update process.

Microsoft are the only people that I can think of that are directly updating phones made by another supplier. eg apple, Nokia update their own hardware - Google release android update to device manufacturers.

Surely then in this update environment, there is always the chance that something unaccounted for may go wrong - so the update system needs a bomb proof roll back mechanism to stop what we are seeing today.
@RonanSail Maybe that's what this update is going to implement.
0 Votes
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This is why I avoid Samsung phones. They're cheaply made and I've never had any last longer than a year.

And before people pick on Windows Phone, keep in mind, Adrian himself has bricked an iPad by upgrading before.
0 Votes
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WP7 BSOD
Alan Smithie Updated - 22nd Feb 2011
Windows never changes.

Enjoy your alpha software phones, suckers.
@Alan Smithie

I am, and thank you. I hope you enjoyed beta testing the iPhone on AT&T.
@Cylon Centurion 0005

What's the difference between Android, Iphone, Rim and WP7 ?


Answer:

You can actually find someone who uses Iphone, Rim and Android.
0 Votes
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@Alan Smithie, you never change, talking without knowing what you're talking about.

Oh well. happy
@John Zern Don?t all Windows Phone 7 Series Phones have some shade of a related screen of death?
BSOD (Blue Screen of Death): earlier versions of Windows
GSOD (Green Screen of Death): xbox related not to be confused with the RROD
BlSOD (Black Screen of Death): later versions of Windows, most often associated with the reboot loop.
@Alan Smithie - Congratulations, you just found someone that uses and Dell Venue Pro running Windows Phone 7.
0 Votes
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HAHA EPIC FAIL
Ron Burgundy 22nd Feb 2011
Maybe you can get help from the little pink fuzzy in the commercial.
0 Votes
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Loverock doesn't have this problem
Ron Burgundy 22nd Feb 2011
He doesn't own a WP7.

" I can't wait to get one" - posted two weeks ago by him.
Issue is with the Samsung Omnia firmware. Not a Microsoft issue but a Samsung one. Hopefully their coders are working on it to resolve this as quickly as possible so that all may enjoy the long list of benefits provided by a WP7 phone.
0 Votes
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@Loverock Davidson

Just ignore the naysayers, they'll see the light soon and be praising the WP7 as the best thing since the invention of penicillin.

I've been using my wp7 to rid my house of evil spirits and it's worked 100 %. No more mysterious noises in the middle of the night.
0 Votes
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Well look who it is!!!
SonofaSailor 22nd Feb 2011
@Rubberduck Rabidson

Cyberslammer2, er, Ron Burgundy, er,...good Lord, you must keep your shrink living lavishly, with all the multi-personalities you have.
@Loverock Davidson

YOU DONT EVEN OWN A WP7.

"I can't wait to get one"....you don't own one yet you're coming in here talking about the "long list of benefits".

How about saving up your pennies and getting one so for once you have a shred of credibility in here?
0 Votes
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Pot, meet Kettle???
SonofaSailor 22nd Feb 2011
@Ron Burgundy

You're telling someone else they don't have any credibility?

wow.
@SonofaSailor

Cyberslammer3
Ron Bergundy
Trickytom3
Ron Burgendy

And you say YOU have credibility? Go stalk someone else loser.
  • Flagged
Once again, to all the brainless haters, this is the first update. There will surely be some hiccups. And as some people pointed, this is a specific Samsung Omnia issue, not an WP7. I'm sure Samsung will address that soon. The good thing is that WP7 users didn't have to wait long for the update.
As for me I've tried everything, I've had an iPhone for 3 years, an Android for a couple of months, I've tried my girlfriend's Blackberry, in my opinion WP7 is the most interesting mobile OS on the market now.
@robomatic
May you live in interesting times.
0 Votes
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Working as designed.
james347 22nd Feb 2011
The 'Bricking' is not a mistake, this is how Microsoft Beta tests their Code.
@james347

And you know this how? Are you a MS beta tester??? If so, I know there is some level of a NDA you have to have with Microsoft, therefore, you couldn't release this info. Unless have some evidence to back up your statement, don't post.
LOL @ everything Microsoft does, especially mobile silly
0 Votes
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Samsung, not Microsoft
cowboy7381 22nd Feb 2011
Lets not forget, that Samsung has to check off the update. If it's Microsoft's fault the update would have to brick more than one specific phone. This sounds like Samsung not testing the firmware enough on their devices.
0 Votes
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Burning platform burning brighter
Jimster480 23rd Feb 2011
Very sad, the platform isn't in a great state. And now their update bricks some of the phones? Luckily not many people have them so not many are affected.

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