Samsung Galaxy S7 stuck in boot loop after failed installation of 2.4.1

[piero]

if it helps, i decoded the PIT file (Partition Information Table) using “heimdall-fontend” :

G930F_PIT

Heimdall v1.4.2

Copyright (c) 2010-2017 Benjamin Dobell, Glass Echidna

http://www.glassechidna.com.au/

This software is provided free of charge. Copying and redistribution is

encouraged.

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development please consider donating:

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Entry Count: 24

Unknown 1: 1598902083

Unknown 2: 844251476

Unknown 3: 21324

Unknown 4: 14153

Unknown 5: 12852

Unknown 6: 48

Unknown 7: 4

Unknown 8: 0

— Entry #0 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 80

Attributes: 2 (STL Read-Only)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 0

Partition Block Count: 1024

File Offset (Obsolete): 1

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: BOOTLOADER

Flash Filename: sboot.bin

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #1 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 90

Attributes: 2 (STL Read-Only)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 0

Partition Block Count: 768

File Offset (Obsolete): 2

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: CM

Flash Filename: cm.bin

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #2 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 91

Attributes: 2 (STL Read-Only)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 768

Partition Block Count: 256

File Offset (Obsolete): 2

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: ECT

Flash Filename: ect.bin

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #3 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 1

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 5 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 6

Partition Block Count: 1536

File Offset (Obsolete): 3

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: CPEFS

Flash Filename:

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #4 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 70

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 6

Partition Block Count: 2

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: PIT

Flash Filename: -

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #5 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 71

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 8

Partition Block Count: 256

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: MD5HDR

Flash Filename: md5.img

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #6 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 1

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 1024

Partition Block Count: 1024

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: BOTA0

Flash Filename: -

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #7 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 2

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 2048

Partition Block Count: 1024

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: BOTA1

Flash Filename: -

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #8 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 3

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 5 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 3072

Partition Block Count: 5120

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: EFS

Flash Filename: efs.img

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #9 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 4

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 8192

Partition Block Count: 2048

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: PARAM

Flash Filename: param.bin

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #10 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 5

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 10240

Partition Block Count: 10240

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: BOOT

Flash Filename: boot.img

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #11 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 6

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 20480

Partition Block Count: 11776

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: RECOVERY

Flash Filename: recovery.img

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #12 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 7

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 32256

Partition Block Count: 2048

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: OTA

Flash Filename: -

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #13 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 8

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 34304

Partition Block Count: 10752

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: RADIO

Flash Filename: modem.bin

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #14 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 9

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 5 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 45056

Partition Block Count: 256

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: TOMBSTONES

Flash Filename: tombstones.img

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #15 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 10

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 45312

Partition Block Count: 256

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: DNT

Flash Filename: dnt.ssw

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #16 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 11

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 45568

Partition Block Count: 192

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: PERSISTENT

Flash Filename:

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #17 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 12

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 45760

Partition Block Count: 64

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: STEADY

Flash Filename:

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #18 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 13

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 5 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 45824

Partition Block Count: 2304

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: PERSDATA

Flash Filename: persdata.img

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #19 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 14

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 5 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 48128

Partition Block Count: 1100800

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: SYSTEM

Flash Filename: system.img

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #20 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 15

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 5 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 1148928

Partition Block Count: 51200

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: CACHE

Flash Filename: cache.img

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #21 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 16

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 5 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 1200128

Partition Block Count: 2560

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: HIDDEN

Flash Filename: hidden.img

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #22 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 17

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 1 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 1202688

Partition Block Count: 1280

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: CP_DEBUG

Flash Filename: modem_debug.bin

FOTA Filename:

— Entry #23 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 18

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 5 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 1203968

Partition Block Count: 0

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: USERDATA

Flash Filename: userdata.img

FOTA Filename: remained

[make-nz]

@gbe

If it can be installed from an SD card I’m assuming I would use e-recovery <Apply Update, Internal Storage, twrp…img> ? Can someone confirm this will just install TWRP

This will not work unfortunately (if you have a TWRP recovery, you can flash other recover – just a side note).
/e recovery has just the bare minimum, but in advanced you can mount/unmount system, can you test this and see if it throws any error/messages?

@piero

installing TWR imply to unlock the bootloader

unlocking the bootloader leads to a factory-reset

I never had a Murena S7 or any other Samsung from them, but I’m not aware they could/would lock the bootloader.

@gbe are you Linux only? There are heimdal on Linux and Odin on Win(which I prefer and have used extensively)

[piero]

@make-nz

@gbe are you Linux only? There are heimdal on Linux and Odin on Win(which I prefer and have used extensively)

Also on linux now Odin4linux (CLI) and

Galaxy-Flasher, the ultimate graphical tool for Samsung devices

. the version 0.5.1 tried to follow the familliar windows Odin3 ergonomy . [Capture d’écran du 2024-10-09 00-43-43] . Background After witnessing a new Linux user, who had just switched over from Windows, struggle with using Odin4’s CLI, @ethical_haquer decided to make a GUI for Thor: Thor GUI. With the release of v0.5.0, Thor GUI was renamed Galaxy Flasher, and it now supports Thor and Odin4. . XDA Forum : https://xdaforums.com/t/linux-galaxy-flasher-a-gui-for-samsung-flash-tools.46364…

@make-nz

I never had a Murena S7 or any other Samsung from them, but I’m not aware they could/would lock the bootloader

You are right, i have cheched, relocking bootloader is not possible, so installing TWRP should not cause issue…
I will edit previous post.

[gbe]

Quick update, I have discovered that the data I downloaded from the S7 using adb pull is “usable” in that I can mount the binary files as images on my PC and have access to folders and files within them. Of particular interest are /dev/block/mmcblk0, mmcblk0p1 and sda18. Both mmcblk0 and mmcblk0p1 are each 2GBs and contain the e-1.7-q zip file that was used to update the phone. The folder is fully readable. sda18 is 27GB and seems to be the phones’ data and I have found files in there linked to apps that were previously installed on the phone before all of this unpleasantness happened, which leads me to believe the phones’ storage hasn’t been wiped. For the moment I haven’t found any trace of my personal files unless they are in one of the “locked” directories, which ask for authentication when I try to open them (root, but it isn’t the PCs root password - maybe a password that was generated by the phone that I probably don’t have).

So that’s where I am for the moment, but I haven’t completely given up as yet … If I have time I may start to look at adb shell to see if that can be of any use here … I’m still wondering if there is a directory somewhere on the phone with my data in it that would be accessible if I could just find a path to it !

@make-nz: I’m purely a Linux user now but I’ve used a lot of different OS’s over the years, starting with Acorn MOS / basic on a BBC Micro back in the day … !

[gbe]

breaking news, all images and files recovered !!! After mounting the binary sda18 using Disk Image Mounter they were in a “locked” directory named Media. Unlocking Media was just a right click open as root (Duh !) and inside the Media directory was /0 and under that all the directories as for a standard USB connection to an Android phone - including all of my user data (big smile !). All I needed to do was copy over to another directory on the PC and use a terminal to chgrp and chown on all of them.

Brilliant. I can’t express how happy I am - but I am really happy !

You guys are the best ! And /e/OS rules …

I may eventually be back to ask new questions about a clean reinstall (e-2.6.3 here I come) but I’ll open a new thread for that !

[make-nz]

In all of those files you downloaded, is there anything reading something like

/0

this would be your internal SD card

[gbe]

Yes, that’s where it was, but as I wrote above it was inside the sda18 binary under a locked directory “Media”. Really squirreled away and out of sight …

[make-nz]

Oh great, didn’t see that before.

Now that you have come so far, I’d say give TWRP a go

TeamWin - TWRP

and from /e docs have look at heimdal
https://doc.e.foundation/devices/herolte/install

[gbe]

For another occasion (but I hope not) it would be useful to have the direct link to the “0” directory. adb pull /dev/block/sda18 < and a link to > Media/0
I’m guessing it’s really simple but for the moment I can’t see it. Bet it’s obvious though …

[piero]

@piero

from G930F_PIT --> partition 18

— Entry #18 —

Binary Type: 0 (AP)

Device Type: 8 (Unknown)

Identifier: 13

Attributes: 5 (Read/Write)

Update Attributes: 5 (FOTA)

Partition Block Size/Offset: 45824

Partition Block Count: 2304

File Offset (Obsolete): 0

File Size (Obsolete): 0

Partition Name: PERSDATA

Flash Filename: persdata.img

FOTA Filename:

.

old exemple of an old Galaxy s2

$ adb shell
~ # parted /dev/block/mmcblk0
GNU Parted 1.8.8.1.179-aef3
Using /dev/block/mmcblk0
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) unit s                                                           
unit s
(parted) print                                                            
print
Model: MMC V3U00M (sd/mmc)
Disk /dev/block/mmcblk0: 30777344s
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt

Number  Start      End        Size       File system  Name       Flags
 1      8192s      49151s     40960s     ext4         EFS
 2      49152s     51711s     2560s                   SBL1
 3      53248s     55807s     2560s                   SBL2
 4      57344s     73727s     16384s                  PARAM
 5      73728s     90111s     16384s                  KERNEL
 6      90112s     106495s    16384s                  RECOVERY
 7      106496s    311295s    204800s    ext4         CACHE
 8      311296s    344063s    32768s                  MODEM
 9      344064s    1392639s   1048576s   ext4         FACTORYFS
10      1392640s   29720475s  28327836s  ext4         DATAFS
11      29720476s  29720575s  100s       fat32        UMS
12      29720576s  30769151s  1048576s   ext4         HIDDEN

.

for sure you wil like TWRP !

[make-nz]

@Xxpsilon

I’ve saved:

e-1.7-q-20230110250405-stable-herolte.zip
e-1.7-q-20230110250405-stable-herolte.zip.md5sum
e-1.7-q-20230110250405-stable-herolte.zip.sha256sum
recovery-e-1.7-q-20230110250405-stable-herolte.img

I just don’t know where to put the 1.03 GB so that you can download them.

Have you shared this with @piero for his backup on sourceforge? Please do.

[make-nz]

Dangerous, but maybe somewhat helpful:

Upgrade Samsung S7 to e/os 2.4.1 help needed, please

And @gbe Well, turns out, I just did the above – without problems. For kicks I left my SD card in the device, too. S7 with stock Android, factory reset ODIN, to flash twrp-3.7.0_9-1-herolte.tar TWRP, to flash e-latest-q-herolte.zip from Nov 2022 (wiped and formared partitions) [Screenshot_20250121-132248_Updater] With this my TWRP got overwritten, by the /e recovery, so I used ODIN again to flash the above TWRP again and to my own surprise this went trough with no complaints e-2.4.1-s-202…