How to Fix Bricked / Unbrick Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini
Have you decided to root your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini Android handset and now things don’t seem to be working right? Has your device suffered a hardware abuse like falling hard, getting dropped in water or the custom ROM does not match with the installed kernel? Have you installed a faulty application? Maybe it cannot start anymore or maybe it keeps restarting and it won’t boot into Android. It’s time to face the facts and accept that your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini might be bricked. We know that Android is actually built with flexibility and durability in mind, but it isn’t completely impossible to brick your Android device.
Errors when installing third-party modifications, such as third-party ROMs may also cause bricking if the process isn’t performed properly. When fully bricked, your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini phone is no longer user-repairable in any shape or form. But luckily, these cases are rare and there might be some hope for your handset too!
We have two types of bricking: the first one that we have just mentioned is Hard bricking, you’re your Android device malfunctions due to a hardware error, becoming impossible to and sadly, there’s usually not much you can do about this except to the dealer.
But let’s hope that we are talking about a Soft bricking case when your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini malfunctions due to a software error and cannot startup normally. In such a situation it doesn’t power up at all, it gets stuck in a boot loop, or it can’t enter recovery mode, but we have different method to unbrick your handset.
How to Fix Bricked Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini:
Use the device’s recovery mode:
As we have already told you, the Custom Recovery Mode is exactly that option or that menu on Android devices that runs between the ROM and the bootloader, letting you perform various actions such as factory reset, applying any updates from the ADB, installing a custom ROM, a custom kernel and so on.
In any case, this procedure might help you if you have bricked your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini and here we have not one, but actually three different methods for performing this operation; to be more precise, you can use the several button combinations method, as well as the one based on the ADB tool or on the Quick Boot (Reboot) app.
Note: enter recovery mode on Galaxy S5 Mini by using our dedicated tutorial
Do a Hard Reset of your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini:
If entering in recovery mode did not help your bricked device, then we have another solution to take in consideration: you must hard reset your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini. In order to do use, you can use the Menu, then open Android Setting, choose the ‘Backup and reset’ option and reset the device.
And we even have a second option based on the hardware buttons which is very simple as well:
- Start by turn off the handset;
- Press and hold the Volume Up and Home buttons simultaneously and then the Power-Button until the phone vibrates;
- You will see the Android logo; this is when you have to release all the buttons;
- Use Volume Down to go to ‘Wipe data/Factory reset’ and confirm your action;
- Select Yes in order to delete all user data;
- Once again, you have to press the Power button to confirm your decision.
Anyway, before proceeding, don’t forget that there is a list of preparatory steps that you must take in consideration, so don’t hesitate to read our tutorial on How to do a Hard Reset of your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini. Have you solved the problem with your bricked handset?
What to do in case of experiencing a boot loop issue:
After installing a new ROM over an existing one on your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini, but without first deleting the files associated with the previous ROM, there are big chances to see that your handset enters in a boot loop. Do not worry; we have a solution for you: you must format the Cache Partition in recovery mode, by carefully following these steps:
- Shut down your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini phone;
- Boot into Recovery mode by hold down the Volume button and then pressing the Power button;
- You must use Volume keys to navigate the menus, as well as the Power button to select one desired item from the menu;
- Scroll down to “Advanced”;
- Choose the “Wipe Dalvik Cache” option;
- Go back to the main screen;
- Choose “Wipe Cache Partition”.
- Choose “Wipe Data / Factory Reset” to delete all your settings and apps;
- Reboot your handset and that was all! You have successfully completed the procedure and we hope that your device is once again working as it should. Or is it still bricked?
Downgrade / install stock / official Android OS:
If you can’t fix your bricked Samsung Galaxy S5 by using any of the steps from above, you should also try to downgrade / install stock / official Android OS on your smartphone. This procedure seems to work in several cases and maybe you are one of those lucky people as well!
Don’t forget about the manufacturer…
And finally, if you’re upgrading the firmware on your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini and an error occurs making the handset non-functional, that’s not your fault, but the manufacturer’s fault. You should immediately contact the manufacturer and have them fix the bricked device for you or even exchange it for a new one. And don’t worry, if you haven’t performed any unofficial operation, he intervention will be free as you have the Samsung warranty still valid.
But if you have damaged your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini when applying a custom operation, you probably already know that going back to service is not the best option for you. When performing unofficial operations, the warranty gets void, so technical service won’t be free anymore. In such a case, it is very important to know how to restore the warranty and avoid an unpleasant situation.
We hope that we could be helpful with this guide! And if you have any other related issue on your Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini Android device, then post it in the comment box and wait for our help!
SOLUTION – HARD RESET on Android S5 mini doesn’t work – SOLVED!
Spent whole day browsing to find out why S5 Mini’s hard reset isn’t working.
Three different HARD RESET methods were tried, yet none of them worked.
Even charged the non-starting phone for several hours with only blank screen showing. Finally charged the battery on a different phone, charged for 5 minutes and then reinserted into S5 mini and used the Volume Up + Home button and the Power key hard reset method. Start-up screen with Samsung logo instantly showed up!
If any of the ‘Hard reset doesn’t work’ Threads in any of the numerous Forums had mentioned about trying a differen’t charged battery OR current battery will NOT charge whilst phone is dead, then I would have avoided wasting so much time and avoided considering the worst and returning to shop for repair. Saved money through perseverance and most importantly having faith.
My S5 is soft bricked with a continual boot loop. The S5 logo appears and the sound goes, but it stays at the bootup screen. I tried to wipe the entire phone and install the 0A8 kernel, but it continued to do so. Any help?