flash boot mode fix! - Page 2 - Motorola Q Forum

handsheldhigh13 · 08-24-2007, 02:39 PM

thanks steve now u get a thanks to

geoff101 · 08-24-2007, 03:06 PM

Well I contacted Motorola a coupla times and they dont really understand what Im talking about so here's the fix....

you will need a few things, the main being a known good motoq, which might be tough.

What you need is:
1) both q's
2) a fully charged battery (should be able to do this with the good q)
3) windows xp
4) high speed internet connection
5) data cable
6) activsync 4.5

1)on your pc, download the sprint motorola update from motorola.com
2) install the update
3) open it up
4) take the 'good' q and force it into flash mode. (Start with the q turned off, then act as if you are turning it, but immediately hold down the "A" and "enter" buttons on the q) it should go right into flash mode, the difference is pulling the battery and powering back on will launch normally, your q wont)
5) open the update on your pc
6) while in flash mode, take the good q and plug it into the pc.
7) Activesync should launch and say connected and the updater should say connected. click through the update until it goes to the second circle (checking for updates).
8) it should now download about 45 megs from the internet (approx 20 mins or so) just let it run.
9) WHILE IT'S DOWNLOADING, UNPLUG THE 'GOOD' Q, AND PLUG IN THE BAD Q.
10) after approx 20 mins or so it will then want you to click through a window or two, and the updater will then move to the 'update' circle....this will take approx 15 mins or so....just let it run (make sure the battery in the q is fully charged, if it bombs during the update it can fry it
11)that should do it.

*** if after the update, you boot up the bad q and the screen stays black until it gets to the 'motorola acid trip splash screen' then force it back into boot mode and repeat the above steps. Instead of forcing the good q into flash boot, force the bad q into it and reflash it using the above steps, the sprint splash screen will come back and all will be good...lemme know how it works for ya...

as far as finding another q, you may be able to borrow one from asprint store?

moonbeam · 08-28-2007, 01:14 PM

so my q got into flash boot mode - total catastrophe. all lost no doubt.

took device to best buy, showed the techies there your web post regarding fix. the guy tried real hard - he used his very own q as the working one. but we couldn't get his phone recognized by active synch.

so now my device is in the mail.

so what happened? how often does this happen? do i have a lemon, or once fixed it will be okay?

there was some talk among the techies about the ipod phone operating systems getting hacked, thus the tight, non downloadable security surrounding the q's system.

like i could hack something - i can barely figure out how to use the phone. i'd post a thanks for the fix if i could figure that out.

geoff101 · 08-28-2007, 02:20 PM

[quote=moonbeam;73518]so my q got into flash boot mode - total catastrophe. all lost no doubt.

took device to best buy, showed the techies there your web post regarding fix. the guy tried real hard - he used his very own q as the working one. but we couldn't get his phone recognized by active synch.

so now my device is in the mail.

so what happened? how often does this happen? do i have a lemon, or once fixed it will be okay?

there was some talk among the techies about the ipod phone operating systems getting hacked, thus the tight, non downloadable security surrounding the q's system.

If activesync wasnt seeing it it could be any number of issues....the fix works, but in order for it to work activsync has to recognize it...there's a few things you should have checked:
Make sure windows firewall was not running on the pc you were using.
More than likely that was your problem.....firewalls will keep activsync from connecting alot of the time. Also, was the cable good? What version of activsync. Now that you dont have the device anymore, its kinda pointless...activesync has to connect or you're not gonna get anywhere...

mikeock · 08-30-2007, 11:24 AM

you know kudos on finding the fix

I just wish it had been posted about 24 hrs sooner
as I just got my phone replaced for this same problem
thank god I had everything important backed up the day before it died

Something you might want to add to this though is that you need an old Q also.

When I plugged my new q into the data cable and attempted to run the update it told me that everything was up to date.

geoff101 · 08-30-2007, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeock

you know kudos on finding the fix

I just wish it had been posted about 24 hrs sooner
as I just got my phone replaced for this same problem
thank god I had everything important backed up the day before it died

Something you might want to add to this though is that you need an old Q also.

When I plugged my new q into the data cable and attempted to run the update it told me that everything was up to date.

You dont need an old q...you take the new one and force it into bootloader mode by holding down the "a" and "enter" key when bootling, then plug it into the pc, it will then allow you to pass through the "checking for update version"

lunetun · 08-30-2007, 05:54 PM

I had the Flash Mode death on my Verizon Q and have noticed that this topic is much more popular in the Sprint forum areas than the Verizon. Not sure if there is something different in the firmware or not. However, with mine, neither activesync or the Moto update program would recogonize it. I finally had to re-flash as follows:

I used RSD Lite v3.8 and a monster VRZ software file (Verizon phone, don't know if Sprint files are available). It took three attempts to reflash the phone, the first one timed out waiting on XP to install the second driver set, the second attempt had check sum verification errors, the third time, as they say, was the charm. Only issue was a call to Verizon to manually re-program the phone as the *228 method would not work. Might also be important to note that RSD General 4.5 and RSD General 4.9.8 would not talk to the phone. Although I know from others that it will talk to a good Q, it maybe my copies, or the mode the phone was in I am not sure. I also don't know how this would work on a Sprint version, but thought I would share and hopefully help someone.

herronj · 09-02-2007, 07:24 PM

If someone sends me instructions tonight or tomorrow on how to fix it I'll give it a try and post back (Motorola Flash Mode of death). Make sure you send me a link to the ROM if I need it because I don't have a good one, just one in Flash mode (btw: Active Sync does not see it) My 4th (!) Q should arrive Tuesday (Sept 4th).

I'm so sick of this problem its driving me nuts. I've seen some people say software is causing it, or loading too many apps. I can tell you that is not true. I had a brand new one with nothing loaded it on it and NO apps had been run on it (I only made 2 calls on the damn thing) and it died overnight in the charger. The problem has nothing to do with software or batteries. I'm convinced they have faulty flash chips that are loosing their memory (and with it the Operating System). As much as I like my Q when its working I would return it for something else if I wasn't past my 30 day Sprint warranty (the first one died after 45 days). Its like a ticking time bomb and I never know when its going to blow! I had to invest in a Virgin pay as you go phone as a backup.

Motorola better get this fixed or they'll go broke replacing them (ok, not broke but they're not going to make any money off the Q's at this rate of return). Who is going to trust future Motorola models with posts like this one.

Pony99CA · 09-04-2007, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herronj

Who is going to trust future Motorola models with posts like this one.

While it's too bad you're seeing this problem, this isn't really a new issue; it's been around for months. However, it still seems like we're getting new members here, so I'd say lots of people realize that it's an infrequent and random issue.

I've had two Qs -- one that I reviewed and one that I purchased after I returned my review unit. If I'd had that problem in the review unit, I doubt I'd have bought my own Q. I've had that Q since late October without seeing this issue. (I'm on Verizon, if it matters.)

Steve

lunetun · 09-09-2007, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herronj

If someone sends me instructions tonight or tomorrow on how to fix it I'll give it a try and post back (Motorola Flash Mode of death). Make sure you send me a link to the ROM if I need it because I don't have a good one, just one in Flash mode (btw: Active Sync does not see it) My 4th (!) Q should arrive Tuesday (Sept 4th).

I'm so sick of this problem its driving me nuts. I've seen some people say software is causing it, or loading too many apps. I can tell you that is not true. I had a brand new one with nothing loaded it on it and NO apps had been run on it (I only made 2 calls on the damn thing) and it died overnight in the charger. The problem has nothing to do with software or batteries. I'm convinced they have faulty flash chips that are loosing their memory (and with it the Operating System). As much as I like my Q when its working I would return it for something else if I wasn't past my 30 day Sprint warranty (the first one died after 45 days). Its like a ticking time bomb and I never know when its going to blow! I had to invest in a Virgin pay as you go phone as a backup.

Motorola better get this fixed or they'll go broke replacing them (ok, not broke but they're not going to make any money off the Q's at this rate of return). Who is going to trust future Motorola models with posts like this one.

Sorry, as I am a VZW user, I do not have a Sprint ROM. The use of RSD Lite v3.8 is very simple, once you get a copy of the ROM, launch the RSD software, connect the phone, tell it where the ROM software is and click start. Mine was so messed up, however, I needed to do it 3 times for it to take.