Sep 16, 2015

What Is Android BRICKing? Causes, Types & How To Avoid It Entirely

I know most of you may have heard about bricking here or somewhere else online or better still through a friend. But do you really know what is means, what causes it on Android devices, the types there is and the most effective ways of avoiding it entirely from crippling your sweet phone? Not to worry that will be handled here.
Brick on Android screen


What Is Bricking?

Bricking, is a situation, state whereby your Android device refuses to Turn ON or Boot completely (hangs/stops at device welcome logo) when you are sure your battery is not faulty. It is referred to as "brick" because at that point, your phone is as useful as a BRICK nothing more.

Types Of Bricking In Android?

Soft Bricking: Phone boots but not completely. Just hangs at the welcome screen. Its always easier to recover soft bricked phones.

Hard Bricking: Phone refuses to power ON entirely. This one is usually tougher. Most time your phone is considered dead and gone and can be recovered using Jtag. You can meet phone Engineers for assistance.

Recommended: Finally! How To Change Samsung Phones Imei For Free Without Octopus Box 
 

Causes Of Bricking In Android

A lot can lead to your phone getting bricked. Check the list below.


  • Use Of Fonts (Soft bricking): This is by far the easiest way to get your phone bricked. Font applications are number one culprit to Android bricking. So when tweaking/changing the looks of your phone font, be care full the apps you you use and make sure your phone is properly rooted and backed up.
  • Flashing Of ROM/Firmware not meant for your Phone (soft/hard bricking): I bet this one is self explanatory. Before flashing any ROM to your device, take out time to ask questions and be sure its meant for you phone model.
  • Rooting of Phone: This one is rare. But mostly occurs when you fail to follow the instructions given, make use of the wrong rooting app on your device or when the rooting process is interrupted.
  • System Update without properly unrooting phone.
  • Bad System update from phone manufacture (OTA update filled with bugs)
  • Corrupt Bootloader: A boot loader contains the necessary files needed for your phone to boot. Once tempered with, am sorry it can't boot.
android running from brick
Android logo running from Brick

How To Prevent Your Android From Getting Bricked

It us very easy to prevent your phone from getting bricked. All you have to do is avoid the above 6 causes like plaque. But if you must root your phone be sure to download the right app, follow instructions, and your battery is charged to at least 55% to prevent interruption.

For ROM flashing, make sure you download the right one for your phone model, follow the steps given and your phone should be at least 55% as well.

Its certain you must update your phone. However, to avoid bricking, wait for to update theirs, and give feedback so you'll sure its okay before going through with it.

Bonus: Tips To Recover A Brick Phone

Back up your phone current ROM and save to your pc or upload it online. So you can easily download and flash it back to your phone if the unexpected happens.

Was this helpful? Did I forget to include anything? Have you bricked your phone before? What lead to it and how where you able to recover it? Submit Your Email Here to be alerted on my upcoming posts.



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3 comments:

  1. Cna you explain a little bit more about "System Update without properly unrooting phone."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Updating your phone without unrooting or properly unrooting your android phone can lead to bricking of your device.

      The update from the phone manufacturer is belt for unroofed phones. Not the other way round. So on a normal ground, the phone will automatically be unroofed before the update is carried out. But if that's not the case, you risk having your device bricked.

      Delete
  2. check this
    https://androidwapsite.wordpress.com/2016/12/02/unbrick-android-phone/
    for soft and hard bricking

    ReplyDelete