How to Unbrick or Restore Samsung Galaxy Note GT-N7000

Looks like you just got unlucky in your little Galaxy Note hacking adventures — that is, little things like rooting, custom recoveries and custom ROMs — and now, you have a bricked device in your hand.

Well, what we can do now is try to restore your Galaxy Note back to stock using a firmware so that all bad partitions on the device are fixed and it doesn’t bootloops and restarts normally.

And well, depending on what you were trying to do, and more importantly how, it could either be soft-bricked or hard-bricked — in latter case, as sad as it is, you maybe out of luck, man!

What’s Hard-brick and Soft-brick?

Even though rare, and when you are like set to be doomed, your Galaxy Note might get hard-bricked. In which case, the Galaxy Note won’t boot into download mode — it won’t respond to key combinations you are trying to make it to boot normally or to download or recovery mode.

Hard-brick results in one dead Android device. Yes, it’s sick, and worrying. You may have to look for a JTAG service locally; the person with good knowledge of that may be able to revive it. Oh, you can also try using USB Jig (look on ebay, perhaps!) to reboot the Galaxy Note into download mode, but it may or may not work!

Hard-brick is rare, it may happen only when power supply gets disturbed of computer and/or Android device when something is being installed/updated on the device. Or, when you totally mis-do things totally recklessly. That’s why you have to be very careful with even the easiest steps.

Let’s see soft-brick now. Normally, a brick is a soft-brick, which means your device isn’t completely dead, that it is just not able to boot normally and gets stuck somewhere. And, download mode is working.

How to identify bricked Galaxy Note?

If your Android device can boot into download mode, then it means it’s a soft-brick. If it cannot, then it’s hard-bricked.

Cases of soft-brick:

  • Bootloop: Your Galaxy Note is not restarting properly and gets stuck at logo, and reboots again and again on it. Mostly occurs when you flash something bad.
  • Corrupted but working: Your Galaxy Note can’t power On, but is entering the Download mode and/or Recovery mode on pressing the key combinations. That is, it’s responding to key combos, at the least.
  • Any other case: As it doesn’t matter what happened, as long as you can access Download mode using the key combos specified in the unbrick Galaxy Note guide below, you’re good — no reasons to worry!

Solution?

Just install the firmware using the guide below and your Galaxy Note shall be up and running coolly soon enough! you must be able to enter download using the key combinations specified in the guide below.

Cases of Hard-brick:

  • Well, if you can’t enter download mode using the key combinations specified in the guide below, you got a worry — your device is hard-bricked. You can’t repair it yourself unless you are able to reboot it into download mode.

Solution?

You can try USB Jig to enter Download mode but there is no guarantee it would work. Your last hope is JTAG: find a local service provider who can us the JTAG for you and revive your dead hard bricked Galaxy Note. You can use Google to buy JTAG and try it yourself but we don’t recommend it at all, at it requires the skills of a knowledgeable person in Electronics.

Let’s see now how to unbrick or restore or fix a bricked Galaxy Note.

How to Restore Samsung Galaxy Note to Unbrick and Fix it

  WARNING!

Warranty may be void of your device if you follow the procedures given on this page.

You only are responsible for your device. We won’t be liable if any damage occurs to your device and/or its components.

  SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE GT-N7000 OFFICIAL JELLY BEAN 4.1.2 FIRMWARE

Before you begin with guide instructions below, make sure your android device is adequately charged — at least 50% battery of the device.

  STEP 0: CHECK DEVICE MODEL NO.

To make sure your device is eligible with this, you must first confirm its model no. in ‘About device’ option under Settings. Another way to confirm model no. is by looking for it on the packaging box of your device. It must be GT-N7000!

Do not use the procedures discussed here on any other Galaxy Note (including the Galaxy Note variant at T-Mobile, AT&T and other International variants) or any other device of Samsung or any other company. You have been warned!

  STEP 1: BACKUP YOUR DEVICE

Back up important data and stuff before you start playing around here as there are chances you might lose your apps and app-data (app settings, game progress, etc.), and in rare case, files on the internal memory, too.

For help on Backup and Restore, check out our exclusive page on that linked right below.

 ANDROID BACK UP AND RESTORE GUIDE: APPS AND TIPS

  STEP 2: INSTALL LATEST DRIVER

You must have proper and working driver installed on your windows computer to be able to successfully flash stock firmware on your Samsung Galaxy Note. In case you’re not sure, follow the link below for a definitive guide for installing driver for your Galaxy Note on your computer.

 SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE DRIVERS INSTALLATION GUIDE

   STEP 3: INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

  DOWNLOADS

Download the Odin zip file and firmware file given below. Transfer both Odin and firmware file to a separate folder on your computer just to keep things tidy.

  ODIN ZIP FILE

DOWNLOAD LINK | File name: Latest Odin3 v3.09.zip (951 KB)

  FIRMWARE ZIP FILE

DOWNLOAD LINK | File name: N7000DDLSC_N7000ODDLSC_INU.zip (767 MB)

  STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

  Example video: If you haven’t used Odin before to install a stock firmware or anything else, then we suggest you first watch a video of that to get familiar with the process. The video demonstrates flashing of CWM Recovery on Galaxy S3, but since the procedure is same for flashing stock firmware also, the video will helpClick here to watch the video

Important Note: Backup important files stored on internal SD card of your device, so that in case a situation arises requiring you to do a factory reset after flashing stock firmware, which might delete internal sd card too, your files will remain safe on PC.

  1. Extract/Unzip the Odin zip file, Latest Odin3 v3.09.zip on your computer (using 7-zip free software, preferably) to get this file: Odin3 v3.09.exe
  2. Extract/Unzip the Firmware zip file, N7000DDLSC_N7000ODDLSC_INU.zip on your computer (using 7-zip free software, preferably) to get this file: N7000DDLSC_N7000ODDLSC_N7000DLS6_HOME.tar.md5
  3. Move the firmware file, N7000DDLSC_N7000ODDLSC_N7000DLS6_HOME.tar.md5, in the same folder in which you extracted Latest Odin3 v3.09.zip (Just for your convenience, that is). So, now you’ll have the following files in that folder:
    • Odin3 v3.09.exe
    • N7000DDLSC_N7000ODDLSC_N7000DLS6_HOME.tar.md5
  4. Disconnect the Galaxy Note from PC if it is connected.
  5. Double-click the Odin3 v3.09.exe file to open Odin.
  6. Boot your Samsung Galaxy Note into Download Mode:
    • Power off your phone first and wait for 6-7 seconds after display is off
    • Press and hold these 3 buttons together until you see Warning! screen: Volume Down + Power + Home
    • Press Volume Up now to continue to Download Mode
      galaxy note download mode
  7. Connect your Galaxy Note to PC. Odin window will show an Added!! message in bottom left box. Odin’s screen would look like this:
    Odin 3.09 - Samsung-Galaxy-Odin-Device-Added-Screenshot
    If you don’t get the Added! message, here are some troubleshooting tips:
    • Make sure you have installed driver for Galaxy Note as said above in ‘Before you begin..’ section.
    • If you have already installed driver, then uninstall them and re-install back.
    • Connect using a different USB port on your PC.
    • Try a different USB cable. The original cable that came with your phone should work best, if not, try any other cable that’s new and of good quality.
    • Reboot phone and PC and then try again.
  8. Load the firmware file (extracted in Step 1) into Odin as instructed below:
    • Click on the AP button on Odin and select the N7000DDLSC_N7000ODDLSC_N7000DLS6_HOME.tar.md5 file (from step 1). Your Odin window should look like the screenshot below:
      Odin 3.09
  9. Now in the Option section of Odin, make sure that Re-Partition box is unchecked. (Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time boxes remain checked, while all other boxes remain unchecked.)
  10. Double check the above two steps.
  11. Click the Start button to begin flashing stock firmware on your Samsung Galaxy Note GT-N7000, and wait until you see a PASS! message in Odin’s top left box.
  12. When you get PASS! message, your phone will restart automatically. You can then disconnect your phone from PC.
    Odin 3.09 - Samsung-Galaxy-Odin-PASS-screenshot

If you see FAIL message instead of the PASS in Odin’s top left box, that’s a problem. Try this now: disconnect your Galaxy Note from PC, close Odin, remove phone’s battery and put it back inside in 3-4 seconds, open Odin and then repeat from Step 3 of this guide again.

Also, If device is Stuck at setup connection or on any other process, then too, try this: disconnect your Note from PC, close Odin, remove phone’s battery and put it back inside in 3-4 seconds, open Odin and then repeat from Step 3 of this guide again.

FEEDBACK US!

It was easy to flash stock Jelly Bean 4.1.2 firmware on your Samsung Galaxy Note, right? Let us know in comments below.

Your suggestions and queries, if any, are most welcomed!

79 Comments

  1. Thank you guys so muuuch!!!!! I was so worried T.T and I tried many tutorials and guides and steps but nothing worked! You guys are the best! THANK YOU!

  2. Thank you guys so muuuch!!!!! I was so worried T.T and I tried many tutorials and guides and steps but nothing worked! You guys are the best! THANK YOU!

  3. Thank you guys so muuuch!!!!! I was so worried T.T and I tried many tutorials and guides and steps but nothing worked! You guys are the best! THANK YOU!

  4. but how to take backup when device (GT-N7000) is already soft bricked during official update to 4.1.2… recovery mode is not coming up… droid robot comes and then ‘SAMSUNG’ logo..

    1. If you are not able to boot normally and to recovery mode either, it’s not possible for you to take backup. 🙁

    2. hmm… its not rooted either… so whats the solution… just flash stock rom using odin (download mode is coming) and get system just like new and loose everything.. ? or Samsung service guys can do something ?
      thanks

    3. You can talk to Samsung service guys but I doubt they will be very much useful? If you could find what was the firmware on your phone, and install it back, then there is good chance that your data is not removed upon firmware flash. Installing any latest firmware might also keep data. Samsung firmware (not custom ROM of any kind) to Samsung firmware retains data many a time, unless it’s a big upgrade.

    4. Thanks Kapil, will talk to Samsung first before doing any thing from my side… if they also don’t guarantee data recovery, then better would try myself with original stock rom for this phone from sammobile…
      basically I wanted to learn if in best cases ROM flashing would by default clear all data or only due to some possible incompatibility or ROMs or some error.

    5. Flashed stock jelly bean 4.1.2 ROM from sammobile and all including data and apps are back… GOD was kind… 🙂

      thank you and everybody you have provided so much material on the web and those who contributed in ODIN…!!!

      Few points: PASS comes little late in ODIN, before that it said ” RESET”… phone restarted (no I think it went off and I powered on) and stuck at ‘SAMSUNG’ logo again for few minutes, then android logo with things happening in the belly 🙂 … later ‘PASS’ appeared in ODIN… I disconnected, after that phone did not restart but was upgrading all 155 apps I had, and doing some other things for several minutes… so far so good.

  5. but how to take backup when device (GT-N7000) is already soft bricked during official update to 4.1.2… recovery mode is not coming up… droid robot comes and then ‘SAMSUNG’ logo..

    1. If you are not able to boot normally and to recovery mode either, it’s not possible for you to take backup. 🙁

      1. hmm… its not rooted either… so whats the solution… just flash stock rom using odin (download mode is coming) and get system just like new and loose everything.. ? or Samsung service guys can do something ?
        thanks

        1. You can talk to Samsung service guys but I doubt they will be very much useful? If you could find what was the firmware on your phone, and install it back, then there is good chance that your data is not removed upon firmware flash. Installing any latest firmware might also keep data. Samsung firmware (not custom ROM of any kind) to Samsung firmware retains data many a time, unless it’s a big upgrade.

          1. Thanks Kapil, will talk to Samsung first before doing any thing from my side… if they also don’t guarantee data recovery, then better would try myself with original stock rom for this phone from sammobile…
            basically I wanted to learn if in best cases ROM flashing would by default clear all data or only due to some possible incompatibility or ROMs or some error.

          2. Flashed stock jelly bean 4.1.2 ROM from sammobile and all including data and apps are back… GOD was kind… 🙂

            thank you and everybody you have provided so much material on the web and those who contributed in ODIN…!!!

            Few points: PASS comes little late in ODIN, before that it said ” RESET”… phone restarted (no I think it went off and I powered on) and stuck at ‘SAMSUNG’ logo again for few minutes, then android logo with things happening in the belly 🙂 … later ‘PASS’ appeared in ODIN… I disconnected, after that phone did not restart but was upgrading all 155 apps I had, and doing some other things for several minutes… so far so good.

  6. but how to take backup when device (GT-N7000) is already soft bricked during official update to 4.1.2… recovery mode is not coming up… droid robot comes and then ‘SAMSUNG’ logo..

    1. If you are not able to boot normally and to recovery mode either, it’s not possible for you to take backup. 🙁

      1. hmm… its not rooted either… so whats the solution… just flash stock rom using odin (download mode is coming) and get system just like new and loose everything.. ? or Samsung service guys can do something ?
        thanks

        1. You can talk to Samsung service guys but I doubt they will be very much useful? If you could find what was the firmware on your phone, and install it back, then there is good chance that your data is not removed upon firmware flash. Installing any latest firmware might also keep data. Samsung firmware (not custom ROM of any kind) to Samsung firmware retains data many a time, unless it’s a big upgrade.

          1. Thanks Kapil, will talk to Samsung first before doing any thing from my side… if they also don’t guarantee data recovery, then better would try myself with original stock rom for this phone from sammobile…
            basically I wanted to learn if in best cases ROM flashing would by default clear all data or only due to some possible incompatibility or ROMs or some error.

          2. Flashed stock jelly bean 4.1.2 ROM from sammobile and all including data and apps are back… GOD was kind… 🙂

            thank you and everybody you have provided so much material on the web and those who contributed in ODIN…!!!

            Few points: PASS comes little late in ODIN, before that it said ” RESET”… phone restarted (no I think it went off and I powered on) and stuck at ‘SAMSUNG’ logo again for few minutes, then android logo with things happening in the belly 🙂 … later ‘PASS’ appeared in ODIN… I disconnected, after that phone did not restart but was upgrading all 155 apps I had, and doing some other things for several minutes… so far so good.

  7. Thankyou thanyou very much! U became an angel for me in my tough time!

  8. Thankyou thanyou very much! U became an angel for me in my tough time!

  9. Thankyou thanyou very much! U became an angel for me in my tough time!

  10. Worked perfectly!
    As a german I just worried one our ago and even started to google for other devices…
    Thank you very much!!!

  11. Worked perfectly!
    As a german I just worried one our ago and even started to google for other devices…
    Thank you very much!!!

  12. Worked perfectly!
    As a german I just worried one our ago and even started to google for other devices…
    Thank you very much!!!

  13. Amazing Grace how sweet the sound.
    thumbs up

  14. Thokozani F Mtshali

    Amazing Grace how sweet the sound.
    thumbs up

  15. Thokozani F Mtshali

    Amazing Grace how sweet the sound.
    thumbs up

  16. the link to the firmware zip file is not working, anybody found a substitute?

  17. the link to the firmware zip file is not working, anybody found a substitute?

  18. the link to the firmware zip file is not working, anybody found a substitute?

  19. the device is stuck in the restarting process. i disconnected from PC when the pass message came but the device restarts over and over again, and the SAMSUNG logo flashes up again and again….. any suggestions???

    1. Boot into recovery and wipe cache/dalvik cache

  20. the device is stuck in the restarting process. i disconnected from PC when the pass message came but the device restarts over and over again, and the SAMSUNG logo flashes up again and again….. any suggestions???

    1. Boot into recovery and wipe cache/dalvik cache

  21. the device is stuck in the restarting process. i disconnected from PC when the pass message came but the device restarts over and over again, and the SAMSUNG logo flashes up again and again….. any suggestions???

    1. Boot into recovery and wipe cache/dalvik cache

  22. Many many thanks for this. In fact my Galaxy Note had suddenly gone dead. After my battery went down yesterday I recharged it as usual and I found my phone was soft bricked (as you mentioned it is entering the Download mode and/or Recovery mode on pressing the key combinations) However even after doing all above steps the phone still stuck at Samsung logo. I also tried booting in recovery mode and “wipe cache partition” still it doesn’t help. Only option I didn’t tried till now is “wipe data/Factory reset” after which I am going to loose all my phone data 🙁 I would do that as last resort. Is there any way to get back/backup data??

  23. Many many thanks for this. In fact my Galaxy Note had suddenly gone dead. After my battery went down yesterday I recharged it as usual and I found my phone was soft bricked (as you mentioned it is entering the Download mode and/or Recovery mode on pressing the key combinations) However even after doing all above steps the phone still stuck at Samsung logo. I also tried booting in recovery mode and “wipe cache partition” still it doesn’t help. Only option I didn’t tried till now is “wipe data/Factory reset” after which I am going to loose all my phone data 🙁 I would do that as last resort. Is there any way to get back/backup data??

  24. Many many thanks for this. In fact my Galaxy Note had suddenly gone dead. After my battery went down yesterday I recharged it as usual and I found my phone was soft bricked (as you mentioned it is entering the Download mode and/or Recovery mode on pressing the key combinations) However even after doing all above steps the phone still stuck at Samsung logo. I also tried booting in recovery mode and “wipe cache partition” still it doesn’t help. Only option I didn’t tried till now is “wipe data/Factory reset” after which I am going to loose all my phone data 🙁 I would do that as last resort. Is there any way to get back/backup data??

  25. Very Happy and now my N7000 works fine with your smart way of unbrike it

  26. Very Happy and now my N7000 works fine with your smart way of unbrike it

  27. Very Happy and now my N7000 works fine with your smart way of unbrike it

  28. I works perfectly with my Samsung Galaxy S3 its my second time to root and unroot my phone the first one is by using http://oneclickroot.com/ it works so easy also in just few clicks you can root your phone with no problem.It also let you know if your phone is support with their software or not its 100% safe also of beginners.

  29. I works perfectly with my Samsung Galaxy S3 its my second time to root and unroot my phone the first one is by using http://oneclickroot.com/ it works so easy also in just few clicks you can root your phone with no problem.It also let you know if your phone is support with their software or not its 100% safe also of beginners.

  30. I works perfectly with my Samsung Galaxy S3 its my second time to root and unroot my phone the first one is by using http://oneclickroot.com/ it works so easy also in just few clicks you can root your phone with no problem.It also let you know if your phone is support with their software or not its 100% safe also of beginners.

  31. Anyone knows where to find compatible firmware to flash with heimdall? I got no windows

  32. Anyone knows where to find compatible firmware to flash with heimdall? I got no windows

  33. Anyone knows where to find compatible firmware to flash with heimdall? I got no windows

  34. Perfect! Thank you.

  35. Awsome! It works! Thanks a lot and keep up the good work!

  36. Awsome! It works! Thanks a lot and keep up the good work!

  37. Thanks for this. Anyway, can i flash another firmware version like Android Lollipop? This post really helped me a lot. Thanks for the reply 🙂

  38. Thanks for this. Anyway, can i flash another firmware version like Android Lollipop? This post really helped me a lot. Thanks for the reply 🙂

  39. process getting stuck after clicking the start button..tried to restart entire process. still getting stuck.
    what to do now.??

  40. process getting stuck after clicking the start button..tried to restart entire process. still getting stuck.
    what to do now.??

  41. my samsung note doesnt apply any update bcoz of cyanogen mod recovery
    it says (E: failed to load volume misc)……
    phone also doesnt start only the cyanogenmod pic comes m stays
    odin also cant load custom recovery
    plz help

    1. What do you want? You want to install a firmware, right? It’s easy for Note, model no. N7000. Download a firmware from here – http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/GT-N7000/
      And then install it using Odin. Use this guide – https://nerdschalk.com/flash-firmwares-using-odin-57044/

  42. my samsung note doesnt apply any update bcoz of cyanogen mod recovery
    it says (E: failed to load volume misc)……
    phone also doesnt start only the cyanogenmod pic comes m stays
    odin also cant load custom recovery
    plz help

    1. What do you want? You want to install a firmware, right? It’s easy for Note, model no. N7000. Download a firmware from here – http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/GT-N7000/
      And then install it using Odin. Use this guide – https://nerdschalk.com/flash-firmwares-using-odin-57044/

  43. Thank You Very Much. My N-7000 alive again. THANK YOU

  44. Thank You Very Much. My N-7000 alive again. THANK YOU

  45. failing for me 🙁 at NAND write start , tried twice 🙁

  46. failed for me 🙁

  47. failing for me 🙁 at NAND write start , tried twice 🙁

  48. Awesome Man. Helped.

  49. my gt n7000 says nand write fail

  50. my gt n7000 says nand write fail

  51. THANKS BRO …. MY NOTE WORKING NOW … KISS YOU …

  52. THANKS BRO …. MY NOTE WORKING NOW … KISS YOU …

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