Bricked Volla X

alanjw · 4 Aug 2022, 14:20

Hello,

I have a volla phone x and it is bricked.
sometime in July I used this work around
https://forums.ubports.com/topic/7895/problem-installing-ota-23/3
and got the next update.
then bluetooth stopped working, so much that the phone had to be restarted as no audio would work.
So, today I thought I'd update the system using the development releases channel, i clicked on install and the phone restarted...
and then it only showed the volla~~~ splash screen.

I then tried using the UBports installer for the volla phone x (it didn't auto detect)
I got the phone to boot to the boot loader
and then the UBports installed uploaded the firmware.
then prior to it saying downloading 10 of 13 (or of 16 files)
the volla phone x restarts shows the splash screen and then ubportsinstaller is stuck waiting for the phone on adb.
in the meantime the phone is constantly restarting itself and making the usb connected/disconnected sounds on the windows computer.

at some point I booted to recovery and deleted cache and system files.
and then tried the above again.

then i found the links and description above for:
https://rubencarneiro.github.io/rubencarneiro.io//Volla-phone-Repair/
I also obtained the the scatter from:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JrgkqPE36h-jRqmX_I4isQjCk_ZjWxJ8/view?usp=sharing

I tried the instructions, I connect the phone and press download to use the SP Flash tool.
However, the phone continues to restart itself, show the splash screen - and the SP Flash tool shows no connectivity, no bytes being downloaded. Nothing.

This is my first forum help request post ever.
I have read the whole post above. I've tried the instructions that helped the others.
please dont' reply with - use a search engine, or simply read the above better.

Someone please help. Thanks in advance.

alanjw · 4 Aug 2022, 14:23

@alanjw
I tried turning the phone off and connecting it and using the flash tool. but it just restarts and does it's annoying splash screen, restarts again - repeat, like groundhog day.

Lakotaubp · 4 Aug 2022, 15:08

@alanjw Please can you try the installer and RC rather than Devel and let me know how it goes. Thanks

alanjw · 4 Aug 2022, 15:46

@lakotaubp
thanks for the reply. I have only tried the installer with the stable release, which should have worked right? I can try it with RC as well.

alanjw · 4 Aug 2022, 15:56

@lakotaubp
I've tried it with RC as well. same result as before. thanks for the suggestion though.

Lakotaubp · 4 Aug 2022, 16:01

@alanjw Ok. Not the issue I was thinking off. Just that you said in yoir first post you where trying the development channel. Normally if that fails stable or RC work. You now need someone with a Volla X if the info in the rest of this thread does not work.

Keneda · 4 Aug 2022, 16:45

As the post concern a new issue and a new forumer, and the thread where this was posted is sorted and already long enough, i splitted last posts for a new thread fresh start.

B.R.

alanjw · 6 Aug 2022, 02:59

Managed to get the sp flash tool working.
Used the instructions from:
https://rubencarneiro.github.io/rubencarneiro.io//Volla-phone-Repair/
and the files with the scatter.txt

That has worked.
Phone no longer stuck in a restarting loop.
I can get into recovery. I then try to use adb sideload
I can see the device in adb devices.
Problem now is, sideload fails, with
"connection failed: closed"

I've tried searching the web
I've tried adb start-server, kill-server and "adb usb" to no avail yet.

Does anyone know what else I could try?

Bolly · 8 Jun 2022, 07:46

Hello @alanjw, I think the best thing to do is to contact Volla. They will tell you how to proceed.

Ian · 6 Aug 2022, 08:28

@alanjw Are you using usb 2 or 3 ports on your PC?

Keneda · 8 Jun 2022, 10:45

@alanjw said in Bricked Volla X:

That has worked.

If that worked, you should have Ubuntu Touch ubports OTA-15 on your device, so then, you should be able to update to last OTA-23 from system settings.

Of course you have to stop the process after succesfully flashing device with the spflashtool.

Wait until flash, once it finish now you can turn your device on and acess recovery and fastboot etc.

"etc" is booting device on UT ^^

alanjw · 6 Aug 2022, 10:53

@bolly
yeah I think I'll do that on monday, if I can't get it to work over the weekend. cheers for the advice

alanjw · 6 Aug 2022, 10:55

@ian
usb 2.0 ports, I'm using an older laptop, it doesn't have usb 3.0

alanjw · 6 Aug 2022, 11:02

@keneda
oh, so it should boot up properly to OTA-15?

Unfortunately, it gets stuck on the "volla" splash screen during boot up.

I've been hoping that if I get adb sideload to work using the ubuntu touch yggrasilx zip file from volla, then that would solve my problem. But sideload isn't working.
I've managed to login to the phone using shell and do linux commands. But I don't know how to diagnose why sideload isn't working.

"etc" is booting the device? I'll have to look that up.

Thanks for your reply

Keneda · 8 Jun 2022, 11:22

@alanjw
Yes flashing "Volla ubuntu Touch OTA-15 flashtool zip" on you device using spflashtool should make your volla up and booting on a complete stable UT OTA-15 system.

Then you should be able to update to stable OTA-23 (or last RC, don't use Dev for now as it's broken) in system settings.

I used spflashtool before to flash my MX4 and it worked pretty well.

If flashing with spflashtool succeed and you still can't boot your volla, then you may have a hardware issue and contact HalloWelt for support.

alanjw · 8 Aug 2022, 12:36

@keneda
Thanks for your reply Keneda, as it isn't starting up - perhaps it is as you say, a hardware issue. I'm getting in touch with Volla now.

alanjw · 22 Aug 2022, 08:50

I got my phone back from Volla, they restored it to OTA-21. Costed 50 Euros for the repair and 6 Euros for shipping within Germany.