Fix bricked Lumia 520 (or 5xx)

[AnubhavSingh]

Hello mates, my Lumia 520 was bricked while rolling back to 8.1 with WPRT and soon i realized it was not just me. Recovery mode was not opening, and it was not responding to any button press. Even my PC or any software including WPRT, was not recognizing my phone. After spending several days on it, i finally fixed it! Here's how I did it:
1) Download Nokia software updater for retail v4.3.2
2) After installing it, open it and click on "My phone does not start up or respond"
3) DO CONNECT YOUR PHONE YET, and click on Continue
4) Now get a good USB Cable and connect your phone. This is the only software which will detect it
5) Your phone will get into recovery mode automatically
6) Voila! you have it, it will download about 1.5 GB ( WP 8.1, Cyan) and flash your phone

 

[Laura Knotek]

I'm glad you were able to fix your 520. This should be helpful to other people who have that problem.

 

[AnubhavSingh]

Yes, lets see that

 

[Noman Shaam]

so nice

 

[djeire84]

so nice

It is so many users are bricking their phones and this is the perfect solution. Its tried and tested and I'm sure it will work with other Lumias. Saves users getting worried or having to send their phone away for repair.

 

[pmhgeneral]

I think that's the trick, Do not connect" thanks for the info.

 

[sujitintel]

Let me give it a try !!! if it works will thank uuu a a ton !!

 

[sujitintel]

Have to bump this tread up as its really great advice.

did it work for u???????

 

[Vladislav Nikolaev]

did it work for u???????

it doesn't work in my case when the phone is completely dead. Still hope that Microsoft will fix this issue.

 

[sujitintel]

it doesn't work in my case when the phone is completely dead. Still hope that Microsoft will fix this issue.

same here !!

 

[AnubhavSingh]

it doesn't work in my case when the phone is completely dead. Still hope that Microsoft will fix this issue.

My phone was completely dead too. But it still worked for me.

I think that's the trick, Do not connect" thanks for the info.

did it work for you?

 

[djeire84]

did it work for u???????

I didn't need to use it but all his steps are really straight forward but if my phone were to become bricked this forum is where id go. That's why I saved this onto my saved/favourite forums. Its advice that's top notch.

 

[Zemes]

In order for this method to work, your phone must at least respond to simultaneously pressing the power button and volume down button, with a vibration.

The problem is that if your phone was bricked by Microsoft File Recovery Tool, the chances are that the phone is completely dead, and unresponding to anything. In that case, the method recommended here using Nokia Software Updater does not work either (even after following the exact procedure outlined above).

This is an absolute disaster made by Microsoft. One would be expecting buggy software with a technical preview, but no one would be expecting the phone to be killed completely.

I don't believe the problem is limited to Lumia 520. Whatever Windows phone you have, if you did the following, your phone would be completely dead: (1) you installed technical preview of Windows 10 for phone; and (2) and then you decided to use Microsoft Phone Recovery Tool to restore the phone to Windows Phone 8.1. If you did that, you would have ended up with a completely dead phone. not recoverable by any means that's available now.

 

[djeire84]

In order for this method to work, your phone must at least respond to simultaneously pressing the power button and volume down button, with a vibration.

The problem is that if your phone was bricked by Microsoft File Recovery Tool, the chances are that the phone is completely dead, and unresponding to anything. In that case, the method recommended here using Nokia Software Updater does not work either (even after following the exact procedure outlined above).

This is an absolute disaster made by Microsoft. One would be expecting buggy software with a technical preview, but no one would be expecting the phone to be killed completely.

I don't believe the problem is limited to Lumia 520. Whatever Windows phone you have, if you did the following, your phone would be completely dead: (1) you installed technical preview of Windows 10 for phone; and (2) and then you decided to use Microsoft Phone Recovery Tool to restore the phone to Windows Phone 8.1. If you did that, you would have ended up with a completely dead phone. not recoverable by any means that's available now.

You need to use lumia recovery tool. Its gotten updated last week in response to a,large amount of users bricking their phones. If you have the Lumia recovery tool unbricking is possible.

 

[Zemes]

I tried both. Nokia Phone Recovery Tool 4.2.1 and then Lumia Software Recovery Tool 5.0.7. Neither worked. Both behaved the same way. You first select "my phone does not start up or respond", disconnect the phone, click "Continue", and then connect the phone, all as instructed. But the software fails to recognize the phone. After a long time waiting, it requires you to "press the power button and the volume down button simultaneously" to restart the phone. But the problem is that after the Microsoft Recovery Tool disaster, my phone is completely dead not responding to any buttons.

I have Lumia 810 by the way. This is the worst software update disaster I've ever had. Absolutely no more technical previews from Microsoft in the future! I feel fooled totally stupid.

 

[djeire84]

You could try a few times. I've read that it takes users a few goes to get it to work.

 

[Zemes]

You could try a few times. I've read that it takes users a few goes to get it to work.

A few times? I tried at least two dozen times, wasting hours, making all kinds of variations you could imagine. All I could do at this moment is to hide the phone from my eyes before I trash it. At this point, forgetting about it is the best policy.

 

[djeire84]

A few times? I tried at least two dozen times, wasting hours, making all kinds of variations you could imagine. All I could do at this moment is to hide the phone from my eyes before I trash it. At this point, forgetting about it is the best policy.

You could wait for another recovery tool update or go to Nokia care.

 

[sujitintel]

You could try a few times. I've read that it takes users a few goes to get it to work.

tried more than 100 times...no luckk !!!

 

[sujitintel]

A few times? I tried at least two dozen times, wasting hours, making all kinds of variations you could imagine. All I could do at this moment is to hide the phone from my eyes before I trash it. At this point, forgetting about it is the best policy.

same here bother !! Tried everything that is beyond others imagination.....no luck

I am thinking to buy a broken or damaged Lumia 520 from OLX or Quicker then replacing its main board this is the only way for a cheaper fix