Searchable Error Database

Error Code Directory

39 common errors across 8 flashing tools โ€” with causes and solutions.

6
S_COM_PORT_OPEN_FAIL (0x0003)

Cannot open COM port

Cause

SP Flash Tool cannot communicate with your device. Driver issue or port conflict.

Fix

Reinstall MTK VCOM USB drivers. Try a different USB port (prefer USB 2.0). Run SP Flash Tool as Administrator. Disable antivirus temporarily.

FAIL: Auth (SLA / DAA)

Authentication error

Cause

Device has SLA/DAA protection (MT6763+). Locked preloader requires auth to flash.

Fix

Use SP Flash Tool v5.2208 or newer. Use MTK Auth Bypass method. Or use an official service tool with auth support.

BROM ERROR: S_BROM_CMD_FAIL (0x1000)

Boot ROM command failure

Cause

Device entered BROM but communication failed. Usually wrong scatter file or wrong connection sequence.

Fix

Verify scatter file matches your exact chipset. Follow correct connection sequence: click Download first, then connect phone while powered OFF.

PRELOADER FAIL

Preloader write failed

Cause

Wrong firmware, corrupted preloader.img, or auth protection blocking the write.

Fix

Uncheck PRELOADER in the partition list and flash everything except it. Verify firmware matches your exact device model. Check for auth bypass requirement.

S_STORAGE_GFAN_CHECK_FAIL (0x1038)

Storage GFan check failure

Cause

Firmware partition doesn't match device storage layout. Wrong firmware package.

Fix

Download firmware specifically for your device model and region. Do not mix firmware between similar-looking models.

Progress bar freezes / stuck

Flash process hangs

Cause

Poor USB cable, USB 3.0 interference, or corrupted firmware file.

Fix

Use the original USB cable. Connect to a USB 2.0 port. Re-extract both SP Flash Tool and firmware to fresh folders.

5
FAIL! (Remote: "Flashing is not allowed in op mode")

Flashing not allowed

Cause

Device has Knox warranty void or MDM policy blocking flash. Certain carrier-locked devices.

Fix

Cannot be bypassed without Knox reset. On carrier-locked devices, contact carrier for unlock. Verify you're in Download Mode, not Recovery.

FAIL! at setup.bin

Setup.bin write failure

Cause

Wrong firmware for device model/region, or CSC mismatch.

Fix

Match firmware exactly to your model number (SM-GXXXF not SM-GXXXU etc). Use HOME_CSC instead of CSC to preserve data. Try Odin v3.14.4.

Added!!

Device detected but not flashing

Cause

Device connected successfully but Start not pressed, or wrong COM port selected.

Fix

"Added!!" is normal โ€” it means device is detected. Press Start button. If Start is greyed out, re-add the firmware files.

FAIL! (Authentication)

Authentication failed

Cause

Firmware is signed for a different region or the device's bootloader is locked to a region.

Fix

Download official firmware for your exact model and CSC/region. Use SamFirm or Frija to get the correct package.

NAND Write Fail!

NAND write failure

Cause

Hardware issue โ€” flash storage may be damaged, or firmware partition size mismatch.

Fix

Try different USB cable and port. If error persists across multiple attempts, NAND storage may be physically damaged.

4
Sahara Communication Failure

Sahara protocol failure

Cause

QFIL cannot establish Sahara protocol with device. Driver issue or wrong mode.

Fix

Install Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 driver. Verify device is in EDL mode (9008 in Device Manager). Try different USB port. Run QFIL as Administrator.

Error: Unable to connect โ€” Firehose

Firehose connection failed

Cause

Wrong firehose programmer file for chipset, or device not in EDL mode.

Fix

Match the prog_firehose.elf or prog_ufs_firehose.elf to your exact chipset (SDM660 โ‰  SM8150). Device must show as 9008 in Device Manager.

Port not found / No 9008 port

Device not in EDL mode

Cause

Device is not in Emergency Download (EDL/9008) mode.

Fix

Enter EDL mode: ADB command "adb reboot edl", or hardware key combination (varies by device). Install Qualcomm HS-USB 9008 driver.

Error sending data (0)

Data transfer error

Cause

USB connection drop during flash. Cable or port issue.

Fix

Use a high-quality USB cable directly connected to motherboard port (avoid USB hubs). Try USB 2.0 port instead of USB 3.0.

5
waiting for device

Device not detected

Cause

ADB/Fastboot drivers not installed, USB debugging not enabled, or device not in Fastboot mode.

Fix

Install Google USB Driver. Enable USB Debugging in Developer Options. Ensure device is in Fastboot mode (not Android OS). Run "fastboot devices" to verify.

FAILED (remote: 'unknown command')

Unknown Fastboot command

Cause

Command not supported by device bootloader, or device is in wrong mode.

Fix

Verify device is in Fastboot mode not Recovery. Some OEMs disable certain fastboot commands. Check device-specific documentation.

FAILED (remote: 'device is locked')

Bootloader locked

Cause

Bootloader is locked. Cannot flash partitions without unlocking.

Fix

Run "fastboot flashing unlock" (or "fastboot oem unlock" on older devices). Note: this wipes the device and may void warranty.

error: cannot load 'xxx.img': No such file

Image file not found

Cause

Fastboot cannot find the specified image file. Wrong directory or filename.

Fix

Navigate your terminal/CMD to the folder containing the .img files before running fastboot commands, or use the full file path.

FAILED (remote: 'Partition not found')

Partition not found

Cause

Flashing to a partition that doesn't exist on this device.

Fix

Run "fastboot getvar all" to list available partitions. Ensure firmware matches your exact device. A/B slot devices may use "boot_a" instead of "boot".

3
Disconnect โ€” Please check the USB connection

USB connection lost

Cause

SPD tool lost connection during flash. Cable, driver, or port issue.

Fix

Install Spreadtrum USB driver. Use original USB cable. Try USB 2.0 port. Do not move cable during flashing. Run tool as Administrator.

Download failed โ€” verify FDL

FDL verification failed

Cause

Wrong First Download Loader (FDL) file for device chipset.

Fix

Match the FDL1/FDL2 files to your exact chipset (SC7731 โ‰  SC9832). Use the firmware package that comes with matching FDL files.

Cannot Open Port

Port cannot be opened

Cause

Spreadtrum driver not installed or another program is using the port.

Fix

Install Spreadtrum USB driver. Close any other flashing tools. Run as Administrator. Restart PC if driver was just installed.

5
ERROR: Failed to detect device

Device not detected

Cause

Samsung USB driver not installed, device not in Download Mode, or libusb missing on Linux/macOS.

Fix

Install Samsung USB driver (Windows) or libusb (Linux/macOS). Hold Volume Down + Home + Power to enter Download Mode. Run Heimdall as root/Administrator.

ERROR: Uploading RECOVERY failed!

Partition upload failed

Cause

Wrong partition name, wrong firmware file, or device PIT mismatch.

Fix

Run "heimdall print-pit" to get exact partition names for your device. Ensure the .img file matches the partition you are targeting.

ERROR: Protocol initialisation failed

Protocol init failed

Cause

USB communication handshake failed. Often a cable or driver issue.

Fix

Use a different USB cable and port. On Windows, reinstall Samsung USB driver. On Linux, add udev rules for Samsung devices and run without sudo conflicts.

ERROR: Failed to end file transfer sequence

File transfer end failed

Cause

Flash completed but final handshake failed. Device may have already rebooted successfully.

Fix

Check if device booted successfully before assuming failure. If it did not boot, re-flash using the --no-reboot flag and manually reboot after.

libusbx: error / usb_open error -3

USB permissions error (Linux)

Cause

Heimdall does not have permission to access the USB device on Linux.

Fix

Create a udev rule: echo 'SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="04e8", MODE="0666"' | sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/51-samsung.rules then run: sudo udevadm control --reload-rules

5
Device not detected / waiting for device

Device not found

Cause

MTK preloader not triggering, wrong USB mode, or driver issue.

Fix

Power off device completely. Connect USB while holding Volume Down (or Vol Up on some devices). On Windows install MTK VCOM driver. On Linux run as root or with correct udev rules.

Status: 0x4 / Auth required

Authentication required

Cause

Device has DA authentication (SLA/DAA). Common on MT6768, MT6769, MT6833, MT6853 and newer.

Fix

Use MTKClient with --auth bypass flag if supported for your chipset. Some newer chipsets have no public bypass available yet. Check MTKClient GitHub issues for your specific chipset.

BROM Exception: 0xC0060004

BROM boot error

Cause

Device boot ROM encountered an error during connection. Often a timing issue.

Fix

Retry the connection: power off, run MTKClient, then connect device while powering on. Try a different USB port or cable. Avoid USB hubs.

Failed to read scatter / No scatter file

Scatter file missing

Cause

MTKClient cannot find or parse the scatter file for the target device.

Fix

MTKClient can generate a scatter file automatically using --generateini flag. Or provide the correct scatter file from your firmware package.

Permission denied on /dev/ttyACM0 (Linux)

Serial port permission error

Cause

Linux user does not have permission to access the serial device.

Fix

Add user to dialout group: sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USER then log out and back in. Or run: sudo chmod 666 /dev/ttyACM0

6
Error: This phone is not allowed to flash

Flashing not permitted

Cause

Bootloader is locked. Mi Flash Tool requires an unlocked bootloader.

Fix

Unlock bootloader via mi.com/unlock. This requires a Xiaomi account, the Mi Unlock Tool, and a waiting period of 72โ€“168 hours.

Flashing failed: FAILED (remote: 'unknown command')

Unknown Fastboot command

Cause

Device is not in Fastboot mode or the ROM is incompatible with this device.

Fix

Ensure device is in Fastboot mode (hold Vol Down + Power while connecting). Verify the ROM matches your exact device codename (e.g. "redmi_note11" โ‰  "redmi_note11s").

Device not found / 0 device(s) found

Device not detected

Cause

Mi Flash Tool cannot see the device. Driver or Fastboot mode issue.

Fix

Install Xiaomi USB Driver. Ensure device is in Fastboot mode โ€” screen should be black with "FASTBOOT" text. Try different USB port. Run Mi Flash Tool as Administrator.

Flashing failed: system.img too large

ROM file too large

Cause

The ROM package is for a different storage variant of your device (64GB ROM on 32GB device, etc).

Fix

Download the ROM for your exact storage variant. Check Settings โ†’ About Phone โ†’ Storage to confirm your device's internal storage size.

Xiaomi account verification failed

Account verification error

Cause

Mi Flash Tool requires you to be logged in with the same Xiaomi account used to unlock the bootloader.

Fix

Sign into Mi Flash Tool with the same account used for bootloader unlock. Ensure internet connection is active during flashing.

hashcheck failed / verity error

ROM integrity check failed

Cause

ROM package is corrupted or incomplete.

Fix

Re-download the ROM package. Verify MD5 checksum matches official value. Extract to a path with no spaces or special characters.