WARNING - Do NOT factory reset Nokia 5.3 -- Bricked phone

Adam Howard
Adam Howard ✭✭
edited November 2022 in Nokia 5.3

Today, I did a full system reset from the settings, after receiving the November 2022 (Android 12) security update. My Nokia is now bricked and tells me there is NO operating system.

It told me to power off my phone (gave me what looked like a URL, but I did not write it down). I powered off, and now I am stuck in the bootloader.

You can NOT start fresh with a Nokia 5.3 after update.

Tagged:
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Comments

  • Adam Howard
    Adam Howard ✭✭
    edited November 2022

    Product_name - trinket

    Variant - SM_ EMMC

    Bootloader version -

    Baseband version -

    Serial number - N0AA003792K90800613

    Secure boot - yes

    Device state - locked

  • Adam Howard
    Adam Howard ✭✭
    edited November 2022

    From the comments here on Nokia's website (support forum) and threads on other websites, it seems the Nokia 5.3 has 2 critical issues with Android 12.

    1. Some people were reverted back to Android 11, but with no way to upgrade back to 12 (stuck on 11).
    2. Some people after the November 2022 update ended up with bricked phones.

    The trigger is resetting your device. But the cause is, Nokia pushed out an update the seems to have broken Android. Particularly, the secure partition that holds the restore function. In the simplest terms, it would be comparable to DELL pushing out an update that could corrupt or delete your Windows recovery partition.

  • mohamed abdelrazek
    mohamed abdelrazek ✭✭

    It has just happened to me wtf that software updates, what is the solution for this problem, even flashing the official firmware isn't guaranteed

  • mohamed abdelrazek
    mohamed abdelrazek ✭✭

    this is a catastrophe software from Nokia

  • Acidfreak
    Acidfreak ✭✭

    All fine with mine. I never use factory reset option. Dont see the point of doing it..

  • Eugene Gordienko
    Eugene Gordienko ✭✭

    Had the same issue when deleted the google account (I wanted to give this phone to my kid) and it gave me the OS error and rebooted and stuck in the boot menu (it doesn't proceed any further with any loading like recovery or any other). Is there any possible solution for it? Losing data is not a problem at all for me just want to unlock it.

  • minhchan
    minhchan ✭✭

    You can NOT start fresh with a Nokia 5.3 

  • minhchan
    minhchan ✭✭
    https://community.phones.nokia.com/discussion/comment/209312#Comment_209312

    Really man?

  • Bawabrown
    Bawabrown ✭✭

    You guys should take it to any Nokia Care center, in order to get it fix. Just a suggestion.

  • fgt052962
    fgt052962 ✭✭

    same here... following the upgrade to 12 several issues popped up (e.g. loss of wifi, accessibility button stuck, etc.) and the unit became extremely slow. After several reboots the device became erratic and unresponsive and my last option was a reset. NOW THE PHONE IS BRICKED!

    Help urgently needed.

    ANYBODY?

    NOKIA?

  • never enough
    never enough ✭✭

    Absolutely the same problem as Adam described above. Totally stuck in the boot menu when trying to factory reset, it's quite frustrating. What should we do, Nokia? I certainly don't want to pay for a fix, this is clearly a software bug on Nokia's part.

  • buddhikamn
    buddhikamn ✭

    Exact same thing happened to me 😬 Has anyone found a solution?

  • Nick.srb
    Nick.srb ✭✭

    Happened to me 3 days ago... Contacted customer support, but since phones warranty is out of date theres nothing they will do. So, even though its obviously their fault, software, now i should throw my phone away? Jeez...

    Nokia - it's urgent, help us out!

  • singhnsk
    singhnsk Super User

    There won't be a solution other than sending to Nokia for a software re-flash.

    I can try to perform the same for a small price, but it will be a risky task for the first person as I do not really know if it will bring any outcome or remain the same.

  • Lợi Ngô
    Lợi Ngô ✭✭

    Điện thoại của tôi cũng đã biến thành cục gạch sau khi cập nhật lên android 12. Tôi nghĩ Nokia nên tìm cách giải quyết thỏa đáng vấn đề này, thật bất công!

  • Chikelu Ezeh
    Chikelu Ezeh ✭✭

    I updated my Nokia 5.3 to the latest Android 12 security update. Some of the apps like FM stopped working. I now did a factory reset from the SETTINGS. The factory reset failed and the phone cannot boot-up. It is stuck in the Recovery Mode. I took the phone to Nokia Service Center in Lagos (RAYA opposite Computer Village Gate) but they could not repair it. Nokia please get my phone working.

  • NITRO5
    NITRO5 ✭

    Dear @TomBNL

    In my case there is an option RECOVERY MODE but if I choose it the phone reboots to fast boot mode again. No matter which option I choose recovery mode or another the phone again reboots to fast boot mode.

    Please share your experience what can I do in this case. Seems there is no recovery mode after performing factory reset from OS.

    Please suggest how to proceed in this case.


    Best regards,

  • Nick.srb
    Nick.srb ✭✭

    @TomBNL

    +1 as @NITRO5

    Whatever i choose, it just keeps re-booting...

  • sreedev
    sreedev ✭✭

    Hi anyone find a solution here , for me also the same happened , tried factory reset on 5.3 and its stuck in fast boot mode, is there any way to flash it with stock rom.

  • Oscar Aragon
    Oscar Aragon ✭✭

    Hi. All. I did it today and have the same problem. What we can do?

  • mkel1205
    mkel1205 ✭
    https://community.phones.nokia.com/discussion/comment/209586#Comment_209586

    I followed these instructions and un-bricked my daughters phone. Thanks TomBNL

  • BassieXL
    BassieXL ✭✭

    All, 

    This happened to me as well. I felt like Android was a little unstable since the Android 12 update. Particularly the keyboard. So, I opted for the normal thing: Factory reset. 

    After this, phone is bricked. The phone starts into bootloader with some options, but all lead to a prompt reboot. 

    @TomBNL , could you elaborate a little on step #2 ("Boot the phone to recovery mode") please? Are the steps very critical? Did it work for you directly? Or did you have to try many times?

    2022-12-01_15h04_09.jpg

    In my case: Device is fully charged, not USB connected, powered off via the Power Off option using the volume keys in the Bootloader menu. Then pressed and held down the volume-down and power keys, until bootloader menu (again) shows. Selecting Recovery mode with the volume keys is possible, but when confirming with the Power key, simply reboots to the same (bootloader) menu. 

  • MadNokiaUser
    MadNokiaUser ✭

    As all of you I'm very disappointed about this issue.

    My wife's phone was very unstable after the latest update, so like I did what a normal user would do, a Factory Reset and now the phone is bricked. No matter what I select, it keeps displaying the same screen. She just lost her job and is waiting for messages or calls from applications... without a phone.

  • TomBNL
    TomBNL ✭✭

    @NITRO5 @Nick.srb @BassieXL I did not have any issues getting into the recovery mode. What I did: (1) Switch phone off (Don't have it connected to USB), (2) Switch phone on with power-button + volume-down to get in the same menu as in the post of @BassieXL , (3) press the volume key repeatedly until it shows 'recovery mode' in the top, (4) press power button once (don't hold it). When I did this it rebooted, and then showed the recovery mode screen. (Robot lying on it's back). When you are in the screen with the icon of the robot lying on it's back, you hold the volume button, and then press volume-up once, which will show you the different options for the recovery mode...

    Perhaps there's something different with your phones. What I did notice, as described in my post, after I applied the update again, and restarted the phone (it would work again), and I then tried to access the 'recovery mode', it wouldn't work on the first try (phone entered a bootloop), but the second time it always worked....

  • RFUNDEN
    RFUNDEN ✭✭

    Just registered to post my experience: My Nokia 5.3 worked for some weeks with Android 12 relatively flawlessly (apart from the issue that the rest of the screen wents black on new notifcations). Then on Saturday, I sat in a café, started Google Maps and was about to lookup a route. Out of a sudden, the device reboots and remained in a boot loop.

    This I could later break up by using the Vol.-Down and Power Button-combination. However, just like @BassieXL , I am unable to access the recovery mode, since selecting recovery mode in the Bootloader will just cause a reboot. I think I before this final status, which I cannot change anymore (all I can do, is turn the phone on and off via the menu - all the other modes won't start) I saw a different message for a fraction of a second, but couldn't recognize its contents (it's layout was similar to the Picture, @BassieXL posted.

    So I guess my phone is dead, which is why I have moved on to a Pixel 6a. It's really a pity since I thought that despite the delay in some updates, delivering Android 12 eventually to the Nokia 5.3 was a good thing. Sure, it was promised before, but as many here, I wouldn't have expected that it would really come.

    For all others that still hang on to the Nokia 5.3, I hope that a fix will be released somewhat soon, that will resolve the problems with Android 12.

  • Qibbar
    Qibbar ✭✭
    https://community.phones.nokia.com/discussion/comment/209735#Comment_209735

    Is there any chance that nokia would be sued because of this mess?

  • Chi Nguyễn Xuân
    Chi Nguyễn Xuân ✭✭
    https://community.phones.nokia.com/discussion/comment/209586#Comment_209586

    Does this method work on other Nokia phones?

  • Nick.srb
    Nick.srb ✭✭

    Any updates, anyone? @All

    I keep sending tons of emails to Nokia customer support, being annoying as much as i can, constantly complaining, BUT they keep reassuring me that they would contact me as soon as they find a solution (they are aware of the problem, but only of a small number of devices - so i doubt they actually care...)

    Once again, if they dont fix this, this would be the last time ever of thinking about owning a Nokia device (not just a cellphone... Anything and everything!)

  • Oscar Aragon
    Oscar Aragon ✭✭

    This is disrespectful to the consumer. They create a defective update for android 12 in nokia 5.3, they brick the phone and the buyer has to pay to repair their equipment due to irresponsibility on the part of the company. It can take up to 2 months without promise of arrangement

    Nokia service says: In the technical review, there was evidence of a failure to power on/start the system due to logical and electrical damage in the circuit of the main card. It is necessary to make the change of the affected parts for its correct operation. Cost 124 US dollars. tHE SAME THAT A NEW CELLPHONE


    Never buying Nokia Again.

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