Windows 10: Microsoft Response for bricked Windows 10 Lumia 520/521 Phones

Brink · Apr 17, 2015

For users with Lumia 520/521 devices that have become unusable after an attempted recovery using the Windows Phone Recovery Tool (WPRT):

We have been gathering your feedback and actively researching the situation. We have important updates to share:

Failures:
Devices that have failed to recover appear to fall into one of two different states:

Displaying a red Nokia logo

Displaying a black screen and the device is non-responsive after attempting to boot.

Issue Identification:
Although our investigation is not complete, we’d like to share some initial insight into what we’ve uncovered:

Data writing size & speed: It was discovered that some devices are having trouble accepting the recovery image data being flashed. The blocks of data were too large for some devices to handle, and the memory on the device was having trouble with the speed at which the data was being written. In short, devices were getting too much data, too quickly. This would cause the failure as the new software is corrupted.

Small portion of 520/521 devices affected: As we reviewed logs and worked through issue reproduction, we identified the subset of affected 520/521 devices that may encounter this issue. There is no direct way for an end-user to check their device unfortunately, however it is positive news that not all units would experience this issue..

Changes:
As a result of these findings, we are making two key changes to the way the recovery tool (WPRT) works. We will be lowering the size of the data blocks being fed to the device during recovery (lowering from 2MB down to 128kB), and we will also be slowing down the data writing speed (from 8MB/sec to 5 MB/sec). Testing has showed promising results from these changes.

To implement these changes, we have released an updated version of the WPRT tool. You may notice when launching the WPRT that it checks for updates automatically. Before attempting any further recovery or flashing on 520/521 devices, ensure that you’ve closed and re-launched the WPRT. It will find this new mandatory version and automatically update.

Before we re-enable the update path from WP8 to Windows 10 Technical Preview for these devices, we will be reaching out to users to do a bit of additional real-world testing. Once we’re confident in the results, we’ll turn the update path back on for these devices.

User Expectations & Recovery efforts:
For users who have already unusable devices, we’re continuing to research this situation. There is no guarantee that using this updated version of the tool will recover an already-bricked device. If your device is showing the red Nokia logo, please do the following:

Ensure your device has a good power source (connected via USB cable that can transfer data and charge the device simultaneously)

Close the WPRT, re-open, and take the update to the new version of the WPRT. The new version is 1.2.4

Once he new version is installed, re-attempt the flashing process.

If your device is not recognized, click the "My phone was not detected" button and continue the attempted recovery process

If your device is on a blank/black screen and is unresponsive, you may attempt the same steps as listed above. Devices that do not have the red Nokia logo on the screen are in a different state and will not have the same recovery rate should they be recoverable. Please do try to recover and share your results.

Please check back for additional details and updates. More information will be shared as it becomes available.
Click to expand...

Source: Lumia 520521Devices Unusable After Using Windows Phone Recovery - Microsoft Community

Joan Archer · Apr 17, 2015

Glad mine hasn't updated, I've got the 520 but only for a couple more days as I've just upgraded my contract and I'm waiting for delivery of a new phone. I still wanted a Lumia and I'm getting the 830 version, should be here Monday.

:)

Sankar_k · Apr 17, 2015

will microsoft provide any assistance for the lumia 520 bricked phone

hai all

i'm using lumia 520....recently i had upgraded from 8.1 to 10 windows..when i came to abt lags in windows 10 ..i tried to rollback to 8.1 through windows recovery tool but i found tht my phone lumia 520 was brick down or turned into dead..

after getting the advice from microsoft to reinstall or upadate windows recovery tool to version 1.2.4..even though the problem same as the past version of w r t...kindly reply or solve the problem of brick down
lumia 520....

note:-my phone is out of warranty ..it is 2 yr old phone..it got bricked while rolling 8.1 through windows recovery tool......will microsoft provides any support to my bricked device lumia520.....hoping for a positive reply.....

V4lo · Apr 17, 2015

Flash a Lumia 521 to lumia 520 software?

Dear forum users, Microsoft, and others,

We here at the Nokia 521 (t-mobile) have waited over 2 months while other cell phone providers currently have the 8.1 Cyan update on the Nokia 520. Since the 520/521 are essentially the same phone. It would be nice if there was a way to void the warranty
on the 521 and make it a 520 so it may receive the update on the at&t network. This has been a really sore point for these windows phone users and frankly the incompetence of cell-phone providers really reflects poorly upon Microsoft. This has been my 1st
smartphone experience, but currently I don't believe it is one I can endorse...especially when there are vital components like updates to the web browser experience that are standard on Android and Ios. I don't know how Microsoft expects to break into the
smartphone market when consumers are being held back by the experience. But, I digress. So please if anyone knows how to make a Lumia 521 a Lumia 520 on att network so it may receive the vital update, please come forward.

Edwin · Apr 4, 2018

I had terrible misfortune using the WPRT, my first attempt with it made me wonder if I had bricked my Phone and PC!
Special Phone Reset, (##777#), didn't work neither.
I had gotten the 'Displaying a red Nokia logo' scenario, so I removed the battery, downloaded 'Lumia Software Recovery Tool', installed it, replaced the battery in the phone, launched the LSRT and followed the prompts.
Saved my phone! *Smile

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/mobil...topic=FA142987

(Choose the LSRT not the WPRT!)

Windows 10: Microsoft Response for bricked Windows 10 Lumia 520/521 Phones

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