Galaxy Note 4 shuts off by itself, keeps showing mmc_read failed error, other OS update issues

Welcome to our today’s #GalaxyNote4 post. We choose to discuss Android update issues in this article so hopefully our solutions will help those suffering from similar problems mentioned here.

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Below are specific topics we’re bringing for you today:

Problem 1: Galaxy Note 4 won’t install update

My phone is new, and I have checked to see if its KNOX counter is 0x0, it is. It also says that it is ORIGINAL. It is unlocked. I have tried to update the Firmware using Smart Switch and it shows nothing. I would like to update to the latest Firmware if possible. I do not know how to do this. Soft reset did not change anything. Thank you. — Rick Dillow

Solution: Hi Rick. There are three ways to update an Android device — via your carrier’s network, by using Samsung Smart Switch, and via Odin (flashing). If this phone was built for a different carrier and not the one you’re on right now, you can’t expect to install an update by air. Since you’ve also tried Smart Switch as well, the only remaining option for you is by manually installing the update via flashing.

Flashing is basically tampering with core system files so you want to be very careful when doing it. Be sure that you know what you’re doing before attempting anything. A lot of novice users end up with a bricked phone after attempting to flash their devices simply because they did not follow the guide properly, or they used a different firmware version. Keep in mind that flashing problems can be difficult to fix because symptoms can be generic and errors don’t usually point to a specific thing. This is the main reason why flashing is only recommended for advanced Android users who know how to troubleshoot their devices if something goes wrong. There are a number of significant risks when flashing so be ready to accept the fact that you may potentially brick the phone for good. Even technicians may not be able to figure out the cause of your problem so getting help may be difficult. Sometimes, even a USB port fault in a computer can send wrong inputs to the phone messing up the flashing procedure.

Our blog does not provide flashing guides as they can vary by phone models. If you want to go this route, we suggest that you visit other sites like XDA-Developers Forum and ask some users for a guide on how to flash your particular phone model. Try to read some literature and visit other forums to know what’s the best way to flash the latest firmware to your phone.

Problem 2: Galaxy Note 4 sluggish, black screen issue

Ever since the last update, the phone has been sluggish, sometimes it will not scroll through an article like this one. Sometimes it goes totally blank and I had to wait several minutes for it to recover. Just now I removed the battery to get it to reboot when the screen went black. When it came on I tried to put in my pattern to open it and it just froze. I took it to an AT&T store and we removed a bunch of apps that I didn’t need, trying to improve the memory. Still will not work. I am a Realtor and really need my phone. Please help! — Steve Randolph

Solution: Hi Steve. The best thing that you can do right now is to check if the symptoms you’re experiencing are due to hardware malfunction, or if they can be fixed by some software solutions. Usually, we will recommend that start your troubleshooting with a cache partition wipe but since we don’t know the full history of your device, you can simply start with a factory reset.

Factory reset will return all software and pre-installed app settings to their known working defaults so it’s the most direct way to see if the problem is fixable in your end. To factory reset your phone, follow these steps:

Turn off the Galaxy Note 4 completely.
Press and hold the Volume Up and the Home keys together, then press and hold the Power key.
When the Note 4 vibrates, release both the Home and Power keys but continue holding the Volume Up key.
When the Android System Recovery shows on the screen, release the Vol Up key.
Using the Volume Down key, highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’ and press the Power key to select it.
Now highlight ‘Yes — delete all user data’ using the Vol Down key and press the Power key to begin the reset.
When the master reset is complete, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and hit the Power key.
The Note 4 will restart but it will be longer than usual. When it reaches the Home screen, then begin your setup.

Now that your phone has been reset, you don’t want to re-install your apps right away. Instead, you want to check if the problem is still present by doing the things you were having problems with. If the phone remains sluggish or slow, even when there no third party apps installed, that’s a sign that the problem is hardware related. To fix the problem, you need to send the phone in for repair or replacement.

However, if the phone works normally initially after a factory reset but then becomes problematic again after you’ve installed your apps, there’s a chance one of the apps is to blame. Uninstall apps until you’ve removed the cause of the problem.

Problem 3: AT&T Galaxy Note 4 can’t install Android update in another network

Good day. I’m having difficulty updating my Samsung note 4’s software to the latest version, Marshmallow 6.1. The reason is that in my present country AT&T network is not available. I’m using Glomobile network. This made it impossible to update to the latest software. I downloaded many upgrading apps which did not help. Please I need your urgent help so that I can update my phone to the latest software. My phone number is +************** (phone number redacted). Your quick response and timely solution would be appreciated. Thanks. Akinwumi Akintayo. Ghana, West Africa. — AKINWUMI AKINTAYO

Solution: Hi AKINWUMI. As mentioned above, you won’t be able to update a phone if it’s not built to work in a particular network in the first place. Every carrier modifies Google developed vanilla Android to add their own services and apps so installing a firmware version of another carrier to another one can cause incompatibility problems.

If you really need to update your phone, you’ll want to do it manually via flashing.

Problem 4: Galaxy Note 4 shuts off by itself, keeps showing mmc_read failed error

Ever since my phone updated, it stalls or shuts off and won’t come on until i take out my battery. I did a hard reset and it didn’t work and kept battery out for 10 minutes. Still didn’t work. Sometimes, when rebooting, it comes up with the Android logo and says something mmc reboot fail. — Christina Chvatal

Solution: Hi Christina. If we are not mistaken, this what your screen shows right now:

Could not do normal boot.

ddl: mmc_read failed

ODIN MODE (HIGH SPEED)

PRODUCT NAME: SM-N910V

CURRENT BINARY: Samsung Official

REACTIVATON LOCK: OFF

QUALCOMM SECUREBOOT: ENABLE (CSB)

AP SWREV: S1, T2, R1, A2, P1

SECURE DOWNLOAD: ENABLE

UDC START

Unfortunately, this screen is usually an indication that there’s an on-going problem related to the internal storage device (eMMC), also known as the flash memory. Since eMMCs are packaged with a motherboard and won’t work when detached from the original board, technicians will usually recommend a motherboard replacement instead of an eMMC replacement. Sadly, getting a motherboard and paying a technician for his/her professional fee is prohibitively expensive, it might be more practical for you to simply replace the entire phone.

In some cases, flashing a new ROM helps in fixing the error so if haven’t tried that, make sure that you do. As what we mention above though, make sure that you do it right to prevent aggravating the situation. If you know someone with more experience in flashing a device, let him or her do it for you. This won’t guarantee that your device will work but it’s worth trying anyway.

Problem 5: Galaxy Note 4 won’t charge, totally unresponsive after an update

Telephone doesn’t charge. Don’t turn on. Is completely dead. I just change the battery for a new one. Before this happen, telephone was asking for a software update. And then went off and never turn on back again. Thanks for your attention. — Paulocl75

Solution: Hi Paulocl75. Try to restart the phone to Recovery Mode and see if you can wipe the cache partition or factory reset it.

If that won’t change anything, try to see if you can flash the bootloader (if you can manage to turn it on) via Odin Mode. Below are the sample steps on how to flash a bootloader. The exact steps may be slightly different in your phone model so be sure to look for other sources or guides on how to do it properly. The provided steps are for demonstration purposes only:

Look for the correct firmware for your phone model and download it. Make sure that you select the right one. It should be the same exact firmware that ran previously on your device. We assume that you list down the firmware version somewhere. If you did not take note of it before, there’s a chance that you may pick the wrong one. As you may know now, using an incorrect firmware can cause complications so good luck with that.
Let’s now say that you have identified the correct firmware. You then want to download it to your computer. The firmware file should have a bunch of files in it like AP_, BL_, CSC_, etc.
Look for the file that starts with a label BL; this should be the corresponding bootloader file for this firmware. Once you’ve identified the bootloader file, copy it to your computer’s desktop or to any other folder that you can easily access.
Proceed with the rest of the flashing procedure using the Odin program.
In Odin, click on the BL tab and make sure to use the bootloader file you’ve identified earlier.
Now, make sure that the “Device Added” status and its “ID:COM box” has turned blue before hitting the START button. This will initiate the flashing of your phone’s bootloader.
Restart the phone once the procedure is finished.

Remember, if the phone remains completely dead, or if flashing the bootloader won’t work, send the phone in for repair.