Motorola V3i mobile phone fault

[Meldrew's mate]

Dear all, I've inherited a duff mobile phone with the following symptoms, I'd like to get it functioning.

1. Phone won't work
2. Phone won't switch off, and displays the following notice:

Boot loader
0A.30.
SW Version:
R479_G_08.B4.8
5R
PHONE CODE SIG
ERROR:

OK TO PROGRAM
USB TRANSFER MODE

3. Battery won't charge via USB
4. Battery won't charge via mains charger - the only port is a mini USB.
5. Phone (or something) is detected by the computer USB port when I plug it into the PC's USB port.
6. Motorola Phone Tools installed, but wont recognise the phone.
7. Battery is now so low that I get "can't program, low battery" warning.
8. Battery is new (so needs a charge!). Old battery had the same symptom.
9. I have tried with & without SIM card, but don't have a micro-SD memory card installed. The instructions seem to indicate this is only needed for EXTRA memory, & not essential for operation.

Any ideas or pointers?
TIA
mm

 

[MarkBarl]

It's been a while since I messed around with a V3i, but is sounds like the software on the phone has become corrupt. There are 3 parts to the software on a V3i, the Bootloader, the Flash and the Flex. The bootloader is the low level firmware, the flash is the firmware, and the flex is the menus etc. You can program them with a PC a USB to Mini USB lead and various software. There is a lot of information regarding modding these phones out there. I recommend the following. http://forums.mobiledia.com/forum5.html A great forum to help with programming them. Also, http://www.planetmotox.net/ A good resource for instructions and for downloading the necessary files. The only thing you may have problems getting hold of, is the PST tools (Motorola software for flashing a phone) if so e-mail me and I can point you in the right direction.