This requires a Windows 7 or Windows XP PC (or a virtual machine). Windows 10/11 often breaks old USB drivers.

There are three primary theories, backed by service center leaks and developer forum archives (Sammobile, XDA, and the now-defunct Badam forums).

Press and hold buttons simultaneously.

But there’s a ghost in the machine. If you’ve tried to flash, update, or even repair this device recently, you’ve likely hit a wall: