3GS stuck in recovery mode after "Erase all contents and settings". Now restore fail!

Hi to all,
as people should have already understood from the title, my Iphone 3GS 16Gb (old bootrom) was perfectly working until I decided to erase all contents and settings using the option already included in the operating system (4.0.1 or 4.0.2, don't remember well).
The phone started and completed the process succesfully until the activation screen, but after a few seconds it rebooted to recovery mode.
Well...the first thing I tried was Recboot, it kicked off the recovery state, but after a few seconds again in recovery state, it was an infinite loop.
So...the obvious solution was to restore the firmware, but every restore always failed both in DFU and recovery mode.
It doesn't matter if i try to restore custom or stock firmware, the process always fail.
Even with the official 4.3 firmware the restore fail, I can see the loading bar, but after 10 seconds (with the bar still empty), the phone flash and reboot in recovery mode again. Itunes say "Waiting for Iphone" and as soon as the device disconnect it return immediatelly unknown error (9).

Below is a just 10% of all the attempts done to bring back to life the phone:

1-Tried to disconnect the battery from the logic board for at least 10 hours. Also tried with a new battery.

2-Tried to replace the dock connector and USB cable (genuine and not genuine). This also include changing different USB ports

3-Tried to restore older firmwares (with tinyumbrella server running in the background). Apple servers accept restores (not sure if SHSHs are saved or not, but without TM Apple servers refuse restores) and this is what happen:
---firmware 4.0/4.0.1/4.0.2---
In recovery mode itunes start preparing Iphone for restore, but after a few minutes it fail with error 1604 with the phone still on the "connect to itunes" screen.
In DFU mode appear the message "This device can perform faster", Itunes continue with the message preparing for restore, but after a few minutes end up with error 1601. Screen stay always black. i know that it is connected to USB 2.0 and I really have no idea on why Itunes think it isn't.

---firmware 4.1---
Same as 4.0/4.0.1/4.0.2. Only without tinyumbrella the restore process really start, but end up with error 9 in the same way explained at the beginning (empty loading bar and the phone that flash and reboot to recovery mode).

---firmware 4.2.1---
Same as 4.1 but error 3194 without tinyumbrella (firmware not eligible).

4-Tried to load custom firmware with redsnow and snowbreeze in pwned state. Same result: appear the loading bar and after a while the phone disconnect with the bar still empty.

5-Tried to boot the phone in tethered mode. Appear the pineapple, but after a while the phone disconnect and go again in recovery mode.

6-Tried with redsnow succesfully booted in verbose mode...I can see that say "CTX invalid...performing NAND restore...", continue with the process, but before ending, the phone disconnect and return again in recovery state...

7-Tried different computers with different versions of Itunes, but same results.

8-Error 9 seems to be related to USB communication that get lost. Tried to run irecovery to see what's could be wrong, but no Iphone found even if IR say "Got USB".

I'm sure that there's nothing wrong in my current computer configuration, itunes etc because after this I succesfully restored 4-5 different Iphones.
What I really don't understand is how it's possible that an Iphone become dead just after I erased the content, a normal function of the phone that it's supposed to be safe.

I uploaded on pastebin http://pastebin.com/ssu1tUYn the logs I got from Itunes when trying to restore firmware 4.3 (both DFU and recovery mode logs).
Sorry if I have not included them here, but the message only allow 10000 characters.

I would really appreciate if someone has some suggestions because after 4 days of continuous attempts, asking here for help is my last resort.

Thanks

I've had a look at your log files (and moved them to the right hosting option. Next time, remember - if you want help don't force the person giving you help to wait 45 seconds to download a log file.

This error 9 is a kernel panic, it is often software related but in your case it could be a hardware problem.

Erase all content and settings is something we don't recommend people use. For 99.9% of people it is NOT what they actually want.

You've tried a lot and it is pointing to a communications related issue.
Have you tried on a mac?

Hi Olethros and thanks for your reply. Sorry for megaupload, I forgot it was easier pastebin. Unfortunately it's hard for me to find a Mac for retrying the restore. I suppose it will not work if I find a way to emulate Mac OS in windows, right?
Yes, Kernel panic and USB communication error. The device always disconnect when Itunes send the firmware. Erasing contents and settings seems to be a safe function and user cannot really imagine that could cause damage to a fully working phone. I can understand some kind of corruption, but I really don't understand how it's possible that every restore fail.
I inspected carefully the logic board to see if everything is right, but found nothing wrong. I compared it with another board and every single component sit on its own place. Considering that the phone was never dropped and was fully working before erasing, I think that no component is damaged.
I really don't have any idea on whatelse I could try...
Thanks

I was just wondering if a replacement of the Nand IC could fix the phone. I've had a look to the Nand of the 3G and if the 3gs is similar (external pins), the job should not be so hard.
Anyone can confirm that every nand is not related to specific logic board and it's interchangeable ?
I think that this is the only thing I can try unless someone can give me another easier solution.
Thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by giga56

I was just wondering if a replacement of the Nand IC could fix the phone. I've had a look to the Nand of the 3G and if the 3gs is similar (external pins), the job should not be so hard.
Anyone can confirm that every nand is not related to specific logic board and it's interchangeable ?
I think that this is the only thing I can try unless someone can give me another easier solution.
Thanks

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I normally see specific information In the log file indicating a NAND problem, you simply aren't getting that far into the restore process. So I think this is the wrong solution.

Also, I'm quite unsure if the NAND will work from a 3G in a 3GS - hardware isn't my speciality. However Apple uses NAND parts from several sources so they likely have some flexibility here as long as the chips are electrically compatible.

There may be some issues with NAND partition layout also.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Olethros

I normally see specific information In the log file indicating a NAND problem, you simply aren't getting that far into the restore process. So I think this is the wrong solution.

Also, I'm quite unsure if the NAND will work from a 3G in a 3GS - hardware isn't my speciality. However Apple uses NAND parts from several sources so they likely have some flexibility here as long as the chips are electrically compatible.

There may be some issues with NAND partition layout also.

---

Yes, Itunes logs always clearly state when there is a problem with the Nand, but in my case it fully recognize Iboot and everything. I was referring to a 3GS nand replacement, but there are no information about this kind of fix. It will be easier that I will fail again even with a perfect replacement.
It could be a partition layout of the Nand, but from what I know, Itunes recreate it automatically.
Thinking that higher versions could have different partition layouts, I tried to install 4.0.1/4.0.2 custom firmware in Pwned mode (iRebr4), but failed. In the "Preparing for Iphone restore" stage, the phone rebooted and instead of the loading bar, appeared again the "Connect to Itunes" screen. Itunes end up with error 1604 (no known fixes worked).

At this point I think that it is impossible to fix error 9 and I will not insist again. I'm very disappointed to see that a working jailbreaked phone can become an expensive pieces of plastic just clicking on an option that come by default on the operating system!

If within one week nobody will come with a possible solution, this thread can be considered closed because a solution for error 9 just don't exist.
Thanks to all