HOW TO FIX BROM ERROR SFT ENABLE DRAM_FAIL (4032) IN SP FLASHTOOL

ABOUT ERROR (4032) ENABLE DRAM_FAIL

I know the dreadful error 4032 in Sp Flashtool isn’t new at all to MTK power users. It is as old as Mediatek itself. It’s one of those errors every MTK user doesn’t want to encounter. It kinda makes you feel like *Oh, what have I done*

You might get the error when you try to flash an MTK phone or format it. If you get error 4032 prior to flashing/formating an MTK phone, it might not brick it. It’s just a kind of warning alerting you of the incompatible firmware.

If you format/flash an MTK phone successfully and for any reason, you get the DRAM FAILED error, your device might be bricked. The phone will refuse to turn on no matter how hard you press the power key and it won’t dare charge even if you plug the phone directly to a transformer. The phone will be totally useless if it’s not rectified.

Error 4032 is not always related to incompatible firmware, improper drivers installation also cause the same issues.

Causes Of  Enable Dram Fail Error 4032

1. If you look closely at the image above, the second line says, please check your load matches to the target. What it’s saying is, if you want to flash an Infinix X551 with a 1GB RAM and a 16GB ROM, make sure the file you selected is for the Infinix X551 16+1 and not Infinix X551 16+2. Mistaking one file for the other and flashing it will definitely cause error 4032.
2. Most times, loading the wrong file and using SP tool to format the whole device including the bootloader leads to a hard bricked phone.
3. Breaking the flashing process, either by unplugging the USB cable, shaking it or an inconsistent battery can be the prime suspects.
4. Not properly installing Mediatek USB VCOM drivers especially the Preloader VCOM and DA USB.

Sometimes even when you try to flash your original stock ROM(101% tested), back on the device using SP Flashtool, it might still welcome you with the BROM ERROR : S_FT_ENABLE_DRAM_FAIL (4032)

I have had several experiences and support from Devs regarding this error 4032. I don’t panic whenever I face such issues. I am sharing what I know or have learned so that you too won’t give up after trying to fix your bricked MTK Android device.

Note :
Although SP flash will warn you if there’s a chip mismatch, most times its recommended to check if the phone you want to flash isn’t a copy or clone of the original. There are so many clones of  Tecno, Infinix, Gionee and other popular Mediatek Android phones, so cross-check before pressing the red button to avoid issues.

Note :
There’s no point blank solution to this error in sp flashtool, but there are some methods that have always worked for me since I started experiencing such errors. I will try to list them below. If you can assist, do that via the comments box. The most important thing you need is patience and the right tools.

HOW TO FIX BROM ERROR : S_FT_ENABLE_DRAM_FAIL (4032) IN SP FLASH TOOL

… Method 1 … 

• Try flashing without the battery while pressing either volume up or down or both Volume up and down buttons before connecting the USB cable. The Volume buttons most times trigger a faster connection between SP flash tool and your devices BROM.

If yours has a Home button [e.g Cloned Samsung Galaxy devices], try pressing it before connecting the USB cable. Allow drivers to install if there is any.

• Also, try changing/using different USB ports or PCs. You might get a clean PC and do a fresh install of all the needed MTK drivers.
• Make sure you have the original stock ROM (tested) of the bricked device. Flash just the Preloader and any other partition first. You can download stock ROMs of MTK Android phones here
  
• Download a fresh copy of Sp flash tool latest version [v5.xxx] and the older [v3.xxx] and extract the contents to your PC. Some devices actually work better with older versions of Sp Flash tool.*
• Open your device manager and make sure all MediaTek VCOM USB drivers are installed properly MediaTek Preloader USB VCOM, MediaTek DA USB VCOM, USB Debug, USB Modem, MTK USB because they are all important especially the first two. If you haven’t done that, you can download and install Mediatek USB Vcom drivers here.
• Try running SP Flash as an Admin.

If you can’t find the stock ROM of your MTK device, get a working phone and backup the stock ROM using MTK Droid tools or drop your phone’s model in the comments section and we will help you get a working ROM.

• Try formatting it first in the Format tab. Use either firmware upgrade or Format all and Download option in Sp flash tool. If not working due to the number of partitions loaded, Use Download Only. You can also try loading just a single partition and try flashing it.

• Click on Download. Make sure the phone’s battery is charged properly. Now connect the USB cable to the phone.

Note: You might also press and hold Volume Up or Down Button or both before connecting the phone or flash without the battery if the battery is easily removable.

Sp Flash tool should now detect the phone and the flashing process will begin. If it still shows the ancient BROM ERROR : S_FT_ENABLE_DRAM_FAIL (4032)

 

Please Follow This Second Step.

… Method 2 … 

• Download the higher version of your phone’s stock firmware. E.g if your MTK phone was on Kitkat and the Kitkat ROM still shows error 4032, download the Lollipop or Marshmallow ROM and flash it.  It has solved error 4032 for me several times.  If yours just have a version number difference, go for the higher version.
• If the above doesn’t fix it, check at the right end of Sp Flash tool to see what your device is detected as. If it’s showing USB SERIAL DEVICE or something far from MediaTek instead of MediaTek Preloader Usb Vcom, just go your device manager.
• To launch Device manager (Right-click on ‘My Computer’ and Select ‘Manage’)
• Connect the phone to the PC via a good USB cord, Device manager should refresh.
• Take note of what the phone is detected as (often as Unknown or USB SERIAL DEVICE)
• Right-click whatever the phone is detected as and select Update Driver Software…
• Select Browse my computer for driver software
• Select Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer
• Click Next
• Click Have Disk
• Now Proceed with the MTK Drivers installation as described in the link above.
  
• After successfully updating the driver, go back to Sp flash tool and follow the flashing procedure at step 1.
• If it doesn’t work, uninstall all MTK drivers using USB deview and reinstall all the drivers in the INF file.
  
• Remember, without the exact stock ROM of the bricked device, you will get the same error 4032 in sp flash tool. Having the stock ROM puts you on the safer side.

If method 2 didn’t work, Try 3.

… Method 3 …

• Download the stock ROM or dump the ROM of a working device of the same model using Miracle Box or tool.
• Tick format all and flash the firmware while holding down both or either of your Volume buttons or the Home button
• Try flashing without battery too.

… Method 4 …

Method 4 is kinda risky, but it does not really matter since the device is already bricked. Although it works, you should try this as a last resort, only on a bricked phone and solely at your own risk.

Note:

Flashing the wrong preloader can brick your MTK device to the extent where SP Flashtool and your computer wouldn’t even detect it. You should be very careful with this method and only try it when everything else fails.

1. Make sure you have the stock ROM of your device (even if it’s showing enable DRAM Failed)
2. Load the file in SP Flash tool and untick every other partition apart from preloader
3. Click on the preloader and replace it with another preloader.bin file from the same phone model, brand or chip type. E.g, if you are getting error 4032 on a cloned Infinix X510 MT6572(Manufacturer-alps), you can replace the preloader with another preloader from an MT6572(Manufactured by alps e.g Sony XBO V5)
4. Try flashing just the preloader(You must have already flashed other partitions) If the preloader.bin flashes, try powering the phone on or flash the complete firmware with the working preloader. If you still get the same error, try another preloader.bin until one works.

HOW TO FIX A TOTALLY DEAD MTK DEVICE THAT DOESN’T CHARGE, ON, VIBRATE OR CONNECT TO A PC.

This is when the phone is dead due to one reason or the other like formatting whole flash with boot-loader, flashing a wrong firmware or preloader / DSP, or formatting the entire flash via a flashing box.

If your phone has been bricked to the extent where the computer does not even recognize it, you might like to try this.

1. Just get into the phone’s PCB or main board /panel and locate some points labelledCOLO/KCOLO and GND.
2. Make a jumper or bridge from KCOLO/COLO to GND and proceed with the flashing. Your device will be detected and flashed if the MTK VCOM USB Drivers were installed properly. This method also solves advanced brick issues as well.
3. If you can not find KCOLO or COLO, just make a jumper from GND to any of the Volume buttons and try flashing the phone again.

Good luck. Drop your comments, share and contribute.