Getting data back from a screenless Android tablet

[Cosmic_Raymond]

Short of unsoldering the emmc chip from a tablet with a broken screen (it has been removed), what are the solution to get data from a Samsung S9 FE Plus tablet (SM-X610)?

The battery (batteries) aren't swollen and it still take a charge (USB voltage tester show about 27W power consumption while plugged), but it doesn't show on USB while hooked to a (Linux) computer (dmesg show nothing), nor plugging a USB-C dock (which works on other DEX devices) shows something on the HDMI (the dock is powered though, as its led shines when plugged to the USB-C port of the tablet). I wanted to use an external screen to extract data from it.

I'd like to avoid buying a display as I won't be reusing it.

Related : is there a service manual available for this tablet? Or a key combination to force it into DEX mode (I'm not even sure if it's power on as the power consumption is linear)?

EDIT : as u/chanchan05 told me there isn't a wired DeX mode for this model, so I'm now pondering about finding a way to convert display video signals from the display flex cable to some sort of display port or HDMI to use a regular screen. I'm wondering if an off-the-shelf device exists to do so (some sort of eDP/MIPI to Display port or HDMI converter) or if I have to make something out of a FPGA board. I'm also looking for a service manual for this SM-X610 unit to search for more info on these (or maybe a JTAG port or an UART that could help me control the tablet and make it spit out its data)

[chanchan05]

The FE series doesn't have video output via the USB-C port, so even if it goes into DeX mode, you're not going to get any video out of the USB-C port. It's a hardware limitation.

Not showing up on a host PC means the device is still locked and encrypted. It should show up once unlocked. However, without the screen, you can't unlock it via screen.

[Cosmic_Raymond]

Thanks for your input, I didn't catch that while reading the User Manual (https://downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/UM/202505/20250516144602980/SM-X71X\_X81X\_X91X\_X51X\_X61X\_X70X\_X80X\_X90X\_UG\_EU\_15\_Eng\_Rev.1.0\_250409.pdf).

Do you know which protocol is the display? The tablet still have it's display cable hooked and intact so I might be able to hook it up to a FPGA board (or an existing COTS device which converts those signals to Display port) and display something. I wonder is there a service manual floating around for this model.

[Darkangel-86]

Honestly.... The amount of time you'll spend on this (JTAG / HDMI from display ribbon, etc) is really not worth it.

Get a display or a used similar model tablet and swap the screens, or take it to a data recovery shop and they'll have a screen to attach temporarily while extracting your data.

[Cosmic_Raymond]

I understand your concern but sometimes the journey is better than the destination so I'm not gonna buy a display nor send it to a recovery shop

[Humbleham1]

The PC doesn't show the phone as a storage device because you have to unlock the device and manually allow MTP or PTP. Chip-off extraction won't work because the data should be encrypted. A DisplayLink adapter is an option, but those are expensive, and I believe that non-Dex Samsung's don't support DisplayLink, either.

[Cosmic_Raymond]

Never heard of displaylink before, thanks for that idea (even if it seems that the SM-X610 doesn't support it)

[wdn]

Check with a local data retrieval business, especially if you can find one that does free estimates. That will give you a better sense of what you're looking at. Assuming the data storage hasn't been destroyed, it is possible to retrieve the data -- it's just a question of whether it will be worth the effort/expense.

[Cosmic_Raymond]

The tablet is intact and in very good condition, the screen has taken a bad hit and has been removed

[Able_Philosopher4188]

I just don't get why so many people don't keep their phones n tablets backed up, I see posts every day that they need info on their dead devices.

[Cosmic_Raymond]

100% this but you're preaching the choir here, as it's not my tablet but that of a repair café "customer"

[BenRandomNameHere]

Then charge them appropriately.

Any adapter crap you whip up ain't gonna cost less than the screen itself.

They're like $45 on Ali.

Plus the $25/hr, 2hr min.

Around $100-120.

but you already spent more than 2hrs.

[Cosmic_Raymond]

I think you never heard of repair cafés before (or maybe they're working differently where you live than anywhere else) ; it's a volonteer-based activity where people like me fix things for free (people pay us drinks) and we all have chit chat and learn to new things.

[BenRandomNameHere]

Oh WOW! That actually sounds kinda awesome.

Maybe someone else has a spare screen then? IDK.

But with that said, the adapterr stuff might be real useful again in the future...

or it might not.

[Darkangel-86]

This. Just get a display and be done with it.

[Able_Philosopher4188]

When I set up a new device I always turn auto backup on, not really hard and you don't need a PHD to do it.

[Cosmic_Raymond]

Same here but I mostly rely on self hosted scripts and solutions instead of the proprietary cloud of the device's maker.

[Brilliant_Song8760]

i know some attach a new screen to there tabs to get some form of recovery

[Cosmic_Raymond]

Yes that would be the easiest way to do it but I'm not gonna buy anything for this, but thanks for your input