Cannot revive Galaxy Note 2: Kies says "This device version cannot be updated" I have had a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (GT-N7100GSMH) for almost 2 years now. Never rooted it, was always installing all recommended OS upgrades. After the latest one, the phone started rebooting itself randomly now and then. I was going to take a look into it but never had time. A few days ago, during such reboot, it got stuck at the logo screen (white Samsung Galaxy text). I've read it was called bootloop and, following info on the web, tried to wipe the cache. Having entered the recovery mode (Power Up + Home + Power), I received multiple messages E:cannot mount xxx (file or directory not found), with xxx being /system, /cache etc. I still tried to wipe the cache, it seemingly did so, and then displayed the same set of error messages. Then I tried the factory reset, again some activity and the same screen with all the error messages. This is what it shows exactly after the dead Android with red exclamation triangle:

E:failed to mount /efs (No such file or directory)
E:failed to mount /system (No such file or directory)

# Manual mode #
-- Appling Multi-CSC... 

E:failed to mount /system (No such file or directory)
E:Can't mount /system (No such file or directory)
E:failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)
E:Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_recovery
E:failed to mount /data (No such file or directory)
E:Can't mount /data/log/recovery_log.txt
E:failed to mount /system (No such file or directory)
E:failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)
E:Can't mount /cache/recovery/log
E:Can't open /cache/recovery/log
(a few more such errors)

Android system recovery &lt;3e&gt;
KOT49H.N7100XXUFNE1

Volume up/down to move highlight; power button to select
(here goes the blue menu)


Then I went the Kies way: Installed Kies (not Kies 3) on Windows 7, went into download mode (Power Down + Home + Power), and tried Tools/Firmware Upgrade and Initialization. Kies accepted the model and serial numbers, downloaded something, showed the window with the instructions and check boxes and then, after hitting Start upgrade, told me "This device version cannot be updated". I then went to Tools/Emergency firmware recovery, and received an empty list of devices that require recovery. This is what the phone shows in the download mode:

ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: GT-N7100
CURRENT BINARY: Samsung Official
SYSTEM STATUS: Official
KNOX WARRANTY VOID: 0
RP SWREV: A2


Finally, I tried Kies 3, with the same lack of success. Additionally, it was saying that I was using the wrong Kies version. 

I don't know if it's important, but my phone was encrypted (company policy).

Is there anything useful you can guess from the above and recommend me doing before sending it to Samsung for a probably rather costly diagnostics/service?
I have eventually brought the phone to the service, and they diagnosed problems with the motherboard. It turned out these phones have a 2-year warranty, so they sent it to Samsung for repair for free. Nicely, it "died" just one month before the end of warranty, so it was a good luck.