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Hey guys, I just got my Note Pro a week ago and just started looking into rooting. I keep getting a notification about a 128mb stability update. I would assume it's gonna update to the latest build but I'm not sure what the latest build is or if it'll be rootable afterwords. my current build is KOT49H.P900UEU1ANAE. What is the latest build #? Is there a list of updates somewhere detailing what the improvements are? I just want to root, debloat, turn off OTA and remove KNOX.
Edit: sorry forgot to mention it's just the wife model SM-P900
So 48 views and not one person can tell me the latest build# ? I'll figure out the rest.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
Have you checked SamMobile?
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/SM-P900/XAR/
How i got there:
http://www.sammobile.com
1. Click Firmware on the top.
2. Click the greyed out firmware database link under the blue banner.
3. Under "Select your firmware" I picked Tablet-->Android-->SM-P900....-->Cellular South (which matches the US variants)
muzzy996 said:
Have you checked SamMobile?
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/SM-P900/XAR/
How i got there:
http://www.sammobile.com
1. Click Firmware on the top.
2. Click the greyed out firmware database link under the blue banner.
3. Under "Select your firmware" I picked Tablet-->Android-->SM-P900....-->Cellular South (which matches the US variants)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks muzzy! I had already been to SamMobile but all it had was foreign countries listed. I didn't know about Cellular South being the US version. I'll look again.
Edit: oh look a list of the updates and release dates! My Wi - fi reception seems slow, do any of the update fix that?
I honestly can't say. I'm on NC5 which is dated back in April and have no major issues.
I'm rooted and debloated though, not that this would impact the wifi performance . .
48 views doesn't mean 48 users. About 44 of those are Google Content Crawler, which is Google search engine's bots crawling the net for content to display in google.com. It is an automated process.
Samsung doesn't release changelists, so we don't know what each update does beyond what we can see.
Thanks for the help guys! I just accepted the first update and it took me to ANC5. I guess I'll have to accept all updates until current and then try CF-Auto-Root. I'll report back then.
Actually I just got my tablet like a week ago as well. I m on the same build no as well....haven't updated yet. I also haven't installed Knox either. There is a download arrow on the Knox icon and if I click the icon it starts downloading so I just cancel it. I am thinking of rooting as well. Well what I m trying to say is...keep the thread updated and I will just follow your lead.....hehe.
It always helps to know your country as well as different countries are on slightly different versions. You can always go to sanmobile.com, click on firmware and search for p-900. That will give you the list of all the latest ROMs for different countries / carriers. US based ROMs are listed as "Cellular South".
Successful Root!
Okay guys sorry it's taken so long to respond, I had hernia surgery on Monday so I've been behind on getting this rooted.
My plan was to use CF-Auto-Root and then load TWRP recovery and then load "Debloat Stock Variant" by Gatsrom. I decided to do it in that order because I wasn't sure I could load a custom recovery without being rooted first.
I accepted all updates up to the current = P900UEU1BNK1. Using Win 7 and loaded Samsung drivers. Downloaded ODIN 3.09, Odin 3.07 came with CF-Auto-Root and downloaded TWRP. Booted into download mode and made sure ODIN recognized my P900. And this is when to fun began! Everything seem to be going okay but I did run into a snag. I used ODIN 3.07 because that's what came with Auto- Root and I'd read somewhere of people having trouble with 3.09??? Anyways I got a red "FAIL" message and my screen displayed multicolored lines. I tried running it in ODIN 3.09 and got the same result. (i didn't disconnect anything between the 3.07 or 3.09 attempts, maybe i should have?). I disconnected my P900 and it rebooted giving me a Firmware Error screen telling me to use Kies "Recovery Mode". I tried Kies Recovery but Kies3 wouldn't even recognize the P900. (I started freaking a little at this point!) Anyways, I decided to try and load TWRP because I thought I've got nothing to lose! I loaded TWRP into ODIN and it took, so I thought, because my P900 rebooted into an up and running normal state. (Big Sigh!) I tried booting into recovery but TWRP didn't take, it came up to stock recovery, trying to load TWRP just kicked the P900 out of the Firmware Error state it was in?? I decided to give Auto-Root another go after rebooting Win 7. Used ODIN 3.09 this time and everything went fine and I was rooted! Then I loaded TWRP and it loaded fine! I performed a TWRP backup at this point and things seem to be running smoothly. I still need to load the Debloat Variant, that's what's on my plate for today.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2656551
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2706982
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...t/rom-original-stock-debloated-stock-t2860069
You are a much braver sole than I. Hope all goes smoothly.
I could be wrong but I would think that if one is going to a different ROM then rooting isn't necessary. Simply use Odin to flash TWRP but ensure that auto reboot is not enabled in Odin when you do it. If you allow the device to begin booting into stock system it's going to overwrite recovery again (with stock recovery) so what you want to do is flash TWRP, and once it's flashed FORCE a reboot directly into recovery again using the hardware keys on the device. At that point you can do an nandroid backup and then flash your ROM.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
treetopsranch said:
You are a much braver sole than I. Hope all goes smoothly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not that brave treetop! I just know my way around a computer and I've rooted a few of these things. Plus I know the guys here on XDA are good at helping out if you hit a snag. Luckily I figured this one out on my own! You've just gotta do your research before jumping in and search read, search read, search read! I provided some links to get you started....get to it!
muzzy99 said:
I could be wrong but I would think that if one is going to a different ROM then rooting isn't necessary. Simply use Odin to flash TWRP but ensure that auto reboot is not enabled in Odin when you do it. If you allow the device to begin booting into stock system it's going to overwrite recovery again (with stock recovery) so what you want to do is flash TWRP, and once it's flashed FORCE a reboot directly into recovery again using the hardware keys on the device. At that point you can do an nandroid backup and then flash your ROM.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info muzzy, I'll remember that for next time! :good:
I did get the Debloat Variant up and running and loaded Xposed framework with sdcard full access. Everything seems to be running smoothly!
Ok So I finally got to it and successfully rooted (in first try, if I may add ). Thanks to xblue's guide/heroic efforts I avoided certain things and everything went smoothly. So Basically I installed samsung drivers using Kies, rebooted pc (Win 8.1). Downloaded cf autoroot and downloaded odin 3.09 as autoroot comes with 3.07. Replaced ONLY 3.07 odin exe with 3.09. Started Odin in Admin mode, put the tablet in download mode. Attched to pc and Odin recognized it. Then Gave it a final thought......lol. Pressed Start, device booted couple times. Then PASS appeared on the Odin window after like 30 secs. Installed root checker...successfully rooted. Installed TWRP via odin and flashed that successfully. Made a full back up and installed a ROM of my choice. I am a happy camper.
Sweet Deal singhsta! I'm glad my efforts were a help!
i would update to the latest version.. i tried using the original one that you have however i got the screen flicker issue so had to update.. the first update isnt very good wifi keeps dropping but the most recent version doesn't tho you may have a bug where every time you unlock the screen the tablet is still asleep even though the icons are visible so you have to lock the screen again and unlock. however if you factory reset this bug goes away.
i find the latest version is the most stable and battery life is better if you disable all the unnecessary apps that you can i usually get rid of most of the samsung back up apps and all the google ones bar the ones it needs to run play store etc and maintaining the ones that sync for back up.
wifi was really slow when i first got it and would drop very annoying but now it seems better but have experienced slow wifi i think it's a hardware issue all note pro's have in built that should have been sorted by the latest build. i hope they finally give it an update in the coming months even to 4.4.4. or something.
painiac's Essential Guide to Samsung Galaxy S5 (SM-G900V) Flashing, Rooting, Fixing, and Customizing
This is a distillation of everything I've learned about rooting, installing custom recovery, installing custom ROMs, and customizing the Verizon Galaxy S5 SM-G900V. I am NOT the creator of any of the hard work that has made all of this possible, I simply compiled it all in one place. I have done this for the convenience of newer people, and to hopefully decrease the need for the same questions coming up every time somebody discovers they can improve their phone but doesn't yet know how. The Galaxy S5 has a steeper learning curve because of its locked bootloader, hence the need for a guide. I know I had a LOT of questions and more than a little worry about accidentally screwing up my phone, so I did a lot of research and accumulated a lot of information in a short amount of time.
CAUTION: Some of the more general information here might apply equally to all variants of the Galaxy S5, but much of it is specific to the Verizon SM-G900V (and attempts to flash any G900V-specific files to a non-G900V variant will in all likelihood brick your phone. You have been warned.)
This is meant to be a general repository of information, but for projects in active development (such as the 5.0 root method, SafeStrap, custom ROMs, etc) I encourage you to ask questions in their respective threads where their developers (who are most knowledgable about their projects) are best able to see and answer your questions.
If a piece of information originated from you and I have failed to credit you properly, please say so and I will do so immediately.
I encourage you to share this information freely, and I encourage you to submit even minor corrections.
Table of Contents
Android Versions
Updates and Flashable Stock Files
Restoring, Upgrading, and Downgrading
Recovery Mode and Download Mode
Flashing Files with Odin
Custom Recovery Environment
Fixing a Bricked Phone
Rooting 4.4.x and 5.x
Custom ROMs
Debloating
Disabling Knox
Xposed Framework and Modules
Android Versions
First, a brief introduction of the Android versions available on this phone. You find your version number by opening "Settings" and scrolling down to "About Phone" The version numbers look like (for example) "G900VVRU1ANCG", and only the last three or four digits are what we refer to. In this example, we would abbreviate this as "ANCG" or "NCG". You'll note that the version numbers are roughly alphabetical.
KitKat 4.4.2 versions (root with TowelRoot, more on this later)
ANCG = 4.4.2
ANE9 = 4.4.2
KitKat 4.4.4 versions (downgrade kernel to root with TowelRoot, more on this later)
ANHA = 4.4.4
ANI2 = 4.4.4
ANK2 = 4.4.4
ANK7 = 4.4.4 (incremental update to prepare for 5.0; it is not available for download, nor is it necessary to do so)
Lollipop 5.0 versions (root with KingRoot, more on this later)
BOA8 = 5.0
BOC4 = 5.0
BOD5 = 5.0 (last version of the bootloader that can be downgraded)
BOE1 = 5.0 (prevents downgrading the bootloader)
BOG5 = 5.0 (prevents downgrading the bootloader)
BOK3 = 5.0 (prevents downgrading the bootloader)
BPB1 = 5.0 (security update. prevents downgrading the bootloader))
Marshmallow 6.0.1 versions (not rootable yet)
DPD1 = 6.0.1
DPF4 = 6.0.1 (minor bugfix)
Updates and Flashable Stock Files
If you accept an OTA (Over-the-Air) update from Verizon, it updates everything. The same thing happens when you manually flash a "firmware" or "factory restore image" file. Note: If you are still on BOD5 or earlier, do not accept an OTA update.
You can also selectively update certain components by flashing only those files. Most files are flashed with Odin, but some can be flashed in a custom Recovery if they were so prepared.
CAUTION: If you are on BOE1, BOG5, BOK3, or PB1, do not under any circumstances attempt to flash any older versions, or you will brick.
Firmware: Collectively refers to the Operating System and Applications that allow the phone to function. A "Retail" firmware file also contains all the components listed below, so be sure you know what you intend to accomplish by flashing one. You should stick with the latest safe firmwares provided by jrkruse.
CAUTION: If you have BOE1, BOG5, BOK3, or PB1, do not under any circumstances flash an older firmware file unless it specifically says it it is either "for BOE1 or later" or that it does not include a bootloader.
Bootloader: Performs basic checks and then instructs the kernel and the other essential software to boot. On this phone, the bootloader is locked: if it doesn't find the correct (TouchWiz-based) kernel, it will not allow the phone to boot. As of the BOE1 update, a hardware "qfuse" is tripped permanently, which prevents downgrading. In order for a 5.0 ROM to boot, you need a 5.0 bootloader: If you have not previously accepted an update to BOE1, BOG5, BOK3, or PB1, then the best thing to do is update the bootloader to BOD5, which is the last bootloader that can be downgraded later.
CAUTION: If you have BOE1, BOG5, BOK3, or PB1, do not under any circumstances flash an older firmware file unless it specifically says it it is either for BOE1 or later or that it does not include a bootloader.
Note that on the special "Developer Edition" S5, the bootloader is not locked, but the price is unreasonably high.
CAUTION: If you do have a "Developer Edition" phone, do not under any circumstances flash any file that has a retail bootloader, or your phone will have a permanently locked bootloader and will, practically speaking, no longer be a "Dev Edition" phone.
Kernel: Basically the layer that allows the operating system (Android) and the hardware to communicate with each other. You can flash a different kernel version independently, but the operating system will not actually be able to start with an incompatible version of the kernel and it will hang forever on the splash screen. Downgrading the kernel temporarily is necessary for obtaining root on later builds, because the root exploits always get patched in later versions. Simply flashing the compatible kernel will allow the phone to again boot normally. You should stick with the latest safe kernels provided by jrkruse.
CAUTION: Do not attempt to flash a custom (non TouchWiz-based) kernel, or you will brick.
Baseband: This is the Modem, sometimes called a Radio. This is what allows the phone to communicate with the cellular network. Modems can be flashed independently and without regard to the firmware version you're running. You can experiment with which modem gives your particular phone the best reception in your area (which may or may not be the most recent one). You can find flashable modems here.
Non-HLOS: This contains other radios such as Wifi and Bluetooth.
PIT file: Re-partitions the internal storage. You do not normally need to do this, but it can correct specific problems.
Restoring, Upgrading, and Downgrading
If you are on 4.4.x, you can update to 5.0 and keep root.
CAUTION: If you want to preserve your ability to downgrade to 4.4.x, never upgrade via an OTA or other official update; Only upgrade with flashable ROMS or modified Odin files that do not upgrade the bootloader past BOD5.
If you are on 5.0 BOD5 or earlier, you can freely downgrade to 4.4.x, but do not upgrade your bootloader to BOE1 or later if you want to be able to downgrade later
If you are on BOE1 or later, you can freely upgrade but you CANNOT downgrade.
If you need any restore files for NCG through OC4, Misterxtc has provided them here.
I advise you to download these files now if you need them, because I have noticed with previous phones that as people lose interest in particular models, files that are hosted in only one place tend to disappear.
If you need BOG5 and BOK3 restore files, jrkruse has provided them here
Note that he has provided a version that will update (lock) the bootloader, and a BOD5 bootloader version that will not lock the bootloader if it has not previously been locked. If you are on Lollipop there is no good reason to not update to the latest BOK3 firmware, but if you're still on a BOD5 or earlier bootloader then use the "BOK3 firmware with BOD5 bootloader" it in order to preserve your option to downgrade to KitKat.
Recovery Mode and Download Mode
Recovery Mode: This phone has a built-in recovery environment (typically referred to as "stock recovery"), which you access by first powering off the phone (and making sure it's not plugged in), then holding the Home + Volume UP + Power buttons at the same time. After a couple seconds, blue text will appear at the top of the screen which says "Recovery Booting..."
CAUTION: Never attempt to install a custom ROM or unofficial update file from the stock recovery mode: the phone will flip out and brick.
The stock recovery mode contains the following options:
1) reboot system now
2) apply update from ADB
3) apply update from external storage
4) wipe data/factory reset
5) wipe cache partition
6) apply update from cache
Wiping the cache is an easy and painless fix to a lot of vague problems and even solves some boot failures after installing a custom ROM. Doing a factory reset can solve a lot of things too, but be aware that you'll have to reinstall and reconfigure all of your apps unless you keep good backups.
Download Mode: The phone also has a mode where you connect to software on a computer and flash files to it, sometimes referred to as "Odin Mode". Access Download Mode by first powering off the phone (and making sure it's not plugged in), then holding the Home + Volume DOWN + Power buttons at the same time ("down" = "download"...get it?). After a few seconds, a screen will appear giving you a dire warning that installing a custom operating system is known to the Surgeon General of California to cause cancer, or...something....I don't know, I've never actually read the whole thing. Just press Vol-Up to acknowledge the warning. While in this mode, connect the phone via a microUSB cable to a Windows computer.
Flashing Files With Odin
The operations in Download Mode will be performed with a piece of Windows-based software called Odin. This tool is reported to be the actual software that Samsung uses to flash and repair phones, which has been leaked to the Android community. I caution you to only download this from XDA-provided sources. Odin is used to flash files to the various system partitions of the phone (firmware, kernels, modems, factory restore images, etc). Odin cannot be used to flash custom ROMs.
Odin 3.09: can be downloaded here.
Note that when you have the phone in Download mode, your computer won't show it as a device in "My Computer" because it's not connected as a media device., but Odin (or any other software that knows how to look for it) can see it. Odin will highlight blue in its first "ID:COM" box when it detects your phone.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
You'll see several boxes on the right side when you open Odin.
BL = Bootloader
AP = Your system, recovery, and boot.img (this was labelled "PDA" in older versions of Odin)
CP = Modem
CSC = Cache and Hidden CSC features
Everything on this phone is flashed using "AP" box (highlighted in blue in this picture), and you'll want to leave every option at the default setting unless specifically told otherwise.
When you click "AP", a file browser window will pop up, and you browse to and select the flashable file you've downloaded. The file needs to be one that ends with a file extension "tar.md5", or Odin can't see it. If what you've downloaded is a zip archive, the image is inside that and you need to extract it first.
Only extract a flashable file if the contents of the archive are "FILENAME.tar.md5", because that itself is the Odin-flashable archive. But do not attempt to extract the contents of the tar.md5, just flash it with Odin. If the file is a .zip that contains "META-INF" and/or other files and folders, it is to be flashed with SafeStrap or FlashFire rather than Odin.
MD5 Checksum: Before flashing ANY file, you need to verify that it downloaded fully and accurately. To do this, you use an md5 checksum tool (such as this one provided by Misterxtc), which generates a hash string based on the exact bit content of the file you've downloaded. You then compare that string of characters to the one provided along with the original. For example, AndroidFileHost.com will always list it here (as I've highlighted in red). You don't have to manually compare them, as most md5 tools have an input box where you can paste the string for comparison. If the file you've downloaded is even slightly corrupted or incomplete, the md5 checksum will not match and you'll know immediately that you need to re-download it. Obviously, attempting to flash a corrupted file will fail. You should check the md5 after you download a file, and again after moving it to your phone's storage. Here you see the md5 hash, which I have outlined in red.
After you select your file, Odin will verify its integrity. When that process is complete, click Odin's "Start" button. The file will flash to your phone, then when the flash is complete (unless you unchecked that option) the phone will be rebooted automatically. The text box on the bottom-left of the Odin window will report the results of the flash operation, including any errors.
CAUTION: Do not unplug your phone or allow your battery to die while a flash is in progress!
Odin troubleshooting (if your phone is not recognized by Odin, or a flash fails)
1) Verify the md5 checksum of the file you're trying to flash
2) Ensure the USB drivers for the phone are installed and up to date on the computer you're using. If you have problems, you may have to "uninstall" the phone from the computer's "Device Manager" and then reinstall it.
3) Check that your microUSB cable is fully seated in both the phone and the USB port on the computer.
4) Try a different microUSB cable and/or a different USB port on your computer (a bad cable or bad USB port are very common causes of a flash failure)
5) Examine the microUSB port on your phone to ensure it's not damaged, or plugged with pocket lint which may be preventing a complete connection
Samsung provides a free tool called "Kies", which allows you to do various things including installing drivers, transferring files to/from your phone, etc. You may find it useful if you are having difficulty connecting your phone to your computer. Just be aware that if you have Kies running, it will prevent Odin from functioning.
If Windows is not an option for you, you might try the open-source alternative to Odin known as "Heimdall Suite". I have no experience with Heimdall so will not try to comment on it further, but if anybody has any important info about it I would be happy to edit it into this guide.
Custom Recovery Environment
Due to the locked bootloader, the custom recovery environments such as TWRP (TeamWin Recovery Project) and ClockworkMod Recovery (CWM) cannot be used. However, hashcode created SafeStrap Recovery (a heavily modified TWRP recovery environment) that is safe to use on the S5.
A custom recovery is optional, but it's a powerful tool and safety net, allowing you to flash files (except Odin files), install ROMs, selectively wipe partitions, and create/restore full system backups (known as NANDroid Backups), among other things.
SafeStrap was originally conceived to allow ROMs to be installed in different "ROM Slots", allowing the stock OS to be untouched and easily swapped between. Unfortunately, hashcode abandoned SafeStrap development before the slots were ever made to work reliably. If you are still using the KitKat 4.4x version of SafeStrap, only flash ROMs to the "Stock" slot and pretend the other slots do not even exist.
hashcode's original SafeStrap thread - Use this if you are still on 4.4.x
If you are on Lollipop 5.x, hashcode's version of SafeStrap is functional, but requires a workaround so it is a bit of a hassle. SafeStrap will not function with a 5.0 kernel, so you most first either use Odin or the NI2Flasher.apk to flash an older 4.4.x kernel, then boot into SafeStrap. You must then flash your appropriate 5.0 kernel with Odin or from within SafeStrap BEFORE rebooting, or your phone will not be able to boot. Fortunately, jrkruse has modified SafeStrap Recovery to work smoothly on 5.0: it automates the process of the necessary kernel flashes ( and has several other small improvements, such as removing the non-functioning ROM slots).
jrkruse's updated SafeStrap for Lollipop - Use this if you are on 5.x
FlashFire: If you don't want to use SafeStrap for some reason, an alternative is Chainfire's "FlashFire" app. It is fully capable of doing most anything SafeStrap can do, without you having to boot into a custom recovery environment. The only real downside is that Flashfire is an app, so if your phone won't start up then you can't use it to restore a backup. You can selectively use both FlashFire and SafeStrap depending on the circumcstances.
Fixing a Bricked Phone
"Bricked" means a phone will not start and can no longer be used; in other words, it's as good as a brick. Fortunately, in almost every case the phone is not totally ("hard") bricked, but is only "soft" bricked and can be repaired fairly easily. If you are unable to load your operating system but you are seeing any kind of logo or splash screen, relax: you are only soft bricked, and the phone can be fixed bexcause you can still boot the phone into Download Mode and Recovery Mode.
If you've just flashed a file (such as a custom ROM) and the phone won't start, don't panic.
1) The first thing to try is to wait: if you've just flashed a deodexed ROM, it can take up to ten minutes to load and boot, and all you'll see is the splash screen. Let the phone sit for 10-15 minutes to see if it's just busy.
2) If the phone still won't boot, unplug the phone and pull out the battery, then re-insert it and try again.
3) If the phone STILL won't boot, pull the battery again, then reinsert it. Enter Recovery Mode by holding the Home + Volume UP + Power buttons at the same time until the phone says "Recovery Booting" at the top of the screen. From there, select "clear cache" and then reboot.
4) If the phone STILL won't boot, repeat step 3, but select "factory reset", then reboot. CAUTION: In case you're not clear on what "factory reset" means, you will lose all apps you have installed and all settings you have configured.
If you've flashed a kernel and the phone won't boot, you may have used a non-compatible kernel version. Flashing the same kernel version as your phone's firmware version will allow the phone to boot. After you boot into Recovery mode, you will see the firmware version listed at the top of the screen.
If all else fails, you can always boot into Download Mode by holding the Home + Volume DOWN + Power buttons, then use Odin to flash a Stock Restore image file. This will restore the phone to its factory state. CAUTION: To be clear: all of your apps and settings, and everything on the phone's internal storage will be deleted (but anything on your external SD card will not be affected).
Unbrick Image: If you are unable to get into Download Mode, there is one thing you can try. There was a method developed (I believe) for the Galaxy S3 that also works on the S5.
1) First, you must obtain an Unbrick Image that has been created with the Unbrick Image Creator on a phone with the same version of firmware and bootloader as the one you're trying to restore. Use the forum search function to find the image you'll need (unless someone is willing to provide a permanent repository of unbrick images).
2) Rename that file to "unbrick_IMG.img", and use Win32DiskImager to flash that image file to a "16gb Class 10" MicroSD card.
3) Insert the Unbrick MicroSD card into the phone, and power it off by unplugging it and removing the battery.
4) Re-insert the battery, then boot into download mode by holding the Home + Volume DOWN + Power buttons.
5) Now connect with Odin and flash a factory restore image.
JTAG: If your phone is truly bricked, you have one last possible recourse. There is a hardware tool called a JTAG that may be able to help you. It's a fairly expensive piece of hardware, but some repair places offer a one-time JTAG repair for a modest fee.
ROOTING 4.4.x and 5.x
As of mid-January 2016, root has now been achieved on every firmware version from NCG all the way to PB1.
Root access is simply a configuration within the operating system that allows one write access to protected system files. This is HUGELY powerful, allowing one to modify or delete system apps or alter how they function. If you are not very computer literate, you may want to pass on rooting until you've learned more. If you don't know what you are doing, it's possible to do some damage to your phone's configuration (possibly rendering it unusable to you, at least until you learn how to repair it). It can be dangerous to play outside the boundaries of User Space. Here there be monsters...
Note that although we have root access, the Bootloader is still locked and is extremely likely to remain so indefinitely. The bootloader is booby-trapped with a hardware "qfuse": attempts to alter the bootloader result in a hard-bricked phone, which effectively dissuades developers from messing with it. Fewer and fewer developers care about this phone, anyway, and have moved on to brands that are less hostile to power users.
Root Kitkat 4.4.2 or 4.4.4 (uses TowelRoot after temporarily downgrading kernel to NCG)
Update from rooted 4.4.x to 5.0 and Keep Root
Root Lollipop 5.0 (uses KingRoot)
Busybox: Android is a gutted variant of the Linux operating system, stripped down to only those functions needed to run a smartphone. Busybox adds back in a lot of the linux/unix functions and commands that were removed. You'll need this once you root if you want to be able to do anything really useful.
Custom ROMs
With a rooted phone, it is possible to install a customized version of the operating system, which is known as a "ROM". These range from rooted Stock ROM, mildly to heavily debloated versions of the Stock ROM, to more heavily customized and themed ROMs.
Unfortunately, because the bootloader on the Verizon S5 is locked, it is only possible to choose from a small selection of TouchWiz-based ROMS. Cyanogenmod (and all the various AOSP-based ROMs) require a different kernel: if you try to use a non-TouchWiz based kernel, the locked bootloader will not allow it to boot.
Only install ROMS found in the Verizon Galaxy S5 Android Development section of the forum.
The Verizon "Developer Edition" S5 comes with an unlocked bootloader, so on that device you CAN run non-TouchWiz ROMs.
As of March 2016 an unlock method for one of the two possible bootloaders has been discovered and exploited, essentially allowing you to turn your phone into a Dev Edition. To determine if your model is unlockable, you need to check the eMMC version. Do this by using a file explorer to browse to /sys/block/mmcblk0/device/cid. The CID file will contain a string of characters: if the first two digits are 15, your phone has the Samsung chip that is unlockable. If the first two digits are 11, your phone has the Toshiba chip and is NOT unlockable.
Odexed vs De-Odexed: You will also see in a ROM's description if it is "odexed" or "de-odexed". This is referring to how all of the applications on the phone are packaged.
An ODEXED application is one where parts of it have been "optimized" in a separate file (with the file extension .odex). This makes the application take up a little less storage apace and also load a little more quickly. However, because the parts of the app are packaged separately, it makes it harder to alter that application on-the-fly (such as theming or modifying the way it behaves).
A DEODEXED application is one where this optimization has been undone. This is necessary for theming or other modifications, and the space and speed difference is probably not really noticeable. If you plan to do any theming or on running Xposed framework, you should install the DEODEXED version of your chosen ROM.
The basic procedure for installing a custom ROM:
1) Boot into SafeStrap Recovery
2) Make a NANDroid backup of your current system, saved to the MicroSD card. If something goes wrong, you can easily restore to where you are now.
3) Wipe cache, dalvik cache, and system partitions.
4) Install your chosen ROM (which will be a .zip file)
5) Install any optional modification zips included and compatible with that particular ROM
6) Wipe cache
7) Reboot
jrkruse goes into much more detail for installing Lollipop ROMS here
Always do a full system wipe from SafeStrap before installing a ROM, or you will have many problems with conflicting settings and system files. Wiping first is known as a "clean flash". The only exception is if you are updating to a newer version of the same ROM, in which case it may be successful to do a "dirty flash", where settings files are unlikely to have changed enough to cause conflicts.
Likewise, never restore "system" apps with Titanium Backup or anything else unless you're on exactly the same version of the OS, because this is almost certain to try to configure those system apps in ways they can no longer function. Doing so will introduce strange problems that can be very difficult to troubleshoot.
If something goes catastrophically wrong, you can always get back to a factory state with Odin, root, install SafeStrap, and restore your NANDroid backup (provided you saved it to the external SDcard like I instructed you, rather than wiping it into oblivion with a ROM flash).
Debloating
Once rooted, you can remove a lot of the bloatware from your phone. It is possible to just uninstall or delete unwanted bloatware, but this can cause problems if you unknowingly remove something that was required for something else to work.
The safest option is to use Titanium Backup to "freeze" the undesirable apps. Then run your phone normally for a few days to make sure everything is functional. Once you're sure an app is safe to delete, you can then do so, or you can just leave it frozen. If it turns out you need to re-enable a frozen app, just "defrost" it in Titanium Backup.
Disabling KNOX
If you choose to use a Stock ROM after rooting, you will want to disable a few things: Knox, security update notifications, and the Verizon Over-the-Air updater.
Use Titanium Backup to freeze the following system apps:
com.sec.enterprise.knox.attestation
com.sec.knox.eventsmanager
KLMS Agent
KNOX
Knox Notification Manager
KNOX Store
Security policy updates SPD_v2_1402_4_1 (Security update notification)
SDM 1.0 (Verizon OTA update)
Xposed Framework and Modules
I won't go into a lot of detail here at this point. Just a few notes. I'll probably flesh this out more later and list my favorite modules.
In order for Xposed to function, you must be using a DEODEXED version of your ROM.
Xposed is awesome, and you should look into using it. I've been using the GravityBox module, and it allows me to get most of the little features I've previously enjoyed in custom ROMs.
Xposed installer for Lollipop
The specific Xposed framework you need to use for S5 Lollipop
Xposed bootloop: If you install an incompatible Xposed module, the worst case is a bootloop. You fix that by getting into Safestrap, choosing file explorer, and creating a file called "disabled" in /data/data/de.robv.android.xposed.installer/conf/
Alternately, there's a flashable zip file somewhere that puts the "disabled" file where it needs to be.
Then you reboot, get into Xposed and turn off the offending module. Then use a file explorer to go delete that "disabled" file and reboot.
Awesome thread!! Thank you very much for spending the time and putting this all together!!
Sent from my still locked down SM-G900V ?
Lots of great info in here! I appreciate the time and effort.
Are there any roms beyond 5.0 for verizon? I'm still running 4.4.4 right now. I tried 5.0 and hated some of the changes with sounds settings (Normal/Vibrate/Silent). My understanding is that 5.1.1 replaces these with the older setup. If that's the case I'd love to move to 5.1 but haven't found any ROMs that do 5.1.x except for one in the Unified forum. But the links for that are dead.
RedRamage said:
Lots of great info in here! I appreciate the time and effort.
Are there any roms beyond 5.0 for verizon? I'm still running 4.4.4 right now. I tried 5.0 and hated some of the changes with sounds settings (Normal/Vibrate/Silent). My understanding is that 5.1.1 replaces these with the older setup. If that's the case I'd love to move to 5.1 but haven't found any ROMs that do 5.1.x except for one in the Unified forum. But the links for that are dead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to my knowledge. The locked bootloader makes development very difficult. I think we will have to receive a stock 5.1 that functions with our locked bootloader before anybody can develop ROMs based on it.
I still prefer 4.4.4, too. However, if you want to give 5.0 another try, you may be able to use an Xposed module to restore the way you prefer the sound settings to work.
RedRamage said:
Are there any roms beyond 5.0 for verizon? I'm still running 4.4.4 right now. I tried 5.0 and hated some of the changes with sounds settings (Normal/Vibrate/Silent). My understanding is that 5.1.1 replaces these with the older setup. If that's the case I'd love to move to 5.1 but haven't found any ROMs that do 5.1.x except for one in the Unified forum. But the links for that are dead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As of now, we are limited to 5.0. If you give 5.0 another shot, I'd suggest using Wanam Xposed and enabling expandable volume control. I couldn't stand the volume settings of Lollipop until I started using Wanam.
---------- Post added at 12:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:21 PM ----------
Thank you, @painiac! Now I have a thread I can link every time someone asks how to do the basics. Having a device specific root/ROM thread makes things much easier.
I'm trying to help a fellow user who's trying to install the Optimal ROM and he keeps getting the OTA update message. I mentioned for him to try to freeze the SDM 1.0 but he said that it's not listed in TB. And to be honest, I don't see it listed anywhere in the MOAR ROM that I'm running. So if someone could point me in the right direction on how to freeze the OTA update. I/he would be greatly appreciated. He's posted the issue on the Optimal thread. Thank you in advance
al50 said:
I'm trying to help a fellow user who's trying to install the Optimal ROM and he keeps getting the OTA update message. I mentioned for him to try to freeze the SDM 1.0 but he said that it's not listed in TB. And to be honest, I don't see it listed anywhere in the MOAR ROM that I'm running. So if someone could point me in the right direction on how to freeze the OTA update. I/he would be greatly appreciated. He's posted the issue on the Optimal thread. Thank you in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It has been a long time since I've used MOAR, but I'm sure the OTA updater has been removed from it. The name of the app is SDM.apk. You should be able to find it in Titanium, but you can delete it manually if need be.
CVertigo1 said:
It has been a long time since I've used MOAR, but I'm sure the OTA updater has been removed from it. The name of the app is SDM.apk. You should be able to find it in Titanium, but you can delete it manually if need be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for replying CVerigo1. That's what I was thinking about it may have been removed. We suggested that he wipe 2 timesbefore installing the ROM just in case he had some files lingering around. I'm hoping that will solve his issue. Thanks again and apologize for posting this in Painiac's thread.
Thanks for putting all of this together. I sent in a request for the thread to be stickied since we need an updated "How to" thread.
Dudash said:
Thanks for putting all of this together. I sent in a request for the thread to be stickied since we need an updated "How to" thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It appears your request has been approved. I appreciate everyone's kind words.
So, say I have a phone that is BOK3 rooted (sweet) and I want to go back to factory unrooted BPB1 (to sell it)... what steps do I follow?
Update (3/8): Found out one solution to going back to stock...
1.) (This Step Is Probably Optional) -- Flash the stock BOK3 Rom using Odin and the PA slot -- This clears the bulk of your custom/rooted files off the phone
2.) Check for system update, allow it to install (should be BPB1)
3.) Boot into recovery mode and clear the phone (WARNING: You will lose all data on your phone)
--- Turn the Galaxy S5 off.
--- Press and hold the Volume up button, the Home button, and the Power button together until you see the Android on screen.
--- Use Volume down to highlight the wipe data/factory reset option and press the Power button to select it.
--- Use Volume down again to highlight Yes – delete all user data and press Power to select it.
--- Wait until you see the reboot system now option and then use the Power button to select it.
--- When the S5 restarts it should be completely wiped and ready to set up again.
Thanks,
Wook
rxwookie said:
So, say I have a phone that is BOK3 rooted (sweet) and I want to go back to factory unrooted BPB1 (to sell it)... what steps do I follow?
Update (3/8): Found out one solution to going back to stock...
1.) (This Step Is Probably Optional) -- Flash the stock BOK3 Rom using Odin and the PA slot -- This clears the bulk of your custom/rooted files off the phone
2.) Check for system update, allow it to install (should be BPB1)
3.) Boot into recovery mode and clear the phone (WARNING: You will lose all data on your phone)
--- Turn the Galaxy S5 off.
--- Press and hold the Volume up button, the Home button, and the Power button together until you see the Android on screen.
--- Use Volume down to highlight the wipe data/factory reset option and press the Power button to select it.
--- Use Volume down again to highlight Yes – delete all user data and press Power to select it.
--- Wait until you see the reboot system now option and then use the Power button to select it.
--- When the S5 restarts it should be completely wiped and ready to set up again.
Thanks,
Wook
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That works, but it has some extra steps. Just flash the PB1 factory image with Odin: there's no real reason to do BOK3 and then wait for an update to install. Flashing a factory image should have cleared all of your user data as well, but you can initiate a factory reset to be sure if you're selling it.
painiac said:
That works, but it has some extra steps. Just flash the PB1 factory image with Odin: there's no real reason to do BOK3 and then wait for an update to install. Flashing a factory image should have cleared all of your user data as well, but you can initiate a factory reset to be sure if you're selling it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for clarifying that. I was afraid to just flash the PBP1 Rom without knowing how it would act.
When I flashed the stock OK3 Rom it took the OTA update just fine. Interestingly, flashing the stock Rom didn't clear anything off the phone, so a factory reset had to be performed in my case.
In all honesty, I love the phone overall... But I'm just really sick of the locked bootloader.
Thank you for the comprehensive thread (and response to my post above).
Thanks,
Wook
rxwookie said:
Thank you for clarifying that. I was afraid to just flash the PBP1 Rom without knowing how it would act.
When I flashed the stock OK3 Rom it took the OTA update just fine. Interestingly, flashing the stock Rom didn't clear anything off the phone, so a factory reset had to be performed in my case.
In all honesty, I love the phone overall... But I'm just really sick of the locked bootloader.
Thank you for the comprehensive thread (and response to my post above).
Thanks,
Wook
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're very welcome. I can't blame you... my next phone likely won't be a Samsung.
Thank you for putting all of this together. Does http://forum.xda-developers.com/ver...t/rd-unlocking-galaxys-s5-bootloader-t3337909 change any of the information regarding custom ROMs?
jokajak said:
Thank you for putting all of this together. Does http://forum.xda-developers.com/ver...t/rd-unlocking-galaxys-s5-bootloader-t3337909 change any of the information regarding custom ROMs?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does, IF you have the specific chipset that can be unlocked. Thanks for mentioning that, I should add it to the guide.
This is a wonderful guide, thank you for putting it up. I'm a software engineer, but I rarely work with android code and have been using iPhones for awhile.
I used to root old droid phones back in the days of the Droid X2 and Droid 3, but I haven't done it in awhile. My girlfriend has an S5 that is causing her lots of problems, specifically terrible battery and no more space for adding apps because of the bloatware. When I used the older motorola droids, there was a process termed "sbf-ing" that would allow me to downgrade my phone to a different version. Is there any way I can do this with an s5 ? She has an S5 running 5.1.1, and I'm curious if I can bring it down to 5.0 or 4.xx to work with some of these roms.
Thanks!
N920PSPT2BPA2 Marshmallow Engineering Build
Just in case you miss the note below:
THE ODIN FLASH WILL WIPE AND REPARTITION THE ENTIRE PHONE.
THIS INCLUDES ALL BACKUPS AND EVERYTHING STORED ON INTERNAL STORAGE.
This is not OTA, this is an engineering build of the stock Sprint Marshmallow rom 'leaked' to us.
Thanks to an anonymous donor.
Please read:
- do not flash this on an UNLOCKED SM-920P, you will lose lock and we're not sure if you can get it back yet
- this build is fully functional however it may contain some bugs and does not contain all the features that will be available on final release.
- there are additional debugging tools and options in this build
- you will see additional code displayed on boots & reboots that are part of this being an engineering build
- this stock build is already deodexed
- you CAN go back to 5.1.1, see post #2 for the how-to
Download Link --- > Signed_ALL_SPT_N920PVPE2BPA2_N920PSPT2BPA2_CL6833823_QB8008180_REV00_eng_mid_noship.tar.7z
Rom Installation
Before You Start:
- Backup EVERYTHING you want to save from internal storage
THE ODIN FLASH WILL WIPE AND REPARTITION THE ENTIRE PHONE.
THIS INCLUDES ALL BACKUPS AND EVERYTHING STORED ON INTERNAL STORAGE.
Stage 1:
** Skip to STAGE 2 if OEM Unlock has already been done **
Preparing your current rom
** This is REQUIRED
• In the stock rom, turn on developer mode, enable USB debugging and OEM Unlock
• Settings>>>about device>>> scroll to bottom and tap build number 8 times
now press back button once and tap developer options...
• Toggle on both USB debugging and OEM Unlock.
Stage 2:
• Did you remember to backup your stuff to PC or OTG storage? This will WIPE the entire phone.
• Download Rom file to pc and extract the 7zip file
• Download Odin
Odin3_v3.10.7.zip
• Extract Odin zip-file
• Power down the phone
• Open Odin on pc
• Boot phone in Download Mode (press and hold Home + Power + Volume Down buttons)
• Connect phone and wait until you get a blue sign in Odin
• Within odin, add the Rom xxx.tar.md5 file to AP / PDA (depending on version of Odin)
It may take several minutes to verify file integrity, let it complete.
• Click the start button and let the Odin flash complete, the phone will automatically reboot (if you haven't uncheck the reboot option)
• Let the rom fully boot (about 10 minutes), setup can be a lengthy process and will require at least one automatic reboot. Continue through the setup process and if downloading Play Store apps with your profile, let that complete as well.
You can check on the progress of your Play Store downloads from within 'My Apps & Games' in the Play Store app.
[Guide] How to Root this stock Marshmallow Rom
1. Download and place on internal storage -- > BETA-SuperSU-v2.68-20160228150503.zip
2. Download TWRP for MM -- > twrp-3.0.2-0-M-nobleltespr.tar.tar
3. Flash TWRP custom recovery with Odin (same instructions as rom flash apply).
Reboot into custom recovery and flash SuperSU and reboot. (see button sequence for custom recovery in post #2 if you're not sure how to get in)
** You may get a kernel panic on first reboot, just hot boot the phone by holding pwr + volume/down.
Known Issues
- Gear VR does not work
- Gear watch does not work
Mini-Bootloaders
These will allow you to flash between 5.1.1 and 6.0x with ease.
Important note:
- You MUST flash the full marshmallow tarball at least once to prepare the phone.
- You MUST match the Bootloader version to your backup, they are not interchangeable. The OK3 firmware will run older versions of 5.1.1 too.
5.1.1 OK3 Mini Bootloader
SM-N920P_OK3_BOOTLOADER.tar.md5
6.0.1 PA2 Mini Bootloader
SM-N920P_PA2_BOOTLOADER.tar.md5
Use of Mini Bootloaders:
- These do not include the OS and REQUIRE that you have a matching OS backup already saved to restore
- Flash the bootloader with Odin (same instructions apply as rom flash in Post #1). Make sure you uncheck the auto reboot choice first.
Once the flash is complete unplug the phone, press and hold pwr + volume/down to reboot and as soon as the phone resets, immediately press pwr + home + volume/up to enter custom recovery and restore your backup.
** If you missed the key sequence try again, it takes good timing but I'm sure you'll be a pro at it in no time.
Modifications and other Stuff
PA2 New Stuff
- Hotspot hack, 5 way reboot, Knox removal scripts
- Bootanimation restored
- No more big lag on reboot (Version 1 issue)
- Removed ongoing dumpstate nag
- Removed engineering code from shutdown
Note:
As of version 2, developer options is disabled as default.
To re-enable, tap on 'Build number' in settings/About device.
Download is available at the bottom of this post.
Flash in custom recovery (available at the bottom of Post #1).
___________________________________________
TIPS:
- to increase screen speed and responsiveness, go into developer settings and change all three animation scales from 1.0 to .5.
- If rooted, install Titanium Backup and freeze all the unnecessary apps (backup first)
- If rooted, install Greenify and snooze everything that doesn't need to run or sync in the background
___________________________________________
Note 5 Recoveries
(Only version compatible with marshmallow is already posted in the OP)
Sprint Galaxy Note 5 Kernels
Sprint Galaxy Note 5 Modems
** Modems are flashed in Odin. The tar file gets placed in the CP slot.
Stock factory tars, flashable with odin, are available here:
N920PVPU1AOGD_N920PSPT1AOGD_SPR-STOCK_TARBALL
Stock rom mirror download
N920PVPU2AOI6_N920PSPT2AOI6_SPR.zip
[ROM] N920PSPT2AOK3_SPR Stock Factory Build
___________________________________________
Nice this is fun. Can't wait to get more into it and have a good rom
Chaz187 said:
Nice this is fun. Can't wait to get more into it and have a good rom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll finish this and OTA will be out within the week.
tdunham said:
I'll finish this and OTA will be out within the week.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup you know it..... then the real fun can start!!!!!
Swwwwwweeeeetttt. U the man
Looks good T
Thanks "Mr. Dunham"!!!!!! Wearing it out as you so often do.
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
Great work
ATTENTION:
I think just about everything is posted.
Please read through all 3 opening posts for all pertinent information and extras.
I don't see a Q&A thread for this rom but does anyone know if like previous engineering roms / bootloaders in others Samsung devices if root can be achieved without tripping knox.
NotLinusTorvalds said:
I don't see a Q&A thread for this rom but does anyone know if like previous engineering roms / bootloaders in others Samsung devices if root can be achieved without tripping knox.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The million dollar question. We need a guinea pig.
Because if this is true, we can use this bootloader along with OTA build and new users can retain knox flag.
tdunham said:
The million dollar question. We need a guinea pig.
Because if this is true, we can use this bootloader along with OTA build and new users can retain knox flag.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know Chaz posted in the MM thread in the general section that there was some battery life issues he was facing. I guess my question is, how is your battery holding up while running this?
I mean, I'll probably end up flashing it either way but I'm just curious.
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
weavr said:
I know Chaz posted in the MM thread in the general section that there was some battery life issues he was facing. I guess my question is, how is your battery holding up while running this?
I mean, I'll probably end up flashing it either way but I'm just curious.
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems fine to me. But i rooted and froze everything i could lay my hands on with Titanium Backup also.
Man you da man thanks for putting this together
Anyone having any issues with this? Id love to go this way so i can kill Samsung pay framework issues after going back stock from rooted.
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
So I've got this installed and running on both my phone and my wife's. No problems so far. Gonna do a full battery cycle a couple of times and report back.
I wanna try it out, but I need the hotspot hack.
Yeah. Thanks you.. im test it
Greetings.
I didn't post in very long time on this forum,since I could handle most of the problems on my own,now I need some andvanced tips and advices,so I'm reporting in.
I bough myself a Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition last year here in Bosnia and Hercegovina.Beautiful phone,never got a scratch on it,It had Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean out of the box but all of the features from basic S4 except one,it couldn't update firmware to Lolipop 5.0.1.
That used to bother me,since I had much older devices that supported JB and this phone was just special,enough that I couldn't let it be my daily driver having unused potential,so i threw myself at work(which will later prove a very bad decision).
I checked for OTA updates in the settings and that option would litteraly do nothing,providing no info,or searching for new updates.
Smash that Build number,got into developer mode,toggle USB debugging,Install Kies on PC,run it as Admin,download latest drivers,connect the device,Firmware update asks for IMEI and s/n,type them in,says to check my s/n and IMEI,do that few times under different compatibility options,still the same.
I thought it must be something bad with data/catche so i reset to recovery mode and wipe them out,setup the phone,enter the OTA update for second time,it shows me "Your device have been modified, Software updates are not available", check device status and it states "Samsung",after several attempts it sometime said "Modified" sometimes "Samsung",Kies didn't recognise the device through all this process.
I was already lost here,but I thought,hell Kies isn't working,neather is OTA,i could flash using Odin,that might do the trick.
Went to Sammobile,downloaded latest drivers and Odin,found one Firmware that I though was compatible.,unbloked them in properties and set to rin as Admin.
Uninstalled Kies and checked for leftover drivers again,and it was all clear to go,ran odin,mounted firmware,set device in download mode and started flashing but Odin poped out "complete(write) operation fail" error.
Didn't want to try fixing it,went straight back to SM and downloaded two other firmwares,one said "complete(write) operation fail",and the other "Re-Partition operation failed",so I thought Odin was bad,since I checked on two PC's with several USB ports.
Download two more versions of Odin and find a stock s4 PIT file here somewhere for repartrition error.
Extracted everything,unblocked and ran with privilegies,same thing on both Odin versions,except that only Odin 3.07 could flash the pit file alone with no problems it passed.
Next time i ran download mode i tried to flash the firmware write fail came up again,extracted recovery and flashed it alone,worked like a charm,so I tried flashing once again,it proceedes a little further with same write error.
Reset the phone to wipe data and catche and it goes into "Firmware Upgrade Encountered An Issue Error",Install kies,it still doesn't recognise the phone.
Out of option right now I go for search of alternative recovery software,and I found the famous "Dr.Fone" (how stupid I was to not read all those,"if it wasn't for this software my phone would die" comments)
Installed it,ran recovery my phone shuts down and displays "set warranty bit: kernel message",from this point nothing works except recovery mode,so I install CWM recovery and flash a Custom ROM,now only this option that sets my phone in working order and I want to recover it's Firmware back,Anyone that could help me with this issue,or had it solved before?
Atleast give it a try.
this amount of pain can't be titled
Drow_Warlord said:
Greetings.
I didn't post in very long time on this forum,since I could handle most of the problems on my own,now I need some andvanced tips and advices,so I'm reporting in.
I bough myself a Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition last year here in Bosnia and Hercegovina.Beautiful phone,never got a scratch on it,It had Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean out of the box but all of the features from basic S4 except one,it couldn't update firmware to Lolipop 5.0.1.
That used to bother me,since I had much older devices that supported JB and this phone was just special,enough that I couldn't let it be my daily driver having unused potential,so i threw myself at work(which will later prove a very bad decision).
I checked for OTA updates in the settings and that option would litteraly do nothing,providing no info,or searching for new updates.
Smash that Build number,got into developer mode,toggle USB debugging,Install Kies on PC,run it as Admin,download latest drivers,connect the device,Firmware update asks for IMEI and s/n,type them in,says to check my s/n and IMEI,do that few times under different compatibility options,still the same.
I thought it must be something bad with data/catche so i reset to recovery mode and wipe them out,setup the phone,enter the OTA update for second time,it shows me "Your device have been modified, Software updates are not available", check device status and it states "Samsung",after several attempts it sometime said "Modified" sometimes "Samsung",Kies didn't recognise the device through all this process.
I was already lost here,but I thought,hell Kies isn't working,neather is OTA,i could flash using Odin,that might do the trick.
Went to Sammobile,downloaded latest drivers and Odin,found one Firmware that I though was compatible.,unbloked them in properties and set to rin as Admin.
Uninstalled Kies and checked for leftover drivers again,and it was all clear to go,ran odin,mounted firmware,set device in download mode and started flashing but Odin poped out "complete(write) operation fail" error.
Didn't want to try fixing it,went straight back to SM and downloaded two other firmwares,one said "complete(write) operation fail",and the other "Re-Partition operation failed",so I thought Odin was bad,since I checked on two PC's with several USB ports.
Download two more versions of Odin and find a stock s4 PIT file here somewhere for repartrition error.
Extracted everything,unblocked and ran with privilegies,same thing on both Odin versions,except that only Odin 3.07 could flash the pit file alone with no problems it passed.
Next time i ran download mode i tried to flash the firmware write fail came up again,extracted recovery and flashed it alone,worked like a charm,so I tried flashing once again,it proceedes a little further with same write error.
Reset the phone to wipe data and catche and it goes into "Firmware Upgrade Encountered An Issue Error",Install kies,it still doesn't recognise the phone.
Out of option right now I go for search of alternative recovery software,and I found the famous "Dr.Fone" (how stupid I was to not read all those,"if it wasn't for this software my phone would die" comments)
Installed it,ran recovery my phone shuts down and displays "set warranty bit: kernel message",from this point nothing works except recovery mode,so I install CWM recovery and flash a Custom ROM,now only this option that sets my phone in working order and I want to recover it's Firmware back,Anyone that could help me with this issue,or had it solved before?
Atleast give it a try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Day#4 Fail compilation
I see that this gets no response,but I'll continue this thread just in case I fix this and somebody else gets into same problem themselves.
I mentioned before that I somehow flashed custom ROM over CWM and that helped my phone boot into working state after bootloop error caused by greatest Android software there is on the internet,the legendary "Dr.Fone"
The Custom rom used was "[OFFICIAL][i9500][5.1.x] CyanogenMod 12.1 for Samsung Galaxy S4 [NIGHTLY]" From xda user: Alberto96 (thank you friend).
After several other failed attempts of implementing Stock firmware on this bricked device over the PC,I got to the point where I think that it's literally imposible to make it work since I tried so many ways and patterns of installation with no difference in the outcome results whatsoever.
I took a moment to rethink my strat over this and googled other ways of flashing that firmware without using PC.
Found 2 possible solutions that I'm trying to make use of,first is Odin Mobile and the Other is FlashFire.
Since both require rooted devices,finding way to root bricked S4 wasn't a very pleasant experiance,since flashing SuperSU through CWM recovery didn't work,Odin managed to flash me nice Autoroot from Chainfire over the custom ROM I installed before,I found a problem even there since the I9505 autoroot wouldn't work,the custom firware had changed the phone model to I9507 that I downloaded the Autoroot for,was a confusing issue,but I managed to root it anyways.
Page I used for this purpose was Chainfire Autoroot database(sorry if I'm violating forum rules but I think this could be left here without further discussion about it).
After rebooting the device I downloaded Rootcheck software along with SuperSU and FlashFire which confirmed that it's fully unlocked/rooted.
Now I'm recharging my phone so I can later tonight go ahead and transfer firmware to it's SD card and try to flash it once again with FlashFire,last option I'm thinking of as of now if this wouldn't have any progress is to download Odin mobile and try another flash,I'm running out of ideas on this one.
Sorry for the long posts,but these get no respose so who cares.
Hey,
Need some help here and not sure what's gone wrong, I've managed to root and flash custom ROM's before, but for some reason, my S7 now will not let me flash the BL file when trying to restore a stock ROM.
I can flash AP, CP and CSC with no problems, but trying to flash the BL file it gets half way and then the box at the top just goes red and says FAIL!
I've tried wiping everything from TWRP, installing custom ROM's and so forth to try and then restore from - phone is UK on BT Mobile and usually I use the XEU stock rom to reset.
The problem is, I have no carrier signal or IMEI information (I've tried the SIM in a different phone and it's working fine) so I can only presume it's something to do with the BL flash?
Any help is really appreciated!
Ok, well, hours of playing I found a SM-G930F combination firmware to flash (COMBINATION_FA60_G930FXXU2ARA2_BoxWares) - this has gotten me into FACTORY BINARY and lots of factory test / setting modes - phone now has it's IMEI number back AND I was able to receive a call from my girlfriends phone...
This seems to be running on Marshmallow 6.0.1 but obviously is not usable as an OS - so I need help to uprade firmwares in the correct order as trying to flash to 7 or 8 just fails in Odin and I can't seem to install TWRP recovery either from this.
I'm on BT Mobile (I used XEU before without issue - until recently!) so presume that's still the correct version...
Thanks!
Before I say anything DO you have a backup of your EFS folder do that first
Assuming you can only flash the binary 2 combination file firmware ,Samsung has recently updated their bootloader to not allow downgrades , you can only flash Nougat firmware from this year
Hey, I actually found that from some random spanish forum late last night... so I now have the combination rom with a useless (daily) front end / homescreen running android 6.0.1 but believe the bootloader is locked (from the nice little red error messages on startup) to a more recent version.
Supposedly I should be able to flash a `current` stock firmware then... but cannot seem to flash an AP file over this Combination rom install....
I did manage to download APKInstaller and install Kingroot (TWRP flash does not work - you cannot get into recovery anymore) and some other android apps (phone / sms / messenger) so have limited functionality but better than none for now.
No backups.
Boot into download mode , flash only the Sboot ( unzip the tar and make tar with only sboot) from any recent stock rom .
in AP put TWRP , untick the auto reboot.
when it passes( unplug phone ) hold the volume done , home power button till phone reboots (screen goes off) , quickly press volume up ,home and power button , you should be in TWRP
The combination firmware do not allow recovery modifications , it will just go in bootloop
OK, I'll try that when I get home later... lets say it works, what is my course of action then?
I still think I won't be able to flash a rom from Odin just by installing TWRP, so what actions do I need to take in TWRP? complete format ?
Thanks!
In TWRP make a backup of the EFS and Baseband partitions , copy to memory card .
I learned it the hard way , I ended up buying a second S7 with broken LCD so I can use the board
No box or tool can patch the certificate once you on Nougat as of yet
then you can go back to download mode and flash the AP ,CP ,CSC and phone should boot up , Leave the BL
Managed to get into stock recovery somehow (wasn't working before) and can see options for ADB sideloading etc again so that's something I guess lol
Presumably, if I can flash the boot file then twrp, I can then install a custom rom (i originally went from 7.0 up to 8 with Pixel Experience and Lineage, before things went tits up)
I'm guessing it'll be a case of formating data / wiping cache and installing the custom rom - assuming the BL is running 7.0 - or am i going to need to try and flash everything again via Odin (unsuccessful so far and only rom that will install is Combination)? also what about the CSC file...?
The only reason I'm in this predicament is because one of the custom roms somewhere (or google) screwed my IMEI settings, but Combination has brought those back.
you should be able to install any stock firmware from March 2018 onwards without any problems
Hmm ok so the network things I'm on T-Mobile and not BT Mobile lol (presumably because of the EUR flash) not sure if this will have implications when it comes to billing etc (BT bought out EE/T-Mobile but are different businesses still).
So does anyone have a working link to the XEU firmware? XEU-G930FXXS2DRC3-20180329132652 seems to be the filename... I can only find crap sites with 4kb downloads unless you pay $10-$20 lol
Success - in the absence of an upto date firmware from March for XEU - I found and installed the EUR one - BL everything went straight in and I've booted to setup screen now \o/
In Greek.... OK so hopefully I can just change language and wait for the XEU to surface (or is it OK to use the EUR? I have IMEI everything so looking good so far!)
I will probably flash Pixel Experience again unless someone recommends another over this?
Dreamz2k said:
Success - in the absence of an upto date firmware from March for XEU - I found and installed the EUR one - BL everything went straight in and I've booted to setup screen now \o/
In Greek.... OK so hopefully I can just change language and wait for the XEU to surface (or is it OK to use the EUR? I have IMEI everything so looking good so far!)
I will probably flash Pixel Experience again unless someone recommends another over this?
Click to expand...
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As someone said before.. Flash TWRP using ODIN; boot to twrp and make a backup of the EFS partition ONLY. Store the backup in the SD card and then copy it to the pc/dropbox/Drive/whatever. There are no guaranties that you wont loose the IMEI again if you attempt to flash the custom rom again. Then If you want to be on a completely stock rom, reflash the rom using ODIN. If you want to backup the baseband too, do the same procedure again but select only the baseband partition (untick the others)
To download stock roms you can use either the SamFirm tool (google search it.. it is on XDA) or Updato (site). Both of them provide really fast download speeds as there are no caps, and they are free. The files are downloaded straight from Samsung servers.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Dreamz2k said:
Success - in the absence of an upto date firmware from March for XEU - I found and installed the EUR one - BL everything went straight in and I've booted to setup screen now \o/
In Greek.... OK so hopefully I can just change language and wait for the XEU to surface (or is it OK to use the EUR? I have IMEI everything so looking good so far!)
I will probably flash Pixel Experience again unless someone recommends another over this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i guess i have the same problem like u....cant flash anything...just the combination file like u.....i have the stockrom from march but i cant flash this!! Odin does "Set partition" an do nothing!...
what can i do?