Related
**NOTE** For the SM-P900! However steps should be the same for SM-P905 EXCLUDING THE FILE TYPES (THEY ARE DIFFERENT DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE THE FILES FOR THE SM-P900 OR BYE BYE TO YOUR NOTE 12.2 Pro because now you have a problem that may or may not be repairable/reversible). You just have to make sure you have the coordinating files for the process!
If anyone else has issues try this and these steps to complete the Root/Custom ROM/TWRP Recovery installations successfully for a "First time go":
1. Remove Kies and Kies3 files, related files, folders, and everything that has anything to do with the primary installation of either the two programs on your PC and your devices. When/if prompted, select the checkable box and elect not save any type of files... if you want to keep them save them OFF your main PC on a flash or removable storage device.
2. REMOVE ALL SAMSUNG DRIVERS AND REPLACE WITH ONLY OFFICIAL SAMSUNG DRIVES!!! THIS IS A BIG MUST!
3. Using your USB 2.0 cable and ports Install the Custom Rom "P900XXUANB3-RecoveryImg.tar" FIRST and flash it via ODIN 3.07 under the PDA checkbox that is "fixed" (so you noobs don’t make any soft bricks if this is your first attempt at rooting), and only use the ODIN 3.07 THAT COMES W/ CHAINFIRES AUTO ROOT .zip file and then unzip the folder to open ODIN 3.07 ONLY! This is only because I have read that there have been issues installing the SU via Chain Fires Auto Root Process... the file is called (currently as of 25 JUNE 2014) "P900XXUANB3-RecoveryImg.tar" PDA select it and then start when in DOWNLOAD MODE on your device. Manually select DOWNLOAD MODE if you have to BEFORE PRESSING START! Otherwise, one is just going to sit there and not accomplish anything.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2591013&d=1392923580
http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2591159&d=1392930654
http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2775098&d=1401644348
4 Reboot back into DOWNLOAD MODE. Flash in ODIN 3.07 with the PDA section and select this file next to install: "openrecovery-twrp-2.7.1.0-v1awifi.img.tar"
5. In DOWNLOAD MODE and flash the file under the PDA box TWRP (OR CURRENT RECOVERY OF YOUR CHOICE THAT IS AVAILABLE)
6. AGAIN... Restart your device into DOWNLOAD MODE via ODIN 3.07 and select PDA and then finally root this: "CF-Auto-Root-v1awifi-v1awifixx-smp900.tar.md5" Then you can backup, restore, flash anything, and be happy! YOU SHOULD FINALLY HAVE A SUCCESSFUL ROOT! Turn off and REBOOT into RECOVERY to see if TWRP stuck and then reboot to see if the SU stuck. IF everything stuck reboot back into TWRP to flash whatever rom is available MAKE SURE TO BACK UP EVERY FILE BEFORE YOU FLASH ANY NON-STOCK ROMS. If not successful rinse wash and repeat until it does!
http://download.chainfire.eu/384/CF-Root/CF-Auto-Root/CF-Auto-Root-v1awifi-v1awifixx-smp900.zip
7. That’s it you should have root and a custom rom and recovery if you followed these instructions for flashing via ODIN 3.07 and Chainfires AutoRoot files. If you still have an issue repeat until root/recovery/Rom sticks. If you have to update the Binary for the SU just go to the Google Play Store and install the app and then try it again till it works. GOOD LUCK it worked for me this way!
**IMPORTANT**
BACK UP BACK UP BACK UP BACK UP after every flash that is possible to back up. If you can, back up the NON-SU stock ROM BEFORE installing SU, after installing the recovery and/or back up.
***IF I HELPED YOU OUT THANK ME***
DISCLAIMER - all research was observed via comments on the thread according to issues people have been having during ROOTING the device I simply have compiled the data and made a check list!
Need a link to the files you mentioned.
Thanks. Very helpful.
I have a P900. Is there a way to unroot and bring a unit back to stock? My main concern is if Samsung sends out a software/firmware update, and a device is already rooted, can the update be applied?
sstea said:
Thanks. Very helpful.
I have a P900. Is there a way to unroot and bring a unit back to stock? My main concern is if Samsung sends out a software/firmware update, and a device is already rooted, can the update be applied?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read THIS
But still one quiestion, why the heck you root your device if you are going to update it via Samsung's official ways. Ah and one more question.. why the heck would you want to update your device if it's rooted?
A new update from Samsung can patch all known security holes and make your device unrootable, and since you are rooted now, one would think that you don't want to loose it. Or where do I know if you rooted because it sounded nice and cool, without knowing what you did and most importantly WHY you did.
Spere said:
Read THIS
But still one quiestion, why the heck you root your device if you are going to update it via Samsung's official ways. Ah and one more question.. why the heck would you want to update your device if it's rooted?
A new update from Samsung can patch all known security holes and make your device unrootable, and since you are rooted now, one would think that you don't want to loose it. Or where do I know if you rooted because it sounded nice and cool, without knowing what you did and most importantly WHY you did.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I appreciate the reply. I have rooted many devices before. I have to admit that it was more of following posted instructions and not fully understanding the details. What gives me pause is how extremely limited the support is for this tablet. I want to root my note if I can make it more responsive, get rid of bloatware, enable more apps for multi-window, titanium backup, etc. I want to make sure that if I root that I don't get stuck with on an old release. So will previously rooted Notes be able to get the necessary files to easily update and maintain root, or does rooting now mean that a tablet may be stuck at the current release? Thanks
sstea said:
Thanks. I appreciate the reply. I have rooted many devices before. I have to admit that it was more of following posted instructions and not fully understanding the details. What gives me pause is how extremely limited the support is for this tablet. I want to root my note if I can make it more responsive, get rid of bloatware, enable more apps for multi-window, titanium backup, etc. I want to make sure that if I root that I don't get stuck with on an old release. So will previously rooted Notes be able to get the necessary files to easily update and maintain root, or does rooting now mean that a tablet may be stuck at the current release? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can always flash stock firmware via odin
I was just wondering if everyone was having a much easier time with achieving root now? Kies caused me to "Hang" a lot during the Root and custom rom to stick w root... as of right now i can not get the only ONE custom ROM that looks promising, i have found by GWatts (correct me if i am wrong and i apologize if i have typed the wrong screen name handle) i believe his handle is... at this point im not sure what i am doing wrong as of yet but im sure i am missing a step or i just need to start back at unroot back to stock firmware and try and try again lol. not saying anything is wrong with his work at all by any means because people other than me with the same device have gotten it to stick and im just wishing i could as well because its sweet looking ROM! NOT TO MENTION THE ONLY ONE THAT IS OUT (that is which i know about. i haven't been on in a few months idk), SO KUDOS TO WATTS i just haven't been successful at installing his custom rom just yet... Im hoping that its just going to need to be erased again and then reformatted after a factory reset and what not, i pray it sticks because his incorporation of the aroma installer was a nice touch and his ROM really looks good... Now if i can just get it not to stick at samsung boot logo and freeze id be good lol!
sanvara said:
Need a link to the files you mentioned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok
I followed your instructions but while flashing the cf-auto-root file my screen got all distorted (speckled grains of color), and nothing else happened for about 15 minutes, until I just unplugged it and shut it off.
Now when I power it on it gives me the error "Firmware upgrade uncountered an issue. Please select recovery mode in Kies & try again."
I wonder what I did wrong.
pnuker said:
I followed your instructions but while flashing the cf-auto-root file my screen got all distorted (speckled grains of color), and nothing else happened for about 15 minutes, until I just unplugged it and shut it off.
Now when I power it on it gives me the error "Firmware upgrade uncountered an issue. Please select recovery mode in Kies & try again."
I wonder what I did wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
**Edit**
I went back and reflashed the twrp file and it got me out of the error screen. I installed supersu, and then re-flashed the cf-auto-root file, and it worked like a charm. I'm not sure if it was the installation of supersu, or just repeating the process that fixed it, but I'm happy either way...
Thank you! I succesfully rooted my SM-P900 after all mentioned problems ( hanging in the cache.img and after a while a disturbed screen etc.) with your guide. I am a very happy rooter now.
Thanks,
Thanks to the poster. I tried rooting with the instructions from a few other sites and thought I bricked it,
Followed your instructions, and presto.. Rooted! :good:
Rooted!
Thanks for your post. This is my first time ever rooting a device. Your method worked perfectly!
your welcome!
frankiecxyz said:
Thanks for your post. This is my first time ever rooting a device. Your method worked perfectly!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
your very welcome! it took me a bit to get it down but i eventually figured it out and at the time information on rooting the device was hard to find with this specific model. then i discovered what the issues where and felt the need to post it! im glad i could help!:laugh:
Flash SU with TWRP not ODIN
Here's my story...
Received my new UK spec SM-P900 Note Pro 12.2, ran through the initial setup, performed two OTA upgrades to KOT49H.P900XXUANI1, then attempted to flash SU using Odin 3.07 using the various instructions on this forum. Result: failed cache flash and soft brick!
Used Keis 3 to recover the tablet which took two hours! After more reading I discovered the quick boot recovery flash method, so re-attempted on a different PC, with exactly the same result. Re-flashed the boot, tried again, fail, again, fail, etc, etc. Various permutations of PCs, Odin versions and USB ports were tried.
Concluded that the Odin method was NEVER going to work, so had a rethink. Used Odin to flash TWRP v2.8. Downloaded the latest SU-BETA v2.7 flash for TWRP (not Odin), copied it to the root of the tablet SD and then flashed it with TWRP. Worked first time with no messing about!!!
Booted, ran SU and upgraded to Premium, disabled KNOX from within SU. Tablet locked up. Booted, re-ran SU, disabled KNOX again, this time successfully. Ran Titanium, filtered with KNOX and froze all occurrences, then de-installed KNOX completely. :good:
Lesson learnt... DO NOT use Odin to flash SU on a P900 !
soft bricked
Hello!
First of all let me say that I'm a complete newbie, this is my first android device. I tried to root my SM-P900 (P900XXUANI1) using an online guide (image with URL attached, as I am not allowed to paste URLs)
Unfortunately at Step 10 (flashing with Odin) the operation failed and now I ended up with a soft bricked device (I assume this is the correct definition). It will only show the message asking me to connect it to KIES to recover it.
I know i can try to use KIES 3 and restore it, but before that i would like to ask if there is any alternative which will allow me to unbrick the device without losing all my data... (yeah i know...).
If i follow this guide will this help? I'm not sure if I can even put the device in download mode again as it shows the error message about connecting it to KIES...
At this point I don't care about rooting, I just want to unbrick the device.... I understand the guide up to (and including) step 3. But for the rest of the steps I'm lost Could anyone please explain them in a bit more detail? I don't want to install any custom firmware, just to unbrick it...
Any help would be very appreciated!
Thank you
Yemble said:
Here's my story...
Received my new UK spec SM-P900 Note Pro 12.2, ran through the initial setup, performed two OTA upgrades to KOT49H.P900XXUANI1, then attempted to flash SU using Odin 3.07 using the various instructions on this forum. Result: failed cache flash and soft brick!
Used Keis 3 to recover the tablet which took two hours! After more reading I discovered the quick boot recovery flash method, so re-attempted on a different PC, with exactly the same result. Re-flashed the boot, tried again, fail, again, fail, etc, etc. Various permutations of PCs, Odin versions and USB ports were tried.
Concluded that the Odin method was NEVER going to work, so had a rethink. Used Odin to flash TWRP v2.8. Downloaded the latest SU-BETA v2.7 flash for TWRP (not Odin), copied it to the root of the tablet SD and then flashed it with TWRP. Worked first time with no messing about!!!
Booted, ran SU and upgraded to Premium, disabled KNOX from within SU. Tablet locked up. Booted, re-ran SU, disabled KNOX again, this time successfully. Ran Titanium, filtered with KNOX and froze all occurrences, then de-installed KNOX completely. :good:
Lesson learnt... DO NOT use Odin to flash SU on a P900 !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you got a link to the odin rwrp 2.7 you used and the su 2.7 flash for twrp please?
VenomousViper said:
**NOTE** For the SM-P900! However steps should be the same for SM-P905 EXCLUDING THE FILE TYPES (THEY ARE DIFFERENT DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE THE FILES FOR THE SM-P900 OR BYE BYE TO YOUR NOTE 12.2 Pro because now you have a problem that may or may not be repairable/reversible). You just have to make sure you have the coordinating files for the process!
If anyone else has issues try this and these steps to complete the Root/Custom ROM/TWRP Recovery installations successfully for a "First time go":
1. Remove Kies and Kies3 files, related files, folders, and everything that has anything to do with the primary installation of either the two programs on your PC and your devices. When/if prompted, select the checkable box and elect not save any type of files... if you want to keep them save them OFF your main PC on a flash or removable storage device.
2. REMOVE ALL SAMSUNG DRIVERS AND REPLACE WITH ONLY OFFICIAL SAMSUNG DRIVES!!! THIS IS A BIG MUST!.......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When i trying root, my SGN freeze in "cache". Odin show error and tablet goes to Emergency Firmware Recovery. Аnd it does not matter what program I use and how I do it.
Mine Reboots Constantly
I rooted my SM-900 about two weeks ago.
It worked great for a week until the device started rebooting by itself.
The first time a couple times a day, now it does it whenever as often as twice in 5 minutes.
Is there a way to see which app is causing this or does anyone know why this might be happening?
Though I rooted I haven't been poking around. I figured it'd be like using Linux but now I see it's not quite like that.
Thanks in advance.
sunnykhs said:
I rooted my SM-900 about two weeks ago.
It worked great for a week until the device started rebooting by itself.
The first time a couple times a day, now it does it whenever as often as twice in 5 minutes.
Is there a way to see which app is causing this or does anyone know why this might be happening?
Though I rooted I haven't been poking around. I figured it'd be like using Linux but now I see it's not quite like that.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you cleared dalvic cache and cache in TWRP recovery? Be forewarned the process takes a while for cache wipe.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
this is the second time i've soft bricked my phone in the past 6 days and if this is fixable i will probably consider researching for weeks at a time before trying anything new..
anyway, the first time i soft bricked my phone last week, my s6 was rooted (via chainfire, G920IDVU1AOC6) but i decided to unroot so i could update software. after unrooting with SuperSU, i attempted to update by using smart switch and then something went wrong with that process (my firmware was at G920IDVU1AOC4) which i then fixed by flashing G920IDVU1BOE3 (latest stock firmware) WITHOUT the hidden.img
backstory out of the way, i wanted to flash TWRP so i could install xposed installer. i used the same chainfire firmware that worked the week prior (above) and so now my phone is soft bricked
things i've tried:
- flashing recovery of AOC4 - i can get back into recovery mode with the older firmware
- flashing AOC4 stock firmware with AND without the hidden.img
- flashing the BOE3 stock firmware with AND without the hidden.img
i'm still able to get into download mode and stock recovery and i've already tried wiping cache and factory reset but nothing works.
i continue to get FAILED on odin
if anyone is able to bring my phone back from purgatory for the second time it would be greatly appreciated.
thanks in advanced, mojo.
Ok, I soft bricked my s6 too :/ its fine now so dont worry, actually, I read somewhere the problem of failing is in Odin, and you need to flash the stock recovery and then recocery.img you extracted from it in a way odin can read, im from my phone now so I will try to search it out, hope I will find. Dont worry dude your s6 is alive.
Ok i found it, http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s6/help/solved-stuck-download-mode-failed-odin-t3104736 , I burned stock and then the file he supplied,worked like a charm.
JusTeN_ said:
Ok, I soft bricked my s6 too :/ its fine now so dont worry, actually, I read somewhere the problem of failing is in Odin, and you need to flash the stock recovery and then recocery.img you extracted from it in a way odin can read, im from my phone now so I will try to search it out, hope I will find. Dont worry dude your s6 is alive.
Ok i found it, http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s6/help/solved-stuck-download-mode-failed-odin-t3104736 , I burned stock and then the file he supplied,worked like a charm.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you so much for your reply and reassurance! i'll try this out right now and update on the results
UPDATE: i tried flashing stock and then the my-recovery.img.tar and i could get into recovery but i was stuck in boot loop.
is there something i'm doing that's incorrect?
Saafir said:
Did you remove the cable, boot download mode, then reconnect and let the driver install screen complete on your PC? Sorry if its a bit redundant but I had made this mistake before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes i have reconnected each time but thanks anyway!
JusTeN_ said:
Ok, I soft bricked my s6 too :/ its fine now so dont worry, actually, I read somewhere the problem of failing is in Odin, and you need to flash the stock recovery and then recocery.img you extracted from it in a way odin can read, im from my phone now so I will try to search it out, hope I will find. Dont worry dude your s6 is alive.
Ok i found it, http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s6/help/solved-stuck-download-mode-failed-odin-t3104736 , I burned stock and then the file he supplied,worked like a charm.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I FIXED IT.
i'm not exactly sure of the steps i took, as i had to keep waiting for my Unified Android Toolkit to create the tars but essentially what i did was i flashed;
- stock BOE3 WITHOUT hidden.img
- TWRP recovery (was able to boot into twrp and when i looked through some settings (reboot) it said i had no OS installed for some reason
- from this info i tried flashing the AOC4 older firmware WITHOUT hidden.img then it worked.
do you think it is worth attempting the smart switch thing mentioned in that link you posted?
i wouldn't want to run into this problem again..
my lord.. so SOMEHOW i managed to get myself into this for THE THIRD TIME..
once i got it fixed, just a few hours ago, everything was fine and i was then able to flash CF root again.
but once i tried to install TWRP (it worked before i fixed the second time) odin FAILED again and i'm back to square one.
i'm unsure how to properly fix it and the steps i took before aren't working now and i can't even flash any recoveries (whether its AOC4, BOE3 or TWRP)
can anyone suggest anything else please?? i'm in panic mode again lol
this is definitely the last time i try to do any type of configuration with this device.
Do you have recovery now? Maybe burn some custom rom? ..
JusTeN_ said:
Do you have recovery now? Maybe burn some custom rom? ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
now i can't flash the twrp .. it won't work. this suck so much!
UPDATE (final update, hopefully ): fixed it AGAIN.
after going through this hellish nightmare for the 3rd time and reading countless threads, i've discovered that the FAILs on odin may be occurring due to the corruption of the firmware file.
so if anyone goes through my problem, CREATE A COPY of the desired firmware before flashing with odin!
thanks justen for your patience and attempts to help me!
Hell! I meant to say HELLO ! But probably "hell" is context appropriate too!
I bought a BOOST specific Samsung SIII this week and rooted it. I used ODIN 3.04 and TWRP then Chainfire's SuperSU and PhilzTouch with SUCCESS.
(It's Jan 2017 by the way).
But afterwards, like when I was done installing all my usual post-root utilities, I was fooling around in TWRP and wiped the dalvik cache. I am now stuck in a bowl of BOOTLOOPS and all I can do is either boot to TWRP and flip to different utility screens in TWRP, or boot into DOWNLOAD MODE (fully functional: able to download from ODIN I mean), or power-up and BOOTLOOP with the Boost LOGO coming on before it reboots.
What have I done! Where can I get a stock image for this phone? So far I haven't found one anywhere on the net.
I have tried to use KIES 2, KIES 3 and Smartswitch to enter my model and IMEI (using the HEX # behind battery for IMEI).
I then bought ANOTHER SIII cheap. Rooted that one and used Smartswitch to back it up. I won't screw this one up but I don't believe I screwed the first one up either, just need stock. But the new phone is NOT OA3 (I had no way to know this when I ordered it from Amazon lol)
I would really appreciate --I mean tremendously appreciate--any one who had time for a couple back-and-forth messages to intervene and advise!
follow-up
I realise that wiping the dalvik cache may not have caused the issues I am having. When I was in TWRP mode I may have done something else--can't remember--I have neurological problems besides being a newbie. I just feel pretty sure that if I can ODIN an .iso tar of boost kitkat for this SPH-L710T all will be well but hell I know less than nothing and hate myself for not know what I did
vlaxonia said:
Hell! I meant to say HELLO ! But probably "hell" is context appropriate too!
I bought a BOOST specific Samsung SIII this week and rooted it. I used ODIN 3.04 and TWRP then Chainfire's SuperSU and PhilzTouch with SUCCESS.
(It's Jan 2017 by the way).
But afterwards, like when I was done installing all my usual post-root utilities, I was fooling around in TWRP and wiped the dalvik cache. I am now stuck in a bowl of BOOTLOOPS and all I can do is either boot to TWRP and flip to different utility screens in TWRP, or boot into DOWNLOAD MODE (fully functional: able to download from ODIN I mean), or power-up and BOOTLOOP with the Boost LOGO coming on before it reboots.
What have I done! Where can I get a stock image for this phone? So far I haven't found one anywhere on the net.
I have tried to use KIES 2, KIES 3 and Smartswitch to enter my model and IMEI (using the HEX # behind battery for IMEI).
I then bought ANOTHER SIII cheap. Rooted that one and used Smartswitch to back it up. I won't screw this one up but I don't believe I screwed the first one up either, just need stock. But the new phone is NOT OA3 (I had no way to know this when I ordered it from Amazon lol)
I would really appreciate --I mean tremendously appreciate--any one who had time for a couple back-and-forth messages to intervene and advise!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Greetings and welcome to assist. Have you tried kies/smartswitch emergency firmware recovery ? This should return your phone to stock. You could also use twrp to flash another rom from here
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3-sprint/development
Good Luck
Sawdoctor
Hey thanks for your reply
When I put Smartswitch on my computer, it couldn't identify the broken SIII (unknown device error).
(Smartswitch DID identify the other functional Boost SIII )
It's crazy that it boots all the way to the Boost logo screen then reboots. What is happening?
Is there any chance you can walk me through some steps--I am having trouble finding functional mirrors to things and I'm not sure if I should just give up--I don't give up easily but, being inexperienced in this realm, feel foolish in the event the bootloop is a permanent, irremediable error. Then anyone else comes here will see the original thread title and feel heartened.
I seem to need a stock image for OA3 L710T. I see loads for L710 but then the radio won't turn on, according to what I have gathered.
Hello guys. I just bought a used Samsung Galaxy J5 (SM-J500FN) with android version 5.1.1. The previous owner told me that it is rooted. Nothing seems weird with the phone other than when i try to factory reset it it takes me to a "bios" kind window where i have to manually choose to delete all data (hard delete i think its called), that and when i normally turn on the phone, at the top left corner it says "set warranty bit kernel". I was just wondering how do i go about installing custom roms since its already rooted, and can i unblock the default carriers (T-mobile) block for other sim cards. When asked how he rooted it (what method was he using) he said he just used Odin. I dont know much about rooting so, whatever you can tell me as to the handling of the phone would be amazing. Any other guides to installing some custom roms and making the phone easier and faster ( i only want functionality, don't care much about the UI) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
luan96 said:
Hello guys. I just bought a used Samsung Galaxy J5 (SM-J500FN) with android version 5.1.1. The previous owner told me that it is rooted. Nothing seems weird with the phone other than when i try to factory reset it it takes me to a "bios" kind window where i have to manually choose to delete all data (hard delete i think its called), that and when i normally turn on the phone, at the top left corner it says "set warranty bit kernel". I was just wondering how do i go about installing custom roms since its already rooted, and can i unblock the default carriers (T-mobile) block for other sim cards. When asked how he rooted it (what method was he using) he said he just used Odin. I dont know much about rooting so, whatever you can tell me as to the handling of the phone would be amazing. Any other guides to installing some custom roms and making the phone easier and faster ( i only want functionality, don't care much about the UI) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For starters, I'd head over the J5 forum
Galaxy J5 Forums
Or here's a great post that includes a lot of stuff to get started on reading:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-j5/how-to/galaxy-j5-root-twrp-roms-news-tips-t3620892
But the basics are: To flash a custom ROM, research what a custom recovery is, how to flash a custom recovery to your phone model and after that, flashing a custom ROM is as easy as loading the .zip file to your SD card and selecting it in the custom recovery.
I'd also research on how to flash to stock, as this is a life-saver in case you accidentally do something wrong. Pretty much you need to know how to flash via Odin (yes, learning how to use Odin is important to us Samsung users).
Don't worry though, it's not that big of a pain, Odin is pretty easy to learn
ShaDisNX255 said:
For starters, I'd head over the J5 forum
Galaxy J5 Forums
Or here's a great post that includes a lot of stuff to get started on reading:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-j5/how-to/galaxy-j5-root-twrp-roms-news-tips-t3620892
But the basics are: To flash a custom ROM, research what a custom recovery is, how to flash a custom recovery to your phone model and after that, flashing a custom ROM is as easy as loading the .zip file to your SD card and selecting it in the custom recovery.
I'd also research on how to flash to stock, as this is a life-saver in case you accidentally do something wrong. Pretty much you need to know how to flash via Odin (yes, learning how to use Odin is important to us Samsung users).
Don't worry though, it's not that big of a pain, Odin is pretty easy to learn
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I love about Samsung, as long as you have your ducks in a row, the files and tools are extremely easy to use, a 4 year old could do it.
I DO NOT PROVIDE HELP IN PM, KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE
ShaDisNX255 said:
For starters, I'd head over the J5 forum
Galaxy J5 Forums
Or here's a great post that includes a lot of stuff to get started on reading:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-j5/how-to/galaxy-j5-root-twrp-roms-news-tips-t3620892
But the basics are: To flash a custom ROM, research what a custom recovery is, how to flash a custom recovery to your phone model and after that, flashing a custom ROM is as easy as loading the .zip file to your SD card and selecting it in the custom recovery.
I'd also research on how to flash to stock, as this is a life-saver in case you accidentally do something wrong. Pretty much you need to know how to flash via Odin (yes, learning how to use Odin is important to us Samsung users).
Don't worry though, it's not that big of a pain, Odin is pretty easy to learn
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, ill be sure to check them out. Although, i would like to do the entire process from the beginning (root it again myself since i have no idea what the previous owner has done) and then try to install custom roms and other cool features rooting offers. I read that the KNOX security on samsung phones can pose some problems, any thoughts on that ?
Thank you again for your response.
ShaDisNX255 said:
For starters, I'd head over the J5 forum
Galaxy J5 Forums
Or here's a great post that includes a lot of stuff to get started on reading:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-j5/how-to/galaxy-j5-root-twrp-roms-news-tips-t3620892
But the basics are: To flash a custom ROM, research what a custom recovery is, how to flash a custom recovery to your phone model and after that, flashing a custom ROM is as easy as loading the .zip file to your SD card and selecting it in the custom recovery.
I'd also research on how to flash to stock, as this is a life-saver in case you accidentally do something wrong. Pretty much you need to know how to flash via Odin (yes, learning how to use Odin is important to us Samsung users).
Don't worry though, it's not that big of a pain, Odin is pretty easy to learn
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also, i use Linux so i hear the alternative to Odin is Heimdall, anyone have any experience with it, or should i just do it on a Windows PC?
luan96 said:
Also, i use Linux so i hear the alternative to Odin is Heimdall, anyone have any experience with it, or should i just do it on a Windows PC?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got no experience with Linux, sorry. SuperSU disables knox so there's nothing to worry about.
luan96 said:
Also, i use Linux so i hear the alternative to Odin is Heimdall, anyone have any experience with it, or should i just do it on a Windows PC?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're a Linux user and you have knowledge of using terminal commands then you should have no trouble setting up Hiemdall. Getting full USB functionality set up for the device in Hiemdall can be a pain if you aren't familiar with that kind of thing.
But, having a Windows PC will make a lot of things very simplified for you. A Windows/Linux dual boot system would be very handy to you if you can set that up. Then you could also use Kies/SmartSwitch if it ever comes to a point that you need it.
There are some handy rarely used instances with Linux when it comes to Samsung. They have no fastboot like other devices so only adb is usable. I think they primarily centered around Windows being the preferred OS to interact with their devices.
Droidriven said:
If you're a Linux user and you have knowledge of using terminal commands then you should have no trouble setting up Hiemdall. Getting full USB functionality set up for the device in Hiemdall can be a pain if you aren't familiar with that kind of thing.
But, having a Windows PC will make a lot of things very simplified for you. A Windows/Linux dual boot system would be very handy to you if you can set that up. Then you could also use Kies/SmartSwitch if it ever comes to a point that you need it.
There are some handy rarely used instances with Linux when it comes to Samsung. They have no fastboot like other devices so only adb is usable. I think they primarily centered around Windows being the preferred OS to interact with their devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the info. I already have a dual boot on my pc with windows. I am an experienced Linux user and setting up Hiemdall should not pose a problem, but i opted to go for Windows since as you said makes things simpler.
Still looking for guides and tutorials on how exactly the root process goes. Doing research, so i guess its going to be a late night. If you have any links or pages you can guide me to for my Samsung J5 it would be amazing. Right now am looking around this forum and wherever the links lead me.
Thank you again.
luan96 said:
Thank you for the info. I already have a dual boot on my pc with windows. I am an experienced Linux user and setting up Hiemdall should not pose a problem, but i opted to go for Windows since as you said makes things simpler.
Still looking for guides and tutorials on how exactly the root process goes. Doing research, so i guess its going to be a late night. If you have any links or pages you can guide me to for my Samsung J5 it would be amazing. Right now am looking around this forum and wherever the links lead me.
Thank you again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First, just to make sure that you are not walking blindly into some potential traps.
1) download the root checker app from Playstore, use it to verify whether the device is actually rooted.
2) power the device off, wait 5 seconds, hold volume up+home+power, when it boots past the logo, let go. It should boot to recovery, tell me what you see. Does it say TWRP with grey buttons on a black screen? Or does it have an android lying on his back and have options listed?
3) verify whether or not the bootloader is unlocked or not on your specific device model number with your specific build number/android version, if it's locked it will create problems if you try to flash custom recovery. Though you can flash CF autoroot with locked bootloader.
Then I'll help find what you need to do what you are looking to do. It may be simpler than you think.
If he in fact used Odin and the device is rooted, he did one of three things.
1) flashed custom recovery(TWRP) via Odin then flashed SuperSU.zip to root, not possible with locked bootloader.
2) flashed CF auto root via Odin, potentially leaving stock recovery if your bootloader is locked.
3) flashed a pre-rooted stock firmware via Odin, not likely though.
The first 2 being more likely than the last one, the second one being the most likely if your bootloader is locked.
Edit: @luan96, edited for more information.
I DO NOT PROVIDE HELP IN PM, KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE
@Droidriven Thank you for the info. After a rough night of research i realized what i need to do. According to root checker, my phone is not rooted, and the recovery seems to be stock. This is very weird, since the phone is obviously not just the stock version that came from T Mobile. Im guessing its probably a badly done root or one that was removed. Anyways, this is how i am planing to proceed:
1. Turn on OEM Unlocking and USB Debugging from developer versions
2. Download CM Autoroot for my specific phone ( i do not know what is the difference between "normal" root and autoroot, but autoroot seems to be simpler and offers the same thing. Please correct me if i am wrong, i would love to know how to do a manual root as well if it has more benefits).
3. Volume down+home+power to get to the download screen
4. Launch Odin that comes with the autoroot package
5. Plug my phone into the USB and wait for Odin to add it.
6. Select the autoroot md5 file from the folder and begin the flashing process
7. Hope for the best and that my phone is still functional when it auto reboots.
After this i should check with Root Checker weather its properly installed or not. If it is, and i see the SuperSU application i continue to installing the custom recovery ( through some research i found out that TWRP is the best choice for me). Installing the custom recovery should be as easy as auto rooting the device. I should download the files from an official website, and flash them using the same process i did for AutoRoot.
After that its mod heaven. With my understanding so far, TWRP lets me install custom roms, and other things i might need.
This is what i plan on doing as soon as im done with a little more research. If anyone has any tips, corrections or general information on what to expect or do please share.
Many thanks to every contributor on this thread.
luan96 said:
@Droidriven Thank you for the info. After a rough night of research i realized what i need to do. According to root checker, my phone is not rooted, and the recovery seems to be stock. This is very weird, since the phone is obviously not just the stock version that came from T Mobile. Im guessing its probably a badly done root or one that was removed. Anyways, this is how i am planing to proceed:
2. Download CM Autoroot for my specific phone ( i do not know what is the difference between "normal" root and autoroot, but autoroot seems to be simpler and offers the same thing. Please correct me if i am wrong, i would love to know how to do a manual root as well if it has more benefits).
3. Volume down+home+power to get to the download screen
4. Launch Odin that comes with the autoroot package
5. Plug my phone into the USB and wait for Odin to add it.
6. Select the autoroot md5 file from the folder and begin the flashing process
7. Hope for the best and that my phone is still functional when it auto reboots.
After this i should check with Root Checker weather its properly installed or not. If it is, and i see the SuperSU application i continue to installing the custom recovery ( through some research i found out that TWRP is the best choice for me). Installing the custom recovery should be as easy as auto rooting the device. I should download the files from an official website, and flash them using the same process i did for AutoRoot.
After that its mod heaven. With my understanding so far, TWRP lets me install custom roms, and other things i might need.
This is what i plan on doing as soon as im done with a little more research. If anyone has any tips, corrections or general information on what to expect or do please share.
Many thanks to every contributor on this thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would recommend using the command line to flash the twrp instead of the GUI if you want a simple process in linux
Run a terminal as a superuser (sudo)
heimdall flash –RECOVERY filename.img
Do step 1 and 3 you gave before before doing this
Or just flash the twrp image using Odin
J500FN twrp
https://dl.twrp.me/j5nltexx/
-Hope- said:
I would recommend using the command line to flash the twrp instead of the GUI if you want a simple process in linux
Run a terminal as a superuser (sudo)
heimdall flash –RECOVERY filename.img
Do step 1 and 3 you gave before before doing this
Or just flash the twrp image using Odin
J500FN twrp
https://dl.twrp.me/j5nltexx/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to use Odin for this. Since I'm quite new to the rooting community I dont want to mess things up on the first try. I'd rather get comfortable with some standard stuff before I proceed to try different variations. Thank you for your input. Though I would still like to know if I should use cm auto root or do a manual root. The difference is not quite clear to me yet. Again, thank you for your input, it is appreciated.
luan96 said:
@Droidriven Thank you for the info. After a rough night of research i realized what i need to do. According to root checker, my phone is not rooted, and the recovery seems to be stock. This is very weird, since the phone is obviously not just the stock version that came from T Mobile. Im guessing its probably a badly done root or one that was removed. Anyways, this is how i am planing to proceed:
1. Turn on OEM Unlocking and USB Debugging from developer versions
2. Download CM Autoroot for my specific phone ( i do not know what is the difference between "normal" root and autoroot, but autoroot seems to be simpler and offers the same thing. Please correct me if i am wrong, i would love to know how to do a manual root as well if it has more benefits).
3. Volume down+home+power to get to the download screen
4. Launch Odin that comes with the autoroot package
5. Plug my phone into the USB and wait for Odin to add it.
6. Select the autoroot md5 file from the folder and begin the flashing process
7. Hope for the best and that my phone is still functional when it auto reboots.
After this i should check with Root Checker weather its properly installed or not. If it is, and i see the SuperSU application i continue to installing the custom recovery ( through some research i found out that TWRP is the best choice for me). Installing the custom recovery should be as easy as auto rooting the device. I should download the files from an official website, and flash them using the same process i did for AutoRoot.
After that its mod heaven. With my understanding so far, TWRP lets me install custom roms, and other things i might need.
This is what i plan on doing as soon as im done with a little more research. If anyone has any tips, corrections or general information on what to expect or do please share.
Many thanks to every contributor on this thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing CF autoroot will simplify rooting, again, just make sure you have the correct autoroot for your specific model number and firmware, flashing the wrong one can softbrick or hardbrick your device, this would require flashing stock firmware via Odin to repair if softbricked and more serious methods to restore if hardbricked. There isn't much difference in effect with the different rooting methods. They all get the job done about equally.
Just make sure that you verify that your bootloader is in fact unlocked BEFORE you flash TWRP. As stated earlier, if it is locked, it will certainly cause issues and you'll have to restore stock recovery and/or stock firmware.
As long as your bootloader is unlocked then your outlined plan should be good to go.
I DO NOT PROVIDE HELP IN PM, KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE
Droidriven said:
Flashing CF autoroot will simplify rooting, afain, just make sure you have the correct autoroot for your specific model number and firmware, flashing the wrong one can softbrick or hardbrick your device, this would require flashing stock firmware via Odin to repair if softbricked and more serious methods to restore if hardbricked. There isn't much difference in effect with the different rooting methods. They all get the job done about equally.
Just make sure that you verify that your bootloader is in fact unlocked BEFORE you flash TWRP. As stated earlier, if it is locked, it will certainly cause issues and you'll have to restore stock recovery and/or stock firmware.
As long as you're bootloader is unlocked then your outlined plan should be good to go.
I DO NOT PROVIDE HELP IN PM, KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, looks like i messed up somehow. I was fiddling around the recovery mode and Odin mode. Those were the only two screens i could view besides normal booting, so i was looking for any info.
Recovery Mode https://ibb.co/hotYZ5
Odin mode 1 https://ibb.co/nFfVE5
Once on the recovery mode, i selected "reboot to bootloader" hoping to find info if its locked or not. I got redirected to this screen
Odin Mode 2 https://ibb.co/kqhtZ5
And then i did what i think is the dumbest thing this year....i removed the batery and now when i try to turn on my phone -
Blocked https://ibb.co/kkOd1k
Please tell me i did not brick my phone without even trying to root it first. My understanding is that i accidentally wiped the current OS (softbrick?) and now i have to flash a new one and then continue with what i had planned. Or is this a small problem that can be fixed easier? Or a more serious one ? Good news tho maybe, i think that the bootloader is unlocked ?
Thank you @Droidriven for your info so far, you have been extremely helpful.
*EDIT* - Pictures didnt link correctly.
luan96 said:
Well, looks like i messed up somehow. I was fiddling around the recovery mode and Odin mode. Those were the only two screens i could view besides normal booting, so i was looking for any info.
Recovery Mode https://ibb.co/hotYZ5
Odin mode 1 https://ibb.co/nFfVE5
Once on the recovery mode, i selected "reboot to bootloader" hoping to find info if its locked or not. I got redirected to this screen
Odin Mode 2 https://ibb.co/kqhtZ5
And then i did what i think is the dumbest thing this year....i removed the batery and now when i try to turn on my phone -
Blocked https://ibb.co/kkOd1k
Please tell me i did not brick my phone without even trying to root it first. My understanding is that i accidentally wiped the current OS (softbrick?) and now i have to flash a new one and then continue with what i had planned. Or is this a small problem that can be fixed easier? Or a more serious one ? Good news tho maybe, i think that the bootloader is unlocked ?
Thank you @Droidriven for your info so far, you have been extremely helpful.
*EDIT* - Pictures didnt link correctly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It looks to me like they attempted to root the device but didn't do it correctly.
FRP can be a pain to deal with. Some can be bypassed easily, those that have trouble bypassing must sign in with the original owner's original Gmail and password used to activate the device.
The method of bypassing FRP varies from device to device.
Did you factory reset in recovery? If so, that's why you FRP blocked you.
If you have stock recovery then you should not have been able to wipe out the OS using stock recovery, typically, only custom recovery can do that, unless you did something accidentally that somehow corrupted/wiped your OS.
If the OS is gone, you'll have to flash your stock firmware via Odin and start over from the beginning.
I DO NOT PROVIDE HELP IN PM, KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE
Droidriven said:
It looks to me like they attempted to root the device but didn't do it correctly.
FRP can be a pain to deal with. Some can be bypassed easily, those that have trouble bypassing must sign in with the original owner's original Gmail and password used to activate the device.
The method of bypassing FRP varies from device to device.
Did you factory reset in recovery? If so, that's why you FRP blocked you.
If you have stock recovery then you should not have been able to wipe out the OS using stock recovery, typically, only custom recovery can do that, unless you did something accidentally that somehow corrupted/wiped your OS.
If the OS is gone, you'll have to flash your stock firmware via Odin and start over from the beginning.
I DO NOT PROVIDE HELP IN PM, KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. At least its not just a paperweight. I'm installing new software on it with Kiesk 3 right now. Hope that works so i can do the rooting and TWRP install soon. I pressed "reboot to bootlader" to try and find out if its locked or not, but then it got me in download mode (without having to press up volume to contionue). After i turned off my phone by removing the battery, the OS was gone.
luan96 said:
Thank you. At least its not just a paperweight. I'm installing new software on it with Kiesk 3 right now. Hope that works so i can do the rooting and TWRP install soon. I pressed "reboot to bootlader" to try and find out if its locked or not, but then it got me in download mode (without having to press up volume to contionue). After i turned off my phone by removing the battery, the OS was gone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you get this restored with Kies?
Droidriven said:
Did you get this restored with Kies?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, i did. Worked like a charm, and even got the new 6.0.1 android on it. Also installed TWRP, and just finished installing Xposed Framework, now waiting for it to boot up ( i hear it takes some time). Seems all well so far. If any problems pop out ill be sure to post about it. Also thinking about making a new thread just to help newbies like me who really just want to remove some bloatware, and install some nice modules and not heavily mod the phone. You have been very helpful during this process. Many thanks to you ^-^ .
luan96 said:
Yes, i did. Worked like a charm, and even got the new 6.0.1 android on it. Also installed TWRP, and just finished installing Xposed Framework, now waiting for it to boot up ( i hear it takes some time). Seems all well so far. If any problems pop out ill be sure to post about it. Also thinking about making a new thread just to help newbies like me who really just want to remove some bloatware, and install some nice modules and not heavily mod the phone. You have been very helpful during this process. Many thanks to you ^-^ .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have issues with Xposed causing a bootloop, you can flash the Xposed uninstaller zip in TWRP to remove it, then troubleshoot why it bootlooped and try again.
Are you using the Touch wiz marshmallow Xposed framework?
I DO NOT PROVIDE HELP IN PM, KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE
Edited in 2022 to make it look a bit better!
*WARNING* *TAKE A NANDROID BACKUP OF EFS AND BASEBAND BEFORE STARTING*
Hello people, first I want to say that this is my first guide so it doesn't really look professional but I am doing my best to be clear as possible.
In this guide I will be showing you how to repair your IMEI for free/without Z3X box
So lets get into it.
Its better to start fresh in stock rom
So flash the stock rom first
Now we are really starting,
Step 1) flash TWRP and flash Magisk (if you weren't rooted yet)
Step 2) now search for a custom rom for your phone download it before doing something or just download on pc and move it later
Step 3) now go to mount and select efs or else your efs will be empty at the next step
Step 4) now go to file manager and goto /EFS
Just delete everything in it OR YOU CAN LEAVE Privo data and factory app, you have a backup anyways. *WARNING: DO NOT DELETE THE EFS PARTITION IT SELF, IT WILL MAKE YOUR PHONE NOT BOOTING ANYMORE ONLY DELETE THE FILES INSIDE OF IT SO DELETE ALL FILES*
Step 5) now flash the custom rom for s7 edge i would recommend kingrom, do full wipe at the aroma. You may try to skip this step. There have been comments saying that this guide also works without this step.
Step 6) now reboot your phone, first reboot may take 5-10/15 minutes please be patient and make sure you put your phone in the charger if your battery is low now when your phone is in the welcome screen look or your signal is returned if not just setup your phone sometimes it may take a while for the signal to appear. If your signal is returned then go to phone app and dial *#06# and look or the IMEI matches the IMEI of the box of your phone (make sure you have the original box if you don't have this then open the back of your phone (if you can), there is a sticker label with your s/n and IMEI. If you cannot open the back of your phone, then you will have to trust that the IMEI is right. If everything is functional then you're done with this guide. The next steps are more ''checking'' if everything is alright.
Step 7) If your s/n is ok skip to step 8 if its not right then download a root explorer and go to /efs/factoryapp and edit the serial no file with a text editor and enter your s/n there now save it and IMEI and s/n should be alright
Step 8) Now, for IF the IMEI is correct and everything is fully functional, then delete the earlier made backup of EFS and baseband and make a new one with the working partition, then save it somewhere safe on an external drive, the cloud or on an USB, or just a pc that you will never reset or wipe its data.
Congratulations on getting past step 8. I hope this guide has helped you and that it worked for you. If not then I'm sorry for not being able to assist you. This guide is just me sharing what I did to solve this issue. Good luck on solving your problem if this guide did not work.
If the IMEI is not correct or this guide doesn't work then I can't help you any further except for if you have any questions, however I found a guide for the Samsung galaxy s7/Edge (if you have s8 then click same link because the thread has a link to s8) by Cubz (thanks to Cubz for his guide)
Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/forum....ow-to-fix-check-drk-imei-issues-t3379516/amp/
S7/E/8 only and some other models as long its an s7 (edge) or s8/+
******* Some tips when you follow the guide*******
1) When you flash combination firmware and it gives you errors then dial *#1234# and look at the cp it should have UX in it (X could be 1,2 or 3 download the correct firmware with the correct bootloader version. You can upgrade from u1 to u2 and u2 to u3 but not downgrade from 3 to 2 or 2 to 1
2) If it didn't work then flash back to stock and fully delete everything in efs folder then retry (this is actually just guide B) its better to follow the guide above
3) If you got bootloader exception error then keep tapping the home button fast until it reboots then just manually reboot and enter download mode
The first method was tested and worked on SAMSUNG GALAXY S7 EDGE SM-935F it may work on other Samsung devices and maybe other android devices but I cannot guarantee that it works on your device
** I take no responsibility for any damaged device, make sure you take a back up so you can go back to the state before you started following this guide!**
If the device gets bricked then always flash back to stock, if you cant enter download mode then just wait until your battery drains and then when you put it in the charger it may start up automatically so enter download mode fast or if you got bootloader exception error then keep tapping the home button fast until it reboots then just manually reboot and enter download mode
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy flashing and please confirm in the comments below if it worked for your device or not
Guys please comment or it works on your device or not!
It works for me. But I have to manually change CSC on my phone after original rom flash to fix Network. TGP rom have that option.
I followed your guide and my model name changed from G930F to G930FD and my IMEI is just bunch of zeroes wtv
SOLVED AT LAST - MISSING IMEI and EFS DAMAGED SOLUTION
Hi Guys,
First off, please take GOOD note - I am NOT a techy, just an old boring flashaholic who works in an office and likes pyjamas more than partying. This is my account of me fecking up my phone and finally reaching a solution after three days and most of two nights to a missing IMEI, messed up EFS and non-working phone - hoping that it might help anyone as desperate as I was. You do what you do with your phone and that's your business and I'm not responsible if you mess it up, but my hope is that you have have a brain (that's all I have) and you get some helpful piece of info here as I did from a whole ton of posts I read that finally led me to this.
Next - I am not sure what landed me in this mess. I've seen Superman Rom mentioned a couple of times..I didn't use that but I did use Batman Rom which is by the same Dev. It was great to use, too, so I'm not faulting the Dev by any means. What did happen, though, is that when I flashed other ROMS, maybe 3 or 4 of them following, the Batman splash screen was always there before the new ROM's boot sequence, so there were clearly some residual things of it in there ...so perhaps the same coding is in there and could have had something to do with it, I don't know. The breaking point came when I flashed Sac23 Rom hoping to get Pie on my phone. It was cool but I decided to revert to Resurrection Remix - always my favourite overall - and all of a sudden I get errors.
What should have been a routine "Restore" of my backed up RR ROM via TWRP gave "Error mounting EFS". Reboot, wipe, retry. No joy, same again. A couple of tries to restore the EFS from the backup in TWRP didn't work either.
Next go to is flash "original firmware" (more on this wording later). I had that on my PC (not a phone backup, just the firmware so it's clean copy with no data).
Get Odin out, download mode, correct files in correct boxes, all that standard stuff you can find guides on most places - no joy.
Error showing was "Fail at pm.bin" or something like that. Install aborted.
Try again. This time "Fail at cm.bin" Install aborted. Reboot from recovery also fails. Oh sh1t.
Several more attempts made. I have five different Odin vers. I have seven different firmware vers. I have two USB ports and about 8 Samsung cables. Not a single combination I tried worked.
The XDA heroes will know what to do, I thought. I read and read. And read. And CubZ (who is a hero even if he IS from Lancashire ), says MAKE SURE YOUR PHONE IS RUNNING ORIGINAL SOFTWARE. Well...I kinda did that mostly already...but maybe I need to go RIGHT back to the rubbishy 6.0.1 version that came actually ON my phone when I got it....almost 2 years ago? Who remembers that stuff?? I'm about 18 ROMS down the line now. I was desperate. I'm telling you...I even got out my bank statements to trace when my first payment to my current provider was...I read about firmware numbers and country codes, and I chose one from Sammobile with a build date, country code, unbranded code (which my phone always was) and correct phone model (of course!) as I needed. And it WAS .."the ORIGINAL" firmware.
This time I swear Odin failed me a second BEFORE I pressed the start button! No joy.
Have a flask of coffee and a few valium sandwiches and off I go back to XDA again. I read a loooong series of "Missing IMEI" stuff and there's CubZ again with an IMEI/EFS fix guide guide...brilliant! And it WAS brilliant, and clearly he helped tons of people (kudos, man). But I had messed up MY phone in the time-honoured "right royal" way - worse than his guide could help me. My IMEI was Unknown, my EFS was empty, My SIM wasn't being recognised, no network info or signal...nothing. But genius that he is, he CubZ DID post a Combination file that gave me a base to keep trying on when firmware after firmware had failed almost immediately with errors either of pm.bin/abort or cm.bin/abort.
I almost wore the print out on CubZ guide, I read it so much and tried so many times. Then...I see people saying things about U1, U2 and U3 firmwares. Turns out you shouldn't mix the two. I got that snippet from CubZ too. More research and the little coffee-fuelled connections in my brain are like.....ok....
My ORIGINAL firmware has in its name "U1" and there are similar ones with "U2". Might that be it? My phone has been screaming "DEVICE 2 FIRMWARE 1" (or something like that) at every aborted 'original firmware' installation via Odin and download mode that I've tried, including the EXACT firmware that was on my phone the day it was unwrapped and I danced happily round the room with it.
So if DEVICE 2....FIRMWARE should be 2 maybe? Back to Sammobile. There are firmwares with the same model number, country code, branding info as mine..but with a "U2" where mine said "U1". But...they were Oreo and Nougat where mine was "originally" Marshmallow.
It's now day three in the Big Mother House. My valium and coffee and running out and my communication with the outside world has ceased. I've had about five hours sleep, my food is running low and I cannot call for takeaway cos I ficked my phone up good and proper. I even....get this....start looking up PAID services to fix this. I KNOW, right!!??
I pick up a Nougat firmware from Sammobile...careful to match model, country, branding AND U2 - wondering if I can match it up with CubZ's Combi file as a base to appease Odin......and then maybe revert to my 'original' stock from that to start another attempt at the IMEI/EFS thing.
It loaded. Odin was pleased with my sacrifice. And lo and behold, it had restored the whole lot WITHOUT me having to go any further with stock ROM reversions. It frickin' worked. I got my signal back. My SIM card was detected. My phone number was showing. My IMEI was showing. My E-Frickin-S was mended. I feel like Judd Nelson at the end of Breakfast Club.
So here's the semantic bit that I hadn't known and that is unclear in many many posts. My phone is now working 100% on stock firmware....but is is NOT REALLY the ORIGINAL software - it's the MODEL......COUNTRY......BRANDING.....LANGUAGE - specific firmware but it is Nougat where my original was Marshmallow, and it is a U2 firmware where my original FW was U1. THAT was the killer difference, it seems. Thanks to all of you who posted anything - many many of you - who helped me get this. It's a compatibility issue detail I've never seen or had issues with before.
I now have G930FXXS2DRDI_G930FXEU2DRB5_XEU
Where G930F is the model number, XEU is the country code for UK and Ireland (even though UK is a nation and not a country - just sayin' ) and the U2 sits there hiding in the middle of the second section of the name.
Which gives unzipped files as follows: NOTE - THESE ARE NOT LINKS.
AP_G930FXXS2DRDI_CL12365438_QB17789072_REV00_user_low_ship_meta.tar.md5
BL_G930FXXS2DRDI_CL12365438_QB17789072_REV00_user_low_ship.tar.md5
CP_G930FXXU2DRB6_CL648265_QB8952207_SIGNED.tar.md5
CSC_XEU_G930FXEU2DRB5_CL13061583_QB16917099_REV00_user_low_ship.tar.md5
HOME_CSC_XEU_G930FXEU2DRB5_CL13061583_QB16917099_REV00_user_low_ship.tar.md5
It's Nougat, but that's okay for now; I got my IMEI, EFS, SIM, BIN, probably ENT, RAC, SUV and BMX too, everything
And now, with my working phone, I am gonna phone the local Chinese Takeaway for food, answer all my emails that popped and binged and tinkled at me when it became resurrected, and leave CubZ with huge thanks and all of you guys with the hope that this helps somebody out there.
And maybe look at backing this sucker up and reverting to my Oreo RR ROM I love so much..... I HATE Touchwiz!!!!
Good luck!
:good::good::good:
I was also on similar problem and i lost my efc
Baseband unkwn
Imel null
No signal
I was on s9 port rom by teamexykings and when i update i did dirty flash and my phobe stuck on samsung logo somehow it was boot but it was keeps rebooting than i boot my phone in twrp
When i was trying to wipe system data and dalvic cache
In wipe menu i was shocked to see that it showed internal storage 0mb
I had this problem 1st time
And i have to format my phone to boot properly
U know my big mistake is that i haven't taken a back up of my all apps and my data
After 10-15 min latter it boots
But 2nd shocked was that
I lost my signal my imei my baseband vesrsion unknown
I was so scared to lost my imei
Than i searchon google and i have read lot of articals about restoring efc partition
And than i found similar thread like u have explained
It's really work for me
And this article will help most of device of samsung
And xda user
What i have done
In twrp i mount efc partition
Than in advance menu
File manager
Efc
And i have deleted all of file in efc
(Remember not efc partition it self)
Except privo
Privo data and factory app
Than reboot
After boot my phone i got signal back
I was so happy that it was very easy to do
Your guide will help for many device
shabbir143 said:
I was also on similar problem and i lost my efc
Baseband unkwn
Imel null
No signal
I was on s9 port rom by teamexykings and when i update i did dirty flash and my phobe stuck on samsung logo somehow it was boot but it was keeps rebooting than i boot my phone in twrp
When i was trying to wipe system data and dalvic cache
In wipe menu i was shocked to see that it showed internal storage 0mb
I had this problem 1st time
And i have to format my phone to boot properly
U know my big mistake is that i haven't taken a back up of my all apps and my data
After 10-15 min latter it boots
But 2nd shocked was that
I lost my signal my imei my baseband vesrsion unknown
I was so scared to lost my imei
Than i searchon google and i have read lot of articals about restoring efc partition
And than i found similar thread like u have explained
It's really work for me
And this article will help most of device of samsung
And xda user
What i have done
In twrp i mount efc partition
Than in advance menu
File manager
Efc
And i have deleted all of file in efc
(Remember not efc partition it self)
Except privo
Privo data and factory app
Than reboot
After boot my phone i got signal back
I was so happy that it was very easy to do
Your guide will help for many device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You deleted all files and folders from EFS Mounted partition? how is it possible working?
You are awesome man!
I just deleted the files in EFS, restarted without installing custom rom and my IMEI was fixed.
I'm definitely donating. How to donate to you?
Thanks for your great work!
cisekpro23 said:
You deleted all files and folders from EFS Mounted partition? how is it possible working?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think samsung phones are capable of regnerating their efs. But its not working for me on samsung galaxy s6. Guess I am screwed.
Hey everyone, I'm sorry for not responding to anyone in this thread. I've been inactive for a long time. I want to thank everyone for trusting the guide and I hope it has worked for you if you tried following the steps. If you have any questions feel free to ask me.
Also I have edited my guide to improve the reading experience because I see my English was absolutely horrible at the time when I wrote the guide.
oh no. i accidentally deleted the efs partition and it can't mount anymore what im gonna do now. im fvcked up please somebody help me
vigilante said:
Edited in 2022 to make it look a bit better!
Hello people, first I want to say that this is my first guide so it doesn't really look professional but I am doing my best to be clear as possible.
In this guide I will be showing you how to repair your IMEI for free/without Z3X box
So lets get into it.
Its better to start fresh in stock rom
So flash the stock rom first
Now we are really starting,
*WARNING* *TAKE A NANDROID BACKUP OF EFS AND BASEBAND BEFORE STARTING*
Step 1) flash TWRP and flash Magisk (if you weren't rooted yet)
Step 2) now search for a custom rom for your phone download it before doing something or just download on pc and move it later
Step 3) now go to mount and select efs or else your efs will be empty at the next step
Step 4) now go to file manager and goto /EFS
Just delete everything in it, you have a backup anyway *WARNING: DO NOT DELETE THE EFS PARTITION IT SELF, IT WILL MAKE YOUR PHONE NOT BOOTING ANYMORE ONLY DELETE THE FILES INSIDE OF IT SO DELETE ALL FILES*
Step 5) now flash the custom rom for s7 edge i would recommend kingrom, do full wipe at the aroma
Step 6) now reboot your phone, first reboot may take 5-10/15 minutes please be patient and make sure you put your phone in the charger if your battery is low now when your phone is in the welcome screen look or your signal is returned if not just setup your phone sometimes it may take a while if your signal is returned then go to dialer and dial *#06# and look or the imei matches the imei of the box (make sure you have the origional box if you dont have this then open the back of your phone, there is a sticker label with your s/n and imei if imei is not good then skip to step 9
Step 7) now if your s/n is ok skip to step... if its not right then download a root explorer and go to /efs/factoryapp and edit the serial no file with a text editor and enter your s/n there now save it and imei and s/n should be alright
Step 8) Now, for IF the IMEI is correct and everything is fully functional, then delete the earlier made backup of EFS and baseband and make a new one with the working partition, then save it somewhere safe on an external drive, the cloud or on an USB, or just a pc that you will never reset or wipe its data.
Step 9) now for if the IMEI is not correct or this guide doesn't work then I can't help you any further except for if you have any questions, however I found a guide for the Samsung galaxy s7/Edge (if you have s8 then click same link because the thread has a link to s8) by Cubz (thanks to Cubz for his guide)
Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/forum....ow-to-fix-check-drk-imei-issues-t3379516/amp/
S7/E/8 only and some other models as long its an s7 (edge) or s8/+
******* Some tips when you follow the guide*******
1) when you flash combination firmware and it gives you errors then dial *#1234# and look at the cp it should have UX in it (X could be 1,2 or 3 download the correct firmware with the correct bootloader version you can upgrade from u1 to u2 and u2 to u3 but not downgrade from 3 to 2 or 2 to 1
2) if it didn't work then flash back to stock and fully delete everything in efs folder then retry (this is actually just guide B) its better to follow the guide above
3) if you got bootloader exception error then keep tapping the home button fast until it reboots then just manually reboot and enter download mode
The first method was tested and worked on SAMSUNG GALAXY S7 EDGE SM-935F it may work on other Samsung devices and maybe other android devices but I cannot guarantee that it works on your device
** I take no responsibility for any damaged device, make sure you take a back up so you can go back to the state before you started following this guide!**
If the device gets bricked then always flash back to stock, if you cant enter download mode then just wait until your battery drains and then when you put it in the charger it may start up automatically so enter download mode fast or if you got bootloader exception error then keep tapping the home button fast until it reboots then just manually reboot and enter download mode
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please donate and like this thread if you found this helpful, I have experienced this problem my self and it costed me €60! I said NO its too expansive so then I found this solution and now I am sharing it to the world, I could have let this guide cost €61 but my guides and solutions are free a support would be great for finding this out
Happy flashing and please confirm in the comments below if it worked for your device or not
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh no. i accidentally deleted the efs partition and it can't mount anymore what im gonna do now. im fvcked up please somebody help me
bamcarpio123 said:
oh no. i accidentally deleted the efs partition and it can't mount anymore what im gonna do now. im fvcked up please somebody help me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you created a back up of your efs partition? I have clearly written it in the guide with all caps. If you haven't made a back up, please do so to avoid getting into this situation in the future.
*WARNING* *TAKE A NANDROID BACKUP OF EFS AND BASEBAND BEFORE STARTING*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyways, I'm sorry to hear you got your self in this situation. Even though it has been a long time since I did this kind of stuff, I still remember that it's possible to fix this issue. I am sure that I have been in this situation before my self and that I somehow managed to get it back. Try to back up all your data, then flash stock rom with CSC file and not Home CSC
vigilante said:
Have you created a back up of your efs partition? I have clearly written it in the guide with all caps. If you haven't made a back up, please do so to avoid getting into this situation in the future.
Anyways, I'm sorry to hear you got your self in this situation. Even though it has been a long time since I did this kind of stuff, I still remember that it's possible to fix this issue. I am sure that I have been in this situation before my self and that I somehow managed to get it back. Try to back up all your data, then flash stock rom with CSC file and not Home CSC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry for being so stupid because I continued without performing a backup in TWRP, I forgot to back up the EFS, and when I panicked because I was already screwed up, I deleted the efs folder—which is incorrect. I deleted the efs partition before I saw this thread. And now it always says, "failed to mount /efs (invalid argument)" and I've done everything, and it seems like everything is done, I have no idea what to do. I haven't slept for four days and there is still no hope. but my phone is still okay with the stock firmware, but it always restarts. I did almost everything but still nothing
My phone's current csc code is THL (Thailand), but the original is XTC (Philippines), which is my nation, thus I'm curious why THL? of course I flash the right firmware which is the csc is XTC but if I check the CSC the CSC is still THL. I tried to change the csc using tools, but it cannot be change. There may be no hope. I'm worried about losing my phone, yet I'm to blame.
If I lose my IMEI, it won't matter. But the thing is my phone is always restarting every minute.
(can someone know how to disable auto-reboot so i can still use my phone even the EFS is damaged?)
ALSO THANKYOU FOR YOUR REPLY! I APPRECIATE IT!
EDIT: OH I FIX THE EFS PARTITION. NOW MY PROBLEM IS HOW TO GET OUT FROM THIS DARKNESS. HOW CAN I FIX THE IMEI AND BASEBAND WHAT EVER? HMM. BUT I WON'T GIVE UP
bamcarpio123 said:
My phone's current csc code is THL (Thailand), but the original is XTC (Philippines), which is my nation, thus I'm curious why THL? of course I flash the right firmware which is the csc is XTC but if I check the CSC the CSC is still THL. I tried to change the csc using tools, but it cannot be change. There may be no hope. I'm worried about losing my phone, yet I'm to blame.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try to download this tool if you haven't already: https://samfirmtool.com/
I like to use this tool when flashing stock rom because I can download specific versions of stock ROMS and also enter the correct region in it. And to top it off the download is really quick (depending on your download speed of course)
Enter your device model number and at region enter the csc you need. It should download the correct files with the right csc. However, I did find this thread saying it is impossible to change your csc to XTC, but it is always worth a try.
If the CSC is XTC then try to follow this guide again to fix your EFS.
If it is not XTC then try to install a custom rom for your phone that has an aroma installer that allows you to pick a CSC, it might also help with the EFS problem but I am not sure.
EDIT: OH I FIX THE EFS PARTITION. NOW MY PROBLEM IS HOW TO GET OUT FROM THIS DARKNESS. HOW CAN I FIX THE IMEI AND BASEBAND WHAT EVER?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you have mentioned that your EFS partition is fixed, try to follow the guide again but correctly this time. Maybe it will work this time.
Can you tell me how you checked what your CSC is? And which phone do you have? In case this didn't work.
.
.
vigilante said:
Try to download this tool if you haven't already: https://samfirmtool.com/
I like to use this tool when flashing stock rom because I can download specific versions of stock ROMS and also enter the correct region in it. And to top it off the download is really quick (depending on your download speed of course)
Enter your device model number and at region enter the csc you need. It should download the correct files with the right csc. However, I did find this thread saying it is impossible to change your csc to XTC, but it is always worth a try.
If the CSC is XTC then try to follow this guide again to fix your EFS.
If it is not XTC then try to install a custom rom for your phone that has an aroma installer that allows you to pick a CSC, it might also help with the EFS problem but I am not sure.
Since you have mentioned that your EFS partition is fixed, try to follow the guide again but correctly this time. Maybe it will work this time.
Can you tell me how you checked what your CSC is? And which phone do you have? In case this didn't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My phone is Samsung Galaxy J8. Before i start to flash custom rom, I took a snapshot of the device's hardware information and discovered that the csc is really XTC. I have completed all the necessary steps. I did everything right, but nothing actually changed. I'm so exhausted that I might just give up. I appreciate your assistance.
If I can't retrieve the imei, it's fine, but unfortunately my phone is always restarting
EDIT: MY PHONE IS NOW FIXED. THE SIMS ARE NOW WORKING, THE SIGNAL IS BACK AND I FEEL SO HAPPY. HOW DO I FIX? WELL I USED THIS METHOD, I DELETE ALL THE FILES FROM EFS FOLDER (NOT THE PARTITION JUST THE FILE INSIDE OF IT) THEN I FLASH THE LATEST STOCK ROM WHICH IS ANDROID 10 BUT THE CSC FILE IS FROM ANDROID 9 AND AFTER THAT I USED TFT SAMSUNG MODULE WHICH IS VERY HELPFUL AND LEGIT TOOL AND ITS 100% FREE!. THEN I FIX THE IMEI AND BASEBAND USING THAT TOOL AND YES THAT SOFTWARE IS A BEAST. AND NOW ITS WORKING PROPERLY. IT TOOK ME 2 WEEKS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT IN REALITY ITS VERY SIMPLE HAHAHA! IT SAVES ME FROM SPENDING MONEY JUST TO SAVE MY PHONE BUT I DO NOT KNOW THAT I AM THE ONE WHO WILL FIX MY PHONE HAHA HOW COOL IS THAT. JUST DON'T GIVE UP NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS!
#FVCKTHATZ3XBOX
THANKS TO THIS METHOD AND TO SIR VIGILANTE.
EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE JUST DONT GIVE UP EVEN YOU'RE TIRED.