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[Q] Upgrading G2Touch/Hero to 2.1

I have an unlocked T-Mobile G2 Touch (service provider O2), which I am trying to upgrade to 2.1. I am currently running 1.5 and have just updated to the 2.73.110.26 ROM which I downloaded and installed from HTC.
After installing this ROM upgrade i get a message asking me to do a software update, (which I understand from reading forums should complete the upgrade to 2.1), but shortly after confirming the update the handset turns off then turns on with what appears to be a warning display, (a triangle next to a presumably dead handset graphic).
I have left it like this for 20mins+ and nothing happens so i have tried the process again, (re-install 2.73.110.26 ROM, get prompt to update), still the same problem.
Does anyone have a suggestion? I can't help but think I am having this problem because I have an unlocked phone.

I should also point out that just before doing all of this I rooted the handset, (followed instructions from Unlockr.com). I had planned to use a custom ROM but if i'm honest it was daunting and so I thought i'd attempt the official update first.

Help with downgrade?

What i have: a brand new carrier unlocked samsung galaxy s7 sm-g930w8 - came with 7.0
What Id love to do: downgrade to 6.0.1 official touchwiz rom but rooted
What im reading: that the security patch is from february of 2018, which means the bootloader is too new, which means downgrading using odin wont work ( https://www.sammobile.com/forum/threads/36282-Does-Region-Matter )
... so what can i do? i bought this phone with the sole intention of downgrading, as ive seen that it is possible for that phone model (s7) in general
i hate the look of the newer OS. They took the touchwiz out of touchwiz which i loved, although mine is a rare opinion. I want the operation and exact feel of 6.0. the menus are simpler, the notifications area isnt completely stripped of features differing from total stock android. i hate having to pull down twice to see everything. I just really want that older look and feel, but all around, not just a theme.
is there anything i can do to either downgrade or fool the bootloader into letting me carry this out? is this a true limitation, or si that info i found false/old? and if I can downgrade, which build version should I use?
ive been looking here for versions
https://samsung-firmware.org/model/SM-G930W8/ but im not sure which region to go with, or if i can technically use any region
sammobile doesnt list that version anymore at all ( https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-s7/SM-G930W8/ )
https://mobiletech360.co/samsung-galaxy-s7-sm-g930w8-stock-firmware-rom-android-6-0-1-marshmallow/ there are a number of options here but unsure of the different numbers/builds. or if since its carrier unlocked, i could pick any?
I know most will think im silly for wanting to downgrade or caring that much about appearance, but silliness aside... is this even possible??
a while ago, i purchased an s5 mini, and downgraded that with no issues at all.... but its honestly been so long and i cant for the life of me remember the steps i took or if i needed to care about region codes or other numbers. but it did sucessfully work.... it was really built unwell/cheap, but it did work.... its also slower than my captivate glide which is still my current phone, until/if i can get this s7 working the way i desire.
any help and guidance is appreciated. If it is needed, ill be using it with a Koodo mobile sim.

well it is too new if its from DRAG or so onwards (those with U2/S2 in the file name) so no dice, you're stuck with 7.0 unless you want to upgrade to oreo. (and 7.0 firmwares prior to DRAG cant be downgraded to either, not that theres much point doing that)
btw this is the wrong forum to post this in

teddytsen said:
well it is too new if its from DRAG or so onwards (those with U2/S2 in the file name) so no dice, you're stuck with 7.0 unless you want to upgrade to oreo. (and 7.0 firmwares prior to DRAG cant be downgraded to either, not that theres much point doing that)
btw this is the wrong forum to post this in
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But this is the forum about s7? I'm wanting to modify an s7?
Which part of the file name are you referring to? Which file?
I would have thought all s7's are made at the same time, and so released with the same overall software, but it all seems so complex now. I've seen s7's running 6.0.1 stock so in my mind it seems they should all be able to...
Not sure what you're referring to with drag either? Does that stand for something?
I'm really hoping this can work somehow, its the last flagship before the edge models which was why I got it, and I love Samsung software up until 7 and 8.
My mom has an s7 as well, not rooted or anything that's too complex for her, but she did the upgrade to 8 and it's still got all the same gross appearance factors that I don't like about version 7. I got excited when her phone wanted to upgrade, maybe they had fixed some of the grossness. But, nope. Wish they had included an option even for stock based or touchwiz based appearance and menus.
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Pawprints1986 said:
But this is the forum about s7? I'm wanting to modify an s7?
Which part of the file name are you referring to? Which file?
I would have thought all s7's are made at the same time, and so released with the same overall software, but it all seems so complex now. I've seen s7's running 6.0.1 stock so in my mind it seems they should all be able to...
Not sure what you're referring to with drag either? Does that stand for something?
I'm really hoping this can work somehow, its the last flagship before the edge models which was why I got it, and I love Samsung software up until 7 and 8.
My mom has an s7 as well, not rooted or anything that's too complex for her, but she did the upgrade to 8 and it's still got all the same gross appearance factors that I don't like about version 7. I got excited when her phone wanted to upgrade, maybe they had fixed some of the grossness. But, nope. Wish they had included an option even for stock based or touchwiz based appearance and menus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
go into about phone and tell me the last 6 characters of your build number
(i was referring to the PDA file in a stock firmware zip)
(Also i meant this should be in Q&A section)

Hello,
I can understand you and also understand what you want but Samsung installed a downgrade lock in their bootloader in early 2018,
if you installed this version you can't go back to an older version, I think that was in February.
You can go back from a 6.2018 version to a 4.2018 version for example but not to a 1.2018 version!
If you have a version of for example 12.2017, you can also go back to a version of 2016, so you can also go back to Android 6.01,
if not you only have the last versions of Android 7 or update to Oreo.
I hope I could help.

teddytsen said:
go into about phone and tell me the last 6 characters of your build number
(i was referring to the PDA file in a stock firmware zip)
(Also i meant this should be in Q&A section)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the last of the build number and the last of the baseband version are the same. But i did take a screenshot of it when i was thinking rooting and changing would be no big thing. figured that would be easier. i purposely havent even hooked it up to wifi yet or anything, said no to anything non essential when i was setting it up... on the chance it was starting up in version 6, and i didnt want it upgrading on its own.
also why would they block downgrading? It seems if anything blocking upgrading would be the way to go, to stop people from updating their devices before official software is ready, not just samsung but any manufacturer. in my head it seems silly to even need to root anymore... someone always figures it out, and cell phone manufacturers must know it. it would be nice if it were included, sort of like developer options, where its hidden, but if you know what to look for its there, and if youre not that advanced youll never find it.
if the bootloader is in fact locked and that is the main prevention, has anyone ever successfully unlocked it before?
ETA: Ive done a bit more looking around and there is alot around about frp and making you sign in to a google account in order to reset.... i have *not* needed and havent signed into a google account on that device at all... does that mean a downgrade is still possible though odin? Or, are these 2 things in fact unrelated...
eta #2: Did a bit more searching around, and it seems to be that in order to root your device, in the process it must unlock the bootloader? If that is still the case, would i be able to then flash the marshmallow stock ROM? Thats what i was looking to do all along, sorry maybe i should have been more clear about my planned method initially. Its a bit more nerve wracking as it seems rooting itself has gotten a little more difficult with that dm verity thing... but I definitely want root no matter which version im running. Ive had root on all my devices and theres no way im going back to a locked down OS (cant remove microsoft stuff for example), i need to be able to declutter beyond what factory allows lol.

Pawprints1986 said:
the last of the build number and the last of the baseband version are the same. But i did take a screenshot of it when i was thinking rooting and changing would be no big thing. figured that would be easier. i purposely havent even hooked it up to wifi yet or anything, said no to anything non essential when i was setting it up... on the chance it was starting up in version 6, and i didnt want it upgrading on its own.
also why would they block downgrading? It seems if anything blocking upgrading would be the way to go, to stop people from updating their devices before official software is ready, not just samsung but any manufacturer. in my head it seems silly to even need to root anymore... someone always figures it out, and cell phone manufacturers must know it. it would be nice if it were included, sort of like developer options, where its hidden, but if you know what to look for its there, and if youre not that advanced youll never find it.
if the bootloader is in fact locked and that is the main prevention, has anyone ever successfully unlocked it before?
ETA: Ive done a bit more looking around and there is alot around about frp and making you sign in to a google account in order to reset.... i have *not* needed and havent signed into a google account on that device at all... does that mean a downgrade is still possible though odin? Or, are these 2 things in fact unrelated...
eta #2: Did a bit more searching around, and it seems to be that in order to root your device, in the process it must unlock the bootloader? If that is still the case, would i be able to then flash the marshmallow stock ROM? Thats what i was looking to do all along, sorry maybe i should have been more clear about my planned method initially. Its a bit more nerve wracking as it seems rooting itself has gotten a little more difficult with that dm verity thing... but I definitely want root no matter which version im running. Ive had root on all my devices and theres no way im going back to a locked down OS (cant remove microsoft stuff for example), i need to be able to declutter beyond what factory allows lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TL;DR
your bootloader is currently on version 3, and you cant downgrade to marshmallow
see that "U3BRB2"? that "U3" means your bootloader is on version 3. i assume the marshmallow firmwares use bootloaders pre-version 3 so you cant downgrade to firmwares using bootloaders with version 1 or 2. (this is how it works for F/FD models and im pretty sure samsung made it like that too for the W8 models)
eta 1) unrelated
eta 2) F/FD/W8/S/K/L variants (basically all the exynos models) have unlocked bootloaders. only SD variants have locked bootloaders so it's just your misconception

So, it's literally impossible? Has nobody ever figured out a way to downgrade or mod the bootloader itself? It seems to me the rom makers wouldn't stand for this at all and would figure out a way around it...
I can see an old bootloader can't run new software, but it seems much easier for newer bootloader to run older software, isn't it? You can buy a windows 7 pc and install Windows xp on it much easier than you could buy a windows XP PC and install Windows 7 on it... It's just boggling my mind a little
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Pawprints1986 said:
So, it's literally impossible? Has nobody ever figured out a way to downgrade or mod the bootloader itself? It seems to me the rom makers wouldn't stand for this at all and would figure out a way around it...
I can see an old bootloader can't run new software, but it seems much easier for newer bootloader to run older software, isn't it? You can buy a windows 7 pc and install Windows xp on it much easier than you could buy a windows XP PC and install Windows 7 on it... It's just boggling my mind a little
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Off course you can downgrade to Marshmallow. To unlock the bootloader, enable OEM unlocking in devlopper options. After flash TWRP 3.1.0 for Herolte and wipe everything from the recovery. Install any 6.0 roms on XDA for G930F then flash Magisk 17.1 to root and you're done. You can't FRP if OEM unlocking in devlopper is enabled.

AoEKiller said:
Off course you can downgrade to Marshmallow. To unlock the bootloader, enable OEM unlocking in devlopper options. After flash TWRP 3.1.0 for Herolte and wipe everything from the recovery. Install any 6.0 roms on XDA for G930F then flash Magisk 17.1 to root and you're done. You can't FRP if OEM unlocking in devlopper is enabled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll trip knox (which breaks features like secure folder, private mode, shealth and Sbrowser private mode) and lose the comfort of OTA updates if you do this tho. Not to mention that you can encounter signal reception problems because your flashed ROM is on marshmallow and your bl/cp is on Oreo or nougat. So I wouldn't advise this method as it may break so many things.

Help downgrading my new phone.

I will try to make it as short and clear as possible.
I have the s8 snapdragon, a few days ago I bought the S8 Plus Exynos.
The S8 Plus Exynos seemed to be lagging when scrolling down in apps like Twitter which my S8 Snapdragon barely does.
I read that people with the Exynos didn't have such issues with Nougat (7.0) which is what I'm trying to downgrade to.
So, first and foremost. I tried downgrading to the FIRST android Oreo release which WORKED, no errors whatsoever.
HOWEVER, when I downloaded the Nougat files I keep getting an error in Odin due to something called "sboot.bin". Here is a screenshot:
i.gyazo.com/3b9f697ae7af052b77caef9d58d85d5f.png
On the phone screen, it says: "SW REV. FAIL(BOOTLOADER) DEVICE: 3, BINARY: 1"
I really dont understand this. I just read that Nougat is binary 1 (whatever that means) and on my phone screen it says I HAVE binary 1, or so I think thats what this message means.
Anyway, can anyone help me ? Does this mean I need to root and install TWRP and then downgrade ?
(By the way, my OEM is unlocked and USB debugging is turned on)

random_011 said:
I will try to make it as short and clear as possible.
I have the s8 snapdragon, a few days ago I bought the S8 Plus Exynos.
The S8 Plus Exynos seemed to be lagging when scrolling down in apps like Twitter which my S8 Snapdragon barely does.
I read that people with the Exynos didn't have such issues with Nougat (7.0) which is what I'm trying to downgrade to.
So, first and foremost. I tried downgrading to the FIRST android Oreo release which WORKED, no errors whatsoever.
HOWEVER, when I downloaded the Nougat files I keep getting an error in Odin due to something called "sboot.bin". Here is a screenshot:
i.gyazo.com/3b9f697ae7af052b77caef9d58d85d5f.png
On the phone screen, it says: "SW REV. FAIL(BOOTLOADER) DEVICE: 3, BINARY: 1"
I really dont understand this. I just read that Nougat is binary 1 (whatever that means) and on my phone screen it says I HAVE binary 1, or so I think thats what this message means.
Anyway, can anyone help me ? Does this mean I need to root and install TWRP and then downgrade ?
(By the way, my OEM is unlocked and USB debugging is turned on)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can not downgrade either devices bootloaders that error is you flashing older firmware than on the device
That shows your device on 3rd revision and looks like your trying to flash number 1

TheMadScientist said:
You can not downgrade either devices bootloaders that error is you flashing older firmware than on the device
That shows your device on 3rd revision and looks like your trying to flash number 1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So this means that the device is FOREVER locked on Oreo ?
What kind of a joke is that ?
I read something where someone said that you can remove a bunch of files from the firmware including the "sboot" file and then save it. In other words, downgrading the firmware without touching the bootloader.
The only problem is that my firmware files are md5 files or something like that, not .tar and there is multiple ones.
So if that's not possible, this means that there is currently no way to revert and there will not be in the near future ?
Idk, old firmware is always better. One of my tablets that I use on daily basis is still using Android 6. There were a few updates that came after inlcuding 7.0 but the fact of the matter is that updates most of the times screw everything up. The thing that shipped with the device is almost always faster and better than whatever they come up with. And it's not online smartphone updates, it is updates for everything. With ever update every company may fix one issue but cause 10 more.
Even my S8 Snapdragon drains more battery and is slightly slower with Oreo than it is with Nougat. I noticed this on day 1.

random_011 said:
So this means that the device is FOREVER locked on Oreo ?
What kind of a joke is that ?
I read something where someone said that you can remove a bunch of files from the firmware including the "sboot" file and then save it. In other words, downgrading the firmware without touching the bootloader.
The only problem is that my firmware files are md5 files or something like that, not .tar and there is multiple ones.
So if that's not possible, this means that there is currently no way to revert and there will not be in the near future ?
I know the US snap dragons are They have a 7.0 factory binary test image but I hardly call that a system But as for usefulness yes 8.0 only
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

ok thx

random_011 said:
ok thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One thing I don't get is why is the Exynoss phone SO MUCH laggier than the snapdragon.
The snapdragon loads EVERYTHING faster, and another thing I noticed is that when lets say scrolling through pages on Flipboard or scrolling down on Twitter, the snapdragon will continue to scroll without any form of delay or stuttering EVEN if the content has not loaded up. While the Exynos starts stuttering while trying to load up content, and as I said it loads it slower and to me this is very noticable having used the snapdragon for over a year and being pretty much spoiled with how fast it is.
The other weird thing is that my snapdragon got lower than normal scores in geek-bench yet its performance is butter smooth, never had an app crash, never had delays of any sort. On the other hand, my Exynoss got significantly higher scores in everything than the NOTE 8, yet it lags and performs slower than my snapdragon.
Does this come down to optimizations ? And is anyone else using the Exynos having the same issues ?
By issues I mean ANY FORM of stutter while scrolling, or even the short delay. Anything that isn't butter smooth is an ISSUE.
Could me S8 Snapdragon be some kind of a miracle ?

Stuck on stock Pie with bootloader v5

Hi everybody,
I just bought a S8+ with firmware G955FXXU5DSFB - Pie - pre-installed.
After a couple of days (and nights), the frustration piled up:
- barely managed to install TWRP
- RMM protection and "only official released binaries are allowed" messages that seem to come up again almost randomly
- still didn't manage to root
- what's worse - this bootloader downgrade issue (which I've just found out about) - the bootloader cannot be downgraded - is it for real ?
The final question - how can I install a custom Oreo/Nougat custom ROM if I have the BL v5 ?
I guess all the custom ROMS have lower bootloader versions. Does this mean I am stuck forever with stock Pie ? That would be a really bad.
Since when did Samsung turn so bad ? My previous phone was a Note 4 - I haven't been following the xda/Android news for the past 5 years.
Thanks a lot, and as always - xda-developers rule !

I managed to root the phone with Magisk.
I tried to flash Omega ROM, but the phone was stuck at boot screen.
Can someone pmease confirm that there's no way I can install cuatom ROM?
Thanks.

Unfortunately you are stuck to Pie forever, it's also the case for me, got my s8+ with Pie (BL5) and didn't even try to downgrade to Oreo, coz it's impossible
I'm using Alexis Rom with NX Kernel now, everything is perfect, smooth along with 6h30 screen on time

Hi, thanks for the reply. Isn't there any version of Oreo that has BL5 ?
Anyway, had I known this stuff beforehand, I would have never bought the phone. I am sorry that Samsung went so wrong, locking down their phones so brutally. I owned only Samsung smartphones, starting with SGS1; most likely this will be my last Samsung.

realn said:
Hi, thanks for the reply. Isn't there any version of Oreo that has BL5 ?
Anyway, had I known this stuff beforehand, I would have never bought the phone. I am sorry that Samsung went so wrong, locking down their phones so brutally. I owned only Samsung smartphones, starting with SGS1; most likely this will be my last Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, no oreo firmware with BL5 :/
I got mine for free so I'm not that bothered Plus I'm still enjoying oreo on my s7 edge

It seems that, in fact, there is a way of downgrading: I have now Oreo running on the device with BL5.
Please see below post
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ga.../test-u1ara2-devbase-v5-0-encryption-t3752964

Vivo Y70 Bootloader/TWRP/Custom ROM ?

Hello everyone !
I just got a Vivo Y70 and I wanted to try to install other OS on it.
But I don't seem to find anything for this model.
Isn't there really not much thing for this device ?
Thanks in advance.

unfortunaltey this is the phone no one wants to develop for
not even a single custom rom found although i found it a good mid ranger budget phone with quite good camera and processing ability .

If only there was a bootstrap to begin with, I have this phone and I'm sick of all that boilerplate iManager and app killer...
As a dev guy, I will be happy to at least provide some tips and improve my life and your if you find the firsts steps of how to root a phone (some endpoint to enter the bootloader code, and root safely a phone)

I am also waiting if someone can figure out the steps to go back to android 10 for Y70 phone it was working pretty fast but as i updated to android 11 its almost dead slow now .. and guess what there is no option to revert back to stock android 10 firmware as well.

Well I have just received an OTA official security update (March 2023), so the device is still supported by the manufaturer: I do not see yet an urgent need for a custom ROM. I'll be waiting at the door when the phone will start aging more.