Related
So I recently found out I'm unable to install OTA Android updates to my phone if it's rooted.
So what can I do once ICS is released for the GS2? Will there be a download online that I can just flash with ODIN? Or are people going to be forced to unroot if they want the official ICS stock?
Most likely samfirmware aka sammobile will release an odin .tar, so you'll be good to go with odin.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
saj1jr said:
So I recently found out I'm unable to install OTA Android updates to my phone if it's rooted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not true. You will be unable to install OTA patch-style updates if you have modified one of the files being patched. If you rooted with Auto Root and that's all you did, you will be able to install OTA patch-style updates even without unrooting (though the update will disable root)
saj1jr said:
So what can I do once ICS is released for the GS2? Will there be a download online that I can just flash with ODIN? Or are people going to be forced to unroot if they want the official ICS stock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure there will be an ODIN update within a few days or maybe even the same day. You can also flash EK02 and let the OTA update upgrade you (or if you've just rooted with Auto Root, just let the OTA update run), though you are probably better off waiting for an update from XDA, because the updates from here will attempt to keep your rooting and upgrade options as open as possible.
I'll also probably have an OTA compliance check for the next official update so you can tell immediately which files are not in compliance with what the update expects. I have one for EG30 to EK02 as part of the Auto Root package, so it would be similar in functionality.
First rule: Never take an OTA update if you care about rooting.
Any file made available from sprint or samsung will have a rooted/safe version posted in the dev section within a few hours of release.
I know samsung is pretty nice to us rooters but you never know when that might change.
lafester said:
First rule: Never take an OTA update if you care about rooting.
Any file made available from sprint or samsung will have a rooted/safe version posted in the dev section within a few hours of release.
I know samsung is pretty nice to us rooters but you never know when that might change.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there a way to block OTAs? I'm running Calkulin's 2.8 if that matters.
Relax427 said:
Is there a way to block OTAs? I'm running Calkulin's 2.8 if that matters.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a thread on blocking them in the wiki, provided here for your ease.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1388778
If you are worried about the OTA messing something up, it'll download and ask to install, but if you've made any changes to your ROM, including installing CWM, then it will fail the integrity check and won't install, so nothing will change.
I don't understand the OP's dilemma. Just wait a couple of hours after the OTA update and get a rooted version of the update... no problem!
It won't be out for a few more months anyways. It isn't even being tested yet. I doubt an initial build is even at Samsung. They are working on the the Galaxy S2 right now(the GSM overseas version). And, I am sure Sprint will sell some other phone with ICS stock before they update ours.
Hello all
I am really hoping someone can explain this to me please. I have recently purchased a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (N7100) from Vodafone in the UK direct. I was under the impression from this site, and general research on the Net, it has an unlocked boot loader and my experience with it thus far seems to validate that. I want to place a custom ROM on it.
Here is what I have done thus far. The device is rooted and is working fine from that perspective. Root checker and such like all say this is fine. Additionally, it supposedly has the correct and latest version of CWR on it, 6.0.1.9. This was done using the ROM Manager from the Play store. It is the non touch version, at present. However upon booting in to CWR I have no advanced options on the main menu. I would upgrade to the touch version. However, that is not free and whilst I have no issue paying for it, in principle, I am reluctant to, in case I end up in the same position with that version. It does not state what the upgrade version is. It states on the upgrade introduction page, it is also available as a free download from the clockworkmod website. However. after much digging through their website I land up back at the ROM Manager page in the Play store, which quite rightly says it is already installed. The only manual download I can find is for, yes you guessed it, 6.0.1.9 and that when expanded is simple an SU.apk and a few such related files. How that will flash the correct version of CWR with touch enabled etc. is anyone's guess? The device is currently running JB 4.1.2 and was pushed out to my device by OTA update just before XMAS. The baseband version is N7100BUDLL1 and the build number is JZ054K.N7100XXDLL4. The kernel is shown as 3.0.3-679347 and is dated December 11 2012.
I am at a total loss here. I have flashed phones a number of times and have never come across anything so seemingly utterly baffling. Is it actually possible to get a full version of CWR for this build please and, if so how please? I am very reluctant to wipe the phone and install a custom ROM until I can verify CWM is running correctly. Surely I cannot be the first person in the UK on Vodafone to want a custom ROM and the boot loader is supposedly unlocked too?
Yours desperately trying to understand what is actually going on here please. Any help and\or enlightenment will be gratefully received.
Many thanks in advance.
Regards,
Paul Lemonidis.
Use TWRP recovery for Note2 instead of CWM.
Flash it using odin.
nm8 said:
Use TWRP recovery for Note2 instead of CWM.
Flash it using odin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many thanks for your quick reply. I was wondering about that. I'll give it a try. It seems from what you're saying to ditch CWR as it does not work properly with my device for some reason? Just mine or all UK Vodafone models is my next question. So I am also left asking did CWR's own program to install CWR downloaded the wrong version of it for my model, despite being installed directly from the Play Store? Obviously I chose the correct model in the menu. Do I take it there is no CWR version that will work properly in my device, unless it is just my device, of course? I am just trying to understand what is going on here. It is more the lack of any sensible logic to this I find frustrating, more than actually not being to Flash the phone to be honest. Or is it just a dodgy installation? Although I have tried installing it by ODIN and Rom Manager the result is always the same. Everything says its installed fine but it just doesn't work upon booting in to it??!! I will try the other way now.
Paul-Lemonidis said:
Hello all
I am really hoping someone can explain this to me please. I have recently purchased a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (N7100) from Vodafone in the UK direct. I was under the impression from this site, and general research on the Net, it has an unlocked boot loader and my experience with it thus far seems to validate that. I want to place a custom ROM on it.
Here is what I have done thus far. The device is rooted and is working fine from that perspective. Root checker and such like all say this is fine. Additionally, it supposedly has the correct and latest version of CWR on it, 6.0.1.9. This was done using the ROM Manager from the Play store. It is the non touch version, at present. However upon booting in to CWR I have no advanced options on the main menu. I would upgrade to the touch version. However, that is not free and whilst I have no issue paying for it, in principle, I am reluctant to, in case I end up in the same position with that version. It does not state what the upgrade version is. It states on the upgrade introduction page, it is also available as a free download from the clockworkmod website. However. after much digging through their website I land up back at the ROM Manager page in the Play store, which quite rightly says it is already installed. The only manual download I can find is for, yes you guessed it, 6.0.1.9 and that when expanded is simple an SU.apk and a few such related files. How that will flash the correct version of CWR with touch enabled etc. is anyone's guess? The device is currently running JB 4.1.2 and was pushed out to my device by OTA update just before XMAS. The baseband version is N7100BUDLL1 and the build number is JZ054K.N7100XXDLL4. The kernel is shown as 3.0.3-679347 and is dated December 11 2012.
I am at a total loss here. I have flashed phones a number of times and have never come across anything so seemingly utterly baffling. Is it actually possible to get a full version of CWR for this build please and, if so how please? I am very reluctant to wipe the phone and install a custom ROM until I can verify CWM is running correctly. Surely I cannot be the first person in the UK on Vodafone to want a custom ROM and the boot loader is supposedly unlocked too?
Yours desperately trying to understand what is actually going on here please. Any help and\or enlightenment will be gratefully received.
Many thanks in advance.
Regards,
Paul Lemonidis.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all update your firmware. You are vulnerable to sds.
Secondly as for your problem.
Go to cwm page in desktop mode and download the recovery for your phone. Touch or non touch anything would work. Then rename the downloaded file to recovery.img and flash it in recovery option via mobile odin and you are done.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
Hello. I'm coming from a old windows mobile phone and just got my first Android device "Samsung Galaxy S4 mini GT-i9195" and obviously i'm loving it.
Still being a newbie to Android i already did a bit of advanced stuff (at least for a novice android user) like installing CWM Recovery and rooting the phone in order to be able to install apps on and external SD card.
But a new question arose: What about new Android updates, can i still install them without loosing root or even worse, damaging the phone?
After searching a bit on google i came up with two possible and contraditory possibilities which are:
-Yes, and afterwards i would only need to restart the phone in CWM mode and reapply the zip root file i used previously;
-No, it will likely mess the phone and i should wait 1 or 2 weeks for a updated rooted rom and "install" that instead.
So, i'm a bit confused here, what would be more advisable?
I suggest to make a nandroid backup, then try a custom rom from the dev forum.
There are 4.4.4 kikat roms for our beloved S4 mini, and i dont think samsung will go further.
Envoyé de mon GT-I9190
rick6 said:
-Yes, and afterwards i would only need to restart the phone in CWM mode and reapply the zip root file i used previously;
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...... if, as has been said, you ever get an update. An update certainly will not damage the phone.
You certainly won't have to wait for anything. I agree with zlaz, flash a new ROM such as Carbon - you get regular updates and great support here on XDA (whichever ROM you try).
Custom ROMs like CarbonRom (see the development section) is the way to go for this phone I would say. But if you wanna stay on stock and if we would get an update, Samsung probably wont let you install it via the usual OTA or Kies method, because your device is flagged as "Modified" after flashing a custom recovery (you can see this in the about this device section in the settings). You would still be able to flash the update manually with Odin, but you will then probably have to reroot it.
LanderN said:
Custom ROMs like CarbonRom (see the development section) is the way to go for this phone I would say. But if you wanna stay on stock and if we would get an update, Samsung probably wont let you install it via the usual OTA or Kies method, because your device is flagged as "Modified" after flashing a custom recovery (you can see this in the about this device section in the settings). You would still be able to flash the update manually with Odin, but you will then probably have to reroot it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's 100% true, I don't remember now exactly when your phone say, that it is modified and you can't update - moment you search for update in it or moment you try to download update that it has find.
Samsung oryginal software is not that greate anyways
Thank you all for the replies.
I think i got what i wanted with your awnsers, i just need to dig a bit more about the avaiable roms what what i can get from them. At the moment i'll keep my s4 mini as it is for a while longer i guess.
As for warranty i get something while booting up saying "Set warranty Bit: Kernel", but that seems to be what you normaly get when root a stock rom.
Its been awhile since I've done my firmware, but I'm giving my phone over to my sister soon and upgrading to a Note Edge.
I'm trying to get this phone on Likewise S5, but having a little difficulties with the older guilds to install various stuff, also all the warning on the Likewise S5 don't show up in the guide I was following for the actual installation, like stuff about bootloaders and modems (I don't know what these are), I am a techy just I'm not well versed in Cellphone Firmware talk at all, more of a PC person.
This was the guide I'm following well can't link it, its on Team android, for the likewise S5 for S3 i747
I'm Trying to install CWM Because I believe I don't have one currently installed, if I do is there a way I can find out? all I believe I have is just a oem 4.1.2 firmware that was rooted.
Almost all the CWM guides that are out have their own downloads that no longer work for the CWM that they provide, and honestly I don't wanna mess with it anymore and want to get the proper combination, I've downloaded the latest one for Samsung Galaxy S3 from the Official Clockwork mod website for Touch version, but I'm not sure how to flash "that" I know it says to use PDA on 1.85 Odin which i've tried but it just says
<ID:0/004> Added!!
<ID:0/004> Odin v.3 engine (ID:4)..
<ID:0/004> File analysis..
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1) (No pass or fail)
I'm not sure what I'm doing at this point and could really use some help, specific to what I'm doing.
And to be specific I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 i747 From Rogers Wireless in Canada (Sept 2012), and it isn't bricked have booted it up just fine.
Currently I am dealing with a finnicky USB port as well, need to get some alchohol and see if I can get a more reliable connection out of it. I got it to point now I feel like I'm comfortable flashing it just eh, could be better, long as its sitting generally its connected slight pressure in cord to be sure, usually charges no problem but USB connectivity is whats finnicky. I cleaned out the lint with a needle didn't really seem to help a whole lot but definetly lets the plug go in further now, even bought a new cord that gets a decent click but it still a little floppy side to side, feels like its the plug has room to move inside the female end of the plug, vs anything being "loose"
Any chance your phone is already rooted? Odin flashing anything with a flaky USB port would make me a little nervous.
If you're rooted, there's an app called flashify that makes updating recovery pretty simple and there is no USB connection needed.
Also in the Play store if you search for Samsung Phone Info you should find an app that will tell you what firmware you're on. Install it and report back what it tells you you're on for bootloader and baseband and someone here should be able to chime in on whether it will run newer roms ok, or how to proceed if its out of date.
jason2678 said:
Any chance your phone is already rooted? Odin flashing anything with a flaky USB port would make me a little nervous.
If you're rooted, there's an app called flashify that makes updating recovery pretty simple and there is no USB connection needed.
Also in the Play store if you search for Samsung Phone Info you should find an app that will tell you what firmware you're on. Install it and report back what it tells you you're on for bootloader and baseband and someone here should be able to chime in on whether it will run newer roms ok, or how to proceed if its out of date.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am already rooted I know that I did the root myself, to get Super admin permissions for the Ps3 controller blutooth controller permissions.
I'll look into Flashify, I'll install phone info now
Ok here is from my Samsung phone info app;
DMF1 firmware is pretty out of date. Unless you pick an older build of a custom rom, you'll run into some issues.
The full Canadian carrier updates for i747m are all available for download from sammobile.com, but those will be really big files to flash with Odin. I wouldn't try that unless you're really confident in that USB port. This won't be a really quick flash and interrupting it could brick your phone.
The safest route might be to unroot the phone and take carrier OTAs until your firmware is up to date. You'll have to be on stock recovery for OTAs. Once you're unrooted if you power down and reboot your phone, I'm pretty sure the stock recovery will come back. If not, here's a link to a stock recovery: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2026751
To get going with rooting and custom roms again you'll have to flash a custom recovery in Odin once you get up to date on OTAs, but that will be a 5 - 10 MB file to flash as opposed to a 1 GB+ full system update. Don't worry about that until you get the bootloader and modem up to date, one step at a time. :good:
How do I perform an update though to manually update the phone, like to unroot it basically I'm Connecting it to USB getting it to recognize in Kies?
Like I have full USB access to my phone now, yes the port is flaky but it functions. Kies says my device is on latest firmware even though I know 4.4.2 was released by rogers for the device, i.e I don't understand how to unroot it and bring it up to date
I don't know what a OTA is, I don't understand what a modem/bootloader is etc.
I'm assuming what I have to do is update it to 4.4.2 via the normal firmware but currently it isn't giving me an option to
OTA is "over the air" updates. They are pushed to your phone and often update your phone's bootloader, modem, and rom to new versions. They'll download and install with wifi or cell data, no USB connection required. It is a very safe way to update your phone, but OTA updates will fail if you are rooted and have custom recovery (at least AT&T's will).
With android 4.1 and DMF1 firmware you're something like 2 or 3 updates out of date. Usually OTA notifications just pop up on their own, or you might have a "check for updates" option somewhere in your rom settings. Has this phone been off the grid for a while, update process frozen, or just declining OTAs for the last year and a half or so? Is it not tied to a carrier anymore?
I have updated bootloaders and modems outside of the OTA process, but only on the i747 AT&T variant. If OTA is not an option for some reason, I can't comment on what your safest route would be on the Canadian variant, but there are plenty of expert i747M users on here. Someone will chime in to help you out.
If OTA is an option, then the easiest way to unroot used to be to install SuperSU from the Play store, if you're not already using it. In SuperSU settings there used to be a "full unroot" option.
Ok So what do I need to do exactly I unrooted the phone no problem but it still doesn't recognize it as needing new firmware still so I'm still confused how to update it.
My understanding is I need to update this to latest base version which would be 4.4.2, but I'm not sure how to do that exactly since its not automatically doing it given the custom rom.
Confirm the bootloader on your phone and post it here.
It is the bootloader that will determine which stock firmware to flash from sammobile.com onto your i747m.
audit13 said:
Confirm the bootloader on your phone and post it here.
It is the bootloader that will determine which stock firmware to flash from sammobile.com onto your i747m.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, I'm not well versed in android terminology etc, I don't really know what a bootloader is, everything in those screen caps above is what I'm using
If you want to be on the latest stock, just use Odin to flash the stock Rogers 4.1.1 ROM from sammobile.com. Then use OTA updates to update the phone to the latest KK.
audit13 said:
If you want to be on the latest stock, just use Odin to flash the stock Rogers 4.1.1 ROM from sammobile.com. Then use OTA updates to update the phone to the latest KK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, I Really Need more details Odin isn't so simple that its Oh Slot dis dat flash in der and poof completeo, if you read through the thread you'd you I have a flaky USB port that isn't 100% stable, flashing a 1gb rom through a iffy connection doesn't sound smart.
How do I flash this correctly from SD card if I can?
Please describe, Which App I need for it, what I need to do in app etc, cuz Odin is like AD AP DS WE aslaksd its all gibberish to me unforunately for different flashing locations
I know of no way to flash a completely stock ROM from an SD card.
If you wanted to flash it from an SD card, you would probably need to download the entire ROM, strip out the stock recovery, and re-pack the ROM into a zip file.
I'm still extremely confused, I need consise directions what I need to do, so far I haven't had solid details in this thread yet how to get my firmware installed :crying:
Evockzi said:
I'm still extremely confused, I need consise directions what I need to do, so far I haven't had solid details in this thread yet how to get my firmware installed :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
since youre computer literate , so to speak , perhaps this method would help/be more 'simple'. IDK , just a thought.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2225405
"all i can really do , is stay out of my own way and let the will of heaven be done"
Is that method compatible with my device? before I've only been following ones that flash with odin.
The Reason why the isn't helpful immediately for me, I Do Not Know what I need to Do to achieve what I need.
Bootloader means almost nothing to me, I do Not know what I need to accomplish, No one has answered that question yet for me.
My Question is again, So, Do I need to install 4.4.2 Base as downloaded from that Samsmobile, and How Do I install Specifically that?
Beyond That my question expands into, Ok After I install that What do I need to do to install likewise.
I Do not know what I need to do so all these guides about doing specific tasks that you know what you need to do are useless to me at this moment I'm afraid.
I have enough of a stable USB connection I can Odin it Right now I just need to know what to select, etc
I yolo'd it with the connection, and flashed it with older odin 1.85 since I know PDA is the correct one idk what the hell it is in the new odin.
Passed, took almost 8 mintues to flash it, Now I just need to get back to original question of installing CWM Recovery and Getting Likewise S5 rom installed.
Do I have correct 4.3-4.4 Modem and boot loader that it spams in bright red on the likewise requirements?
Managed to finish all the installations without a hitch,
Followed a guide to CWM install and then root it through installing SuperSU, Then had everything to install Likewise which can be done on the device.
Everything installed perfect now I have a S5 to give to my sister cheers
@Evockzi glad you got it figured out.:victory:
"all i can really do , is stay out of my own way and let the will of heaven be done"
I'm really frustrated. I've been trying to update this Galaxy S3 for days now with no success. Currently I am running on Slimkat 7.0. It's sometimes slow and buggy and needs some updating.
For reference, this is the phone at its current state:
- Bootloader: i747ucalh9 (literally taken from the fail message when trying to update to any other bootloader)
- Modem/firmware (?): I747UCLH9
Here's what has happened, greatly summarized (note I'm using CM6.0.4.7 for all of these operations, and when I say "update", I mean "flash"):
- I tried updating to Slimkat 9 but received no signal. I gave up on it entirely for a while
- I tried installing various LP ROMs, including CM12.1.
- I had 12.1 running for a bit, but I had no connectivity. LTE, 3G,H+ nothing.
- I tried installing a newer modem (this thread. Finally at MJB, I could actually get connectivity in some of the newer ROMs (including Slimkat 9)... but it was very erratic. It would just randomly oscillate between LTE and 3G and H+. This also broke CM12.1 entirely.
- Again, the above problem was always present. Most of the LP ROMs would just bootloop me, though. The only one that worked was Cyanide L... which I didn't really like.
- I thought maybe the issue was the bootloader. My bootloader is still i747ucalh9. So I tried updating it to various bootloaders from here, but none of the updates will work. Literally, they give me error 6 or 7 and pretty much essentially tell me that I can't do it.
- So after repeating the cycle of "let me try to update this" several times and having the update fail on me, I'm still stuck at Slimkat 7 as the only thing that worked on LTE (note the past tense). Worse yet, I tried simply downgrading my modem to match my current bootloader version, but that made things worse than better. I am now stuck at 3G... which just recently went back to LTE. Talk about erratic.
- I also tried going full stock by flashing this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2363882 But it expects 5 arguments for format, and got 3... or something. Failed hard.
So, I'm pretty much at the end of my rope here. I really might just go and grab a new phone at this point. I just really don't want to because this thing still works fine.... I guess I got unlucky and am at a version of the bootloader that is difficult to update from. I can't seem to go anywhere with this thing. Anyone have any ideas? Do I need to use a different recovery?
Thanks...
First and foremost, verify your bootloader. Install the Samsung phone info app, or in a terminal app or adb shell enter:
Code:
getprop ro.bootloader
If you're on any of the older bootloaders (the ones that do not end in MJB, NE4, or NJ1) there are two ways you can go (you probably will be given the age of your modem). If you're on any of the ones that end in MJB, NE4, or NJ1 you've got to be a lot more careful because downgrading them will hard brick your phone (Odin back to stock is not an option anymore).
Option 1: If you're on the older bootloaders, you can go to sammobile.com, grab the 4.1.1 firmware from there and flash it with Odin. Do not do this if your bootloader ends in MJB, NE4, or NJ1 (can't stress that enough). This will reset your phone completely to stock. You should now start getting OTA updates. They will be incremental updates, you'll have to take at least three or four to get up to date on bootloader and modem and they're big downloads. They will come every 24 hours, but you can cheat that by setting your system time forward 1 day to make them a little more rapid fire. This is a nice, safe way to get your firmware current. Once you're up to NJ1 firmware you can use Odin to flash a custom recovery and get back to custom ROMs; I'd recommend TWRP 2.8.6 if you're going to be flashing newer ROMs as CWM and Philz aren't as up to date and sometimes give problems with newer ROMs.
Option 2: I'm pretty sure your version of CWM is a big part of your problem. If you're going to be flashing lollipop you ought to update your recovery to TWRP 2.8.6; easiest way to get it is just use the Flashify app. I'd get that recovery up to date before messing with bootloaders too. Next get your firmware up to date. If your bootloader version is before MJB, then you have to start with MJB. Then update to NE4. Then update to NJ1. It has to be done incrementally, and the bootloader and modem must match on the newer firmwares, or you'll hard brick. This thread has recovery flashable MJB and NE4 bootloaders/modems; the bootloader and modem are packaged together in the same zip so you can't get out of sync. This thread has recovery flashable NJ1 bootloader/modem. This will get your firmware all up to date, and data should start behaving on newer kitkat and lollipop ROMs. This route is a lot more risky than the OTA route described above because of all the manual steps you have to take, but you could get it done quite a bit faster if you're confident in your abilities. Just read those linked threads very, very carefully and make certain you understand.
Good luck.
jason2678 said:
First and foremost, verify your bootloader. Install the Samsung phone info app, or in a terminal app or adb shell enter:
Code:
getprop ro.bootloader
If you're on any of the older bootloaders (the ones that do not end in MJB, NE4, or NJ1) there are two ways you can go (you probably will be given the age of your modem). If you're on any of the ones that end in MJB, NE4, or NJ1 you've got to be a lot more careful because downgrading them will hard brick your phone (Odin back to stock is not an option anymore).
Option 1: If you're on the older bootloaders, you can go to sammobile.com, grab the 4.1.1 firmware from there and flash it with Odin. Do not do this if your bootloader ends in MJB, NE4, or NJ1 (can't stress that enough). This will reset your phone completely to stock. You should now start getting OTA updates. They will be incremental updates, you'll have to take at least three or four to get up to date on bootloader and modem and they're big downloads. They will come every 24 hours, but you can cheat that by setting your system time forward 1 day to make them a little more rapid fire. This is a nice, safe way to get your firmware current. Once you're up to NJ1 firmware you can use Odin to flash a custom recovery and get back to custom ROMs; I'd recommend TWRP 2.8.6 if you're going to be flashing newer ROMs as CWM and Philz aren't as up to date and sometimes give problems with newer ROMs.
Option 2: I'm pretty sure your version of CWM is a big part of your problem. If you're going to be flashing lollipop you ought to update your recovery to TWRP 2.8.6; easiest way to get it is just use the Flashify app. I'd get that recovery up to date before messing with bootloaders too. Next get your firmware up to date. If your bootloader version is before MJB, then you have to start with MJB. Then update to NE4. Then update to NJ1. It has to be done incrementally, and the bootloader and modem must match on the newer firmwares, or you'll hard brick. This thread has recovery flashable MJB and NE4 bootloaders/modems; the bootloader and modem are packaged together in the same zip so you can't get out of sync. This thread has recovery flashable NJ1 bootloader/modem. This will get your firmware all up to date, and data should start behaving on newer kitkat and lollipop ROMs. This route is a lot more risky than the OTA route described above because of all the manual steps you have to take, but you could get it done quite a bit faster if you're confident in your abilities. Just read those linked threads very, very carefully and make certain you understand.
Good luck.
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Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for the help! I actually did/tried a majority of this an hour or two before you posted that, except the latest firmware update link you supplied. I knew it existed and I had seen that thread before, but I couldn't dig up the link again before I had to go to work. Thing is I kind of wanted to avoid Odin for some reason but I finally gave up and used it. And yeah I already knew my bootloader version. The phone told me when it failed to update the bootloader lol.
Here's what happened thus far:
- I used Odin to flash the sammobile 4.1.1. The flashing worked just fine, but booting into it did not. It hung on the Samsung logo. So, OTA updates were out the window.
- I have no idea why, so I just used Odin to flash TWRP onto it afterwards (from here)
- I tried one of the ROMS. Data still didn't work.
- I used the thread you linked to update to MJB bootloader and whatnot. The update went fine.
- Tried another few ROMs. Data worked, but LTE was still erratic.
- Updated to NE4 and then grabbed the deoxed stock ROM.
- The deoxed stock rom failed to boot (stuck at ATT globe logo). For some reason my phone can't use stock ROMs.
- So again used Odin to put TWRP onto the phone
- Installed various LP ROMS. Again the data was erratic and plus the battery life was horrid.
- Tried getting the ktoonsez kernel. My service was murdered.
- Gave up on LP. Tried Slim 9.0. Erratic data.
- Tried Liquidsmooth 4.4.4 instead.
Currently that's kind of where I'm at. The LTE data works fine (takes a bit to get up and running after reboot though) and thus far everything is okay (though that can quickly change considering I haven't done much of anything), so I don't even know if I want to mess with it anymore. It looks like this specific ROM includes a custom kernel. So I'm guessing it's an incompatibility between the kernel and the firmware version on the other ROMs. It seems like most of the LP roms have horrible battery life (back of my phone feels like a furnace on them), so I'm not even sure if I want to do that last firmware update to use them.
It'd be kind of nice to use the OTA but apparently my ability to go stock in any form or fashion is just totally borked.
Thanks for the post though, that's pretty gold. I'm sure someone in a situation like me where they have a super old firmware will find this thread of some use as it has actual instructions and links to what you need to do to get up and running. Before you posted that, I had to go digging around pretty much everywhere figuring out what and where was going wrong.
Glad you've got it mostly working.
You might have been able to get that stock ROM to boot if you had booted into the stock recovery and run a full wipe. Touchwiz ROMs can be tough to get running after being on AOSP. As a general progression try to format internal storage with TWRP (the wipe where you have to type "yes" to confirm), if that doesn't work try a wipe with Philz, and if that doesn't work nothing, not even Odin, is effective as a wipe in the stock recovery.
Thanks for typing all this out I believe it will help me put cm12.1 official on a friends phone.
Are these the steps?
1) verify latest software
2) twrp via Odin
Alt 2) root via apk then use rashr or similar to flash twrp
3)wipe
4)In twrp install official d2att from cm website
5) install current gapps
6) profit
I'm not new to this at all but I've never even touched an att gs3 and I know most devices have their quirks and I don't want to brick.
Also does towel root work on this? I don't mind Odin but I can do this on the fly I think if I can attain root.
Sent from my DROID RAZR M using XDA Free mobile app
mrkhigh said:
Thanks for typing all this out I believe it will help me put cm12.1 official on a friends phone.
Are these the steps?
1) verify latest software
2) twrp via Odin
Alt 2) root via apk then use rashr or similar to flash twrp
3)wipe
4)In twrp install official d2att from cm website
5) install current gapps
6) profit
I'm not new to this at all but I've never even touched an att gs3 and I know most devices have their quirks and I don't want to brick.
Also does towel root work on this? I don't mind Odin but I can do this on the fly I think if I can attain root.
Sent from my DROID RAZR M using XDA Free mobile app
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Yep. You've got it. If you're on the latest and greatest firmware I think the towelroot exploit has been patched, unless geohot has retaken the lead in that arms race.
Easiest way to root on this phone since the bootloaders are unlocked is to just use Odin to flash a custom recovery then use the custom recovery to flash SuperSU. There's just a little trick to it. Store SuperSU.zip somewhere on your phone before flashing the custom recovery. Uncheck everything but f.reset time when you use Odin; don't let it auto reboot. Upon success pull battery. Replace battery and boot straight into recovery with vol up + home + power. If you mess up and boot into unrooted stock ROM with a custom recovery it will get overwritten with a stock recovery and you'll have to Odin custom recovery back onto it and try again.
I would do this to root your stock ROM just to execute this command in a terminal app or adb shell before any more serious flashing:
Code:
su
reboot nvbackup
That fixes a derp and gives you a working efs backup on a few backup partitions built into your phone instead of a blank one. Highly recommended before doing any ROM flashing. This will just look like a pretty normal reboot. You might see a quick flash of tiny blue text if you're watching for it.
Then you're ready to make a nandroid backup (just in case), wipe, and flash away. Take a look at LiquidSmooth if you're looking for a good lollipop ROM.
Nice... So the recovery partition gets rewritten every boot up until a custom ROM is installed and the efs can disappear... This is why you always ask questions.
Thanks for the suggestion on the ROM but I think I'll stick to official cm12.1 it's not my phone and that should be a nice readily updatable bland flavor of lollipop.
Sent from my DROID RAZR M using XDA Free mobile app
mrkhigh said:
Nice... So the recovery partition gets rewritten every boot up until a custom ROM is installed and the efs can disappear... This is why you always ask questions.
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At the Android 4.3 update it was noticed that flashing a custom recovery would be overwritten by the stock recovery on the initial reboot unless following the method Jason described. Another solution was to delete two lib or .so files. On devices still on stock recovery, stock recovery does not overwrite itself.
There is a blank EFS partition on the device intended for a backup. The nvbackup command populates that partition with an image which will rebuild your EFS if it is lost during a modem update or ROM flash. The loss of EFS does happen. I believe wanam, of the xposed module fame, created an EFS backup tool for Samsung devices. I don't believe he updates it any longer because he rolled the functionality into a partition backup tool, the later is in the PlayStore listed under a different creator name, yet it's still him.
So I'm finally going to take the plunge, and update my boot loader/modem.. I never messed with it because all the Roms I used always worked.. I want to try lollipop, but due to old bootloader my phone won't boot with those Roms..
I'm on UCDLK3 bootloader/modem.. I know I have to upgrade to MJB, NE4, then NJ1 in that order in increments..
So my question: can I upgrade from LK3 straight to MJB with out any problems?? Or is there something I need to flash before I can get to MJB?? I think I can go straight to MJB, but better safe then sorry..
I know downgrading after upgrade most likely will brick.. Any information is appreciated... Oh, its an ATT I747..
coolwhipp420 said:
So I'm finally going to take the plunge, and update my boot loader/modem.. I never messed with it because all the Roms I used always worked.. I want to try lollipop, but due to old bootloader my phone won't boot with those Roms..
I'm on UCDLK3 bootloader/modem.. I know I have to upgrade to MJB, NE4, then NJ1 in that order in increments..
So my question: can I upgrade from LK3 straight to MJB with out any problems?? Or is there something I need to flash before I can get to MJB?? I think I can go straight to MJB, but better safe then sorry..
I know downgrading after upgrade most likely will brick.. Any information is appreciated... Oh, its an ATT I747..
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Since you are on LK3 you may want to considr applying the free sim/carrier unlock method before upgrading; that is if you are on stock LK3 and you have not previously carrier unlocked your device.
There was an OTA release for the MG2 stock ROM, I believe that was 4.1.2. You may want to go to that before MJB. Did you make the nvbackup suggested by Jason?
Why would I do a carrier unlock, if I'm not switching carriers?? And if I do it, will I be able to use the same carrier?? Just seems like a waisted step for me.. But idk..
Jason's first post, option 2 is how I was planing to update.. And no, I haven't done the nvbackup yet.. How would I apply that backup if things go wrong? Not really sure what a nvbackup is..
Any information is appreciated..
coolwhipp420 said:
Why would I do a carrier unlock, if I'm not switching carriers?? And if I do it, will I be able to use the same carrier?? Just seems like a waisted step for me.. But idk..
Jason's first post, option 2 is how I was planing to update.. And no, I haven't done the nvbackup yet.. How would I apply that backup if things go wrong? Not really sure what a nvbackup is..
Any information is appreciated..
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There is a command to manually trigger the restore routine. I think it's
Code:
reboot nvrestore
but don't hold me to that. I'd never execute that command except if in dire need. The problem with this phone is there is an automatic routine that can be triggered in the event of a bad flash that will overwrite your nvram with the backup, even if the backup is blank. I don't think the backup stores anything modem specific, but I've never been able to confirm that. So I've always done it again after updating modems (only had to once).
Having the phone sim unlocked can be nice if you plan on traveling internationally. Otherwise, potential future carrier hopping or added resale value are the only reasons to do it.
coolwhipp420 said:
Why would I do a carrier unlock, if I'm not switching carriers?? And if I do it, will I be able to use the same carrier?? Just seems like a waisted step for me.. But idk..
Jason's first post, option 2 is how I was planing to update.. And no, I haven't done the nvbackup yet.. How would I apply that backup if things go wrong? Not really sure what a nvbackup is..
Any information is appreciated..
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If you will never be switching carriers, nor ever sell/give/trade the phone to someone who will switch, then it is an unecessary step to do the carrier unlock.
I see Jason beat me to answering both of your questions.