so i'm just about ready to root my phone and i noticed that there is a random chance of losing data or losing service when rooting the phone or flashing different ROMs?
i've seen a few threads that explain how to restore data, where you have to inject your IMEI or APN? fix radio?
examples:
IMEI injected, stuck on Edge
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1860012
LTE/4g gone on all custom ROMS
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1853615
[FIX/TOOL] Backup/Restore/Fix IMEI Data Restore Tool Updated - Updated 9/04/2012!!!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1801997
i've never seen stuff like this with all of my past phones (see sig). basically, my questions are, what can i do to avoid this from happening? and besides this, what other issues can arise from flashing ROMs? (i'm the type of user that likes to flash one ROM and be done with it- no further setup/customization until that ROM specifically receives an update)
This site explains very well all the info you should need and this is the link I used to root my phone - http://rootgalaxys3iii.com/root-at-t-galaxy-s3/
in my experience of rooting it is just to get a admin access to your phone to change things around, its getting a higher user and the risk for losing information isn't high. There is always a risk but in my experience it is low.
When you start flashing and installing third party roms is when you will lose everything and have to have a backup cause your basically reinstalling the OS just like you would on a laptop and everything gets wiped.
Its_Dave said:
This site explains very well all the info you should need and this is the link I used to root my phone - http://rootgalaxys3iii.com/root-at-t-galaxy-s3/
in my experience of rooting it is just to get a admin access to your phone to change things around, its getting a higher user and the risk for losing information isn't high. There is always a risk but in my experience it is low.
When you start flashing and installing third party roms is when you will lose everything and have to have a backup cause your basically reinstalling the OS just like you would on a laptop and everything gets wiped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The fun part after rooting is flashing ROMs, unfortunately the risk of losing your IMEI is when you start flashing, but IMO if you stick with ICS, or Touchwiz ROMs and you flashed the correct CWM you should be ok.
I've attached the ODIN and the CWM that I've used and so far so good.
cue_32 said:
The fun part after rooting is flashing ROMs, unfortunately the risk of losing your IMEI is when you start flashing, but IMO if you stick with ICS, or Touchwiz ROMs and you flashed the correct CWM you should be ok.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you for the info. so it's really flashing JellyBean ROMs where this issue comes up? and/or having a 'bad/weird/incompatible' version of ClockworkMod?
i wanted to start flashing JellyBean on my Galaxy S3. i loved the JellyBean experience when i had my rooted VZW Galaxy Nexus.
I use TWRP instead of CWM and I've flashed a ton of ROMs. Most JB AOKP builds from task as well as a bunch of ICS TW ROMs and I've never lost my IMEI, but I also have a backup of my IMEI just in case.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda premium
mrhomiec said:
thank you for the info. so it's really flashing JellyBean ROMs where this issue comes up? and/or having a 'bad/weird/incompatible' version of ClockworkMod?
i wanted to start flashing JellyBean on my Galaxy S3. i loved the JellyBean experience when i had my rooted VZW Galaxy Nexus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I flashed the JellyBean port off the TMob leak made by Smartguy. Its good enough as a daily driver, that can be your option if you want the Touchwiz kind. Otherwise, AOSP is your Galaxy Nexus alternative. (CM10)
Hey guys.. I'm new to this forum and to flashing ROMs and all that so I need your help..
I used the search option and didn't find a clear answer to this..
I have bought about a month ago an at&t SGS3 SGH-i747 and I am not very happy with the current OS (android 4.1.1 at&t stock ROM) and I want to upgrade it to 4.1.2. After searching google a bit i found out that there IS an official 4.1.2 android from at&t for my device and wherever I go they say to go to settings, about device, software update and update my phone from there but it says that there is no update.
I have searched for a ROM on sammobile and only found a 4.0.4 ROM for my phone.
However, I found out that there is a 4.1.2 ROM for SGS3 SGH-i747M, and some people say that their ROMs will work on my device and some say they won't.
Can someone tell me, if I install a Rogers (for example) i747M ROM on my device will it work without problem? I don't want to stay with the at&t ROM because it has too many limitations on them.
I prefer not to install custom ROMs because they are all a bit unstable..
Sorry if I have bad English, tried my best..
First off an (att) rom will work with a (rogers) phone. I'm using one right now.
Secondly, if you do manage to install a (rogers) rom on your s3 it will probably be missing apn settings and you'll have rogers apps.
Lastly, through my experience with custom roms, I have found that they are far more stable then stock, if you're looking for a good custom touchwiz rom. Look at hyperdrive
ChaosG said:
Hey guys.. I'm new to this forum and to flashing ROMs and all that so I need your help..
I used the search option and didn't find a clear answer to this..
I have bought about a month ago an at&t SGS3 SGH-i747 and I am not very happy with the current OS (android 4.1.1 at&t stock ROM) and I want to upgrade it to 4.1.2. After searching google a bit i found out that there IS an official 4.1.2 android from at&t for my device and wherever I go they say to go to settings, about device, software update and update my phone from there but it says that there is no update.
I have searched for a ROM on sammobile and only found a 4.0.4 ROM for my phone.
However, I found out that there is a 4.1.2 ROM for SGS3 SGH-i747M, and some people say that their ROMs will work on my device and some say they won't.
Can someone tell me, if I install a Rogers (for example) i747M ROM on my device will it work without problem? I don't want to stay with the at&t ROM because it has too many limitations on them.
I prefer not to install custom ROMs because they are all a bit unstable..
Sorry if I have bad English, tried my best..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you are describing on Sammobile are the stock firmwares that are flashed through a program called Odin. If you tried flashing a Rogers image, you could potentially brick your phone, or as the user above said, there would be a lot of issues since that is not the firmware for AT&T. Are you rooted? If you are, that is what is causing the upgrade issue, since you have to be 100% stock.
dbaler said:
First off an (att) rom will work with a (rogers) phone. I'm using one right now.
Secondly, if you do manage to install a (rogers) rom on your s3 it will probably be missing apn settings and you'll have rogers apps.
Lastly, through my experience with custom roms, I have found that they are far more stable then stock, if you're looking for a good custom touchwiz rom. Look at hyperdrive
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your answer. Well, if you say that custom roms are more stable than stock, I won't argue. Just some friends told me otherwise.
I'll try to find a good rom that suits me.
Btw, I don't care if ill have Rogers apps or AT&T apps, they are both useless to me. I just don't want to brick my phone.
drx895 said:
What you are describing on Sammobile are the stock firmwares that are flashed through a program called Odin. If you tried flashing a Rogers image, you could potentially brick your phone, or as the user above said, there would be a lot of issues since that is not the firmware for AT&T. Are you rooted? If you are, that is what is causing the upgrade issue, since you have to be 100% stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't flash a Rogers rom because I couldn't find a clear answer that says that it will not brick my phone. I just seen some people ask about it and didn't get an answer either. I have tried to unroot and flash a stock rom from "samsung-updates.com", a 4.1.1. Its the same as the one that I already had. Still, no update available.
ChaosG said:
Thanks for your answer. Well, if you say that custom roms are more stable than stock, I won't argue. Just some friends told me otherwise.
I'll try to find a good rom that suits me.
Btw, I don't care if ill have Rogers apps or AT&T apps, they are both useless to me. I just don't want to brick my phone.
I didn't flash a Rogers rom because I couldn't find a clear answer that says that it will not brick my phone. I just seen some people ask about it and didn't get an answer either. I have tried to unroot and flash a stock rom from "samsung-updates.com", a 4.1.1. Its the same as the one that I already had. Still, no update available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you flash a ODIN package for rogers on an AT&T phone you may brick it due to bootloader and modem
if you flash a custom zip based on an AT&T rom from XDA you won't brick since they don't contain bootloader or a modem
hope this helps
Hello all, hopefully this will help give some clarification for users, especially ones who have a newer SGS3, who are experiencing issues trying to flash certain ROM's and are getting errors due to assert/bootloader checks.
There is a specific part of a ROM .zip file called the updater-script which contains a security feature known as the assert lines. These parts of the script look for a bootloader match prior to flashing to ensure the ROM is compatible with the phone. This is used when there are multiple variants of one phone, such as the SGS3, which is available from Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, and some international variants. Flashing a ROM meant for a different carrier can have disastrous consequences, so developers include this bootloader check as a CYA measure. Here is where a lot of newer users are running into trouble and are choosing a "fix" which is incorrect. If your phone has MK3 (Sprint) or MK5 (Virgin Mobile/Boost) as the bootloader (not the modem, will address that later), then you have a bootloader which is not recognized for 4.3.x or earlier builds of CyanogenMod or custom ROM's based on AOSP. The CM 11 builds do recognize MK3, so will flash fine with no modification needed for rooted users. More importantly though, if MK3 or MK5 is your bootloader, then you have Knox as well, and Knox will fight any attempt to replace it with another bootloader, as in it will brick your phone badly. Therefore, MK3 and MK5 users who think their flash has failed because they need a different bootloader and then proceed to change their firmware, either with a "return to stock" .tar file via Odin or a flashable .zip designed to change the firmware have just inadvertently bricked their phone.
Here are some rules of thumb:
1. Know what is on your phone! Be aware of what bootloader you have, specifically you need to know if you have Knox or are Knox-free. If you are Knox-free, congratulations, if you have Knox, my condolences. In the Knoxed-up situation NEVER EVER try to push, via Odin a .tar file designed to "return to stock" if the bootloader associated with that file is MD4 or earlier (Sprint users) or MG2 or earlier (VM/Boost). Sprint users also have .zip files available designed to do the same thing, avoid these as well if you have Knox. Flashing a ROM with an earlier Android build is just fine, there is no bootloader included in a custom ROM based on AOSP, contrary to what some people are posting. You can "downgrade" to an earlier build of Android if you wish, you absolutely CANNOT downgrade your bootloader if you already have Knox on your phone.
2. If you get an "assert failed" message, you just need to modify or delete the asserts to match your bootloader, you do not need to change the bootloader itself. DO NOT assume that changing your bootloader is a fix for anything without knowing what you are doing first.
3. Modem does not equal bootloader. We use the same nomenclature (MD4, MK3, etc.), which can be confusing, but modems are interchangeable, and there are .zip files available so that you can easily flash from one to another. Additionally, anybody who has an SPH-L710 can use any modem designed for Sprint, VM, or Boost. A lot of Sprint users actually achieved great signal/data results with the MG2 modem from VM/Boost, and I have used MK3 modem just fine myself (I am on VM). ROM .zip files don't care about your modem, only your bootloader.
I hope this helps, I am seeing way too many users asking why they bricked their phones when this information would have helped them in advance had they not just forged ahead and assumed the bootloader was the problem. If anyone would like to know how to safely modify or delete the assert lines please let me know via posting or PM.
Useful information.
One item that could use some clarification is how to know whether a package includes a bootloader, and whether the assert line in the script will work with the Knox bootloader?
poit said:
Useful information.
One item that could use some clarification is how to know whether a package includes a bootloader, and whether the assert line in the script will work with the Knox bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the most part, as far as I know any custom ROM in the Original Android Development section, as well as anything AOSP based in the Android Development section will never contain a bootloader. The ROM's that do should be clearly (hopefully!) labeled as being "return to stock" (wording may vary), with the specific bootloader listed, and will almost always be a .tar file, not a .zip file. If it is a .zip, there should be some mention of "firmware" involved. This is not set in stone, just what I have seen in the various titles.
As to the assert lines, one of them just has to be an exact match for the bootloader designation, Knox or otherwise. If you have managed to install custom recovery and root post-Knox (it is possible, just can be a little bit of a headache), then Knox is a non-issue in terms of the assert lines and the bootloader check, the check is not looking for Knox, it is looking to see if any one of the several bootloaders listed in the asserts is present on the phone before proceeding.
using sprint stock rom on boost mobile s3
Mr. Struck said:
Hello all, hopefully this will help give some clarification for users, especially ones who have a newer SGS3, who are experiencing issues trying to flash certain ROM's and are getting errors due to assert/bootloader checks.
There is a specific part of a ROM .zip file called the updater-script which contains a security feature known as the assert lines. These parts of the script look for a bootloader match prior to flashing to ensure the ROM is compatible with the phone. This is used when there are multiple variants of one phone, such as the SGS3, which is available from Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, and some international variants. Flashing a ROM meant for a different carrier can have disastrous consequences, so developers include this bootloader check as a CYA measure. Here is where a lot of newer users are running into trouble and are choosing a "fix" which is incorrect. If your phone has MK3 (Sprint) or MK5 (Virgin Mobile/Boost) as the bootloader (not the modem, will address that later), then you have a bootloader which is not recognized for 4.3.x or earlier builds of CyanogenMod or custom ROM's based on AOSP. The CM 11 builds do recognize MK3, so will flash fine with no modification needed for rooted users. More importantly though, if MK3 or MK5 is your bootloader, then you have Knox as well, and Knox will fight any attempt to replace it with another bootloader, as in it will brick your phone badly. Therefore, MK3 and MK5 users who think their flash has failed because they need a different bootloader and then proceed to change their firmware, either with a "return to stock" .tar file via Odin or a flashable .zip designed to change the firmware have just inadvertently bricked their phone.
Here are some rules of thumb:
1. Know what is on your phone! Be aware of what bootloader you have, specifically you need to know if you have Knox or are Knox-free. If you are Knox-free, congratulations, if you have Knox, my condolences. In the Knoxed-up situation NEVER EVER try to push, via Odin a .tar file designed to "return to stock" if the bootloader associated with that file is MD4 or earlier (Sprint users) or MG2 or earlier (VM/Boost). Sprint users also have .zip files available designed to do the same thing, avoid these as well if you have Knox. Flashing a ROM with an earlier Android build is just fine, there is no bootloader included in a custom ROM based on AOSP, contrary to what some people are posting. You can "downgrade" to an earlier build of Android if you wish, you absolutely CANNOT downgrade your bootloader if you already have Knox on your phone.
2. If you get an "assert failed" message, you just need to modify or delete the asserts to match your bootloader, you do not need to change the bootloader itself. DO NOT assume that changing your bootloader is a fix for anything without knowing what you are doing first.
3. Modem does not equal bootloader. We use the same nomenclature (MD4, MK3, etc.), which can be confusing, but modems are interchangeable, and there are .zip files available so that you can easily flash from one to another. Additionally, anybody who has an SPH-L710 can use any modem designed for Sprint, VM, or Boost. A lot of Sprint users actually achieved great signal/data results with the MG2 modem from VM/Boost, and I have used MK3 modem just fine myself (I am on VM). ROM .zip files don't care about your modem, only your bootloader.
I hope this helps, I am seeing way too many users asking why they bricked their phones when this information would have helped them in advance had they not just forged ahead and assumed the bootloader was the problem. If anyone would like to know how to safely modify or delete the assert lines please let me know via posting or PM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can i use a return to stock of Sprint S3 "L710VPUCMK3_L710SPRCMK3_L710VPUCMK3_HOME.tar" on a Boost mobile with bsaeband version L710VPUBMk5???
alemosman said:
Can i use a return to stock of Sprint S3 "L710VPUCMK3_L710SPRCMK3_L710VPUCMK3_HOME.tar" on a Boost mobile with bsaeband version L710VPUBMk5???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you will want a return to stock tar meant specifically for Boost. There is one available on the Android Forums Boost subforum, give me a minute and I will get you a link.
Edit: Can't find the specific post right now, I would suggest going to the Boost subforum and starting a thread or contacting either @jdsingle76 or @wetbiker7 (they are both active here on XDA as well) as they are probably the two most knowledgeable Boost users of this phone that I know.
http://androidforums.com/boost-mobile-galaxy-s3-all-things-root/
Mr. Struck said:
No, you will want a return to stock tar meant specifically for Boost. There is one available on the Android Forums Boost subforum, give me a minute and I will get you a link.
Edit: Can't find the specific post right now, I would suggest going to the Boost subforum and starting a thread or contacting either @jdsingle76 or @wetbiker7 (they are both active here on XDA as well) as they are probably the two most knowledgeable Boost users of this phone that I know.
http://androidforums.com/boost-mobile-galaxy-s3-all-things-root/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@Mr. Struck is right, MK3 is for the Sprint version of the S3. If you want to go back completely stock MK5, at this time, the only way I can think of to do that, is to Odin flash back to MG2, and then do OTA to get MK5. Two things here to remember, as Mr. Struck pointed out. First, DO NOT DO THIS if you have the Knox bootloader on your phone. Flashing back to 4.1.2 will hard brick your phone. Secondly, if you don't have the Knox, and flash back to MG2, and then OTA MK5, you WILL get the Knox bootloader. Your call...here's the link for MG2 tar. Good luck!
http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=23212708291678209
Hey guys...I hope you can help me out here. After days of searching this thread is the closest I've come to some clarification but I'm still a little confused.
My brother bought an AT&T i747 S3 (d2att) off of a coworker the other day. When I started to look through it I noticed it has SuperUser installed so I downloaded root checker and sure enough the guy that sold it had already rooted it. I thought to myself "great", mind you it was running 4.1.1. So in decided to throw some kitkat on it! Before doing that I thought it wise to update the recovery to the latest. So I went and found a "d2att philz touch cwm" and began the update process only to receive a status 7 error informing me that the package was for a d2att device (which I knew) and I was using a d2spr (which I'm not). So I went and downloaded the d2spr recovery and it updated allowing me to install a d2lte ROM. Everything works but I can not get an LTE signal at all.
My question is...is there anything I can do to make this work? My brother would love to have LTE connectivity but if we can't do anything we'll probably just sell it to a pawn shop. They probably won't know diddly squat.
Anyone still following this thread? I wanted to change roms from LiquidSmooth to MOAR 9.0.1. I have MD4 radio installed and have read that installing MK3 will put the dreaded KNOX bootloader lock on our phones? I thought this was just when we updated to 4.3? Thanks in advance
mcc23 said:
Anyone still following this thread? I wanted to change roms from LiquidSmooth to MOAR 9.0.1. I have MD4 radio installed and have read that installing MK3 will put the dreaded KNOX bootloader lock on our phones? I thought this was just when we updated to 4.3? Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Part three of the OP: modem does not equal bootloader.
Bootloader, Modem and a new ROM (S4)
Mr. Struck said:
Here are some rules of thumb:
1. Know what is on your phone! Be aware of what bootloader you have, specifically you need to know if you have Knox or are Knox-free. If you are Knox-free, congratulations, if you have Knox, my condolences. In the Knoxed-up situation NEVER EVER try to push, via Odin a .tar file designed to "return to stock" if the bootloader associated with that file is MD4 or earlier (Sprint users) or MG2 or earlier (VM/Boost). Sprint users also have .zip files available designed to do the same thing, avoid these as well if you have Knox. Flashing a ROM with an earlier Android build is just fine, there is no bootloader included in a custom ROM based on AOSP, contrary to what some people are posting. You can "downgrade" to an earlier build of Android if you wish, you absolutely CANNOT downgrade your bootloader if you already have Knox on your phone.
2. If you get an "assert failed" message, you just need to modify or delete the asserts to match your bootloader, you do not need to change the bootloader itself. DO NOT assume that changing your bootloader is a fix for anything without knowing what you are doing first.
3. Modem does not equal bootloader. We use the same nomenclature (MD4, MK3, etc.), which can be confusing, but modems are interchangeable, and there are .zip files available so that you can easily flash from one to another. Additionally, anybody who has an SPH-L710 can use any modem designed for Sprint, VM, or Boost. A lot of Sprint users actually achieved great signal/data results with the MG2 modem from VM/Boost, and I have used MK3 modem just fine myself (I am on VM). ROM .zip files don't care about your modem, only your bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am glad to have found this post as I have been struggling with the decision to update my ROM from 4.3 (old bootloader and modem) to 4.4.2 on my S4 GT-i9505. With a lot of discussion about Knox I was very uncertain whether I could leave the BL and Modem as they were and merely update the ROM. I am pleased to say you can but now I am trying to understand the value of upgrading the BL +/- Modem as new Official products have been released. This thread is very useful but I thought I'd add a few more links to it in case others are also interested in this topic.
Here's a description of the purpose of the modem I found in one of the links below. I think it helps me see why you may want or need to update it at some stage: •Baseband/Radio/Modem - radio[version].img - Is the firmware for the separate cell modem and is responsible for your cell phone signal and on older devices may control wifi, bluetooth, and GPS (on most newer devices, these are handled by the kernel and ROM). Upgrades may improve or diminish battery performance, network signal strength, and roaming capability. It is also sometimes required to have a minimum Baseband version to use a ROM so that the RIL will play nice with the Baseband.
Here's a description of what a radio/modem is:
http://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidQuestions/comments/1wzmp7/what_are_all_the_different_pieces_of_android/
http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-international-all-things-root/588852-modems-dummies-guide.html
Here's a link to whether you need to upgrade your modem and how to do it on an S4:
http://galaxys4root.com/galaxy-s4-radiomodems/
http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/63870/omega-rom-4-4-bootloader-modem-problems
Here's a link to Official modems for S4s [i9505/i9000]: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=48113546
Discussion of Knox with new BL can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=46189882
I am still searching for why one would want to update their BL and/or modem if their existing ones are working fine? I am also trying to understand why some ROM update the BL (and modem?) as part of their install processes.
So if you have any links or thoughts about these issues, please post here or drop me a line.