Develop Bugs

[Q] Any "Kies" alternative?

I have had nothing but issues trying to use this software to update the firmware on my ATT S3. I'm new to Android (From Apple) and I'm still a noob but I have rooted and I have been trying all kinds of different ROMS. I cannot update my phone because I am getting the dreaded "Communication failed" error that more than a few people are getting.
One fix is to install latest update through Kies - but I can't seem to accomplish that. Am I able to update my firmware using Odin? I really haven't figured out much about Odin, I only rooted my phone with it once and that was easy and I din't learn a lot about Odin.
Can I use Odin to update firmware? If so how do I go about getting firmware file and whats the quick of it?
Thanks! :good:

jackryan57 said:
I have had nothing but issues trying to use this software to update the firmware on my ATT S3. I'm new to Android (From Apple) and I'm still a noob but I have rooted and I have been trying all kinds of different ROMS. I cannot update my phone because I am getting the dreaded "Communication failed" error that more than a few people are getting.
One fix is to install latest update through Kies - but I can't seem to accomplish that. Am I able to update my firmware using Odin? I really haven't figured out much about Odin, I only rooted my phone with it once and that was easy and I din't learn a lot about Odin.
Can I use Odin to update firmware? If so how do I go about getting firmware file and whats the quick of it?
Thanks! :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What firmware are you trying to update to? Once your phone is rooted and your "trying all kinds of different ROMS" I question your need for Odin. Unless your trying to go back to a bone stock ROM I'd think that you would want to use whatever custom recovery that you've installed (CWM or TWRP) to install a ROM. I'm not going to link to it but I can guarantee that if you search for it here or on Google you'll find several guides to Odin.

rcook55 said:
What firmware are you trying to update to? Once your phone is rooted and your "trying all kinds of different ROMS" I question your need for Odin. Unless your trying to go back to a bone stock ROM I'd think that you would want to use whatever custom recovery that you've installed (CWM or TWRP) to install a ROM. I'm not going to link to it but I can guarantee that if you search for it here or on Google you'll find several guides to Odin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, here's the thing. ATT has pushed out updates and I'm not getting them. I know some updates improve things - like call quality etc. Since I am not getting these I'm worried that I am missing out. I have uninstalled EVERY SINGLE ROM I have tried because of one issue: everyone I talk to on my phone hears an echo of their voice, it's so bad they tell me they have to hang up. It only does this on custom ROMs. So, I would like to be able to get these updates...not sure if I am making sense or not. Since Kies is such an incredibly horrible piece of software, I was hoping there was another way I could update my phone?????

Got ya, you should be able to use Odin to install the stock ROM. I think it's Sam Mobile? that you can register at and get the latest stock firmware. Again, search for the best way but it's doable.

[Q] Yellow Triangle of Death, Trying to Return to Stock

I have a AT&T Galaxy S3 and I have been searching the forums for a solution to this, and have come up with some answers. From what I've gathered I am by no means at the end of my ropes at recovering the device, but I'm having trouble actually making any ground on it.
I read that flashing back to stock using Odin would get me by the yellow triangle of death, but I can't find a stock download anywhere. All the links I've found link to hotfile, which isn't up anymore so that's been creating some problems. Maybe I'm wrong on that, but all I need is Samsung's stock 4.0.4, right?
I have a HTC Sensation and Nexus 10, both rooted, and I thought I had a pretty good grip on what direction was up from working on those devices but this S3 really has me stumped. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

It might be better if you could mention what exactly you did to get your device to the state it is in.

diablo009 said:
It might be better if you could mention what exactly you did to get your device to the state it is in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Woops, sorry. I flashed CF-Root-SGS3-v6.3.tar using Odin and the process failed.

What OS were you running before trying to root? If it's 4.3, you won't find an AT&T stock 4.3 rom to re-flash your phone. Do not try and flash anything with a bootloader that is older than the phone's current bootloader as that will brick it.

audit13 said:
What OS were you running before trying to root? If it's 4.3, you won't find an AT&T stock 4.3 rom to re-flash your phone. Do not try and flash anything with a bootloader that is older than the phone's current bootloader as that will brick it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thankfully, I was running 4.0.4.

andrbrks said:
Thankfully, I was running 4.0.4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock AT&T firmware files are here: http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/1/?model=SGH-I747&pcode=ATT#firmware
In my opinion, don't go near 4.3.

I'm sorry, I feel like this should be obvious, but how do I know which of these I want to flash?

So you're sure you were on 4.04 when you tried to root? If that's the case, I would try the July version.
By flashing in Odin, you will wipe everything off the phone, including your data.

audit13 said:
So you're sure you were on 4.04 when you tried to root? If that's the case, I would try the July version.
By flashing in Odin, you will wipe everything off the phone, including your data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
100%. On the box the SW-VER is listed as I747UCDLK3, should I still go with the July version? And I use the PDA function in Odin for this, correct?

Wait, DLK3 is 4.1.1, not 4.0.4.
http://androidromupdate.com/2012/12...-s3-android-4-1-1-jelly-bean-official-update/

analysis higionu
Huh. I reset the phone to factory settings last night before I started tinkering with anything, and it was for sure listed as 4.0.4. I could be mistaken though, but I'm fairly certain. I'd rather not go against what's listed on it's box though. I'm sure the factory knows better than me.

I'm not sure what to do now. Does the imei # match the box?

That it does. I have to wait another 2 hours before I can even download the stock firmware, so it'll be awhile before I can even try flashing it.

andrbrks said:
That it does. I have to wait another 2 hours before I can even download the stock firmware, so it'll be awhile before I can even try flashing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure what I would do in your situation since the box indicates you have 4.1.1 while your phone has 4.04.

You were right, I talked with someone who was there last night when I was working on it. The phone is 4.1.1, thanks for the catch.

Okay, at least it is definitely not 4.3 which is good.
What you can do is install a custom recovery and flash a custom ROM.

So should I not even worry about going back to stock then?

andrbrks said:
So should I not even worry about going back to stock then?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try returning to stock using Kies?
Stock firmware is here: http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/1/?model=SGH-I747&pcode=ATT#firmware

Running it right now.

I hope it works for you. Good luck:good:

[Q] T999L No signal with any ROM

I have a T999L and have flashed pretty much every ROM, and with all of them, I have no signal. I wipe cache/factory reset, installed, rebooted, and never have a signal. When I go into mobile networks, there's no apn. I've tried everything I could find from others with this problem and can't get it to work. What am I doing wrong? I have literally been doing this all day. Since 10 am and it's now 12:30 am. I would've flashed the stock ROM sooner, but my phone hasn't been working right, so I figured a newer one would be beneficial.
Oh, and I've only been trying the ones that say they're for t999l or d2lte.

Flash stock firmware with Odin. If you're having problems on every single rom something is wrong with your device or firmware. Only way to know is the Odin flash.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

DocHoliday77 said:
Flash stock firmware with Odin. If you're having problems on every single rom something is wrong with your device or firmware. Only way to know is the Odin flash.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for replying.
I had been using what you provided (thanks for that, btw - that was super fast and easy, so even if I don't have a custom ROM, at least I'm rooted!) I ended up flashing back to that so it at least works. I think before I found your thread, though, I tried flashing ROMs a and stopped because not many said specifically for LTE, so I just didn't want to keep messing around. Once I realized my device was different, I dug more an was saved by your thread. Anyway, is it possible I messed something up when I had originally flashed non-functioning ROMs?

Wow, so I think I figured out my problem, and it's indicative that I shouldn't have been messing around with flashing... I didn't realize firmware and ROMs were different. So since I was flashing 4.4 ROMs with the old firmware, would that result in my problem or a brick? Sounds like unfixable brick, so I'm clearly very fortunate to have a working phone right now! lol
I'm doing a backup now and downloading LUVUBNC1. I know to use Odin for the firmware, but it's a .zip file, which Odin doesn't do... Sorry, I've flashed plenty of ROMs on my old phones, so doing anything outside of a regular .tar in Odin or .zip in recovery is a new concept to me and I'm not having the easiest time finding directions.

Sorry I haven't replied sooner. Had a lot going on lately and its just been hard to do much online.
The firmware you downloaded just needs to be extracted. Its zipped just to make it a smaller download. when you unzip it, the resulting file should be a .tar.md5 file. This is what you flash with Odin.
As for Roms, as long as you stay in the T-Mobile subforums, you will be relatively safe. Just do not flash any firmware or modems that are not specifically for your model. Some people have had some issues with certain roms not working quite right on the T999L, but its nothing that causes permanent harm. If this happens you can always just flash back to a known good rom, or your stock firmware.
So for future reference, you can flash all of the Roms, Kernels and Recoveries found in these T-Mobile forums. (In fact, I suggest flashing either the d2lte or d2tmo recoveries over the d2ltetmo). Just remember, Firmware and Modems are ok ONLY if they are for your model.
And with regard to flashing 4.4 roms on old firmware, you don't need to worrry about a brick as long as you stick to what I just said. The only thing different is for 4.4.2 touchwiz roms (which are all ported from Sprint or AT&T). To run a 4.4.2 TW rom, you must be updated to the 4.3 firmware (which you are if you are running NC1). But even so, if you were on earlier firmware, it wouldnt hard brick, it would just hang at boot.
I hope that clears things up a bit for you!

Need help Installing CWM on i747

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"

Wipe to update/reflash...or ODIN.

I posted a thread a while back but I apparently posted the wrong type of thread. This one should be the right of the right type and in the right place.
On the Samsung devices I've had in the past, the boot loader was always a big deal when flashing new versions of android. I've had this tablet for a while now and haven't updated it since I bought it...and Odin flashed/rooted/installed TWRP on it.
From reading the megathreads, from threads, flashing threads, etc...it's not very clear if this is like the other Samsung devices I've had, or if this is like the EEEpad Transformer and Nexus 7 I had...and could move freely between android versions, stock roms...and nonstock ROMs, etc.
I'm running 5.0.2 and I play hearthstone competitively. I bought this for the display mainly, and now that I've loaded it with some crap, I'd like to flash a custom from/update. It seems my crap+samsungs crap saturates the ram quite well. Can I pretty much flash what I'd like? Or do I have to ODIN from stock to the latest build and then worry about number versions.
Also...I used to run an all that kept my TWRP version up to date. Goomanager I believe...but there are dozens of apps that claim to do this now...can I get a trusted suggestion?
Rooted on stock.
Android Version: 5.0.2
Kernel: 3.4.106 IronKernel V2.0 (mainly for s tweaks to boost audio)
Build LRX22G.T800XXU1BOC3

Forget about using an app to flash twrp.
Do it manually and be safe. Plus the official updates are lacking in features compared to the unofficial builds. Just check out the dev section and you'll see what I mean.

Thanks for the advice. And as far as flashing roms...can I pretty much flash what I'd like? Ex: go back and forth between Cm and stock builds...and between version builds while ignoring the boot loader? I'm basically trying to see if I've missed something critical since I rooted and flashed so long ago.

Jamesyboy said:
Thanks for the advice. And as far as flashing roms...can I pretty much flash what I'd like? Ex: go back and forth between Cm and stock builds...and between version builds while ignoring the boot loader? I'm basically trying to see if I've missed something critical since I rooted and flashed so long ago.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as you don't flash a firmware build that is incompatible with your current bootloader you can flash what you want back and forth.

ashyx said:
As long as you don't flash a firmware build that is incompatible with your current bootloader you can flash what you want back and forth.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats what I figured. I'm running the stock rom rooted. I don't know what boot loader I'm on, or how to get to the latest one. I have all the access in the world-- recovery, root. But there isn't a place here...or anywhere that clearly says what am going on. I have a charging issue and would like to foahh a new Kernel, and I might as well update in the process,...by there is no "Upgrade from Xxx while on the stock rooted ROM" guide. Plus my laptop has a crappy USB port, so If I need to Odin something on here, itd be quite the process.
Ive asked around for months, literally. I've never been in this position before. Have always kept up to date. But once you fall behind, in forums like these (especially given the fact hat there are multiple devices in this section), you need something explicit to get back where you need to be.
Last time I looked, there weren't any instructions. Ill look against today to see if I can just download the latest..zip of a 10.5 stock ROM from somewhere in the dev section and then wipe, and flash that. If you know if its alright to just wipe and flash a new ROM, lemme know. Or if I have to Odin to a new one in order to get a new boot loader before I flash the latest Kernel, which I think then one I'm trying to use his BOJ. IRONKernel. I use it for S Tweaks, the sound, and a few performance tweaks.

You have to flash the bootloader with Odin they are posted in the bootloader thread.
You can flash the stock firmware with flashfire.