How to restore device status to "official" Android 4.3 - AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III

WARNING! THIS WILL ERASE EVERYTHING ON YOUR PHONE!
You also must NOT have any custom recovery or kernel installed as this method requires stock recovery. All bloatware removed prior to unrooting will still be removed! You will have to reinstall the bloatware that was removed and be 100% bone stock in order to get any OTA updates!
I am not liable if you do something wrong and you brick, nor will I be held accountable for any damage done, warranty being voided, ninja zombie aliens taking over, bigfoot, your neighbors lawn catching fire, etc.
Hi everyone, last week I got a brand new At&t Galaxy S3 sgh-i747. I rooted it using towel root and did not do anything else except remove some Google app bloatware (play magazines and play books).
My device status was changed from "official" to "custom" meaning no OTA updates. Here is how I fixed that:
If you installed SuperSU from play store, open it and select the "full unroot" option from the settings menu. It might hang, if so reboot and try again. It should complete the unroot after rebooting.
Next power off and boot into stock recovery (Google can help you with getting into recovery if you don't know how). Once you boot into recovery, select wipe cache, then select factory data reset. Recovery may give an error upon exiting with Andy the Android slumped over on his back, this is okay. Reboot and the phone will hang at the AT&T logo for a few minutes. Once booted up, your device status should say official and be unrooted back to 100% stock. You can now get OTA updates!
No ODIN needed! I just happen to try this and it worked. Not sure if it works on 4.4 or not, but it should. It should also work on the Galaxy S4, but has not been tested or confirmed.

How do you boot into Stock Recovery on a SGH-I747M ?

Nick9drs said:
How do you boot into Stock Recovery on a SGH-I747M ?
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http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S_III/SGH-I747#Recovery_Mode

Related

Android update!

Disclaimer: This worked on my phone. I am not responsible if your phone turns into an expensive brick.
I know this isn't quite the update everyone was waiting for I managed to pull the 2.3.6 OTA files. I also managed to figure out how to flash them. Turns out CWM 5 offers root adb access, everything we need to update and root this phone. Note I tried CWM 6 but it said "possible loss of root" so apparently CWM 6 likes to reside on an already rooted phone.
Note this is not the most elegant solution. The most elegant would be a signed update.zip. The second most elegant would be something flashable with CWM or Odin. Too bad I don't know how to do those. I do know how to do this.
The first thing to do is make sure you are on the AT&T stock firmware. It doesn't matter if you've already flashed something else. No need to wipe cache or factory reset or anything (although if you run into problems you should try to do that step). Download it from samfirmware.com. Flash it with Odin. This will put you on stock 2.3.5. Even if you were already on 2.3.6, or rooted, or on Rogers, this will work. After the flash, boot the phone normally, wait a minute or so, and shut it down.
Now for the fun part. AT&T will not push the OTA to a non AT&T customer. The flash will also not work with a modified phone (hence the reflash to stock). How to gain root access to manually flash the OTA? If we install root, it will not install. If we install CWM, we will not have the stock recovery which is required to process the OTA. So...
How about this? We install CWM 5. You can find it here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1458153
Then we adb into the phone, and push the OTA files, and then reflash the stock recovery over CWM, and then manually reboot into OTA mode. That sounds crazy... crazy enough to work.
After you've flashed CWM, reboot into it and make sure your phone is still connected to your computer. We won't actually be using CWM, just the root access it provides over adb. Unzip the two zip files below (why use external hosting, I can store zips up to 11 MB on here) into a folder and run fota.bat. Ooo and ahh over your Gingerbread.
But what about root? Well, I posted in another thread a complicated method for rooting 2.3.6 using the root access from CWM, but how about easy? Boot your phone into 2.3.6 and let it sit for a minute or so, and shut it down. Reboot into Odin mode, and reflash CWM over the stock recovery (again). Copy the Superuser zip from the folder you made earlier to your SD card. Flash this with CWM. This is the beta of Superuser 3.2, courtesy of Rom Manager. Download the stericson busybox app from the Market if you want busybox as well.
This was a fun way to kill a weekend
Throws a signature verification failed error.
Try again with the new method
Had a few mild scares. After flashing CWM on stock, it refused to boot into it but after 3 tries and my screen acting up upon boot, it finally booted into CWM. Launched the bat file and it went well. Upon booting up and entering the update process, it froze up at 74% and refused to continue. Rebooted the phone and it once again entered the update process and this time it managed to finish. Phone rebooted and after checking "About phone", my phone is on 2.3.6 stock. When you initially provided the OTA files and the sig check failed, I had a good feeling this would be the only other way to do it as I tried to sign it and it also failed. Thanks for taking the time to post all of this.
Why go to 2.3.6? It´s better than 2.3.5 customized?
Better question: we're getting ICS within the month, so why bother with 2.3.6 when you can just upgrade to 4.x.x when it comes down?
-Ara
AraDreamer said:
Better question: we're getting ICS within the month, so why bother with 2.3.6 when you can just upgrade to 4.x.x when it comes down?
-Ara
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because there are some people who will want to stick with 2.3.5/6 . He made this so that those who do, can update to 2.3.6 even when they aren't with AT&T, almost hassle free.
narume said:
Had a few mild scares. After flashing CWM on stock, it refused to boot into it but after 3 tries and my screen acting up upon boot, it finally booted into CWM. Launched the bat file and it went well. Upon booting up and entering the update process, it froze up at 74% and refused to continue. Rebooted the phone and it once again entered the update process and this time it managed to finish. Phone rebooted and after checking "About phone", my phone is on 2.3.6 stock. When you initially provided the OTA files and the sig check failed, I had a good feeling this would be the only other way to do it as I tried to sign it and it also failed. Thanks for taking the time to post all of this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I was testing this, I saw that behavior if you didn't completely boot up the phone between steps (ie, flash stock firmware, boot phone, flash CWM, boot phone). I don't know what would cause it otherwise. Glad to see your phone made it.
narume said:
Because there are some people who will want to stick with 2.3.5/6 . He made this so that those who do, can update to 2.3.6 even when they aren't with AT&T, almost hassle free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually I did it because I've owned this phone for exactly two weeks and discovered all the available ROMs are based on 2.3.5 even though 2.3.6 has been out since December. CWMR with root has been out since January, and since then nobody else has rooted 2.3.6 or found a way to flash it. And I thought, it couldn't be that hard? And even more amazed when I discovered CWMR comes with root out of the box, without even touching /system. The only other missing piece was the stock recovery, which also wasn't out in the wild. 3 birds for one stone
On a side note, if you want to do some cleaning after the OTA and you decide to root, you can delete /cache/fota and /data/fota safely.
Nardholio said:
Actually I did it because I've owned this phone for exactly two weeks and discovered all the available ROMs are based on 2.3.5 even though 2.3.6 has been out since December. CWMR with root has been out since January, and since then nobody else has rooted 2.3.6 or found a way to flash it. And I thought, it couldn't be that hard? And even more amazed when I discovered CWMR comes with root out of the box, without even touching /system. The only other missing piece was the stock recovery, which also wasn't out in the wild. 3 birds for one stone
On a side note, if you want to do some cleaning after the OTA and you decide to root, you can delete /cache/fota and /data/fota safely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, I see. Well, still, being able to flash to 2.3.6 is nice because if anyone ever decides to stick with 2.3.6 they can easily flash the update now. Maybe more people like you will pop up and start pushing out more useful content like this for the Glide so it won't be a dead area of development anymore.

[Q] BEST method for restoring FULL FACTORY STOCK?

I attempted to restore my fiance's S3 to full factory stock about a month ago now, after I received a prompt for the ~82MB OTA update, and she didn't... She was tired of me taking her phone and keeping it out of her hot little hands whilst I made nandroids and flashed the latest updates to BlazerROM, and she didn't have a problem with stock ROM, so I figured I'd put it back for her.
Well, I did, and I KNOW I left CWRecovery in, and not sure if I left root or not, but she STILL has not received the OTA update which still bugs me... So I need to know what is the BEST method for FULL STOCK RECOVERY? I don't want her missing out when the Jelly Bean official drops, and I may flash mine back when it hits just to test it out...
I found this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1935973
Which directed me to QBKing's site, but also warned that the video was now somewhat dated...
Am I assume that by saving her text messages and contacts, and flashing the ODIN .tar listed on this page: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1919919 and just letting her re-install her apps, is an effective way to return to FULL and UNMODIFIED stock? Should I run Triangle-Away before proceeding? Will this return the device status to Unmodified (or whatever it says) as opposed to "Custom" in the Status page, as it currently shows for her, in case of warranty needs?
Sorry to be "That Guy", but some of the other topics where a bit vague and lacked details, so I figure if we can get something Semi-Detailed and answering most of the big/general questions, perhaps this could serve as a Go-To thread for others who wish to do this...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1904099
Thread youve mentioned above also works fine. If using odin method, run triangle away beforehand. Neither method will wipe data. Depending on the rom you're coming from, it may not be necessary. If you flash without wiping and the rom fails to boot(hangs on glowing samsung logo), go back to recovery and factory reset. Itll boot right up
billard412 said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1904099
Thread youve mentioned above also works fine. If using odin method, run triangle away beforehand. Neither method will wipe data. Depending on the rom you're coming from, it may not be necessary. If you flash without wiping and the rom fails to boot(hangs on glowing samsung logo), go back to recovery and factory reset. Itll boot right up
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i cant thumbs-up you hard enough.... thanks for that awesome pile of resources
JUST TO CLARIFY!
On your thread you updated just this morning with the flash-counter reset included, just run in CWR, and all is good, if not, then factory reset, and all is good? Or factory reset, reflash, all is good?
EDIT: FLashed
In download mode;
ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SPH-L710
CUSTOM BINARY DOWNLOAD: NO
CURRENT BINARY: Samsung Official
SYSTEM STATUS: Custom
QUALCOMM SECUREBOOT: ENABLE (not sure what that one is haven't done more than root with oden and flash)
System status troubles me... ODEN flash, or let it full reboot? I went into download to check before first initial boot after flash. will allow full boot and see what happens...
EDIT 2: Well, android system status shows Normal... Girl woke up and took her phone back, so will check oden later.
Yup the one updated today is just that. Flash and reboot. Youll be 100% stock
The system status in odin will probably fix itself after booting. If not a factory reset should do it
billard412 said:
Yup the one updated today is just that. Flash and reboot. Youll be 100% stock
The system status in odin will probably fix itself after booting. If not a factory reset should do it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems to have worked. I wish I had money to donate to your wonderful work. Hopefully she'll be receiving prompts for OTA updates for JellyBean shortly... Thanks for also having it up to date. At least I gather it DOES include the ~82MB update she's been missing... Keep up the wonderful work friend!
Glad to hear it. Much appriciated. Now if only the damn thing would be stickied...XD
billard412 said:
Yup the one updated today is just that. Flash and reboot. Youll be 100% stock
The system status in odin will probably fix itself after booting. If not a factory reset should do it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
billard412 said:
Glad to hear it. Much appriciated. Now if only the damn thing would be stickied...XD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoever I need to tell, I support sticky'ing the thread.

T-Mobile Note II Dec. 19, 2012 update while rooted - safe?

Has anyone who has the T-mobile Note II which was previously rooted (prior to Dec 19, 2012 software update) been able to do the most recent firmware update to give you multi-window features, etc..... without bricking the phone or having any issues with it? My T-mobile Note II is now rooted and when connected to Kies, it said that there is a new firmware update available so I wasn't sure how safe it be. Please share your experience. If you did the update, did you do a full format/reset of your phone prior to doing it?
Because my phone is rooted, I was unable to do it through the phone's OTA update option....Any issues with the update?
Some have been able to update with no issues but lose root, others it wld not allow them to update due their being modified. For me, kies said I had an update even though was modified, tried and update didnt go thru...so had to go back to stock rom, reset counter, wipe n install OTA....good luck. No issues whatsoever after update. ..
This is how I went from modified to normal:
1. Download root66 -old firmware, (mr. Robinson) and install via odin
2. dl, triangle away and reset counter, reboot, go to supersu and forget root apps by hutting # sign, go to settings, choose full unroot or something like that, turn off phone
3. Go into recovery, hold vol up, power n home button, release power button upon display
4. Do complete wipe of phone, reboot, status sld now reflect normal
5. Install OTA
6. If you want root again, recommend u use root66 (new firmware) to stay normal status
7.enjoy!
Note, this is how I did, theyre might millions ways to do it, but this is what worked for me!!!
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium

can't update to 4.4.2 OTA

Hello, my phone recently notified me that a 4.4.2 android OTA update is available (i have a AT&T SGH-i747) however once it reboots, it will get to about 29% complete, then i get the "Update failed" message, and it reboots back into android (4.3) and i was wondering how i could get it to work?
(i'm using stock rom, i've NEVER flashed anything on it before, only thing i've done is root it to use titanium backup, however i used the saferoot thing so as to not flip the knox security stuff)
You need to unroot.
audit13 said:
You need to unroot.
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Click to collapse
do i have to do something special to do that? or can i just click the "Full unroot" button in the SuperSU settings tab to unroot my phone
You also need stock recovery and, preferably, all of the ATT apps on your phone. I have read that removing too many ATT apps will prevent the OTA update from completing.
I have never tried removing root that way so I cannot comment.
You should also make note of the fact that it is possible to have something go wrong during the OTA process which may result in the loss of your data. I recommend at least backing everything up to your external SD card and removing the SD card during the OTA update process.
like i said, i only rooted to use titanium backup to restore a backup for a game save, that's all i've ever done (so if that undid stock recovery, or removed AT&T apps without me telling it to, then how would i fix that)
In that case, just unroot and then run the OTA update. Titanium backup would not alter the recovery or remove apps.
well, i have 5 hours to wait before doing so, after unrooting (using the saferoot unroot.bat file, then using supersu's unroot after that to finish the process as the saferoot program said to do) i went to click check for updates, and instead got "Your device is running the latest version" and "you may check again in 5 Hours 0 Minuties" which i'm assuming is because it failed last night when i tried to update it?
So everything is completely stock? Does it say custom on the download screen or anywhere in the About section of the phone.
audit13 said:
So everything is completely stock? Does it say custom on the download screen or anywhere in the About section of the phone.
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Click to collapse
nope, doesn't say custom anywhere on the about phone screen, will check the download mode now
logoster said:
nope, doesn't say custom anywhere on the about phone screen, will check the download mode now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry for double post, just checked download mode, says i'm completely stock and official
also thought i'd mention that the check again later timer is going down, it's at 4 hrs and 3 minutes
You could also try booting into recovery and wiping cache and Dalvik. Don't wipe data.
nope, still has a timer, but it's fine as it is going down, i have about 2hrs and 47 Mins left according to it
Sorry for double post again, but timer finished, and update worked flawlessly, so unrooting did work, thanks
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using XDA Free mobile app

[Q] Unroot

Its been a while since ive been on XDA so dont kill me lol.
I have a Galaxy Tab S 10.5 SM-T800 that i rooted back in december. Well i have had horrible battery issues all along and now its cutting off without notice. I have tried to take the batter out and what not but nothing is working.
SOOOOO...I am going to send it back to Sammy to have them fix it. My question is what is the best method to unroot this thing? i currently and rooted stock lollipop with TWRP recovery. Im guessing i need to be unrooted and back to stock recovery before i send it. Any suggestions?
cwhitney24 said:
Its been a while since ive been on XDA so dont kill me lol.
I have a Galaxy Tab S 10.5 SM-T800 that i rooted back in december. Well i have had horrible battery issues all along and now its cutting off without notice. I have tried to take the batter out and what not but nothing is working.
SOOOOO...I am going to send it back to Sammy to have them fix it. My question is what is the best method to unroot this thing? i currently and rooted stock lollipop with TWRP recovery. Im guessing i need to be unrooted and back to stock recovery before i send it. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash official cf-autroot then open the supersu app and select Full unroot from settings. Done.
1. Back up any data from internal storage
2. Device settings > security > re-activation lock > disabled
3. Boot into TWRP recovery and format :
a) system
b) data
c) cache
d) dalvik-cache (advanced)
e) factory-reset for good measure
4. Re-boot directly into DOWNLOAD MODE from recovery menu
5. Flash official firmware package with Odin
All partitions will be clean and fully stock. Knox warranty void 0x1
Will Samsung still take it back after you trip Knox? Curious as to how this turns out for you as I am having the exact same issues with mine lately. Let us know what happens.

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