Develop Bugs

Return to stock

Sorry if this is yet another return to stock question.
I'm currently running a custom 4.4.2 ROM but am having some data issues. I'm wanting to return to stock to get OTA to 4.4.4 so I can get the updated LTE radio. Here's my question: If I flash the stock firmware, is it going to prevent OTA updates since I still have the MDL bootloader? My phone's out of warranty so I could care less about knox. Should I flash stock 4.4.2 or go all the way back to 4.3 (if that's possible/won't brick my phone)?
Current setup:
ROM: 4.4.2 - Insane KitKat V11 (Really like this ROM btw)
Kernel: 3.4.0 talexop
Baseband: NB4
Bootloader: MDL
Thanks

Nandroid, flash 4.4.4 NH7 firmware, flash recovery, then restore nandroid

Back to 4.3

My SGH-T999 currently has slimkat 4.4.4 I have searched through this thread to see if it possible to go back down to back down to 4.3, however it appears that the because 4.4.4 has new bootloader this cannot be done and could brick the phone due to knox? Can anyone confirm this for me?

Are you looking to flashing the stock full firmware or a custom rom? You only flashed a 4.4.4 ROM not firmware, and there is no official 4.4.4 for any of our S3 variants, only 4.4.2. T999 doesn't even have a 4.4.2 update as of now, so you can go back to 4.3 firmware if you would like

serio22 said:
Are you looking to flashing the stock full firmware or a custom rom? You only flashed a 4.4.4 ROM not firmware, and there is no official 4.4.4 for any of our S3 variants, only 4.4.2. T999 doesn't even have a 4.4.2 update as of now, so you can go back to 4.3 firmware if you would like
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Click to collapse
Yes, I'm trying to flash back to the 4.3 stock image. Basically I have rooted, and flashed a custom Rom (slimkat) and I would like to back to the stock experience.

badapple3 said:
Yes, I'm trying to flash back to the 4.3 stock image. Basically I have rooted, and flashed a custom Rom (slimkat) and I would like to back to the stock experience.
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Click to collapse
Then yes, you can flash the stock firmware

[Q] Downgrade from 4.4.4 to 4.4.2

I am on a Cyanogenmod Nightly (4.4.4) and I would like t flash back to stock firmware. The highest available stock firmware for my phone is 4.4.2 is it safe to downgrade to this firmware because the bootloader is the same? (I have a SGH-T999 on Mobilicity). The reason for my downgrade is that I am trying to unlock my phone and the USSD codes are not working on the Cyanogenmod dialer.

It'll be fine. Just don't forget to factory reset and back up your data

[Q] Upgrading baseband version

I'm using SlimKat 4.4.4, yet my phone's baseband version is 4.1.1 (I747UCDLK3). I'm looking to upgrade my baseband version to 4.4.2 due to some issues.
Can I upgrade straight from 4.1.1 to 4.4.2?
Or do I need to upgrade to 4.1.2 -> 4.3 -> 4.4.2? If this is the case, I have one concern. There are many footnotes saying if you downgrade from 4.4.2 to a lower version, you will brick your phone. These footnotes don't specifically say whether they're talking about OS version or baseband version. Is it safe for me to upgrade to 4.1.2 -> 4.3 -> 4.4.2 with a 4.4.2 ROM? Is it safe for me to flash a 4.1.1 stock ROM?
Any help appreciated. Thanks!

scripte said:
I'm using SlimKat 4.4.4, yet my phone's baseband version is 4.1.1 (I747UCDLK3). I'm looking to upgrade my baseband version to 4.4.2 due to some issues.
Can I upgrade straight from 4.1.1 to 4.4.2?
Or do I need to upgrade to 4.1.2 -> 4.3 -> 4.4.2? If this is the case, I have one concern. There are many footnotes saying if you downgrade from 4.4.2 to a lower version, you will brick your phone. These footnotes don't specifically say whether they're talking about OS version or baseband version. Is it safe for me to upgrade to 4.1.2 -> 4.3 -> 4.4.2 with a 4.4.2 ROM? Is it safe for me to flash a 4.1.1 stock ROM?
Any help appreciated. Thanks!
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Click to collapse
first if wanted , i would get the free unlock sim code (am pretty sure is available on 4.1.1).
all i have ever read says to do the incremental updates (safest).; which i believe you can do OTA ; or flash thru recovery.
yes , you will most surely brick your phone if you try to downgrade bootloader from 4.4.2.
AND you want to keep bootloader and baseband at the same version. upgrade one then upgrade the other.
if your already on 4.1.1 , then yes flash away the stock 4.1.1 rom ; if youre talking about after you upgrade to 4.4.2 then the 4.1.1 may not flash unless you edit the updater script (think thats what its called , been awhile).
good luck !
"all i can really do , is stay out of my own way and let the will of heaven be done"

scripte said:
I'm using SlimKat 4.4.4, yet my phone's baseband version is 4.1.1 (I747UCDLK3). I'm looking to upgrade my baseband version to 4.4.2 due to some issues.
Can I upgrade straight from 4.1.1 to 4.4.2?
Or do I need to upgrade to 4.1.2 -> 4.3 -> 4.4.2? If this is the case, I have one concern. There are many footnotes saying if you downgrade from 4.4.2 to a lower version, you will brick your phone. These footnotes don't specifically say whether they're talking about OS version or baseband version. Is it safe for me to upgrade to 4.1.2 -> 4.3 -> 4.4.2 with a 4.4.2 ROM? Is it safe for me to flash a 4.1.1 stock ROM?
Any help appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is an I747, right? I think the I747M had LK3 firmware too. If you happen to be on an I747M don't flash any of the I747 specific stuff below, or you'll probably brick your phone.
Since you're still on the old firmware it might be a good idea to carrier unlock your phone if you haven't already done it. You'll lose that ability if you update.
To update to 4.4.2 firmware you can go two ways. You can Odin back to unrooted stock and you should start receiving OTA updates. They will be incremental and they'll come about 24 hours apart, or you can set your system time ahead a day to cheat that. Eventually you'll get up to the 4.4.2 firmware. NE4 is 4.4.2, but NJ1 is the most recent. This is probably the safest way, but it will be somewhat slower. Those OTA's are full firmware packages so they're big downloads.
Or you can flash bootloader/modem only upgrades in custom recovery. Enewman17 has posted everything you need to get an I747 up to date to XDA. I flashed all these while running the Slimkat stable 9 ROM to get my I747 from LK3 up to NJ1. This has to be done incrementally and you have to boot successfully into your ROM in between each firmware flash. You can't jump from the 4.1.1 bootloader to the 4.4.2 bootloader. First flash the MJB firmware update linked to this thread then reboot into your ROM. Next flash the NE4 firmware zip also linked to that thread and then reboot into your ROM. You're on 4.4.2 firmware at this point, but if you want to be on the newest bootloader and modem then flash the NJ1 zip attached to this thread. If you go this route be sure you read enewman's posts very carefully and understand exactly what you're doing because fiddling with the bootloader and modem is the #1 way to hard brick this phone.
For the most part you can flash any ROM you want no matter what firmware you're on as long as it is intended for I747. You might find that your wifi won't work or your modem doesn't work or maybe it just bootloops if you get on a ROM that wasn't intended for the bootloader/modem currently on your phone, but you can still boot up into recovery and restore a backup or flash another ROM and get out of that. What you have to be very, very careful with is the bootloaders since Knox was introduced, that's MJB, NE4, and NJ1. Those bootloaders cannot ever be downgraded; don't try it. You'll hard brick and it is pretty hard to recover from. Its also for the best to keep your bootloader and modem matched on this newer firmware; the OTA method or the zips linked to the threads above will do that. Custom ROMs that are AOSP/CM based won't ever mess with your bootloader and modem. They're just a system image and a kernel. What you have to be really careful with is Odin, those are usually full firmware packages. AT&T hasn't allowed a stock image beyond 4.1.1 to be released for the I747, so once you're on the newer bootloaders there is no more option to Odin back to stock.
Good luck.

Quick Question - Downgrade 4.4.4 to 4.4.2

Just want to confirm I wont brick my wife's phone. She is currently running SlimRom 4.4.4 on a I747m and I want to put the STOCK Koodo 4.4.2 Rom from Sammobile on there..
Can I just use Odin to flash it or????
Thanks

Yes, you should be fine flashing stock 4.4.2 via Odin.