is it possible to downgrade without losing data? - G4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

My LG G4 is stuck in boot loop however without a .tot for big core disable on 6.0 MM i'll need to downgrade to 5.1.
Can i use the Upgrade function on LGUP to just go over the system files?
When looking at downgrade guides they state to back up files "Incase you lose them". The wording gives me the feeling that it doesn't go over the photos etc... but best to back them up. but of course in this case i can't get into the phone.
Thanks

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[Q] Prepare for transition: 10L -> 20E & back.

Hi,
I have 855 (generic European version), V10L, rooted (using towel rooter), no TWRP, all OTA (since July 2014) installed automatically and seamlessly so far (keeping the root).
Today I got a prompt about V20E available upgrade.
I have LG PC Suite up-to-date backups of this device, and anyhow don't have anything that can't be restored, but in general prefer to not reconfigure everything manually.
Did nothing so far.
Questions:
Is it worth to move to V20E, is the version stable enough, worth to wait for V20F or whatever comes next ?
If I decide to proceed now, I want to be able to return to my current state (I do not need to fast switch between multiple roms, just way to get back V10L with my current configuration).
I prefer the way that allows me to keep receiving OTAs, and not to flush next updates manually.
After looking on the forums I though about the following workflows
First (without TWRP):
1. Create one more backup using LG PC Suite.
2. Unroot (just to be safe).
3. Accept OTA.
If I understand correctly I will loose root here, and it can not be restored (for now).
In case of need to restore:
1. Follow LG G3 Stock Firmware (Go Back to Stock) to flash D855 V10A. I hope after flushing it will receive 10L OTA ? Am I right, or I will be stuck with 10A ?
2. Restore my existing backup using LG PC Suite. If I do restore on V10A, will it bring me back to 10L ?
3. Reroot if needed.
Second, with TWRP:
1. Install TWRP.
2. Create full backup from inside TWRP.
3. Get prebumped Lollypop image (I see only V20C here. Where can I get more recent versions ?)
4. Install it and reroot if needed.
In this case I must reject upcoming OTA prompts and flash future prebumped images manually.
To restore
1. Restore full TWRP backup, and I'll get V10L with all my stuff preconfigured.
2. If at this step I want to get rid off TWRP, can I remove it somehow ? Will it restore the phone to the current state (rooted, V10L, able to get OTAs) ?
Sorry for multiple questions but currently the whole process looks a bit unclear for me.
Q: Is it worth to move to V20E, is the version stable enough, worth to wait for V20F or whatever comes next ?
A: No V20H got released today and its probably gonna be available in your region really soon
Note: If you do ever want to install stock lollipop please be aware LG backup cannot save the appdata of any system applications such as chrome etc etc
Q: Follow LG G3 Stock Firmware (Go Back to Stock) to flash D855 V10A. I hope after flushing it will receive 10L OTA ? Am I right, or I will be stuck with 10A ?
A: Check (http://lg-phone-firmware.com/index.php?id_mod=41) and download the v10 firmware the corrosponds with your country. If the firmware has a 6 in front of it its for the 16GB variant
Q: Where can I get more recent versions?
A: http://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g3/development/stock-t2961073
Q: If at this step I want to get rid off TWRP, can I remove it somehow ? Will it restore the phone to the current state (rooted, V10L, able to get OTAs) ?
A: Yes, by flashing stock recovery.img. Restoring your TWRP backup will restore the phone to the current state
itsbighead said:
A: Yes, by flashing stock recovery.img. Restoring your TWRP backup will restore the phone to the current state
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but I am not sure about this one. What is the process ?
If I flash stock kdz it will remove TWRP, but I will not be able to restore TWRP backup (without TWRP), right ?
Is it possible to first restore TWRP backup, then flash "something" that will replace only TWRP, leaving android OS intact ?
Before saying anything, I would just like to give you a thank you for your post, it's very clear and pleasant to read. Looks like you also did a bit of research before asking so that is also very good :good:
So, I'm not gonna be able to help you a lot about the backup thing because I like to always start fresh when I change Rom or if I want to go back to stock. I backup my data manually and restore what I want to. Using a Google account it will automatically reinstall your apps, but you'll have to reconfigure them manually.
Anyway, I also got a D855, French variant A6FR. (A6 means 16GB) You can check what is the latest version that LG offers you by checking the link bellow. You just put your IMEI at the end and it will give you an XML with information about your phone, like your specific variant (German, UK, ... don't know where you are from) and the latest firmware available for your and a link to download it. For me it says D85520F_00 so it's LL version F.
http://csmg.lgmobile.com:9002/csmg/b2c/client/auth_model_check2.jsp?esn=IMEI
So, you can go back to stock using the KDZ method and with the firmware LG offers you (removing root, revovery, ...), but as you probably now, LL is not rootable. To summarize, that is not really interesting unless you want a STOCK STOCK LL.
But you guessed right with the V10A. If you go back to stock with this version, it will remove the root, custom recovery and anything else you have, you will also end up with a completely stock G3, but KitKat G3. There is no obligation to use V10A, if you find a KDZ of a later version you can use it too. Of course we are talking here about V10something not V20 that is LL. Just make sure to use a version suitable to your phone (16/32GB).
Flashing that, LG will be happy and will let you do OTAs. So if you flash V10A, it will give you all the OTAs untill the latest available. So you can go V10A --> V10B --> V10C --> ...... --> V10L --> ..... --> Lollipop
You won't be stuck with V10A.
Now if you want a rooted LL, you will need to use a custom Rom. In the Dev section you can find for example GloudyG3 that is based on the stock LG rom with a few enhancements. It is currently based on V20F and will probably move to V20H which is a brand new version that went up like 2 days ago.
To summarize
KDZ with V10something allows you to go completely stock and give you official OTAs. It can be rooted.
KDZ with V20something works too and will give you OTAs, but is not rootable, so if you want a custom rom, you will have to downgrade to V10, root and install TWRP.
Flashing a KDZ always erase everything on your phone.
If you flash a custom rom, you won't have LG's OTAs so you won't have to worry about rejecting them.
Before doing anything crazy, backup your EFS (basically your IMEI partion) with TWRP and manually. Always nice to have several ways to do it.

Understanding the correct KDZ file, help!

Hi,
I purchased the phone in the UK from the network carrier Vodafone. I have done a fair bit of research on the rooting and unrooting process mainly via videos and reading tutorials on XDA.
I would like to root the phone and gain super user access and install some Xposed modules but would also like to be able to unroot and flash back to a stock Vodafone firmware encase I need to claim under warranty. I have been trolling the internet to get the correct KDZ file and found this site (ttp://devtester.ro/projects/lg-firmwares/country.php?country=United+Kingdom). I believe that the correct firmware may be on here but am a little confused on what the suffix and software version means to be honest.
The reason for my confusion is that I updated the firmware to 6.0 Marshmallow through the LG bridge but when I now check my phones software version it states v20b-234-15. I assume this is right but from memory the first software version when I got the phone was something like H81510B_00.
I cant remember exactly what it was before unfortunately but the KDZ files I have found state H81510C_00 (Suffix - AVDFVK) and H81510C_00 (AVDFLR) and this does seem to make sense but I'm thinking it was B instead of C but and not 100% on that.
Do you think these KDZ files would be the correct one to flash back to encase I run in to some problems rooting?
I am also assuming that this KDZ is Android Lollipop and not Marshmallow so is it OK to use this to revert back from Marshmallow?
Thanks and any help would be much appreciated.
Ross
The 10X version are all Lollipop, 20X is marshmallow.
When flashing a KDZ on your phone, what's important is what model your phone is. H815 in your case.
If you want to restore to stock in case something goes wrong, you can find everything here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/g4/general/guide-lg-g4-stock-firmware-to-stock-kdz-t3107848
In there is a link to this directory: http://storagecow.eu/index.php?dir=Xda/LG+G4/ where you find pretty much all KDZ files for G4 phones.
I'm not that experienced myself, but I rooted my phone just recently and I can share my experience with you.
I have a H815. It was a V10c-TWN-XX version (Taiwan). I updated to Marshmallow with LG Bridge also and the new software version was V20b-TWN-XX.
Marshmallow rooting is not possible on my phone because I can't unlock the bootloader on it. And Marshmallow rooting is only possible with an unlocked bootloader. Unlocking the bootloader is only possible on European phones (http://developer.lge.com/resource/mobile/RetrieveBootloader.dev?categoryTypeCode=ANRS). I asked autoprime (renown user and developer here) if I can unlock bootloader after flashing an European KDZ on it. He said no, having European software on it is not enough, it has to be a phone manufactured for the european market. Dont know why, guess because of different hardware.
So, not being able to root MM, I had to revert back to stock (downgrade) using one of the KDZs.
I chose the most recent one in the directory I linked (which is the Poland H81510E). In the "Go Back to Stock" thread I linked the OP says to use LG Flash Tool 2014, which unfortunately doesn't work with Marshmallow. But fret not, it works with LG UP! http://forum.xda-developers.com/g4/help/lgup-install-kdz-mm-lp-t3249803
When I tried flashing the KDZ with Flash Tool 2014, the process failed with an error at 5%. It worked flawlessly with LG UP. Here's more information regarding downgrading, but it really isnt hard. Just download + install LG UP. Launch it. Connect your phone. Choose KDZ file. Select option "upgrade". Hit start.
NOTE: after the firmware update was done, the phone rebooted automatically and for me it stuck at at the LG Logo (bootloop). But a simple hard factory reset did it, the phone booted and my new version was 10e-something. With Lollipop 5.1 of course.
After that, I rooted my phone using this pre-rooted image: http://forum.xda-developers.com/g4/development/h815-eu-l-p-t-sea-twn-t3176195
and this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/g4/...-tmo-vzw-intl-variants-soon-root-lg-t3164765/
I now have a "H81510e-EUR-XX" Lollipop 5.1 with root (SuperSU 2.49).
I don't really know about Vodafone and if carrier specific firmware is necessary in this case. If not, you could use any 815 firmware.
From the site you have linked with the KDZ files..... it seems they are all the same.
If you check the table for H815 KDZs from Vodafone, there are some 10C and 10D versions. Now I compared the fileKey parameter in the URL to the 10C files and the 10D files and also the bytes of the files.
All the 10C version are identical to each other, same for 10D.
Check out this screenshot I made for you: http://i.imgur.com/Ie0w4us.png
Bytes are also identical, so it's pretty safe to say those are the same files.
Dont know why they are listed several times there. The suffix doesnt matter.
I'd grab a 10D if I were you. But I think the Poland 10E should work, too. Better confirm it with somebody else though.
If you flash your system to 10e, you can use the pre-rooted image I used. Otherwise you will have to inject root yourself: http://forum.xda-developers.com/g4/general/lg-g4-100-root-success-directives-root-t3180586. In this method you create an image of your system and inject root into the image, which you then flash back on your phone.

Get from Rooted Lollipop 13b to Stock Marshmallow

I'm tired of the problems and struggle I've had attempting to use my rooted G4. I'm currently on 13b rooted and it's been giving me problems. It randomly reboots and doesn't start up at times. And it's so sluggish. I've gotten a replacement because I flashed the wrong kdz. I just want my phone to work without all these problems. I just want to get to the stock Verizon MM for my G4. Is this possible?
You should be able to flash the MM kdz - they can be found here in the general section. Be sure to verify it is the correct kdz.
Keep in mind once you go to MM you won't be able to achieve root without downgrading back to LP. I think there is a downgrade thread here in general as well if you need it.
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
Thank you I just downloaded the KDZ and flashed via LG UP. It installed without any problems. I'm aware that you can't root on MM, I'm ok with that. I need a break from rooting after all of this. Thank you I appreciate it!
Glad to see someone here not happy with rooting the G4. I don't find it worth the risk or the benefits worth it without the ability to flash custom roms. I've never rooted a phone without there being a way to install a custom recovery.
For anyone interested, The Android Central podcast discussed the topic of rooting and flashing roms a bit on their most recent episode. Most of them agreed that there isn't as much of a need anymore to root and flash roms and that it's kind of died down a bit. Features that people used to have to root their phones for are now available on most stock roms.
Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk
ADoug said:
I'm tired of the problems and struggle I've had attempting to use my rooted G4. I'm currently on 13b rooted and it's been giving me problems. It randomly reboots and doesn't start up at times. And it's so sluggish. I've gotten a replacement because I flashed the wrong kdz. I just want my phone to work without all these problems. I just want to get to the stock Verizon MM for my G4. Is this possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
KDZ
http://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-g4/general/kdz-download-marshmallow-kdz-25a-lg-t3354556
how to install LGUP tool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igB5rnLRXSc&spfreload=10
i know at the end of the video it says close the app, but dont, just start it and you be upgraded to MM in no time just make sure upgrade is checked
if you want to start fresh, then you can just do what my video says to get refurbished checked
if you upgrade with a rooted rom you have to factory reset your phone inorder for MM to boot

LG G3 D852 downgrade from 6.0 to 5.0 Lollipop

I have been trying to root my LG G3 D852 on 6.0 mm, i have found that there is nothing out for that yet. I know know that have to downgrade and I have tried but since I'm on virgin mobile so the downgrade file I tried to use bricked my phone so i had to send it back to LG to get it fixed. Is there any other way to downgrade or root without bricking my phone again?
Thanks
Same problem...
lukasblock05 said:
I have been trying to root my LG G3 D852 on 6.0 mm, i have found that there is nothing out for that yet. I know know that have to downgrade and I have tried but since I'm on virgin mobile so the downgrade file I tried to use bricked my phone so i had to send it back to LG to get it fixed. Is there any other way to downgrade or root without bricking my phone again?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm. I had the same problem as you did with my G3. Same model and everything. Tried to downgrade it using my computer. Can't remember what tool, but it said it completed successfully. When it went to reboot, it would stay on the LG logo for 15-30 seconds, before going to the broken android screen. After a few minutes, it would reboot. Could enter into the recovery menu from the broken android screen, but when I tried to bump the files or flash a rom, there was nowhere on the phone to store it. I think it removed the partitions during the flash, hence why it couldn't store the files. It's not that I didn't have permission, but it showed in the console that there was no directory to mount. Couldn't even charge the phone in the state it was in. Guess it relied on the OS to control the charging. I'll probably try to simulate the phone, with the stock OS, and see if I can find any exploits that could allow for a "safer" rooting method. Tell me if you find anything yourself!

LG K10 ATT variant - possible to downgrade from Android 7.0 to Android 6.0.1 w/o root

Hi all, first post here. I've tried to research on how to successfully downgrade to Android 6.0.1 (stock firmware came on phone) but the articles/guides seem outdated. I'd prefer to stay away from root, and I've heard of programs like LGUP and needing the .kdz file, but those are foreign to me..
I'd like to downgrade because I was really satisfied with the phone when I got it last Friday, but after 2 days, it did an auto upgrade without even me being aware of it until it was halfway through. Now it's sluggish, slow on switching apps, slow on opening Messages, slow on clearing all apps, etc. My battery life has dwindled also.
Is there a "safe", no root method, easy to follow guide to downgrade back to the stock firmware I had, Android 6.0.1? I'm not Android savvy, I left iPhone for this phone, because well I was tired of paying for such an expensive phone I didn't like at all.
Thanks for the help. If there's anymore info I need to provide, please let me know and I'll see if I can find it.

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