Database Users

AT&T Now Bricks Modded Galaxy Tabs

What used to be a simple patch to permit AT&T Galaxy Tabs to download apps from sites other than the Google Market is no more. We recently got our Tab back from the Samsung repair facility and it was wiped clean and loaded with a new Android version that now puts your Tab in an endless boot loop if you attempt to patch the config setup to permit downloads from outside Google Market.
Simple solution: DON'T BUY AT&T-BRANDED GALAXY TABS.
If there were some sort of unlimited data plan, this kind of behavior might be warranted but since AT&T charges by the amount of data you consume, there's really no excuse for crippling these devices... other than just being assholes!

Not entirely sure what you're referring to here. I have an AT&T SGT and it works just fine with sideloaded apps.
Did you run SuperOneClick root and then enable non-market apps?
Either way, nuke that horrid stock ROM with one of the Euro roms and you'll never have to worry about AT&T's crippled version again.

Yeah, but...
There still are a number of ways to root the phone, but the new checksummed firmware will make it extremely difficult to load custom roms with any hope of restoring an earlier firmware version. And, once you update your current version of Android, using the standard method of allowing non-market apps by changing the non-market apps entry in /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db will put the device into an endless boot loop when you restart it.
So, while it used to be simple, those days are over. No need to shoot the messenger.

What version of firmware did your Tab come back with?
What method did you attempt to enable side loading?
I find this very hard to believe because every single ATT Android device to date has been able to side load after a simple 1 bit edit of the device settings db.
I believe that you had problems with the SuperOneClick app but there is a much cleaner / safer way to do it.
Sent from my SGH-I987 using Tapatalk

NerdUno said:
There still are a number of ways to root the phone, but the new checksummed firmware will make it extremely difficult to load custom roms with any hope of restoring an earlier firmware version. And, once you update your current version of Android, using the standard method of allowing non-market apps by changing the non-market apps entry in /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db will put the device into an endless boot loop when you restart it.
So, while it used to be simple, those days are over. No need to shoot the messenger.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't believe my ATT SGT came with a protected bootloader, and if I'm not mistaken, AT&T hasn't released any firmware updates via KIES or OTA. So while there's always the possibility of Samsung "screwing" us all with that mess, it's only been seen on the leaked firmwares. Not that I don't put it past the big blue DeathStar to opt to use something like that to prevent people from avoiding their preloaded garbage....
I'm happy I liberated my device from the clutches of the Evil Empire, and will gladly look to XDA for my future upgrade paths.

Could just be a bad software flash from factory. A number of t-mobile vibrants couldn't get to restore via volume up/down power because of a buggy flash file they put on a certain build date
Sent from my Galaxy Tab

[Q] Phone issues after Argentinian SBF

Hello,
few days ago i made a shot and flashed Argentinian SBF to my German motorola. Now i have very bad signal and my phone loosing signal very often, even if it's full (yup sometimes it's full but it's rare to see it) so i have around 70% signal, and after few seconds its lost. I don't know how can i change it or flash something different. I tried a lot of sbf's after argentinian, none of them was succesful, even flashing different kernels with backups. Always something - very ofter bootloader errors.
Now i want to ask if there is ANY way to bring back my phone function to normal? i tried a lot of tricks, hacks and none of them was succesful - like modify .prop files. I saw that argentinian sbf updates bootmgr. But is there a chance to revert those changes? For example to flash from recovery boot.img from froyo backup or any other freak changes?
Well off the topic i can say that german XT610 is unbrickable. I saw a lot of posts that people bricked they devices (well maybe with verizon model is different) but i never experienced that. If bootloader launches - device is not bricked.

Up. Bootmgr can be reverted using JTAG or something like that?

Soft-Bricked S4 by Flashing Different Version Rom

Hi everyone,
Before blasting away with comments as to why I would do this, here's my story,
I live in Canada and just brought home a i9508, a China variant of the S4. It belonged to my dad and he didn't want it so I just took it. The i9508 doesn't have Play Store, and it doesn't work on Canadian 3G network.
So to me, the phone is useless right off the start (don't intend on selling it either, who wants it?) So I had 2 options:
1) Leave the phone as it is, and probably use it once every 1-2 years when I visit HK
2) Flash custom roms on it fully aware of the risk it will have so that there's a possibility I can make it more usable
So in the end I went with option 2.
I followed a guide and flashed TWRP for i9505 using Odin onto the phone, and used TWRP to install chainfire SU, and it actually worked (but SU wouldn't open because some sort of security on the phone is blocking it)
Next step, I downloaded the CM version for i9505 and flashed onto the phone, and that worked too. Only problem I've encountered was that the phone would only boot after a fresh install. If I installed CM, turned the phone off after the initial start up, the phone wouldn't boot pass the Samsung logo.
Up until this point, I didn't make a backup, because of my arrogance, cause I have available a copy of the official firmware, in case anything happens.
So I figured at this point, maybe if I restore the original firmware, and try the whole process again, the custom rom would work. So I went into Odin, flash the firmware with PDA, and failed. It just wouldn't work. After retrying it a couple of times, and downloading different updates of the firmware, nothing worked. Only thing working right now is, I can get into Download mode, and I can get into TWRP recovery (but for some reason, I can't flash the zips that I've adb pushed onto the phone, zip can't open)
For me, if it can't be fixed, then it's really SOL. But if there's a way to fix it, I'm open to testing anything people have in mind, cause afterall, this phone is paper weight either way. I'm interested in seeing if I could enable 3G by flashing a i9505 radio, despite warnings, although, I've never actually came across a thread where someone had actually tried it before.
Either way, if someone has any idea on how to fix the phone, and wouldn't mind sharing it, that'll be greatly appreciated.
Working
I can get into Download mode, but Odin is failing (if you need the error please let me know and I'll post it)
I can get into TWRP recovery, but can't flash files
I can get into adb

This isnt the correct forum for your phone. XDA don't follow clones

Unfortunately a section for i9508 doesn't exist, so I figure the closest one would be i9505.
Anyhow, if someone has an idea of how to fix it, I'm more than happy to do testing on it, like flashing other roms or radios.

Need Instructions to avoid almost bricking again

Hi guys. I very narrowly (somehow) managed to recover from almost bricking my phone.
I successfully S-Off'd my phone, and previously successfully installed TWRP. I tried to install this ROM:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ve...m-perfumewl-m60-dev-edition-unlocked-t3442969
When I tried the to flash the ZIP for firmware and for the ROM, the firmware wouldn't install. I tried some other stuff and basically almost bricked my phone. Some how got it to suddenly start being able to use the htc_fastboot commands (????????) and was able to start installing the zip for stock... but it ran an error, I ran it again and it froze... then I forced my phone to reboot and somehow I'm back to having a stock system. No clue what I did.
My question is, can I take a software update on my phone normally (to 7.0) , and then install just that ROM? Or so I need to flash the firmware separately with a command line command? I just don't want to give myself another heart attack tonight. Current firmware version is 1.82.605.6, not rooted, don't believe my recovery is TWRP right now (but I know how to install that one).
I'm just looking for root access and the ability to remove pre-installed Verizon crap (VZW Messager, My Verizon, etc). Thanks guys.

CritKlepka said:
Hi guys. I very narrowly (somehow) managed to recover from almost bricking my phone.
I successfully S-Off'd my phone, and previously successfully installed TWRP. I tried to install this ROM:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ve...m-perfumewl-m60-dev-edition-unlocked-t3442969
When I tried the to flash the ZIP for firmware and for the ROM, the firmware wouldn't install. I tried some other stuff and basically almost bricked my phone. Some how got it to suddenly start being able to use the htc_fastboot commands (????????) and was able to start installing the zip for stock... but it ran an error, I ran it again and it froze... then I forced my phone to reboot and somehow I'm back to having a stock system. No clue what I did.
My question is, can I take a software update on my phone normally (to 7.0) , and then install just that ROM? Or so I need to flash the firmware separately with a command line command? I just don't want to give myself another heart attack tonight. Current firmware version is 1.82.605.6, not rooted, don't believe my recovery is TWRP right now (but I know how to install that one).
I'm just looking for root access and the ability to remove pre-installed Verizon crap (VZW Messager, My Verizon, etc). Thanks guys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recommend you install this one instead:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ve...m-1-85-605-9-aroma-root-root-debloat-t3529732
Follow instructions in OP...or:
1)fastboot flash FW w/o Boot w/ TWRP (htc_fastboot oem rebootRUU, fastboot flash zip...)
2)htc_fastboot reboot-bootloader
3) Finally, go into recovery-- backup and flash ROM (choose root w/ Magisk and debloat)

Thanks, I figured out why it wasn't working before. Used official TWRP, thats why it wasn't working. Wouldn't have thought that'd made that much of a difference.
New problem though; something I really would like to use the Google versions of contacts and dialers. Trying to flash those just made my phone app unusable. So I turned to LineageOS but it REFUSES to boot. Hangs on their little vertical line with a moving circle. Found out AOSP roms don't like VZW firmware? Flashed global firmware, updated through WiFi as much as possible, and then ran into issues with radio, even though I flashed the VZW one. So I reverted those changes, am going through with what you said above to have a working phone (after not having one all day), but any advice on getting Google dialer and contacts? I'd like to use LineageOS but I couldn't get it work at all.

CritKlepka said:
Thanks, I figured out why it wasn't working before. Used official TWRP, thats why it wasn't working. Wouldn't have thought that'd made that much of a difference.
New problem though; something I really would like to use the Google versions of contacts and dialers. Trying to flash those just made my phone app unusable. So I turned to LineageOS but it REFUSES to boot. Hangs on their little vertical line with a moving circle. Found out AOSP roms don't like VZW firmware? Flashed global firmware, updated through WiFi as much as possible, and then ran into issues with radio, even though I flashed the VZW one. So I reverted those changes, am going through with what you said above to have a working phone (after not having one all day), but any advice on getting Google dialer and contacts? I'd like to use LineageOS but I couldn't get it work at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You've got to read OPs, search threads, etc. Some ROMs work w/ our phone, and some do not. Check out the latest versions of ice and leedroid. Your most likely want to grab the SVN versions is the official versions may not yet support Verizon N firmware

Antny6 said:
You've got to read OPs, search threads, etc. Some ROMs work w/ our phone, and some do not. Check out the latest versions of ice and leedroid. Your most likely want to grab the SVN versions is the official versions may not yet support Verizon N firmware
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been doing a lot of searching, but I've found so many different, conflicting sources of information. For example, one website told me to install LineageOS, was to be on latest Verizon OTA and just normally flash it; that obviously didn't work.
So from what I can see, our choices are Viper, Ice, LeeDroid, NuSense and the one you linked. I'm going to try out LeeDroid... out of curiousity, is there any reason, for example, LeeDroid or Ice haven't posted in this Verizon section with links to their ROMs?
*Edit Two* Dialer wouldn't work out of the "box" so to speak, so I had to go to Phone settings at the bottom, there is a menu called Calling Accounts. Had to go there and tap Receive Incoming Calls... why is that disabled in the first place..? But that seems to be an issue going even as far back as the Nexus 5. But that's how you find the option in the HTC 10 for anyone who comes across this issue too...

Not sure why your having issues with the flashing. Are you doing a full wipe? Not just factory reset. Going from stock to lineage requires a complete format of internal SD card. On the stock roms, most will ask if you are still on marshmallow firmware & are working fine. Again, we need more info on what firmware version your on, version of twrp& how your wiping your device. Most AOSP roms work, but no advanced calling

LOS ROMs will work without issue IF you have flashed the US unlocked firmware at some point in time. This is the only information that we have found from a VzW device with LOS booting and VzW device without. We started a thread awhile ago and is the only known method we currently know of to get LOS booting. Also works for Sprint users.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-htc-10/how-to/how-to-cm-booting-vzw-vzw-firmware-t3500900

Back from Windows Phone, what ROM to use?

Thinking I'll post the TLDR up top:
What ROM should I use for the most basic (no extra "features") for my phone? Perhaps I'm too soon for such a version? I have the Exynos S8+.
So ~4 years ago I decided to move to Windows Phone (xperia 1020 -> Lumia 950XL). I'm not a big Facebook guy, so my phone is mainly for notes, texts and calling. I have however become a "fan" of Microsoft products, and I managed to change everything from "Samsung all the way up your ass" to "Microsoft when you desire it" on my S8+, including remapping the bixby button to Cortana. I have turned of all permissions possible for all Samsung apps I could, the only reason I want to root/change ROM is because I hate the "always active, **** up your battery and start all apps lockscreen home button".
I don't want any fancy stuff, I just want a clean android version for my Phone, with the option to disable the Home button on lock screen... And perhaps a point in the right direction for how to root/ROM my phone correctly. I believe it's 7 years since I've looked into rooting, hell, might even use the wrong terms here... That's what not looking into tech like I did 7 years ago does to a man
Edit: My 950XL basically went to hell, so I had to more or less impulse-purchase my S8+, without looking into what I really bought.

I've had this Samsung phone for maybe a month and a half. So please take this with a grain a salt. Information that was scattered around and I had to go searching for when I bought this phone. Here is my brain dump...
There isn't an AOSP or Vanilla Android ROM, they're all touchwiz based. Most of the ROMs give you an option during installation of certain apps you can remove. I dabbed around making a very clean and minimal ROM, but turns out if you remove too much the setup wizard falls apart and the phone basically freezes before even selecting your language. So I resorted to installing someone elses ROM and after setting it up, using ROM toolkit to remove random system apps and hoping it doesn't crash after a reboot. haha
This is my first Samsung phone (exynos S8) so getting around to using ODIN and the different files you need to flash was a headache. The general rules to follow are.
1. Enable Developer Options and turn on OEM Unlock. Then never again change that option. If you are not running 100% stock the bootloader will prevent the phone from turning on correctly and kick you into Download mode basically forcing you to flash a stock ROM. So once you turn on OEM Unlock, just leave it turned on. I was messing around in Dev Options and without knowing turned it off. Next time I restarted my phone I was forced to flash stock rom again. Custom ROMS tend to remove that option entirely so someone doesn't mistakenly turn it OFF.
2. KNOX is Samsungs security in stock ROMs. The moment any kind of custom recovery or anything is installed. KNOX will be tripped and stop the phone from completing boot up. It'll basically tell you that theres something that wasn't signed by Samsung and to reset the phone. An endless cycle unless you, 1. Install a Custom ROM or 2. Flash a stock ROM to undo whatever you did.
3. Keep your firmware (modem bootloader etc) as recommended by the ROM Dev. AQF7 is the last known stable and developed for firmware.
Right now there a new update AQG5 that has an updated Bootloader that will softbrick your phone. People have tried installing the entire Stock ROM and ran into issues. It worked for some, but avoid it for now. If you do find the need to play with it. For the time being flashing just the modem (CP file) and keeping or using the previous AQF7 Bootloader (BL file) should keep your phone usable.
4. The S8 and S8+ are very much identical except the obvious size difference. Cross Development allows Devs to create a single ROM for both devices. With only the Kernel being the difference. Which is some cases both are in the ROM zip and automatically selected for you. So if they state its compatible with both. If not just focus on S8+ only ROMS.
5. ODIN is a program that's used to flash files. Either to flash custom recovery or stock files. Samsungs SmartSwitch program is like Windows Phone Recovery Tool. It'll detect the phone you have connected and download the latest stock ROM it can find and flash it. ODIN is a stripped down program that we use to flash individual files. Its only really used to either flash a stock ROM or custom recovery. In some cases bootloaders and modem updates, but id avoid those for now.
6. ROM/Firmware structure. Samsung stock ROMs and Firmware zips are available all over the place. Basically its a .zip file with more tar files in it.
Lets say you download a stock ROM.
The name is normally Model|Region|Version.zip so for me I have G950FXXU1AQF7 that tells you. G950F is the Euro S8 Exynos, XXU1 is basically just New Zealand and some carrier, AQF7 is the firmware version. The file name might have multiple regions. Theres more into what means what. I personally just focus on the Model and the Firmware. I can delete carrier apps or flash my carriers CSC later on. From what I've seen version numbers increase with the next letter in the alphabet and a number. So obviously an update with AQF7 is newer then one named AQD6 etc.
If you where to extract a stock firmware/ROM zip to use in ODIN etc. It normally gets broken down to these tar files. If stock files are renamed ODIN will not accept them. It happen to me
BL** - Contains the Bootloader, partition layout etc.
AP** - Actual ROM. Kernel, System, cache, userdata (for some), recovery
CP** - Modem files.
CSC** - Preloaded carrier apps, settings. This comes in two files. If you flash HOME_CSC your data is kept if you decide to do an update. CSC file without HOME will format the data partition.
These files are flashed in their prepacked files. You wont flash individual system, kernel files etc with odin.
7. TWRP the go to recovery for Android. You'll use ODIN to flash it. On twrps website just find the S8+ (dream2lte) and download the .tar file. Using ODIN it will be flashed as an AP file.
8. Once you have TWRP installed it will trip KNOX if using a stock ROM. The button combination to get you into recovery from a fully turned off phone is,
PWR + Vol Up + Bixby
Vol Down is Download Mode, also used as the button combo to force the phone to restart. If you restart it this way, quickly move your finger and hit Vol Up and if done right will go into recovery.
9. CSC is carrier bloatware, but in the forums its what gives you VoLTE & WifiCalling. As long as your carrier supports it and in an area/wifi network that will allow it. Some ROMs have it included, if not you can find a forum thread which offers a flashable zip that will give you all the carriers around the globe. If selected correctly should give you those features for your carrier on your phone.
___________
The jist of all that is. Enable OEM unlock > use ODIN to flash TWRP > Boot into TWRP and flash a custom ROM. You'll use TWRP to flash ROMS, Mods, Custom Kernels. ODIN/SmartSwitch would be used to revert to 100% stock. If you ever some how turn off OEM unlock while using a custom ROM. FAP will be turned on and block you from using your phone until you flash a stock ROM and turn on OEM unlock again.
I'm personally using Renovate ICE on my S8 and have removed ALOT of system apps. Windows Phone has a special place in my heart, but Microsoft is just terrible about it now. I had a 950XL for a bit, but always had HTC phones when it came to Android. For me HTC was so much easier to work with when it came to ROMs. Now I'm rocking an S8 so had to learn fast.
Always do your research before flashing anything. Make sure multiple sources say the same thing or risk flashing something that might break your phone. If any other user finds something I mention to be wrong, PLEASE correct me. I will learn and so will others.
What I missed from HTC forums was the sticky threads. The go to threads that broken everything down and explained it. All the HTC phones I had while using XDA had these sticky threads in each devices forums. I was and still am reading threads from other Galaxy phones just to get a better understanding of how it all works since they aren't in this devices forum.
Not to talk bad about long time Samsung users, but yall need to get organized haha. Once I'm confident with Samsungs inner programming workings I'll try to make an actual knowledge thread with links and where credit is do. But dam it's like sink or swim around some galaxy phones.