Database Users

Steep Learning curve these last couple of hours

Excuse the long thread title lol..
I've been gently lowering myself into all this tampering with my phone as I've always been a bit of a tinkerer with everything i've ever owned.
So back in march my phone, an unbranded handset on o2 uk was on 2.2.1. My first foray into modifying my handset was to flash the jvk gb firmware. I then rooted it using cf root. All very simple. I then flashed it using cwm with Simply honey 3.2 and then the latest 3.5. No issue.
So this afternoon, I flashed it with the "unspoken ones" kernel just cos I could lol. Something didnt seem right though. There was a bit of lag and I got one or two forced closures so I decided to restore one of the cwm backups I had. Thing is, it hung upon reboot at the i9000 screen, for about 10 minutes so I pulled the battery. Now I couldnt get it restarted. Panic set in. This was my first proper issue and I just wished I was back in march on 2.2.1 again.
As said, couldnt get it started so went hunting some advice. Install a base stock rom with 3 files and a 512 pit. I struggled. Could I find 3 files ? Nope. Not on samfirmware. Every file I downloaded was one file. JP1 JPU JPY. All 1 file. So. As JPY was the firmware I was on originally, I chose the 1 file version, put the phone in download mode and flashed it via odin. It worked !!! And then I plugged it into kies and up popped the box, I have an firmware update ! JPO GB! So i installed that. I'm quite surprised that I got the update because you always see lots of threads regarding people being unable to update by kies once they have modified their phones. Why did mine work? Because the handset in unbranded perhaps ?
Anyway, I wanted to get back to the Simply Honey rom because it ran really well and the battery life is fantastic but Simone hasnt done a version based on JVO yet as far as I could tell so I thought, I know, I'll root with cf root, again and try that backup again using cwm. And it worked, and here I am back where I was earlier today ! Ace ! lol
Sorry about the essay but I'm sure that there are some questions in there worth answering.. ?...and also to serve as a bit of help to those that find themselves in a dodgy situation. Just calm down, search for the advice, it is out there and do as it says and everything will be cool
Posted from my restored and working handset...

the files you download from samfirmware are rar files (have a .rar extention). This means you need to decompress them into a folder and the "three files" will be in there. You need a rar extractor app. You can use 7-zip which is free.
You need odin (or ezodin or heimdal) to flash the stock rom but I am sure you know that already. There are a few guides around for all tools.
There is a lot of information here, especially in the "sticky" posts. If you feel like learning what you are doing rather than copy instructions (as I think you do), it may be a good idea to go through them.
Anyway you got your phone working in the end so that's good!

simple solution when an install hangs is only to reflash the kernel in odin: that restarts the phone.
cwm is not invincible and the restored rom is there but the phone hangs on the boot because of the kernel hiccup. Reflashing the kernel to the one you now want will allow the phone to boot and access the rom that matches -- you do have to ensure the recovery version rom and the kernel you are flashing are in sync.
Persist. You only really panic the first time this happens -- after that you know it is a possibility and how to fix it.
Worst case scenario: pull the battery, reinsert, go to download mode and reflash the kernel and base rom of your choice. At least now you have a clean phone!
Two things are important to remember: (1) always do a backup before installing a new rom or kernel and (2) use titanium backup for all applications -- easy to restore everything.
Also I find it easier to use google calender and my internet email as bases for dates, appointments and contacts -- that way if I loose everything on the phone I can quickly reload my data by sync with online accounts once I have the phone "rebuilt".

getting back to 3.1.....??????? jessica

I gave up looking. I dont know what happen because i rooted my tab and somehow i cant go back. I did factory reset but no luck. I just wanna go to back to 3.1 so i could update my gtab to 3.2. I know its here in this thread but i cant find it (i tried) . If you could just help me out so i could update to 3.2 that would be a help. THANKS SO MUCH!!!!
JESSICA

Hiya, I haven't done this, but will try to help anyway.
Can I ask first, why do you want to go back to the "factory" state? Do you need to return it?
Edit: coz just having root access does not stop you updating to 3.2...

factoy reseting your device will NOT WIPE SYSTEM and thats were superuser is. You need to Odin flash the firmware of you choiche. thats the best and easiest way, its done in 5 minutes. And i think its wise to not update while rooted as some have reported errors during update and some have not. good luck

Why not just flash Galaxy Task 10 Rom? It's 3.2 and much better than the stock 3.2. All you need is Clockwork Mod installed and you can do that with Odin.
I flashed it with Pershoots kernel and it runs VERY stable. You can also flash it with the stock kernel if you don't want overclocking, etc.

I bricked my galaxy tab. I want to go back to 3.1 so i could update it to 3.2. I dont know much aout hacking so I guess i messed up. Im trying to go back to 3.1 so i could update my tab to 3.2 then root it. However, i couldnt find any thread to fix.
thanks for your all reply. If I used 3.2 rom? will it stay 3.2 if I use other roms? thanks in advance
jessica

Well, a custom rom like Galaxy Task 10 is "3.2" and so yes, it will stay 3.2.
I'd recommend Task's rom, it's much better than the stock 3.2.
And no doubt he will update to Android 4 (IceCream Sandwich) so you'll be able to keep up to date.
Your comments about bricking your device are now confusing the situation.
Can you please write what steps you did (or thought you did), and what your device does or does not do right now?
Also, please be vey specific about what device you have, whether it is 3g+wifi or just wifi. Give us the model number from the box if you do not know.
We'll help, we just need details.
Cheers..

i have the 16gb wifi us version. I used odin and
everything went perfect but still cant update to 3.2 using kies. Kies say your tablet doesnt support firmware upgrade. What I did next is i tried to root my tablet
somehow it wont let me root and giving me this "your storage not prepared yet please use ui menu for format and reboot actions"
I downloaded termulator and root checker to see if im rooted however it says im not. So I cant download any roms or upgraded to rom 3.2.
Ive been searching online to how to fix it for almost 6 hours and cant find a solution. pls help!!! THANKS FOR YOUR HELP GUYS AND I REALLY APPRECIATED!
Jessica

I've put numbers (eg [*1]) in to your message quoted below;
killua_bryan said:
i have the 16gb wifi us version. I used odin and
everything went perfect [*1] but still cant update to 3.2 using kies. Kies say your tablet doesnt support firmware upgrade [*2]. What I did next is i tried to root my tablet [*3]
somehow it wont let me root and giving me this "your storage not prepared yet please use ui menu for format and reboot actions"
I downloaded termulator and root checker to see if im rooted [*4] however it says im not. So I cant download any roms [*5] or upgraded to rom 3.2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Used ODIN to do what? Put in a recovery image? or replace a whole ROM?
2. Is a firmware upgrade available? There isn't for mine, I'm also on a 16g wifi version but no 3.2 FW has been released for my specific model yet...
3. How? By flashing a zip in recovery? Can you post the link to the information you used to do this?
4. These may give false negatives. Check in your apps list to see if you have "SuperUser". If so, run it, it will show you apps that have tried to ask for root access. They may have been asking but you didn't receive the prompt, and have therefore been denied root access. If so, grant them root and try to run them again.
5. Just FYI, you don't need root access to download/install a ROM, you need a "recovery".
Honestly, I think the best thing for you to do (besides answer these questions ) is to download the ROM Galaxy Task 10, boot into recovery, and flash it. That is assuming you do have a recovery image in place, which depends on the answer to #1 above.

i tried everything. it wont let me root the device. Tab keep saying your storage not prepared yet please use ui menu for format and reboot actions. So i cant use any or replace rom. I upgraded my tab to 3.2 before but kies keep saying its not upgradeable. Any suggestions? thanks!
jessica

Sorry, I need specific information to those questions from my previous post. As stated, replacing a rom doesn't need root, it needs a recovery image.
Maybe some screenshots of your tab and/or computer would help? Or photos, if you can't take screenshots?
Sorry, if you won't answer my questions I'm not going to be able to help.

ill try to post some pics. sorry!

killua_bryan said:
ill try to post some pics. sorry!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Start with answering the questions, please?
Pics can tell about "now" but I need the history too.

Back to Stock,
Here's what I did to get back to stock.
You must choose the files under the GTAB GT7510 /retail/google edition
First you have to install Clock Work Recovery using this link:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1171089
Download the files under FilesForDummies 2 mirrors are listed. These files will help you flash Clockworkrecovery and also the retail recovery is included.
This step needs to be flashed through Odin. You also need to root your device after the flash if your not already rooted. You need the Clock Work Recovery to enter recovery mode so you can flash the Stock Files that I'll point you later.
Once you've flashed the Clockwork recovery you should reboot normally. At this point try to root your device if its not already rooted. Look for OneClickRoot I'll point to that later if you don't already have it.
Not too sure if you need to be rooted as I've always rooted my device before installing roms anyways, but you can try the next steps if your not rooted. If the next steps don't work then reboot and root the device.
Start with your tablet off.
1. Push Powerbutton as soon as you see it startup put your finger on the volume down button and press until you see the android. One side is a box saying recovery the other download. Choose download mode by pushing volume down to choose and up to enter you will be prompted at this time just take if from there. Make sure Odin is up and running, choose the PDA file as Clockwork cm4.04 its that file in the zip you just downloaded and extracted.
2. Flash Clockwork file Clockwork CM4.04 etc... using ODIN should be included in the zipped file you've downloaded. Make sure these files are unzipped in the same folder. Now after flashing the tablet should reboot and it would look normally like it did before except you have clockworkrecovery instead of the stock one.
3. Go back to the link I sent you above and scrool down until you see flashing roms and kernals heading. Click on Stock US Retail Rom, this will download the Stock US Retail 3.1 file for Clockwork. choose : hc-3.1_ota-full_sam file, and then also click on the recovery hc3.1 file.
Put these files in the same folder or somewhere where you can find them. Not sure if these are already in the file you downloaded above, if they are then don't have to download these.
4. Unzip the files and make sure you remember where they are.
5. With your tablet on and plug into your usb port transfer the hc-3.1 ota file you've just downloaded and put it into the root directory of your tablet. It should not be in any folders just in the /SD folder.
5. Now turn off the tablet, once off push power button again and enter recovery this time choosing the left android with the box. Push left button to choose and right volume button to enter. Now you should be in clockwork recover orange writing. Now look for update from Sd card, use volume button left to choose and right to enter. Click then you should see the file you've copied on your sd card of your tablet. Click down and then use left volume button to choose.
6. Once there it should start flashing the Stock Rom, once done it will return you to where you started, at this point you can choose to wipe data/ cache etc. You can do that to make sure you've clear everything in your tablet before you actually reboot. Once done choose reboot and your tablet should be back to stock but not just yet.
7. You could leave Clockwork on there or you can go directly back to stock by doing the same steps from 1 and 2 and flash the STock Recovery instead. This will bring the tablet right back to HC3.1 and Retail Stock. From this point on you can flash up to 3.2 etc.
Hope this helps but I can't go into it in any length as I'm hoping you know most of the terminolgy.
There is also videos on this link to help you.

nice
I suspect that if we see screenshots, that the wrong recovery has been flashed right from the start.

Recovery / Bootloader

Ok, i realize i have a different phone from this thread but it is close and my problems closely reflect the issues ive seen with the Galaxy S.
A little background. Im no perfect i know what im doing when it comes to rooting. I have an HTC Tbolt and rooted many of those, an older touch pro 2, and this is first time doing a samsung. I am getting the hang of ODIN (i wish everyone would just use this program instead of bouncing back and forth between heimdall and ODIn but whatever) Im liking ODIN cause it works well. I was successful at flashing a new rom into this Samsung phone. 95% of it worked, wifi i think didnt but everything else worked. While trying to fix the phones wifi somehow i have stopped the phone from booting into CMW recovery unless forced or booting into a rom. I can get into CMW but i must hold down the Vol Down button to get there, otherwise a clean basic boot takes me to the stock android system recovery screen and will not boot a rom.
I have something backwards or out of order. I am just trying to get the rom to identify the installed CMW and the installed ROM through CMW but it wont do it.
Any help would be appreciated, i dont want my GF to find out i jacked her phone lol

Which phone do you have? SGS? I can just talk about SGS+ but I guess its similiar.
Try to install CWM with Odin, normally it should replace the stock recovery (haven't heard of both running at once).
Once you have installed CWM you can install your custom ROM with CWM (look at the install instructions).
If you want to install stock ROM with Odin it will replace your CWM with stock Recovery.
Post the link of the thread/recovery you want to flash.

annqx said:
Which phone do you have? SGS? I can just talk about SGS+ but I guess its similiar.
Try to install CWM with Odin, normally it should replace the stock recovery (haven't heard of both running at once).
Once you have installed CWM you can install your custom ROM with CWM (look at the install instructions).
If you want to install stock ROM with Odin it will replace your CWM with stock Recovery.
Post the link of the thread/recovery you want to flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its a stratosphere. Im using the root and / or stock files in the root method. I use ODIN to flash the StratCWMRecovery.tar.md5 and if i tick "reboot" then it reboots into CWM i install a rom or stock rom and it finishes. I reboot the phone and it instantly goes back to android system recovery. If you like ill make a short video to give you an idea of whats going on.
I will note that im close to making a jig but its not 100% bricked obviously. 3 button method still works (and unecessary at this point since all the phone does is go straight into the stock bootloader) and then after i install CWM i can force it in to CWM but it wont actualy boot into it.
From a programing standpoint i feel the pointers or partitions are incorrect. Its like booting a computer that has a hard drive with windows installed however getting the bios to tell it to boot from the hard drive isnt working. THats the easiest way to explain this.
One thing i want to note is the only errors i am getting are when i try to partition the SD card from CWM. I get an error saying sdparted is not found.
I am not getting a full understanding of how the root system works on this phone.
Again any help is appreciated.
Made a short video. Its uploading now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFZ5Adm5AdQ

So whatever i did i was able to fix. I think me being a very visual person and normally having access to all files i need or could use in a situation is always nice. Here, i didnt but i found them. Here's the link. Its obviously for stratosphere but i took about 10 minutes and let ODIN install all these files and it worked.
original posting but the link doesnt work for download
http://rootzwiki.com/topic/11183-eh2-full-factory-odin-restore/
where i downloaded it
http://www.fileswap.com/dl/t4D235pUTO/SCH-I405.EH2_rel.md5.html
Again this is for stratosphere. Since it really helped me return to stock and allow me to re root in about 15 minutes this thread should be moved but there is no stratosphere area

noob, note 8.0 lte, getting back to stock from cwm

Just running this by, to see if i have everything correct.
if i have cwm installed, regardless of model,
to install a stock firmware from samsung, thus basicaly resetting my device back to stock,
i can go into cwm and install this,
http://samsung-updates.com/details/12916/Galaxy_Note_8.0_LTE_Canada/SGH-I467M/RWC/I467MVLAMG2.html
since thats my model,
and it will restore the device to factory settings, correct?
will this wipe out cwm or will cwm stay?
also, can i do this from odin?
if so,
as long as one can get there device into download mode, they can restore the device correct?
and if thats the case, what are the ways that one may wipe out that portion of the device?
is that part of the bootloader?
or is it part of the kernal,
sorry for such noob questions...
i am really new to rom flashing, but really want to get good at it.
thanks everyone in advance,
ths forum is amazing, and all you people are amazing.

Samsung devices are pretty easy to restore and hard to brick, as long as you have some firmware you can flash through Odin. Download mode should remain intact even if you mess up the bootloader/system.
I haven't looked at the link you provided, but assuming the downloads there are in Odin format, flashing back to stock should be easy as pie.
If however, you don't have Odin flashable firmware, and you ahve soemthign that needs to be flashed via fastboot/recovery, then I'm hoping your recovery is still intact and you can boot to it via Volume Up + Home + Power. If you can get into it, you should be able to load firmware onto a MicroSD card and flash from there.
GhostCyber said:
Just running this by, to see if i have everything correct.
if i have cwm installed, regardless of model,
to install a stock firmware from samsung, thus basicaly resetting my device back to stock,
i can go into cwm and install this,
http://samsung-updates.com/details/12916/Galaxy_Note_8.0_LTE_Canada/SGH-I467M/RWC/I467MVLAMG2.html
since thats my model,
and it will restore the device to factory settings, correct?
will this wipe out cwm or will cwm stay?
also, can i do this from odin?
if so,
as long as one can get there device into download mode, they can restore the device correct?
and if thats the case, what are the ways that one may wipe out that portion of the device?
is that part of the bootloader?
or is it part of the kernal,
sorry for such noob questions...
i am really new to rom flashing, but really want to get good at it.
thanks everyone in advance,
ths forum is amazing, and all you people are amazing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

sorted!
Got it sorted, thanks very much..:good::laugh:

[Q] Help! Flashing rom."system software not authorized by Verizon"

Ok, please I hope you can help. New to rooting, I rooted my s5, and was working fine for days, then I got the error and yellow triangle "system software not authorized by Verizon" I downloaded one md5 firmware I found and flashed it using odin, after was done had the same error though. I was on version 4.4.2. (don't know if that matters) I cannot find any other "stock" firmware online to try that are md5 that I can use with odin. I can find all these custom roms in zip format but don't know how to flash to odin when they are in the zip format and not tar or md5. Right now im just bricked and cant do anything and trying to learn how to fix all this.

Links to all files you need to download and full instructions on how to Odin back to stock can be found here ==>
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2784880
To properly root your device follow these instructions here ==>
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2784860
You can not just flash a ROM to your phone like with older phones, due to the locked bootloader. You have to install Safestrap and install the ROM there. You will find all you need to do that along with a link to a Youtube video explaining it all here ==>
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2793891

ok, I did just like the guide says and applied the tar file. it goes through the whole process but when it reboots it still says "secure fail:modem" in the left hand corner and "system software not authorized by Verizon wireless has been found on your phone please turn off and got to nearest wireless store for help". Im lost....

do I have to download and flash all those files? the nk2,n12, ne9, ncg??? what is the difference? hope someone can help...been working on this for hours and there doesn't seem to be a lot of information on my issue

tr889 said:
do I have to download and flash all those files? the nk2,n12, ne9, ncg??? what is the difference? hope someone can help...been working on this for hours and there doesn't seem to be a lot of information on my issue
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stick with my instructions to reset and the instructions to root. I have all the files and instructions you need for root linked in the how to root section in the OP.

I did it word for word, and after boot it still comes up to the system software not authorized by Verizon screen. Don't know how to proceed?
any help would be greatly appreciated because at this point im out 450 dollars.

Took it too Verizon and they said there is nothing they can do but give 178 dollar gift card...anyone here have any other ideas? Followed the rooting guide here, updates were turned off, don't know what went wrong

tr889 said:
Took it too Verizon and they said there is nothing they can do but give 178 dollar gift card...anyone here have any other ideas? Followed the rooting guide here, updates were turned off, don't know what went wrong
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you re-partition using the pit file when trying to go back to stock? This doesn't make any sense. To the best of my knowledge, even tripping knox won't result in this ...

Yeah I did. Don't know what to do...I seem to be the only one that has had this issue. My question is, what did I do to wrong to make this happen? How do I prevent it when I get a new phone? It seemed to happen after tethering using x tether on xposed? Is there an issue with xtether ?

No there's no issue there. I run it and have Odined back to stock a couple of times and re-installed it.
Work backwards. Un-install all xposed modules. Un-install SuperSU, towel root and everything else you have added. Do a factory data reset and then try to Odin back to stock maybe? Take it all the way back to NGC
You don't use any kernel tars, just the full factory image tar