Hey everyone,
Just wanted to ask a quick question regarding the firmware
I got my UK unlocked S5 last week and as soon as I set it up, an update came through, which is 100mb, the note regarding say "Improved performance", the update download, but I haven't installed it yet. Mainly because of a bad experience I had after updating my S3. I haven't come across any bugs since I've been using it, and I'm concerned that if I update, the battery will drain quicker, or perhaps cause an error in the recovery mode(these things happened to my S3 after updating to 4.3). So 2 main questions.
1. Has anyone here downloaded this 100mb software update their S5? If so, what differences did you notice?
2. Suppose I updated and wasn't happy with the new changes? Would it be possible to go back to the original firmware version that my phone came with when I took it out of the box, *without rooting my S5?
Hope some people on here can shed some light on these questions.
Thank you in advance*
1. It's just a system update. The phone is new there are bound to be updates as issues are ironed out
2. You can odin any firmware whenever you want
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
MasterfulNinja said:
Has anyone here downloaded this 100mb software update their S5? If so, what differences did you notice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your instincts are dead on. Updates may fix bugs or add a desireable feature. But just as often they introduce new bugs, break root or disable root exploits, break a few apps and add noxious DRM frameworks like the Knox qfuse warranty bit. They can seriously mess up a custom ROM and may depreciate features like MSC or car dock that may be important to you personally.
Updates cannot always be reverted. Try downgrading your Kitkat baseband to Jellybean and see what happens. Or try removing the Knox security bit after you take the update that introduced it. I disable automatic updates and wait to hear what early adopters find before upgrading.
Unfortunately you didn't tell us the all important version of your update. Or even tell us what your current firmware version and carrier are. Your update might be similar to the recent ATT /Verizon OTA adding the mixed blessing of reactivation lock. That is causing bootloops for some people with custom kermels. 4.4.3 is mostly bug fixes, with a few UI tweaks. And I believe 4.4.4 took aim at closing yet another open-SSL exploit and reverting some of the new 4.4.3 bugs.
No matter what an update intends to do, a few new bugs and unexpected conflicts usually turn up. A quick Google finds reports like this:
International Business Times said:
Issues Spotted for the Android 4.4.3 Kitkat
The Android 4.4.3 Kitkat system update is pretty much all about improving performances, strengthening stability and fixing a couple of bugs. However, it reels in a couple of issues experienced by users of Nexus devices that have already been upgraded to the latest update.
According to IT Pro, some of these issues include wi-fi problems, crashes and reboots and bugs found in apps. Google has not yet given any statement about how to deal with these issues nor has there been any word if these issues are only experienced by a handful.
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Click to collapse
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fffft said:
Your instincts are dead on. Updates may fix bugs or add a desireable feature. But just as often they introduce new bugs, break root or disable root exploits, break a few apps and add noxious DRM frameworks like the Knox qfuse warranty bit. They can seriously mess up a custom ROM and may depreciate features like MSC or car dock that may be important to you personally.
Updates cannot always be reverted. Try downgrading your Kitkat baseband to Jellybean and see what happens. Or try removing the Knox security bit after you take the update that introduced it. I disable automatic updates and wait to hear what early adopters find before upgrading.
Unfortunately you didn't tell us the all important version of your update. Or even tell us what your current firmware version and carrier are. Your update might be similar to the recent ATT /Verizon OTA adding the mixed blessing of reactivation lock. That is causing bootloops for some people with custom kermels. 4.4.3 is mostly bug fixes, with a few UI tweaks. And I believe 4.4.4 took aim at closing yet another open-SSL exploit and reverting some of the new 4.4.3 bugs.
No matter what an update intends to do, a few new bugs and unexpected conflicts usually turn up. A quick Google finds reports like this:
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for your detailed answers! That's exactly it! And I know from experience that updating firmware can cause a negative affect to the phone's performance. My iPhone 4S is still on iOS 5.1 but runs perfectly, while friends who updated their 4S to 7.1 experience freezes and heavy lag. Maybe companies do this deliberately, so people get frustrated and end up having to get the latest, more powerful model so the OS to run smoothly?
I do exactly the same, I always wait to see what people about an update before updating. The only difficulty with Android updates is that there seem to be so many different versions of updates. For example, when I researched the 100mb one for the S5,* various sites mentioned it, but others say the size of the update was 30mb, which were called "improved performance" I also heard about updates not always being able to be reverted to the previous version,* and also about Knox. So, you can see why I'm hesitant to update.
I know quite a bit about using Android, but have very limited knowledge regarding rooting and custom roms and so on. Also, after reading that rooting a phone incorrectly can turn it into a brick, I'm happy to just leave it as it is. I've attached a photo which shows my current firmware version, as well as other information. Also, as my S5 is unlocked, the only updates I'll receive will be from Samsung. I asked my carrier (T-Mobile UK) and that's what they told me. Only phones from bought from them include added apps that they put on, and I think they may also be able to tweak the updates received, by adding their own features.
Some more questions for you;
1. Do you recommend a factory reset after each software update?(I had to factory reset my S3 to stop the battery draining issue that 4.3 caused. But was wondering if it's best to factory reset after each and every update on Android devices)
2. I know you said that sometimes reverting back to a previous firmware isn't always possible, but can't using Odin with the correct firmware version work? Like Goldie mentioned in the above reply. And does changing the firmware via Odin require rooting the phone?
MasterfulNinja said:
Thank you very much for your detailed answers! That's exactly it! And I know from experience that updating firmware can cause a negative affect to the phone's performance. My iPhone 4S is still on iOS 5.1 but runs perfectly, while friends who updated their 4S to 7.1 experience freezes and heavy lag. Maybe companies do this deliberately, so people get frustrated and end up having to get the latest, more powerful model so the OS to run smoothly?
I do exactly the same, I always wait to see what people about an update before updating. The only difficulty with Android updates is that there seem to be so many different versions of updates. For example, when I researched the 100mb one for the S5,* various sites mentioned it, but others say the size of the update was 30mb, which were called "improved performance" I also heard about updates not always being able to be reverted to the previous version,* and also about Knox. So, you can see why I'm hesitant to update.
I know quite a bit about using Android, but have very limited knowledge regarding rooting and custom roms and so on. Also, after reading that rooting a phone incorrectly can turn it into a brick, I'm happy to just leave it as it is. I've attached a photo which shows my current firmware version, as well as other information. Also, as my S5 is unlocked, the only updates I'll receive will be from Samsung. I asked my carrier (T-Mobile UK) and that's what they told me. Only phones from bought from them include added apps that they put on, and I think they may also be able to tweak the updates received, by adding their own features.
Some more questions for you;
1. Do you recommend a factory reset after each software update?(I had to factory reset my S3 to stop the battery draining issue that 4.3 caused. But was wondering if it's best to factory reset after each and every update on Android devices)
2. I know you said that sometimes reverting back to a previous firmware isn't always possible, but can't using Odin with the correct firmware version work? Like Goldie mentioned in the above reply. And does changing the firmware via Odin require rooting the phone?
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Click to collapse
1. Yes, a data factory reset after a update/flash a rom is remmended and gives best performance and stability;
2. I haven`t tried flashing a older rom itself but it should be possible i guess as this is not dowgrading like from 4.4.2 to 4.3. You could try it and if it fails there`s no harm done as you can flash your current rom back.
3. Installing a update or flash a rom usualy will kill root, though superSU Pro offers a survival mode to keep root after a update. You can also flash a rom with Mobile Odin Pro and enable everroot and the 2 other options so you will not loose root.
@MasterfulNinja
I don't automatically accept updates. Someone more impulsive, or indifferent can be the guinea pig. That approach is effective in avoiding some unpleasant firmware surprises. Often an older firmware version runs smoother and is more stable as in your IOS 5 vs 7 example. Running an older firmware means that you may have unpatched security vulnerabilities but in practice this usually isn't a great or unmanageable problem. It is a point to keep in mind though.
Rooting isn't nearly as dangerous as many people think it is. Someone who can follow directions and avoid flashing firmware from a completely different device will rarely brick a phone. And even if you did, you can usually recover from the mishap. I mention this because one of the best ways to maintain a stable phone OS is to install a decent custom ROM (which typically requires root). And then most of the heavy lifting is done by the developer who has already removed bloat, restrictions and other objectionable pieces. And monitors and releases tailored and usually stable updates for those using his ROM.
Android updates vary in size because they are screened by carriers, each deciding what update components and /or custom bits goes into their version of the update. More restrictive Apple manages all IOS updates centrally from their California servers i.e. they don't relinquish direct control to carriers. Still it isn't hard to find articles giving a good summary of what issues android firmware updates are addressing.
Some people believe that you should accept every update and as soon as it becomes available. I don't see a compelling need to update unless you are trying to resolve a current bug or are enticed by a specific new feature. I don't recommend a factory reset after each update. I do recommend that you clear the system cache from recovery mode though. A factory reset usually won't benefit you but it is time consuming to reinstall and reconfigure your phone.
Having said that, if you have a specific issue, such as the 4.3 battery drain then you have a rationale for doing so. But I have to say that I experienced the same S3 issue and clearing the cache was sufficient to stabilize the phone for me. Some phones will develop corruption or configuration conflicts over time, especially if you install a lot of apps. Or if you have a specific app that makes a mess of your file system. With that in mind, I do do a factory reset about once a year to clean up the phone, the same as I would do for a laptop OS. But I don't see a reason to do it after every update.
Odin is a Samsung product, complete with DRM. So no, you cannot flash anything with Odin. You can flash most stock firmware and in particular Odin will look for OEM signatures if you try to change the bootloader or modem. In the case of downgrading, it is the Knox qfuse on your phone that will cause the Odin flash to fail. If you try to downgrade you end up with a partial flash which can soft brick your phone and trip the Knox flag.
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Related
A while back, just before the 2.2 OTA update came out for ATT locked streaks I received a replacement streak from dell. I didn't have it long enough before I applied the update to remember if the compass or sensors were working, but I seem to remember the screen would auto rotate just fine.
After the update the screen would not auto rotate at all. I spent a while looking into fixing it, trying things like srchild.com's calibrate-sensor-on-upside-down-dell-streak-after-froyo-22-android-upgrade
But I have a slightly different version of the menu's than that tutorial shows and nothing I did fixed the auto rotate so I eventually just learned to live with it in landscape mode for a while.
Now I realize that no compass or sensor based apps work. I've installed sensor monitor apps and they show no data. The "Calibration" application that shows bubble levels doesn't move at all. I'm starting to think it is a hardware problem but like I said, I am almost sure that screen rotation worked before the upgrade on this device.
Is there a way to verify for sure before calling dell. Their support was a nightmare to deal with the first time.
TIA
Why go through the trouble? Why not root your Streak and flash a custom ROM. They perform much better.
If you don't like them then you could always use the QDL tool to get back to stock but everyone here knows the OTA updates wreak havoc for almost all Android devices
cdzo72 said:
Why go through the trouble? Why not root your Streak and flash a custom ROM. They perform much better.
If you don't like them then you could always use the QDL tool to get back to stock but everyone here knows the OTA updates wreak havoc for almost all Android devices
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A new ROM, stock or custom, won't fix the problem if there is a hardware issue. Installing a different ROM might help troubleshoot the problem. I would suggest a stock ROM so that if the problem persists there is no questions concerning the warranty. 353 is the latest AT&T ROM and can be downloaded here.
You don't have to root and then install StreakDroid, you can install SD without rooting first.
The updates I have gotten for the Streak have been excellent. I run Stock 351. My streak was purchased unlocked from Dell. In addition the OTA update I got for my Moto Backflip was a huge improvement and the update on my wife's Inspire that enabled the setting to install non-market apps works fine. I would have to say that not everyone here agrees with your assessment of the OTA updates.
To the opening poster I would suggest a reset or reinstall of 353 and then test with no apps installed.
I should've specified the OTAs from DELL are notorious for causing issues.
And you are correct, not everyone here would agree with them, but if you like to tweak and play, then a stock ROM doesn't offer much flexibility, not to mention performance wise.
When I first got my Streak I bricked it, then I revived it with the QDL tool and then went to StreakDroid. Then I even went back to stock to have a baseline to compare with the StreakDroid beta I'm currently using, and I have to say, stock is just that, stock, it's two worlds, performance and battery on stock just don't compare to any of the custom ROMs.
I know this isn't the place for this discussion but I couldn't help but make my point. If you like the stock ROM, I'm happy for you, but I for one have never been much to settle for less, I'm always looking for the latest thing.
Having not looked into updating android a great deal I'd appreciate any corrections if I'm mistaken on this, but I do believe the over the air update that was installed is the 353 version.
My Streak currently reads:
Baseband version: GAUSB1A135331-US
Build number 15697
marvin02 if you still think downloading and installing the the 353 ROM you linked to would help diagnose the issue I'd be more than happy to, please let me know.
cdzo72 I do plan on installing custom rom's and even getting into Android development in the near future but I do not have time for it yet. I would like to make sure I do not have a hardware problem before installing any custom rom's because it will be easier (less time consuming for me) to make a warranty claim if I need to. Unfortunately right now functional and limited is better than cutting edge and time consuming for me when it comes to my Streak.
data_loss said:
. . .
My Streak currently reads:
Baseband version: GAUSB1A135331-US
Build number 15697
marvin02 if you still think downloading and installing the the 353 ROM you linked to would help diagnose the issue I'd be more than happy to, please let me know.
. . .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A fresh install would eliminate (mostly) the possibility that your problem is caused by software, not hardware. If you still have the stock recovery on your phone you can just download the .pkg file, put it on your SD Card, rename it to update.pkg and boot into recovery to install.
I do still have the stock recovery.
I downloaded and installed the 353 ROM. It appears that the sensors are not working (no auto screen rotation). I also tried a factory reset after the update just for giggles, no change.
If I'm not mistaken the Streak_104_4399_21.pkg that can be downloaded from the streakdroid site is the official att&t 1.6 ROM. Would it be worth downloading and downgrading to that to test?
Or at this point do I just endure the call to dell support?
Is there any kind of documentation available for the fastboot menu on the streak? There seems to be options available for sensor stuff in there but I don't want to be just clicking through them without knowing what they do.
One hour on the phone ( which was not much fun ) and a couple days later and I have a replacement. It is a refurb, but in good condition and it works. Thanks all for the help.
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
Simple answer - NO.
When a new software release is made for an OS, all the developers would have done is test it on a very few devices within the developers and then roll it out to testers. And after analyzing the bugs identified from these testers, the developers sit on fixing it and finally come up with a release. Now would this release be bug-less? Absolutely not! Remember, its only been tested amongst a very few number of people and the rolling out happens to thousands residing in different parts of the world. If you think about it, what these updates are gonna deal with is a varied number of users, different carriers, sim make etc etc.
Take for example, for Indian users, the 4.4.2 update has been rolled out for quite a while. Lots of bugs were identified since then and the forum managers have been collecting data from the subscribers for quite a while now (Almost 4 months). Still the fix has not happened. And now 4.4.4 is out and issues persist.
I hvae been using 4.3, 4.4.2, then CM11, Mokee ROM etc etc, and now Im finally back to stock 4.3, coz thats the most stable version. So if you are someone who is interested in trying out new releases, please go ahead, but if you are someone who needs a stable ROM with no signal drop issues, please stick to 4.3.
totally disagree. I have european version Moto G with stock 4.4.2 and everything is working perfeclty. Try to wipe you Moto or flash any other rom.
seems like pebkac not buggy firmware . otherwise every single guy would be facing same problems and that's not happening .
ovitz said:
totally disagree. I have european version Moto G with stock 4.4.2 and everything is working perfeclty. Try to wipe you Moto or flash any other rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to clarify, did you receive an update package sometime after the primary update?
4.4.3 works fine on my US GSM moto G. But it might be different for others.
Also, add a warning to the OP that if you're already on 4.4.3+, you can't downgrade anymore. Motoboot from 4.4.3+ doesn't seem to like downgrading anymore, unfortunately.
4.2.2 works great, no signal drops or anything. Waiting for eupean 4.4.4. :good:
Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk
Question is whether downgrading is possible from 4.4.4 ?
I totally agree to ovitz. Updates are supposed to fix issues with older versions of the software. My moto came with 4.4.2 and i never had issues with signal drops. I am from India. Btw it's always better to reset phone after the update.
I agree with you OP on some extent. I also recently downgraded to 4.3 from 4.4.2 just for the lulz, because I was getting "image is too large" error but surprisingly today the flashing was successful. The battery timing has improved, dialer app is cooler than that of the 4.4.2. I'm finding these changes quite interesting because I didn't stay with 4.3 for too long; my Moto G received the KitKat update the moment I powered it on for the first time.
techpick said:
Simple answer - NO.
When a new software release is made for an OS, all the developers would have done is test it on a very few devices within the developers and then roll it out to testers. And after analyzing the bugs identified from these testers, the developers sit on fixing it and finally come up with a release. Now would this release be bug-less? Absolutely not! Remember, its only been tested amongst a very few number of people and the rolling out happens to thousands residing in different parts of the world. If you think about it, what these updates are gonna deal with is a varied number of users, different carriers, sim make etc etc.
Take for example, for Indian users, the 4.4.2 update has been rolled out for quite a while. Lots of bugs were identified since then and the forum managers have been collecting data from the subscribers for quite a while now (Almost 4 months). Still the fix has not happened. And now 4.4.4 is out and issues persist.
I hvae been using 4.3, 4.4.2, then CM11, Mokee ROM etc etc, and now Im finally back to stock 4.3, coz thats the most stable version. So if you are someone who is interested in trying out new releases, please go ahead, but if you are someone who needs a stable ROM with no signal drop issues, please stick to 4.3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I do agree with you for most of what you said, not everyone has bugs or issues with their phones on 4.4.3/4.4.4 upgrade. I myself has had one bug that came with the phone since 4.3 and it's worst now on 4.4.3 and ironically, I've gotten all the bugs on the 4.4.3 that others were getting on 4.4.2. I ended up putting on CM11 because it was getting to me.
P.S. It's impossible to downgrade from 4.4.3/4.4.4. I would love to downgrade back to 4.3. Never got the chance to see how it behaved on my phone because I updated to 4.4.2 the moment I booted for the first time.
Did I mention the "Sign in to WiFi" error on the 4.4.2? That's annoying as hell.
usertag said:
Question is whether downgrading is possible from 4.4.4 ?
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Click to collapse
It is possible!, download the 4.4 official ROM and do a fastboot and install all the IMG files.
Thats how I did it,
chrisdf said:
It is possible!, download the 4.4 official ROM and do a fastboot and install all the IMG files.
Thats how I did it,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but you can't downgrade the bootloader, so didn't you get any errors?
Not that guy, Don't touch the motoboot and you should be fine
There's no point of updating your phone unless youare receiving it over OTA. Doing it manually is risky. The only thing that you'll get is new AOSP dialer and few security fixes. There's no reward..no improvement in performance as well as in camera quality. People are reporting bugs all over the globe and they desperatly want to switch back to 4.4.2. Few have them are also facing downgrading issues.
And you want to go through all this for just a minor update? Android L could be a good reason as it is worth updating even after bugs. But a minor update is definitely not.
If some one will ask me which is best ROM for my moto g? I would say Stock 4.4.2. I tried all custom ROMs but no one was as smooth as stock 4.4.2.
Consequences be damn'ed.
Simple answer- yeah, well, that's just like your opinion man.
Indian user. Unlocker my bootloader, Converted to GPE while on 4.4.2. The GpE move was made partly because I had jo desire nor the use if a second sim and mostly because I wanted a clean OS. Period.
Got instant OTA update to 4.4.4 to the day it was pushed.
No issues so far, None in fact and it's been over a week or thereabouts(I admit to the likelihood of me being an isolated case)
Lastly, to each his own.
Android is meant to be taken care of AS WELL tinker every single detail or option if you have the cojones for it. Ciao.
:thumbup:
Sent from my XT1032 using XDA Free mobile app
I have just upgrade to 4.4.4 XT1033 (Malaysian), noted the missing 2 empty simcard icone and new rather flat dialer! nothing much has changed and certainly hasn't noticed any issue mentioned herein!
If one were to go by op opinion then they would be using 4.3 for the rest of the devices life ! I wonder what his comment would be once L comes to our device.
I have to disagree the OP as an xt1033 owner since march 2014.
Android 4.4.4 OTA for moto g helps fix various sw issues and increased performance,new baseband to aid the radio issues. Media playback is improved. The device is more of a swiss-tool now.
GPe edition of Moto G running KTU84P.M003 like a dream and eats more battery,too. I wish i could have flashed it earlier.
Semseddin said:
GPe edition of Moto G running KTU84P.M003 like a dream and eats more battery,too. I wish i could have flashed it earlier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just curious, if it eats more battery how come you call it a dream?
Are we expecting any updates soon or the 5.0.1/2 update to fix the bugs that were, presumably, introduced with 5.0?
For instance, the Pebble watch disconnecting constantly. Seems perfect on my M7 with 5.0.2.
Really hope this is done quickly, as it's pretty much unusable right now.
No one knows when 5.0.1 will come, but keeping in mind that 5.1 will be released later this month I guess there's chance that Sammy might go crazy and skip 5.0.1/2 altogether and jump directly to 5.1!
If you want this topic as some request kind then its better to create it in sammobile.
Thanks for the reply.
I just hope Samsung can push through some small bugfix update then in regards to the bluetooth then. It's a big shame I can't really use the Pebble anymore.
Just what I wanted to post. The lollipop update has been an nightmare for my Pebble watch. And I'm sure it's the phones software fault.
I still have not done a complete wipe using Odin, only upgraded, keeping my apps but I'm not convinced that would help.
One weird thing I noticed is that while I was on the N9005 Russian leak (the system nandroid) the Pebble/Note connection was much more stable... Could it be that Odin doesn't set some permissions correctly while flashing the system partition?
I'm thinking of doing a full wipe/repartition using Odin and the latest Polish update, or trying some touchwiz based rom, can someone recommend any good ones I should try out?
s1m4an said:
Just what I wanted to post. The lollipop update has been an nightmare for my Pebble watch. And I'm sure it's the phones software fault.
I still have not done a complete wipe using Odin, only upgraded, keeping my apps but I'm not convinced that would help.
One weird thing I noticed is that while I was on the N9005 Russian leak (the system nandroid) the Pebble/Note connection was much more stable... Could it be that Odin doesn't set some permissions correctly while flashing the system partition?
I'm thinking of doing a full wipe/repartition using Odin and the latest Polish update, or trying some touchwiz based rom, can someone recommend any good ones I should try out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello
May I direct you here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...-official-5-0-firmware-galaxy-t3029557/page79
dariox provided this workaround, which has been working very well for me and keeping my Pebble connected.
"Download BlueTooth auto connect (UniqTec developer)
Set:
"set last device" Flag
Profiles : select all
devices : select your device, and flag in the options "healt hdp" in case of smartband ecc...
Set flag on : Bluetooth on
Device Disconnected
Device Connected"
Unfortunately, it seems to come at the cost of a constant wakelock, and battery drain, but at the moment we don't really have any other choice apart from rolling back to kitkat, getting a new phone, or stop using the Pebble.
Hope this helps.
It's Lollipop's fault, I had the same problem when I upgraded, both the early version and the official version had the same result.
I downgraded back down to KitKat and it's fine now.
In complete honesty, I would never try rooting absent absolute necessity, but now I am at that point. I have an app that will not work on Lollipop that I have to use daily (app will be updated by August per developer); it is essential for a particular portion of my work, and I am the only one affected by this as all the others use an iDevice. I am being reminded by Verizon to install Lollipop almost every time I look at my phone, now rendering the phone unusable. I have to root to freeze the app that is giving those reminders, if I am reading the various forums right. I have used computers for decades, and programmed in the IBM PC days, but have no experience with this stuff. And the information I see on how to do it is all either internally contradictory or unclear, or uses terminology that I don't understand. (The thread linked to in the FAQ in this forum included... it has many pages of replies, some which are contradictory themselves. I think I have figured out what Odin is, but don't understand such things as "flash an older build," Knox, and the like.
Can anyone help by pointing to a clear procedure to root and stop the reminders from VZW to update to Lollipop? I do not have any desires regarding this other than to stop the reminders so I will not have to update to Lollipop before August. I would be immensely grateful and would be glad to make a contribution to the charity of the choice of anyone who can provide a comprehensible solution soon.
As stated in the title, on my phone the KitKat version is 4..4.4 and the build is NK7 (I did install the last KitKat update before Lollipop).
doug1492 said:
In complete honesty, I would never try rooting absent absolute necessity, but now I am at that point. I have an app that will not work on Lollipop that I have to use daily (app will be updated by August per developer); it is essential for a particular portion of my work, and I am the only one affected by this as all the others use an iDevice. I am being reminded by Verizon to install Lollipop almost every time I look at my phone, now rendering the phone unusable. I have to root to freeze the app that is giving those reminders, if I am reading the various forums right. I have used computers for decades, and programmed in the IBM PC days, but have no experience with this stuff. And the information I see on how to do it is all either internally contradictory or unclear, or uses terminology that I don't understand. (The thread linked to in the FAQ in this forum included... it has many pages of replies, some which are contradictory themselves. I think I have figured out what Odin is, but don't understand such things as "flash an older build," Knox, and the like.
Can anyone help by pointing to a clear procedure to root and stop the reminders from VZW to update to Lollipop? I do not have any desires regarding this other than to stop the reminders so I will not have to update to Lollipop before August. I would be immensely grateful and would be glad to make a contribution to the charity of the choice of anyone who can provide a comprehensible solution soon.
As stated in the title, on my phone the KitKat version is 4..4.4 and the build is NK7 (I did install the last KitKat update before Lollipop).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can install stock firmware from samsung using odin and it wouldn't trigure knox, knox is something Samsung use to tell if you flashed any custom roms or messed around with things you shouldnt have which voids your warranty.so all i can understand is that you want to root your phone and keep it at stock without tripping knox. i have found you a link to root your phone without tripping knox.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-galaxy-s5/general/how-to-update-to-g900vnk7-4-4-4-t3037902
try that and message me if you have any problems
I am getting Galaxy S7.
So it will be totally new phone. This means that I intend to factory reset and no worries about data loss, new phone. This should make the question easier to answer.
I considered:
Keeping Marshmallow
Updating to Nougat
Updating to new Oreo which is just released to S7
Requirements:
Maximum compatibility with permanent root with no issues
Maximum compatibility with xposed
Maximum compatibility with various xposed modules
Ability to have BLACK everything I want absolutely no white menus anywhere.
I am coming from Kitkat. If I had my way I would keep KitKat, unfortunately KitKat 4.4.2 is not available for S7.
One only real benefit I see besides super slowing down my device on the new versions, is that Nougat and up I believe has a blue light filter integrated? It would be super cool because this is an important feature. Currently I use Twilight blue light overlay, but if I could have a native filter (like f.lux for PC) it would hugely improve my user experience.
Maybe I will like newer features, but maybe not. I usually DISABLE tons of stuff including:
Disable fingerprint
Disable updates
Disable face recognize
etc, I don't want any of that invasive junk.
I also don't use Samsung Pay or any other junk.
I like maximum control over my device and I hate white and have to have all menus black. I did learn some newer versions of android OS actually have theming engines included where I can turn everything black, that will be very great for me. White menus physically hurt my eyes especially at night. It's painful to me and causes red eyes. So I must have all black menus.
I don't want any problems especially not audio or gps etc problems and I never want to enable fine location.
So I wondered if you know which is the best OS to use to meet my requirements with best root and xposed compatibility and no problems. Marshmallow, Nougat, or Oreo and what version?
Additionally, I am also open to any recommended custom ROM, if you have any suggestion.
In further reading of threads I am getting worried. About to cancel my order and get refunded and give up on getting an S7 and just keeping my S5.
The reason I'm getting worried is because I am reading that US versions with Snapdragon processor G930V has a locked bootloader. I am unclear if I can root or not.
Advice would be helpful as I only just ordered and I am about to click cancel order.
zxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzx said:
In further reading of threads I am getting worried. About to cancel my order and get refunded and give up on getting an S7 and just keeping my S5.
The reason I'm getting worried is because I am reading that US versions with Snapdragon processor G930V has a locked bootloader. I am unclear if I can root or not.
Advice would be helpful as I only just ordered and I am about to click cancel order.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I have read, you can root a G930V on Marshmallow and Nougat but not on the new Oreo build.
This guide is for Marshmallow:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ve...-to-notes-root-install-xposed-unroot-t3411039
And I believe this one is for Nougat:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-galaxy-s7/how-to/how-rooted-s7-nougatand-fixed-lag-t3576393
But no TWRP or typical custom recoveries. Only flashfire and modified stock ROMs. I think I read that Xposed worked on Marshmallow but not Nougat. Not certain on that though.
landshark68 said:
From what I have read, you can root a G930V on Marshmallow and Nougat but not on the new Oreo build.
This guide is for Marshmallow:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ve...-to-notes-root-install-xposed-unroot-t3411039
And I believe this one is for Nougat:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-galaxy-s7/how-to/how-rooted-s7-nougatand-fixed-lag-t3576393
But no TWRP or typical custom recoveries. Only flashfire and modified stock ROMs. I think I read that Xposed worked on Marshmallow but not Nougat. Not certain on that though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well my S5 does have a custom recovery but is on stock rom, got full root when I downgraded to KitKat.
Thanks for letting me know it will probably be the same procedure. I did order it now. Going to try it. Hopefully, it works with full root,
Which OS+root is better, rooted Nougat or rooted Marshmallow (considering potential bugs)?
I think Nougat has a blue light filter built-in, is that right?
It may be a matter of opinion but I am open to hearing your opinions.
I received the phone today. It has this OS version G930VVRS4BRA1 which is 7.0 android I received the phone today. It has this OS version G930VVRS4BRA1
I don't know if I should change the OS or update OS or what or do for sure to be rooted