NE9 OTA and go back to stock? - Verizon Galaxy S 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Trying to solve this for a friend.
We're on the pre-NE9 release and I used Towelroot to get the phone root. This was critical because we were migrating from an old S3 to the S5, so it was easier to use Titanium Backup to bring back the apps and savegame data.
Well it turns out my friend needs to run MDM Airwatch and Root cloak isn't working anymore. TBH there really isn't any reason to keep the phone rooted because it just makes OTA difficult too. So I think we're ready to go to an unrooted state.
So the first thing is we're struggling that even after doing a full unroot via SuperSU uninstalling Towelroot, it still doesn't pass MDM. So if anyone has a suggestion go ahead.
I'm not sure whats wrong but even then the OTA won't install either, so I'm suspecting the phone still finds something not in stock state.
So here's my question: Is it possible to install the OTA via Odin and ensure that the apps/data are not lost? I've heard that there's a lot of reasons OTAs can fail, so its more reliable to just use Odin to get the OTA applied. I figure that once we get the OTA updated, perhaps MDM will pass? If not we can always factory reset at that point.

bumpity

dmo580 said:
Trying to solve this for a friend.
We're on the pre-NE9 release and I used Towelroot to get the phone root. This was critical because we were migrating from an old S3 to the S5, so it was easier to use Titanium Backup to bring back the apps and savegame data.
Well it turns out my friend needs to run MDM Airwatch and Root cloak isn't working anymore. TBH there really isn't any reason to keep the phone rooted because it just makes OTA difficult too. So I think we're ready to go to an unrooted state.
So the first thing is we're struggling that even after doing a full unroot via SuperSU uninstalling Towelroot, it still doesn't pass MDM. So if anyone has a suggestion go ahead.
I'm not sure whats wrong but even then the OTA won't install either, so I'm suspecting the phone still finds something not in stock state.
So here's my question: Is it possible to install the OTA via Odin and ensure that the apps/data are not lost? I've heard that there's a lot of reasons OTAs can fail, so its more reliable to just use Odin to get the OTA applied. I figure that once we get the OTA updated, perhaps MDM will pass? If not we can always factory reset at that point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't flash the OTA via Odin but you can sideload it by placing it on your ext-sdcard then sideloading from stock recovery. And by MDM I am assuming it's the modem that is not passing verification. Here is the G900V_NE9_Stock_Modem.tar.md5. Flash in PDA slot in Odin(AP in Odin v3.09+) then attempt to take the OTA again.

dmo580 said:
Trying to solve this for a friend.
We're on the pre-NE9 release and I used Towelroot to get the phone root. This was critical because we were migrating from an old S3 to the S5, so it was easier to use Titanium Backup to bring back the apps and savegame data.
Well it turns out my friend needs to run MDM Airwatch and Root cloak isn't working anymore. TBH there really isn't any reason to keep the phone rooted because it just makes OTA difficult too. So I think we're ready to go to an unrooted state.
So the first thing is we're struggling that even after doing a full unroot via SuperSU uninstalling Towelroot, it still doesn't pass MDM. So if anyone has a suggestion go ahead.
I'm not sure whats wrong but even then the OTA won't install either, so I'm suspecting the phone still finds something not in stock state.
So here's my question: Is it possible to install the OTA via Odin and ensure that the apps/data are not lost? I've heard that there's a lot of reasons OTAs can fail, so its more reliable to just use Odin to get the OTA applied. I figure that once we get the OTA updated, perhaps MDM will pass? If not we can always factory reset at that point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
go to google play
and download Helium - App Sync and Backup
options for rooted and non rooted try it i used it to backup a app data locally without gmail cloud on my rooted note3 and save the file did the same on my rooted s5 and had it Manuel restore that file just need to create the same file folder and drop the file in it if you do Manuel
so stupid i had passed a ton of level on chuchu rocket i didnt wanna redo
i also used this to do the sms altho helium may have done that for me too SMS Backup & Restore (Kitkat)
INFOLIFE LLC - February 25, 2014
Business
there is non kitkat and kitkat labeled one does it good just doesnt backup pics in the mms txts

Related

[Q] Exact Copy

Hi guys,
Can someone tell me the best way to make an exact copy of a brand new phone so that I can always go back to the 'as new' config.
This would be a new phone straight from the box.
Thanks
frostyboy998
frostyboy998 said:
Hi guys,
Can someone tell me the best way to make an exact copy of a brand new phone so that I can always go back to the 'as new' config.
This would be a new phone straight from the box.
Thanks
frostyboy998
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Data factory reset?
Well the best way is to get a copy of the image that the factory uses.. Well, perhaps that is impractical.
The most faithful copy that we could probably do from home would be using dd from the command line to make a sector by sector image. But you need super user (root) to do that. Possibly you could do it from an ADB session without root (untested). Using the linux dd utility or an ADB session are cumbersome and rather technical for many end users though..
In practical terms, either as gee2012 suggested above. I'm not certain that would get you to an exactly out of the box experience.. but it would be close.. easy to do and repeatable. So a decent solution. And should the file system get really messed up, you could presumably reflash a full OEM image to get back to that point as well.
Or another approach that I would favour myself would be to do a full Nandroid instead to resolve small discrepancies that probably exist between out of the box and the state a factory reset would put the device in. The downside being that a full Nandroid is easiest to do with a custom recovery.. and that will trip the Knox counter which will have warranty implications for some. Whether it affects your warranty depends on country you reside in, how well national legislation there protects consumer rights, whether your carrier cares about Knox and whether you care about the warranty much to begin with.
I would take the out of box phone, flash a custom recovery, and then do a full Nandroid backup. Your nandroid then will be an exact representation of your out of the box configuration, save for the recovery per se. To restore precisely would be one or two steps. Restoring the Nandroid would revert everything except recovery to the out of the box condition. And should that point matter, then one could do the second step of restoring the stock recovery as well..
.
Download from Sammobile the ROM, so you can flash via ODIN.
Thanks for your comments.
Here is my reasoning.....
I currently use a Galaxy S3, pending getting the S5 very soon.
When I first got my S3 it seemed perfect. Everything worked well.
I have since done a number of Kies updates and also a couple of Sammobile updates via Odin.
Every time I updated, there seemed to be some things that didn't work as well.
So I decided to try and revert to the original firmware that came with my mobile, via Sammobile and Odin.
I have done this, but now, whenever I leave a wifi zone, my mobile internet seems to connect when it feels like it. Sometimes not at all.
I have to switch mobile internet off, restart the phone and then switch mobile internet back on, to get it to start up.
When I get my new S5, I would like to have an exact copy of the phone, so that I can always revert to my very own original setup if I choose to.
Apparently after updating beyond Android 4.3, there came a change in the format of the EFS folder, which prevented stepping back.
I don't want to be forced into that position again, so want a perfect copy!
From my reading, it appears I would have to root the phone, install Titanium backup, do a full nandroid backup, then unroot the phone and reset the counters to be back in warranty.
Am I right or would that not work?
frostyboy
edit: After updating firmware on a phone, does a factory reset change back to a previous firmware? I would think not. I think it would just reset all the added consumer stuff. (contacts, apps, emails and sms etc)
frostyboy998 said:
Thanks for your comments.
Here is my reasoning.....
I currently use a Galaxy S3, pending getting the S5 very soon.
When I first got my S3 it seemed perfect. Everything worked well.
I have since done a number of Kies updates and also a couple of Sammobile updates via Odin.
Every time I updated, there seemed to be some things that didn't work as well.
So I decided to try and revert to the original firmware that came with my mobile, via Sammobile and Odin.
I have done this, but now, whenever I leave a wifi zone, my mobile internet seems to connect when it feels like it. Sometimes not at all.
I have to switch mobile internet off, restart the phone and then switch mobile internet back on, to get it to start up.
When I get my new S5, I would like to have an exact copy of the phone, so that I can always revert to my very own original setup if I choose to.
Apparently after updating beyond Android 4.3, there came a change in the format of the EFS folder, which prevented stepping back.
I don't want to be forced into that position again, so want a perfect copy!
From my reading, it appears I would have to root the phone, install Titanium backup, do a full nandroid backup, then unroot the phone and reset the counters to be back in warranty.
Am I right or would that not work?
frostyboy
edit: After updating firmware on a phone, does a factory reset change back to a previous firmware? I would think not. I think it would just reset all the added consumer stuff. (contacts, apps, emails and sms etc)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting with Towelroot doesn`t trip KNOX but flashing a custom recovery to make a nandroid backup will and is irreversible. Best is to backup the EFS folder after you are rooted with an app here http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3/development/efs-samsung-tool-universal-support-t2602325 or with adb as documented here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2737448.
BTW Triangle Away doesn`t work on the S5 atm so resetting the status to official after you flashed custom software with Odin isn not possible

Stopping Lollipop Update

So my phone is in the middle of downloading the Lollipop update. I really don't want to take it. Will it automatically update or will it prompt me to accept the upgrade? I'm currently on 4.4.4 and not rooted. I know I could root and use TB to freeze the update program but I'm not ready to do that just yet. Is there another way that doesn't involve rooting?
A0425A said:
So my phone is in the middle of downloading the Lollipop update. I really don't want to take it. Will it automatically update or will it prompt me to accept the upgrade? I'm currently on 4.4.4 and not rooted. I know I could root and use TB to freeze the update program but I'm not ready to do that just yet. Is there another way that doesn't involve rooting?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the past, it has prompted you and then it goes ahead with it anyway at a certain point. There's no way to block without root afaik unless you want to wipe your phone.
I ended up wiping. Won't make that mistake again. FYI. OTA works with H2O SIM.

Root and firmware update problem

A while back I rooted my s4 9500 but i havent used the root stuff much and i forgot about it. Now i saw a few guys with s4 and 5.x so i wanted to update myself. I noticed i couldnt update so a quick google search showed my i could unroot in supersu. I did the unroot. Apps that dont work while rooted such as bank apps work now but the system still gives the same error. Kies wasnt able to update my phone somehow. I just wanna get 5.x without losing my data. I dont care if i end up rooted or not in 5.x
You'll need to download the full ROM and reflash with Odin to restore the 'Official' status needed to get Kies and OTA updates. Find out your CSC and download the latest ROM from somewhere like sammobile.com , data and apps will remain unaffected.

Still on jellybean...want to update to either kit kat or lollipop

EDIT: phone is currently unlocked/rooted
I've had a G2 since it almost came out, i don't have nearly the time to spend on here as i used to. Thus i've stuck with jellybean because everything works well and i have it set up how i want but it's a bit long in the tooth and the phone needs to have a full clean factory wipe so i figured i'd take the time to update to something newer.
My thought process is the following:
Save everything i want to keep and take off phone (including titanium backups)
Factory reset phone
Allow OTA updates to download and install
Then root
Then install custom roms (if i so choose)
Now fellow XDAers, anything wrong with my logic? I did do some reading and some searching and it seems like lollipop is rootable with a script and i can install customer recoverys with a script as well. I'd like the phone to still be able to unlock and root my device.
Thanks for any help and/or links to tutorials.
I am not sure but I think OTA updates need a unrooted system with stock recovery.
I had a rooted KK and I could not OTA to LP because the download was over 1.5 GBs!
The best solution may be to back everything up, connect the phone to LG Tools, and choose the upgrade recovery method to get the latest ROM for your phone.

(Soft?)-Bricked My S7 with a Flashfire Update, Need Help to Fix It?

So I've been rooting me phone for a while and have managed to never f*** up, till now, and I sincerely hope you guys can help me.
After rooting my S7 a while back, I just recently noticed SuperUser telling me that I didn't have root anymore, so I decided to follow these instructions to re-root my phone:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ve...-to-notes-root-install-xposed-unroot-t3411039
I successfully followed all the steps to get root, but when I opened Flashfire it told me I could install a new update while maintaining root, so since my android is at 6.0.1, I did that and it bricked my phone.
On boot it says "Startup Failed - Use the Verizon Software Repair Assistant . . . " and on top it also says "Custom binary blocked by SECURE BOOT." I have tried going into recovery mode and deleting the system cache, but that doesn't do it. So is there any way to get the phone to properly boot while not deleting my data? I was rooting my phone precisely so I could use Titanium Backup again, so I don't have any backups stored anywhere. I have heard that flashing a recovery image with Odin can work, but would that delete my files? Someone please lend me your expertise.
My phone is a Verizon S7.
Fixed
I am surprised that no one responded to me, but what's important is that, miraculously, I managed to un-brick the phone myself without losing any data! What I did was, as my last hope (since Odin wasn't able to flash the stock image, a la the traditional soft-brick fix), decide to follow the on-screen instructions my phone was giving me and to download and run something called the "Verizon Software Repair Assistant," which can be found in the top google results after searching for the quoted name (xda doesn't let me post the link).
After putting my phone into download mode, I plugged it in, ran the software and let it work overnight. Checking on it in the morning, I found my phone, not only completely functional and working, but updated to Android 7.0 (it was 6.0.1 previously before the failed Flashfire OTA update) and still holding all of my data intact.
So, the interesting thing that I learned is that flashing to stock via Odin to fix a soft-bricked phone should not be the default resolution for potentially most people, as the carrier's default (in my case, Verizon's) repair utility managed to completely fix my phone without any side effects or data loss.
Is there anyone who could chime in on why the Repair Utility did not wipe my phone's memory, even though it warned it would?
**Note**
Verizon links to the Windows version of the repair assistant on their site, but to get the Mac version (which I used), the only way you can get it is by changing the end of the url they mention within the thread from "Win" to "Mac."
Pleased you managed to fix it, and thanks for posting the method for others
As for replies, if you stick around XDA you'll see replies can take days sometimes, patience is the key here
*Detection* said:
Pleased you managed to fix it, and thanks for posting the method for others
As for replies, if you stick around XDA you'll see replies can take days sometimes, patience is the key here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess I am not acquainted with this forum enough then, thanks!
Most likely the cause of the fault would be updating via FlashFire and keeping root. When the update was flashed, it most likely flashed the stock kernel and patched it for root, which is not a compatible root for our devices. Flashing the root kernel with Odin probably would have made the phone boot normally.

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