Database Users

Samsung S5 - Lollipop - can i downgrade back to KitKat

Hi Guys,
I stupidly got excited and installed the official Lollipop (S5 on THREE UK network) update when i was notified.
BUT...
I want to go back to KitKat as i preferred it (i wont go into reasons why)
Is there a downgrade path for me, either officially or unofficially?> I dont think there is at the moment.
Thanks guys!

Yep, this forum is literally packed with instructions on how to do it, a simple search will bring up what you need

hi thanks, i thought with the new protected bootloader i didnt think it possible.
this is what i read:
Note: The G900FXXU1BNL9 Android 5.0 Lollipop update comes with a protected bootloader it is clearly emphasize that the “SE for Android Status – Enforcing” that might cause issues when you try to downgrade to the old software updates. This also applies if you are planning into rooting and installs any custom recovery and any unsigned firmware once you are on Android 5.0 Lollipop , so please be aware with that.

manikm303 said:
hi thanks, i thought with the new protected bootloader i didnt think it possible.
this is what i read:
Note: The G900FXXU1BNL9 Android 5.0 Lollipop update comes with a protected bootloader it is clearly emphasize that the “SE for Android Status – Enforcing” that might cause issues when you try to downgrade to the old software updates. This also applies if you are planning into rooting and installs any custom recovery and any unsigned firmware once you are on Android 5.0 Lollipop , so please be aware with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yesterday I tried out AllianceROM 6.0 and a few hours ago I went back to 4.4.2 'cause I liked it better than Lollipop. Here's what I did :
1. Enter Download Mode and flash STOCK 4.4.2 KitKat firmware in Odin (I used 3.10.6) and let it start booting.
2. It won't boot, this is normal (I panicked when this happened though ).
3. Go to recovery and factory reset/wipe data your phone.
4. Now hit reboot in recovery and your phone will boot up again (YAY :sun.
5. OPTIONAL : If you've made a nandroid backup before going to 5.0 you can now flash TWRP and restore it over your STOCK 4.4.2 KitKat firmware.
Hope I helped Let me know if it works out for you!

SUCCESS!!!
All sorted.
The hardest part was finding a link to the rom. sammobile kept giving me a gateway 502 error.
im now back to kitkat, AND no THREE UK rubbish.

manikm303 said:
SUCCESS!!!
All sorted.
The hardest part was finding a link to the rom. sammobile kept giving me a gateway 502 error.
im now back to kitkat, AND no THREE UK rubbish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol.....so which firmware did you flash? I'm with 3 as well......though for me, all the 3 c**p was frozen with TiBu as soon as I rooted (along with 100+ other 'system' apps too)......I don't want/need all that knox/Samsung/Google rubbish either.......lol
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 SM-G900F S5

I used a stock Samsung 4.4.2 btu mate...took me forever to find a good link though
Still got the Samsung rubbish on it though but I prefer an official rom to a 3rd party one.

Guide me Please
manikm303 said:
I used a stock Samsung 4.4.2 btu mate...took me forever to find a good link though
Still got the Samsung rubbish on it though but I prefer an official rom to a 3rd party one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okey so i want to downgrade mine s5 from Lolipop to Kitkat 4.4.2. But i wonder if i breaks my varanty and can you make like an min guide and add the links you used also please
Would be really helpful since i'm not sure on where to download the things required. And can i get the Stock samsung 4.4.2, whitout messing up anything, incase i turn my phone in for repairs some time and what not. (cause they can complain that you have touched up stuff in the programs ect )
i appriciate any help peace

answer
hey guys i just followed this tutorial to downgrade it was so easy took several minutes now im running kitkat again yaaay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glNRCuH4Yyw

[URGENT HELP PLEASE!!] Serious trouble with my Cricket galaxy S4

I recently got a S4 today and i think ive seriously F'd up really bad. I tried to install Cyanogenmod mod and failed badly and now my phone is saying firmware upgrade encountered an issue every time when i boot up and im trying to install firmware on it but it wont let me for some reason. all im trying to do is get my phone back to a working condition so i can root it and install a custom rom. please is there anything i can do right now?

[Help] JasmineRom 5.0.2 soft bricked Verizon Note 3

Thanks in advance for the help, hopefully we can figure this out.
Currently my Verizon Note 3 is stuck in a boot loop and I can't get out of it. I have tried all the methods that I have found on here including wiping data/ factory reset and trying to go back to a stock firmware (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2483380). Anyways, I got myself into this problem, I wasn't thinking straight... Basically I flashed my N3 from 4.3 using safestrap to JasmineRom 5.0. After that I updated to JasmineRom 5.0.2 doing a dirty flash over the 5.0 with FlashFire (http://forum.xda-developers.com/general/paid-software/flashfire-t3075433). I was surprised how easy it was actually, I have been on a rooted stock firmware since day 1. After everything was running fine, I had the brilliant idea of using FlashFire to install the Lollipop Xposed Framework (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3034811). This is where the boot loop happened and is happening. Everything I try doesn't seem to work... I was looking into trying to convert a zip to a tar so I can use Odin to re-flash on JasmineRom, but I have had no luck, I get a "Unsupport Dev_Type" error in my Recovery. I am not sure what to do or try, any help would be appreciated.
note: I read the known issue with Lollipop's Xposed Framework install and thought that I was on a custom Samsung Rom and shouldn't have problem?
Also, I can't role back to a previous firmware through Odin because I am upgraded to 5.0 and can't re-install JasmineRom because I am stuck in the boot loop (at least I think so).

I hope someone can help. I stupidly did the samething last night to mine. after it was running so well. I jsut wanted to theme out the damn ugly green in notifications

Well looks like I have phone running again but I had to run stock so no more root for me. Very upset. I want to buy either another used note 3 that still can run this rom or maybe find a note4 reasonably priced. NOT a POS clone.
but runing odin with the 5.0 android file it restored but would not allow 4.4.2 or
4.4.4

MAD450r said:
Well looks like I have phone running again but I had to run stock so no more root for me. Very upset. I want to buy either another used note 3 that still can run this rom or maybe find a note4 reasonably priced. NOT a POS clone.
but runing odin with the 5.0 android file it restored but would not allow 4.4.2 or
4.4.4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did the same and updated to 5.0 with Verizon through Odin. It fixed it but just lost my root privilege as well... Atm I am glad to have a working phone. I found an error that told me my current software level when I was stuck (5.0.2) and the reason for the error (attempting to downgrad). Looks like Samsung is blocking downgrades.. That is why it wouldn't restore any lower .. Just gotta hope that a 5.0 root comes out.

You should use the dedication Verizon Note forum .

Glad you have your working again as well. I believe verizon is doing this not samsung. VZW does not want us in control of what we put on our phones or more yet what we can do with them without paying extra fees.

New to I337 somewhat confused

New to the I337. AT&T with NC1. Android 4.4.2. Stock ROM with the 3.4.0-1125940 kernel. Rooted, SE Linux permissive, Safestrap installed. Compared to other phones I have owned, rooted and installed custom ROMS for this one is way more complex.
Today I tried to Safestrap flash a couple of different ROM's- the Goole Play edition (jflte GPE) and the Lollipop 5.1 ROM 2015061jflte both times using Safestrap. Neither worked. In the case of the Google Play edition, it wanted to install a new kernel as well, I tried with the recommended kernel on the install GUI (wow an install GUI on Android). Both times stuck in a boot loop. I ended up using for the second time, the excellent information here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/guide-odin-to-stock-updating-rooting-t2926642
to get back to stock NC1 (thanks again guut13 for the excellent guide and links to resources) and restored via Safestrap the present stock configuration.
My questions are as follows (I am posting this after a LOT of reading here)
1)Can I use LokiDoki ? I understand it resolves problems with the locked boot loader where one can flash pretty much any S4 ROM on the I337.Is this true?
2) I wanted to give the two ROMS I mentioned today a try. Neither worked although I followed the instructions carefully (wipe, install and reboot). I also would like to try the Phoenix ROM. Is it compatible with Safestrap? Are the two I tried today compatible with Safestrap?
3) I am on 4.4.2. I understand that 4.4.4 is out there as well as 5 but when I check either via Kies or OTA I am told this is the latest firmware for my phone. Any way to update this?
As I said earlier this phone is a lot more complex from a modding standpoint than any other I have experience with. I am unclear on which ROM's will work with the NC1. Before I knew about Safestrap and the boot loader problem I tried installing TWERP and ended up having to rebuild things with guut13's excellent thread.
With NC1 am I stuck on the stock ROM ? Can kernels be updated on NC1 using LokiDoki?
Any light or advice to be shed on my confusion wold be very much appreciated.
Expat

Look at this other excellent thread started I by guut13,î answers all.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2616221
Loki doki is not an option for you, and you can only install tw based roms.

Cats_PJ's
Thanks for the link. Have seen this thread. So I am on 4.4.2. So can I flash a 5.x ROM on the phone provided its TW --or does the phone have to be updated via OTH or another method to 5.x first? Or am I stuck on the ROMS specifically available on 4.4.2?
Thanks again very much for your interest and the link. Wish I had shopped more carefully and bought a non AT&T phone, one of the 5xxx models but I couldn't find anything other than the AT&T ones here in Ecuador.
Expat

http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...-to-update-to-i337oc3-5-0-1-keeproot-t3075814
That will get you to 5.0.1. You can flash the lollipop roms after that.
I wish I had known more before I bought my phone too. Live and learn, I'm about do for an upgrade though. Good luck.

Cats_PJs said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...-to-update-to-i337oc3-5-0-1-keeproot-t3075814
That will get you to 5.0.1. You can flash the lollipop roms after that.
I wish I had known more before I bought my phone too. Live and learn, I'm about do for an upgrade though. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again many kind thanks for the help. This is the most complicated chain of BS to go through just to update a ROM thanks to the locked boot loader I have ever seen..... however you and others here deserve a lot of credit for finding workarounds...... the phone has been made needlessly complex with the BL and efforts by Google and AT&T to "protect" their turf and monetise the user. I would upgrade today were I not in Ecuador where everything costs double what it does in the US. The phone thief crop here is thick- this is the fourth phone in 2 years although the Galaxy Grand Prime I bought after the last robbery I still have. Broke the screen on that one and it was repaired improperly, I get a blank white screen on startup so can't get into recovery so its worthless to me for what I want it for..... so I have the S4 AT&T. Ah well.
Many thanks and enough of my *****ing.
Expat

Can I update my unlocked, rooted phone to new L720VPSGPL1 software?

Hey guys,
Want to wipe my phone fresh since I'm running out of space. My phone has been telling me for months that I have an update, but I haven't updated because I've been told on here never to do OTA updates.
I tried looking around for a stock rooted ROM for this like I've flashed for other versions, but I can't much if any info on the new PL1 update. Usually, someone posts a de-knoxed, rooted version of the software. Is that around or what should I do?
How should I do the update? If I download it from sammobile and flashed it, will that screw up my phone?
Edit: TBH, it's been a while since I've done this and have forgotten the right terminology. I'm not sure if my phone is "unlocked," but I have Philz Touch recovery on it, definitely rooted, and whatever else is built into those modified stock ROMs. Just want to wipe, update, and keep my functionality without bricking or something, since I need this thing working. I can't seem to find a straightforward post on here, and I'm just so busy with school I feel like I can't catch up and relearn all this stuff again.
Thanks for the help