Database Users

[Q] Quick Question If Someone Has a Moment, Please

I just swapped from my Amaze 4g, to a used Note 3, and I'm a little lost as far as where I should start.
It says that it's on 4.4.2, and that I cannot update due to a modified system.
Basically, I would like to get updated to 5.1.1 (or as close as is official for the Note 3), and root it.
I'm afraid I'm not familiar with Samsung devices, and because I purchased this from ebay, I don't know how to tell the exact state that the former user put it in (I expected they would return it to stock prior to selling).
It's currently a T-Mobile branded, SM-N900T, on 4.4.2, build is KOT49H, security software MDF v1.0 release 2. Kernel is 3.4.0-660648.
It is supposedly unlocked for carriers, though I have not attempted a SIM card use yet, until I can tell that what I have is a valid device and the IMEI is checked out.
Any thoughts on how to validate the IMEI, and sort out how to get my new phone up to date would be appreciated. As I stated, I expected the vendor would have returned it to stock, but that is clearly not the case, so I don't want to accidentally boot loop it by doing something I shouldn't. I have not owned a Samsung before, so I want to be careful on how it differs from my Nexus 7, Amaze 4g, and Droid X, as they're all obviously very different in the OS area.
Thank you for the help1

Download tbe stock 4.4.2 rom and use odin to install. Then you will get the OTA updates.
Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

There is no stock 5.1.1 for note 3, only cm12.1/ aosp. Latest is 5.0 and you can use odin to flash. Maybe it's rooted that's why you can't update.

bladebarrier said:
I just swapped from my Amaze 4g, to a used Note 3, and I'm a little lost as far as where I should start.
It says that it's on 4.4.2, and that I cannot update due to a modified system.
Basically, I would like to get updated to 5.1.1 (or as close as is official for the Note 3), and root it.
...
Thank you for the help1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some apps to install from Play Store...
Phone INFO Samsung - this will tell you all about your phone and the firmware etc.
Root Checker Basic - tells you if you are rooted or not.
SuperSU - this is so valuable you should buy the Pro licence. Chainfire does some great work for our phones.
TWRP - I have the zip version on my extSDCard and an Odin version on PC in case I have to rebuild from a Stock firmware. CWN works OK but most ROM builds seem to be for TWRP I think and a backup from one will not work on the other.
I don't know your previous phone so you probably need Odin v3.09 - this sits on PC and lets you flash firmware to the phone. (connected by USB)
For which you need Samsung USB drivers so the PC will recognise the phone. Install on PC before connecting phone.
Then do some browsing and find the processes to root your phone and install the ROM you want. If you just want Stock and access to all your phone, you can root it after flashing the original v5.0 download (from Sammobile or similar site - note on Sammobile you need a free account to DL) and then install Custom recovery (if wanted - it WILL trip the Knox flag but that may not matter given it's 2nd hand and might already be tripped anyway)
Read, make SURE you understand what is being said BEFORE you do anything - ask if you don't.
Good luck...

N9005 Lollipop brick
Hi All, just need a huge help here, a friend of mine has been using a N9005 which was auto restarting, she went online and downloaded this firmware...N900AUCUEOC1_N900AATTEOC1_N900AUCUEOC1_HOME.tar.md5....2.5GB in size...and flashed it, but the phone is stuck in boot loop even after recovery wiping data and cache, the phone can boot into download mode but re flashing the firmware always fails.....is there a solution for this.....please help

Thank you all for the info, especially the detailed info from Journyman16. I checked, and it is flagged as custom, which is fine, so I'm going to go ahead and try to return to mostly stock, update it, and root it.

Ok, everything went well. I had to do two attempts at rooting, but I think it's just one of those things where sometimes it doesn't restart into the process every time.
All seems good. I'm on 5.0, rooted, busyboxed, and smooth sailing.
Thank you all, again, for the tips. The Note 3 is running very well. Thank you to all of the devs that have made this process so refined. I've donated to you before, and did so again today. It's outstanding to have such well versed coders, on XDA, helping out the community.

mjmbirige said:
Hi All, just need a huge help here, a friend of mine has been using a N9005 which was auto restarting, she went online and downloaded this firmware...N900AUCUEOC1_N900AATTEOC1_N900AUCUEOC1_HOME.tar.md5....2.5GB in size...and flashed it, but the phone is stuck in boot loop even after recovery wiping data and cache, the phone can boot into download mode but re flashing the firmware always fails.....is there a solution for this.....please help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have never learned not to ask in others posts? What does your problem has to do with this topic at all?
When you need help. Just click on Q&A then Create a new thread. How hard is it?

Samsung galaxy note prime TWRP Blackscreen (textnow phone)

I installed TWRP bootloader onto my OEM Unlocked Samsung Galaxy Core Prime G360P Via Odin, and afterwords attempted to boot into Bootloader.
Upon doing so the phones screen goes black, and it acts like its turned off. My computer can't detect it with ADB, and I can't boot it back on without removing the battery and then inserting it again, after which it boots normally.
So yes my phone is working, but I need to get the bootloader working, I don't even have the normal android one right now because of this odd bug, i have rooted phones and tablets before both via Kingroot, and ADB depending on the needs of the device, and have some slight experience with it but limited technical knowledge, i have found seemingly similar problems but all said to solve via ADB, which doesnt really work as my ADB cant detect my phone when it is in this dead state it goes into instead of bootloader.
I would like a fix that will allow me to have TWRP installed, nothing that requires root as i have attempted all one-click rooters and none work for my phone, and i cannot install a custom OS as I am on textnow wireless and getting it to work with one is the biggest pain on earth (plus my calling would become sh^te without the custom textnow rom calling)
So basically i need to fix the bootloader without installing a new OS altogether, without deleting any of my inbuilt apps, and without factory resetting as I cant get to the bootloader to factory reset anyway, honestly i just need a way to get TWRP to work. If the answer involves another way of rooting my phone via Odin (yes i can still get to the odin downloader) and then running a root requiring app to fix my recovery thats fine but i dont know how to do that or what it would entail
im using: twrp-3.0.2-0-cprimeltemtr
Textnow wireless uses a custom os that is slightly modified from the default, I don't know what that entails but i know that affects what fixes may/may not work so i am mentioning it
before i get the same answers i have tried:
redownloading TWRP and flashing the new copy instead in case of corrupted image
removing the battery after flashing and then booting directly into bootloader so as to stop it restoring anything
I have tried flashing other recoverys, however upon doing so found that when i tried to boot into the bootloader it would then boot to Odin instead and give me an error saying it was unable to boot normally, so i reflashed the TWRP one and it gave me the same blackscreen once again.
Any advice would be very helpfull, im at my wits end and id like to be able to recover my phone should it have problems later, id much prefer i not get stuck
Software Version: G360PVPS2APE2
Hardware Version: G360P .03
Model #:SM-G360P
Android Version : 4.4.4
Android Security Patch Level: 2016-06-01
Kernel Version:2.10.28-675169
Build #: TNG360PVPS2APE2

SOLVED
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...ime-sm-g360p-root-t3217885/page2#post70113291
I found something that worked highly reccomend this autoinstaller for Odin

Search the forums for stock rooted deodexed sm-g360p, thats the TWRP that I use ... almost to much. The rom is also alot more susceptible to root,mods,and tweaks. The rom is sprint, boosts a sprint partner. Its helped me get the 4glte i couldnt pickup with the boost. But definitely find that post. Twrp isn't official to our variant(that i know yet) but it works the same tho a lil dated.

Need Instructions to avoid almost bricking again

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wifi Authentication Error after Rooting phone

Hey everyone,
I decided to try and root my galaxy s5 g900v that no longer has active cell data to unlock the bootloader so that I could update it to a newer version of android (if I can get it to android 10 that would be great) and I followed the instructions to root the phone on this thread: https://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-galaxy-s5/general/testers-required-easier-root-method-t3561529 using the CID 15 method, and when I flashed the COMBINATION_VZW_FA44_G900VVRU2APA1_VZW2APA1_25726 56_REV00_user_mid_noship_MULTI_CERT.tar.md5 file and rebooted my phone the wifi suddenly wouldn't authenticate anymore.
I've done it a few times and one of those times the wifi worked but I couldn't get the OS to update, the rest of the times the wifi didn't work (but I managed to update it to android 9 but I couldn't find a way to fix the wifi).
I've tried a factory reset a few times now and it still doesn't connect and I don't have a non-rooted version to restore too because the phone isn't really that important to me at this point since it's an old backup.
Does anyone have advice on how I can successfully root the phone and update it so that the wifi actually works?
Thanks in advanced

some basic questions on sm-t235 re: root/custom rom/custom recovery

Hi,
the other day a friend gave me her old Samsung tab 4 7.0 (SM-T235). It's in its default state, running Android 5.1.1 stock ROM with all the most recent (5 year old) updates. "KNOX" appears to be ok, afaik.
This is my first Samsung device, up to the date I had experience with HTC Desire, Sony Xperia (2x) and OnePlus devices. I unlocked / rooted and installed custom ROMs on all of them.
Done quite a bit of googling and playing around with my "new" Samsung to see where it's different compared to my other devices. But there still are some blank spots, and there doesn't seem to be too much information out there regarding that specific tab 4 device. Before I start messing around I'd love to have some input from experienced Samsung users in regards to custom recoveries and ROMs, and possibly rooting. If there are comprehensive guides etc. out there that I simply didn't find don't hesitate to give me some hints:
First of all it appears to me that this device is going under the codename "degas". Correct? (meanwhile confirmed)
I hooked up the device to my PC, made sure that adb found it alright, then called "adb reboot recovery". That worked nicely, got me into Samsung recovery
Next I again tried to connect through ADB to the device still being in recovery, but that didn't work. To be expected?
Still in recovery I chose the "boot to bootloader" option, but that got me back into system instead.
So from system I again connected to adb then called "adb reboot bootloader". Device booted alright, but again it just rebooted into system.
>> Is there really no way to get into bootloader?
Trying to find out what has to be done in order to flash a custom ROM (rooted or not): from what I get, and unlike my other devices, I do not have to unlock the device / bootloader to begin with. It looks as if it was sufficient to boot into what they call "download mode", then hook up the device to my PC where ODIN is waiting already. Following this thread (and others) it then is sufficient to just flash TWRP from ODIN, boot to recovery and then do what is usually done here (like flash custom ROM, flash Gapps and possibly Magisk etc.). Is there something else / important I should know / observe?
Speaking about TWRP and Custom ROMs: TWRP.me lists that device on their site. So has anyone here flashed latest TWRP (3.6.2_x)? Or should I rather start with an older version like the one listed here, then possibly upgrade from there?
In regards to Custom ROMs I basically just found this LOS 16 thread (which is the same linked in the previous "TWRP" bullet). I assume that's it, or does anyone know about a newer android version (which I didn't find so far)? There seems to be lots of activity around "matisse" and "millet", but apparently those aren't the right devices, right?
Back to recovery: I see that in stock recovery there is an option to "wipe data/factory reset": should I do that before flashing TWRP from ODIN, or is it sufficient to wipe everything once I booted into TWRP?
I'm aware that I'll lose "Knox" as soon as I flash a different ROM / Recovery. As I don't want to use the tab 4 in some critical "BYOD" area I don't care (neither do I care about warranty, that's long gone anyways). But just to be sure: is it true that I'll lose "Knox" access?
In case I would decide to "go back" to stock ROM one day, how would I proceed then? Would ODIN still work so that I can flash latest stock ROM? Would Knox then be restored, or is that a thing of the past once I leave the stock ROM path?
Again: if you think I've done a bad job searching for answers don't hesitate to let me know but please be so kind then to hint the phrases I should look for ("SM-T235" really doesn't bring up that much valuable info)
Thanks and cheers
Update 2022-08-03: meanwhile I realized that the device is connected to my PC through generic drivers. Would it help to install specific Samsung drivers although both ADB and ODIN are acknowledging the device? Or can I just neglect that?

Since no answers came in I dared to just try. Meanwhile I'm running the device on LOS 16 with TWRP 3.5.2_9. Then flashed MindTheGapps (arm/Android 9 flavour)The switch wasn't as easy as I expected for some reason not obvious to me (somehow I couldn't get into TWRP after flashing it through ODIN. Then after the ~25th attempt it suddenly worked). Meanwhile I installed the official Samsung drivers, and maybe that helped, in combination with other adjustments I lost trace of...
I'll answer some of the above questions, for anyone who's interested:
#3: while in recovery (TWRP 3.5.2, as it is now) I still cannot access the device through adb. But I have access from windows' file explorer, so at least I can exchange files while being in recovery. Strange thing, this is the only one of my devices that behaves this way. The other day I'll try again from a Linux machine. maybe that works...
#4/5/6: boot to bootloader still doesn't work no matter what I try - devices always boots back into system
#7: Once I managed to get into TWRP the rest was a breeze
#8: I tried TWRP 3.6.0_9-0 which worked but on every boot into recovery it shows first a red notice that recovery was not enforcing SEAndroid. The notice then turns into blue and a second later TWRP logo shows up. This dowsn't happen with TWRP 3.5.2_9, so I stay there for the time being. Then I felt lucky and installed TWRP 3.6.2_9 image from running TWRP recovery, then rebooted. That again showed the red "not enforcing" message - and got stuck there. Solution was to get back into "Download mode" then re-flash TWRP 3.5.2 through ODIN.
Conclusion TWRP 3.6.2 is not fit to be used on that device (no, I didn't try 3.6.1...)
#9: since there aren't any more security updates released by google for A9 ROMs it would really be great to be able to upgrade to an A10 or even A11 ROM... anyone ever tried to use a "matisse" or "millet" ROM?
#10: I decided to use that - wiping everything that was on the device then doing a factory reset as well before flashing LOS 16. Then after first boot into LOS 16 a strange thing happened: when I made a basic setting (in regards to location services" the device told me that in a previous version I had decided to NOT allow google to use those services: after all that wiping and factory resetting: how could the device know that? By that time I had not yet logged myself into Google. Very mysterious!
#11/12: I guess I know the answer: I'm out of "Knox" now once and forever. And apparently ODIN is still working and recognizing the device.
Cheers!