Database Users

Kitkat on Lollipop bootloader

Okay so I followed the Lollipop Root guide perfectly, and I know I did, however the SS flash kept bricking my phone so I just gave up and took the official OTA.
Can I downgrade my phone back to Kitkat, even though the Bootloader is now updated to Lollipop? Or will I have to wait for someone to find a new exploit in Lollipop?

No wait... just check the Q & A sticky

Q&A doesnt talk about updated bootloaders and out-of-date kernels working together.

Yes. I bought my S5 off a guy on FB. Had 5.0 on it. Downgraded it back to MK2 444 with Odin

HELP PLEASE ! want to upgrade from 4.2.2 to Lollipop

Hey Everyone!!
Thank you for looking at this thread.
In a nutshell, I got my i9505 galaxy s4 since June 2013, rooted it straight away when i got it, its got twrp recovery, and im on omega v9 4.2.2. Havent touched it since to date
It does not have knox.
Is there a way I can simply upgrade to something like cm 12.1 with 5.1.1 with everything working, by simply flashing latest cm with gapps using twrp, or will I have to upgrade bootloader, radio, get knox, or even just start over, flash stock samsung lollipop firmware with knox using odin, in order to do so?
I already a while back tried updating twrp to latest, and tried flashing cm with lollipop 5.0 when it first first came out, but only 2g was working, and signal would cut if i lock my phone. Im guessing this is due to bootloader/radio incompatibility, or maybe because it was early builds? Apparently i cant flash lollipop bootloader and radio over old 4.2.2 stuff without consequently installing knox? Is knox that bad? I heard its better to not have knox but if its the only thing stopping from lollipop then so be it.
Any help and advice much appreciated.
Hope to hear soon,
DJ

You can try upgrading just the modem to be able to flash an Android 5.x ROM, but it likely will not work and thus you will have to flash an updated bootloader as well. The good news is that since your S4 is out of warranty, whether you trip the Knox flag or not will not matter.
You should be able to flash the updated bootloader and radio without having to install an entire ROM, though you might want to download the latest ROM for your S4 anyway. There is a thread in I9505 General that has a list of bootloaders and modems that can be downloaded and flashed through Odin. From there, you should have no problem flashing the custom ROM of your choice through recovery.

[N910F] Downgrade from POF2 to ANK5?

Is it possible to downgrade the N910F from Lollipop (POF2) to KitKat (ANK5)?
YES, IT IS POSSIBLE.
Before yesterday I've never used KitKat on my Note4.. When I bought the phone I had no time to try it (KitKat) because I've straight rooted it and flashed a Lollipop based ROM.
Then yesterday I wanted to try a KitKat based ROM and I've lost about 30/40min looking in the forum for the answer to the question Is it possible to downgrade the N910F from Lollipop (POF2 or whatever) to KitKat (ANK5)?
I could not find a proper answer.. there was this BOF5 bootloader can not be downgraded but it was always in a "strange contest" and it did not convinced me.. after 30/40min I said ***k *t and I just performed a full wipe from TWRP, flashed ANK5 modem and bootloader via ODIN, and installed the KitKat ROM from TWRP.
Sorry for the Question/Answer but this thread may will help someone to save time.
P.S.: My KitKat adventure lasted only 10min... It looked ugly to my eyes! Went back on POF2 and now trying out AICP

_mone said:
Is it possible to downgrade the N910F from Lollipop (POF2) to KitKat (ANK5)?
YES, IT IS POSSIBLE.
Before yesterday I've never used KitKat on my Note4.. When I bought the phone I had no time to try it (KitKat) because I've straight rooted it and flashed a Lollipop based ROM.
Then yesterday I wanted to try a KitKat based ROM and I've lost about 30/40min looking in the forum for the answer to the question Is it possible to downgrade the N910F from Lollipop (POF2 or whatever) to KitKat (ANK5)?
I could not find a proper answer.. there was this BOF5 bootloader can not be downgraded but it was always in a "strange contest" and it did not convinced me.. after 30/40min I said ***k *t and I just performed a full wipe from TWRP, flashed ANK5 modem and bootloader via ODIN, and installed the KitKat ROM from TWRP.
Sorry for the Question/Answer but this thread may will help someone to save time.
P.S.: My KitKat adventure lasted only 10min... It looked ugly to my eyes! Went back on POF2 and now trying out AICP
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Click to collapse
When you flashed that lollipop-based rom, that was a custom rom I assume? Did it contain a bootloader? Maybe you were still on the KitKat bootloader.

GidiK said:
When you flashed that lollipop-based rom, that was a custom rom I assume? Did it contain a bootloader? Maybe you were still on the KitKat bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it was a custom ROM. No, it didn't contain bootloader. No, I wasn't on the KitKat bootloader, for sure my bootloader was POF2. Trust me if I tell you that before the KitKat ROM I've flashed too many Lollipop ROMs with many Lollipop bootloaders.

I'm trying to do this but i fail in every action at odin with this SW rev. check fail. device 2 binary 1 in my SM-N910C and in odin its fail... ( i gets this after recovering my phone at kies after a bootloop )

i have a note 4 n910c with L.P 5.1.1 how a can downgrade to K.K or 5.01 L.P always fail when i try with odin. help please

jfltecan: Is that really impossible to downgrade from KK to JB? Can someone confirm?

Hi,
I have experience with the Canadian S4 I337M, currently running custom Validus ROM 5.1.1, originally was on TouchWiz 4.4.2;
I have altough a question that seems quite.. debated, did looked around I can't find a definitive answer and know who I should trust. I wonder if options changed in 2015 rather than 2013 when KNOX was still new.
Out of simple curiosity (I will not attempt it, risky, probably useless and I'm running 5.1.1 anyway): I keep reading that it's impossible to downgrade the S4 to 4.2.2, due to the KNOX bootloader on 4.3 / 4.4, I understand that you cannot downgrade below 4.3 which is the "new" KNOX bootloader.
1. I'm simply curious: On the I337M, what happens if you grab the stock 4.2.2 firmware and flash it with Odin anyway, considering I'm on 4.4 ? My guess, if I'm correct, Odin detect the bootloader version right away and says "FAIL". Correct?
2. I used to think it was possible to downgrade from 4.4 to 4.3, since 4.3 has the KNOX bootloader as well. Is this possible anyway, or will Odin fail (Not going to try it, not worth it)? Considering what I've read just today, 4.4 is also a new bootloader. In any case, since that 4.4 bootloader cannot be downgraded (I guess?), there is no way to downgrade from 4.4 to stock 4.3 either? Odin will show "FAIL" ?
3. Is there any other way to downgrade it anyway? I understand that KNOX 0x1 remain irreversible yet, and to my knowledge, it's impossible to dowgrade to 4.2.2 (Or even 4.3?), but I've been reading that it was possible to downgrade if the bootloader is excluded from the TAR archive, make sense to me, but is that true, was that patched? Should I recompile an ODIN package excluding the bootloader, is that how it's done (Too dangerous, not trying it)? Or maybe by using Mobile Odin / FlashFire, downgrading from 4.4 to 4.3 / 4.2 can be acheived, if the bootloader is left untouched? What happens if we try it anyways? Odin fail, or device does boot but doesn't get past Samsung boot logo?
I'm just wondering, and quite confused by the different opinions that were shared. Remember this is for the Canadian I337M variant.
Thanks for confirming, appreciate!

Can you downgrade directly from marshmallow to kit Kat?

I'm on Phoenix rom on 6.0. 1 and I'm sick of the weird path name it gives the external SD card. It messes with link2sd and my Manga Reader. I was wondering if I can simply flash a kit Kat rom on miui without ruining anything...

no

So I'll have to go back to stock first via Odin?

raylgo said:
So I'll have to go back to stock first via Odin?
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Click to collapse
you cant do that either. Once you progress past 5.0, youre stuck

I directly downgraded to 4.4 with my G900W8. However, you need to be careful with which version you are going to flash. For example, when I flashed any other 4.4 firmware than NCG (Which is the first version of 4.4 released for G900W8), I faced bootloop.

panda6024 said:
I directly downgraded to 4.4 with my G900W8. However, you need to be careful with which version you are going to flash. For example, when I flashed any other 4.4 firmware than NCG (Which is the first version of 4.4 released for G900W8), I faced bootloop.
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Click to collapse
there is a physical fuse that gets tripped in the S5 once you go past 5.0 that is there to no allow you to go back. Not sure if you were on a 4.4 bootloader that allowed you to do this or what, but trying to flash back to 4.4 after being on a 5.0 baseband is very ill advised

I don't think you can down grade to kit kat, but you can go from marshmallow to lollipop. I just did it last weekend. Check this...https://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-galaxy-s5/general/root-method-og5-ok3-t3290370
I hope it helps you.

Actually i can downgrade anytime from MM to LP or LP to KK
but i didnt tried MM to KK yet.... tried it many times it works.. unlocked G900F
Edit: im talking about stock rom btw (from sammobile)

dotgeo said:
Actually i can downgrade anytime from MM to LP or LP to KK
but i didnt tried MM to KK yet.... tried it many times it works.. unlocked G900F
Edit: im talking about stock rom btw (from sammobile)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
then you dont have a MM bootloader. I just re-read some posts that confirm that the phone locks to 5.0 once you get that bootloader. Its not possible to go back, and it doesnt matter if you have the G900F or not

youdoofus said:
there is a physical fuse that gets tripped in the S5 once you go past 5.0 that is there to no allow you to go back. Not sure if you were on a 4.4 bootloader that allowed you to do this or what, but trying to flash back to 4.4 after being on a 5.0 baseband is very ill advised
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Click to collapse
Then if there is a physical fuse, why was I able to downgrade from MM to KK? One difference when I downgraded from MM to KK NCG was that "Powered by Android" logo was changed to old style. I think NCG build of KitKat changed bootloader from MM one to KK one. Baseband wise, I also flashed KK baseband and it worked very well. It might be different on G900F but with my G900W8 I could go back to KK.

panda6024 said:
Then if there is a physical fuse, why was I able to downgrade from MM to KK? One difference when I downgraded from MM to KK NCG was that "Powered by Android" logo was changed to old style. I think NCG build of KitKat changed bootloader from MM one to KK one. Baseband wise, I also flashed KK baseband and it worked very well. It might be different on G900F but with my G900W8 I could go back to KK.
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Click to collapse
not sure, but ive had my G900P for 2 years 10 months and have been constantly on XDA since my OG evo back in the day (the one with the kickstand) and everything ive ever read saya that once you go past 5.0, you cant go back. Not sure what you have going on there, but there are tons of posts going back several years stating exactly this

Of course you can downgrade to kk.
Just download the kk firmwafe. Pull out battery for 5 sec. Then flash trough odin. Did it mant times and no problem with that.

i did that on my galaxy s5 and it works