I have yet to find a simple guide on "How to load a custom ROM on your AT&T S7 Edge"
I've traveled all over the interwebs, including this website and many others but have not found a simple guide for noobs. I read about CWM, TWRP, Odin, rooting, zip files, tar files, nandroid, backup ROM, root with app, root via computer, blah, blah, blah, blah....
All I know is that before I do anything I want to backup the stock ROM but before that I'm thrown all kinds of different tools and processes that one could use. For the noob it should be as simple as:
Step 1: backup your stock ROM and to do this download/install this tool then follow these instructions.
Step 2: root your S7 Edge and to do this download/install this tool then follow these instructions.
Step 3: find a custom ROM you want to install and to do this go here, here or here for you model and download it to your PC.
Step 4: flash your custom ROM and to do this down/install this tool and follow these instructions.
Maybe I haven't done a good job of searching so shame on me but I don't feel like given the effort I've expended thus far has yielded a straight and easy answer when it probably should be. I seem to run across a lot of promising reads/threads about this only to find that there seems to be so much more knowledge and experience with the SM-935F and not so much with the SM-935A variant. On top of it, it would seem that I'm told that rooting will or will not break Samsung Pay and other apps/features or that the flag will or will not permanently trip that shows the device has been modified. Very confusing.
When I'm presented with a tar/zip download I'm not sure to where I'm supposed to be downloading. To my PC then used Odin s/w on the PC to install via USB cable to the handset?
Can someone please point me to the simple guide to get this going...or am I gonna have to write it myself? TIA.
BTW, I should note that I'm coming from a S3 on Virgin Mobile to a S7 Edge SM-G935A to be used on Cricket Wireless (AT&T). Since I'll be on Cricket and not directly a AT&T customer per se I'd like to get rid of all the bloatware that AT&T was so kind to load up on the handset. Right now it has Nougat 7.0 installed: samsung/hero2qlteuc/hero2qlteatt:7.0/NRD90M/G935AUCU4BQA6
I am not sure if you have a US version the S7 (Qualcomm G935A) or the S7 non US version. But if you have the US version, we are out of luck. Our bootloader is completely locked and all those steps you pointed out are not available.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
freeop said:
I am not sure if you have a US version the S7 (Qualcomm G935A) or the S7 non US version. But if you have the US version, we are out of luck. Our bootloader is completely locked and all those steps you pointed out are not available.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
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So it seems that with all USA Qualcomm versions regardless of GSM carrier you have confirmed we pretty much cannot do much other than load some other versions of firmware such the U version ROM? From what I read HERE this is the Marshmallow 6.0 o/s. I currently have the stock Nougat 7.0 firmware from AT&T on my S7 Edge. Is there a debloated 7.0 version of the U ROM available?
UPDATE: Never mind...I came across THIS THREAD regarding an unbloated 7.0 U-version. I see you were active in that thread so now I need to read the entire thing before I have more questions and if so I'll ask them there. Thanks!
SyberTiger said:
So it seems that with all USA Qualcomm versions regardless of GSM carrier you have confirmed we pretty much cannot do much other than load some other versions of firmware such the U version ROM? From what I read HERE this is the Marshmallow 6.0 o/s. I currently have the stock Nougat 7.0 firmware from AT&T on my S7 Edge. Is there a debloated 7.0 version of the U ROM available?
UPDATE: Never mind...I came across THIS THREAD regarding an unbloated 7.0 U-version. I see you were active in that thread so now I need to read the entire thing before I have more questions and if so I'll ask them there. Thanks!
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If you still want to root your phone, you can follow this link and will let you get rid of all the bloat and root your phone, install xposed and all the mods for xposed. I have used the ENG.IMG version of root for the G935A over 6 months ago and it works great, given the choices we have.
Here's the link: https://forum.xda-developers.com/tm...eres-how-rooted-nougat-s7-edge-g935t-t3567502
I know the thread is in the T-Mobile section but if you read the first line, it says it works for T-Mobile, ATT, Sprint, Verizon, etc. It is a very long thread but if you read mostly the later posts from @Craz Basics and you will be able to see that it works really nice.
Good luck
freeop said:
If you still want to root your phone, you can follow this link and will let you get rid of all the bloat and root your phone, install xposed and all the mods for xposed. I have used the ENG.IMG version of root for the G935A over 6 months ago and it works great, given the choices we have.
Here's the link: https://forum.xda-developers.com/tm...eres-how-rooted-nougat-s7-edge-g935t-t3567502
I know the thread is in the T-Mobile section but if you read the first line, it says it works for T-Mobile, ATT, Sprint, Verizon, etc. It is a very long thread but if you read mostly the later posts from @Craz Basics and you will be able to see that it works really nice.
Good luck
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Hey thanks....but I have another question now that I'm given choices.
Which ROM is better, the U 7.0 ROM or the T-Mobile ROM you just linked? And, why is it better than the other?
SyberTiger said:
Hey thanks....but I have another question now that I'm given choices.
Which ROM is better, the U 7.0 ROM or the T-Mobile ROM you just linked? And, why is it better than the other?
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Ok the U 7.0 ROM is still un-rooted and bootloader locked. If you go that way, you get the U ROM with-out all the Bloat. But nothing more.
And the link is not really for the T-Mobile phone only. The ENG.IMG is for all makes of the Qualcomm chip. You install that and you are still with ATT. Still have all the things ATT provides like WiFi-Calling and other ATT things. And you can get rid of the Bloatware from the ATT ROM using different apps, like Titanium Backup. With the ENG.IMG you can root your phone and use all the apps that are available for Rooted Phones. One of the best is Titanium Backup. You can only use that one Rooted phones. If you have the U 7.0 ROM, you will have to use the same ENG.IMG to Root the U 7.0 ROM to get that OS rooted. And as I mentioned before you can use Xposed with the rooted phone.
If you are just looking to get rid of Bloatware on the ATT, there is an app for that also. Check out BK Disabler in the playstore. You can get rid of all the bloatware without rooting your phone.
Anyway, hope this make some kind of sense...
freeop said:
Ok the U 7.0 ROM is still un-rooted and bootloader locked. If you go that way, you get the U ROM with-out all the Bloat. But nothing more.
And the link is not really for the T-Mobile phone only. The ENG.IMG is for all makes of the Qualcomm chip. You install that and you are still with ATT. Still have all the things ATT provides like WiFi-Calling and other ATT things. And you can get rid of the Bloatware from the ATT ROM using different apps, like Titanium Backup. With the ENG.IMG you can root your phone and use all the apps that are available for Rooted Phones. One of the best is Titanium Backup. You can only use that one Rooted phones. If you have the U 7.0 ROM, you will have to use the same ENG.IMG to Root the U 7.0 ROM to get that OS rooted. And as I mentioned before you can use Xposed with the rooted phone.
If you are just looking to get rid of Bloatware on the ATT, there is an app for that also. Check out BK Disabler in the playstore. You can get rid of all the bloatware without rooting your phone.
Anyway, hope this make some kind of sense...
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Thanks, appreciate it.
I'm really not planning on spending a lot of time making changes or tweaking the handset. I'm on Cricket Wireless therefore I don't see any value in the AT&T bloatware which is why I wanted it removed. My interest is primarily having the latest/greatest android version I can have without all the stuff junking it up. I'd like it to be as fast as is reasonably possibly but at the same time have reasonably good battery life. I'm coming from a Galaxy S3 on Virgin Mobile so the change to the S7E is a huge upgrade. I haven't figured out yet if there are any apps (that require rooting) that are so slick I can't live without them.
I installed the U 7.0 and as I recall I got about 5 or 6 OTA updates which in encouraging. I think the AT&T ROM never received any of the 3 or 4 most current security updates. Anyhow, U 7.0 is up and running with no AT&T bloatware.
SyberTiger said:
Thanks, appreciate it.
I'm really not planning on spending a lot of time making changes or tweaking the handset. I'm on Cricket Wireless therefore I don't see any value in the AT&T bloatware which is why I wanted it removed. My interest is primarily having the latest/greatest android version I can have without all the stuff junking it up. I'd like it to be as fast as is reasonably possibly but at the same time have reasonably good battery life. I'm coming from a Galaxy S3 on Virgin Mobile so the change to the S7E is a huge upgrade. I haven't figured out yet if there are any apps (that require rooting) that are so slick I can't live without them.
I installed the U 7.0 and as I recall I got about 5 or 6 OTA updates which in encouraging. I think the AT&T ROM never received any of the 3 or 4 most current security updates. Anyhow, U 7.0 is up and running with no AT&T bloatware.
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AT&T's software updater only works if you have an AT&T SIM card. This is why the first thing you should do if you buy an AT&T (or other carrier) device that you don't plan to use on that network is to convert it to the unlocked version. That, and AT&T (in particular) loads the crap out of their devices with bloatware to the point that switching to U feels like an early upgrade to the next generation device.
jshamlet said:
AT&T's software updater only works if you have an AT&T SIM card. This is why the first thing you should do if you buy an AT&T (or other carrier) device that you don't plan to use on that network is to convert it to the unlocked version. That, and AT&T (in particular) loads the crap out of their devices with bloatware to the point that switching to U feels like an early upgrade to the next generation device.
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Yeah, I have a Cricket SIM which explains why this unlocked handset is stuck on 7.0 G935AUCU4BQA6 which is the February 1, 2017 update. Interestingly enough, the Network Signal Info app shows the SIM Operator as AT&T and Network Operator as Cricket/AT&T.
Going to the U got rid of all the bloatware and the handset immediately started receiving 5 or 6 OTA updates. I'll probably stick with the U version unless it becomes apparent there's a significantly better ROM available that increases performance, battery life or really adds some whizbangs that make the S7E experience a lot better.
forgive me for butting in -- I have a SM-G935A (stock) on Cricket as well.
Updates to the ROM and while keeping Samsung Pay are important to me.
In the past, I have d/led ATT updates and installed them using Odin, but that wipes my phone's apps/settings each time. Recently, I purchased an ATT sim & put the minimum $$$ on it with the intention of popping it in for OTA's. I've received BQK2, Nov 1 2017. It's a crappy work around, but the easiest I know of without having to rebuild my phone each Odin'ed update.
Would installing U or TMO firmware on the 935A remove the ability to use Samsung Pay? Would either of them be updated for frequently/easier than the 935A?
The U firmware supports Samsung pay and gets updates directly. The only downsides are no carrier features like wifi calling, etc., and if gets updates later than the carrier versions. I have run it on AT&T since I got the phone and it has worked fine.
jshamlet said:
The U firmware supports Samsung pay and gets updates directly. The only downsides are no carrier features like wifi calling, etc., and if gets updates later than the carrier versions. I have run it on AT&T since I got the phone and it has worked fine.
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Thanks, jshamlet.
This is my first phone I haven't rooted & I feel a bit powerless without Xposed and Titanium Backup. I find myself using Samsung Pay so often, that I don't want to lose it & was concerned that installing the U (or TMO) firmware on the ATT version would trip Knox, too.
William Thornton said:
forgive me for butting in -- I have a SM-G935A (stock) on Cricket as well.
Updates to the ROM and while keeping Samsung Pay are important to me.
In the past, I have d/led ATT updates and installed them using Odin, but that wipes my phone's apps/settings each time. Recently, I purchased an ATT sim & put the minimum $$$ on it with the intention of popping it in for OTA's. I've received BQK2, Nov 1 2017. It's a crappy work around, but the easiest I know of without having to rebuild my phone each Odin'ed update.
Would installing U or TMO firmware on the 935A remove the ability to use Samsung Pay? Would either of them be updated for frequently/easier than the 935A?
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Hmm, doesn't Samsung Smart Switch back up everything?
SyberTiger said:
Hmm, doesn't Samsung Smart Switch back up everything?
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I've never gotten it working 100%.
William Thornton said:
I've never gotten it working 100%.
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I'd be talking about the PC version not the phone-to-phone setup. Back up to PC then from PC to your phone. Worked great for me.
SyberTiger said:
Hmm, doesn't Samsung Smart Switch back up everything?
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Um, no. No it doesn't. Helium (or if you are feeling oldster, ADB) does a vastly better job of backing up apps than Smart Switch. Smart Switch does a reasonably good job of putting your phone's settings back, but it doesn't appear to back up most app data.
I learned this the hard way.
---------- Post added at 01:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:47 AM ----------
William Thornton said:
Thanks, jshamlet.
This is my first phone I haven't rooted & I feel a bit powerless without Xposed and Titanium Backup. I find myself using Samsung Pay so often, that I don't want to lose it & was concerned that installing the U (or TMO) firmware on the ATT version would trip Knox, too.
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Click to collapse
Samsung Pay, with the MST technology, is one of those weirdly underrated features that continually amaze people. It works nearly anywhere you can physically see the mag stripe reader, which instantly makes it vastly more useful than either Apple Pay or Android Pay. I have had more than a few people say "We don't take Apple Pay", and then drop their jaw when the transaction goes through.
The fact that Samsung doesn't make a bigger deal about it is strange, because it really is one of those technologies that sets them apart from the other two.
Hi,
My main phone just bricked, and I have an S7 Edge from ATT (model 935A) on standby. However, my old phone was running 8.1 Oreo, so all my google backups require 8.1 or higher in order to restore. Alas, the highest the 935A upgrades go is 8.0, and from what I can tell they will not upgrade it to 8.1 or 9.0.
Thus, I started looking at rooting and installing 8.1 myself. Lineage or really anything that is stable and usefull. However, apparently using that 935A ATT model prevents a lot of my potential options.
Does anyone have an idea how I could do this? Seems like an option might be to flash a 935U firmware and try going from there? Or is there some different way to get my google info restored onto the 'new' phone?
Many thanks
Chris
Hya Everyone! I wanted to try and open up some life into those of us still using the Sprint Variant of the Note 4. It is so easy to get lost in the noise of the general forums and what works for the Korea variant may not work for our CDMA variant! So with that... let me hear what ROM you are using and how you like it! Also.. did you upgrade the Baseband past QI5? Any regrets??? Here are my burning topics.
1. SMS over LTE
2. What happens with T-Mobile? Should we load the T-Mobile basebands?
3. Absolute most stable ROM.
4. What version of TWRP are you using?
5. WiFi calling and/or HotSpot use.
Share your stories!!!
Lets also talk about how to switch our current phone to TMobile!
Uh, yeah. NOT much love for the CDMA variants of the Note 4 for newer OS's and the SMS over LTE AKA SMS over SGs issue. I'm currently running LOS 14.1.2 (Android 7.1.2) because anything much higher on QI5 wouldn't send texts. I found an older post where someone flashed an older previous baseband (Android 6?) using the newer OS's and that worked to fix the SMS issues, but I don't know how to make the "correct" needed files (which I have) into a TWRP flashable zip. After more digging, TWRP itself has the baseband files built into it, so flashing an older version might work, but I gave up after screwing around with it for 3 months.
"What happens with T-Mobile? Should we load the T-Mobile basebands?"
As long as your Note 4 is working on LTE fine there shouldn't be any difference Sprint vs T-mobile from what I've been told. 3G is going to be shut down in Jan 2022 though so...
I wouldn't upgrade the Baseband to QI5 because it seems that locks out older solutions for the SMS over LTE from working.
Absolute most stable ROM?
The only ones I've seen being regularly worked on still is the unofficial Lineage and Havoc OS's.