Database Users

[Q] Some Questions About Software Update

Hey everyone,
Just wanted to ask a quick question regarding the firmware
I got my UK unlocked S5 last week and as soon as I set it up, an update came through, which is 100mb, the note regarding say "Improved performance", the update download, but I haven't installed it yet. Mainly because of a bad experience I had after updating my S3. I haven't come across any bugs since I've been using it, and I'm concerned that if I update, the battery will drain quicker, or perhaps cause an error in the recovery mode(these things happened to my S3 after updating to 4.3). So 2 main questions.
1. Has anyone here downloaded this 100mb software update their S5? If so, what differences did you notice?
2. Suppose I updated and wasn't happy with the new changes? Would it be possible to go back to the original firmware version that my phone came with when I took it out of the box, *without rooting my S5?
Hope some people on here can shed some light on these questions.
Thank you in advance*

1. It's just a system update. The phone is new there are bound to be updates as issues are ironed out
2. You can odin any firmware whenever you want
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

MasterfulNinja said:
Has anyone here downloaded this 100mb software update their S5? If so, what differences did you notice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your instincts are dead on. Updates may fix bugs or add a desireable feature. But just as often they introduce new bugs, break root or disable root exploits, break a few apps and add noxious DRM frameworks like the Knox qfuse warranty bit. They can seriously mess up a custom ROM and may depreciate features like MSC or car dock that may be important to you personally.
Updates cannot always be reverted. Try downgrading your Kitkat baseband to Jellybean and see what happens. Or try removing the Knox security bit after you take the update that introduced it. I disable automatic updates and wait to hear what early adopters find before upgrading.
Unfortunately you didn't tell us the all important version of your update. Or even tell us what your current firmware version and carrier are. Your update might be similar to the recent ATT /Verizon OTA adding the mixed blessing of reactivation lock. That is causing bootloops for some people with custom kermels. 4.4.3 is mostly bug fixes, with a few UI tweaks. And I believe 4.4.4 took aim at closing yet another open-SSL exploit and reverting some of the new 4.4.3 bugs.
No matter what an update intends to do, a few new bugs and unexpected conflicts usually turn up. A quick Google finds reports like this:
International Business Times said:
Issues Spotted for the Android 4.4.3 Kitkat
The Android 4.4.3 Kitkat system update is pretty much all about improving performances, strengthening stability and fixing a couple of bugs. However, it reels in a couple of issues experienced by users of Nexus devices that have already been upgraded to the latest update.
According to IT Pro, some of these issues include wi-fi problems, crashes and reboots and bugs found in apps. Google has not yet given any statement about how to deal with these issues nor has there been any word if these issues are only experienced by a handful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
.
.

fffft said:
Your instincts are dead on. Updates may fix bugs or add a desireable feature. But just as often they introduce new bugs, break root or disable root exploits, break a few apps and add noxious DRM frameworks like the Knox qfuse warranty bit. They can seriously mess up a custom ROM and may depreciate features like MSC or car dock that may be important to you personally.
Updates cannot always be reverted. Try downgrading your Kitkat baseband to Jellybean and see what happens. Or try removing the Knox security bit after you take the update that introduced it. I disable automatic updates and wait to hear what early adopters find before upgrading.
Unfortunately you didn't tell us the all important version of your update. Or even tell us what your current firmware version and carrier are. Your update might be similar to the recent ATT /Verizon OTA adding the mixed blessing of reactivation lock. That is causing bootloops for some people with custom kermels. 4.4.3 is mostly bug fixes, with a few UI tweaks. And I believe 4.4.4 took aim at closing yet another open-SSL exploit and reverting some of the new 4.4.3 bugs.
No matter what an update intends to do, a few new bugs and unexpected conflicts usually turn up. A quick Google finds reports like this:
.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for your detailed answers! That's exactly it! And I know from experience that updating firmware can cause a negative affect to the phone's performance. My iPhone 4S is still on iOS 5.1 but runs perfectly, while friends who updated their 4S to 7.1 experience freezes and heavy lag. Maybe companies do this deliberately, so people get frustrated and end up having to get the latest, more powerful model so the OS to run smoothly?
I do exactly the same, I always wait to see what people about an update before updating. The only difficulty with Android updates is that there seem to be so many different versions of updates. For example, when I researched the 100mb one for the S5,* various sites mentioned it, but others say the size of the update was 30mb, which were called "improved performance" I also heard about updates not always being able to be reverted to the previous version,* and also about Knox. So, you can see why I'm hesitant to update.
I know quite a bit about using Android, but have very limited knowledge regarding rooting and custom roms and so on. Also, after reading that rooting a phone incorrectly can turn it into a brick, I'm happy to just leave it as it is. I've attached a photo which shows my current firmware version, as well as other information. Also, as my S5 is unlocked, the only updates I'll receive will be from Samsung. I asked my carrier (T-Mobile UK) and that's what they told me. Only phones from bought from them include added apps that they put on, and I think they may also be able to tweak the updates received, by adding their own features.
Some more questions for you;
1. Do you recommend a factory reset after each software update?(I had to factory reset my S3 to stop the battery draining issue that 4.3 caused. But was wondering if it's best to factory reset after each and every update on Android devices)
2. I know you said that sometimes reverting back to a previous firmware isn't always possible, but can't using Odin with the correct firmware version work? Like Goldie mentioned in the above reply. And does changing the firmware via Odin require rooting the phone?

MasterfulNinja said:
Thank you very much for your detailed answers! That's exactly it! And I know from experience that updating firmware can cause a negative affect to the phone's performance. My iPhone 4S is still on iOS 5.1 but runs perfectly, while friends who updated their 4S to 7.1 experience freezes and heavy lag. Maybe companies do this deliberately, so people get frustrated and end up having to get the latest, more powerful model so the OS to run smoothly?
I do exactly the same, I always wait to see what people about an update before updating. The only difficulty with Android updates is that there seem to be so many different versions of updates. For example, when I researched the 100mb one for the S5,* various sites mentioned it, but others say the size of the update was 30mb, which were called "improved performance" I also heard about updates not always being able to be reverted to the previous version,* and also about Knox. So, you can see why I'm hesitant to update.
I know quite a bit about using Android, but have very limited knowledge regarding rooting and custom roms and so on. Also, after reading that rooting a phone incorrectly can turn it into a brick, I'm happy to just leave it as it is. I've attached a photo which shows my current firmware version, as well as other information. Also, as my S5 is unlocked, the only updates I'll receive will be from Samsung. I asked my carrier (T-Mobile UK) and that's what they told me. Only phones from bought from them include added apps that they put on, and I think they may also be able to tweak the updates received, by adding their own features.
Some more questions for you;
1. Do you recommend a factory reset after each software update?(I had to factory reset my S3 to stop the battery draining issue that 4.3 caused. But was wondering if it's best to factory reset after each and every update on Android devices)
2. I know you said that sometimes reverting back to a previous firmware isn't always possible, but can't using Odin with the correct firmware version work? Like Goldie mentioned in the above reply. And does changing the firmware via Odin require rooting the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Yes, a data factory reset after a update/flash a rom is remmended and gives best performance and stability;
2. I haven`t tried flashing a older rom itself but it should be possible i guess as this is not dowgrading like from 4.4.2 to 4.3. You could try it and if it fails there`s no harm done as you can flash your current rom back.
3. Installing a update or flash a rom usualy will kill root, though superSU Pro offers a survival mode to keep root after a update. You can also flash a rom with Mobile Odin Pro and enable everroot and the 2 other options so you will not loose root.

@MasterfulNinja
I don't automatically accept updates. Someone more impulsive, or indifferent can be the guinea pig. That approach is effective in avoiding some unpleasant firmware surprises. Often an older firmware version runs smoother and is more stable as in your IOS 5 vs 7 example. Running an older firmware means that you may have unpatched security vulnerabilities but in practice this usually isn't a great or unmanageable problem. It is a point to keep in mind though.
Rooting isn't nearly as dangerous as many people think it is. Someone who can follow directions and avoid flashing firmware from a completely different device will rarely brick a phone. And even if you did, you can usually recover from the mishap. I mention this because one of the best ways to maintain a stable phone OS is to install a decent custom ROM (which typically requires root). And then most of the heavy lifting is done by the developer who has already removed bloat, restrictions and other objectionable pieces. And monitors and releases tailored and usually stable updates for those using his ROM.
Android updates vary in size because they are screened by carriers, each deciding what update components and /or custom bits goes into their version of the update. More restrictive Apple manages all IOS updates centrally from their California servers i.e. they don't relinquish direct control to carriers. Still it isn't hard to find articles giving a good summary of what issues android firmware updates are addressing.
Some people believe that you should accept every update and as soon as it becomes available. I don't see a compelling need to update unless you are trying to resolve a current bug or are enticed by a specific new feature. I don't recommend a factory reset after each update. I do recommend that you clear the system cache from recovery mode though. A factory reset usually won't benefit you but it is time consuming to reinstall and reconfigure your phone.
Having said that, if you have a specific issue, such as the 4.3 battery drain then you have a rationale for doing so. But I have to say that I experienced the same S3 issue and clearing the cache was sufficient to stabilize the phone for me. Some phones will develop corruption or configuration conflicts over time, especially if you install a lot of apps. Or if you have a specific app that makes a mess of your file system. With that in mind, I do do a factory reset about once a year to clean up the phone, the same as I would do for a laptop OS. But I don't see a reason to do it after every update.
Odin is a Samsung product, complete with DRM. So no, you cannot flash anything with Odin. You can flash most stock firmware and in particular Odin will look for OEM signatures if you try to change the bootloader or modem. In the case of downgrading, it is the Knox qfuse on your phone that will cause the Odin flash to fail. If you try to downgrade you end up with a partial flash which can soft brick your phone and trip the Knox flag.
.

T-Mobile Updating Baseband/Modem?

It's been a while since I last did this, and I'm afraid I'm quite confused...
I am running a custom ROM (Bliss Beta 6) but remembered that updating my ROM doesn't update my baseband/modem.
Are baseband and modem the same thing?
https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-10398
Using this site here I see that my current baseband (G900TUVU1CNK2) is super outdated. It tells me that G900T3UVU1FOG6 or G900TUVS1FOL1 are the latest, but I don't get why there are two. Which one should I install?
All that being said, can I install using TWRP and a zip, or do I need to ODIN it?
Any help would be appreciated, as I said I've done this before but can't find any updated tutorials that explain the questions I'm asking (I've tried searching google and XDA, if I missed something obvious I would appreciate a link!).
cheers

More research has helped me answer my own question! Sharing what I've found in case anyone else comes across this thread:
Baseband and Modem are effectively the same thing in this context.
G900T3UVU1FOG6 was released in August 2015 and has the fix for stage-fright.
G900TUVS1FOJ4 was released in November 2015
G900TUVS1FOL1 is pretty much brand new (released in December 2015) so there's not a lot on it. This is the one I'm going to try installing.
Followed the instructions from this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/tmo.../compilation-s5-g900t-stock-firmware-t3042400 to figure it out.
More use information found here:
https://ohthehugemanatee.org/blog/2...m-slash-baseband-firmware-on-a-samsung-phone/

lioncat55 said:
More research has helped me answer my own question! Sharing what I've found in case anyone else comes across this thread:
Baseband and Modem are effectively the same thing in this context.
G900T3UVU1FOG6 was released in August 2015 and has the fix for stage-fright.
G900TUVS1FOJ4 was released in November 2015
G900TUVS1FOL1 is pretty much brand new (released in December 2015) so there's not a lot on it. This is the one I'm going to try installing.
Followed the instructions from this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/tmo.../compilation-s5-g900t-stock-firmware-t3042400 to figure it out.
More use information found here:
https://ohthehugemanatee.org/blog/2...m-slash-baseband-firmware-on-a-samsung-phone/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i've been wondering this myself, so did you update your baseband & is there any change in battery or signal quality? (or i guess stagefright detector?)
also wondering if downgrading is no problem or if it affects anything like that (which stock samsung or other device kernels/ROMs do, sometimes blocking root etc)

Hey, so I actually updated to G900TUVS1FOL1 using ODIN. It nuked everything and installed regular TouchWiz which I wasn't a fan of, but I have no problem installing my own ROM later.
If you're doing the T-Mobile one, then there is no issue with rooting, installing kernels, custom ROMs, etc. I don't really know about "downgrading" the baseband or modem, but I don't think you would need to in this case.
Note that if you have Verizon or At&T you probably want to be SUPER careful, because they lock down everything.

lioncat55 said:
Hey, so I actually updated to G900TUVS1FOL1 using ODIN. It nuked everything and installed regular TouchWiz which I wasn't a fan of, but I have no problem installing my own ROM later.
If you're doing the T-Mobile one, then there is no issue with rooting, installing kernels, custom ROMs, etc. I don't really know about "downgrading" the baseband or modem, but I don't think you would need to in this case.
Note that if you have Verizon or At&T you probably want to be SUPER careful, because they lock down everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's a g900t yes
i am going to look into upgrading it more directly rather than the complete samsung image... maybe... so you're confirming the official tmobile samsung 5.1.1 complete installation still lets you flash TWRP then cyanogen without a problem? i came from november 2014 samsung 4.4 to CM originally

kn00tcn said:
it's a g900t yes
i am going to look into upgrading it more directly rather than the complete samsung image... maybe... so you're confirming the official tmobile samsung 5.1.1 complete installation still lets you flash TWRP then cyanogen without a problem? i came from november 2014 samsung 4.4 to CM originally
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, I installed G900TUVS1FOL1 with Odin, had root and TWRP installed just fine (couldn't get xposed to work because it was not a deoxdex rom of course). I just installed BlissPop ROM last night which is based on CM13. So yes, it didn't lock me down or anything.

Note4 SM-910G Downgrade to Marsh 6.0.0 from 6.0.1

Hi
I did the update to marshmallow when i was available with my carrier a few months back and everything was ok, it then did an auto update to 6.0.1 and since then been going slow and all FB app / messenger and pages manager wont work.
Ive scoured the world to find solutions and tried the suggestions and also went and backed up my phone (not apps) then wiped it to factory and it still is the same.
I was wondering if there is a way i can downgrade Marsh to the one before the upgrade to 6.0.1 or if there is a way back to the latest lollipop or even better a version of cyanogenmod for the nougat i can try.
(i have put on custom roms before on other phones and know my way around)
Thanks
all
Stu (Australia Optus OPS)

How do I go from 7.0 with "U" software to 8.0?

I'm trying to wrap my head around all this, but my head is spinning. In December I was looking to get my S7 flat to 7.0 rooted. I discovered that root can only be achieved with eng kernel and that has its drawbacks. I decided I don't need/want root at that cost of stability, performance and battery life. Somehow I settled on installing a "U" variant that seemed to work well with less Verizon bloat. I couldn't get the S Health app and monitors on the back of the phone working, but I figured I could live with that. Recently I tried casting my phone to a Amazon Fire Stick and discovered the "Smart View" button is missing and I couldn't figure out how to get it back, so I might've lost that too. I also discovered in the past nine months Oreo is out with additional features and I figure if I'm going to go through the hassle of reinstalling, I might as well upgrade.
So, I hear root with Oreo is better than it's been, but not perfect, so I'l like to upgrade to unrooted oreo, either stock or debloated (if such a version exists without tradeoffs). Is there a certain version I'm supposed to go to so there's some flexibility in reinstalling the OS? Like I know sometimes versions of software are released that upgrade little, but patch exploits.
Also, if I do get whatever version of Oreo installed, do I then ignore OTA updates going forward? Is there any advantage to that?
And I can use the mobile hotspot feature. I don't think I have any special plan to accommodate that, nor do I have an unlimited plan (with Verizon). Is that intended, or is that from the "U" variant. Would I lose that?
My phone's info is below, if anyone can decipher what I did:
Model #: SM-G930U
Android Version: 7.0
Baseband Version: G930UUEU4BQE2
Kernel Version: 3.18.31
Build #: NRD90M.G930UUEU4BQE2
I apologize, I know my nomenclature isn't up to snuff. I realize that this stuff isn't for the casual user, at least on this phone. It's very hard to figure out what's current if you're not in the loop.
Thank you for any help you can offer.

If possible, I'd try just doing an Odin of the full Verzion equivalent to what you are on. That has the best chance of being compatible with the bootloader you are on. If not, you may have to downgrade to earlier U variant and then switch to equiv V variant. If I recall correctly the *BRA1 firmware intersected on all carrier releases. In my case in the past, I was on too new of an AT&T variant and it wouldn't let me switch because the model didn't match. I had to switch to the generic U variant and then go to Verizon variant after.
In your case I'd try either of these in full Odin form (and may need princecomsy Odin or other that will force it):
G930VVRS4BQC9 - Closest Verizon V variant firmware that is released same month as your current version (a couple weeks later)
G930VVRU4CRE5 - June 5th 2018 Verizon V variant firmware based on 8.0
Edit:
Alternatively I think you should be able to go to the latest U generic variant 8.0 firmware, whatever that would be. I think that's G930UUEU4CRG2 at the moment

djh816 said:
If possible, I'd try just doing an Odin of the full Verzion equivalent to what you are on. That has the best chance of being compatible with the bootloader you are on. If not, you may have to downgrade to earlier U variant and then switch to equiv V variant. If I recall correctly the *BRA1 firmware intersected on all carrier releases. In my case in the past, I was on too new of an AT&T variant and it wouldn't let me switch because the model didn't match. I had to switch to the generic U variant and then go to Verizon variant after.
In your case I'd try either of these in full Odin form (and may need princecomsy Odin or other that will force it):
G930VVRS4BQC9 - Closest Verizon V variant firmware that is released same month as your current version (a couple weeks later)
G930VVRU4CRE5 - June 5th 2018 Verizon V variant firmware based on 8.0
Edit:
Alternatively I think you should be able to go to the latest U generic variant 8.0 firmware, whatever that would be. I think that's G930UUEU4CRG2 at the moment
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the reply! I really wasn't expecting any replies, there's just too much going on in my post.
I backed up everything tonight so when I flash it I can wipe everything and do it right. This sammobile site lists all the firmware updates and that helped somewhat demystify things. Is it true that the fifth digit from the right of build is the bootloader? If that's the case, does that mean I can install any version from the last MM update through the september oreo update and upgrade and downgrade between them without issue since they all have a "4" for that digit? Is the bootloader the thing that sometimes gets updated, preventing downgrades or is the baseband and modem also something that I need to consider. If I just install the latest verizon oreo update, am I limited in downgrading?
https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-s7/SM-G930V/

Umbra. said:
Thank you for the reply! I really wasn't expecting any replies, there's just too much going on in my post.
I backed up everything tonight so when I flash it I can wipe everything and do it right. This sammobile site lists all the firmware updates and that helped somewhat demystify things. Is it true that the fifth digit from the right of build is the bootloader? If that's the case, does that mean I can install any version from the last MM update through the september oreo update and upgrade and downgrade between them without issue since they all have a "4" for that digit? Is the bootloader the thing that sometimes gets updated, preventing downgrades or is the baseband and modem also something that I need to consider. If I just install the latest verizon oreo update, am I limited in downgrading?
https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-s7/SM-G930V/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Purely anecdotal but in my case I think the newer version I had was the issue. I don't believe you are limited in downgrading if you have a full signed odin of your current model variant that you can downgrade too. I think the main issues come in when you are going from a different model and a newer/older firmware. If you are staying on latest G930V Verizon firmware for example, I believe you could downgrade as far back as needed with full Odin. Just not necessarily U variant firmware without finding the crossover point with that firmware (like AT&T and Verizon variants both on BRA1 firmware). I could be mistaken on the requirements but messing around with flashing an older rom with same 930 variant, then switching to a new variant from that may work. In my case I had to downgrade to BRA1 AT&T, then switch to BRA1 generic 930U, then switch to Verizon BRA1 930V. Also the stock version of Odin didn't like me switching variants but princecomsy version worked (not sure if that works well with new firmwares though). As you say though, there may be some limits in downgrading depending on what bootloader you are on. I don't think I've personally had a situation where I couldn't but with all those efuses out there who knows..But even then you should be able to pivot to another variant of similar release date

djh816 said:
Purely anecdotal but in my case I think the newer version I had was the issue. I don't believe you are limited in downgrading if you have a full signed odin of your current model variant that you can downgrade too. I think the main issues come in when you are going from a different model and a newer/older firmware. If you are staying on latest G930V Verizon firmware for example, I believe you could downgrade as far back as needed with full Odin. Just not necessarily U variant firmware without finding the crossover point with that firmware (like AT&T and Verizon variants both on BRA1 firmware). I could be mistaken on the requirements but messing around with flashing an older rom with same 930 variant, then switching to a new variant from that may work. In my case I had to downgrade to BRA1 AT&T, then switch to BRA1 generic 930U, then switch to Verizon BRA1 930V. Also the stock version of Odin didn't like me switching variants but princecomsy version worked (not sure if that works well with new firmwares though). As you say though, there may be some limits in downgrading depending on what bootloader you are on. I don't think I've personally had a situation where I couldn't but with all those efuses out there who knows..But even then you should be able to pivot to another variant of similar release date
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't still know about downgrading and switching, but I can live with that. I took the plunge and opted to install the latest Verizon firmware last night. Surprisingly I was able to just install it over the U firmware with basic Odin. I Then went into recovery and did a factory reset. It's gonna take awhile to set everything up how I like, but S Health works, I've got the Smart view toggle (didn't get to test it yet), mobile hotspot works, but I get some cool new features to explore (I especially like being to able to have more control over what notifications show for each app, instead of a blanket on/off). Not crazy about the new AOD font, but I'll get used to it. Thanks for nudging me in the right direction

Umbra. said:
I don't still know about downgrading and switching, but I can live with that. I took the plunge and opted to install the latest Verizon firmware last night. Surprisingly I was able to just install it over the U firmware with basic Odin. I Then went into recovery and did a factory reset. It's gonna take awhile to set everything up how I like, but S Health works, I've got the Smart view toggle (didn't get to test it yet), mobile hotspot works, but I get some cool new features to explore (I especially like being to able to have more control over what notifications show for each app, instead of a blanket on/off). Not crazy about the new AOD font, but I'll get used to it. Thanks for nudging me in the right direction
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Woo, welcome back to the walled garden lol.. BTW I found in the themes/lockscreen app (can't recall where) they had the old lockscreen font I preferred as a clock option

Which ROM to install now on YB1-X90F (android)

Hi. I've never really liked the Android version in my Lenovo but I am now facing an annoying issue with Play Store downloads getting stuck and delayed and going to have to reinstall.
At this point I am ready for a root and changing the ROM but I am rather lost in what android distribution are working and tested at the moment as after reading for a while there are some which are only for the Win version. I also see some references to X90L on threads about rooting and installing twrp but I am assumming these would work the same on my F version.
So the question is, what updated current ROMs are working fine and are worth (better than the official one) after root and TWRP on the Android version?
Also, once unlocked and changed bootloader, where can you get the official ones again?
Thanks for any help.

"Also, once unlocked and changed bootloader, where can you get the official ones again?"
You don't need it if you flash YB via Intel Flash Tool with oryginal rom.