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Hello!
I've been researching a lot the last few days about flashing ROMs, Unbranding and Root etc..
i currently have SGS2 which is also my first Smartphone / Andriod Phone.
So even tho I've read FAQ's Wikis guides. etc i still have some things to get cleared up. which i hope some here could help me with ^_^.
1. I live in Scandinavia, more specific Denmark. Do i have to use Certain "CSC" and "PHONE" Number/Codes, for the phone to work, where i live. afaik. the CSC and Phone is the things that controls WIFI BT GPS, and the 2g/3g networks.
2. Sometimes i see people mention "Kernel" and that its important to use a rom based on the same "kernel" is kernel just another word for firmware? the thing is i think its entirely different. some clarification is needed here.
3. If i flash a modified Stock rom To my phone. with ROOT CWM for example this one (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1103399). is it possible to undo Root and CWM. i'm in doubt because further down in the thread, he states by flashing a stock rom onto the phone, you can remove the triangle but not the root and cwm.
This is the things that is still unclear for me. and since it's my first time to try and do all this, i must be 100% sure, i understand it all correctly.
Thanks!
Edited the first post.
If the questions is hard to understand, i can try and Re-formulate them.
//Tolana
1. I live in Scandinavia, more specific Denmark. Do i have to use Certain "CSC" and "PHONE" Number/Codes, for the phone to work, where i live. afaik. the CSC and Phone is the things that controls WIFI BT GPS, and the 2g/3g networks.
on your dialler enter *#1234# and look at the last 3 letters of the description under PDA.
- You will also find this info if you go in to settings\about phone\Baseband Version
2. Sometimes i see people mention "Kernel" and that its important to use a rom based on the same "kernel" is kernel just another word for firmware? the thing is i think its entirely different. some clarification is needed here.
Similar to what I mentioned above, use one of the ROMs that has the same 'extension' as your phone now as it is most likely using the same modem etc..
3. If i flash a modified Stock rom To my phone. with ROOT CWM for example this one (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1103399). is it possible to undo Root and CWM. i'm in doubt because further down in the thread, he states by flashing a stock rom onto the phone, you can remove the triangle but not the root and cwm.
If you flash a stock, unmodified ROM, it will remove root. It's like getting an update from Samsung directly.
Tolana said:
Hello!
I've been researching a lot the last few days about flashing ROMs, Unbranding and Root etc..
i currently have SGS2 which is also my first Smartphone / Andriod Phone.
So even tho I've read FAQ's Wikis guides. etc i still have some things to get cleared up. which i hope some here could help me with ^_^.
2. Sometimes i see people mention "Kernel" and that its important to use a rom based on the same "kernel" is kernel just another word for firmware? the thing is i think its entirely different. some clarification is needed here.
Kernel is not firmware its the base below OS level that communicates with the CPU . Firmware is a full package CSC Modem OS Kernel APPS .
Kernels can be mixed but thats a user choice and user accepts it may not work well .
3. If i flash a modified Stock rom To my phone. with ROOT CWM for example this one (http://forum.xda-developers.com/sho...ecovery jig .
Makes it much easier .
jje
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the answers.
I'm still a bit unclear on my first subject.
The Modem/PHONE number, does it have to be a specific "Scandinavia Compatible" Number/Code for my phone to function with calls etc.
the same goes for the CSC code.
Thanks again.
//Tolana
Some users report that particular radios/modems work better in certain countries than others, but you sohuld be able to use ANY of the modem/radios found on these forums on your SGS2.
For example, my phone came with KE1 radio. I flashed KE7 to match the cf kernel installed when rooting. It works fine
Right. Thank You!
I understand that this may have been asked, and I've been looking at similar threads, but I'm having a hard time finding a direct answer, so I apologize.
I have some experience rooting with an Atrix, but I just got this phone two days ago, this morning I used the 1-click method from rootwhiz to install the ICS leak. No problems having it run at all. I need to know, directly, did this install change my bootloader and change the binary count? I can't remember if I saw anytime of yellow triangle as people talk about. If it changed the bootloader what is there a safe method to return to the older bootloaders, and or do I even need to do so to root and install other roms?
I know that the Atrix had some problems in terms of returning to prior versions of things, and in my research I haven't found a direct answer to this question too.
Basically, did my bootloader change? Can I root using the heimdall method I keep seeing about safely? What would be the best way to root and install custom roms, neglecting the binary counter if I can get a jig or something?
Forgive me again for asking, I just need to have better answers before I try anything.
Are you asking for info for your Atrix or SGS2 device?
Sorry, I am asking about the SGS2.
ds1904.ds said:
I understand that this may have been asked, and I've been looking at similar threads, but I'm having a hard time finding a direct answer, so I apologize.
I have some experience rooting with an Atrix, but I just got this phone two days ago, this morning I used the 1-click method from rootwhiz to install the ICS leak. No problems having it run at all. I need to know, directly, did this install change my bootloader and change the binary count? I can't remember if I saw anytime of yellow triangle as people talk about. If it changed the bootloader what is there a safe method to return to the older bootloaders, and or do I even need to do so to root and install other roms?
I know that the Atrix had some problems in terms of returning to prior versions of things, and in my research I haven't found a direct answer to this question too.
Basically, did my bootloader change? Can I root using the heimdall method I keep seeing about safely? What would be the best way to root and install custom roms, neglecting the binary counter if I can get a jig or something?
Forgive me again for asking, I just need to have better answers before I try anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you used the 1-Click method, yes. Your bootloaders are changed. Wouldve been much better to use the Heimdall method or just root your phone then flash the Leak ROM that task650 and Fenny made. As far as reverting bootloaders to stock, thats out of my range of knowledge. Im sure there is a way to do it though.
EDIT: For rooting, best way is to be on stock 2.3.4 and use the Zergrush exploit.
I've seen you're using the past tense a lot, I thought you already DID.
Anyway, for rooting and installing custom ROM, follow this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1311081
I can't pinpoint exactly what to do since having no info.
Thanks for the answers so far, now that I know my bootloaders have been changed I need to figure out how to either change back / and how to safely root. I may just have to wait it out I think though, no problem with that really, working just fine now. And never use the alarm
For clarification, my rooting experience is limited to the Atrix, the SGS2 is new as of Monday, and I am having trouble sifting through information. What I've learned so far is that maybe it was a little hasty to install the ICS leak the way I did. Prior to the ICS leak there was nothing changed on the phone.
You're going to have to get some experience with ODIN. Here is the bootloader you'll want to flash back to, however, then you'll probably need to flash a kernel with CWM (clock work mod) and then boot into cwm to flash a rom such as Tasks stock ICS leak. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1316726
So if I follow correctly the ICS leak I installed added newer bootloaders that prevent jigging in the future if it was needed. My two options are apparently to use the method that bypasses the counter, which was posted, or to use ODIN and flash the older bootloader, but this can be dangerous if done incorrectly.
The danger of bricking scares me a little, but I successfully used RSD Lite to unlock the bootloader on my Atrix, don't know if it's similar. Perhaps I should take the Atrix and attempt to install an older bootloader on it to get a feel for things? I figure that it wouldn't make much of a difference however...
I figured out that even though I have a newer bootloader now I still have a 0 for the binary counter, as the leak is considered a samsung official release, of course I don't know how that would effect any given warranty.
So, I still feel that these following questions are unanswered, I apologize if I am not understanding correctly:
1. Is it safe for me to root with the heimdall method even with the newer bootloaders
2. Is it safe for me to install custom roms without reverting the bootloader, as long as I am using the bypass method to prevent my counter from changing?
3. What is the exact risk to flashing the older bootloader, and what precautions should I take before doing so? If I flash the older bootloader without reverting to stock firmware will that cause a brick? Or is the risk just associated with fudging up the process of the flash itself, and hoping that the connection doesn't get cut (on that note, the phone, usb cord, and computer I'm using are all less than 4 months old, so that risk doesn't concern me a whole lote).
Sorry if these are stupid questions, I hope I am asking good enough questions to help others out in the future
After some more reading, here's another question as well:
Does the SGS2 technically have an unlocked bootloader already? It just counts how many times you install non samsung firmware?
Also just so I know that I'm not wrong, are Kernal, Firmware, and "Roms" all the same thing? How can you tell if a "package" or "rom" comes with bootloaders, as this is something I apparently am supposed to avoid.
ds1904.ds said:
1. Is it safe for me to root with the heimdall method even with the newer bootloaders
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dont believe you can root since you already flashed it with ODIN 1-Click
ds1904.ds said:
2. Is it safe for me to install custom roms without reverting the bootloader, as long as I am using the bypass method to prevent my counter from changing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You cannot install custom ROM's because you dont have CWM.
ds1904.ds said:
3. What is the exact risk to flashing the older bootloader, and what precautions should I take before doing so? If I flash the older bootloader without reverting to stock firmware will that cause a brick? Or is the risk just associated with fudging up the process of the flash itself, and hoping that the connection doesn't get cut (on that note, the phone, usb cord, and computer I'm using are all less than 4 months old, so that risk doesn't concern me a whole lot).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really not sure on these questions. Any takers?
ds1904.ds said:
After some more reading, here's another question as well:
Does the SGS2 technically have an unlocked bootloader already? It just counts how many times you install non samsung firmware?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No; Only download mode (Odin/Heimdall) flashes trigger changes to the warning screen.
ds1904.ds said:
Also just so I know that I'm not wrong, are Kernal, Firmware, and "Roms" all the same thing? How can you tell if a "package" or "rom" comes with bootloaders, as this is something I apparently am supposed to avoid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kernel is a set of drivers that tells the hardware what to do. Firmware is like a new base. (XXLPQ, DXLP7 etc.) A ROM is the whole package.
Please if I missed anything or am incorrect about some/all of this, somebody correct me.
Okay I think I'm starting to figure this out. I downgraded to 2.3.4 using an unroot/stock method I found, using odin and it worked. It would not accept the OTA update however, but I believe this is due to the ULCL2 baseband? Someone correct me if I am wrong.
Now I am going to use method 2c found here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1311081
to root and restore to the other baseband, which also happens to be the one that's best for my area I believe. From there, I can install CWM using one of the 31-c methods, and use CWM to install custom roms as long as they don't have bootloaders, correct? Or does it not matter if the packages have bootloaders.
Someone correct me if I am wrong, I don't want to ruin anything here. I think it's safe to install the files that come from the 2c method but wont be doing anything else until I know it's safe.
ds1904.ds said:
Okay I think I'm starting to figure this out. I downgraded to 2.3.4 using an unroot/stock method I found, using odin and it worked. It would not accept the OTA update however, but I believe this is due to the ULCL2 baseband? Someone correct me if I am wrong.
Now I am going to use method 2c found here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1311081
to root and restore to the other baseband, which also happens to be the one that's best for my area I believe. From there, I can install CWM using one of the 31-c methods, and use CWM to install custom roms as long as they don't have bootloaders, correct? Or does it not matter if the packages have bootloaders.
Someone correct me if I am wrong, I don't want to ruin anything here. I think it's safe to install the files that come from the 2c method but wont be doing anything else until I know it's safe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Should be fine. NONE of the ROMs you find on the I777 boards in Ported or Original will have bootloaders so no worries. And yes after root use Mobile ODIN to install a zImage which will give you CWM. Highly recommend Siyah 2.6.14. Please stick to just trying some GB ROM's and get the hang of making nandroids etc before moving on the ICS ROM's.
D3M3NT3D_L0RD said:
Should be fine. NONE of the ROMs you find on the I777 boards in Ported or Original will have bootloaders so no worries. And yes after root use Mobile ODIN to install a zImage which will give you CWM. Highly recommend Siyah 2.6.14. Please stick to just trying some GB ROM's and get the hang of making nandroids etc before moving on the ICS ROM's.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All I get is an apk file, I've been searching all night for a zimage... The file says i777 flashkernal, and it's just an .apk. Mobile Odin can't see it unless I name it zimage with no file extension. I tried that and it seemed like it was soft-bricked so I used odin on the PC to reflash the stock root think mentioned in the thread.
I was thinking of CM7 if it will work flashing as a zip from CWM, if I can get CWM on there that is.
ds1904.ds said:
All I get is an apk file, I've been searching all night for a zimage... The file says i777 flashkernal, and it's just an .apk. Mobile Odin can't see it unless I name it zimage with no file extension. I tried that and it seemed like it was soft-bricked so I used odin on the PC to reflash the stock root think mentioned in the thread.
I was thinking of CM7 if it will work flashing as a zip from CWM, if I can get CWM on there that is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where in the hell are you getting an apk from? If you dl Siyah or Entropy kernel, the zImage is in the zip. Pull that and put it on your SD card
I am interested because I was in your position. Did the ICS leak 1 day too early and lost root. So what method did you use to go back to GB? Did you have to flash a new bootloader or was that all done in one package? Was it Entropy's "return" method?
I was seeing if I can keep the ICS leak and root. A dev here advised that all I need to do is re-flash the zip filed ICS leak. However since I have no root, I can't CWM recovery...I don't know another method to flash the rooted ICS leak.
So I'm thinking I have to wait for an exploit, or flash back to an old GB, root, ensure I have CWM, nandroid (I nandroided my rooted GB before upgrading to ICS leak), then flash the zip ICS leak.
Does anyone else have alternatives?
ds1904.ds said:
Okay I think I'm starting to figure this out. I downgraded to 2.3.4 using an unroot/stock method I found, using odin and it worked. It would not accept the OTA update however, but I believe this is due to the ULCL2 baseband? Someone correct me if I am wrong.
Now I am going to use method 2c found here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1311081
to root and restore to the other baseband, which also happens to be the one that's best for my area I believe. From there, I can install CWM using one of the 31-c methods, and use CWM to install custom roms as long as they don't have bootloaders, correct? Or does it not matter if the packages have bootloaders.
Someone correct me if I am wrong, I don't want to ruin anything here. I think it's safe to install the files that come from the 2c method but wont be doing anything else until I know it's safe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SMH...root is not needed for CWM... a custom kernel is
Pirateghost said:
SMH...root is not needed for CWM... a custom kernel is
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True but to do it with Mobile ODIN you need root
ds1904.ds said:
After some more reading, here's another question as well:
Does the SGS2 technically have an unlocked bootloader already? It just counts how many times you install non samsung firmware?
Also just so I know that I'm not wrong, are Kernal, Firmware, and "Roms" all the same thing? How can you tell if a "package" or "rom" comes with bootloaders, as this is something I apparently am supposed to avoid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"ROM" is an improper name for the firmware flashed to a phone. (the memory in question isn't read-only by any means. In Windows Mobile devices, you had to flash the firmware image all in one go - but on Android, /system contents can be modified on the fly as they're a normal file system.) garyd9 started a little crusade against the term ROM and I try to continue it (but I slip up sometimes).
Kernel contains the most basic low-level hardware drivers for a device. It's a small portion of the firmware for a phone. The remaining portion is the system partition - /system - kernel and /system together make a complete firmware package.
And you are correct - our bootloaders are fundamentally unlocked, the only code signing enforcement is the custom binary counter. It can be reset either with the jig or with TriangleAway (TriangleAway requires ICS)
Entropy512 said:
"ROM" is an improper name for the firmware flashed to a phone. (the memory in question isn't read-only by any means. In Windows Mobile devices, you had to flash the firmware image all in one go - but on Android, /system contents can be modified on the fly as they're a normal file system.) garyd9 started a little crusade against the term ROM and I try to continue it (but I slip up sometimes).
Kernel contains the most basic low-level hardware drivers for a device. It's a small portion of the firmware for a phone. The remaining portion is the system partition - /system - kernel and /system together make a complete firmware package.
And you are correct - our bootloaders are fundamentally unlocked, the only code signing enforcement is the custom binary counter. It can be reset either with the jig or with TriangleAway (TriangleAway requires ICS)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you chimed in. I now feel stupid at my lack of knowledge
I almost think that the issue is that your "unzipping" the zip image files that you are downloading.
Why is it so important that you keep the phone in a reversable mode? Are you planning on returning it or perhaps selling it and do not want it to be known that you have flashed it?
Personally I am not knowledgeable enough to offer much advice, I just read the forums as most and try to put together the peices of information that fit my situation.
The Dev forum is by far the best place to look and get your questions answered and there are a bunch of guides on step by step processes. The only real advice I can give you is to google each term and understand what it is you need and then post your question.
Well it's regarding rooting.
I heard it opens up a world of opportunity with your smartphone, and some apps I really want are only available vain rooted phones. I have the Samsung galaxy s3 international version. It was originally from Australia if that matters at all. It is on 4.0.4. Anyways, being a noob to android more or less, and being a bit apprehensive (because I have no warranty and I cannot obtain another phone easily) I was wondering basically how risky it is to brick your phone in a) the process of rooting your phone. Is it common? If it does get bricked is it reversable by a restore or simply gone? Also after rooting, is there any upkeep or management I need to do to make sure my rooted phone does not screw up? And lastly. What is the safest and easiest way to root the international quad core gs3 on ics. Thank you to everyone for your time
mysticgorilla said:
Well it's regarding rooting.
I heard it opens up a world of opportunity with your smartphone, and some apps I really want are only available vain rooted phones. I have the Samsung galaxy s3 international version. It was originally from Australia if that matters at all. It is on 4.0.4. Anyways, being a noob to android more or less, and being a bit apprehensive (because I have no warranty and I cannot obtain another phone easily) I was wondering basically how risky it is to brick your phone in a) the process of rooting your phone. Is it common? If it does get bricked is it reversable by a restore or simply gone? Also after rooting, is there any upkeep or management I need to do to make sure my rooted phone does not screw up? And lastly. What is the safest and easiest way to root the international quad core gs3 on ics. Thank you to everyone for your time
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, most you could pick up be reading a bit, everything is already explained around here but since i was in your shoes very recently:
- there's always a risk. You need to be aware of that. That said, most cases that actually go wrong it's usually user's fault who failed to follow instructions closely. So read them. And read some more. And then read again just to make sure. And then i'd read again.
I used this very recent method from chainfire (salute and donate to the man if you like and can, he deserves it) to root my 4.0.4 international GT-I9300 S3:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1957273
Triangled away next and everything worked like a charm. This preserves everything as stock as possible just adding root to your phone.
- from what i can tell, as long as you don't do anything that messes with the bootloader, you can always recover from a procedure gone wrong. Just disconnect, remove battery, insert and try again. Rebooting the computer or changing usb ports usually helps too (on odin).
- after rooting successfully, the very first thing you should do is backup your /efs folder. This is easy, just pick up root explorer or some other file manager that allows exploring you root (/), go up in your folders until you get to / look for the efs folder and just copy it (NOT MOVE) elsewhere (sd card, external sd, your computer preferably, whatever, just have that safe). This will come in handy in case you lose your imei at some point. Just restore this folder's contents and you're good to go. If that happens and you don't have a backup, it's a f'ing pain you can do well without.
- anything else root related is just common sense. Since you have the potential to screw up your entire phone with root permissions (this is why you don't have them in the first place), if an app pops up asking for root permissions, be sure what it is before allowing. If you're not sure, you can always deny first and allow later in the superuser app.
- you can also look into backing up with nandroid. You can think of this as an image of your entire phone. With this you can restore your phone to the same state it was when you did it. Useful when something went wrong and your phone doesn't boot anymore or you just wanted to try new roms with the option of coming back to what you had before. Not sure how you do it on the S3 still, but it usually requires a modified recovery like CWM. The method to root above doesn't install one though, it preserves what you had. Check this instead if you're interested:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1695238
Cheers dude, i'm sure everything will go well for you too.
Chance of a brick about .0001 % rising to 100% for those that are to lazy to read follow instructions .
BASICS
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1927113
jje
Thankyou very much to everyone who has read and replied to this. 3 more minor questions. Is there a way to first update my phone to jellybean 4.1 via Odin or something like that? Or is this possible after root, because I don't want to stay on ics. Also what exactly happens if I update while rooted. Does it wipe or unroot my phone or the like? Also should my phone be in use debugging, and lastly what does it mean to unlock my bootloaders? That was more than 3 questions sorry thanks again
mysticgorilla said:
Thankyou very much to everyone who has read and replied to this. 3 more minor questions. Is there a way to first update my phone to jellybean 4.1 via Odin or something like that? Or is this possible after root, because I don't want to stay on ics. Also what exactly happens if I update while rooted. Does it wipe or unroot my phone or the like? Also should my phone be in use debugging, and lastly what does it mean to unlock my bootloaders? That was more than 3 questions sorry thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) You don't need to root to update to JB.
Just download any ROM you want from http://samsung-updates.com/device/?id=GT-I9300 (I recommend the UK unbranded ROM, BTU) then use Odin3 to flash it to your devices. Search the forums for specific instructions on this procedure. I'll just tell that it takes no more than 2-3 minutes.
2) If you're going to root, I suggest you do it beforehand, by flashing a kernel like Siyah (in ICS), and then proceed to flashing the stock JB ROM, HOWEVER, instead of using Odin3, you will use MobileOdion (available from Play Store), because that way you'll have a fully rooted and stock device.
3) Using step 2 above, it will not wipe not unroot your phone. It is safe and retains all your settings. That is the beauty of MobileOdin. There is a free version.
If you root and THEN install via Odin (PC), then you'll lose root, but not your settings.
In either case, you only wipe the device IF YOU WANT TO.
So, the best option is to:
a) Install SiyahKernel using Odin3 (PC)
b) Download the JB BTU ROM from http://samsung-updates.com/device/?id=GT-I9300
c) Extract the .md5 from the ZIP file and move it to the device's ext. sd card
d) Install MobileOdin in the device
e) Use MobileOdin to flash the .md5 you moved to it in step (c)
f) install TriangleAway (download from XDA) and run it to reset binary counter (which got incremented in step [a] )
Results: rooted, JB, stock, all settins retained, no binary counter increment
Simonetti2011 I have been searching the internet here in New Zealand and that has been the best answer I have found so far!
I do have a slight question thought. I live in New Zealand and have the GT-I9300T model of the GS3 and I'm wanting to install the international unbranded rom for that I can get updates faster (here in NZ it takes months and months to get updates)
I downloaded the International UK unbranded firmware 4.0.4 and was going to flash that rom onto my phone then upgrade to jelly bean via kies but have since relised I should just download the jellybean UK firmware straight away. Do you by any chance havea link to the firmware that I would need, I noticed there were a few different versions.
Also about the CSC, would I need to do any changes?
Many many thanks in advance, Sorry for hijacking this thread, just figured I was on the same pages as the OP
prawln said:
Simonetti2011 I have been searching the internet here in New Zealand and that has been the best answer I have found so far!
I do have a slight question thought. I live in New Zealand and have the GT-I9300T model of the GS3 and I'm wanting to install the international unbranded rom for that I can get updates faster (here in NZ it takes months and months to get updates)
I downloaded the International UK unbranded firmware 4.0.4 and was going to flash that rom onto my phone then upgrade to jelly bean via kies but have since relised I should just download the jellybean UK firmware straight away. Do you by any chance havea link to the firmware that I would need, I noticed there were a few different versions.
Also about the CSC, would I need to do any changes?
Many many thanks in advance, Sorry for hijacking this thread, just figured I was on the same pages as the OP
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!
The 9300T and the 9300 are NOT the same device, therefore they use different firmware (ROM). The ROMs for the 9300T are here: http://samsung-updates.com/device/?id=GT-I9300T
I don't think there is a 9300T ROM for the UK, since the model released there is the 9300 (non-T).
It seems that either Samsung-updates hasn't indexed any ROMs for your model or they haven't been released.
About CSC: just don't worry about it... download and flash any ROM you want for your specific model and don't worry. If you don't like it, just download and flash another one.
Thanks heaps for that!
I actually just tried the UK unbranded rom that was for the i9300 on my i9300T and suprisingly everything seems to work ok so far (phone calls, txting, 3g etc)
Thankyou to everyone!
Thank you for your responses to my post regarding rooting my s3. They were very helpful. i succesfully rooted via chainfire cf auto root for the I9300 model without problem. Just one last question, I have been searching around a bit and some people are saying that flashing the jellybean firmware via odin, is not a perfect copy.. i mean some say they have been experiencing very minor problems here and there. So, if i update to the uk firmware on jelly bean via odin or mobile odin, and i experience some problems, can i still get the official ota update or jellybean 4.1 via kies when it is released? Thanks again for your help. Im pretty new to this android stuff
After buying my phone from a person (not an authorized seller) I factory reset the phone and it showed up in Arabic language, however since I accidentally bricked it I wasn't able to take a good look at what it's stock firmware was, Is there anyway at all to find what stock firmware I should be using? since I can't access the Lockscreen or the shutdown/screenshot features of the phone, I'm using a Turkey country 4.1.2 firmware
Go to Samfirmware. You can use the pulldown boxes to choose OS/phone model/country/carrier & it will give you a list of stock roms released by that carrier. At the end of the day it doesn't matter what (or even if) stock firmware you run, though obviously it might be difficult to get OTA updates if you're not running one for your country.
Well that's easy but they said on the newbie thread that in practice it's okay but it's not since the modems are different, and I already searched for a stock firmware but the problem is that the lockscreen isn't responding or not functioning (regardless of what screen lock you would like be it pattern or pin). They also said that I should use my IMEI to match the stock firmware I'm supposed to use? but I don't know that method yet.
If you flash a stock rom for your carrier, you will get a modem that's presumed they tested thorougly enough so it works for most people most of the time with their network before they released the rom.
If you've got that lockscreen issue, that's a different problem, but try flashing a stock rom for your carrier (and do a wipe after) before you do anything else.
An IMEI search won't give you the info you're after. And as I said in my PP, it's not important, but to make sure of things you flash a rom for your carrier.
So, I cobbled together a (custom-recovery) flashable NC4 stock ROM.
I'm interested to find out whether it is possible to boot it successfully from later bootloader firmware - e.g. NK1, OB6, or OF1
(I'm still on NC4 bl and not planning on upgrading near term. It boots on NC4 bl but that's pretty obvious lol)
[size=+2]Q: Why would this be useful?
A: to provide a means for upgrading bootloader firmware without starting from scratch.[/size]
For instance, there are folks on OB6 firmware that would like to use a custom ROM that will only work on OF1 firmware. They can certainly start from scratch (backup and unload the entire device); an alternative would be to:
- Make a backup of an existing rooted ROM (that more than likely has a custom or modified boot image so is not bootable when the bootloader gets re-locked) using the currently-installed custom recovery (which will also be non-bootable under re-lock).
- Restore a (debloated) pure stock ROM w/ Samsung kernel. Root it with Towelroot (does not touch boot image)
- Flash replacement bootloader only in Odin. Locked bootloader = no custom recovery... but with a rooted stock ROM already in place with an unmodified stock kernel it can be immediately unlocked.
NC4 is easily rooted with Towelroot-v3 "on device". No need for PC drivers, online rooting tools with a separate PC, etc (e.g. as with Yemen rooting methods on OB6, OF1)
This approach in principle saves the need to backup everything up in the /sdcard - but you have to know in advance that the NC4 stock kernel and ROM can successfully be booted with later bootloaders.
So anyway, that's what I'm asking for help testing with - folks that are: (a) unlocked and (b) on NK1, OB6 or OF1 bootloader willing to try flashing a debloated NC4 Stock ROM using their existing custom recovery, and see if it boots, roots, and if root survives a single boot cycle.
Contact me via this thread or PM; I'll provide the flashable NC4 and the Towelroot .apk
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my n900v came with 5.0 Of1 but i rooted, unlocked BL. installed twrp and flashfired NC4 tar minus recovery
runs smooth.I hate lollipop.lol
only bug is wifi password resets everytime i reboot
im curious as to why i have trouble running certain nc2/nc4 roms..some want to bootloop/freeze
baja,biggins,and objective rom
kernel issue maybe? or BL version
btw. i am rooted via towelroot v3
hotrod85z said:
my n900v came with 5.0 Of1 but i rooted, unlocked BL. installed twrp and flashfired NC4 tar minus recovery
runs smooth.I hate lollipop.lol
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Thank you for posting that, very useful/helpful information to know.
Does Flashfire understand the Samsung "sparse" image format of the system.img.ext4 file inside the Stock (Odin) .md5 tarfile blob? Or maybe somebody else packaged up a "flashable .zip" of NC4?
hotrod85z said:
only bug is wifi password resets everytime i reboot
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in /system/build.prop, set ro.securestorage.support=false and reboot. You might also want to set ro.config.tima=0 as well.
I suspect that mixing and matching Samsung kernels with bootloader versions breaks something in the TrustZone, and so secure containers and other sort-of-obscure security functions no longer work as the TZ smells something fishy. I am using a rooted PL1 rom on NC4 bl and it would spontaneously reboot (infrequently) until I made the above changes - it's been rock stable for about 4 days now. Why this works I can't really say - it's a "generation skipping" bootloader and stock rom combination - N* bootloader and P* ROM *
hotrod85z said:
im curious as to why i have trouble running certain nc2/nc4 roms..some want to bootloop/freeze
baja,biggins,and objective rom
kernel issue maybe? or BL version
btw. i am rooted via towelroot v3
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Click to collapse
all of the above or none of the above LOL
There are definitely some mysteries here, and I don't claim to fully understand the interdependence of the TZ (== bootloader firmware), the TIMA and RTKP stuff in the kernel, and the cross-communication between kernel and TZ via the qseecom service daemon (which is in the ROM in /system/bin) much less how the APIs of all these interfaces might have changed between major releases.
You could check those two build.prop settings in those ROMs for starters though. I suspect that if the TZ smells something fishy (e.g. a kernel TIMA to TZ info mismatch), a variety of secure credential services in the TZ stop working. It is possible that "ro.securestorage.support" is a toggle that attempts to use TZ services when it is set to "true", and so anything in the ROM which builds on it breaks because the TZ is refusing to play on an otherwise "stock" ROM variant.
FWIW I got the AryaMod (S7Edge MM port) + phantom kernel running on NC4 bl + OF1 modem for a full 24 hours after I disabled the qseecom service daemon. It ran long enough that I had customized the whole thing as a daily driver with all my apps, verified that all sensors & radios worked, made test calls, etc. Rebooted it and the kernel started getting reset by a "Modem Reset". Even weirder was that despite the use of the OF1 "modem" firmware, the kernel was reporting a bunch of RIL "unknown ioctl's". Strikes me as odd that the whole thing could run that long with so many different things happening, and then the "modem" is unhappy - even though other folks are using the ROM with OF1 bl + OF1 radio/modem firmware. (As if the "modem" isn't really the source of the problem, even though that's what initiates the device reset).
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i initially tried flashing NC4 full tar via ODIN. but even bl unlocked. i got FAIL. flashfire worked!
very curious as to whether a custom n900v kernel would boot my 4.4.2 custom roms..its either that or the BL isnt compatible with non-touchwiz roms....
most of the kernel/modem/firmware links on here are 404 error dead links.. would be nice to see an up to date sticky. ill flash anything as long as i dont end up in JTAG mode with a brick.lol
ive played with verizon s5 atnt s2,galaxy capitivate,atrix 4g and many other phones
the s2 is still by far the fastest Smoothest phone on cm7..the newer the phones..the newer the OS..the bigger the resourse hogs"ram" im a minimalist...
even after flashing NC4 official full tar..im still showing OF1 baseband under settings
@hotrod85z
FWIW I posted a bunch of recovery-flashable stock ROMs here.
There is also a link in that thread to a complete set of (Odin flashable) modems for NC4, NJ6, NK1, OB6, OF1, and PL1 if that is of interest to you.
Maybe I wasn't paying attention, but I could swear that on at least one occasion or two when I performed an Odin modem flash, it didn't "stick", despite no complaints on the handset screen or in Odin - the next boot showed the (prior) baseband version, not what I flashed. Its a bit of a mystery to me; but for now I've resolved to make sure that after the Odin session is complete, I wait 30 seconds or so, then remove the USB cable, and then pull the battery rather than try to restart the device by holding buttons down. It is possible that those events occurred when I soft-restarted the phone, but I'm not sure. For now I'm just trying to always flash and restart with exactly the same method to avoid different behaviors from creeping in.
PS I have no idea if those ROM flashables are compatible with Flashfire. They might be, but I've never tested it, and as they are not pre-rooted I'm not going to suggest it for fear that somebody with a rooted but locked (bootloader) phone will try using flashfire and then end up with a phone that needs a full Odin re-install. Appearances are that each version of the bootloader restricts the Samsung signing verification to only the matching kernel version - you can't even boot a Signed samsung kernel on a locked phone if it is a different version than the bootloader's version.
Hello all I have a emmc exploit note 3 I'm using here and I wanted to flash different radios for the us carrier note 3's and I first tried to use flash fire to try to update the modem, but even that didn't stick, cause I don't readily have a pc available, I wasn't ballsy enough to flash a different carrier modem, since I checked the odin screen and saw that instead of a bootloader unlock, its in developer mode and I didn't want a brick, so overall my question is, do I need a unlocked bootloader to flash different modems and do I need odin tovdo it or will some sort of mobile odin or something do it? Thanks mates and happy flashing.
Dlind said:
Hello all I have a emmc exploit note 3 I'm using here and I wanted to flash different radios for the us carrier note 3's and I first tried to use flash fire to try to update the modem, but even that didn't stick, cause I don't readily have a pc available, I wasn't ballsy enough to flash a different carrier modem, since I checked the odin screen and saw that instead of a bootloader unlock, its in developer mode and I didn't want a brick, so overall my question is, do I need a unlocked bootloader to flash different modems and do I need odin tovdo it or will some sort of mobile odin or something do it? Thanks mates and happy flashing.
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Well, your question is way off topic for this thread.
But since nobody is in here anyways, I guess I'll answer the parts that I am able to.
The modems that I posted over in that other thread were meant to be flashed in Odin using a PC. You can use either the AP slot or CP slot. Note that the very first post says - in big bold blue letters "Odin-flashable Modems".
Not flashfire. It never said anything about flashfire.
Is there such a thing as MobileOdin? If there is, I know nothing about it and certainly have never tested anything with it. So I don't know and am not going to speculate.
You said something confusing here:
Dlind said:
I checked the odin screen and saw that instead of a bootloader unlock, its in developer mode
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If it says "MODE: Developer" you have an unlocked bootloader. Which is exactly the same thing as a Developer Edition phone.
If you were to use a PC with Odin and you flashed a FULL Stock firmware flash, yes it would overwrite the unlocked bootloader and indeed re-lock the phone. If you were able to re-root that (stock) ROM, you could perform the unlocking procedure again to unlock it.
On the other hand, those Odin-flashable modem packages do not contain the bootloader firmware, so if you were to use Odin on a PC to flash just those modem images, your bootloader would not get re-locked - the unlocked bootloader is still there, untouched.
When the carriers issue an OTA update, many times (perhaps most of the time) they contain a modem update (NON-HLOS.bin and modem.bin). So it is obvious that they are able to be flashed **somehow** right on the phone, without using Odin from the PC or an "Odin app" at all.
BUT that happens using a combination of the STOCK recovery and the bootloader itself during the reboot following the actions taken by the STOCK recovery. (My guess is that the recovery simply "stages" it into place, and sets some flags so that the bootloader knows that it is supposed to evaluate the crypto signatures of the file blobs that the recovery put into place and it is actually the bootloader that does the flashing. That's really not a whole lot different than what happens when you transfer files from Odin to the phone - the "Odin/Download" mode is just one of the personalities of the bootloader. (Odin is actually a rather dumb program - it's the bootloader on the phone that gets to decide whether a flash happens. It does that by carefully examining the file blob that gets transferred, e.g. crypto signature checks)
My guess is that you would be able to flash STOCK modem packages from Odin (using a PC) independent of whether the bootloader is locked or unlocked. But as I said: "guess".
I don't have a second phone to test with, so I would have to flash completely back to stock and lock my bootloader to be able to test that hypothesis. That's a big jobs because of all the crap I have to backup and restore to my phone.
Frankly, if you don't have access to a PC, and you really need your device to keep working, I would advise you to stop screwing around with it, simply because you don't have good tools available to fix it if a disaster occurs.
PS. I've never once noticed anything different between various radio firmwares on ANY device I've ever owned.
bftb0 said:
Well, your question is way off topic for this thread.
But since nobody is in here anyways, I guess I'll answer the parts that I am able to.
The modems that I posted over in that other thread were meant to be flashed in Odin using a PC. You can use either the AP slot or CP slot. Note that the very first post says - in big bold blue letters "Odin-flashable Modems".
Not flashfire. It never said anything about flashfire.
Is there such a thing as MobileOdin? If there is, I know nothing about it and certainly have never tested anything with it. So I don't know and am not going to speculate.
You said something confusing here:
If it says "MODE: Developer" you have an unlocked bootloader. Which is exactly the same thing as a Developer Edition phone.
If you were to use a PC with Odin and you flashed a FULL Stock firmware flash, yes it would overwrite the unlocked bootloader and indeed re-lock the phone. If you were able to re-root that (stock) ROM, you could perform the unlocking procedure again to unlock it.
On the other hand, those Odin-flashable modem packages do not contain the bootloader firmware, so if you were to use Odin on a PC to flash just those modem images, your bootloader would not get re-locked - the unlocked bootloader is still there, untouched.
When the carriers issue an OTA update, many times (perhaps most of the time) they contain a modem update (NON-HLOS.bin and modem.bin). So it is obvious that they are able to be flashed **somehow** right on the phone, without using Odin from the PC or an "Odin app" at all.
BUT that happens using a combination of the STOCK recovery and the bootloader itself during the reboot following the actions taken by the STOCK recovery. (My guess is that the recovery simply "stages" it into place, and sets some flags so that the bootloader knows that it is supposed to evaluate the crypto signatures of the file blobs that the recovery put into place and it is actually the bootloader that does the flashing. That's really not a whole lot different than what happens when you transfer files from Odin to the phone - the "Odin/Download" mode is just one of the personalities of the bootloader. (Odin is actually a rather dumb program - it's the bootloader on the phone that gets to decide whether a flash happens. It does that by carefully examining the file blob that gets transferred, e.g. crypto signature checks)
My guess is that you would be able to flash STOCK modem packages from Odin (using a PC) independent of whether the bootloader is locked or unlocked. But as I said: "guess".
I don't have a second phone to test with, so I would have to flash completely back to stock and lock my bootloader to be able to test that hypothesis. That's a big jobs because of all the crap I have to backup and restore to my phone.
Frankly, if you don't have access to a PC, and you really need your device to keep working, I would advise you to stop screwing around with it, simply because you don't have good tools available to fix it if a disaster occurs.
PS. I've never once noticed anything different between various radio firmwares on ANY device I've ever owned.
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Thanks SOOOOOO MUCH for your input I kinda had a feeling that the idea was risky at first and I don't know a whole lot about odin and I wish Samsung could have created something much easier to use, but thanks for answering the wayyyyy off topic question, I'm gonna smash that thanks button, I'm also going to take the advise on not cross flashing different modems, its just to risky. You answered all my questions so thanks, Also I want to say thank you for your continued work on this phone is by normal terms "old" now but in reality its still an amazing phone with the right custom software, and happy flashing!