On my T-Mobile SM-G965U, I am still on the original firmware versions (ARBG). Obviously I have been receiving OTA update notices, but I can't be arsed to care about it enough to even find the semi-daily notifications to be annoying. That said, is there any pragmatic value to staying on the original firmware in the vain hope for some sort of root method popping up, so no matter what firmware version any sort of exploit is found on, I can upgrade to it as needed and not have to worry about locking myself out of downgrading? To put it another way, is the general feeling cynical enough that this consideration doesn't really matter?
On the other hand, are there reasons any of you find compelling enough to have upgraded your own firmware, either OTA or by cherry-picking a specific version to flash directly? If so, are the reasons anything other than general security/bug-fixes? There are some things bug-wise about the operation of the phone I don't like but, again, not enough to really care. Got too much on my plate. ?
Hi there. There aren't really any major reasons to upgrade the firmware, other than to get rid of the annoying notification. Nothing changed when I updated my galaxy s9+'s to the latest updates, but they won't hurt as our phones aren't root-able anyways. And never will be. If you do decide to update it, just do it over the air. Don't try to flash it yourself. I went through the process of unlocking an s9+ and when he flashed the factory firmware, it seemed a bit more complicated then what I remember odin being.
OTA updates won't hurt, but flashing yourself just may very well. As their is about no reason to be flashing a t-mobile s9 with odin anyways, unless to unlock from carrier. If your unlocking the carrier, the OTA updates don't affect that ability to do so.
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So many of us have been accepted into the pre-release update program for the Atrix. I noticed that version software is higher than the current SBFs that are out, my question is if I update and loose root would I be able to flash back to the current SBFs with no issue, I ask this because coming from an iPhone, Apple does not allow you to downgrade software once you have updated without knowing your shsh hashes. I'd hate to update and not be able to re-root if root does not indeed work with the update.
I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on this bad boy.
Now I know the gingerbread + bootloader unlockable upgrade is just around the corner.
If I root now, will that nerf the ability to go OTA?
I just want to stick to stock/OTA until the upcoming upgrade as a baseline, then I'm home free lol
I'm not a rookie at flashing/custom ROM (cyanogen on N1, overcome on SG tab) but I am a bit cautious/lazy, would seem like a safe option to start with gingerbread and stock unlockable bootloader as starting point.
TBH I've only ever dealt with stock unlockable bootloaders.
If you just root, I think you should still be able to receive the update.
If, however, you root AND mod... then no. Even removing bloatware may shoot your chance (try freezing instead, so you can restore).
The reason is that hte Moto update will check certain system files (not sure which) before update - after reboot, just before installing the update . If it finds anything amiss with what it is checking, it will cancel the update.
So if yuo have waited that long for rooting, might as well wait a bit longer. In any case, if the past is any indicatino, the 2.3.3 (or 2.3.4) update may remove root and/or plug the security holes that allow root.
yep my thoughts exactly. I'll probably hold off entirely and live with the nerfing so I can get a nice clean OTA gingerbread base
I'll post the link to the article below. This is good news if you happen to be in one of the markets that gets this faster LTE. What I am wondering is, in the article it says VZ will roll out updates to AWS capable devices to allow them to take advantage of the spectrum... If we rooted our Note 3, will we miss out?
http://m.androidcentral.com/verizon-deploying-lte-aws-spectrum-major-markets
I would think it would only be a modem update but I could be wrong, but if it is just a modem then that could be flashed in Odin hopefully. Or maybe designgears puzzle pieces will work and it won't even matter.
This is more or less a radio update rather than a software update, so don't mistake this as an OTA or something like that. But, none the less, I would not be so much concerned with it as not being offered to those of us with Root as it will be offered Device/carrier wide Root or No Root. The concern is will it cause us to lose Root. In the past the common protocol was use Voodoo OTA hide Root then take Update and Restore Root after the update, which Android 4.3 really damaged Voodoo. However, SuperSU Pro, which for those of us that have Root already have SuperSU, there is an Upgrade to the Pro version which allows the ability to burry SuperUser into the System much the way that Voodoo did in the past.
As for me, I'm going to hold back on this update and let the others go first, since there is no Recovery as of yet, no rush for me at this point. :good:
If we get bootloader bypass or safestrap, then no worries. Otherwise, you'll have to give up root under the current method in order to take any updates. I bet safestrap is just a few days away.
It should be a modem update to turn it on if it has bootloader files though I don't think we will be able to tear it apart to flash via odin. Because it will.no longer be signed? If the "puzzle pieces" fit then we will be able to flash through recovery though....If I'm wrong please correct me
Sent from my SM-N900V using xda app-developers app
Maybe we don't need an update and AWS works right out of the box? I don't know. Can't get near Bryant Park to test it out.
Hey guys, I've currently got some wifi issues that I believe are firmware related, I've currently got 17.1.1.A.0.402 but would like to revert back to 17.1.A.2.36 ideally without having to factory reset my phone, I'm also not sure it would go back to 17.1.A.2.36 even if I reset it, I didn't note what firmware it had before I upgraded the firmware so it might take it back to an even earlier version ideally I just want to step back one firmware update but I'm not sure if this is possible? I noticed there's an option on PC companion to reinstall all the updates again although I don't know if you can choose which updates to install or whether it'd just install all the updates so far including 17.1.1.A.0.402 which would be no good. It also said I would lose all my phone data which is not ideal. I was considering rooting my phone and getting an older firmware installed then but tbh I don't really have a lot of knowledge on the subject and I'm not sure if that's even possible. If anyone could help help me out that would be great, even if it's to conform that factory resetting is the only option as ideally I don't want to lose all my data
If you're simply looking to root the device at the .402 firmware, then have a look at this thread. I personally did the same steps on my international D6503, and now have root access, my own TA backup file, PhilZ + TWRP recovery modes, and a locked bootloader. Originally my intent was to downgrade firmwares and us a root exploit that way, however, the 'EasyRoot' method has saved a lot of trouble and my firmware version has not needed to change at all.
That said, if you're still adamant about rolling back firmwares, I'd suggest that you have a look here. Norti has posted a fairly comprehensive set of instructions, as well as a list of firmwares for different versions of the Z2. Although I haven't rolled it back, I have heard that using flashtool to jump to different official firmware versions will not wipe data if you choose to not select WIPE USERDATA, since they're performed in a way that is similar to OTA updates (might need confirmation on this one). Some of the posters in that thread have claimed that as long as your device matches the firmware, loading up a different region's firmware shouldn't have any detrimental affects (i.e. an international phone using Taiwanese/German versions), but that's another piece of information I can't confirm since I haven't tried it.
TL;DR you don't have to change firmware to root, but you can if you really want to. Neither method should touch your SD card, and flashtool should be able to choose what should or should not be wiped.
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First of all thanks for the informative response! I tried resetting my phone anyway and it already had 402 installed at stock so unfortunately I can't do it that way, I think I'll try rooting my phone now as I've wanted to do it for a while and I might as well now seeing as I basically have a fresh phone with nothing installed on it. I think I'll follow this guide since I already have an unlocked bootloader: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53220418&postcount=2 However I was wondering when I can flash the older firmware, would it be during of after I've rooted my phone?
Hey everyone. I decided I would unlock my bootloader and trip Knox about two days before towelroot came out. Yay.
I've since gotten the OPO, so I wasn't that concerned. I wanted to give the phone to my mom who lives in another state, so I Odin'ed back to what I believe is the most current OEM firmware available (NK2) because I want my mom to be able to get updates OTA and not have to worry about troubleshooting her phone as much as if it were a custom ROM, or a phone with root.
Unfortunately, checking for a system update says the system is modified (ROM is all stock though) and device status is custom. I also discovered while testing the phone (it had been sitting in a drawer for months) that the microphone isn't working very well. I tried different sims, calling different people on different networks, I'm sure it's hardware problem. Is there any way to re-enable the OTAs? I'd like to get this hardware problem warrantied. The knox tripping didn't destroy the mic, so please no judgement here. I'm also not comfortable in removing the glass to replace the mic. If the mic could be replaced without that step, I would simply do that.
Thank you.
rockingondrums said:
Hey everyone. I decided I would unlock my bootloader and trip Knox about two days before towelroot came out. Yay.
I've since gotten the OPO, so I wasn't that concerned. I wanted to give the phone to my mom who lives in another state, so I Odin'ed back to what I believe is the most current OEM firmware available (NK2) because I want my mom to be able to get updates OTA and not have to worry about troubleshooting her phone as much as if it were a custom ROM, or a phone with root.
Unfortunately, checking for a system update says the system is modified (ROM is all stock though) and device status is custom. I also discovered while testing the phone (it had been sitting in a drawer for months) that the microphone isn't working very well. I tried different sims, calling different people on different networks, I'm sure it's hardware problem. Is there any way to re-enable the OTAs? I'd like to get this hardware problem warrantied. The knox tripping didn't destroy the mic, so please no judgement here. I'm also not comfortable in removing the glass to replace the mic. If the mic could be replaced without that step, I would simply do that.
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm. Last time I Odined back to stock, using the tar file of the firmware version that came before NK2, my device was totally fine to receive OTA, despite Knox being tripped. Try removing root first, then Odin stock NK2, then factory reset.
Hm, so I now need to install SuperSU in order to use the un rooting function? I would've thought a full stock image file would've eliminated root...
EDIT - Simple Root checker says SuperSU is not installed BUT terminal app "does Rooted".
Installed SuperSU, but binary is not installed, so it doesn't run. WTH? What happened to the good old days of just flashing stock images and not worrying about it anymore?
SOLVED
I looked at the slightly outdated stock collection thread, flashed the NG4 stock image, then was able to take the OTA update to NK2. Went ahead and told T-Mobile the whole problem and they really only seemed to care if there was physical damage or water damage (which there is not).
Just leaving this here for future searches. How do I get this thread closed?