Got my phone (AT&T Captivate, firmware 2.1-update1 version JH7, kernel 2.6.29, build eclair.UCJH7) on december 28 from a AT&T store (it even came with a pic taken december 20 ) and I've already been able to boot into download mode (power off, hold volume keys then plug usb) and into that menu used to install packages (power off, hold volume keys then power on). Guess my hardware and firmware are ok, so I may be able to recover my phone by myself in case things go south.
I've been doing my homework lately (been reading stickys, tutorials and faqs for 10 days) but I'm still confused about some procedures. I'm not going to list everything I've read here, but I would like someone to correct me if I've learnt wrong. I don't really need the easiest methods, I want to understand the options available and to choose the best ones (aka the hardest path).
First of all, it seems I need to root my phone in order to be able to create backups, carrier-unlock it and flash custom roms. But it doesn't make much sense to me, since rooting it seem to be enough to prevent it from receiving FOTA updates - and I want to make the most comprehensive backup possible, in such a way I could restore my phone to 'factory condition' if needed.
Second, I realize there are many ways, programs and guides to root the phone - the most famous ones, One-Click root/unroot and z4root, seem to be listed in the wiki (http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/index.php?title=Samsung_Galaxy_S/SGH-I897), but there is also CLShortFuse's One-Click Root and Allow Non-Market Apps, which sounds interesting but I don't know if it is undo-able. So there are different ways to root the phone, but there is little to none information on what's the difference between these methods, which is 'better' and what difference does it make if I root it permanently or by some reversible method. Does it affect performance? How each of them work? I have no clue.
The mess gets even greater when it comes to creating backups. People mention different programs to make these backups (clockwork recovery, titanium backup) but I don't understand if they back up different parts of the phone. Some even seem to change the bootloader of the phone - shouldn't it be backed up prior to any modification? Do I flash these backups using Odin? Which programs should I use to have a full backup? Is there anything left I should back up manually?
I'll quit talking for now because I've already written a lot and I still have many questions; if I write all of them at once, no one will ever have the patience to read them.
Erk, a long post deserves a long answer
So first off, il tell you about recovering your phone. Since you just got it, you can go back to the store and play dumb to get a new one in case anything goes wrong. You can also use the 3 button combos to get into download mode and use odins back to stock to get back to your original 2.1 eclair firmware . To do that you would need to get into download mode. Now there are a couple ways to do this, and i can only explain two since ive actually used two. (Well 3 actually, but il get to the third after these 2)
The first method is using the 3 button combo which you should already know. The second method is using adb commands such as (adb shell, adb reboot download, adb reboot recovery, adb devices). The third way is building a jig. Thats basically connecting 301k 1/4 watt worth of resistors together and placing them on pin 4 and 5 on your micro usb slot. You can read more about that on the tutorial on how to build a jig for your phone.
To restore to your factory setting, odin's one click back to stock thing should do the job. It simple installs the stock 2.1 eclair all over again (without the root).
To root your phone, any method from the wiki should work. None of them are really "better" :S, they all do the same job and give you super user permissions. None of them root your permanently since you can always go back to stock using Odin's... It does not really affect performance, not to any extent i have noticed :S, and unfortunately, i dont really know how it works.
As for creating backups, Titanium Backup is the best solution. Whether you have the few extra bucks to spend for the premium one or simply want to use the free one, its one of the best tools out there. I personally use it and its one of the best. It backs up all the data (except for my text messages). It creates a folder on your internal memory which you can just copy to your desktop. When the time comes that you need to restore your backup, just copy the folder back into your internal memory, load up titanium backup. Restore it and voila .
I think ive answered everything, if ive missed anything, let me know
Edit : Forgot to mention this . If your truly interested in customization. Custom roms are the best there is a howto in the themes and apps section on how to install it. It comes pre-rooted (if that is the word to use :S) and theyre much better than the stock firmware. Im currently using serendipity v3.0 (flashed it yesterday)
supaphreek, guess I'll have to thank you twice: once for reading my enormous post, and again for you supacompleteanswer.
I'm being paranoid with recovery because I actually bought the phone in the US then came back to my country (Brazil), so I'm a few thousand miles away from the simple lets-return-this-thing solution.
From everything I've read, I believe the most instructive were the wiki at http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/index.php?title=Samsung_Galaxy_S/SGH-I897 , the FAQ at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=858765 , the PDF guide from user nbs11 at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=761819 and the wiki at http://www.capfaq.com/w/FAQ. These contain most of the info a newbie user would ever need and I'd definitely recommend them to any newbie user who happen to be reading this. And for everyone afraid of bricking, it's a tremendous relief to know pretty much any mess you do can be reverted using download mode and Odin, so the first thing to test is if you can get into download mode using one of the ways described by our buddy supaphreek.
On the rooting matter, I found no discussion at all about which is better, so they should be pretty similar (though I have no idea which is the oldest version, I'd assume the recent ones might be a little improved). There is some discussion on what's the better lagfix and many of the cooked ROMs already come with some lagfix installed, but this is another story...
Once I get my phone rooted, it seems to be trivial to carrier-unlock it. There's even an app on android market for this, so I won't even need sideloading. Since all this procedure does is just give me a number, there's hardly any difference among all the unlocking procedures out there.
For the backup, I'll still do it using both titanium and clockwork, as suggested by nbs11 on the pdf I've linked on this post. Better safe than sorry, right?
And yes, I'm truly interested in customization and I'll go deep down that path, I'm just packing up my head with some knowledge to avoid being desperate if things eventually go fubar.
As a last question, is there somewhere I can get 1-click Odin with my exact firmware version? (2.1-update1, I897UCJH7, Kernel 2.6.29 [email protected] #2, build eclair.ucjh7) And how important is it to get the exact same firmware?
As I've done my research, I found 1-click odin with JF6 here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=731989
I've also found the 'standalone' I897UCJH7 on this topic (where this guy even flashed succesfully his phone using old JH2 firmware without problems, so finding the exact firmware version might not be the greatest issue): http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=10056254&postcount=36 but this process is a bit more complicated and uses regular Odin and clockwork recovery. Nonetheless, from what I've understood, I can still use any old version of odin to flash JF6 then use my own clockwork backup, right?
Hmm, unfortunately, im not sure if there is a specific Odin for that firmware :S. However what you can do is use one that reverts you to any stock version, and then flash the version you want through clockwork mod
I'll do that. Thanks again!
Also if you one click to stock, you can OTA update to the most recent firnware. I suggest titanium premium if you are going to flash a lot of custom roms, it is a lot faster to restore and also syncs with dropbox
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Be careful trying to flash with odin. Some newer builds get instabrick flashing back to jf6 and must go with jh2 or newer.
So, you may want to invest a few bucks in a jig setup before blindly using odin.
Thanks for the tip, sixstringsg.
Newter55, as my phone is brand new I believe I may have one of these insta-brickable devices. If I happen to try flashing it with a recent rom, does it get recoverably bricked (fixed by flashing an older rom), or I'm left with a $500 paperweight?
You just need to use the correct firmware version of odin if you manage to get in trouble. Many people flash rom over rom, including myself, but it is highly likely that at some point you will need odin if you are flashing roms so it is best to ensure that you have that set up first. Look for the odin thread by c3popl (sp?) in development forum and you should find what you need. Read through that and look for others with your base firmware. Or look through q&a at the "help I bricked" threads . On my phone and posting links is a pita or I would make it easy for you.
If your phone came with JH7, follow this guide:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=10056254&postcount=36
If you use one of the Odin one-clicks and brick your phone, you'll need a USB jig to recover.
You guys are awesome. Thank you newter55 and GGXtreme for this info! I hope I'll never need it, but I'll buy a cable and make a jig.
The news: I've rooted my phone using One Click Root / Unroot by TGA_Gunnman (for the record: it worked with my JH7 Captivate bought in 28 dec). Once I booted windows, installed dotnet framework 4 and the samsung drivers (easy too, but a pita), rooting was easy and failproof. However, someone using linux might find it easier to just download 1-click root, find the root.zip file in there, rename it as update.zip, put the zip in the internal sdcard, boot the phone holding the volume buttons and then 'install packages'. This way there will be no need to fight Wine nor install anything nor look for a windows computer with admin privileges.
Also unlocked my phone using SGS Unlock Tool, available in the Android Market. The unrooted option won't work, but once rooted it worked like a champ. Next step: I'll do the backups, and then... start messing up my new toy!
Hi there, im new to this forum and Im kind of a novice to flashing and rooting.
Firstly, my device is a Samsung Galaxy Tab Sprint version.
Secondly, when I bought this tab, I got fed up of the stock software so I decided to flash the rom. I researched allot on how to do this. Then I came across a custom rom called Modaco and flashed my galaxy tab using Clockwork Recovery.
Thirdly, I started to experience a particular problem - the AutoRotation broke. Whenever I rotated my tab portrait in a way that the homescreen, back buttons etc are in the normal position, the screen itself will be upside down making it difficult for me use the tablet conveniently.
Next, I started to develop another problem, i wasn't able to boot into recovery mode so i came accross another method to remove the modaco custom rom to install the stock rom. I used ODIN and download mode. This worked but the whole autorotation situation still persisted. I downloaded a file that would attemp fixing the autorotation problem but didnt work so I tried booting into recovery mode using ADB recovery and Clockwork Recovery but whenever it attempts to get there, it then shows me the samsung logo and remains frozen.
Lastly, I have come to a conclusion that I dont want to be using custom roms and I think it has to do with the Kernal. I want my tablet to be as I just bought it, untouched, not flashed etc.
If anyone can provide me with a solution, then I will be extremely greatful. Thanks
Seriously move this to the QUESTION THREADS. You will get more help there.
Check this thread out: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1009926
thanks, i will
been here
TCstr8 said:
Check this thread out: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1009926
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey I've been here already but that SW Update doesnt work. It tells me "Cannot open Binary file" can you tell me why?
See post #34 in that thread posted by cdguider.
download the : New File With Odin, Sprint_P100_Samsung_GALAXY_Tab_USB_Drivers, Installation Instructions
read and follow the .txt file that is included step by step and it will work....
I used it but the first time I was in a hurry and did not read the install txt, didn't work. I opened the imstructions and went step by step the next time and it worked no problems..
hope it works out for you.
This also seems to be fairly unique. I'm really not sure what caused it. I'll try to describe it as best I can, this has been going on all day, and between leaving for work and other stuff, I might remember this wrong.
I booted into recovery to install the latest build of Overcome, and it began to give me errors along the lines of "cannot mount E:, cannot mount SD card", crazy stuff like that. Can't wipe, can't restore backup, can't flash anything, I'm stuck.
I then attempted to do various things, including restarting, which just led me to the samsung logo. I go about searching google, decide I'm soft bricked, and follow the instructions word for word in the how to unbrick your tab thread. I download the Version 2.3.3 from Samfirmware.com, just as the guide says. I flash it.
Screen goes black. Heres the fun part, though, I can still restart the device, still boot it into recovery/download, but I can see nothing. The question I have for you guys is...now what? I'm somewhat scared to try anything else, I looked at this thread, but Odin says com4 rather than com7, and I'm not really willing to risk doing something even more wrong, just in case.
Brilliant ideas, anyone?
It doesn't matter what com# it is (it was once 5 then 23 then 8 for me lol). Look Download the stock safe v5 from the overcome website, then read the installation guide, then read it AGAIN, once you're confident enough go ahead and RESTOCK using the stock safe v5 that will give you a pure STOCK gingerbread ROM. From there you can choose to continue flashing the overcome kernel followed by the overcome ROM.
NB just make sure your tab has enough charge for that.
I hope it helps
it worked. THANK YOU<3
This is becoming a beginners guide for people like me...
Hello all and thanks in advance for any help you guys can lend me.
So what i have is an hp touchpad 16GB. it has ICS on it with dual boot webos
I want to put CM10 Schizoid tenderloin on it. (i have the files downloaded.)
Currently it doesn't have Clockwork recovery it has Teamwin recovery (TWRP)
I would prefer if it had clockwork, as i have not seen anything about TWRP on here.
So i would assume the best thing to do is factory wipe it back to just WEBOS but i have no idea how.
and then i could follow a tutorial from there (starting from scratch)
If there is an easier way that's good too, i would like to switch to Clockwork though... (unless you all insist it doesn't matter)
Please help me, this is a very different world than i am used to.
my experience with this type of stuff: I have rooted and flashed roms to my galaxy s3. I also have done plenty of apple jailbreaks too but that's super easy stuff compared to this.
all help is greatly appreciated!
UPDATE:
Well after tons of reading i found a couple ways to do this.
1. Follow this thread: THREAD LINK and get it 100% back to original even if having serious problems. (took me about 20 pages to realize this was too extensive for my needs)
2. Run the ACMEuninstaller, (i couldn't find a detailed thread on this but found a revkyle vid for it.) Get webos doctor 3.0 and open the Jar file (a java executable, install java if you don't already have, I didn't) add the acmeuninstaller file to the palm, inc folder. follow revkyles intructions in the video (link will go here, no time)
I read somewhere to run cyboot to get rid of moboot and something about preware... didn't have to do all that, uninstaller got it all off. (i think, correct me if i am wrong)
After you are all done wiping android off the HPTP, you can start from scratch.
I watched revkyle's idiots guide 2.0 video and it was pretty good. followed it exactly but sure enough encountered problems.
i am now running shizoid [ROM] [CM10] SCHIZOID all-in-one (CM10+AOKP M1+PA 2.55)[06MAR13 v1.20]
I'll update later. I don't really need anyone's help now, thanks anyways...
I have a Galaxy Tab s2 (810) and am currently running 5.1.1 (optimalROM R1-1 DEODEX) and I'm stumped.
I've been flashing ROMs on Androids for years. Always the process is:
Root the device
Install new boot loader (Currently TWRP)
Download the zip file for the ROM and GAPPS onto my Mac.
Copy the files to the external SD
Reboot Galaxy into TWRP
Factory reset
Flash new ROM and GAPPS
Reboot.
Subsequent flashings don't require the first two steps.
I want to try MM so I looked on the forum, and downloaded one of the CyanogenMod 13 betas. After flashing, I got caught in a boot loop, so I restored my backup. Then I read the flashing instructions more carefully, and learned that I must revert to the "Factory" version of MM before I can flash CM 13.
Here are my questions:
Won't that put me back at square 1? have to re-root and install TWRP again?
Where can I get the correct version of the "Factory" rom? The download sites I've found are all kind of sleazy looking pay-for-download sites.
Is there even a version available in English? All of the options seem to be European or far-east countries.
It looks like a utility called ODIN is required, but it appears to be a Windows executable. What do I do on the Mac?
WHY is all this nonsense necessary in the first place? I've never encountered anything like it in literally hundreds of download/flash experiences. I did have to repartition the memory on my Xoom, but there was a separate utility to do that.
Thanks for the help
Walt
walts said:
I have a Galaxy Tab s2 (810) and am currently running 5.1.1 (optimalROM R1-1 DEODEX) and I'm stumped.
I've been flashing ROMs on Androids for years. Always the process is:
Root the device
Install new boot loader (Currently TWRP)
Download the zip file for the ROM and GAPPS onto my Mac.
Copy the files to the external SD
Reboot Galaxy into TWRP
Factory reset
Flash new ROM and GAPPS
Reboot.
Subsequent flashings don't require the first two steps.
I want to try MM so I looked on the forum, and downloaded one of the CyanogenMod 13 betas. After flashing, I got caught in a boot loop, so I restored my backup. Then I read the flashing instructions more carefully, and learned that I must revert to the "Factory" version of MM before I can flash CM 13.
Here are my questions:
Won't that put me back at square 1? have to re-root and install TWRP again?
Where can I get the correct version of the "Factory" rom? The download sites I've found are all kind of sleazy looking pay-for-download sites.
Is there even a version available in English? All of the options seem to be European or far-east countries.
It looks like a utility called ODIN is required, but it appears to be a Windows executable. What do I do on the Mac?
WHY is all this nonsense necessary in the first place? I've never encountered anything like it in literally hundreds of download/flash experiences. I did have to repartition the memory on my Xoom, but there was a separate utility to do that.
Thanks for the help
Walt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i can answer a few of your questions:
you can try this http://techbeasts.com/download-odin-jdoin3-mac/ odin for mac, not tried it myself though or you could try running odin via WINE on your mac
you can get the latest firmware/software from https://samsung-firmware.org/model/SM-T810/ you can sign up for a free account and it takes a few hours to download the firmware though!
install that via odin and you will be back to factory settings
Why don't you just flash the stock mm firmware?
DONATE ME HERE IF YOU WANT TO BUY ME A BEER OR HIT THE THANKS BUTTON IF I HELPED YOU
Why don't you just flash the stock mm firmware?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See my questions above. I was hoping to not have to start all over again as if I had just bought a new galaxy. I've never encountered this kind of situation with any other device. Usually a "Factory Reset" followed by flashing the CM ROM is adequate. I'm guessing there is something unique about the hardware design that requires all these contortions.
Walt
walts said:
See my questions above. I was hoping to not have to start all over again as if I had just bought a new galaxy. I've never encountered this kind of situation with any other device. Usually a "Factory Reset" followed by flashing the CM ROM is adequate. I'm guessing there is something unique about the hardware design that requires all these contortions.
Walt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You won't lose anything by updating to mm.
Your data, apps, settings and everything else will be as they were previously.
The firmware only updates the OS and doesn't wipe anything.
walts said:
See my questions above. I was hoping to not have to start all over again as if I had just bought a new galaxy. I've never encountered this kind of situation with any other device. Usually a "Factory Reset" followed by flashing the CM ROM is adequate. I'm guessing there is something unique about the hardware design that requires all these contortions.
Walt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe it has something to do with resizing the partitions (or adding an extra one), so that's why you have to update to stock Marshmallow.