Database Develop

S6 Active SM-G890A upgraded to MM (using thread on XDA), can I go to stock lolipop?

I bought a S6 Active on eBay and wanted to take it to Marshmallow. I followed the guide in this forum and it upgraded without any problems. I'm using a very unique application which is giving me problems and I'd like to know if it's related to the fact that this phone is not on MM and not lollipop.
Is there any way to downgrade the phone back to it's stock firmware? I looked in smartswitch under Emergency Software Recovery and Initialization (device initialization) and it says "SM-G890A" does not support initizlizing, plesae contact our service center". So it does not look like smart switch will bring it back to stock.
I looked on sammobile and they don't appear to have any firmware for the S6 active.
Is there a way to bring this back to stock? If not I will leave it at MM (which I like) and try to fix my application some other way, but it would be really helpful if I was able to jump back to lollipop.

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captaingowa said:
Stock was Android L. or Lollipop.
It seems your going about this in a more troublesome way.
1. Just ask the app creator about compatibility with Android M. and your device.
2. Ask around on the forum if others are having a similar issue who would be using the app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The App is Blackberry BES 12.4 with Android for work. I have an open ticket with Blackberry. I'm trying to determine if the marshmallow update on the S6 Active is causing a disconnect problem that does not appear to happen with other Android hardware. Since I put marshmallow on hardware that does not officially support it I'm the one that might be in the wrong, not the app. If I could go back to the official S6 Active release (lollipop) than I could determine if the marshmallow update is causing the problem.
Is there any way for me to return to the lollipop version for the S6 Active? Thanks,
Roveer

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Well, I flashed it back to 5.1.1 with Oden. I'm going to try the app to see if it works correctly then move to marshmallow (official) and see what happens. I'm wondering if the version of 6 was different than what AT&T is sending down to phones. I would guess it probably is in some ways.
The issue I was having with BES has to do with the special BB VPN breaking down after a period of inactivity. Even after turning off all the doze options. looking at the logs it seems to be a problem accessing the keystore. I noticed that when installing the BB app on 5.1.1 that when it goes through the encryption process (which is required) that it made me use a 7 digit password with one letter and one number. When I did this on 6 I was able to use a PIN (4 digit). I'm thinking that may have caused some sort of problem with the crypto but I won't know until I verify that the app is working correctly on 5.1.1 then I'll move forward.
Roveer

So, after I put the phone back on 5.1.1 lollipop and reinstalled the BB software the VPN stayed connected unlike what I was seeing with the Marshmallow release that I installed following a msg post here on xda. The next day I received an carrier update msg saying the phone will be updated to 6.0.1 and for some reason the phone automatically installed the update. When I looked at the phone this morning it was updated to Marshmallow. So far the VPN seems to be staying connected but it will take a few days for me to fully determine that it is working.
I guess this problem was related to a non-official release
Roveer

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captaingowa said:
Most likely you were on a Beta release of Marshmallow since you were able to roll back to 5.1.1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, now that I am on the official carrier release of MM the problem continues...
After I flashed back to 5.1.1 the problem was not present. The VPN remained active after lock screen (overnight).
On Tuesday (monday night) the phone mysteriousely executed the 6.0.1 update that I had been receiving update messages for. I kept hitting remind me later, but it updated anyway. So tuesday I was working with MM. So I left the phone inactive for most of the day and then sent test msgs to a pop account and the the work account. No notifications received Once I hit the home button after a few seconds the pop nofications was received then the VPN notification appeared then the work notification was received. Clearly the phone is turning things off. I disabled all the apps in the doze section and repeated the test this morning. The pop account notified right away, the work account did not. a press of the home button, the vpn notification appears then the work notification. Clearly still a problem even on the official carrier release. I've sent my results to BB (support ticket) and will continue to work.
What confuses me is that none of this is new (hardware / software). I can't be the only one experiencing this problem. It might be limited to the S6 Active but that's a pretty populate device.. I have an open ticket with Blackberry so they should respond to this issue.
Roveer

custom firmware frustration

OK so I have a dual sim version purchased on contract with 3 in the UK.
I keep getting a software update notification saying an update is available however all it consists of is custom apps and a splash screen on start up. I refuse to install this as I was advised that once custom firmware was installed it would delay any further updates as apparently in the UK all the carriers have to approve the update before it gets released.
I'm living in hope that by holding out in this way I might be offered the 146 update sooner.
Now here is the issue....
With my sim card inserted the phone constantly downloads the update and then shows it as waiting to install. I have been able to delete it by going into apps and the software updater however shortly later it downloads again. I have switched off the 'download on WiFi option' however for some reason this keeps switching itself back on again.
Any ideas why it's doing this and how I get around the problem?

Same problem as me however I downloaded mine without realising what it was,looks like I'm stuck on waiting for three to release now,sigh I live chatted with three today and they don't seem to have a clue on the release date.

Hey, the problem is when you are clearing the data from the updater you are also clearing your preferences for auto download over WIFI.
Simple solution is remove your SIM tray, clear the app data, and then disable auto download over WIFI before you put the sim tray back in. In future when you want to check for firmware updates simply remove the sim tray and run the updater again. Running the updater with the SIM tray in will result in you having to start all over again.

Just download it, I have it downloaded and still got the latest 145 update at the same time other networks like EE did.
I.e not installing doesn't mean you get updates sooner.

Phil750123 said:
Just download it, I have it downloaded and still got the latest 145 update at the same time other networks like EE did.
I.e not installing doesn't mean you get updates sooner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate what your saying however I also don't want to install all three's crap on my phone so thats why I don't install it

hpsauce37 said:
Appreciate what your saying however I also don't want to install all three's crap on my phone so thats why I don't install it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i get it, however the only thing i have noticed is the 3 splash screen which doesnt bother me as i hardly ever reboot.
Not sure if you can do wifi calling with it installed?

Phil750123 said:
i get it, however the only thing i have noticed is the 3 splash screen which doesnt bother me as i hardly ever reboot.
Not sure if you can do wifi calling with it installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As luck would have it I took the 3 SIM out and checked for update with my bt SIM and low and behold it was there.
Just installed and have now switched off auto download on WiFi so hopefully the 3 update won't come through again.

Plan: Note9 jumping from Oreo 8.1 to Android 10

Hello,
I have an Exynos Note9 SM-N960F, no root, factory original software, unbranded, Oreo 8.1. I have disabled firmware upgrades with Package Disabler, because I didn´t want to go to Pie and loose call recording, so I am still on Andoid 8.1.
Now I am planning to upgrade from Android 8.1 to Android 10, but in the process I would like to preserve call recording and also gain WiFi Calling (with I don´t have right now, but my provider ClaroAR does support).
Can you suggest the best firmware fo flash meeting my requirements (call recording + WiFi calling)? I have read tons of threads on XDA, but still It is not clear to me if firmware flashing (with the right firmware, India perhaps??) is enough or I also will need CSC change after flashing. Very confused about this.
More information:
Android version 8.1
Baseband: N960FXXU2ARJ1
Service provider SW ver.:
SAOMC_SM-960F_OXM_XSP_OO_0018
XSP/XSP,XSP/XSP
Also, using Phone Info I get:
Original CSC Code: <blank>
Firmware´s CSC Code: XEU
Active CSC Code: XSP
Thank´s in advance for any help/suggestions.
[UPDATE]: I have checked the command *#272*IMEI*, and it shows a lot of CSCs available, including INS. But I didn´t apply the change. I don´t understand if changing CSC this way will block all future updates to my phone. Also I am not sure if INS CSC does include WiFi Calling...

Google has call recording still disabled https://www.boldbeast.com/forum/topic1877-android-10-call-recording.html

Root you're phone and use Dr's rom
Im on android 10 with automatic call recording works great for me

Wow Oreo!
No problems with battery drains, good manage of connectivities, no problems for recording calls, every thing worked good without any big issues and with the best gestures and camera app ever made for a Samsung with the possibility of recording videos even in pro mode (a feature now returning with S20) ... to be onest, if I could, I'll return to the last version of it because it was perfect!
So, if I was you, I'll try to find on sammobile the last version of oreo for the device and I'll install it with Odin and leave all like this till it dies!
The only thing that not shall be good are the security patches with the phone being stuck on the old ones, but, sincerely, since now I never heard or read in genaral something on security problems that involves OS problems... mostly for hackering, opening emails, going on not safe wifi's and web pages, buying in not safe places or for installing apps (even from the play store) and if this can happen to everyone even having the latest patches, I'm even thinking now that all these security patches are even worthless for a normal consumer unless your a politican, a manager or doing a job that requires the max privacy possible that you can have...

Question: there are several threads about CSC changing via flashing and so on. I wonder if those CSC change method are equivalent to changing it with the command *#272*IMEI# ???
If I go to *#272* on my SM-N960F, I have a long list of CSCs, including INI (India, which eventually I want to change to), but I didn´t apply yet because not sure of the consequences, and if this step is eventually reversible.
By the way, I am considering joedellosso69´s comments about Oreo/Pie/Q, and perhaps I will stay with Oreo, but in order to get WiFi Calling, I think that changing CSC is mandatory... as far as I understand...
Any help? Thank you!

[FIXED] Finally jumped from Oreo to Android 10 and CSC change, without root
Just in case someone is interested, I have finally jumped from Oreo to Android 10, and got Call Recording and WiFi Calling. This is what I have done, step by step:
- Backed up everything
- Took out SIM Card and SD Card
- Factory Reset from bootloader (to kill disabled software updates)
- Started the phone just with the basic data (no restore, etc)
- Checked for updates... Android Pie was there. Installed.
- Reboot. Checked for updates ... October update was there. Installed.
- Reboot. Checked for updates... Android 10 update was there. Installed !!
- Now is time to change CSC
- Factory Reset from bootloader
- Started the phone just with the basic data (no restore, etc)
- Phone booted on CSC=XSP as expected
- Entered *#272*IMEI# and shows CSC=XSP.
- Changed CSC for THL (Thailand). Saved on 2 options: Sales and Network CSC
- Automatically phone factory resets again
- WITHOUT inserting SIM Card, phone starts, now with CSC=THL
- Verified that has Call Recording. VoWiFi does not appear, but it is there. Only appears when you have the SIM Card inserted.
- Power off phone
- Inserted SIM Card and rebooted
- Verify that CSC=THL, and both call recording and VoWiFi working perfectly.
- Restored everything, all perfect, no problems, no battery issues, phone as new, with Android 10.

joedellosso69 said:
Wow Oreo!
No problems with battery drains, good manage of connectivities, no problems for recording calls, every thing worked good without any big issues and with the best gestures and camera app ever made for a Samsung with the possibility of recording videos even in pro mode (a feature now returning with S20) ... to be onest, if I could, I'll return to the last version of it because it was perfect!
So, if I was you, I'll try to find on sammobile the last version of oreo for the device and I'll install it with Odin and leave all like this till it dies!
The only thing that not shall be good are the security patches with the phone being stuck on the old ones, but, sincerely, since now I never heard or read in genaral something on security problems that involves OS problems... mostly for hackering, opening emails, going on not safe wifi's and web pages, buying in not safe places or for installing apps (even from the play store) and if this can happen to everyone even having the latest patches, I'm even thinking now that all these security patches are even worthless for a normal consumer unless your a politican, a manager or doing a job that requires the max privacy possible that you can have...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YUP agree wholeheartedly - did exactly that and have been on oreo 8.1 ever since and I love it until a few months ago when they shut off 3g !!! like wtf - so now my fone intermittently works on 4g , lost all caller ID and i have to switch manually every time to 2g to send/receive texts!! would you know of any way to somehow force LTE to work - for some reason LTE can't be enabled on my version of oreo 8.1 on my note 9 t-mobile

Samsung Galaxy S10 - Unlocked Phone (AT&T Blocked Call Issue)

So many people are reporting with the 3/1 sweep by AT&T, that they are blocking almost all Unlocked phones: See: Downdector Link We personally have a S10 (G973U1). AT&T is saying on this list: AT&T approved phone list that it is supposed to work. But like many other people "calls" end immediately, but we can text and data work. It is some sorta ploy by AT&T to force us to upgrade our phones. They want us all to upgrade to S22s. Anyway I was ranting. Anyway, if you look at that link, they are saying that the phone has to be on the latest software. The last update from AT&T or the manufacturer was in January. I checked the firmware site, and Android 11 is the latest in January. I'm wondering if there is some hack to get us on to '12' or something. An update might solve this issue. We know that a new SIM does not work. Calls seem to be rejected on the network, just based on the phone model or Android version.
We are aware that a version 12 is out there for the phone, just that firmware is not for our US-unlocked model yet. But maybe it can be hacked?
Edit: It appears this thread may be linked with this older one... But it is ever more pressing issue now:
S10 Unlocked phone with AT&T Firmware here they explain how, and the problems with flashing. This was back in 2019, so I'm not sure if this will still work. Even then it didn't work for everyone. Some in that forum claimed that it did. AT&T seems to now be blocking from their calling network any phones not enabled with VOLTE and the extended AT&T services that are not present in Unlocked phones.

robertkjr3d said:
So many people are reporting with the 3/1 sweep by AT&T, that they are blocking almost all Unlocked phones: See: Downdector Link We personally have a S10 (G973U1). AT&T is saying on this list: AT&T approved phone list that it is supposed to work. But like many other people "calls" end immediately, but we can text and data work. It is some sorta ploy by AT&T to force us to upgrade our phones. They want us all to upgrade to S22s. Anyway I was ranting. Anyway, if you look at that link, they are saying that the phone has to be on the latest software. The last update from AT&T or the manufacturer was in January. I checked the firmware site, and Android 11 is the latest in January. I'm wondering if there is some hack to get us on to '12' or something. An update might solve this issue. We know that a new SIM does not work. Calls seem to be rejected on the network, just based on the phone model or Android version.
We are aware that a version 12 is out there for the phone, just that firmware is not for our US-unlocked model yet. But maybe it can be hacked?
Edit: It appears this thread may be linked with this older one... But it is ever more pressing issue now:
S10 Unlocked phone with AT&T Firmware here they explain how, and the problems with flashing. This was back in 2019, so I'm not sure if this will still work. Even then it didn't work for everyone. Some in that forum claimed that it did. AT&T seems to now be blocking from their calling network any phones not enabled with VOLTE and the extended AT&T services that are not present in Unlocked phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was helped by a user to achieve ascendance onto the AT&T network. I'm not sure if I'm to reveal his name. We 1) go into Developers mode on the phone. 2) Hack the Kernel. 3) Flash the rom to the G973U (model)... with the AT&T firmware. So that the Wifi-Calling and 5G features would work, and AT&T would allow it on their network.

robertkjr3d said:
I was helped by a user to achieve ascendance onto the AT&T network. I'm not sure if I'm to reveal his name. We 1) go into Developers mode on the phone. 2) Hack the Kernel. 3) Flash the rom to the G973U (model)... with the AT&T firmware. So that the Wifi-Calling and 5G features would work, and AT&T would allow it on their network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've literally been searching for an answer to this for days now. My wife and I have S10's. I work far from home so I really need her phone working in case of emergency. Can you please point me in the general direction? Thanks!

Agreed, I didn't know such a thing was possible, but I'd love to hear more about this!

skrapmetal said:
I've literally been searching for an answer to this for days now. My wife and I have S10's. I work far from home so I really need her phone working in case of emergency. Can you please point me in the general direction? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At first I had to use the Samsung Band Selector app from the Play store and go into More Network Settings > AT&T > Preferred Network Type and choose 3G. Unfortunately this killed LTE so all data and calls were going through H+. As I was mostly on wifi I could live with it since I could actually use the phone again.
Then Friday morning I checked for updates and there was the update to take me to Android 12. I took the update then when it finished it said it needed to reboot to connect new SIM to carrier services....it wasn't a new SIM. I let it reboot and everything was working with VoLTE again.
Hope this helps.

KennyG123 said:
At first I had to use the Samsung Band Selector app from the Play store and go into More Network Settings > AT&T > Preferred Network Type and choose 3G. Unfortunately this killed LTE so all data and calls were going through H+. As I was mostly on wifi I could live with it since I could actually use the phone again.
Then Friday morning I checked for updates and there was the update to take me to Android 12. I took the update then when it finished it said it needed to reboot to connect new SIM to carrier services....it wasn't a new SIM. I let it reboot and everything was working with VoLTE again.
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate you getting back to me. Unfortunately I am still on android 11 with a custom ROM and also this is a global phone so that app didnt work for me. I dont receive OTA updatez. I'll update to a new ROM and see what happens. Thanks

Note 9 Carrier switch problems!

As the titled says, I have an unlocked Note 9 that was initially on sprint/Tmobile a few years ago and it is unlocked. I just switched to AT&T and i am able to use data and text, but i cannot make calls or access my voicemail. Says call ended as soon as i try and make a call or hold #1. No VoLTE or wifi calling options either. Do i need to flash the unlocked firmware to gain all features?
Please help!

Is it a N960U or N960U1? They are supported.
See attachment.

Similar here. ATT shut down 3G in my area. My carrier unlocked Note 9 is running Oreo 8.1. ATT is telling me i have to update to latest available software released for my device in order to access VoLTE. My wife who has an ATT firmware flashed note 9 never had an issue from day 1. There is something in the unlocked firmware (or att blacklisting unlocked phones) that is not allowing VoLTE. In the hidden menu 4636, my VoLTE is greyed out and OFF. I am trying to decide if i update to PIE and see if it is indeed unlocked. I just liked OREO appearance over PIE changes...

Pie is more secure and is patched against the worst rootkit that requires a reflash to purge.
You need to update your sim card more than likely. Try that first or try the wife's sim card in it.

I was sent a new Sim and it didnt work. i tried another sim running VoLTE and it didnt work. I resigned to updating and Im up to OneUI2 and it still isnt working. Ill go until ive ran out of updates, then call ATT back... they have "assured me" that my sim and account are fully provisioned. I remain skeptical.

Went through all updates, about 4hours worth and 7 iterations. Issue was not resolved until android 10, OneUI 1.0. VoLTE provisioning switch still greyed out but in "on" status. Still no VoWIFI, another restriction I have no desire to pursue.