So, I'm stuck on android 9 with my lovely phone, because AT&T couldn't put one and one together and make OTA updates work. I'm on Android 9 and the phone along with smartswitch insists that i'm on latest update. I do have valuable data on my phone though, so i would prefer not to lose it. Is there a way for me to flash an update to the phone without losing my data? Also, my device is an AT&T SM-N960U, which would be the appropriate firmware for it?
Always keep your data redundantly backed up.
You should be glad you're on Pie.
Pie is fast and stable.
10 is when Android started tasting terrible
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I have a new (2weeks) samsung GT-I9003 which kies report a new firmware update & before doing that want me to take backup but it will only backup my contacts/sms etc. how do I backup my installed apps as I have not yet rooted my phone, I searched the forums & found a way to root but got to know that even rooting will loose my apps/data so what should I do first?
I need the following things
I am testing various apps to find the best ones which I will using long term so as of now lot of install/uninstall hapening, after few days once I settle I want to update new firmware but should I root before that or after updating to new firmware.
Does rooting remains rooted after new FW updates in future?
Once rooted I can install apps like Titanium, unrooted I can't use Titanium yet to back up my apps & its data so its a catch 22 situation for me & atleast once I will have to loose my apps data but this time I should do it once for all so I can streamline future updates.
Hope some one can answer this.
If you update with kies you wont loose anything, if you update custom roms(for the first time) you will loose your apps and data.
Thats a good news for me, so should I 1st update the firmware via kies then root it as 2nd step?
I took backup & then started the firmware update, it downloaded a small file showed 100% complete & then strangely it opened another windows & its now downloading a huge file of 400-500Mb...........is the firmware that big?
The downloading is going on past 10 mins on 1mbps connection.
Finally it gave error in mid way I assume that something happened & made the usb connection loss, I got these screen shots & the phone is now hung displaying "downloading do not turn off the target"
What should I do, need help?
Since i did not get any answer i took the battery out & then plugged in again the phone booted fine.
I now have rooted my phone, if i update the firmware will I need to root it again?
sgsI9003 said:
Since i did not get any answer i took the battery out & then plugged in again the phone booted fine.
I now have rooted my phone, if i update the firmware will I need to root it again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
depends on the firmware, most custom roms have root already build in
I was sold a N6 thinking it was a Verizon phone, but really it was T-Mobile (LYZ28N). Therefore it will not get the Marshmallow update. It's been working perfectly, but recently the battery has been draining crazy fast. So I figure an OS update might provide a fix for that.
I want to update my OS, but if possible, I would like to preserve all data/apps. What are my best options?
If I have to root and wipe to get 'M' will my phone still work on VZW or does it need to be re-registered on the network?
Thanks!
First, there is no diff between any of the us carrier phones so no worry there. There are only two models US and International.
Best way to update is to read the threads on unlocking and flashing it yourself. When you flash the factory image just skip the user partition so your apps and data stay in place.
Back up your data first.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Labs
I usually root every phone, but since this is something I do once a year, I tend to forget some basics (so bear with me). Other things, I actually never really knew.
Until now, rooting a phone and flashing a custom rom (or the factory image) were "one and done" things and I simply never updated my phone ever again, since OTA no longer works once the bootloader is unlocked, and installing a newer image forced me to wipe everything in TWRP or else I could no longer read the encrypted memory. Of course, that also forced me to re-root my phone and reinstall everything. A bit too much of a hassle for monthly security updates...
Nowadays, however, updates and security patches are more important than ever. And since I just received my rootable SD N9600, I want to do it correctly this time and stay up do date.
This begs the question: How *do* I stay up to date without basically factory-resetting, re-formatting and re-rooting my phone every month for every security update?
Google showed me a few solutions.
Pixel phones apparently have A/B partitions and a TWRP script. Not an option for the Note 9, though.
Flashfire apparently was the perfect solution that did exactly what I was looking for, but it has been abandoned by Chainfire and unfortunately it no longer works with newer Magisk versions. Even when I downgraded to a super old Magisk version, it would ultimately crash when starting the app (after receiving root permissions). So it doesn't seem to work, although staying on an old version of Magisk forever would not be an ideal solution anyway.
Is there anything like Flashfire or a simpler approach that I am missing?
Surely, I can't be the only rooted user who wants to install monthly security patches without wiping the entire phone.
Spaced Invader said:
I usually root every phone, but since this is something I do once a year, I tend to forget some basics (so bear with me). Other things, I actually never really knew.
Until now, rooting a phone and flashing a custom rom (or the factory image) were "one and done" things and I simply never updated my phone ever again, since OTA no longer works once the bootloader is unlocked, and installing a newer image forced me to wipe everything in TWRP or else I could no longer read the encrypted memory. Of course, that also forced me to re-root my phone and reinstall everything. A bit too much of a hassle for monthly security updates...
Nowadays, however, updates and security patches are more important than ever. And since I just received my rootable SD N9600, I want to do it correctly this time and stay up do date.
This begs the question: How *do* I stay up to date without basically factory-resetting, re-formatting and re-rooting my phone every month for every security update?
Google showed me a few solutions.
Pixel phones apparently have A/B partitions and a TWRP script. Not an option for the Note 9, though.
Flashfire apparently was the perfect solution that did exactly what I was looking for, but it has been abandoned by Chainfire and unfortunately it no longer works with newer Magisk versions. Even when I downgraded to a super old Magisk version, it would ultimately crash when starting the app (after receiving root permissions). So it doesn't seem to work, although staying on an old version of Magisk forever would not be an ideal solution anyway.
Is there anything like Flashfire or a simpler approach that I am missing?
Surely, I can't be the only rooted user who wants to install monthly security patches without wiping the entire phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
n9600 has limited development from the community. so if you are not going to flash a custom rom( usually thats how people stay up to date) then you will have to go through the rooting procedure each time.
bober10113 said:
n9600 has limited development from the community. so if you are not going to flash a custom rom( usually thats how people stay up to date) then you will have to go through the rooting procedure each time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So every solution that makes this easier is strictly device-specific and nothing like Flashfire (which would have worked regardless of community activity for the N9600) exists anymore?
Dark times indeed, almost makes me question if I should keep rooting my devices...
I have rooted note8 with decrypted data partition (no-verity... something script). I updated recently to newest firmware simply through odin. I flashed firmware preserving data (home csc file?). There was bootloop but after i flashed twrp and rooted with magisk phone started without problem and all settings and data was there. So this is solution for me, maybe it will work on note 9 too.
Spaced Invader said:
So every solution that makes this easier is strictly device-specific and nothing like Flashfire (which would have worked regardless of community activity for the N9600) exists anymore?
Dark times indeed, almost makes me question if I should keep rooting my devices...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I'm sticking with phones officially supported by lineageOs (formerly cynogenmod) from now on.
Kriomag said:
I have rooted note8 with decrypted data partition (no-verity... something script). I updated recently to newest firmware simply through odin. I flashed firmware preserving data (home csc file?). There was bootloop but after i flashed twrp and rooted with magisk phone started without problem and all settings and data was there. So this is solution for me, maybe it will work on note 9 too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I have a Note 9 that was rooted with Magisk and running on Oreo 8. I updated it via Odin to Android 10. I have a bootloop. What should I do? Please help me
I have Note 9 (SM-N960U1) unlocked in USA. I am currently on AT&T.
I seem to have many dead spots inside my house so want to enable wifi calling but found out that I need to flash carrier specific firmware on my phone. As I am complete noob, have some questions:
1) What does flashing a firmware does? Pros? Cons?
2) I am currently on Android 10 (One UI 2.0 Build QP1A.190711.020.N960U1UEU3ZSL2). If I flash a new firmware, will my phone be downgraded to a lower version of Android?
3) If answer to @2 is Yes, how will I get latest Android updates? Will it depend on Samsung or AT&T?
4) Last but not the least, HOW THE HELL I FLASH THIS FIRMWARE?
Any help will be a great help. I have a interview on Friday so don't have much time to get this fixed.
TIA.
1) Flashing is a way to manually install or update firmware or operating system through the bootloader. This provides a way to restore the devices operating system during an emergency or failed OTA Update etc. The cons of this however is it is quite easy to mess up your device if you don't know what you are doing. And Flashing different firmware that is not originally meant for your device easily carries this risk. The bootloader is what tells your device how to boot the operating system and happens before any user interaction knock on wood you theoretically corrupt the bootloader or somehow mess it up you are left with a 1000 dollar doorstop. Im not sure how a carrier's firmware would react on an unlocked phone. I personally wouldn't risk it but it's up to you. I'm pretty sure that other users here have tried it you should look around and do your research. Remember this would not only be changing Android this would also change the CSC and Modem.
2) Android 10 has not yet been released for the Note 9 so I would assume that you are on the beta. You would need to factory reset and downgrade to Android 9 before flashing ATT's firmware.
3) Carrier's handle OTA updates. However im not sure you would even receive OTA's anymore.
4) You need to use Odin3 and get the firmware from somewhere like sammobile.
In conclusion I personally would advise you to contact ATT with your problem. Considering your interview tomorrow if something did for some reason go wrong you most likely wouldn't have time to fix it.
UndeadAnarchy said:
1) Flashing is a way to manually install or update firmware or operating system through the bootloader. This provides a way to restore the devices operating system during an emergency or failed OTA Update etc. The cons of this however is it is quite easy to mess up your device if you don't know what you are doing. And Flashing different firmware that is not originally meant for your device easily carries this risk. The bootloader is what tells your device how to boot the operating system and happens before any user interaction knock on wood you theoretically corrupt the bootloader or somehow mess it up you are left with a 1000 dollar doorstop. Im not sure how a carrier's firmware would react on an unlocked phone. I personally wouldn't risk it but it's up to you. I'm pretty sure that other users here have tried it you should look around and do your research. Remember this would not only be changing Android this would also change the CSC and Modem.
2) Android 10 has not yet been released for the Note 9 so I would assume that you are on the beta. You would need to factory reset and downgrade to Android 9 before flashing ATT's firmware.
3) Carrier's handle OTA updates. However im not sure you would even receive OTA's anymore.
4) You need to use Odin3 and get the firmware from somewhere like sammobile.
In conclusion I personally would advise you to contact ATT with your problem. Considering your interview tomorrow if something did for some reason go wrong you most likely wouldn't have time to fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for your help mate..cheers
rockstar283 said:
I have Note 9 (SM-N960U1) unlocked in USA. I am currently on AT&T.
I seem to have many dead spots inside my house so want to enable wifi calling but found out that I need to flash carrier specific firmware on my phone. As I am complete noob, have some questions:
1) What does flashing a firmware does? Pros? Cons?
2) I am currently on Android 10 (One UI 2.0 Build QP1A.190711.020.N960U1UEU3ZSL2). If I flash a new firmware, will my phone be downgraded to a lower version of Android?
3) If answer to @2 is Yes, how will I get latest Android updates? Will it depend on Samsung or AT&T?
4) Last but not the least, HOW THE HELL I FLASH THIS FIRMWARE?
Any help will be a great help. I have a interview on Friday so don't have much time to get this fixed.
TIA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have SM-N960U1 with One UI 2.0? Did you just buy it used? You are on bootloader 3, so you cannot flash another firmware with bootloader less than 3.
I am currently rooted running stock A11. I noticed that the update to A12 is now available. Just for fun, I checked updates on my phone & it says there is an update for A12 available. I thought being rooted, with the boot-loader unlocked, I wouldn't get updates. But there it is, asking me to download it.
Would it work if I downloaded and installed it via OTA on my phone? Would it wipe all my data (internal storage) and un-root me? Would it brick me? Just asking because I thought the proper way to update while rooted was this way (step #4), but doing it via OTA doesn't get much easier.
I am currently happy with how my phone is set up and running. I don't have an urgent need to update and really dislike setting up a phone as new. Of course, if an update to new a new OS is available...I'm going to want to install it eventually.
Thanks for the advice!
I'm not going past Q on my stock N10+'s, one still running very well on Pie. It's load is over 1.5 years old.
The first thing I do on my stock phones is disable OTA Updates. I may eventually update the Pie one to Q but it's more restrictive than Pie. I gain some nice features and it runs a bit faster, but loose some functionality as well.
Security simply isn't an issue with Pie in everyday use. Q may prove more troublesome.
Going to R would break them. It's a mess. CPU cycle burning scoped storage and tard repetitive security permissions. All my apps are vetted and trusted, many wouldn't load on R. Some aren't replaceable like my free office app which I use a lot. Plus forced encryption on first boot up... trashware.
Trust 12 to be better? When pigs fly.
Rule #1, if your OS is running fast, stable and fulfilling its mission let it be.
At the best you'll waste a lot of time that wasn't worth the trouble and at the worst end worse off than before. I'm not buying the hype.
mn1968 said:
I am currently rooted running stock A11. I noticed that the update to A12 is now available. Just for fun, I checked updates on my phone & it says there is an update for A12 available. I thought being rooted, with the boot-loader unlocked, I wouldn't get updates. But there it is, asking me to download it.
Would it work if I downloaded and installed it via OTA on my phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you can update via OTA.
mn1968 said:
Would it wipe all my data (internal storage) and un-root me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The OTA preserves /data, but because it updates the boot image, you will lose root.
mn1968 said:
Would it brick me? Just asking because I thought the proper way to update while rooted was this way (step #4), but doing it via OTA doesn't get much easier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why would an OTA update brick your device? The answer is no. However, due to Android Verified Boot features, you will need to disable both dm-verity and vbmeta verification in order to flash and boot a patched boot image. Unfortunately, this has required a data wipe to work. Those of us on the Pixel 5 are experiencing the same issue and are still working on the "why". If you leave /vbmeta and /boot stock, you can still temporarily boot a patched image....which just means that you'll lose root when you reboot.
mn1968 said:
I am currently happy with how my phone is set up and running. I don't have an urgent need to update and really dislike setting up a phone as new. Of course, if an update to new a new OS is available...I'm going to want to install it eventually.
Thanks for the advice!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Understandable. As I mentioned above, if you want to upgrade to Android 12 and have permanent root, it's likely that you will have to wipe. However, you can try following this guide and see if it works for you. Be warned, the user that posted that was on the 12 Beta, and had wiped previously when upgrading from Android 11. It won't cause a brick, but you may still have to wipe your device. If you're prepared to bite that bullet, you can give it a try.
Ultimately, you have 3 options:
Stay on Android 11 with root
Upgrade to Android 12, keep data, but lose root
Upgrade to Android 12, most likely wipe data, and reroot.
blackhawk said:
Rule #1, if your OS is running fast, stable and fulfilling its mission let it be.
At the best you'll waste a lot of time that wasn't worth the trouble and at the worst end worse off than before. I'm not buying the hype.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a certain degree of logic to this. I used Windows 7 and refused to update to 8.1 or 10 for a long time. Now that I'm on 10 Enterprise LTSC, I'm refusing to upgrade to 11. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.