Hello,
I am trying to root my S21 Ultra and have tried following multiple tutorials with no success. Looking for assistance to see if anyone knows what I am doing wrong.
Model: SM-G998U1
CSC: XAA
I have downloaded the latest firmware via Frija flashed it onto my device via Odin. I then put the AP file onto my device downloaded Magisk and patched the file to create the Tar file. I then tried to flash the device again with the same files except I swapped the AP file with the Tar file Magisk generated. It gets almost all the way to the end but then fails on "vbmeta_system.img" and my Device shows "secure check fail: vbmeta(1)". Does anyone know what this error means. I tried googling it with no success. Sorry I am a total noob when it comes to this stuff. Any assitance is greatly appriciatede.
Thank you.
@Puffnstuf
You have the Galaxy S21 Ultra's US carrier unlocked variant (U1).
Unfortunately, Samsung doesn't allow unlocking the bootloader of US and Canadian Galaxy devices. There exists an unofficial bootloader unlock method, but you can only use it if your Galaxy S21 is on the v1 bootloader.
Without an unlocked bootloader, you can't flash third-party binaries (such as the Magisk-patched boot image).
@SkandaH
How do I tell if my device is on the v1 bootloader? I am guessing its not if I have updated the device. If its not is there anyway to downgrade to the v1 bootloader?
If I am unable to unlock the bootloader should I avoid updating my device incase a new way to unlock the bootloader is released in the furture?
@Puffnstuf
The fifth character from the right end of the build number is the bootloader version. For example, the latest available firmware for the SM-G998U1 model is G998U1UES5CVF5. Its bootloader version is v5.
There is no known way to downgrade the bootloader version.
You may start deferring updates, but it's really difficult to predict the future. If you want to tinker with your device, it's always better to get one that comes with an unlockable bootloader.
Related
Hello
Please help, I'm looking in the topic of the latest bootloader and modem for android 7.0 and so it can be installed via ODIN ..
I found something myself but it does not work and I do not know if it is the latest one, please help.
N920C
What variant do you have? I have the N920i. If I knew how to grab the latest bootloader/modem I'd totally do it for you.
I don't think the bootloader's changed since MM!?
Either way, download a rom from Samdroid. But be warned, to get root - you may need to unlock the bootloader in settings and flash twrp.
I need a file to install in ODIN
I'm currently on the latest Verizon OTA firmware with the v5 bootloader. I am trying to perform a carrier switch to XAA (US Unlocked) and then flash the corresponding firmware in order to OTA to Android pie (Verizon is still only on 8.0).
I tried following the popular guide on here, but I am having trouble finding the proper Odin combination files. I'm on 5CSA1 firmware, but this isn't listed anywhere in the guide. I tried using other files but they never got past the errors in Odin.
Can anyone help me out here?
Hi i am new here and need help with updating my Samsung note 9 i still have a baseband N960USQS1ARI5 but will like to update to the latest firmware. i'm using an unlocked AT&T phone. can anyone guide me? I'm not sure if updating the firmware will lock the phone and the process to update, do I just update the firmware in stages as the updates were released till i get to the latest update or can i update straight up to the latest? I am thinking of using Odin, is that a safe way to do this? any help will be appreciated. Lastly, can I change from the AT&T firmware to lets say a none carrier based firmware so as to stop seeing the AT&T logo on boot up? Maybe switch to a firmware that supports global or international? Does anyone have links to an unlocked firmware update i can use, as well? Please help!
I must state that the phone never updates automatically as it always says the software is up to date.
mtrackerbeyond said:
Hi i am new here and need help with updating my Samsung note 9 i still have a baseband N960USQS1ARI5 but will like to update to the latest firmware. i'm using an unlocked AT&T phone. can anyone guide me? I'm not sure if updating the firmware will lock the phone and the process to update, do I just update the firmware in stages as the updates were released till i get to the latest update or can i update straight up to the latest? I am thinking of using Odin, is that a safe way to do this? any help will be appreciated. Lastly, can I change from the AT&T firmware to lets say a none carrier based firmware so as to stop seeing the AT&T logo on boot up? Maybe switch to a firmware that supports global or international? Does anyone have links to an unlocked firmware update i can use, as well? Please help!
I must state that the phone never updates automatically as it always says the software is up to date.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to your last point, at&t phones are notoriously bad at updating
factory unlocked phones will remain forever unlocked and phones unlocked that are bespoke to a specific carrier will also remain unlocked even with Odin flashes providing that the method employed to unlock it was legitimate. Some unlock methods employ root and only trick the phone into thinking its unlocked. Well, once you remove root, and thusly the trick, the unlock is gone. I have ran across rare examples where the person swore up and down that they unlocked their phone with a legit unlock code and that it relocked to a carrier once the sim was inserted and initial programming completed, but i dunno. Sounds weird to me, but every person who said this also said that the phone locked to a carrier other than the one it came from originally. Take that for what its worth, but i still mostly stand by the first couple lines of this section of my diatribe
If you want the at&t crap gone, get the N960U1 firmware and flash it in Odin. You will need the modified version of Odin to flash it so it can ignore the 255 errors the phone throws up from flashing firmware for a carrier (or, in this case, no carrier) on to a phone that it wasnt originally designated (not designed) for
go to sammobile.com/firmwares, get the info for the firmware you want to d/l, get the Frija tool or Samfirm and download the firmware thru one of those as theyre literally 5x faster and flash it
mtrackerbeyond said:
Hi i am new here and need help with updating my Samsung note 9 i still have a baseband N960USQS1ARI5 but will like to update to the latest firmware. i'm using an unlocked AT&T phone. can anyone guide me? I'm not sure if updating the firmware will lock the phone and the process to update, do I just update the firmware in stages as the updates were released till i get to the latest update or can i update straight up to the latest? I am thinking of using Odin, is that a safe way to do this? any help will be appreciated. Lastly, can I change from the AT&T firmware to lets say a none carrier based firmware so as to stop seeing the AT&T logo on boot up? Maybe switch to a firmware that supports global or international? Does anyone have links to an unlocked firmware update i can use, as well? Please help!
I must state that the phone never updates automatically as it always says the software is up to date.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, my phone is a Note 9 ATT factory unlocked.
Below is the link for my post
I've updated my phone using the link , and still unlocked and working Ok.
I hope it can help you .
https://www.google.com/amp/s/forum....note-9-att-rom-update-sept-2019-t3979303/amp/
I apologize for the noob questions, so many thanks for your patience and time. I've searched through many of the S10 related forums, but I just wanted to confirm a few thoughts before I attempt a firmware change.
1) Bootloaders are not reverse upgradeable, so you cannot load an older bootloader, once you've installed a newer bootloader. In other words, once you upgrade to android 10, there is no going back to android 9. Correct?
2) I'd like to remove the current AT&T branding for my unlocked phone. I would do this by flashing the XAA firmware for a G973U1. Correct? Of course, per Q1, this would require the firmware to be at least as old as the firmware on the device currently.
3) If I'm successful with step 2 above, I would then get security updates from Samsung when they are released via Wifi or OTA, without requiring ODIN again. Correct?
4) I can do all this without tripping Knox or performing root, correct?
SM-G973U
G973USQS2ASI6
Android 9
Last security update:
Product code: CHA
Hi all, I'm new to modding in general so there's many things I don't quite understand, hoping somebody can help.
I bought an S10 from a site which was supposed to just send me a refurbed (italian) S10, instead they sent me the US version, (G973U) and I believe it is carrier locked since it's stuck with Android 9 and doesn't find any update.
I have tried searching to no avail what I should flash to simply unbrand it, and allow it to receive OTA updates without tripping Knox.
The build version is the following: PPR1.180610.011.G973USQU2ASGC and the CRC is XAA/XAA/ATT
Thanks in advance.
You shall call them.
Who and what for? I'm past the point of dealing with those sellers, I just want to flash the phone.
CSC (not CRC).
XAA is a multi-region USA ROM, so I don't think it will change over properly for you in Italy. There are threads here for how you reflash a different ROM. The one I used for my S10+ was this one: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...e-links-and-flashing-discussion-here.3905897/ but I am sure there is one like that for your S10 non-plus... find it, follow the instructions, and you should be all set.
Thanks! I'm a newbie, what does it mean it wouldn't change properly? No OTAs? Tripping KNOX?
I have found this which seems to be the equivalent of the link you posted.
So, I should flash the U1 version right? However I see only a file "SAU - 1 - ....", and my build number doesn't end in that, furthermore I don't know which bootloader version I'm at.
lrzfc said:
Who and what for? I'm past the point of dealing with those sellers, I just want to flash the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh ok. I couldn't understand first.
For that, You'll flash in EDL mode. But the problem is if your device is powered by a snapdragon chip, it'll not working seamlessly.
FardinIslam said:
Oh ok. I couldn't understand first.
For that, You'll flash in EDL mode. But the problem is if your device is powered by a snapdragon chip, it'll not working seamlessly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem. I'm aware of the mode I have to enter to flash, as above I'm trying to figure out which stock rom I should flash to avoid tripping knox, and to receive OTAs. What won't work seamlessly?
Well, mods can close the thread, found the way to do it. Leaving it in case somebody ever needs it.
First, found & checked the bootloader version (5th number from the right in the build version) since you can only flash older bootloader versions apparently.
Then downloaded through Frija the rom for the unlocked phone variant (SM-G973U1) and the unbranded CSC (XAA)
Then using odin 3.13.3b flashed the rom
Watch this video
lrzfc said:
Well, mods can close the thread, found the way to do it. Leaving it in case somebody ever needs it.
First, found & checked the bootloader version (5th number from the right in the build version) since you can only flash older bootloader versions apparently.
Then downloaded through Frija the rom for the unlocked phone variant (SM-G973U1) and the unbranded CSC (XAA)
Then using odin 3.13.3b flashed the rom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, I'm in more or less same situation. When you flashed, which files did you use? All of them or just the AP_*** file?
Never mind. Flashed it anyway, now I don't see the AT&T startup screen anymore which is promising. Firmware version is now Android 11 (SM-G973U1 and not SM-G973U) on XAA CSC. Will see if I get any firmware updates later.