Database Users

[Q] Some Questions About Software Update

Hey everyone,
Just wanted to ask a quick question regarding the firmware
I got my UK unlocked S5 last week and as soon as I set it up, an update came through, which is 100mb, the note regarding say "Improved performance", the update download, but I haven't installed it yet. Mainly because of a bad experience I had after updating my S3. I haven't come across any bugs since I've been using it, and I'm concerned that if I update, the battery will drain quicker, or perhaps cause an error in the recovery mode(these things happened to my S3 after updating to 4.3). So 2 main questions.
1. Has anyone here downloaded this 100mb software update their S5? If so, what differences did you notice?
2. Suppose I updated and wasn't happy with the new changes? Would it be possible to go back to the original firmware version that my phone came with when I took it out of the box, *without rooting my S5?
Hope some people on here can shed some light on these questions.
Thank you in advance*

1. It's just a system update. The phone is new there are bound to be updates as issues are ironed out
2. You can odin any firmware whenever you want
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

MasterfulNinja said:
Has anyone here downloaded this 100mb software update their S5? If so, what differences did you notice?
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Click to collapse
Your instincts are dead on. Updates may fix bugs or add a desireable feature. But just as often they introduce new bugs, break root or disable root exploits, break a few apps and add noxious DRM frameworks like the Knox qfuse warranty bit. They can seriously mess up a custom ROM and may depreciate features like MSC or car dock that may be important to you personally.
Updates cannot always be reverted. Try downgrading your Kitkat baseband to Jellybean and see what happens. Or try removing the Knox security bit after you take the update that introduced it. I disable automatic updates and wait to hear what early adopters find before upgrading.
Unfortunately you didn't tell us the all important version of your update. Or even tell us what your current firmware version and carrier are. Your update might be similar to the recent ATT /Verizon OTA adding the mixed blessing of reactivation lock. That is causing bootloops for some people with custom kermels. 4.4.3 is mostly bug fixes, with a few UI tweaks. And I believe 4.4.4 took aim at closing yet another open-SSL exploit and reverting some of the new 4.4.3 bugs.
No matter what an update intends to do, a few new bugs and unexpected conflicts usually turn up. A quick Google finds reports like this:
International Business Times said:
Issues Spotted for the Android 4.4.3 Kitkat
The Android 4.4.3 Kitkat system update is pretty much all about improving performances, strengthening stability and fixing a couple of bugs. However, it reels in a couple of issues experienced by users of Nexus devices that have already been upgraded to the latest update.
According to IT Pro, some of these issues include wi-fi problems, crashes and reboots and bugs found in apps. Google has not yet given any statement about how to deal with these issues nor has there been any word if these issues are only experienced by a handful.
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fffft said:
Your instincts are dead on. Updates may fix bugs or add a desireable feature. But just as often they introduce new bugs, break root or disable root exploits, break a few apps and add noxious DRM frameworks like the Knox qfuse warranty bit. They can seriously mess up a custom ROM and may depreciate features like MSC or car dock that may be important to you personally.
Updates cannot always be reverted. Try downgrading your Kitkat baseband to Jellybean and see what happens. Or try removing the Knox security bit after you take the update that introduced it. I disable automatic updates and wait to hear what early adopters find before upgrading.
Unfortunately you didn't tell us the all important version of your update. Or even tell us what your current firmware version and carrier are. Your update might be similar to the recent ATT /Verizon OTA adding the mixed blessing of reactivation lock. That is causing bootloops for some people with custom kermels. 4.4.3 is mostly bug fixes, with a few UI tweaks. And I believe 4.4.4 took aim at closing yet another open-SSL exploit and reverting some of the new 4.4.3 bugs.
No matter what an update intends to do, a few new bugs and unexpected conflicts usually turn up. A quick Google finds reports like this:
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for your detailed answers! That's exactly it! And I know from experience that updating firmware can cause a negative affect to the phone's performance. My iPhone 4S is still on iOS 5.1 but runs perfectly, while friends who updated their 4S to 7.1 experience freezes and heavy lag. Maybe companies do this deliberately, so people get frustrated and end up having to get the latest, more powerful model so the OS to run smoothly?
I do exactly the same, I always wait to see what people about an update before updating. The only difficulty with Android updates is that there seem to be so many different versions of updates. For example, when I researched the 100mb one for the S5,* various sites mentioned it, but others say the size of the update was 30mb, which were called "improved performance" I also heard about updates not always being able to be reverted to the previous version,* and also about Knox. So, you can see why I'm hesitant to update.
I know quite a bit about using Android, but have very limited knowledge regarding rooting and custom roms and so on. Also, after reading that rooting a phone incorrectly can turn it into a brick, I'm happy to just leave it as it is. I've attached a photo which shows my current firmware version, as well as other information. Also, as my S5 is unlocked, the only updates I'll receive will be from Samsung. I asked my carrier (T-Mobile UK) and that's what they told me. Only phones from bought from them include added apps that they put on, and I think they may also be able to tweak the updates received, by adding their own features.
Some more questions for you;
1. Do you recommend a factory reset after each software update?(I had to factory reset my S3 to stop the battery draining issue that 4.3 caused. But was wondering if it's best to factory reset after each and every update on Android devices)
2. I know you said that sometimes reverting back to a previous firmware isn't always possible, but can't using Odin with the correct firmware version work? Like Goldie mentioned in the above reply. And does changing the firmware via Odin require rooting the phone?

MasterfulNinja said:
Thank you very much for your detailed answers! That's exactly it! And I know from experience that updating firmware can cause a negative affect to the phone's performance. My iPhone 4S is still on iOS 5.1 but runs perfectly, while friends who updated their 4S to 7.1 experience freezes and heavy lag. Maybe companies do this deliberately, so people get frustrated and end up having to get the latest, more powerful model so the OS to run smoothly?
I do exactly the same, I always wait to see what people about an update before updating. The only difficulty with Android updates is that there seem to be so many different versions of updates. For example, when I researched the 100mb one for the S5,* various sites mentioned it, but others say the size of the update was 30mb, which were called "improved performance" I also heard about updates not always being able to be reverted to the previous version,* and also about Knox. So, you can see why I'm hesitant to update.
I know quite a bit about using Android, but have very limited knowledge regarding rooting and custom roms and so on. Also, after reading that rooting a phone incorrectly can turn it into a brick, I'm happy to just leave it as it is. I've attached a photo which shows my current firmware version, as well as other information. Also, as my S5 is unlocked, the only updates I'll receive will be from Samsung. I asked my carrier (T-Mobile UK) and that's what they told me. Only phones from bought from them include added apps that they put on, and I think they may also be able to tweak the updates received, by adding their own features.
Some more questions for you;
1. Do you recommend a factory reset after each software update?(I had to factory reset my S3 to stop the battery draining issue that 4.3 caused. But was wondering if it's best to factory reset after each and every update on Android devices)
2. I know you said that sometimes reverting back to a previous firmware isn't always possible, but can't using Odin with the correct firmware version work? Like Goldie mentioned in the above reply. And does changing the firmware via Odin require rooting the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Yes, a data factory reset after a update/flash a rom is remmended and gives best performance and stability;
2. I haven`t tried flashing a older rom itself but it should be possible i guess as this is not dowgrading like from 4.4.2 to 4.3. You could try it and if it fails there`s no harm done as you can flash your current rom back.
3. Installing a update or flash a rom usualy will kill root, though superSU Pro offers a survival mode to keep root after a update. You can also flash a rom with Mobile Odin Pro and enable everroot and the 2 other options so you will not loose root.

@MasterfulNinja
I don't automatically accept updates. Someone more impulsive, or indifferent can be the guinea pig. That approach is effective in avoiding some unpleasant firmware surprises. Often an older firmware version runs smoother and is more stable as in your IOS 5 vs 7 example. Running an older firmware means that you may have unpatched security vulnerabilities but in practice this usually isn't a great or unmanageable problem. It is a point to keep in mind though.
Rooting isn't nearly as dangerous as many people think it is. Someone who can follow directions and avoid flashing firmware from a completely different device will rarely brick a phone. And even if you did, you can usually recover from the mishap. I mention this because one of the best ways to maintain a stable phone OS is to install a decent custom ROM (which typically requires root). And then most of the heavy lifting is done by the developer who has already removed bloat, restrictions and other objectionable pieces. And monitors and releases tailored and usually stable updates for those using his ROM.
Android updates vary in size because they are screened by carriers, each deciding what update components and /or custom bits goes into their version of the update. More restrictive Apple manages all IOS updates centrally from their California servers i.e. they don't relinquish direct control to carriers. Still it isn't hard to find articles giving a good summary of what issues android firmware updates are addressing.
Some people believe that you should accept every update and as soon as it becomes available. I don't see a compelling need to update unless you are trying to resolve a current bug or are enticed by a specific new feature. I don't recommend a factory reset after each update. I do recommend that you clear the system cache from recovery mode though. A factory reset usually won't benefit you but it is time consuming to reinstall and reconfigure your phone.
Having said that, if you have a specific issue, such as the 4.3 battery drain then you have a rationale for doing so. But I have to say that I experienced the same S3 issue and clearing the cache was sufficient to stabilize the phone for me. Some phones will develop corruption or configuration conflicts over time, especially if you install a lot of apps. Or if you have a specific app that makes a mess of your file system. With that in mind, I do do a factory reset about once a year to clean up the phone, the same as I would do for a laptop OS. But I don't see a reason to do it after every update.
Odin is a Samsung product, complete with DRM. So no, you cannot flash anything with Odin. You can flash most stock firmware and in particular Odin will look for OEM signatures if you try to change the bootloader or modem. In the case of downgrading, it is the Knox qfuse on your phone that will cause the Odin flash to fail. If you try to downgrade you end up with a partial flash which can soft brick your phone and trip the Knox flag.
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Best Options For i337 Going Forward + February OTA

Hello,
Today I received a notice that my phone has an OTA update available. I'm currently rooted on OC4. I can't find anything about this new OTA update, but I'm assuming it's only patching and nothing major. Is it safe to take this OTA update without fear of my root being lost?
Additionally, I'm wondering if anyone can offer some insight into the best options for this device moving forward. The phone is getting old and I would like to give it it's "final update" + a few months use before I replace it. Marshmallow would be nice, but I use Google Wallet/Android Pay frequently and I've heard that they're not compatible with some custom builds and their potential modification of the secure portion of the device those applications rely on. I would also prefer to be able to utilize the xposed framework, though that is not necessary.
What are the most modern, more vanilla, most recent Android custom builds recommended for this device?
Thank you

Given you are on OC4, you can't install a custom rom because of the locked bootloader

Rooted Nougat (U version) VS MM 6.01

I have root for my ATT s7 Edge. the lag is killing me as is the battery life even after all of the kernel auditor, fixes and bloatware removal. The lag is just un-f%%king-bearable.
Here's my question: Should I rollback to rooted MM or should I stay on rooted Nougat? My reasons are Ad Away, the fixes and the ability to kick Samsung crapware in the ass.
Thoughts?

Honestly id stay stock until there is a stable root and more development imo. Stock nougat is really stable atm. If you're going for root, which you are, MM Rooted U firmware is the best way to go!

You can kill everything but software updates with Package Disabler Pro. Yes, I know, that is one of the first things I disable on a rooted device, but at least you can kill the rest of the bloatware. I am running it now, and it is (amazingly) a Knox certified admin package which has permission to do what it does, so it runs fine on a stock device. (of course, the fact that it is Knox certified is why it can no longer disable the software updates - thank the Note 7 for that...)
Unfortunately, the only system-wide ad-blocking now requires a VPN, and I have yet to find a good solution that doesn't involve a monthly fee or high cost (or both). I have just started deleting apps that annoy the snot out of me with ads or, for vital apps, just sucking it up and buying the ad-free version where possible.

The most effective way to debloat the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S7 SM-G930V after root?

Hi, I've successfully rooted my phone!
Is there an easy, quick or thorough way to debloat our phones running Nougat?
psouza4 had this thread with directions on how to do that, but I think it was for 6.0.1 because it's not working on my phone
My phone is the Samsung SM-G930V with the baseband version G930VVRU4BQA4 and build number NRD90M.G930VVRU4BQA4 if that helps anyone.
Anything anyone can do to point me in the right direction or any tips you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

omgitsMATT said:
Hi, I've successfully rooted my phone!
Is there an easy, quick or thorough way to debloat our phones running Nougat?
psouza4 had this thread with directions on how to do that, but I think it was for 6.0.1 because it's not working on my phone
My phone is the Samsung SM-G930V with the baseband version G930VVRU4BQA4 and build number NRD90M.G930VVRU4BQA4 if that helps anyone.
Anything anyone can do to point me in the right direction or any tips you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are rooted u can use titaniim backup app from play store to remove or freez them.

Osama Chishty said:
If you are rooted u can use titaniim backup app from play store to remove or freez them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was thinking something similar to this or this but for 7.0, not 6.0.1.
I'm not clever enough to really know what can and can't be removed safely. I usually just spend weeks removing stuff to try and strip down to an absolutely minimum stock phone and end up just breaking the operating system and having to start over.
However, in the two links hyperlinked above, two guys both immensely smarter than me were able to strip the phones of all the bloatware and then some while remaining on stock roms and having a very functional phone.
I was hoping to find something like that.
For now I'm just downgrading to a rom that came out before Sep 15, 2016 and then following the steps in this thread to get a functional rooted phone that is tweaked to run okay, then I'm using the steps in this thread to strip the phone down to almost nothing but still keeping it functional.
I would rather have total control of the applications and software on my phone and use a dated operating (6.0.1) system versus using the most up to date operating system (7.0) and not having as much control or understanding of what's on my phone.
I would love to upgrade to 7.0 though if anyone knows an extensive and reliable way to extremely debloat the Verizon Samsung S7 SM-G930V with a locked bootloader?
I've lurked and googled every variation of any combination of words to try and find the right place to learn how to do this but fell back on the two threads I hyperlinked above, twice. I can't find anything that works for me for 7.0

If anyone wants to emulate what I did to get a similar result, I used the firmware version G930UUEU4API3 for the device Samsung Galaxy S7, model SM-G930U for my SM-G930V (apparently the G930U version doesn't come with Verizon bloat? just standard bloat?) because that version was released 9/09/16 and the thread for the extreme debloat was last updated 9/15/16, probably to account for that release. After that nothing has been updated.

omgitsMATT said:
I was thinking something similar to this or this but for 7.0, not 6.0.1.
I'm not clever enough to really know what can and can't be removed safely. I usually just spend weeks removing stuff to try and strip down to an absolutely minimum stock phone and end up just breaking the operating system and having to start over.
However, in the two links hyperlinked above, two guys both immensely smarter than me were able to strip the phones of all the bloatware and then some while remaining on stock roms and having a very functional phone.
I was hoping to find something like that.
For now I'm just downgrading to a rom that came out before Sep 15, 2016 and then following the steps in this thread to get a functional rooted phone that is tweaked to run okay, then I'm using the steps in this thread to strip the phone down to almost nothing but still keeping it functional.
I would rather have total control of the applications and software on my phone and use a dated operating (6.0.1) system versus using the most up to date operating system (7.0) and not having as much control or understanding of what's on my phone.
I would love to upgrade to 7.0 though if anyone knows an extensive and reliable way to extremely debloat the Verizon Samsung S7 SM-G930V with a locked bootloader?
I've lurked and googled every variation of any combination of words to try and find the right place to learn how to do this but fell back on the two threads I hyperlinked above, twice. I can't find anything that works for me for 7.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update 7.0 root it and try this rom. You need to create a account to access the form.
http://stang5litre-roms.proboards.com/

Osama Chishty said:
Update 7.0 root it and try this rom. You need to create a account to access the form.
http://stang5litre-roms.proboards.com/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I was using the 6.0.1 rom for awhile but ended up doing other things.
I have been using this 7.0 one now since you posted on the 4th and it's nice.
If you find anything else do share, thanks so much for your help!

Verizon Samsung Galaxy S7 SM-G930V is mine as well running oreo 8.0 how to root/unlock bootloader?
cheers much appreciated
omgitsMATT said:
Hi, I've successfully rooted my phone!
Is there an easy, quick or thorough way to debloat our phones running Nougat?
psouza4 had this thread with directions on how to do that, but I think it was for 6.0.1 because it's not working on my phone
My phone is the Samsung SM-G930V with the baseband version G930VVRU4BQA4 and build number NRD90M.G930VVRU4BQA4 if that helps anyone.
Anything anyone can do to point me in the right direction or any tips you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

It's Dec. 2017, what's the best rooted user experience for a G930V?

Hi everyone,
I made a near identical thread a few days ago in the general S7 forum before I'd realized there's a carrier specific sub-forum. I figure if there's anyone up-to-date with updates and rooting the Verizon S7 they'd be here.
I have a Verizon S7 flat (G930V). I bought it sometime mid-2016 and it's rooted with the eng kernel on 6.0.1. The baseband is G930VVRU4API3. The bootloader is locked and obviously that's very limiting.
I really enjoy the added functionality that comes rooting, but sometimes the phone hangs randomly and becomes unresponsive seemingly for no reason. I was wondering if there's a better experience to be had by updating to 7.0+, preferably with root.
What are my options now in Q4 of 2017? What's the deal with the "U" firmware? Is there a non-eng way of rooting or any one that doesn't bog down the phone so much, or is non-rooted the only way to go? Can I go from where I am now to where I want to be without wiping my phone, or is that needed/recommended? If I upgrade, am I stuck there or can I revert if it ends up being a worse experience?
Sorry for all the questions. For my past Android devices this info was pretty cut and dry, but it's hard figuring out what's the latest or most well received methods for this device.
Thank you for any direction you might be able to provide me.

All the root methods that I am aware of utilize the eng-boot image, even on Nougat. So you're going to be susceptible to odd behavior and lags and freezes and all of that regardless of whether to stay on MM or go to N. Some have said they found the N experience a bit better. I haven't found that to be the case, but YMMV.
The U firmware essentially is just a version of the firmware without all the Verizon bloat built in, as well as a few other minor differences.
If you go upgrading or swapping firmwares it's always highly advisable to do a full wipe. I know it's a pain in the ass but if you use the home file to flash in Odin and save your data you often end up with a lot of problems that you wouldn't have otherwise.
---------- Post added at 11:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 AM ----------
Oh and as far as I know you can't go back to MM after going to N. Going to N, you update the bootloader, and with the locked bootloader you can't "roll it back" which is what you'd need to do to go to back to MM. That said, there's little reason not to go to N, you won't have a worse experience, maybe not any better but not any worse. IDK if there's an Xposed framework working for this phone on N, so if that's important to you it's something to be considered. Otherwise, it might be worth it to take the plunge.

nyr2k2 said:
All the root methods that I am aware of utilize the eng-boot image, even on Nougat. So you're going to be susceptible to odd behavior and lags and freezes and all of that regardless of whether to stay on MM or go to N. Some have said they found the N experience a bit better. I haven't found that to be the case, but YMMV.
The U firmware essentially is just a version of the firmware without all the Verizon bloat built in, as well as a few other minor differences.
If you go upgrading or swapping firmwares it's always highly advisable to do a full wipe. I know it's a pain in the ass but if you use the home file to flash in Odin and save your data you often end up with a lot of problems that you wouldn't have otherwise.
---------- Post added at 11:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 AM ----------
Oh and as far as I know you can't go back to MM after going to N. Going to N, you update the bootloader, and with the locked bootloader you can't "roll it back" which is what you'd need to do to go to back to MM. That said, there's little reason not to go to N, you won't have a worse experience, maybe not any better but not any worse. IDK if there's an Xposed framework working for this phone on N, so if that's important to you it's something to be considered. Otherwise, it might be worth it to take the plunge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for addressing many of my concerns. So the only way to root nougat is with the engineers kernel, which is less than stellar. I won't be able to downgrade (but from what I hear stock 7.0 is about as good as it gets), and it does look like there's an xposed installation working on 7.0, which is something I forgot to consider and I'm super glad you thought of it, because I don't think rooting this phone is worth the hassle without the some xposed modules. So the U firmware is either carrier agnostic, or comes from one without so much bloat and works anyway. That's excellent to hear. I'll investigate, but do you know offhand if I can flash the verizon and and the U one back and forth without issue, or will I have to pick and choose now?
Thank you very much for the information. I really appreciate it.

Stang
I had the same build as you and I just went to the stang5litre and it's pretty easy to do. I did a little reading on both root and stang and took me about an hour from start to finish. There is no bloat and very feature rich without having to mess around.