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Android ROM (FirmWare) procedure backup&restore
I got several samsung mobile phones, and as tech as I got in the android EcoSystem -- is using samsung kies, or some apps filemanagement on the mobile phones.
Now, after one of my mobile phone got stuck while loading the system (to say exactly what happened -- is that for somereason after something was ran in the device -- I do not know whether it was a firmware update or something else -- the mobile loads and get stuck on the samsung logo)
None of the mobiles I got is rooted. And all the apps are -- as far as I know -- valid and none intrusive.
I been trying to figure out the following, in order to backup/restore Firmware/ROM:
A. Is a FirmWare (as samsung call it) is a ROM?
B. What is the procedure backing up a ROM from existing mobile device. Do I have to have root access to the device, or can it be preformed with a simple app.
C. What is the procedure restoring ROM.
D. Where can I get official Samsung FirmWare/ROMS for my mobile devices, and save them as files for later use? (I read on the web, that while the samsung Kies download the official ROM from their site -- it saves it in a temp dir, but doesn't save it for later use)....
E. What tools/procedure do I need -- in order to preform BackUp/Restore of ROMS?
Now, after one of my mobile phone got stuck while loading the system (to say exactly what happened -- is that for somereason after something was ran in the device -- I do not know whether it was a firmware update or something else -- the mobile loads and get stuck on the samsung logo)
None of the mobiles I got is rooted. And all the apps are -- as far as I know -- valid and none intrusive.
I been trying to figure out the following, in order to backup/restore Firmware/ROM:
A. Is a FirmWare (as samsung call it) is a ROM?
B. What is the procedure backing up a ROM from existing mobile device. Do I have to have root access to the device, or can it be preformed with a simple app.
C. What is the procedure restoring ROM.
D. Where can I get official Samsung FirmWare/ROMS for my mobile devices, and save them as files for later use? (I read on the web, that while the samsung Kies download the official ROM from their site -- it saves it in a temp dir, but doesn't save it for later use)....
E. What tools/procedure do I need -- in order to preform BackUp/Restore of ROMS?
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ASKER
Excellent answers... It put a lot into perspective, yet, I would like to pinpoint the exact situation I am in:
* My device won't boot into android os
* I've, even before the post, did a wipe data/ cache/ -- yet it didn't result with anything on my device.
* I did get into "Download" mode and tried to run on KIES the "Tools/Firmware upgrade and initialization" -- I've entered in the procedure my mobile brand and the S/N -- yet, it failed with an "Failed to run firmware upgrade. Unknown error occurred."
! How can I overcome KIES from presenting that error --? I believe that reinstalling (even the same Firmware I got) would fix the load problem.
Note:
* I bought the same brand of samsung mobile to my mum as well.
* When in "Download" Mode -- it specifies the following "Custom Binary Download:"
-- On my phone the value was "Yes (1)"
-- On my mum phone the value was "No"
? What does that mean, I am guessing that that is one of the reason my mobile crashed for the second time, cause it was using a custom binary... It that reasonable to assume?
* My device won't boot into android os
* I've, even before the post, did a wipe data/ cache/ -- yet it didn't result with anything on my device.
* I did get into "Download" mode and tried to run on KIES the "Tools/Firmware upgrade and initialization" -- I've entered in the procedure my mobile brand and the S/N -- yet, it failed with an "Failed to run firmware upgrade. Unknown error occurred."
! How can I overcome KIES from presenting that error --? I believe that reinstalling (even the same Firmware I got) would fix the load problem.
Note:
* I bought the same brand of samsung mobile to my mum as well.
* When in "Download" Mode -- it specifies the following "Custom Binary Download:"
-- On my phone the value was "Yes (1)"
-- On my mum phone the value was "No"
? What does that mean, I am guessing that that is one of the reason my mobile crashed for the second time, cause it was using a custom binary... It that reasonable to assume?
SOLUTION
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ASKER
HHmmm,...
* Is it possible to use an Official ROM after loading custom ROM?
* My phone model is GT-S6500D -- Tried looking for ROMs for that put didn't find any good links.
* In addition I do not know what does the ROM contains and whether to trust it? how do I check the packages of a ROM? and what do I need to check in it?
* Is it possible to use an Official ROM after loading custom ROM?
* My phone model is GT-S6500D -- Tried looking for ROMs for that put didn't find any good links.
* In addition I do not know what does the ROM contains and whether to trust it? how do I check the packages of a ROM? and what do I need to check in it?
ASKER
Took me a while to grant the points, yet, the initial response was quite complete...
On an unrooted, stock samsung ROM, you don't backup the ROM and you're not supposed to worry about it.
The ROM is untouchable by the apps on the system, it is mounted as read-only when the device is running. It is therefore (theoretically) impossible for an app running on the phone to damage or change the ROM itself.
All of the data - apps, settings, EVERYTHING, that you do to the phone after you get it out of the box, is saved in the /data and /cache partitions on the device, which is stored separately from the ROM itself.
Any problems you experience on the phone can only be a result of bad information in the /data and /cache partitions. And it can be fixed by wiping the phone to factory defaults.
You can do it two different ways:
1) Under Settings, while the device is running, there is an option to wipe and reset the device
2) If the device won't boot (e.g. hanging on the samsung logo like you said), you can instead boot into "recovery" mode where you can wipe to factory defaults. Recovery mode varies from one device to the next, but generally with Samsung devices you boot the device while holding POWER + VOL UP, and you're presented with a menu, one of the options is to wipe the device to factory defaults. You use the volume up/down and power buttons to navigate the menu.
If these things don't work, or for whatever reason you actually do want to re-install a ROM onto the phone you do so using "Download Mode" and the Samsung Kies application. Kies will download the appropriate ROM from Samsung, and you don't have much control over the process.