[GUIDE][HOW-TO] Return device back to stock 'Official'!

Search This thread

djintrigue808

Retired Recognized Developer
May 20, 2012
2,486
4,580
Aiea, Hawaii
So you want to return back to stock huh? Maybe to get official software updates? Maybe you want to sell your device? Or turn it in for a warranty thing cause you decided to give your phone to someone while you were drunk and that person cracked your screen. Well in any case, here is how I returned my GS4 back to stock official!

*Warning: Using this method will wipe your internal SD Card so back up your photos, music, and other precious files on your computer!

As many of you may know, Chainfire has an awesome app called Triangle Away that will reset your flash counter and return your binary status to Offical! Well good, download it cause you will need it for this process.

Things you will need
-Triangle Away app! (Thanks to Chainfire!) Get it here -> http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1494114
-CF-Auto-Root! (Thanks to Chainfire again!) Get it here ->http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2294005
-UVUAMDL Official TAR! (Thanks to k0nane!) Get it here ->http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2258628

Steps!

Step 0: If you haven't already backup your Internal SD on your computer!

Step 1: Place the Triangle Away app on your external SD Card!

Step 2: Using Odin, flash the UVUAMDL Official TAR following the instructions here. If you get stuck in a bootloop, do a battery pull, reboot to recovery, and wipe data/factory reset!

Step 3: With Odin, flash CF-Auto-Root to re-root your device!

Step 4: Install Triangle Away app and reset your flash counter! Follow the directions in the thread here.

Step 5: Once you have reset your flash counter, verify in Triangle Away that your flash counter is back to 0! (It should be at 0 because you should already be on stock recovery and kernel at this point).

Step 6: In SuperSU, perform a full unroot! This should uninstall SuperSU as well.

Step 7: Uninstall Triangle Away

Step 8: Verify that your device reads 'Samsung Official' for your Current Binary and 'Official' for System Status by going to Download Mode! Once complete do a battery pull and reboot your phone normally.

Step 9: Go to Settings > 'More' tab > About Device > Status > Device Status. If it reads 'Official' then you're lucky, congrats you are done! If not then don't worry, you are like me and have to perform the next step!

Step 10: Go to Settings > 'Accounts' tab > Backup and reset > Factory data reset. This will erase your internal SD Card!

Once completed your device status WILL read 'Official' and you will be able to receive Software Updates from Samsung once again! Hope I have helped you by returning your device back to unrooted Stock Official! Peace!

Credits:
-Chainfire
-k0nane
 
Last edited:

AxAtAx

Senior Member
Mar 14, 2011
13,116
20,412
ViSiON,Texas
This is for T-Mobile correct? Can you work up the others? good source. also, can I add a link in my guide pointing here, this could be very useful?
 

djintrigue808

Retired Recognized Developer
May 20, 2012
2,486
4,580
Aiea, Hawaii
This is for T-Mobile correct? Can you work up the others? good source. also, can I add a link in my guide pointing here, this could be very useful?

Yes, this is for T-Mobile. But if you use the CF-AUTO-ROOT and official firmware for that specific device's carrier I'm pretty sure it'll work.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium

Edit: yes you can add this thread to your guide.
 
Last edited:

cardenas5810

Senior Member
Nov 1, 2008
133
17
houston
Can we just go back to stock and have everything stock with official firmware but still be able to keep root?

Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
 

mrdreamers

Senior Member
Oct 16, 2009
1,002
64
Texas
:)

to back up my internal storage can i just plug into computer and drag everything to it?
 
Last edited:

djintrigue808

Retired Recognized Developer
May 20, 2012
2,486
4,580
Aiea, Hawaii

ImperiousRex89

Senior Member
Aug 11, 2012
64
4
If you never installed a custom rom or recovery but just used chainfire's CF-Auto-Root can you skip the first steps of flashing to stock firmware (UVUAMDL Official TAR) and just do steps 3-10?
 

cardenas5810

Senior Member
Nov 1, 2008
133
17
houston
to back up my internal storage can i just plug into computer and drag everything to it?


i have performed everything but my phone status is still custom. i want to be able to keep root and also be able to use my samsung dongle. anyone have a fix for this? i could perform a master reset but im afraid i will have to install root again and end up being custom status all over again
 

djintrigue808

Retired Recognized Developer
May 20, 2012
2,486
4,580
Aiea, Hawaii
i have performed everything but my phone status is still custom. i want to be able to keep root and also be able to use my samsung dongle. anyone have a fix for this? i could perform a master reset but im afraid i will have to install root again and end up being custom status all over again

Did you perform step 10?

Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium

Edit: you say you've done "everything" yet you still wanna keep root and didn't unroot. Try performing all of the steps to see if your device status goes back to official?
 
Last edited:

cardenas5810

Senior Member
Nov 1, 2008
133
17
houston
Did you perform step 10?

Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium

Edit: you say you've done "everything" yet you still wanna keep root and didn't unroot. Try performing all of the steps to see if your device status goes back to official?

actually i just performed the master reset and somehow i still have root access and my status also says official .....so i guess my problem is solved . i was scared to do the master reset because i tought i was going to loose root access but it actually stayed rooted even after a master reset.
 

Top Liked Posts

  • There are no posts matching your filters.
  • 50
    So you want to return back to stock huh? Maybe to get official software updates? Maybe you want to sell your device? Or turn it in for a warranty thing cause you decided to give your phone to someone while you were drunk and that person cracked your screen. Well in any case, here is how I returned my GS4 back to stock official!

    *Warning: Using this method will wipe your internal SD Card so back up your photos, music, and other precious files on your computer!

    As many of you may know, Chainfire has an awesome app called Triangle Away that will reset your flash counter and return your binary status to Offical! Well good, download it cause you will need it for this process.

    Things you will need
    -Triangle Away app! (Thanks to Chainfire!) Get it here -> http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1494114
    -CF-Auto-Root! (Thanks to Chainfire again!) Get it here ->http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2294005
    -UVUAMDL Official TAR! (Thanks to k0nane!) Get it here ->http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2258628

    Steps!

    Step 0: If you haven't already backup your Internal SD on your computer!

    Step 1: Place the Triangle Away app on your external SD Card!

    Step 2: Using Odin, flash the UVUAMDL Official TAR following the instructions here. If you get stuck in a bootloop, do a battery pull, reboot to recovery, and wipe data/factory reset!

    Step 3: With Odin, flash CF-Auto-Root to re-root your device!

    Step 4: Install Triangle Away app and reset your flash counter! Follow the directions in the thread here.

    Step 5: Once you have reset your flash counter, verify in Triangle Away that your flash counter is back to 0! (It should be at 0 because you should already be on stock recovery and kernel at this point).

    Step 6: In SuperSU, perform a full unroot! This should uninstall SuperSU as well.

    Step 7: Uninstall Triangle Away

    Step 8: Verify that your device reads 'Samsung Official' for your Current Binary and 'Official' for System Status by going to Download Mode! Once complete do a battery pull and reboot your phone normally.

    Step 9: Go to Settings > 'More' tab > About Device > Status > Device Status. If it reads 'Official' then you're lucky, congrats you are done! If not then don't worry, you are like me and have to perform the next step!

    Step 10: Go to Settings > 'Accounts' tab > Backup and reset > Factory data reset. This will erase your internal SD Card!

    Once completed your device status WILL read 'Official' and you will be able to receive Software Updates from Samsung once again! Hope I have helped you by returning your device back to unrooted Stock Official! Peace!

    Credits:
    -Chainfire
    -k0nane
    3
    This is for T-Mobile correct? Can you work up the others? good source. also, can I add a link in my guide pointing here, this could be very useful?

    Yes, this is for T-Mobile. But if you use the CF-AUTO-ROOT and official firmware for that specific device's carrier I'm pretty sure it'll work.

    Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium

    Edit: yes you can add this thread to your guide.
    2
    Can we just go back to stock and have everything stock with official firmware but still be able to keep root?

    Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app

    Yes this is possible! Just skip step #6! :good:

    to back up my internal storage can i just plug into computer and drag everything to it?

    Yes! That is how I backed up mine. :eek:
    2
    This needs to be stickied

    Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
    1
    Hey folks,

    I think I read through this whole thread and didn't see it mentioned, which surprises me a little bit -- if you go read the Odin-recover-to-stock thread (STEP 2), you'll see that it was updated some time ago with a note that says:

    "Note: the indicators in Download Mode will read "custom" even after flashing this TAR. As there are no official TARs yet available, there's not much to be done. EDIT: Official TARs are now available, and may change this. YMMV."

    I used the provided OFFICIAL tar file to reflash my device to stock and indeed, no triangles, no flash count, everything in download mode says "OFFICIAL" thus making THIS THREAD IRRELEVANT. (I'm sure not all devices are made alike and this thread offers valuable information for those who aren't as lucky as me, but still, this info should really be in the OP here)

    hmm interesting. i needed triangle away in order to get rid of my triangle. unless i missed something, this thread was definitely relevant to me. i was on 4.4.2 with the mdl bootloader. this was good stuff.