G900A Galaxy S5 Android 6.0 Odin Update Files - Without Wiping!

[iBowToAndroid]

Using Odin files to update a Samsung AT&T model will almost always result in a factory reset being performed, and I've also seen the same thing happen when trying to update via OTA zip in Recovery. I'm providing this package for anyone still using the S5, to be able to update software without needing to do a factory reset. I have personally verified that these files will perform the update without wiping any data. These files will update you to the Build/Baseband ending in QD1, Android 6.0.

My zips are compressed extra small for space and bandwidth savings. The default Windows extractor can't handle it, so you'll need a 3rd party tool like 7zip, WinRAR, etc.

Happy flashing!

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=1899786940962576350

 

[3rdRockfromSun]

Worked great..Thanks! But....

You are theman for this! I have a 900A AT&T and have struggled for days to get it unlocked, upgraded and working without tripping the secure software alert. I started with a 4.X maintenance OS, then rooted, SafeStrapped then pushed this update via ODIN and it worked. Now, the only issue i am having is apps crashing continuously. Started with google play and play services now spreading. I ASSUME this is due to apps not getting updated in the update to 6.X. Correct me if I am wrong. I have updated those via APKs along with others to new versions yet it still happens. Now its also Chrome, File manager etc. Is this maybe a code bug, or am I missing something here? Thanks again

 

[iBowToAndroid]

You are theman for this! I have a 900A AT&T and have struggled for days to get it unlocked, upgraded and working without tripping the secure software alert. I started with a 4.X maintenance OS, then rooted, SafeStrapped then pushed this update via ODIN and it worked. Now, the only issue i am having is apps crashing continuously. Started with google play and play services now spreading. I ASSUME this is due to apps not getting updated in the update to 6.X. Correct me if I am wrong. I have updated those via APKs along with others to new versions yet it still happens. Now its also Chrome, File manager etc. Is this maybe a code bug, or am I missing something here? Thanks again

No idea. Can't really diagnose app crashes - too many possibilities.

Also: hopefully you're now aware that you're not rooted any longer and (probably) can't ever root it again

 

[3rdRockfromSun]

No idea. Can't really diagnose app crashes - too many possibilities.

Also: hopefully you're now aware that you're not rooted any longer and (probably) can't ever root it again

Yeah I saw that, but thats ok. My biggest objective is to get it unlocked from AT&T so I can use it (this whole venture has just turned into a learning/fun toy to play with now) on my carrier. That is yet TBD. Any thoughts on that?

 

[iBowToAndroid]

Yeah I saw that, but thats ok. My biggest objective is to get it unlocked from AT&T so I can use it (this whole venture has just turned into a learning/fun toy to play with now) on my carrier. That is yet TBD. Any thoughts on that?

https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/

 

[Martin2019]

Thanks in advance for any help, short version at top, details below.


-- Short version:
Please help me recover my data, and phone if possible.
I need the data, esp texts and notes, for both personal (some family members have passed on) and business.
I have a new Galaxy S21 and / or PC Smart Switch ready to receive data backup if we can evacuate it from the S5.
ODIN flash seems to pass but has 'Resizing Data' fail, and phone still won't boot past AT&T logo screen.
All web searches seem to say Factory Reset is my last option, but I don't want to lose the data.
Please share ANY advice on how I can recover the data.


-- More details:
Phone = SM-G900A Samsung Galaxy S5 AT&T

Use = pristine, never rooted, modded, or unfortunately backed up

Status = will not boot, passes screen 1 'Galaxy S5', screen 2 'Samsung script', then stops on screen 3 'AT&T globe logo'

More details = Used clean for ~7 years, then on day x, saw phone automatically complete a system update (green screen, sprockets, "your phone is updating"), which was surprising as it's years after it is no longer supported by AT&T. After that update, I continued to use the phone that day, but it then rebooted automatically and stuck on the AT&T globe logo.

Attempts to fix = soft reset, battery pull, can't get into SAFE MODE, can get into and out of recovery mode, found this firmware (THANKS @iBowToAndroid), used multiple ODIN (Odin3 v3.13.3_3B_PatcheD, Odin3 v3.14.1_3B_PatcheD) to flash it (my first Android flashing experience). On flashing process, ODIN on PC shows 'PASS' and log shows "<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 1 / failed 0)", but phone shows 'Resizing Data' failed:

"
Supported API: 3

-- Installing package...
Finding update package...
Opening update package...
Verifying update package...
Installing update...

Successfully installed package.

-- Resizing Data...
Can't open dir '/data/user/0/com.sec.knox.bluetooth' (Permission denied)
E:failed the resizing-data
"

PFA screen shots

 

[iBowToAndroid]

Thanks in advance for any help, short version at top, details below.

Trying the "wipe cache partition" is the only thing I can think of

 

[Martin2019]

Trying the "wipe cache partition" is the only thing I can think of

Short version:

THANKS for the quick reply, very much appreciate your help.
Am I really left with only a Factory Reset and then trying to use Data Recovery software to get ‘some’ data back?
I really don't want to give up on the data, so I'm still trying anything I can think of in research and repeated attempts.


More details:

I have tried the recovery mode 'Wipe cache partition' option before and after using ODIN.
I've tried doing it 'twice' per recommendation of some of the web advice I've read in trying to research this.
I've noticed that sometimes the colored highlight of the 'Reboot to bootloader' option then turns background green instead of usual blue, but I don't know why, or if that matters.
Still, the ODIN flash effort always returns the permission error, and the boot always sticks on the AT&T logo.

The string seems to indicate a 'user data' permission error?

Is there any way to debug the logic of the firmware or slog through the 'Recovery Logs' to determine and resolve the cause of the permission error?

When the problem began, I had an SD card and SIM card loaded.
I've since removed both in trying to address this, also per 'web advice'.
Any chance putting them back in helps somehow?

Any other options available via apply update from SD card or ADB?

Any way to setup the Android OS as a secondary drive to another machine to pull data out that way?
I've done similar things with Windows OS in PC environment, but I'm not seeing anyone trying that with Android.

If I am really stuck with factory reset, are there any data recovery programs I could try afterward that work with the G900A?
So far I've looked at Dr Fone, Tenorshare, EaseUS, FonePaw, and D-Back, and none seem to work with the AT&T model variant.
Maybe that's just because they don't have access to AT&T firmware available to install, but if I clear the stuck boot via FR, they then might be able to get some of my data back via drive scan - whatever data is not truly overwritten by the FR?

 

[iBowToAndroid]

Short version:

THANKS for the quick reply, very much appreciate your help.
Am I really left with only a Factory Reset and then trying to use Data Recovery software to get ‘some’ data back?
I really don't want to give up on the data, so I'm still trying anything I can think of in research and repeated attempts.


More details:

I have tried the recovery mode 'Wipe cache partition' option before and after using ODIN.
I've tried doing it 'twice' per recommendation of some of the web advice I've read in trying to research this.
I've noticed that sometimes the colored highlight of the 'Reboot to bootloader' option then turns background green instead of usual blue, but I don't know why, or if that matters.
Still, the ODIN flash effort always returns the permission error, and the boot always sticks on the AT&T logo.

I own and run a business that performs SIM unlocking and other software-related services for mobile devices, so we see situations like yours quite a bit. And I don't know of anything else that you can do. From reports, we've heard that none of those "recovery services" actually work to recover any data, after a reset

 

[Martin2019]

I own and run a business that performs SIM unlocking and other software-related services for mobile devices, so we see situations like yours quite a bit. And I don't know of anything else that you can do. From reports, we've heard that none of those "recovery services" actually work to recover any data, after a reset

Disappointing to hear bad news, but appreciate your effort and insight in providing it, thanks.

I've learned alot in researching it.
I just wish I'd known it before the problem, which I'm sure you also hear quite a bit.

Please let me know if you think of anything else I can try.

 

[iBowToAndroid]

Disappointing to hear bad news, but appreciate your effort and insight in providing it, thanks.

I've learned alot in researching it.
I just wish I'd known it before the problem, which I'm sure you also hear quite a bit.

Please let me know if you think of anything else I can try.

You can never trust a mobile device 100%, especially not one that's 7 years old. That's why anything that's that important needs to be backed up at all times

 

[Martin2019]

You can never trust a mobile device 100%, especially not one that's 7 years old. That's why anything that's that important needs to be backed up at all times

Totally agree, and totally on me for not having a backup.
I was just foolish enough to not know yet how easy it is to back up.
Give me 10 minutes of life again now in this phone, I use Smart Switch to backup, and I'm off to a new phone, or even FR on this one and reload.
Now where did I put my Delorean...

 

[Martin2019]

You can never trust a mobile device 100%, especially not one that's 7 years old. That's why anything that's that important needs to be backed up at all times

Have you ever tried a 'combination key' approach to get data access?
As in...
Smart Switch on PC won't connect, but ODIN does show 'Added'.
I don't understand the granular details, but hoping you might...
Could we use both Smart Switch and ODIN in some combination sequence that would allow Smart Switch to pull the data off to a Smart Switch PC backup that I could then throw onto a new phone?

 

[iBowToAndroid]

When it's in Downloading (firmware flashing) mode, a modem port is used. The modem port is also there when the device is booted up in Normal mode, but that's not useful for extracting any data off of it. I don't know what Smart Switch uses, but I would assume File Transfer (MTP) and/or ADB. And those aren't fully functional until the device fully boots up.

Do you have a screen lock on the device?

 

[Martin2019]

When it's in Downloading (firmware flashing) mode, a modem port is used. The modem port is also there when the device is booted up in Normal mode, but that's not useful for extracting any data off of it. I don't know what Smart Switch uses, but I would assume File Transfer (MTP) and/or ADB. And those aren't fully functional until the device fully boots up.

Do you have a screen lock on the device?

No lock on device, just swipe to go from 'lock screen' to home screen, prior to this boot problem obv.

One of the data recovery sw that I tried (EaseUS I think) did reach a screen asking me to enable USB debugging to continue, but I don't think I can do that without booting up.
I 'think' I remember that screen saying something like 'MTP device' connected, when it asked me to do that.

Any way to sneak into MTP mode from that?

 

[Martin2019]

No lock on device, just swipe to go from 'lock screen' to home screen, prior to this boot problem obv.

One of the data recovery sw that I tried (EaseUS I think) did reach a screen asking me to enable USB debugging to continue, but I don't think I can do that without booting up.
I 'think' I remember that screen saying something like 'MTP device' connected, when it asked me to do that.

Any way to sneak into MTP mode from that?

 

[iBowToAndroid]

Any 3rd party software will require ADB to be enabled. Smart Switch is the only one that *might* work just over MTP, but I'm pretty sure MTP doesn't fully load until the device is booted. Even if it did, you would likely need to allow on the popup message. Does the phone show up as a device/drive when it's plugged in while sitting on the AT&T logo?

 

[Martin2019]

I think you're asking "does the phone show up as a device/drive" in something like a windows file explorer, and the answer is unfortunately no, or at least not that I've found yet - I've tried several times now, and I'm still trying any combinations I can.

For now...

I can get EaseUS to show 'MTP USB device' per the pic attached in my last, but can't really get it to connect past that point, as it asks for USB Debugging, which it appears I can't do due to stuck in boot loop.

Smart Switch seems to try to connect for awhile, then says it failed to connect, so I think I'm then left with 'Samsung Smart Switch Emergency Software Recovery' (PFA).
Do you have experience using it?
Do you know if it could work to reload the firmware / OS without wiping the data?
AT&T Advanced Technical Support guy says it gives you an option to choose whether or not using it resets the phone (wipes your data), so he thinks (hopes) that would work, but he didn't sound certain at all.

I understand your point on the pop up message user prompt for File Transfer Mode. I used that mode many times in the past, so I'm hoping it might default on the phone so we wouldn't need to answer the pop up prompt to reach that status , but I'm obv not sure about that.

Per the speculation in my last, do you know of any combination approach we might use to get the desired result, like maybe... use ADB somehow to change 1 parm value to reach MTP mode, then use that progress step to enable Smart Switch to connect so we could offload the data?

Thanks again for your help

 

[iBowToAndroid]

1. MTP is the same as File Transfer. So when the phone is turning on, it starts loading that connection. You might see "MTP USB Device" or something similar in your Windows Device Manager

2. But if the phone never shows up as a device/drive (would show up under "Portable Devices" in Windows Dev Man), then it's not loading fully - and it normally doesn't do that until it boots past the carrier splash screen.

3. Even if it did boot fully and showed up as a device/drive, the MTP pop-up prompt shows up every single time you connect the device. There's no way around that. So the device would show as empty, with no files or folders, until you tapped "Allow" on the popup.

4. No, there's nothing else you can do to turn on any other connection modes

 

[Martin2019]

1. MTP is the same as File Transfer. So when the phone is turning on, it starts loading that connection. You might see "MTP USB Device" or something similar in your Windows Device Manager

Device Manager does show an entry for the phone connected via USB cable:

Under 'Disk Drives' as
SAMSUNG MZMTE256HMHP-000MV

Under 'Universal Serial Bus Controllers' as
SAMSUNG Mobile USB Composite Device

Please tell me that helps us somehow?