[HOW-TO][EXYNOS/SNAPDRAGON] Root S20 series and upgrade firmware

[Matce]

bump ...

Been out of the loop for a while....
Is there a guide to go from fully rooted A11 to A12 ? Pretty crucial: without wiping data!

To update within A11 I typically did this:
- download Firmware and extract
- Odin BL/AP/CP/HOME_CSC and USERDATA (TWRP+VBMETA in 1 file)
-- untick auto reboot and flash
- go into TWRP, flash multidisabler, reboot into system
- go into TWRP again, flash kernel, done

is that still true to go from A11 to A12 now? just replace with new TWRP?

Samsung S20 here.

thanks

 

[oaklandz]

2. Flash full A12 firmware with Odin: BL + AP + CP + CSC (full data wipe) + magisk_patched-23016.tar in USERDATA

Thanks.

My phone is 100% virgin with only the BL unlocked (no accounts, no app or system updates.) From here ... what would you do to get to A12 + rooted - with the least work or complication? I'm good with either TWRP or no TWRP.

Sry, I forgot one thing: You can use TWRP with encrypted data, but you can't do nandroid backups of your data partition. Everything else works.
Thats it.

Skysurfer I followed your directions to a T (and have rooted/TWRP other phones; including a bricked j327 emerge I revived + rooted today while I'm at it.)

Here's the result. (S20 5G - SM-981P)
From stock A11, I flashed A12 AV9 (OXM). This works fine. No glitches. (when I upgraded I used TWRP on the first attempt.) I tried both versions of TWRP + VBMETA that you linked to. Neither of them work; right after download mode I try to force boot into recovery instead of system reboot. I can do this with the stock A12 VA9 recovery, but not with the TWRP recovery. I tried these three options in succession more than once. Same results. Even after system reboots, I can't get TWRP recovery.

Two questions.
1. Is the problem that both versions of TWRP+VBMETA are not compatible with A12 VA9? (Is this a known issue?)
2. What would you do next? (perhaps, go back to stock A11 and retry A12 VA9 with TWRP; or downgrade to the previous version of A12 with TWRP; or else??)

 

[skysurfer1111]

delete

 

[skysurfer1111]

Two questions.
1. Is the problem that both versions of TWRP+VBMETA are not compatible with A12 VA9? (Is this a known issue?)
2. What would you do next? (perhaps, go back to stock A11 and retry A12 VA9 with TWRP; or downgrade to the previous version of A12 with TWRP; or else??)

Hello, did you flash twrp together with the FW and put it in the ODIN userdata slot? You have to be quick, when you change from DL to recovery mode. You have to hold pwr + volume up for a while and don't release.

1. I don't know VA9, the TWRP I sent you works with EUL7 fine for me.
2. I would try TWRP + VBMETA with EUL7.

You find most FW on SamFW.

 

[humanspida]

My handset is currently still all stock and fully upgraded with the latest Software Update via OTA recently.

The latest One UI 4.0 and Android 12 FW for my S20 Ultra SM-G988B is the G988BXXUDEVA9 (BTU region for UK handset), downloaded via SamFirm, it's the same on Sam Mobile site. Which is what I believe oaklandz is referring to by "VA9".
Software Information page of the About Phone section of Settings on my device:

As you can see from the above image, the Baseband Version ends with EUL6 and the Build Number ends with EUL9

You mention "EUL7" but to what do you refer - Baseband Version or Build Number?
That's fairly important to make clear as there are 2 entries with an EUL suffix lurking in there.
Either way my device does not match this EUL7.

I would like to know if using the TWRP 11-r1-A12 VBMETA ZUKA patched tar, multidisabler-samsung-3.1, and Magisk files will work for my handset.
Have downloaded the G988BXXUDEVA9 firmware (latest available) and the above items, and set them to one side just in case they're the ones for me.

I've spent quite a lot of time reading various indicated posts on a few threads (and extra stuff) to do with TWRP and rooting the S20 Ultra SM-G988B/DS but some clarification wouldn't hurt before I actually do anything.
Overall I'm pretty comfortable using Odin to flash devices. When I'm clear on what files I'm supposed to be using for the task.

 

[skysurfer1111]

I refer the Build Number. EUL7 ist the first stable version of A12. For TWRP read page 20 of this thread #397.
I really don't know, if this TWRP works with VA9, sorry. I'm still on EUL7 with Beyond Rom and TS Kernel.
This works fine.

 

[oaklandz]

Hello, did you flash twrp together with the FW and put it in the ODIN userdata slot? You have to be quick, when you change from DL to recovery mode. You have to hold pwr + volume up for a while and don't release.

1. I don't know VA9, the TWRP I sent you works with EUL7 fine for me.
2. I would try TWRP + VBMETA with EUL7.

You find most FW on SamFW.

"Did you flash twrp together with the FW and put it in the ODIN userdata slot?" # Yes
You have to be quick, when you change from DL to recovery mode. You have to hold pwr + volume up for a while and don't release. # Yes, I did this. It worked with stock only.
I will try TWRP + VBMETA with EUL7.
Thanks

 

[oaklandz]

The latest One UI 4.0 and Android 12 FW for my S20 Ultra SM-G988B is the G988BXXUDEVA9 (BTU region for UK handset), downloaded via SamFirm, it's the same on Sam Mobile site. Which is what I believe oaklandz is referring to by "VA9".

I would like to know if using the TWRP 11-r1-A12 VBMETA ZUKA patched tar, multidisabler-samsung-3.1, and Magisk files will work for my handset.

I used G988BXXUDEVA9 (BTU region for UK handset) with TWRP 11-r1-A12 VBMETA ZUKA (and another version, mentioned above) and either one did not allow me to launch into TWRP recovery. Stock recovery works with VA9. I will try withA12-EUL7 tonight.
S20 SM-981B/DS.

 

[humanspida]

So, if my handset (S20 Ultra SM-G988B/DS) is fully up to date with the latest OTA firmware with no current available updates and the latest available firmware from SamMobile website or via the SamFirm app goes by the designation G988BXXUDEVA9

That would logically seem to indicate (assuming the available latest from SamMobile is the same as the latest OTA software update) that G988BXXUDEVA9 = Build Number G988BXXSCEUL9
Or just EUL9 for short

I could be mistaken as I have nothing other that the above information, tenuous connection with both ending with a 9, and somewhat shakey logic to support this assertion.

I don't currently have an alternate device to operate as a daily driver to enable me to test things out on my S20 Ultra SM-G988B/DS right now, just in case things go sideways and I have to mess about putting things right and setting it up again even with everything backed up - else I'd just jump in, have a go, and see how it turns out with various combinations and report back on bootloop, brick or wotever level of success was achieved if any.
I'd rather avoid using my daily driver for testing while lacking an alternate device though.

 

[oaklandz]

So, if my handset (S20 Ultra SM-G988B/DS) is fully up to date with the latest OTA firmware with no current available updates and the latest available firmware from SamMobile website or via the SamFirm app goes by the designation G988BXXUDEVA9

That would logically seem to indicate (assuming the available latest from SamMobile is the same as the latest OTA software update) that G988BXXUDEVA9 = Build Number G988BXXSCEUL9
Or just EUL9 for short

I could be mistaken as I have nothing other that the above information, tenuous connection with both ending with a 9, and somewhat shakey logic to support this assertion.

I don't currently have an alternate device to operate as a daily driver to enable me to test things out on my S20 Ultra SM-G988B/DS right now, just in case things go sideways and I have to mess about putting things right and setting it up again even with everything backed up - else I'd just jump in, have a go, and see how it turns out with various combinations and report back on bootloop, brick or wotever level of success was achieved if any.
I'd rather avoid using my daily driver for testing while lacking an alternate device thI

I think go ahead and see how it goes. I would like to know if this combo works for you (same as I tried.) If not, just flash the stock version that you have now to revert back.

 

[Matce]

any update on this?

Has anyone gone from fully rooted A11 to A12 without data reset?

thanks

 

[oaklandz]

any update on this?

Has anyone gone from fully rooted A11 to A12 without data reset?

thanks

Have not had time yet. I will probably roll back to the prior version of A12 next.

 

[Matce]

Have not had time yet. I will probably roll back to the prior version of A12 next.

cool, let me know please what works.

 

[Matce]

cool, let me know please what works.

any updates on this?

Nobody tried to update fully rooted A11 to A12 with TWRP and all???

 

[skysurfer1111]

any updates on this?

Nobody tried to update fully rooted A11 to A12 with TWRP and all???

Yes , me. It didn't work.

 

[Matce]

Yes , me. It didn't work.

and what did you try in details?
what versions of what file?
thx

 

[skysurfer1111]

and what did you try in details?
what versions of what file?
thx

RTFT - Read the ****in' thread. It`s all described detailed in there.

 

[Matce]

RTFT - Read the ****in' thread. It`s all described detailed in there.

ya unfortunately none of those version-numbers make much sense lol

 

[skysurfer1111]

I think, there is no way around wiping data, if you're on fully rooted A11

 

[Matce]

I think, there is no way around wiping data, if you're on fully rooted A11

that would make no sense... why would they design a simple update like that?
encryption is off already via multidisabler so it shouldn't be an issue...

hopefully somebody that successfully updated can chime in