[OTA Updates] S7 Active SM-G891A (MM & N firmware update files)

[bandario]

Np! Just stick it out till the official release. I'm sure it's gonna be out by May

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I couldn't wait, too exciting - maybe finally these lags will be gone?
Updating now, and what a journey it has been.

I only managed to get hold of the OTA package for RC8 so I've had to go step by step from whatever 7.0 version I'd flashed with Odin, what a pain in the arse.
Update below:
--------------
No opinion on battery life yet as this will obviously take some time to settle in but I thought it worth mentioning, if you are outside the US and you're holding out because of the repeating notifications issue: this can be resolved. On first set-up you get to choose between having detailed notifications on your lock screen or just icons.

I stuck with icons only on my 2nd install and I am no longer getting the repeating notifications.

As far as speed goes, I was initially disappointed but after a few hours the install seems to have settled itself down and I have to say right now even after restoring my Samsung Cloud backup of 40 something apps, the device is extremely snappy. Snappy like it was out of the box on Android 6.0.

I stuck with one of the early flashable releases of 7.0 for a very long time and it was slow as hell. I'm kind of kicking myself for not applying all of the OTA updates for that as I'm thinking I may have just had a dud flash all along.

Anyway, here's hoping this beta doesn't turn into a dead end for months until an Odin package is available.

Long story short: so far, so good. I'll make a post in about a week giving an update on battery life.

 

[harbnger]

I couldn't wait, too exciting - maybe finally these lags will be gone?
Updating now, and what a journey it has been.

I only managed to get hold of the OTA package for RC8 so I've had to go step by step from whatever 7.0 version I'd flashed with Odin, what a pain in the arse.
Update below:
--------------
No opinion on battery life yet as this will obviously take some time to settle in but I thought it worth mentioning, if you are outside the US and you're holding out because of the repeating notifications issue: this can be resolved. On first set-up you get to choose between having detailed notifications on your lock screen or just icons.

I stuck with icons only on my 2nd install and I am no longer getting the repeating notifications.

As far as speed goes, I was initially disappointed but after a few hours the install seems to have settled itself down and I have to say right now even after restoring my Samsung Cloud backup of 40 something apps, the device is extremely snappy. Snappy like it was out of the box on Android 6.0.

I stuck with one of the early flashable releases of 7.0 for a very long time and it was slow as hell. I'm kind of kicking myself for not applying all of the OTA updates for that as I'm thinking I may have just had a dud flash all along.

Anyway, here's hoping this beta doesn't turn into a dead end for months until an Odin package is available.

Long story short: so far, so good. I'll make a post in about a week giving an update on battery life.

Good stuff! You won't have to go back and do all the updates again as there is a latest full Nougat Odin flashable file.

>https://cloud.mail.ru/public/BGy7/gKs4xzhRE/firmwares/Nougat/

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[bandario]

Good stuff! You won't have to go back and do all the updates again as there is a latest full Nougat Odin flashable file.

>https://cloud.mail.ru/public/BGy7/gKs4xzhRE/firmwares/Nougat/

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Another quick RC8 update: Simple Ad Blocker for Samsung (SABS) works well via KNOX (in spite of my past rooting etc) but is a bit tricky to set up. On the bright side, once you get it going this does a handy job of blocking all of the AT&T and other bloat as well as blocking ads apart from youtube.

Battery life is not looking great so far but as I said, hopefully it will settle down. Fully charged last night and even with wifi off, lost 15% overnight. Not great but these numbers are pretty useless at this point until I've done a few 100%-0% cycles and the phone knows its own strength.

 

[supertac]

once offical comes out is their anyway we can flash moddedodin instead of OTA?

OTA takes forever!

 

[YAARRR]

If knox trip because of knox......

It's because your phone is rooted. Mine wasn't so I never got that error.

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Can you unroot your phone?

first you need samsung drivers for windows, ODIN PrinceCosmy version, Last build unzipped ( G891AUCS2BRA7 )
all you need is here https://cloud.mail.ru/public/BGy7/gKs4xzhRE/

knox was tripped, that was the point, not the root status of the phone. If you guys have the same issue, just do this:

1) enable developer mode by multitapping the build version;
2) enable OEM unlock (allow the device to to be OEM unlocked), enable USB debugging;
3) close all, turn OFF the phone;
4) with the phone turned OFF press: Vol down + home button + power; press volume up for the confirmation;
5) connect you phone to your PC and than start ODIN app (winpc PriceCosmy version);
6) now select the file to flash from the last build: BL, AP, CP; wait until the ODIN app does his CHECK, than click START than WAIT ultil ends;
7) take a cup of tea or coffee, or whatever you like, your phone will end the flash and restart without reset all thinks.

I hope that this will help someone.

 

[faronium]

once offical comes out is their anyway we can flash moddedodin instead of OTA?

OTA takes forever!

This would require a kind soul to come up with a full Oreo ROM. These seem to be infrequently made available, so you are probably better off waiting for the OTA to do its thing than waiting for a ODIN flashable image to become available.

Probably one more month until the official Oreo OTA is out.

 

[faronium]

If anyone sees the OTA from ATT, can you comment if it's S2BRC1?

 

[harbnger]

If anyone sees the OTA from ATT, can you comment if it's S2BRC1?

According to att the latest is brb5

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[*blackzer0]

U2BRB5 compare to U2CRC8 is very smooth & fast i have no tiny bug. thank you for link.

 

[staffeyx]

Battery life is not looking great so far but as I said, hopefully it will settle down. Fully charged last night and even with wifi off, lost 15% overnight. Not great but these numbers are pretty useless at this point until I've done a few 100%-0% cycles and the phone knows its own strength.

Any news on battery life for your device?

 

[bandario]

Any news on battery life for your device?

I'm still on RC8 so not sure if it is relevant to the discussion any longer.

So far I am still getting about 50 hours out of the active with my normal useage patterns.

This does not involve a massive amount of screen-on time (average about 3.5 hours) and is HEAVILY dependent on mobile coverage. I work in the forest and I notice on work days my battery gets sapped pretty heavily just searching for signal, even when the phone hasn't been used.

I would say it is about on par with 7.0 for battery life comparing release candidate 8 version only.

Recently I had the opportunity to use a Galaxy S6 Active that came factory installed with Android 6.1; I have to say this was ridiculously impressive in terms of both speed and battery life. I can't shake the feeling that 6.1 really is the best tradeoff of modern features VS longevity for both of these devices; I almost wish I had never upgraded.

 

[mojebada.cz]

As I said, battery life on 6.x was much better than on 7.0. 5 hours SOT was not problem. Now 4 hours are maximum.

 

[faronium]

I explored the main S7 ATT forums last night and saw that they are working with newer Oreo betas than the CRC8 that are discussed above. That reminded me to looks at versions with an updated bootloader (U or S 3 instead of U or S 2). With that in mind, looks like some new Oreo trials are available. U3CRD1 and U3CRD4. These require the U2BRB5 version to update from.

I installed S2BRC1 and that might have been a mistake. But, again, if someone can confirm what comes in OTA from ATT, that would be great. Someone in another thread noted an OTA from U2BRB5 last night and I'd love to know if it was just the new security patch to BRC1.

Cheers.

 

[staffeyx]

But, again, if someone can confirm what comes in OTA from ATT, that would be great. Someone in another thread noted an OTA from U2BRB5 last night and I'd love to know if it was just the new security patch to BRC1.

Cheers.

I'm sure you already know this, but the latest official update is supposed to show on this page:

https://www.att.com/devicehowto/tut...tep_KM1136420?make=Samsung&model=SamsungG891A

 

[dctrbnsttr]

That page, unfortunately, is often behind the times......
Today's ota update was indeed march security update to brc1

 

[harbnger]

Just a theory but if rc1 nougat is going to be the latest then if upgrade path is going by letters the rc7 and rc8 are dead end betas for Oreo.

However, the two new files that cropped up under Oreo ota

Rd1 or rd4, respectfully, might be the green lit updates. ( at least one of them might be).

This is a theory.

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[faronium]

Just a theory but if rc1 nougat is going to be the latest then if upgrade path is going by letters the rc7 and rc8 are dead end betas for Oreo.

However, the two new files that cropped up under Oreo ota

Rd1 or rd4, respectfully, might be the green lit updates. ( at least one of them might be).

This is a theory.

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Possibly. My theory is that, because RD1 and RD4 are updated off of RB5 and because it's been confirmed that RC1 is the official April update I think that there will be an BRC1 to CRDX or BRC1 to CREX update where the X is some unknown number. I'd be surprised if either of the RD1 or RD4 updates become official. I think I recall seeing in the main S7 forums that one of those updates doesn't have Bixby. Unfortunately, that means that the final version will, and hopefully that doesn't mean they are taking over the active key!

 

[harbnger]

Possibly. My theory is that, because RD1 and RD4 are updated off of RB5 and because it's been confirmed that RC1 is the official April update I think that there will be an BRC1 to CRDX or BRC1 to CREX update where the X is some unknown number. I'd be surprised if either of the RD1 or RD4 updates become official. I think I recall seeing in the main S7 forums that one of those updates doesn't have Bixby. Unfortunately, that means that the final version will, and hopefully that doesn't mean they are taking over the active key!

I wouldn't put it past them. I just updated to rd4.

Notification light works

Can't see any issues yet.

This one seems likely to be official but I can't verify it

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[zsolti256]

I wouldn't put it past them. I just updated to rd4.

Notification light works

Can't see any issues yet.

This one seems likely to be official but I can't verify it

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Check if banking app works, or try this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scottyab.safetynet.sample&hl=en_GB

 

[harbnger]

Check if banking app works, or try this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scottyab.safetynet.sample&hl=en_GB

Why ?

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