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

harbnger

Senior Member
Mar 20, 2018
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Thank you so much!! Your work with the cloud storage of all the OTA and firmwares saved my butt a lot of times. I will try to flash back to Nougat with the file. Thank you again![/QUOTE @dothanhanloc is the one that managed to brick his phone.

If I were you I would wait until that dude tries the firmware before any of us (or anyone else that bricked their phone by trying to downgrade).


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 

harbnger

Senior Member
Mar 20, 2018
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First link in Google by full name of firmware 'g891aucs3brd1'
Shady looking website. Wondering if files were tampered with.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Also I'm very grateful for your cloud account and all the files you provided for everyone here.

---------- Post added at 06:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:24 AM ----------

This file has to be on the att server at this point. I see a Chinese website trying to extort money for it just like that Arab website.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 

harbnger

Senior Member
Mar 20, 2018
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The update files are but ATT doesn't post full ODIN flashable firmwares on their site AFAIK.
So how do people get a full flashable Odin firmware ? Sorry for all the questions I'm just very curious how any of these processes work

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 

khaliullov

Member
Jul 14, 2014
44
73
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Moscow
Shady looking website. Wondering if files were tampered with.
I think it is impossible to flash modified or fake firmware with locked bootloader. Odin will cause error on firmware signature verification step.

@miniminus could you please clarify this? You are expert in building custom ROMs and flashing them.

Thank you so much!! Your work with the cloud storage of all the OTA and firmwares saved my butt a lot of times. I will try to flash back to Nougat with the file. Thank you again![/QUOTE @dothanhanloc is the one that managed to brick his phone.

If I were you I would wait until that dude tries the firmware before any of us (or anyone else that bricked their phone by trying to downgrade).


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
Man from 4pda.ru confirmed that firmware is working and flashable, so it safe to use.

http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=764027&st=4180#entry73319538

In English:
"I have flashed G891AUCS3BRD1 (Nougat) with Odin (version 3.13.1). Flashed successfully. Everything works fine. After that I decided immediately to apply OTA update G891AUCU3CRE2 (Oreo) with 1.5 Gb size. It is also flashed successfully, but I have to wait about a hour!!! Now I will try to rollback to Nougat with Odin. After that I will post some screenshots."
 
Last edited:

khaliullov

Member
Jul 14, 2014
44
73
0
Moscow
Thank you so much!! Your work with the cloud storage of all the OTA and firmwares saved my butt a lot of times. I will try to flash back to Nougat with the file. Thank you again![/QUOTE @dothanhanloc is the one that managed to brick his phone.

If I were you I would wait until that dude tries the firmware before any of us (or anyone else that bricked their phone by trying to downgrade).


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
Man from 4pda.ru confirmed that firmware is working and flashable, so it safe to use.

http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=764027&st=4180#entry73319538

In English:
"I have flashed G891AUCS3BRD1 (Nougat) with Odin (version 3.13.1). Flashed successfully. Everything works fine. After that I decided immediately to apply OTA update G891AUCU3CRE2 (Oreo) with 1.5 Gb size. It is also flashed successfully, but I have to wait about a hour!!! Now I will try to rollback to Nougat with Odin. After that I will post some screenshots."
 

cheema23

Member
Jun 11, 2016
19
1
0
Man from 4pda.ru confirmed that firmware is working and flashable, so it safe to use.

http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=764027&st=4180#entry73319538

In English:
"I have flashed G891AUCS3BRD1 (Nougat) with Odin (version 3.13.1). Flashed successfully. Everything works fine. After that I decided immediately to apply OTA update G891AUCU3CRE2 (Oreo) with 1.5 Gb size. It is also flashed successfully, but I have to wait about a hour!!! Now I will try to rollback to Nougat with Odin. After that I will post some screenshots."
I think right now you won't be able to roll back to Android N
 

faronium

Senior Member
Apr 24, 2017
115
139
0
Victoria
I think it is impossible to flash modified or fake firmware with locked bootloader. Odin will cause error on firmware signature verification step.
...
In English:
"I have flashed G891AUCS3BRD1 (Nougat) with Odin (version 3.13.1). Flashed successfully. Everything works fine. After that I decided immediately to apply OTA update G891AUCU3CRE2 (Oreo) with 1.5 Gb size. It is also flashed successfully, but I have to wait about a hour!!! Now I will try to rollback to Nougat with Odin. After that I will post some screenshots."
This is all you need to know. If the full firmware that @khaliullov posted was tampered with and if the user had somehow managed to get their phone to accept it (impossible) then the OTA update to CRE2 would have failed the signature check. Apparently it didn't and if you go through this process and are able to apply the Oreo OTA, then you should be golden. from reading about android update and image security on the AOSP pages here:

https://source.android.com/devices/tech/ota/sign_builds

It's pretty clear that building or modifying updates and firmwares with malicious intent is impossible unless you know someone who works for Samsung and has access to the signing certificates. This isn't impossible, but is very very unlikely.
 
Last edited:
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harbnger

Senior Member
Mar 20, 2018
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I have flashed the new nougat file with Odin. So far so good. But My phone battery life is still terrible ever since these updates. I've lost almost 20 percent in 4.5 hours of mild usage

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 
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staffeyx

Senior Member
Aug 12, 2017
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Gothenburg
I have flashed the new nougat file with Odin. So far so good. But My phone battery life is still terrible ever since these updates. I've lost almost 20 percent in 4.5 hours of mild usage

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
Thanks for the heads-up. You've tried the usual stuff like wipe system cache, app cache etc?
 

harbnger

Senior Member
Mar 20, 2018
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I thought firmware flashing / ota updating wipes that stuff


I also did not backup apps. I only restored texts and my files / pictures sd card.
 
Last edited:

bacs2000

Member
Apr 22, 2018
21
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0
Santo Domingo
Esta es la actualización actual: Android 7.0 Nougat

The details

Release date:*May 9, 2018Android version:*7.0Security patch level (SPL):*April 1, 2018Baseband version:*G891AUCS3BRD1Build number:*NRD90M.G891AUCS3BRD1Previous version required:*G891AUCU2BRB5 or G891AUCS2BRC1File size:*42.3MB or 41.4MB

The updates

What's changing:*Android device security updates

Thats now on AT&T update page, they just mention a normal security update, but nothing about change to bootloader from version 2 to 3
 

harbnger

Senior Member
Mar 20, 2018
52
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0
Esta es la actualización actual: Android 7.0 Nougat

The details

Release date:*May 9, 2018Android version:*7.0Security patch level (SPL):*April 1, 2018Baseband version:*G891AUCS3BRD1Build number:*NRD90M.G891AUCS3BRD1Previous version required:*G891AUCU2BRB5 or G891AUCS2BRC1File size:*42.3MB or 41.4MB

The updates

What's changing:*Android device security updates

Thats now on AT&T update page, they just mention a normal security update, but nothing about change to bootloader from version 2 to 3
If you followed the thread you would understand.
Basically

U2BRB5 update has the number 2 in it. That denotes the bootloader2

G891AUCS3BRD1 (look at the S3BRD1)
Has the number 3 in it which denotes bootloader 3. Att won't explain that because they don't need to. 99 percent of users won't benefit from that knowledge.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 
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bacs2000

Member
Apr 22, 2018
21
9
0
Santo Domingo
If you followed the thread you would understand.
Basically

U2BRB5 update has the number 2 in it. That denotes the bootloader2

G891AUCS3BRD1 (look at the S3BRD1)
Has the number 3 in it which denotes bootloader 3. Att won't explain that because they don't need to. 99 percent of users won't benefit from that knowledge.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
Yes, thanks, i follow the thread and undestand about bootloder, im just mention that at&t dont have a full changelog on the page. But i undestand what you say that 99% people could no undestand about it.
 
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