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Bringing a broken smartphone back to life. How to rollback android to a previous version

Probably, there are several people who would begin to delve into this issue after they tried to return the version on their own operating system to the previously installed one. But, faced with some difficulties, they would decide to read on the net in order to figure out what these difficulties could be connected with. And here it turns out that there are many nuances that need to be foreseen in advance.

In addition to the huge amount foreign titles and abbreviations instead of understanding the process, the information in the head turns into a mess. And each sentence you read adds more misunderstanding to the overall picture.

Well, let's figure it out together!

Brief educational program

  • There is no universal algorithm of actions! This is the first thing to know about downgrading Android OS. For each brand (and even model!) Devices may have their own characteristics
  • Reverting an OS version is a process that affects the core of the system. Consequently, manufacturers make sure that only “advanced” users in this matter can get there. Root rights were invented for this. They are intended to give you administrative privileges. There are both pros and cons to their use. Before you start doing anything, find out how to get them and what the use of Root rights on your device can promise!
  • If you are not scared by everything you read about Root rights and you are also full of confidence to return the version of Android 4.4, then another concept that you need to understand before starting the process is Backup. Speaking in Russian -.

After returning the system, you can easily restore all contacts, applications, settings, and more. The main thing is to choose the right program that will make Backup on your device as correctly as possible.

How to return Nexus

The developer of the Android operating system and the manufacturer of Nexus devices is one company - Google. Therefore, for Nexus devices, the return process remains as simple as possible and consists of 4 simple steps:

  1. Download and install the image of the android firmware which you need;
  2. Run this firmware directly from the device and wait for the installation to complete;
  3. Load data from a backup.

How to return everything else

Devices from other manufacturers have their own characteristics when performing a system restore. But despite this, there are still general manipulations.


You need a PC or laptop

Generally, to revert Android from version 5.0 to version 4.4 or similar, you'll need to:

  1. Required firmware;
  2. Backup program;
  3. Program for establishing Root-rights;
  4. Personal computer or laptop;
  5. The device (tablet, phone) on which you need to make a return;
  6. USB cable.

Firmware

The first thing to take care of is, of course, the firmware itself. You need to clearly understand and imagine what you want to see as a result of manipulations with Android. Decide which firmware you want, custom or official? Official firmware, as a rule, can be downloaded from the official website of the manufacturer of your device. Custom - search the forums, compare and choose. It is necessary that the firmware is suitable for your device and is known to be working, that is, verified. To find out, you will have to study more than one forum, read a lot of reviews and ask a lot of questions. But it is necessary to do this, because otherwise you risk saying goodbye to your favorite device!


The selection of custom firmware should be approached responsibly

Backup

The main rule of any gamer or programmer is "Save!!!" And in our case this rule has the same importance.

It has the function of creating a backup copy with saving in your Google account. But in this case, you can save only contacts. Therefore, it is necessary to acquire the necessary software. And then you can reserve almost everything: contacts, messages, system settings, and information about applications, thanks to which the system will automatically download them from Google Play and install.

But, whatever one may say, you again have to make a choice yourself. We will only list the most popular programs today:

  • Titanium Backup
  • GO Backup
  • HTC backup
  • Clickfree Mobile Backup.
You can use various programs to save data

The backup process looks about the same for all devices:

  1. Install a memory card in your mobile device;
  2. Search, read reviews and download the program you like for Backup on your tablet or smartphone;
  3. Install it and run;
  4. In the program settings, mark what you want to reserve. Do not forget to check in the settings if there is enough space to save the backup. Need it to free place was on the memory card;
  5. Start the reservation process, wait for the end, remove the card.

Now all important information is on a flash drive and after returning your Android from version 5.0 to the previous one, it will be restored using the same program.

root

Your device needs additional program. Also choose, read reviews, ask questions, compare. Then download and install on your computer.

Directly the process

So, you are all set to start the process. Recall that this process is individual for each device, so we will focus on manipulations that are the same in most cases. We present you the procedure:

  1. We make Backup (see above);
  2. We transfer the device to the programming mode (it may be called differently; see the instructions);
  3. We connect the device to the computer;
  4. We launch the Root program;
  5. Run the downloaded program and select its version;
  6. We start the installation process, we are waiting;
  7. At the end, it is desirable to reset the settings to factory settings;
  8. Reinstall the program with which you made the Backup, insert the memory card with the backup, start the data recovery process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to analyze one more concept that you will definitely come across in the process of studying forums. This is the concept of "brick". A “brick” is a device that, after returning from Lollipop to Kitkat, stopped working altogether. To prevent this from happening with your Android device, you need to approach the matter as carefully and scrupulously as possible to study all aspects. Only after the whole picture of the planned actions is clear and understandable, you can be sure of a successful result.

The Android operating system is constantly being improved: device manufacturers and Google itself are fixing bugs, struggling with shortcomings, optimizing energy consumption, and adding new features. Seemingly an update on more new version OS is always good. However, all this is far from being so rosy: you can often upgrade to an unfinished version and a smartphone or tablet will work much worse than on a stable build. That is why we decided today to talk about how to return the old version of Android after the update.

Unfortunately, neither Google, as the creator of the OS, nor device manufacturers have provided such a function. Using a full reset to factory settings from the corresponding menu is pointless, all your data will simply be deleted, and the version of the operating system will remain the same. We think that you clearly do not want this. So how to be?

We return the old version of Android using Recovery

First, back up all your data. You can use any program, but we recommend "Titanium Backup". Root rights are required to use it, as well as to restore old version OS, so if you don't have them, get them. Each device has its own unique instructions for obtaining them. Here is exactly what you need to do:

We agree that the process is clearly not easy and it is worth using it only in one single case, if the device really does not work well with the new version of the OS: it constantly freezes, irreplaceable applications do not turn on, and so on. In other cases, we recommend simply getting used to the new interface, new features - this is not always a bad thing. Moreover, people quickly adapt to everything. So what should you do with a smartphone or tablet?! In any case, now you know what to do if you decide to return the old version of Android after updating. If you have any difficulties, we recommend visiting the 4pda forum, where you can find out detailed information by your device.

If you are also in this group, please read how to do it.

Excessive battery wear, smartphone heating, applications closing unexpectedly, menu delays are a list of complaints from Android users who have updated their devices to Lollipop, rather long. Problem downgrade android is that Google has not provided an official path that would allow you to restore the old version software phone, for example, Android 5.0 to 4.4 KitKat. The good news is that there are less official ways to download an older version of the firmware (firmware) on devices that have received an update to Lollipop. In particular, this applies to top products from leading manufacturers, including Samsung (Galaxy S4, S5 and Note 4), HTC (M One 8), LG (G3) or Sony (Xperia Z3).

We will carry out the entire firmware rollback process on the model samsung galaxy S4 (GT-I9505) with OS Android Lollipop 5.0.1, in which we return the system to KitKata 4.4.2 using the official firmware (firmware) of the manufacturer, as well as the Odin application. This process is similar for all other Galaxy models for which Samsung has released updates for Lollipop. In the case of smartphones from other manufacturers, the procedure is different, as are the tools you must use to downgrade the firmware.

Note: the editors are not responsible for the consequences, losses and damages resulting from the misuse of the tools described in the article, as well as the possibility of loss of warranty as a result of interference with the device firmware. If you decide downgrade android version on your smartphone, you must know that this operation associated with the risk of injury phone, which may be due to the need for its paid repair in the service.

Official software for phones Samsung you will find on the site www.sammobile.com/firmwares. This page contains a powerful database of firmware for this manufacturer's devices from the latest to older versions.

Site contains search engine, which makes it easier to find the right software by phone model (for example, Galaxy S4 LTE), code name(GT-I9505) or firmware version. This directory is quite extensive, so the search results must be further filtered by the country and operator from which you purchased the phone.

After selecting, you will see a list of software designed for your phone model, with the Date-date column showing the date the file was added to the directory, and the Version column showing the version number of the Android operating system. Select the desired file, while paying attention to additional information and symbols. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S4 was released in a special Black Edition that uses different CSC settings.

During testing, we used the XEO software c Android 4.4.2, added to the sammobile.com catalog on 11/07/2014 with the designation PDA I9505XXUGNG8 and CSC I9505XEOGNF1.

It may happen that you cannot determine the country or network where the phone was purchased. There are several ways to find the correct firmware. On the sticker under the battery, you will find information about the phone model, the manufacturer's identification number and the device model (FCC ID, SSN). You can get additional information about the equipment and the software installed on it by using the so-called short numbers. AT Samsung smartphones Galaxy code *1234# allows you to view information about the current firmware version(AP, CP and CSC) and *2222# – Additional information about version (revisions) devices.

If the phone has been updated to Lollipop using the service channel, enter the current firmware number on the sammobile.com page to check the device model, country and operator. This requires skillful filtering of search results, but allows you to infer which firmware is from an earlier version. Android will be compatible with your phone.

The service provides two options for downloading a file with firmware. The first, free, download speed limit to 15 Kb / s (in practice, this happens a little faster). Given the fact that the file with the program takes about. 1.5 GB, it will take two to three hours to complete the download of all data from the server. If you don't want to wait, for 7.50 euros you can order a Silver account without these restrictions.

On the sammobile.com download page, you will find instructions on how to download the firmware for your specific smartphone model. In particular, pay attention to the proposed version of Odin, the type of file with the firmware and the parameters (options) for updating the phone. In our case, sammobile.com indicated to use the Odin version 3.10.6, download the file as an AP / PDA and in no case enable the Re-Partition option. (slightly ahead of the curve, we note that through the use of these recommendations, the process of downgrading android versions passed without problems).


In the next step we will download Odin program- which is available on the odindownload.com page.

Beginning of work

The update process itself is not too complicated, and it rarely happens that, acting according to the instructions, you can damage the phone (that is, turn it into a so-called brick, brick). That's why it's so important that before you start downgrading Android, you get to know about the functioning of your device and possible difficulties and problems associated with it.

Before you start downloading the software, follow a few basic steps that will reduce the risk of failure, and therefore damage to the equipment. Remove the card microSD memory and put it aside. You won't need it. Remember, you need to charge your phone and laptop to the maximum so that the update process is not interrupted due to insufficient power.

Start by backing up your smartphone content. During a software downgrade, you may have to reset the device to factory settings (we will write about this later), as a result of which all data from the phone’s memory will be deleted. For this purpose, you can use free program Kies, which you can find on the Samsung website (www.samsung.com/ru/support/usefulsoftware/KIES) The program is available in two versions: basic (formally 2.6.3) and Kies 3 for smartphones and tablets from Galaxy Note III running Android 4.3 or later. Check which version will work with your phone. In the Backup and Restore section, select the items you want to keep on your computer, and then click the » Back up your device button.

The program does not make copies of data stored in the phone's own memory (videos, music, photos) - you need to copy them manually, or use another tool to backup smartphones. What's important, even if you don't intend to create a backup, connect your phone to your computer and launch Kies to check that everything works and Windows has the necessary drivers installed.

In the phone settings on the tab Accounts | backup and reset, you can define how app data, Wi-Fi passwords, and other settings are backed up to Google servers. This data will be automatically restored after system restore right after you logged in to your account Google.

Disconnect your phone from your computer. Close Kies and any other applications that may cause the system to freeze. Check if everything windows updates installed in order to avoid a situation where the computer performs an "unscheduled" system reboot. If you have done everything carefully, you can start writing new software.

Software Downgrade

Turn off the phone by holding the Power button, select Power off | Disable and then run it again, but this time in Download mode. To do this, simultaneously press and hold the Home, Volume Down and Power buttons for a few seconds. The phone will vibrate and after a while the message Warning!! will appear on the screen. with information that loading your own operating system can cause critical problems with the device and installed apps. Don't worry, you know what you're doing.

Before you go any further, prepare your computer and program Odin. First, unzip the downloaded firmware file. In the next step, launch the Odin3 v3.10.6.exe program, and then by clicking on the AP button, select the firmware file that you want to download to the phone. This operation takes quite a while, because the file after unpacking weighs about 2.5 GB.

AT this moment you can connect your phone to your computer via USB. Pick up your phone and press the volume up button if you want to continue or the volume down button to end and restart your device. Select the first action, and then wait until the standard ADB drivers are installed on the computer and a message appears in the Odin event window with information about the connected device. Recording Added!! says that everything went right - "016" is just the identifier of the port to which the smartphone is connected.

In a programme Odin go to tab Options and make sure the option Re-Partition not included. This mode is used in case of firmware supplied in multiple files. In our example, on the contrary, because the firmware contains AP in one file. Leave the rest of the program settings by default (only Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time are set), and let the secret of system engineers be what happens in the Pit tab.


Before you begin the software download procedure, double-check that you have done everything correctly. Make sure you have selected the correct firmware file that the cables USB firmly connected and option Re-Partition inactive. Click " Start"if you're ready.

Software download progress, you can track on the phone display and in the program Odin. The procedure usually takes about 8-10 minutes until Odin you will see images on a green background with an inscription PASS! and the smartphone will reboot.


When version downgrades operating system Android it is very likely that the phone will go into the so-called state bootloop and therefore the procedure cannot be completed. You can be sure that your phone is frozen if a few minutes after the reboot, the manufacturer's logo is constantly shining on the screen. The main way to restore performance is to restore the factory settings and delete data from the partition that stores temporary files (cache).

This requires entering the mode recovery mode. First, turn off your phone. You can do this by pulling out the battery or holding down the power button for a few seconds. In the next step, turn it back on with the key combination Home, volume down and power. Hold these keys at the same time until the phone vibrates, and the inscription appears in small print on the screen recovery booting. At this point, release the buttons and wait for a while until you see the recovery menu on the smartphone screen.

In mode Androidsystem recovery, you will find several options related to updates via adb and external memory, as well as a factory reset function. Using the volume down and volume up buttons you can switch between menu options, and the power button confirms the selection. The first step is to restore your phone to factory settings. For this, the option wipe data/factory reset. Confirm your intentions by choosing from several options Yes - delete all user data. Although this step also clears the cache partition, please do it again by selecting the next step. wipe cache partition. At the end, restart your smartphone with reboot system now.

Ready! If everything went according to plan, your smartphone “sits” again Android KitKat.

phone out of the box

Downloading an earlier version of the software and restoring the factory settings will cause the program to bring up the first launch window the first time it is launched, the same as after removing the device from the box. Select a language, set accessibility options if you are visually or hearing impaired, accept the terms of the license agreement, and so on... but be careful!. Do not connect your smartphone to the Wi-Fi network at this stage. Otherwise, it will start downloading updates automatically and you will get an updated phone in a few hours… with Lollipop on board. Maybe not every firmware behaves this way, but during our tests, the smartphone was updated after a while without our knowledge again in Lollipop.

How to deal with it? There are several ways to do this, although the easiest and most effective is to block the SyncmlDM.apk application (software updates) using the Debloater tool. The program is available for download from xda-developers.com and requires hidden programming features (USB Debugging) to be enabled on the phone. To do this, go to Settings on the tab Advanced | Device Information, and then tap the Version number box seven times over and over. On the screen you will see information that the developer mode has been enabled. Return to the Settings window, where you will find a new entry in the Developer Options menu. Go into these settings and then activate the USB debugging checkbox. If, despite trying, Debloater still doesn't see the phone, use the Revoke USB Debugging Permissions feature in Developer Options.

Launch Debloater, and then use a USB cable to connect your smartphone to your computer. If the program detects the phone correctly, the Device Connected indicator will light up in green. Allow the computer to do USB debugging by accepting its RSA key certificate. Select Always allow this computer so that the smartphone does not ask the same thing again. Return to the Debloater program, then click the Read Device Packages button, and then filter the search results to the SyncmlDM.apk entry. Select a package and click Apply to disable (hide) it on the system. The lock mode requires that the device has been previously unlocked (root access), however, we will not deal with this issue in this article.

Operating system updates are always expected. Some phone owners find it difficult to wait for official releases of patches from developers, so they choose a more affordable option - installing custom firmware, which is not always successful. There are also users who are afraid of innovations of this kind. This is understandable, because updates do not always help, they can even be worse than older versions. Sometimes fixes for certain programs load the system significantly, which complicates the work of users, or are so useless that it becomes a little unsettling. But the most deplorable result awaits users when the user interface changes irrevocably, naturally, not for the better.
Perhaps you should start with Nexus smartphones. Installation process new firmware simple to disgrace: save all necessary information; on the Internet we find the desired image of the version to which we want to upgrade, and carry out the installation. It must be taken into account that if you do not open root rights, then it will be impossible to create a backup of the current version of the operating system, as well as extremely important system data. The market also provides the ability to download such applications with which you can save almost all information, but they require additional rights.
For Nexus-smartphones, it is much easier to return the old version of the application if you do not like the new one. Just find an older version apk file, we cleanly delete the new application, and, using Explorer, install the old version. The main thing is not to forget to open access for installing applications from other sources.
Regarding other devices (except Nexus), in particular, in matters of rolling back android to previous firmware versions, the situation is somewhat different. Some, even most of, devices running on the Android system are not designed to change the firmware manually. The factory settings limit the possibility of user intervention in the system files of the smartphone. These restrictions also need to be lifted. For example, first you need to unlock the bootloader. The installation of the old firmware version itself takes a little time, but preparation for the entire procedure may even take several hours.
Looking at all the nuances, the most reliable option for updating the system to a more recent build is to use custom firmware. A little higher in context, we have already indicated this method, now we will try to justify the fact why this option is much better than rolling back the android system to older versions. First of all, there are no inaccuracies and errors in reliable builds, because huge teams of professionals are working on the creation of these updates. Secondly, you have the opportunity to choose the most suitable firmware. Thirdly, if you make every effort, you can always find an update with a better design.

Not all updates are equally useful, so some users prefer to revert to an old, trusted version of the system. However, it is not easy to return the old version of the firmware, therefore, for a start, we will tell you what to do so that unwanted updates do not appear on your device.

Disable auto-update

Smartphones default to automatic update systems, i.e. the smartphone will automatically download the new version of the software when the opportunity arises. It is easy to stop such independence: go to settings - "About device" / "Software update" - uncheck the box next to the line "Auto-update".

If you have already received a new version of the software and just want to roll back the device to the old one, there are two ways to proceed, with or without third-party utilities. But please note that a rollback always completely destroys the data on the smartphone, so you MUST first backup your data or save the necessary photos, audio and video files, contacts and messages on another medium or in the cloud.

So, one of the options for returning the old version of the software is resetting to factory settings. Please note that after it, the filling of the phone will be the same as it was when the device was first taken out of the box.

How to reset to factory settings?

General scheme of actions:

  1. Settings.
  2. Backup & Reset/ Backup & Reset/ Restore & Reset ( different variants names).
  3. Reset data / Reset settings.
  4. Erase everything.

In different smartphone models, the data reset option is located in different sections of the settings, so first you need to find out the exact sequence of actions for a particular phone model. This can be done on the manufacturer's website.

System restore using third-party applications

If a typical smartphone does not have a separate button for rolling back the OS, special backup programs will help. Provided that you make a backup in advance.

For example, Titanium Backup is one of the most popular and efficient applications in the field. But to use such programs, you need to get root rights. Rooting will void your warranty, but if you're willing to take the risk...

  • Download Titanium Backup.
  • Give the program superuser rights.
  • Insert a sufficient memory card into the slot.
  • Select the tab "Backups" - "Menu" - "Processing".
  • Select "Back up all user software and system data" - "Start".
  • To create a complete copy of the system, do not change anything in the proposed menu and do not check the boxes.

When a backup copy of the system has been created and you need it: “Processing” - “Restoration” - “Restore all software with data”.

But note that the rollback always completely destroys the data on the smartphone, so you MUST first backup the data or save the necessary photos, audio and video files, contacts and messages on another medium, flash drive or in the cloud.

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