AT&T S4: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

[jazzyjag70]

Why is it taking so long for AT&T / Samsung to update Kies software so we can recover/restore our stock firmware ??? I had to go to BestBuy yesterday to have Samsung erase/re install stock Mf3 4.2.2 firmware. I asked rep from Samsung about this problem with the Kies software and they blame AT&T, and if you call AT&T they blame Samsung, and say they have nothing to do with the Kies software.
Now we all know that this Mf3 update was provided from AT&T to purposely lock the boot loader etc.. Now why would AT&T want to do such a thing ?? My theory as to why AT&T would do this to try to prevent us from eliminating all their junk bloatware with custom roms etc... It's one thing for them issuing this update, but at least give us consumers a way to restore / recover back to the original stock firmware. This is complete nonsense on Samsungs part for them not issuing a update to their Kies software when they have a way to install back to original firmware. Even Apple gives a way to restore firmware via ITunes anytime you need to. Lets show these companys somehow that this type of shady business is not going to be tolerated. How can we start ?? Any suggestions would greatly appreciated. Remember that strength comes with numbers.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

Why is it taking so long for AT&T / Samsung to update Kies software so we can recover/restore our stock firmware ??? I had to go to BestBuy yesterday to have Samsung erase/re install stock Mf3 4.2.2 firmware. I asked rep from Samsung about this problem with the Kies software and they blame AT&T, and if you call AT&T they blame Samsung, and say they have nothing to do with the Kies software.
Now we all know that this Mf3 update was provided from AT&T to purposely lock the boot loader etc.. Now why would AT&T want to do such a thing ?? My theory as to why AT&T would do this to try to prevent us from eliminating all their junk bloatware with custom roms etc... It's one thing for them issuing this update, but at least give us consumers a way to restore / recover back to the original stock firmware. This is complete nonsense on Samsungs part for them not issuing a update to their Kies software when they have a way to install back to original firmware. Even Apple gives a way to restore firmware via ITunes anytime you need to. Lets show these companys somehow that this type of shady business is not going to be tolerated. How can we start ?? Any suggestions would greatly appreciated. Remember that strength comes with numbers.

Welcome to the forums!
From what I understand, Samsung sends the ROM to carriers. Carriers then modify it and send it to us. So technically, AT&T's fault. As for how to tell them what we think of bloatware....Mass emails telling them to pull their heads out of the sand, or a mass exodus to prepaid services and unlocked phones like the Nexus, I can't think of anything else.

I can understand some preloaded apps. Someone new to smartphones or an OEM in general should be able to see what the phone can do out of the box without installing any apps. But those should be removable. Carrier apps should just plain not exist.

 

[jazzyjag70]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

Nice to meet you GolfDriver, as you know i'm new here. I was a IOS user/owner for the past 5 long years. I just made the cross-over to Android after debating whether or not too. After Apple released info about the IPhone 5S that was the deal breaker. Evidently i already made a bad decision by going with the ATT S4. I like the phone alot but should of coughed up the $600 up front and got the Google edition.
ATT decision to lock all THEIR phones with Android firmware bootloaders. Notice i said THEIR phones, they pay up front to the manufacture for the phones that we technically lease from them until it's paid in full. I thinks thats how these carriers get away with the manufactures with installing all their software in these phones. How the hell has Apple gotten away with not letting these carriers fill up their Iphones with all this bloatware??? Oh well i guess us little people that fill up their pockets with billions of $$$$ just have to deal with it. It is what it is. I'm all for hacking these systems to make them the way we want them !!!

 

[Golfdriver97]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

Nice to meet you GolfDriver, as you know i'm new here. I was a IOS user/owner for the past 5 long years. I just made the cross-over to Android after debating whether or not too. After Apple released info about the IPhone 5S that was the deal breaker. Evidently i already made a bad decision by going with the ATT S4. I like the phone alot but should of coughed up the $600 up front and got the Google edition.
ATT decision to lock all THEIR phones with Android firmware bootloaders. Notice i said THEIR phones, they pay up front to the manufacture for the phones that we technically lease from them until it's paid in full. I thinks thats how these carriers get away with the manufactures with installing all their software in these phones. How the hell has Apple gotten away with not letting these carriers fill up their Iphones with all this bloatware??? Oh well i guess us little people that fill up their pockets with billions of $$$$ just have to deal with it. It is what it is. I'm all for hacking these systems to make them the way we want them !!!

Gaining root access and then flashing a Google ROM is still possible.

Sent from a SlimROM S3.

 

[jazzyjag70]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

Gaining root access and then flashing a Google ROM is still possible.

Sent from a SlimROM S3.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

Empty post, but you quoted me. Did you need to ask something else?

 

[jazzyjag70]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

I'm all set, this site is new to me also. Thanks for sharing your thoughts though. Take care.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

I'm all set, this site is new to me also. Thanks for sharing your thoughts though. Take care.

No sweat. Hope to see you in the forums!

Sent from a Slim 4.3 S3

 

[ScottsoNJ]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

Gaining root access and then flashing a Google ROM is still possible.

Sent from a SlimROM S3.

With the MF3 firmware? Please share with me how that is done. I must have looked at every *&^%$#^^ website on the net to try and find a way.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

With the MF3 firmware? Please share with me how that is done. I must have looked at every *&^%$#^^ website on the net to try and find a way.

Galaxys4root .com has some rooting procedures. Depends on the carrier.

Sent from a Slim 4.3 S3

 

[ScottsoNJ]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

Galaxys4root .com has some rooting procedures. Depends on the carrier.

Sent from a Slim 4.3 S3

I should have been more specific. I have the At&t S4 and they haven't discovered a way around the MF3 firmware yet. I have mine rooted but if I have a problem their is no recovery yet. So I'm waiting and hoping for the day they find a way.

 

[bpdunsta]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

jazzyjag70 -- you said " I had to go to BestBuy yesterday to have Samsung erase/re install stock Mf3 4.2.2 firmware." They'll do this? Reason I ask is that I had rooted my AT&T S4 running MF3 and done everything I can to remove root, but really need to do a complete restore back to factory (and can't do that with ODIN yet). My company uses Good for Enterprise to allow corporate email on personal devices and Good keeps flagging my device as rooted despite all my efforts to remove root (I no longer have root access, but something, somewhere, makes Good think that I do).

 

[jazzyjag70]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

My Galaxy S4 was rooted also, as long as Samsung is at your Best Buy store and no matter if you bought it there or not, Samsung will restore your phone back to the original firmware 4.2.2 no questions asked. This is the only way to remove root 100% .

 

[bpdunsta]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

Went to Best Buy yesterday. The Samsung rep only comes to the local store on weekends, but one of the other folks was able to help me. I couldn't see her PC screen, but based on what I saw on my S4 screen, it looked like she was flashing the ROM. So far, no issues with Good for Enterprise, so my issue may be resolved.

Thanks for the help.

 

[mcreynolds694]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

bpdunsta did you have to pay anything to get your phone restored to stock when you took it to bestbuy?

 

[mcreynolds694]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

Went to Best Buy yesterday. The Samsung rep only comes to the local store on weekends, but one of the other folks was able to help me. I couldn't see her PC screen, but based on what I saw on my S4 screen, it looked like she was flashing the ROM. So far, no issues with Good for Enterprise, so my issue may be resolved.

Thanks for the help.

bpdunsta did you have to pay anything to get your phone restored to stock when you took it to bestbuy?

 

[bpdunsta]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

bpdunsta did you have to pay anything to get your phone restored to stock when you took it to bestbuy?

Nope. Free and easy!

 

[gxgs]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

bpdunsta did you have to pay anything to get your phone restored to stock when you took it to bestbuy?

There are already MF3 tars available for download. No need to go to bestbuy.

 

[metle_geek]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

Odin doesnt work?

from my wonderfully rooted gs4 woot

 

[juraseka]

Re: Recovery of stock MF3 firmware !!

Could someone please link a MF3 tar file? I have spent all day trying to find one and still only come up with MF1... I'm still fairly new to all of this but it would be really helpful.
Thanks