TUTORIAL: Downgrade Samsung Galaxy S5 from 5.0 to 4.4 KitKat

[David Echevarria]

Damn so if I just updated to 5.1.1 and I just bought this samsung today then I'm out of luck (AT&T bought off contract)?

On my way home which is about a 40 minute ride the battery was from 72% to 69% and that was spending literally the entire time browsing the web and checking out the new phone. I updated to 5.1.1 and it goes down a % every few minutes with no use and much faster with light use plus chrome now refreshes and loads slower.

 

[mewicke]

What do you do about the Odin download if your working on this using a Mac? (OS X 10.10.4)

 

[ironass]

What do you do about the Odin download if your working on this using a Mac? (OS X 10.10.4)

Hello and welcome to Android Central mewicke!

Mac users will need Heimdall to flash...

[PROGRAM] Heimdall - Open-Source Cross-Platform Flashing Suite (1.4.0 Now Available)

Alternatively, borrow a PC and use Odin.

 

[bigwillchill]

i had that same problem!
after an hour it said it was done downloading. i went to unzip the file and it said that the file was empty. i tried using a program specifically for unzipping and it said that it is either the wrong format or it is a corrupted file

i hate the new lollipop update it made everything slower! i cant even send a text without it getting hot. its simply ridiculous.

 

[ironass]

i had that same problem!
after an hour it said it was done downloading. i went to unzip the file and it said that the file was empty. i tried using a program specifically for unzipping and it said that it is either the wrong format or it is a corrupted file

i hate the new lollipop update it made everything slower! i cant even send a text without it getting hot. its simply ridiculous.

Hello and welcome to Android Central bigwillchill!

Thank you for your post.

There are currently 41 different models of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and over 3,000 different stock Samsung firmware versions, worldwide, covering 6 different Android platforms, Android 4.4.2, Android 4.4.4, Android 5.0, Android 5.0.1, Android 5.0.2 and Android 5.1.1. Not all issues will affect all models or firmware releases and your answers to the following questions will help in the forum's answers to your specific query.

#1. Could you post your Model number and Android version...

To locate these, go to...

Settings > More > About device > Model number and Android version

This will give you the model of Samsung Galaxy S5 that you have and which Android version you are on.


#2. Your current Firmware, (not just Baseband), version .

To locate your current firmware version, go to the stock, Samsung, dial pad and type in...

*#1234#

This will give you your, "Version", details in full, usually 3 lines of information, AP: CP: CSC:, which may all be relevant.

*** If code *#1234# has been disabled on your firmware, you can download and install, free from the Play Store, Phone INFO ?Samsung? and it will give you, under Firmware Info... PDA, Baseband, CSC, versions.


#3. Also helpful would be your carrier, (service provider), location, (UK, India, Russia, USA, etc: ).


Thanks. The above helps us to help you and hopefully someone will be able to reply to you shortly.


For more information, see, 41 Galaxy S5 models - Dummies Guide

 

[Osman salih]

Hey there ..
i have S5 prime G906L and its on android LP 5.0.1
here is the details of the rom ..
i know how to downgrade to KK but i want to know if its gonna work for my model or not
thanks alot ..

 

[ironass]

Hey there ..
i have S5 prime G906L and its on android LP 5.0.1
View attachment 204436 here is the details of the rom ..
i know how to downgrade to KK but i want to know if its gonna work for my model or not
thanks alot ..

How very odd!

Your phone appears to be a customised mongrel phone.

AP & CSC = G901F which is the Galaxy S5 PLUS (OH4 Firmware download, here)

CP = G906L which is the Galaxy S5 LTE-A PRIME (OE1 Firmware download, here)

It looks as though you are running the latest Nordic Countries, (NEE), firmware for the Galaxy S5 Plus with a modem for the Galaxy S5 Prime for the Korean carrier branded model for LG Uplus.

My guess is that you actually own the Korean LG Uplus carrier model, G906L, and that you, or someone else, has adapted/rooted and had a G901F mod or custom ROM installed on it recently, (last 2 months).

Since this phone has been adapted/rooted, it will not receive updates and the only stock firmware you can flash to it will be the one for the G906L model for the Korean carrier LG Uplus. This will unroot you.

Have you had this phone from new?

 

[Osman salih]

i bought it 8-9 months ago .. last week ive updated my phone to LP to install NovaRom (custom rom) and now its running this rom ,but i want to go back to KK .. and my phone is Galaxy S5 LTE-A PRIME G906L LG Uplus .. probably because of being Nova rom is made basicly for G901F the AP & CSC in my phone are like this..

so do you thins that i could go back to KK again :-\ ?
and thanks for help!

 

[ironass]

i bought it 8-9 months ago .. last week ive updated my phone to LP to install NovaRom (custom rom) and now its running this rom ,but i want to go back to KK .. and my phone is Galaxy S5 LTE-A PRIME G906L LG Uplus .. probably because of being Nova rom is made basicly for G901F the AP & CSC in my phone are like this..

so do you thins that i could go back to KK again :-\ ?
and thanks for help!

You will need to unroot and download and flash the stock G906L, LG Uplus, KK firmware. As far as I am aware, the G906L model does not have a locked bootloader that prevents this unless you have personally altered any .PIT files or the bootloader during your rooting, modding and flashing.

Since yours is a rooted phone issue, you could post any future queries in the Samsung Galaxy S5 Rooting, ROMs & Hacks section of the forum, which is for rooted, modded and hacked phones.

WARNING! By downgrading to KitKat, you will no longer be covered by the last 9 months security updates in the 5 Lollipop releases, for such things as the Stagefright exploit, to name but one.

 

[Rev2010]

Well, I wasn't able to downgrade. Saw later in the thread about AT&T locking the bootloader. However, I went ahead and factory reset my phone. What a pain setting everything up exact again, a whole day experience. Just wanted to report back and confirm the battery drain issues are gone and battery life is now WAY better than it was. It was draining insanely before. Not anymore.


Rev.

 

[ironass]

Well, I wasn't able to downgrade. Saw later in the thread about AT&T locking the bootloader. However, I went ahead and factory reset my phone. What a pain setting everything up exact again, a whole day experience. Just wanted to report back and confirm the battery drain issues are gone and battery life is now WAY better than it was. It was draining insanely before. Not anymore.


Rev.

Glad the FDR worked Rev2010!

Sometimes, you just have to bite the bullet and go for a Full Wipe+Factory Data Reset as per post #2 of S5 Lollipop Update Problems - Dummies Guide

 

[Osman salih]

i bought it 8-9 months ago .. last week ive updated my phone to LP to install NovaRom (custom rom) and now its running this rom ,but i want to go back to KK .. and my phone is Galaxy S5 LTE-A PRIME G906L LG Uplus .. probably because of being Nova rom is made basicly for G901F the AP & CSC in my phone are like this..

so do you thins that i could go back to KK again :-\ ?
and thanks for help!

my friend ive been using Nova Rom 1.3.5 for 10 days and my phone now is nearly dead its freezing all the time and i always have to restart it 1 time at least every day .
what would advice me to do in my situation ?

 

[ironass]

my friend ive been using Nova Rom 1.3.5 for 10 days and my phone now is nearly dead its freezing all the time and i always have to restart it 1 time at least every day .
what would advice me to do in my situation ?

Which country and carrier are you attempting to use the Korean LG Uplus model on?

 

[Osman salih]

Which country and carrier are you attempting to use the Korean LG Uplus model on?

i leave in Turkey and im university student

 

[ironass]

i leave in Turkey and im university student

None of the Turkish carriers 4G/LTE networks are compatible with the Korean carrier Uplus network as far as I know. So you are probably not getting a 4G/LTE signal. Your choices are...

1. Flash the stock Samsung firmware for your phone model

2. Locate and flash a different custom ROM for the G906L as you have already done.

If you have any further questions about custom ROMs or mods you can post them in Samsung Galaxy S5 Rooting, ROMs & Hacks

 

[Mattte]

Hey Everybody! Im new here and i'm from Slovenija. I have S5 SM-G900F and i have the latest FW G900FXXU1BOI3 (CSC is MOT). OK i know, Lollipop is not so smooth like KitKit but real problem on my phone (on all stock Lollipop versions) is Answer Call Delay. If somebody call me and if i answer than i must wait 1,5-2 second to start senonds 0:00 and than can i say hello? So... i trided hard reset and nothing, on last two Lollipop stock FW's was the same... I want to go back to KitKat. Its possible? Must i root my phone or....? Thanks!

Regards,
Matej

PS:. Sorry for my bad English....

 

[ironass]

Hey Everybody! Im new here and i'm from Slovenija. I have S5 SM-G900F and i have the latest FW G900FXXU1BOI3 (CSC is MOT). OK i know, Lollipop is not so smooth like KitKit but real problem on my phone (on all stock Lollipop versions) is Answer Call Delay. If somebody call me and if i answer than i must wait 1,5-2 second to start senonds 0:00 and than can i say hello? So... i trided hard reset and nothing, on last two Lollipop stock FW's was the same... I want to go back to KitKat. Its possible? Must i root my phone or....? Thanks!

Regards,
Matej

PS:. Sorry for my bad English....

Hello and welcome to Android Central Mattte!

You can downgrade by flashing the KitKat firmware for your model of phone, G900F, and carrier, Mobitel, for Slovenia. Follow the instructions and video in the links of #1.11 of 41 Galaxy S5 models - Dummies Guide

Here is a link to the download...

Model SM-G900F
Model name GALAXY S5
Country Slovenia (Mobitel)
Version Android 4.4.2
Changelist 2089850
Build date Thu, 03 Jul 2014 05:08:46 +0000
Product code MOT
PDA G900FXXU1ANG2
CSC G900FMOT1ANG2

 

[Mattte]

Hallo ironass! Thank you for quick responding! Yes, i have already this FW but somebody told me that downgrading at KitKat is not possible because with this new Lollipop ROM i became "new bootlader" and this "new bootloader" will not leave me to downgrade to KitKat. Its this true? TnX

Matej

 

[ironass]

Hallo ironass! Thank you for quick responding! Yes, i have already this FW but somebody told me that downgrading at KitKat is not possible because with this new Lollipop ROM i became "new bootlader" and this "new bootloader" will not leave me to downgrade to KitKat. Its this true? TnX

Matej

Whoever told you that is totally mistaken!

 

[Mattte]

OK and KNOX? Will be 0x0 or 1? TnX