How to repair/overwrite rooted and looping Android 4.4.2 on Tab3?

[androidusernl]

Recently I rooted (KingoRoot) Samsung Galaxy Tab3, installed with Android 4.4.2.
KingoRoot installed from the website on the tablet, downloaded and installed it.
Then I created a second user (limited rights) to share some apps with.
That worked well for several weeks.
Then one day after login messages start to popup from the F-secure AV program repeatedly stating that the AV program has stopped and then reboot kicks in.
So I tried to uninstall the AV program, but before uninstall finishes, reboot kicks in.
The uninstall proces was not successfull.
I also tried to remove the second user, unsuccessfull.
Now it seem that there's a kind of loop:
Startup, then login, after login the messages popup and then reboot kick in again.
When trying to wipe out all, I only find one partition to delete, I deleted that user partition and wiped-out also the cache.
Then I found the Android 4.4.2 software for Samsung Tab3 and copied that onto the external memory card and tried to install it as an update.
That took some time and then a reboot took place, but after the reboot I noticed that nothing had been removed/wiped out and still the same settings as before the wipe-out.
So I remain unable to remove all the corrupt software, which are also not to delete.
Is there a way to cleanup/repair/overwrite the corrupt Android operating system?
How do I get it done?

 

[Golfdriver97]

Welcome to the forums. You need to reflash the stock ROM through a PC program called Odin. Here is a guide on how to do the basic steps: https://forums.androidcentral.com/a...rom-via-odin-new-interface-3.html#post6420240

 

[androidusernl]

Welcome to the forums. You need to reflash the stock ROM through a PC program called Odin. Here is a guide on how to do the basic steps: https://forums.androidcentral.com/a...rom-via-odin-new-interface-3.html#post6420240

Is that also true when rooting has been carried out before from within the main user on the Tab3 device?
I also tried (newest version of) Odin, what happened was this:
At first I had to rename the downloaded stock rom to *csc.md5, because otherwise the load into Odin will fail to verify.
So I did.
Then, while loading the stock rom into Odin, I disconnected the USB cable from Tab3 device and make sure Tab3 was powered off.
Third step was to boot the Tab3 into 'system recovery' mode.
This is done by pressing the power button, volume up button and home button all at the same time.
When the brand logo appears, release the power button but toggle both volume up button and home button until the Android logo shows, then release both buttons.
You are then in Android system recovery mode.
To wipe data/factory reset first (by deleting all user data) and next wipe the cache partition as well.

If you fail to do these steps first, in Odin the Rom stock will also fail to verify.

Then choose to reboot the system, when the system restart then press the power button, the volume down button and the home button all at the same time until the warning shows.
To continue press the volume up button to get into download.

Then connect the USB cable and an com port number shows in Odin, when I press the start button, in a few seconds the message show in the log that the Rom stock is successfully verified.
Then a few seconds later the system reboot and what I see is that nothing has been changed at reboot.
Reinstalling the Rom would take some more time then just a few seconds I guess ...
So what went wrong here?

 

[Golfdriver97]

So what went wrong here?

Odin needs the phone to be in download mode, one of the pictures shows that mode in the first post. If that wasn't the screen you saw, that was why Odin failed.

 

[androidusernl]

Odin needs the phone to be in download mode, one of the pictures shows that mode in the first post. If that wasn't the screen you saw, that was why Odin failed.

Odin started as admin and followed the steps, but still, prior to the install of the stock ROM onto the Tab3 device, I first have to wipe both the user data as well as the cache on the Tab3 device.

I then booted the Tab3 device into download mode and view the warning, to continu I press the volume up button to get the device ready for download.

Next I have to rename the downloaded stock ROM to Home_CSC.md5, because the original name '*Home.tar.md5' will fail to verify in Odin at download to the Tab3 device.

Then I connect the Tab3 device to the USB cable and observe that Odin connected Tab3 at com5.
I then check CSC and select the stock ROM, that takes a few minutes to get ready.

When done, I click the 'start' button and I observe the progres and the log, the progresbar changed color at first to blue (reset) and when done it changes to green (pass).
Then the Tab3 device start to reboot, when done ... nothing changed.
Still the same errors (AV program stopped) followed by unplanned reboot.

And I still remain unable to disable King Root, as well as the AV program and unable to remove the second user account due to spontanious reboot that will prevent any action from completing successfully.

So something get really wrong here.

 

[androidusernl]

I also tried the method by copying the stock ROM onto a flash disc and place it in the Tab3 device.
Then I put the device in recovery mode, after wiping the user data and the cache I choose to update from external storage and install the stock ROM from there.
It took quite some more time to finish, but after reboot still the same problem as described in previous thread.

So there seem to be a serious problem here, it look like overwriting did not do the trick.

How do I clean all up the mess and install the stock ROM to get a clean installation?

 

[Golfdriver97]

Did you unzip the files? Last time I used Odin I had to unzip and put the files in their proper place. Have you tried an older version of Odin?

 

[androidusernl]

Did you unzip the files? Last time I used Odin I had to unzip and put the files in their proper place. Have you tried an older version of Odin?

For installation from Odin on a (Windows) computer, you need to unzip the file first.
For the installation from flash disc (external storage), you don't.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Did the unzipped file create 4 sub folders labeled similar to the boxes in Odin?

 

[androidusernl]

Did the unzipped file create 4 sub folders labeled similar to the boxes in Odin?

No, it didn't.
There's only 1 folder containing a large .md5 file and a single .dll file.
The large file had to be renamed to '*Home_CSC.md5', because it failed to verify in Odin with the original name it came with, which was '*Home.tar.md5', I guess meaning it is than an customised file, right?

 

[Golfdriver97]

Have you tried an older version of Odin?
@Rukbat, I am running out of ideas? Care to look over this thread?

 

[Rukbat]

You downloaded the CSC (the language) file, not the entire ROM. You need to download the tar.md5 file, then flash it in Odin.

You do not have to wipe anything before running Odin - flashing the ROM replaces everything, effectively wiping it - IF you use the tar.md5 file. You'll have to look the ROM up by model number (P5200, T110, T2105, etc.), then choose the correct country (and carrier, if more than one is listed for that country) to get the ROM for the correct variant (if you';re looking on https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/ and if the ROM is available for your country (and your carrier if more than one is listed).

Or you can see if anyone has a ROM for the particular variant at XDA. If it's the Tab 3 7.0, the Stock NE4 Lite ROM might be the best you can put on it - fully debloated.

But the CSC file only "changes" the language (if you flash a different, but compatible, one, and only if you flash it in the CSC slot). Changing the name to .tar.md5 tells Odin to flash it as a whole ROM, it's not, so Odin stops after a few seconds. (A full ROM flash takes a lot longer than a few seconds. [And then the tab takes up to 15 minutes setting things up before you can use it again - even if it looks like it's working. Flash the ROM then leave it alone for 15 minutes, then reboot.])

 

[androidusernl]

You downloaded the CSC (the language) file, not the entire ROM. You need to download the tar.md5 file, then flash it in Odin.

You do not have to wipe anything before running Odin - flashing the ROM replaces everything, effectively wiping it - IF you use the tar.md5 file. You'll have to look the ROM up by model number (P5200, T110, T2105, etc.), then choose the correct country (and carrier, if more than one is listed for that country) to get the ROM for the correct variant (if you';re looking on https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/ and if the ROM is available for your country (and your carrier if more than one is listed).

Or you can see if anyone has a ROM for the particular variant at XDA. If it's the Tab 3 7.0, the Stock NE4 Lite ROM might be the best you can put on it - fully debloated.

But the CSC file only "changes" the language (if you flash a different, but compatible, one, and only if you flash it in the CSC slot). Changing the name to .tar.md5 tells Odin to flash it as a whole ROM, it's not, so Odin stops after a few seconds. (A full ROM flash takes a lot longer than a few seconds. [And then the tab takes up to 15 minutes setting things up before you can use it again - even if it looks like it's working. Flash the ROM then leave it alone for 15 minutes, then reboot.])

Thank you, then please help me out here ...
Sammobile does have the file ready for download but not for free, that is.
According to Sammobile, the file I need is called 'T210XXBOB1 - GALAXY Tab3 SM-T210 PHN Netherlands' and contain 'PDA T210XXBOB1' and 'CSC T210PHNBOA1'.

So I downloaded my file for free at fw.updato.com
The (compressed) file I downloaded is 823MB and contain 1 folder and 2 files inside, the large file is called 'T210XXBOB1_T210PHNBOA1_HOME.tar.md5', according the name it now seem to contain both files I need.
There's also an .dll file inside named SS_DL.dll
Unzipped it all is about 1,4GB.

So there's some confusion here, how how do I check what the content is of my already downloaded file '*Home.tar.md5'?
When I browse the file, I do not recognise any of the names, nor any .zip or .rar or .tar files, so it might be a custom build file, right?
Inside there's only .bin and .img files and only 1 .lfs file.

 

[Rukbat]

Load the .tar.md5 file into the AP slot. (It will take a few minutes to calculate the md5 of the file before it says that the file is verified.) Ignore the .dll file. Click Start in Odin. You should see the progress bar moving in the Id box in Odin and on the tab. When it's done, it will reboot. Let it sit until you get back to the home page (it can take up to 15 minutes) then let it sit for another 15 minutes. Then you should be good.

 

[androidusernl]

Load the .tar.md5 file into the AP slot. (It will take a few minutes to calculate the md5 of the file before it says that the file is verified.) Ignore the .dll file. Click Start in Odin. You should see the progress bar moving in the Id box in Odin and on the tab. When it's done, it will reboot. Let it sit until you get back to the home page (it can take up to 15 minutes) then let it sit for another 15 minutes. Then you should be good.

I already tried the installation from the Windows computer, and when the verification started, Odin shows the fail message right away.
Yet when I rename to 'Home_CSC.md5', in either AP or CSC slot, it will fail at first.
Because before I have to go into recovery mode to wipe both user data and cache and then start downloading from Odin.
Than the 'reset' message shows first followed by 'pass', all that within less then a minute.
That can't be good.
So right there something goes already wrong.
Something seem to refuse/stop the download and installation.
Than the Tab3 starts to reboot, because of the checked checkbox at 'reboot' in Odin.
After the reboot, nothing seem to be changed at all.

Then I tried a different approach by copying the zipped file straight onto flash disc, mount it in the Tab3 and choose update from 'external storage' within the recovery mode on Tab3, it will then take about 15 minutes until the Tab3 reboot automatically.
Still the installation seem to fail.
After reboot still nothing seem to be changed either.

 

[androidusernl]

I already tried the installation from the Windows computer, and when the verification started, Odin shows the fail message right away.
Yet when I rename to 'Home_CSC.md5', in either AP or CSC slot, it will fail at first.
Because before I have to go into recovery mode to wipe both user data and cache and then start downloading from Odin.
Than the 'reset' message shows first followed by 'pass', all that within less then a minute.
That can't be good.
So right there something goes already wrong.
Something seem to refuse/stop the download and installation.
Than the Tab3 starts to reboot, because of the checked checkbox at 'reboot' in Odin.
After the reboot, nothing seem to be changed at all.

Then I tried a different approach by copying the zipped file straight onto flash disc, mount it in the Tab3 and choose update from 'external storage' within the recovery mode on Tab3, it will then take about 15 minutes until the Tab3 reboot automatically.
Still the installation seem to fail.
After reboot still nothing seem to be changed either.

I found out that the newest version of Odin does not work for me, so I downloaded an older version of it, which is v3.09 and that did give me the same errors. So I tried an even older version 1.87
But downloading several stock ROM's seem to complicate things a little more as there's 2 versions referred to as WiFi, which in fact seem to be WiFi/3G/LTE and WiFi. There's also 2 veriants of Android 4.4.2, as there's KitKat and Jelly Bean.
So what I need is the stock ROM with these specs:
kot49h.t210xxbob1 PHN date: Feb3 2015
kernel
3.4.5-4081557
dpi@swdd5907#1


Trying to install both Android versions with WiFi from Odin v1.87 gave me these errors:
'Get PIT for mapping' and at PBL.bin there's no more progres.
The device still boots, so there's a PIT file ... yet installing the stock ROM is/was/still unsuccessfull.
So what's going on here?

 

[androidusernl]

As there seem to come no more replies on this thread, I'll try it another way to get some help.

 

[B. Diddy]

I moved this from the Jellybean forum to the Tab 3 Rooting forum for more specific traffic.

 

[androidusernl]

Let's try another approach ...

So I am curently stuck in the proces of flashing the default stock ROM on the SM-210, Samsung Galaxy Tab3, 7", 8GB, WiFi only, android v4.4.2 (KK) with Odin v3.07 using Windows 10.
I tried various ways, procedures and stock ROM's, but nothing seem to get the job done.
The device has been rooted with KingOroot (installed from Firefox on the Tab3) and all that worked well for a while.
That is until Anti-Virus software program F-Secure was installed and afterwards also Firefox F-Secure for secure banking.
Then, for a couple days I didn't use the tablet and ever since that very day, after firing up, a messagebox continuously popping-up 'program has stopped' followed by an unauthorised shutdown and reboot.
So the AV software program does interfere with messagebox continuously popping-up telling me that the program has stopped followed by a shutdown/reboot.
An double Android installation may also be one of the causes as I have (accidently) forgotten to uncheck the checkbox 'repartitioning' while flashing firmware with Odin3
It could mean that this causes the device to crash, shutdown and reboot again, as it does this ever since then even though nothing further has been altered, it's like a kind of bootloop.
Although the Tab3 will boot up and it even let me login into it (not for very long though), I don't trust the current PIT file on the Tab3, the PIT file may be compromised.
Also no program can be removed or installed successfully anymore (not even in 'save mode') as that messagebox continuously popping-up again, saying 'program has stopped' followed by an unauthorised shutdown and reboot that prevent any procedure to complete successfully.
To put the device in developer mode cann't be completed successfully either, as that AV messagebox continuously popping-up 'program has stopped' followed by the unauthorised shutdown and reboot that prevent any procedure from changing successfully.
Same thing for the checkbox when installing programs from storage.
Formatting the device by wiping both 'user data' and 'cache' partitions and put the device in 'download mode' and trying to reflash the default stock ROM did look like it would work out at first, but then finally didn't.
On Odin v3.07 the flash seem to finish successfully with reset and that takes about 15 minutes, but during flashing there's no visible progresbar on the Tab3 and finally after the Tab3 rebooted the same trouble starts all over again.
TWRP cann't be flashed with Odin either, even though Odin3 v3.07 says that flashing has been finished successfully, after wiping user data and cache and reboot, nothing seem to be changed.

But then again, as for this faulty Android system, with reflashing the original stock ROM I expected the faulty OS to be replaced by the new one ... yet that doesn't seem to happen either.
Still not sure what causes that and how to recover from it too ...

My next move would be to try and get the flash done using Haimdall in FWUL as Android is also Linux, right?
Reflashing the default stock ROM firmware with Haimdall requires an PIT file to begin with.
How do I determine what does belong onto the specific default PIT file and what doesn't?
Some say that fastboot and ADB is not even supported with the Tab3, but I'll use jOdin.
Anyways, in FWUL I'm able to view the current devices PIT file content (with text editor), but I don't know how the default (unrooted) and untouched PIT file content should look like.

Who can help me out here?

 

[androidusernl]

Let's try another approach ...

So I am curently stuck in the proces of flashing the default stock ROM on the SM-210, Samsung Galaxy Tab3, 7", 8GB, WiFi only, android v4.4.2 (KK) with Odin v3.07 using Windows 10.
I tried various ways, procedures and stock ROM's, but nothing seem to get the job done.
The device has been rooted with KingOroot (installed from Firefox on the Tab3) and all that worked well for a while.
That is until Anti-Virus software program F-Secure was installed and afterwards also Firefox F-Secure for secure banking.
Then, for a couple days I didn't use the tablet and ever since that very day, after firing up, a messagebox continuously popping-up 'program has stopped' followed by an unauthorised shutdown and reboot.
So the AV software program does interfere with messagebox continuously popping-up telling me that the program has stopped followed by a shutdown/reboot.
An double Android installation may also be one of the causes as I have (accidently) forgotten to uncheck the checkbox 'repartitioning' while flashing firmware with Odin3
It could mean that this causes the device to crash, shutdown and reboot again, as it does this ever since then even though nothing further has been altered, it's like a kind of bootloop.
Although the Tab3 will boot up and it even let me login into it (not for very long though), I don't trust the current PIT file on the Tab3, the PIT file may be compromised.
Also no program can be removed or installed successfully anymore (not even in 'save mode') as that messagebox continuously popping-up again, saying 'program has stopped' followed by an unauthorised shutdown and reboot that prevent any procedure to complete successfully.
To put the device in developer mode cann't be completed successfully either, as that AV messagebox continuously popping-up 'program has stopped' followed by the unauthorised shutdown and reboot that prevent any procedure from changing successfully.
Same thing for the checkbox when installing programs from storage.
Formatting the device by wiping both 'user data' and 'cache' partitions and put the device in 'download mode' and trying to reflash the default stock ROM did look like it would work out at first, but then finally didn't.
On Odin v3.07 the flash seem to finish successfully with reset and that takes about 15 minutes, but during flashing there's no visible progresbar on the Tab3 and finally after the Tab3 rebooted the same trouble starts all over again.
TWRP cann't be flashed with Odin either, even though Odin3 v3.07 says that flashing has been finished successfully, after wiping user data and cache and reboot, nothing seem to be changed.

But then again, as for this faulty Android system, with reflashing the original stock ROM I expected the faulty OS to be replaced by the new one ... yet that doesn't seem to happen either.
Still not sure what causes that and how to recover from it too ...

My next move would be to try and get the flash done using Haimdall in FWUL as Android is also Linux, right?
Reflashing the default stock ROM firmware with Haimdall requires an PIT file to begin with.
How do I determine what does belong onto the specific default PIT file and what doesn't?
Some say that fastboot and ADB is not even supported with the Tab3, but I'll use jOdin.
Anyways, in FWUL I'm able to view the current devices PIT file content (with text editor), but I don't know how the default (unrooted) and untouched PIT file content should look like.

Who can help me out here?

Meanwhile the device happen to be defective, as some buttons do not seem to function anymore, so I trashed the device ... game over.