Accidentally updated Galaxy S4 to Lollipop, how can I go back?

[ZenSojourner]

Accidentally updated Galaxy S4 to Lollipop

I accidentally updated Android on my S4. What can I say, my finger glitched.

Now I'm faced with having to do a factory reset and losing all my contacts and other setup.

Is there any way to backup EVERYTHING on my phone, including all the junkware I have disabled? Can I at least save all my ringtones and whatnot? I DO NOT USE GMAIL. All my apps? I don't have many but the ones I have, I don't want to have to download again.

It's a verizon phone, if that's any help.

 

[Aquila]

re: Accidentally updated Galaxy S4 to Lollipop

A factory reset is not going to unupdate whatever you updated. I'm assuming you mean an OTA firmware update. A factory reset will only remove your apps, settings, etc. but it will remain on the new software.

 

[ZenSojourner]

re: Accidentally updated Galaxy S4 to Lollipop

No, I don't mean a firmware update. And I'm not talking about unupdating either. "whatever" I updated is the Android software, which I think is 5.something from 4.whateverItWasBefore.

Having done the update, however inadvertently, now I must do a factory reset if I ever hope to have my phone work again - including to go back to the previous version, if necessary and if possible.

Right now my phone only works on speaker. Who knows what else is screwed up due to the stupid update. In order to have a functioning phone again, after an Android update, you have to do a factory reset - which will wipe out all my settings and apps.

SO - again - I need to know HOW TO BACK THE PHONE up, as much of it as possible, what I may need to write down so I can do it manually after the factory reset, and how to do that without gmail.

I also have an extensive list of phone numbers that are permanently blocked and need to stay that way. Can I back that up as well, or am I going to have to write that all down by hand and redo it manually?

I have an app that lets me connect to my PC over wifi - but no idea of what files need to be backed up, nor how to get system settings backed up. Just copying files may not be sufficient.

 

[Aquila]

re: Accidentally updated Galaxy S4 to Lollipop

If you updated from Android 4.4.x to Android 5.x.x, that is a firmware update. A factory reset is not going to return to the previous version, it will give you a cleaned start on the current version. If you are on 5.0 or 5.1 lollipop, it will stay on lollipop.

 

[Almeuit]

re: Accidentally updated Galaxy S4 to Lollipop

If you updated from Android 4.4.x to Android 5.x.x, that is a firmware update. A factory reset is not going to return to the previous version, it will give you a cleaned start on the current version. If you are on 5.0 or 5.1 lollipop, it will stay on lollipop.

This is the case.

As for your contacts I believe you can plug the phone into your PC and maybe sync them with Windows. I really have no experience backing up contacts outside of Gmail since syncing them to there is the easiest way. As for the blocked number that would most likely save with contacts as well -- Unless are you blocking them by the carrier or is the phone itself blocking them?

 

[extraclass]

Re: Accidentally updated Galaxy S4 to Lollipop

If you are on Verizon and have not turned it off. Most of your data is backed up to their cloud! If you do a full reset your contacts and much of your other data will be reinstalled on your phone! I did not understand why you wanted to do a full reset, maybe a simple restart will solve your problem! Please clarify!

 

[ZenSojourner]

Re: Accidentally updated Galaxy S4 to Lollipop

If you updated from Android 4.4.x to Android 5.x.x, that is a firmware update. A factory reset is not going to return to the previous version, it will give you a cleaned start on the current version. If you are on 5.0 or 5.1 lollipop, it will stay on lollipop.

Yeah. I'm not trying to return it to a previous version - I'm trying to save as much of my settings and data as possible before doing the factory reset that is required after an update to the OS. The OS is what has been updated. I suppose that by definition that is a firmware upgrade simply because this is a phone that doesn't have a hard drive. I'm used to thinking of the OS as always software because that is what it IS on a desktop.

Regardless, I am not trying to return it to a previous version. I just need to back up my data files and settings and whatever else I need to do to return my phone to the same functionality it had before the factory reset. I HAVE to do a factory reset now because of the Android update.

 

[ZenSojourner]

Re: Accidentally updated Galaxy S4 to Lollipop

If you are on Verizon and have not turned it off. Most of your data is backed up to their cloud! If you do a full reset your contacts and much of your other data will be reinstalled on your phone! I did not understand why you wanted to do a full reset, maybe a simple restart will solve your problem! Please clarify!

I don't WANT to do a factory reset - I was told that you HAVE to do a factory reset after an Android update. That bit of advice is frequently given even here on these forums.

Right now my phone only works on speaker. Who knows what else is screwed up. But I have repeatedly seen it said here on these forums that you HAVE to do a factory reset after an Android update. Is that incorrect?

EDIT: OK, what is a "simple" reset? I tried just turning the phone off and then turning it back on - no change. The phone will still only work (as a phone) if you switch it to speaker phone first. So unless a "simple reset" is something other than just turning the phone off and then back on, that didn't help anything.

 

[ZenSojourner]

Re: Accidentally updated Galaxy S4 to Lollipop

This is the case.

As for your contacts I believe you can plug the phone into your PC and maybe sync them with Windows. I really have no experience backing up contacts outside of Gmail since syncing them to there is the easiest way. As for the blocked number that would most likely save with contacts as well -- Unless are you blocking them by the carrier or is the phone itself blocking them?

I have no idea where the files are located that would need to be backed up. I could back up the actual ringtones, for instance, I do know where those are - but I have no idea what would need to be copied to save the settings, nor where to put them back post-reset.

Is there no guide to what you need to do to restore your phone to function the way you had it set up after a factory reset?