Re-flashing latest S7 Edge firmware using Odin, FAILs at hidden.img(.lz4)

[augstarr]

Hi,

While trying to make space on my old S7 Edge SMG935F using a third party app to clear app caches, it suddenly went black, and came back up with the message in red: 'Custom Binary Blocked By FRP Lock'. I bought this phone new from 1&1 quite a few years ago, so I don't understand why I am being blocked. At this screen with this message, I was not given an option to enter my google account details.

After googling online looking for a solution, I tried to re-flash using Odin (versions: 3.14.1, and then 3.13.3) with the latest firmware from sammobile for Germany 1&1.

After selecting BL, AP, CP and HOME_CSC files in Odin and 'Start'ing the flash process, the downloading to my phone reaches 99% and always 'FAIL's on the file: hidden.img.

I have looked on various forums, and see that there are a few solutions. The solutions I have seen involve either:-

- extracting/deleting hidden.img from the firmware .md5 file, and then repeat flash of the updated .md5 file now without the file: hidden.img,

or...

- extracting the file: hidden.img and then re-flashing it separately.

Both of these solutions involve finding the file: hidden.img in the AP firmware .md5 file, and then re-flashing using the 'AP' button option of Odin.

The firmware for my version includes: BL, AP, CP, CSC and HOME_CSC .md5 files. My understanding is that I need to use the HOME_CSC file to preserve my files after re-flashing and rebooting. This is what I want to do, to preserve my contacts, call history, whatsapp data etc.

After extraction and searching all of these above files, only in the CSC and HOME_CSC .md5 files did I find a hidden.img file contained with the extension: '.lz4', hidden.img.lz4.

The extracted HOME_CSC contains a directory: 'meta-data' which contains a text file: 'download-list.txt' which contains/lists the following:-

sboot.bin
cm.bin
system.img
cache.img
hidden.img
boot.img
recovery.img
modem.bin
up_param.bi

Do you know what I need to do to solve this problem? Is it something like the following or something else?

Remove/delete the file: hidden.img.lz4 from the HOME_CSC?
Remove the hidden.img entry from the download-list.txt?
Archive/tar the resulting files, and add an '.md5' extension to a file with a new name, e.g. HOME_CSC_without_hidden_img.tar.md5.
Use Odin to flash with this updated file instead?

I am worried about causing irreparable damage before trying anything. Do you know if any of the above are dangerous to do, i.e. will brick the mobile?

Thanks in advance,
Andrew

 

[mustang7757]

Hi, welcome to AC!
Where did you get the firmware from?

 

[augstarr]

Hi, welcome to AC!
Where did you get the firmware from?

Hi,

Thanks for the welcome and responding.

I found and downloaded the firmware entitled: G935FXXU8ETI2_G935FXEG8ETI2_XEG from sammobile.com.

 

[mustang7757]

Hi,

Thanks for the welcome and responding.

I found and downloaded the firmware entitled: G935FXXU8ETI2_G935FXEG8ETI2_XEG from sammobile.com.

Welcome

Have you tried different USB ports on computer and cables ?

Also try downloading the firmware from frija , that u can get from XDA Forums

 

[augstarr]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I downloaded Frija v1.4.3 and used it to download the firmware again. A binary comparison shows that the firmware files are identical with the files that I downloaded from sammobile.com.

I tried flashing with Odin again on another laptop with another USB cable and it continues to fail on the same file: hidden.img.

 

[mustang7757]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I downloaded Frija v1.4.3 and used it to download the firmware again. A binary comparison shows that the firmware files are identical with the files that I downloaded from sammobile.com.

I tried flashing with Odin again on another laptop with another USB cable and it continues to fail on the same file: hidden.img.

Try latest Odin from XDA site and also try Prince Comsey patch Odin