TUTORIAL: Downgrade Samsung Galaxy S5 from 5.0 to 4.4 KitKat

[ggitech]

Or go with a phone that does not have this type of crapery all over it.

Bonus for me, the ebay listing I purchased from said Android 4.4.4 KitKat, and it came with failypop. So I contacted the seller and they said box it up and ship it back.

Goodbye S5...I'll go find another device instead.

 

[ironass]

I'll go find another device instead.

I think you mean... "Another carrier, instead", as both Verizon and AT&T are busy locking down other models of phones and other manufacturers handsets as well... not Samsung!

 

[PhucNguyen217]

I think this topic is outdated because most S5s cannot downgrading to 4.4 once they are running the latest firmware. I updated my Sprint S5 to the latest firmware OG1 and cannot go back even to OA6 (still android 5.0).

 

[ironass]

I think this topic is outdated because most S5s cannot downgrading to 4.4 once they are running the latest firmware. I updated my Sprint S5 to the latest firmware OG1 and cannot go back even to OA6 (still android 5.0).

I am guessing that you may not know that there are 41 different models of Galaxy S5 and only a handful of minority carrier variants in one country, the U.S.A., have locked bootloaders or cannot downgrade. See, 41 Galaxy S5 models - Dummies Guide. It starts with the sentence...

"Think that everyone's Samsung Galaxy S5 is the same as yours...
Think again! "

 

[PhucNguyen217]

I am guessing that you may not know that there are 41 different models of Galaxy S5 and only a handful of minority carrier variants in one country, the U.S.A., have locked bootloaders or cannot downgrade.... It starts with the sentence...

"Think that everyone's Samsung Galaxy S5 is the same as yours...
Think again! "

Oops sorry for my bad knowledge, I just upset because my Sprint S5 cannot go back to KK and think all variants suffer the same destiny

 

[whotakesem]

I am guessing that you may not know that there are 41 different models of Galaxy S5 and only a handful of minority carrier variants in one country, the U.S.A., have locked bootloaders or cannot downgrade.

I ordered a used G900V last week and allowed the updates on Saturday before I found out about all this. I want to try a factory reinstall to see if that will roll back the updates so I can downgrade to 4.4.2. Have you heard if this doesn't work?

Sincerely, Almost-afraid-to-ask

 

[ironass]

I ordered a used G900V last week and allowed the updates on Saturday before I found out about all this. I want to try a factory reinstall to see if that will roll back the updates so I can downgrade to 4.4.2. Have you heard if this doesn't work?

Sincerely, Almost-afraid-to-ask

Oh dear! I am afraid that once you have updated past the OE1 firmware for Verizon, your bootloader has been irrevocably updated and a Factory Data Reset will not change that. Nothing will. This means that you can no longer downgrade or root your phone from here on in, courtesy of Verizon.

 

[whotakesem]

Oh dear! I am afraid that once you have updated past the OE1 firmware for Verizon, your bootloader has been irrevocably updated and a Factory Data Reset will not change that. Nothing will. This means that you can no longer downgrade or root your phone from here on in, courtesy of Verizon.

I was afraid of that. I'll consider exchanging it for a new used one. Thanks for all your help, you're like the best evar.

 

[whotakesem]

Well, I factory reset my OE1 phone and swapped it for a new used S5 which had 5.0 -OA8. Then today I used Odin and downgraded to 4.4.2, flashed NCG, rooted with Towelroot and flashed NE9. Success. Maybe in time there will be some type of work-around for what Verizon is doing with OE1+.

Ironass I wanna thank you again for all your help with everything and your patience with everyone. Your posts are consistently very clear, thorough, and prompt. Absolutely invaluable. I don't know that I could have done it without your input throughout this thread. It's so hard to find variant-specific information in the forums - even on popular models - when things are constantly changing. Thank you

 

[ironass]

Well, I factory reset my OE1 phone and swapped it for a new used S5 which had 5.0 -OA8. Then today I used Odin and downgraded to 4.4.2, flashed NCG, rooted with Towelroot and flashed NE9. Success. Maybe in time there will be some type of work-around for what Verizon is doing with OE1+.

As William Shakespeare once wrote, "All's well that ends well".

Ironass I wanna thank you again for all your help with everything and your patience with everyone. Your posts are consistently very clear, thorough, and prompt. Absolutely invaluable. I don't know that I could have done it without your input throughout this thread. It's so hard to find variant-specific information in the forums - even on popular models - when things are constantly changing. Thank you

Please whotakesem, you are making me blush!

 

[Salvator17]

In reply to ironass

"Using CF-Root will not trip the Knox flag but a custom recovery will"

Are you sure? According to the OP on the [SM-G900*] CF-Auto-Root XDA thread:

"Using this root increases your flash counter and trips the KNOX warranty flag!"

Now I'm confused! :-\

 

[ironass]

In reply to ironass

"Using CF-Root will not trip the Knox flag but a custom recovery will"

Are you sure? According to the OP on the [SM-G900*] CF-Auto-Root XDA thread:

"Using this root increases your flash counter and trips the KNOX warranty flag!"

Now I'm confused! :-\

Using CF-Auto-Root will now trip your Knox flag if you are on the latest Lollipop releases with the new Knox security.

 

[greywolf22]

i keep getting a fail

 

[ironass]

i keep getting a fail

Are you by any chance on Verizon or AT&T?

 

[eek39931]

Has anyone had any luck getting a sprint galaxy s5 to do this recently?

 

[ironass]

mis-post

 

[craziekris]

I cannot put into words how thankful I am for your tutorial. You are a Godsend, lifesaver, the list can go on and on! Thank you so much!! My phone did freeze upon rebooting and I had to do the factory reset but I got KitKat back and it's all worth it! Thank you again!

 

[ironass]

I cannot put into words how thankful I am for your tutorial. You are a Godsend, lifesaver, the list can go on and on! Thank you so much!! My phone did freeze upon rebooting and I had to do the factory reset but I got KitKat back and it's all worth it! Thank you again!

Hello and welcome to Android Central craziekris!

Glad you are sorted. However, bear in mind that by downgrading back to KitKat, you will not be covered for the latest security and bug fixes in Android and in particular, the StageFright exploit.

 

[kenwolf1]

hello, i am new here and need help too see if i can downgrade my galaxy s5 u.s. cellular sm-g900r4 from lollipop to kitkat, i have tried to using odin and it comes up with fail everytime. :'(

 

[Kratos1256]

Hello, I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 Sprint edition. Mine had the KitKat which worked beautifully, but then I downloaded to Lollipop and it's terrible. I would like to downgrade to KitKat. My question is, will this tutorial work the same for the S4 as it does for the S5? Thanks.