Download links for latest firmwares:
- Latest Galaxo and Recovery, as well as GAOSP (the 2.2 firmware) update announcements
- JC6 leaked (XE region) (OS 1.6, Donut) (also required to restore Google Apps when installing Galaxo - only up to v 1.6.3.3, obsolete starting with Galaxo 1.6.3.4, see drakaz.com for details on installing Galaxo 1.6.3.4 and above)
- JC6 (official XE-region single-file package, other than that it is identical to the leaked one) (OS 1.6, Donut) (this is NOT suitable for restoring Google Apps when installing Galaxo - for these purposes get the leaked package instead)
- OUT OF DATE! Mustymod 2.1 (OS 2.1, Eclair) + RS.com mirror + more mirrors
-JC6 firmware with removed CSC and integrated Recovery 6.1 + [mirrors]. So no FASTBOOT needed to install the Recovery. All you need to do, is to put RECTOOLS.tar.gz (included in the archive) on your internal SD card and flash the firmware files with Odin (v 4.16 included in the archive) as you normally would.
Firmware repository/archive (courtesy of inFECT):BOX23 /pub/7500/
0. What phone do I have?
This may seem like a stupid question, but a very important one. There are currently 3 (three) i7500 modifications known to mankind
- i7500 for Europe, UK, Russia, Ukraine and probably all other countries where it's officially shipped in the Eurasia
- i7500L for North and South Americas, specifically Canada and Brazil for example. If you have not yet seen the corresponding sticky, please do it now: http://androidforums.com/samsung-i7500/26987-bell-canada-users-brazilian-users-do-not-flash-rom.html It appears that you can update your firmware, but before you do please read the whole thread and think again. If you decide that it's worth it, read again and follow closely any instructions given there.
- i7500U, which is probably for China, and that is about everything I know about it. Beware, it probably uses different WiFi than European and American versions, which may be a problem if you flash i7500 or i7500L firmwares.
1. How to check what firmware you have?
Go to Settings -> About phone. See baseband version - it is most likely that your firmware version is the same as baseband, unless you've already fiddled with your phone and managed to install firmware parts of different versions.
2. What is the latest firmware?
There is no certain answer. It depends on which region you are in, which interface language you use and whether you need operator customisations (the CSC).
Also, the latest version available to you depends on how frustrated you are with your current version and whether you are ready to go beyond standard Samsung's application New PC Studio (NPS).
To update the firmware you will definitely need Samsung New PC Studio, because it installs the necessary USB drivers.
To get the latest NPS go to:
Support - Phone Firmware Update - Samsung Mobile
3. What is the latest firmware? (I am only ready to use official Samsung software to update my phone)
Plug in your phone and see for yourself in NPS. You are unlikely to find something newer than you already have.
4. What is the latest firmware? (I am ready to go an extra mile, but I want only the officially released firmware)
To get the latest and official firmware you will need to either monitor the forums and look for the links to download those, or regularly use Samsung FUS Downloader.
With Samsung FUS Downloader you can input custom region and CSC codes to check if there is a newer firmware released for another region and/or operator.
You can get the codes at the SFUSD homepage or in the this forum thread. Also, look out for the codes in the forum announcements about new firmwares.
For example, the current official firmware released in Italy is JC2 (at least it was this was true as of 21.08.2010, just in case this thread is not kept up to date).
FUS can download the firmware for you directly from Samsung. To flash the downloaded firmware you will need Odin:
http://androidforums.com/samsung-i7500/13692-how-odin-galexo-rom-s.html
5. What is the latest firmware? (I am ready to go an extra mile, and I'm not afraid to try unofficial leaked firmware versions)
Lookout for forum announcements about leaks and links to download them.
Latest leaked version is JC6 (at least it was this was true as of 21.08.2010, just in case this thread is not kept up to date). This latest leak is identical to the latest official JC6, so currently it does not matter, which one you find and download.
6. What is the latest firmware? (I am ready to flash just about anything into my phone)
Get GAOSP 2.1 beta or 2.2 nightly:
NightlyBuilds - gaosp - Project Hosting on Google Code
Downloads - gaosp - Project Hosting on Google Code
Or you can get a completely unofficial mustymod, a firmware based on Android 2.0 system. It's experimental. Use with care. It is flashed with Odin. See the details at the developers thread at Modaco Forums:
Samsung i7500 - i7500.MoDaCo.com - Android @ MoDaCo
Or at developer's blog at mustymod Samsung Galaxy Rom
Instructions on flashing mustymod into your phone
Warning! Users reported some applications go missing from Android Market after they roll back from mustymod to stock firmware. Beware. Using secondary Google account for testing this firmware is recommended.
And anther WARNING! = Mustymood is terribly out of date now, use GAOSP from Drakaz et al instead.
This firmware is about to merge with gaosp project (Port of the Android Open Source Project on Samsung Galaxy), its sources will be opened so presumably you don't have to worry about your privacy and security of your data being at risk, unless of course Google have messed up with Android overall
7. How to actually update the firmware?
For all instructions, guides, troubleshooting, etc. see those two sticky threads:
http://androidforums.com/samsung-i7500/17038-i7500-tutorials-guides-buglists.html
http://androidforums.com/samsung-i7500/17046-i7500-faqs-work-progress.html
VIDEO (slightly outdated, you can see the basics, but for flashing newer firmwares please do follow the up to date instructions:
8. Is there a way to "dump" original firmware from phone to file so I can return it to phone?
No, there is no way to make a complete backup, that would enable you to restore the phone firmware to its original state. If you want to have an opportunity to revert you phone to its original state you need to find and download from the Internet the same firmware version you currently have installed on the phone.
- Latest Galaxo and Recovery, as well as GAOSP (the 2.2 firmware) update announcements
- JC6 leaked (XE region) (OS 1.6, Donut) (also required to restore Google Apps when installing Galaxo - only up to v 1.6.3.3, obsolete starting with Galaxo 1.6.3.4, see drakaz.com for details on installing Galaxo 1.6.3.4 and above)
- JC6 (official XE-region single-file package, other than that it is identical to the leaked one) (OS 1.6, Donut) (this is NOT suitable for restoring Google Apps when installing Galaxo - for these purposes get the leaked package instead)
- OUT OF DATE! Mustymod 2.1 (OS 2.1, Eclair) + RS.com mirror + more mirrors
-JC6 firmware with removed CSC and integrated Recovery 6.1 + [mirrors]. So no FASTBOOT needed to install the Recovery. All you need to do, is to put RECTOOLS.tar.gz (included in the archive) on your internal SD card and flash the firmware files with Odin (v 4.16 included in the archive) as you normally would.
Firmware repository/archive (courtesy of inFECT):BOX23 /pub/7500/
0. What phone do I have?
This may seem like a stupid question, but a very important one. There are currently 3 (three) i7500 modifications known to mankind
- i7500 for Europe, UK, Russia, Ukraine and probably all other countries where it's officially shipped in the Eurasia
- i7500L for North and South Americas, specifically Canada and Brazil for example. If you have not yet seen the corresponding sticky, please do it now: http://androidforums.com/samsung-i7500/26987-bell-canada-users-brazilian-users-do-not-flash-rom.html It appears that you can update your firmware, but before you do please read the whole thread and think again. If you decide that it's worth it, read again and follow closely any instructions given there.
- i7500U, which is probably for China, and that is about everything I know about it. Beware, it probably uses different WiFi than European and American versions, which may be a problem if you flash i7500 or i7500L firmwares.
1. How to check what firmware you have?
Go to Settings -> About phone. See baseband version - it is most likely that your firmware version is the same as baseband, unless you've already fiddled with your phone and managed to install firmware parts of different versions.
2. What is the latest firmware?
There is no certain answer. It depends on which region you are in, which interface language you use and whether you need operator customisations (the CSC).
Also, the latest version available to you depends on how frustrated you are with your current version and whether you are ready to go beyond standard Samsung's application New PC Studio (NPS).
To update the firmware you will definitely need Samsung New PC Studio, because it installs the necessary USB drivers.
To get the latest NPS go to:
Support - Phone Firmware Update - Samsung Mobile
3. What is the latest firmware? (I am only ready to use official Samsung software to update my phone)
Plug in your phone and see for yourself in NPS. You are unlikely to find something newer than you already have.
4. What is the latest firmware? (I am ready to go an extra mile, but I want only the officially released firmware)
To get the latest and official firmware you will need to either monitor the forums and look for the links to download those, or regularly use Samsung FUS Downloader.
With Samsung FUS Downloader you can input custom region and CSC codes to check if there is a newer firmware released for another region and/or operator.
You can get the codes at the SFUSD homepage or in the this forum thread. Also, look out for the codes in the forum announcements about new firmwares.
For example, the current official firmware released in Italy is JC2 (at least it was this was true as of 21.08.2010, just in case this thread is not kept up to date).
FUS can download the firmware for you directly from Samsung. To flash the downloaded firmware you will need Odin:
http://androidforums.com/samsung-i7500/13692-how-odin-galexo-rom-s.html
5. What is the latest firmware? (I am ready to go an extra mile, and I'm not afraid to try unofficial leaked firmware versions)
Lookout for forum announcements about leaks and links to download them.
Latest leaked version is JC6 (at least it was this was true as of 21.08.2010, just in case this thread is not kept up to date). This latest leak is identical to the latest official JC6, so currently it does not matter, which one you find and download.
6. What is the latest firmware? (I am ready to flash just about anything into my phone)
Get GAOSP 2.1 beta or 2.2 nightly:
NightlyBuilds - gaosp - Project Hosting on Google Code
Downloads - gaosp - Project Hosting on Google Code
Or you can get a completely unofficial mustymod, a firmware based on Android 2.0 system. It's experimental. Use with care. It is flashed with Odin. See the details at the developers thread at Modaco Forums:
Samsung i7500 - i7500.MoDaCo.com - Android @ MoDaCo
Or at developer's blog at mustymod Samsung Galaxy Rom
Instructions on flashing mustymod into your phone
Warning! Users reported some applications go missing from Android Market after they roll back from mustymod to stock firmware. Beware. Using secondary Google account for testing this firmware is recommended.
And anther WARNING! = Mustymood is terribly out of date now, use GAOSP from Drakaz et al instead.
This firmware is about to merge with gaosp project (Port of the Android Open Source Project on Samsung Galaxy), its sources will be opened so presumably you don't have to worry about your privacy and security of your data being at risk, unless of course Google have messed up with Android overall
7. How to actually update the firmware?
For all instructions, guides, troubleshooting, etc. see those two sticky threads:
http://androidforums.com/samsung-i7500/17038-i7500-tutorials-guides-buglists.html
http://androidforums.com/samsung-i7500/17046-i7500-faqs-work-progress.html
VIDEO (slightly outdated, you can see the basics, but for flashing newer firmwares please do follow the up to date instructions:
8. Is there a way to "dump" original firmware from phone to file so I can return it to phone?
No, there is no way to make a complete backup, that would enable you to restore the phone firmware to its original state. If you want to have an opportunity to revert you phone to its original state you need to find and download from the Internet the same firmware version you currently have installed on the phone.