Root [Sprint] [OUDHS] Modem backup tool

[dishe]

The topic has diverged a bit and is no longer about modems, but it seems appropriate to continue the thread of discussion here....

I tried the Persist volume control app. and when the Noise Reduction option was turned off, it allowed some control over in-call volume (and also the volume of Media, Ringer, etc.) The API for android from JB or perhaps ICS ties together in some clever way the audio channels and this app unbundles them. You can 'lock' a volume level so if I lock in the lowest possible call volume before making or receiving phone calls then the phone volume is quite loud but definitely softer than before. Curiously, if I use the app to unlock the call volume, then make a call /use external speaker, then it is back to the old nasty behavior. When I go back to Persist, the call volume is blank. The app is closed source so I don't really know what is happening, but it may be that call volume is getting set to an out of range value (is this possible?) or possibly zero. So, Persist says that the call volume is zero or below while the phone application volume is maximum or beyond. Locking seems to prevent that.

I rolled back to ICS stock with a hope that starting at the beginning might fix things. Nope. The ODIN tar wipes everything so I am not sure what badness that might have occurred along the way could survive, but the rollback had no effect. An OTA brought me to 4.1.2 and a JZ build (along with a $$ hit on my data charges).

Next up I am trying diverging from stock ROMS. First stop was JerryScript's Sprintorious. This is an overlay .zip and DATA is not wiped, and so my phone is still 4.1.2 but with the Sprintorious build. For some reason this ROM has brought some sanity. The Noise Reduction option for the phone app is not there. Call volume can be modified and at the lowest setting is still loud but I can actually have a conversation. Calls in or out seem to behave the same way. What is odd, though, is that the external speaker volume is now whacked, high and distorted, and not modifiable. I will try installing Persist again and seeing what effect that has.

This is fascinating. So to be clear- you can now adjust calls using the earpiece, but the volume when using the loudspeaker?

I have insurance on my line now, so I'm considering asking them to repair/replace it, then I can experiment with a fresh unit. Not sure if it would make a difference, but it sounds like you're on to something!

 

[dishe]

BTW- just wanted to follow up with this off topic tangent we took the thread on... the latest software update seems to have (knock on wood) fixed the volume issue. So far.

 

[salsahead]

That would be great if the in-call volume problem were fixed. I deactivated my Victory and it sits gathering dust in a drawer. If the fix sticks for you, I may revisit the phone and try again, but I would have to go back to stock, and redo OTA updates, etc. When the update came out, I looked at the changelog of features and bugfixes addressed and the in-call problem was not on the list. To my knowledge, Samsung does not even recognize the problem.

Good news is good news, though. You might have hit on some sequence that reset a hardware or firmware bit that allows for correct function of in-call volume. When I flashed back to ICS stock, the problem did not go away, if I remember correctly, so the fix seems to be out of the range of kernel, modem, etc. that are present in the usual updates or backdates.

 

[dishe]

That would be great if the in-call volume problem were fixed. I deactivated my Victory and it sits gathering dust in a drawer. If the fix sticks for you, I may revisit the phone and try again, but I would have to go back to stock, and redo OTA updates, etc. When the update came out, I looked at the changelog of features and bugfixes addressed and the in-call problem was not on the list. To my knowledge, Samsung does not even recognize the problem.

Good news is good news, though. You might have hit on some sequence that reset a hardware or firmware bit that allows for correct function of in-call volume. When I flashed back to ICS stock, the problem did not go away, if I remember correctly, so the fix seems to be out of the range of kernel, modem, etc. that are present in the usual updates or backdates.

Day 2 so far, in-call volume is still working for me.

BTW, I didn't have to go back to stock or anything. My rom was rooted, custom recovery, and links2SD, and I just used the recovery to flash the zip that was posted to the forum (the one with recover and root props removed). Everything was preserved, most painless update I've ever had with an Android device.

 

[vgamesx1]

ok so I ran this hoping to backup the modem, it seemed to run alright but, it may have bricked my phone... FFS can someone please help?
I've tried flashing that efsbackup.zip with TWRP, it finished but said "unable to mount /modem" so I tried using Odin to flash Official Unloved Device HitSquad a couple of these and it Failed... is the /modem partition screwed up? if so can it be re-partitioned and how?

any suggestions?

 

[vgamesx1]

THANK GOD.... never mind my previous post, I managed to fix it by flashing stock ICS from Rwilco12's Android Repository - Downloads
so thankfully it now boots and I can just OTA update to JB and then once I'm back on ND4 I should be able to flash my rom backup, but heck that sure was stressful and I was ready to just crawl into a corner and mope...

 

[aazxcqwe]

Hello, is there anyone around here that still might have a modem backup for the Virgin Mobile Victory?

I tried flashing to the stock rom and then to MG5 using the Rwilco12 repository file (below) to try out the Cataclysm rom and my bluetooth and wifi no longer work (doesn't the VPA stand for Virgin Mobile?). Maybe it flashed an older modem version. My nandroid backup doesn't contain any modem partitions. Any suggestions? Alternatively, I've found the Samsung source for ICS on http://opensource.samsung.com, does anyone know if it contains the modem firmware?

Warning: COMBINATION_L300VPALH1_L300SPRALH1_934170_REV00_user_low_ship.tar.md5 may brick your wifi and bluetooth on a Virgin Mobile Victory. Make a backup of your modem partition first using dd described above.

 

[salsahead]

I am pretty sure that COMBINATION_L300VPALH1_L300SPRALH1_934170_REV00_user_low_ship.tar is what I used for the Sprint variant of the Galaxy Victory SPH-L300 (goghspr). You could try and find the equivalent .tar file to use with ODIN for the VM phone. The OUDHS site has several modems, put together by xInterloperx, but I think that they are all for Sprint. They are packaged in .zip files with commands that copy the existing modem file to backup and then write a new modem file. There was, I think, a similar modem.zip file posted by JerryScript, but I see that you have already found that and inquired of him. See post #8 of this and ff. I am not sure what baseband that file and its modem corresponds to.

 

[aazxcqwe]

Love it when replies get erased mid-post when switching tabs.
The gist: did get wifi, no bluetooth yet. I get a "bt_enable: Timeout waiting for HCI device.." error. Also, do I have to rar the NON-HLOS file in linux (or cygwin) for them to flash with odin?
Thanks to Salsahead for pointing me in the right direction.
Anyone know of a way to find out which version of the bluetooth modem I have and which one I need? Wouldn't the Kies firmware upgrade have flashed the right one? Is there a way to diagnose any further?

 

[aazxcqwe]

Jumpin' jimeny jehosephat!, my bluetooth is finally back! All this after I had ordered a new battery that would've been useless if I couldn't fix it and two BT headsets that I couldn't even test to see if they worked. Sweet jumbelina! Thanks again to Salsahead for pointing me to the post about how to get Kies to work. I gave up and TWRP'd my old system partition back and somehow it works now. Planning on dd'ing the modem, and making a thousand copies of it. Holy crap, I'm relieved to not have to by a new phone yet (I'm still finding useful mods on this Victory, though I wouldn't mind a snappier cpu). Great little device, though, thank goodness!