Root [International] Help: Going back to stock, wipe flash count

Ive never heard of triangle away doing any damage mate.
What id do is just use TA, flash stock rom using Odin, do a factory reset from within the phones settings :thumbup:

I always share this guide bro http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1671969 seems like as good a guide as any.
Basicly the same as how you probably rooted. Give us a shout if u run into any problems :beer:

P.s, you could always just sell the phone with tripped flash counter and the dude will probably never know unless they try n claim the warranty and then you could get some angry emails, phonecalls, bangs on head with a hammer

andy9l said:

Moving back to an iPhone 5s soon, but "soon" has become a relative term with huge global stock shortages of the 5s. Really irritating.

Click to expand...

Are you sure !

No, seriously, Triangle Away is safe to use the disclaimers you see are because in extreme and very rare cases, just like anything to do with "root" access to your phone it can bork it.

When you first got the SGS3 did you take note of what you got when you dialled

*#1234# ?

You should have three lines of similar numbers like this

AP: XXXXXXXXXXXX

CP: XXXXXXXXXXXX

CSC: XXXXXXXXXXXX

Where XXXXXXXXXXX is actually a long code. The CSC number is your original firmware. It would appear from your link (you have to be signed in to SamMobile to see what firmware your linking to BTW) that yours is a UK Samsung Galaxy SIII (SGSIII International version GT-i9300) with this this firmware : I9300OXAEMG4.

Yes steps 1-4 would sort you. If you haven't got ODIN download the latest version (v3.09) from here at XDA :

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2189539

which also gives full instructions on it's use.

Good luck, and don't let a Gummy bear steal your biometrics to unlock your new phone.

Your quite welcome andy9l. I can see why you are returning to iOS and Apple. There are things about a Mac and iPhone together that are just wonderful. Isn't it about time Android had a PC (and Mac) option to back up a phone and then "clone" it to another? I know there are a gazillion different Android phones out there, but surely it is not beyond the wit of someone to at least to code a desktop app that lets you do that at least from different phones of the same model.

The secret is for rooted users is not to sign into Google on the phone. Then use Titanium, and sync only your contacts and bookmarks. Never got Wi-Fi passwords to work. It is a horrible let down. Kies is the equivalent of Ovi for old Nokia Symbian phones - only useful for drivers. Google really need to work on this. As the adage goes "Android forking is not an excuse."

Before anyone jumps in by saying Kies is Samsung not Google. Yes I know, but surely Google could make a universal desk top solution. Surely it should know what devices you have, and ask what you'd like to do. Then tell you why your Note 10.1 cannot be mirrored entirely with your HTC 1 or whatever. Yes I know Apple have it relatively easy with only a handful of devices all running the (virtually) same OS. It would be difficult to implement for Google, but surely not impossible.

There's the rub, why would HTC, Samsung et al want to compete on hardware only? Surely Samsung, because they are so huge and actually make the screens and chips in all sorts of different devices would steam roller everyone else?

I think the problem is that theres so many devices out there. Anyone savvy enough to make a nandroid knows not to restore it on another model, imagine the amount of bricks if it was made easy for average joe? Plus piracy, licensing maybe comes into it?
I always turn off backup/restore in the setup wizard and just use tibu to restore user apps. A slim dev was sayin its cool to use google to restore system settings but i wouldnt chance it

No tips to avoid IMEI and EFS corruption I'm afraid. Just make sure you have a sound back up. I called my mate who I bought the phone off, and low and behold he had an EFS back up. I did all his flashing for him and saved all his Nandroids, Titanium back ups and a couple of EFS back ups. I had no idea he still had them (neither did he !) I made the EFS backup with GS3 Toolbox. I had to rename it and uncheck .md5 checksum in Philz recovery, Make an EFS back up and go through it line by line adding my (good) back up file. It worked !!

Hey andy. Best i can offer is while rooted, use Ktool to backut efs, buy Triangle Away, use it to reset the counter (app desc' will explaine), use udin to flash firmware found at sammobile.com/firmmare and yeah youre BTU.
Guesswork here but flashing an older version may prevent the EFS bug. Flash, check that the phone all works fine. Finally, factory reset in settings and u should have a brand new phone. (Im only telling u this so the ANDROID guy who buys it gets a good phone lol)
Good luck bud n come back with any probs :thumbup:

Make sure your phone is charged, nothing will bork it better if it runs out of charge mid flash ! Then make sure you have the correct firmware. Now using Philz recovery from here (use the CWM flashable one and flash through recovery):

Dev-Host - The Ultimate Free File Hosting / File Sharing Service

Boot to recovery (vol up, home and power as soon as the first screen appears let go) do a Nandroid and then an EFS back up (separately - Philz is good at this) and copy it to at least two separate locations (memory stick and PC)

When you've done all that you need to download traingle away from the play store :

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.triangleaway

Run it and when it's done select boot to download mode. Phone will show a green Android with the words "Downloading do not turn off target"

Now the fun bit Open Odin (I've just used v3.06 it worked like a charm) here's a dropbox link :

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q29x3tv7l5j6epj/5SHKErrxHQ/Odin_v3.06

Now making sure Kies is not running open Odin, and connect your phone (this is all just like rooting for the first time).

Now select PDA and find your unzipped firmware .tar.md5 (You un zip the .zip file just once to get the .tar.md5 which Odin uses)

As per rooting, make sure nothing has been ticked by accident (PDA will auto tick when you select the .tar.md5). Press start, and watch as your phone reverts to stock with no flash counter.

Hopefully phone will re boot - Job done.

I'm currently updating the phone OTA now, Iv'e gone through two iterations of ICS (v.4.0.4) and I think the 318.58meg package now downloading is probably Vodafone branded JB) Never ever updated OTA before - none of my Android phones have been stock and unrooted long enough.

^^this.
Wish we could bookmark posts on the AF app lol.
Perfect guide there mate.

In other news, Liquidsmooth 2.10 should drop later today (american day obv lol)
Im gona just dirty flash it over my nandroid of the last one

Has Philz been updated recently btw? I loved it but it was givin me problems on 4.3....!