Galaxy Tab - A will not install update

sh40674 · Oct 10, 2017

OK so first of all, i'm VERY computer/phone/tablet illiterate. I can do whatever you guys suggest but please say it in plain, stupid english so a guy like me can understand haha.

About 6 weeks ago we got a galaxy tab A for my 5 year old, he watches some youtube, plays a couple games and learning apps, and that's about it. It's his, never gets used for anything else. It was bought new, open box from ebay from a seller with great feedback and good feedback for this particular tablet. So i have no reason to expect i got a lemon (at least i don't think.. yet)

So anyways here's what happens:
I check for an update, It finds one, downloads it, gives me the options to install now, later etc.., go to install, does the restart, shows the android guy and the percentage bar for installing the update... and then usually between 1/3-1/2 way through the installation of the update it shows the dead android guy and says it has failed and to contact a samsung service center. I have no other issues with the Tab.

I also do NOT have an SD card for it yet... does this matter?

i have tried charging to 100 percent, keeping it plugged into the charger, power cycled quite a few times, nothing.

thanks in advance everyone!

sh40674 · Oct 17, 2017

anyone?

El Presidente · Oct 17, 2017

How much free space do.you have on the tablet?

I have the Tab A and found it doesn't come with much free space out of the box, and once you start installing stuff, it gets eaten very quickly.

Have you tried sticking an SD Card in?

sh40674 · Oct 17, 2017

i will check when i get home, but as of now only a few kids' apps installed. will it not update without an SD card? i can pick one up and try it. any micro sd should work, shouldn't it?

Dannydet · Oct 17, 2017

You may just not have enough internal storage space, an SD card will not help to rectify the issue

mikedt · Oct 17, 2017

Could be it's been rooted and modified. Check the Device Status in settings, and see if it's showing "Custom". Not sure if Samsung tablets use Knox or not, but if it does, check the Knox Counter status, and if it's showing 0x0 or 0x1. If it's showing the latter then it's been modified. Samsung factory updates will fail with rooted and modified devices.

Bare in mind Ebay vendors are NOT authorized Samsung resellers. Quite often devices on Ebay are grey imported from somewhere like Hong Kong, maybe returns, etc, and Samsung won't honour warranty on them. So you'll need to take it up with the Ebay vendor or Ebay themselves.

sh40674 · Oct 19, 2017

device status says official, there is 2.77 GB of free space.. i assume that would be enough to update? threw an sd card in there, charged to 100 percent and left it plugged in the wall.... still fails to update

Brian706 · Oct 19, 2017

This is a bizarre issue and this may not even be the same issue you're having (not even the same model) but this is one that's pretty easy to try and won't hurt anything.

I was searching around and found this thread:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/forums...4310-galaxy-tab-10-1-firmware-update.html?amp

This was the solution post in that thread:

I had this same issue and found it to be related to not staying off when shutdown. I found (in other posts) to get normal shutdowns, you needed to remove the external sd card. Unmount it and power down, not a reboot or restart. Do this on external AC power and cycle 3-4 normal shutdowns while remaining on AC power. After I did these things, my firmware update finally completed successfully. It is a good update fixing many issues like the shutdown one... I had been reading, searching, and had even called Samsung with no luck till I tried resolving the tablet to get a normal shutdown- which is what is causing the update to fail...

Other people confirmed it worked for them. It's a long shot but try it out and see if it helps.

sh40674 · Oct 19, 2017

i did shut it down about 5 times while plugged in at 100% charge before i bought an sd card for it... hell it's worth a shot though!

sh40674 · Oct 19, 2017

Tried getting in recovery mode and installing the update from cache.. just says "apply_cache is deprecated"

sh40674 · Oct 19, 2017

Also did a factory reset... didn't reinstall apps to save save, had almost 4gb of free space... still won't take the download. Tried powering off over and over, nothing

James L · Oct 19, 2017

sh40674 said:
Also did a factory reset... didn't reinstall apps to save save, had almost 4gb of free space... still won't take the download. Tried powering off over and over, nothing

Provide the model number please.

sh40674 · Oct 20, 2017

where is that located?

James L · Oct 20, 2017

Settings, about, model number

Galaxy Tab - A will not install update

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