• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 GT-I8160 Guide to Flash Firmware

Smokey Mc Pot

Android Enthusiast
Apr 9, 2013
255
108
Flashing Stock Jelly Bean 4.1.2


yqedaby8.jpg


I decided to write this topic to help anyone interested in flashing firmware on their phone.



Please read first before you do anything.

Here the instructions to flash jelly bean using Odin on to the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 GT-I8160

This is for STOCK JELLY BEAN only.


Disclaimer:
-Flashing firmware can brick your phone if done incorrectly.
-I strongly advise you to wait for the kies update instead, as it is safe and advised.
-I will decline any responsibility If things go wrong for you.
- And I can only speak from experience.
- If you are not comfortable or you don't understand the instructions. Than please ask about and do a research first before you do anything.
-Remember that is better to be safe than to be sorry.



***Instructions***


First thing you need to do is:

- Visit the Official Samsung.com website. Or your National official Samsung website. And download the latest version of "KIES" on your pc.
Here the UK website link:

Kies | SUPPORT | SAMSUNG UK

- Run KIES and connect your phone to the pc. Let Kies install the Samsung drivers for your phone on your pc first, so you can use Odin.

*Remember to make sure to close Kies completely before you use Odin.

The link below takes you to my topic firmware were you can obtain the tools:
"Samsung firmware" and "Odin":

GT-I8160 Official Firmware - Android Forums


1- Back-up your phone. And turn "on" debugging mode option in phone settings.

2- Turn phone into download mode.
(Home Button + volume down + Power button)
And connect your phone to your pc.

4- Open Odin in your pc and insert the "PDA file".

(Remember to "unzip" the zip folder before you use the file with Odin)

And flash your phone.

5- Boot your phone and test if all is working...

;) And job done.


***
all instructions here:
http://samsunggalaxyace2-gt-i8160.blogspot.co.uk/
 
Last edited:
I upgraded to jelly bean as mentioned. but my phone restarting.
i also tried by installing GB. (Russian) and again upgrading to jellybean. but still it is restarting as before. and there is no problem while using GB.
And phone wont restart while display is ON. And while charging..
if we play music from usb storage it restart at the middle of playing and after restart Speaker wont work till we restart manually. what is the cause..
 
Upvote 0
Hi @nafeel1990,
(The link I posted for GB is only for last resort. As it is the only successful way I know to go back to GB.)
Jumping from GB to JB and than going back to GB again, only to repeat the process.That is dangerous you will end up hard bricking your phone.

If the instructions I provided above didn't worked?
Than is better if you just return to Ginger Bread, and waiting for some Ota or Kies update to become available for you.

As I honestly never heard of anyone having the problems you are having by using ( this same instructions ).

:p Hope all works for you eventually.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nafeel1990
Upvote 0
Thank You very much Smokey :thumbup:
:help:
But i tried all. :dong: I think the problem is in file system, because it wont restart during charging and when the display is on.
And Installing custom ROM by wiping System, delviCach, format, cache partition. The annoying reboot stops but i cant get network, base band shows: unknown, and USB port and terminal also not work. because of file system formatted. i think i have to go throw system files
Is there any way to detect file system error?? and correct it..:thinking:

Thank you once again.... :thumb:
 
Upvote 0
Hi @nafeel1990,
I really would like to be able to help you...
But that can only work if you bother to read the instructions and help yourself by following them.

"Installing custom ROM by wiping System, delviCach, format, cache partition." ???

That is a recipe for disaster.
-You can format an external SD card but you shouldn't never format the system.

-What custom Rom?
I didn't wrote anything about custom roms here.
In fact I don't think we are talking about the same thread anymore.
You are unsuccessfully trying to install the "Italian Job Rom" and you asking me why is not working on a thread for Stock JB.
Reality check please. Why don't you take your questions to the developer of the "Italian Job Rom" instead?

Please accept my wishes to a brighter future.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nafeel1990
Upvote 0
Anyone noticed streaming video problems with the MC8 firmware. I flashed it onto my phone before and while general stability was great (although Temple Run would lag and there was very occasional UI jitter) I noticed YouTube or any other streaming videos would occasionally stutter and lag causing the whole phone to lock up and this would only be fixed by a hard reset.

Maybe this is why the Jelly Bean update is being delayed everywhere else? Cause they ballsed something up? In the mean time I've gone back to stock Gingerbread and have installed ADW launcher to make the UI feel a little more modern.

Maybe by the time they DO release JB here the firmware will actually contain 4.2.
 
Upvote 0
@j800r, yes.
There are some lag issues with JB in general, all related to memory management and is not just on this device.
But there is also many different ways to fix it.
The video lag you experienced using YouTube/video streaming could had be fixed by one simple but important step is to perform a factory reset + clean the partition in recovery mode after you flash JB. That makes the phone run smoother and with less lags.
Having too many apps installed on the phone can also be a problem.
Also in JB is very important to use the home button and garbage the windos open in there as they consume loads of ram and end up slowing the phone.
You can fix most of the shortfalls in JB by using a good memory management app to compensate.Something like "Android tuner" that allows you to control the (autostart) of the user apps.
Some apps are written or badly written to start when they shouldn't or are not needed and end up clogging up the memory and slowing the phone.
It takes a bit to get used to JB, but after some tweaks, it runs really nice and smooth.
:) I have less gremlins on JB than I used to in GB.
:D but looking forward for the ace3 now.
 
Upvote 0
Ok, let me just preface this response by saying...


JELLY BEAN HAS FINALLY COME TO THE UK!!!!

*happy dances round the room*

Just this second plugged in my phone and connected to Kies not really expecting anything but it's become habit and low and behold! A window pops up saying "A new firmware version is available"

It's still MC8. Same as the TMN branded one but hey, they might have fixed a few kinks.


You say the problem with the streaming video was all about memory management but I always did a factory wipe/reset when upgrading to the TMN branded. In fact I'd do it twice! I also always binned recent apps. Only reason I've been reluctant to use a memory manager etc (although I have used AMC with JB before) is because they're said to actually be worse for your device as Android has always had stellar memory management. It's odd that they'd take a step back with JB. Especially when JB utilyzes more RAM.

Anyway, I'm off to upgrade and enjoy official UK jellybean. :D (BTU version)

**update**

Important info guys! When officially upgrading to Jelly Bean (using Kies, not Odin) the available RAM doesn't increase from what you had in GB. I've no idea why this is. Whether Samsung don't repartition or something maybe. Or maybe freeing that extra RAM from system reservation is what caused the instability issues in the first place. Just a heads up guys. Your available RAM to play with WON'T increase from 550MB
 
Upvote 0
@j800r,
Thanks for the news and the heads up.
( :p I need to update this thread )

I reverted to GB and updated using Kies.

Good side:
:) less bloatware and no need to change the "boot/shutdown animation.qmg".
:)D Tried my root zip and worked like a dream as always).

Downside:
:( Less ram. And didn't notice any improvements in performance.
This is just the same rubbish but with less ram...
Just a waste of time.

Solution:
So I end up flashing MB2/MB4 with Pit file again to recover the 624ram.
And flashed this MC8 BTU on top.
And again I can't notice any improvements apart from the lack of TMN bloatware.
:p Rooted the phone with my zip folder and job done. lol

Now back to waiting for a different firmware release other than scrappy MC8.

Memory management:

Yes Android is supposed to be self-sufficient in theory...
(Ram app killers) are bad as they end up slowing the phone by forcing the apps to restart and logically using more ram in that way.

But the real problem is the way developers write their own apps.
If you install one app, I think called "autostart" on your phone.
You will see how some apps are designed to run when they are not needed. So they end up using precious ram at the wrong times.

So you can use some apps designed to improve your phone by controlling the autostarts and giving some memory tweaks.

...If you like gaming and videos and still find lags now?
You should try "ram manager pro" as that one is developed with easy settings for multitasking and hard gaming.

Or you can use "andromizer" that is perfect for optimizing the phone.

Or my favorite "system tuner pro".
That lets you fine tune the phone manually to your own taste.

But yes you need to root the phone to use this apps.


Smokey
 
  • Like
Reactions: groucho78
Upvote 0
So I bit the bullet and rooted again. Using your own method in fact. I must say System Tuner (that you recommended) is rather bewidering even for a tech geek like me. So many options! Anyhoo, hoping I use some of these tools to improve performance and maybe stop the lags. If it doesn't work I can always unroot and return to how it was.
 
Upvote 0
Thanks for posting that Mr McPot. I may wait a while before updating. My phone does everything I want it to at the moment so I'm not that bothered about updating. I'll see how it pans out. I'll post that link in the other thread too in case people don't read this one.
 
Upvote 0
No, don't bother posting that link elsewhere. Maybe what Smokey should have said is "Is this guy for real??"

From my experience of using Jelly Bean I can easily say whoever posted that article doesn't have a clue what he/she's talking about. The OS itself is not too demanding. Hell, HTC have released a device (Desire C i think?) with lesser specs that run Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean is optimised to be less laggy than ICS. The phone's specs are more than capable of running the OS. The problem is Samsung's poor optimisation, bloatware taking up resources and Samsung not taking full advantage of the hardware with Jelly Bean.

My proof? I had very dodgy performance on Jelly Bean until I rooted and installed system tweak apps. After the tweaks the phone runs 99.9% as well as it did on Gingerbread. If the phone's hardware just wasn't up to snuff no manner of tweaks would fix the issue. It's a bad build, NOT a bad/incapable phone.

Surely I can't be the only person who kinda wants to punch that person now? :/
 
Upvote 0
It sounds like the article is talking about updating via Kies to the official JB. You said you had "very dodgy performance on Jelly Bean until I rooted and installed system tweak apps", so you're agreeing with the article by saying it was poor performance. How poor was it? Did you update via Kies and then root, or is it a custom ROM you're running?

And I certainly couldn't be bothered punching someone who wrote an article about a mobile phone software update!
 
Upvote 0
You missed my point entirely. :p

My annoyance wasn't at his claims the update is slow/laggy cause it is. What he was incorrect about was claiming the phone's hardware wasn't good enough.

Also, I've made an awesome discovery. Most of the lag seems to come from Touchwiz. Install Nova Launcher and the thing flies.

But ya, I did root and run some basic optimisations which also seemed to help originally.
 
  • Like
Reactions: groucho78
Upvote 0
That article highlights existing complaints and real issues.

But instead of pointing out to solutions, they are just accepting defeat, just like if the problem was terminal.
But is not terminal.
There is nothing wrong with the hardware.
This device is probably one of the best in is class.
The problem is the firmware not being correctly optimized for the memory management.
(I particularly don't like and don't use Custom Roms).
And using some tweaks I made my phone run JB smoother and faster than GB did.
Jelly Bean outweighs Ginger Bread in so many ways.
Even with any possible flaws it is still a better experience.
JB goodies changed the way I use my phone.
*Google Voice
*Google Now
*Google Keep
*Google Chrome
*and camera with zoom.
Are just some things that I would really miss without JB.

So I wouldn't be influenced or discouraged by a lousy article.
From a webpage that refuses to post comments in reply to the article...
 
  • Like
Reactions: groucho78
Upvote 0
You said it better than I did. That article was very poorly written.

Don't be discouraged guys. One thing I WOULD recommend after upgrading to Jelly Bean however is to install Nova Launcher. Touchwiz Nature UX on this firmware is pretty laggy.

Rooting can help, but it's not a must unless you're a real heavy user.
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones