[Samsung Galaxy J7 ROMs, Kernels, Recoveries, & Oth] dbreed53:
"......there and back, again....."

I am CURRENTLY on:

Software version: J727PVPS5BSA3

Hardware version: J727P.02

I think the device came with:

Software version: J727PVPU4BRK4

What I can glean from notes and logs, etc., is this list of versions:

J727PVPU4BRK4

J727PVPU4BRH5

J727PVPS5BSA3

I have found these details in recovery logs and a build,prop file:

A snip from a failed attempt to use a TWRP backup;

ro.bootimage.build.date=Wed Aug 1 10:30:57 UTC 2018

ro.bootimage.build.date.utc=1533119457

ro.bootimage.build.fingerprint=Samsung/omni_j7popltespr/j7popltespr:7.1.2/NJH47F/5:eng/test-keys

ro.bootloader=J727PVPU4BRK4

A snip from a build.prop.txt file exported from a utility;

ro.build.description=j7popltespr-user 8.1.0 M1AJQ J727PVPU4BRH5 release-keys

ro.build.fingerprint=samsung/j7popltespr/j7popltespr:8.1.0/M1AJQ/J727PVPU4BRH5:user/release-keys

It's NOT been fun getting here, though. I am personally responsible for two of three soft/hard bricks. A friend (?) is to blame for one of them. The first left me struggling ONLY to find the FW needed to restore the device to where it was when I got it in Nov 2018. I'd had a nice S6 until it went out the door of my place, with a different friend, as I was taking a shower. Ya' just gotta love your friends, right?

Thanks to [MENTION=221356]Deadman[/MENTION], I was able to find, and download the firmware, but not until I accidentally got a hit on Google Search, pointing to him at XDA.

The 2nd incident was a prank by a friend. No, I was not amused. He's on a

"special list"

and will probably remain there.

That time, I found it was not possible to use the files I got from [MENTION=221356]Deadman[/MENTION].

The OTA I had taken, without it messing up my ROOT, TWRP, Magisk or Verity, had a version checking process I had not been familiar with. I don't come here every day, and don't "hang ten" at the bleeding edge as I was once wont to do.

It took me too long to accidentally notice the errors on the screen just following the "download mode" that indicated some nonsense about a version error. Then i had to learn what that meant. Ooooooh, so that's the problem!

By then, I had read enough that I was very concerned I might not be able to ROOT after I was able to get the newer firmware flashed. I tried to flash it and learned I couldn't. I had no ADB , no fastboot or download connectivity. I could get into DOWNLOAD MODE, but Odin could WRITE anything. Damn!

Now I had to figure out how to get ADB debugging turned on. That took a bit longer than I cared for, and it was stressful, but I persevered and made it. ADB fixed, I flashed the firmware, TWRP, DM-verity and Magisk and....Voila! I had a working device with ROOT.

This latest incident, MY fault, was a bit hairier.

Now, I had a version that I had to flash, ADB not working and OEM Unlock was NOT unlocked. You Son-of-a-B****!!! Wait, that's you Reed! Oh, Yes.

It wasn't easy accepting that I was gonna have to flash a version with these apparent pitfalls, and Lord knows I tried and tried and tried for days to find another way.

Without hardware/box/software solutions, I don't think another way exists.

Here is how I did it.

First, I used AlbViral - AlbanianLifeHackers, ADB Enable Automator windows app.

It needs to be said, you will have to use the FIRMWARE version that matches the current bootloader on the device.

Try it, you'll like it, because it works.

Then, I got some COMBO files, and again, they are of the same bootloader version as is currently on the phone, no downgrading with this latest Android version. That got rid of the OEM unlocking issue.

Then, I booted the device into recovery, wiped Cache, and booted into DOWNLOAD MODE. I then flashed the SINGLE-FILE version of the most recent firmware for the device. Then, after ODIN reported success, I disconnected the cable, and using the VolDown+Home+Power keys, I rebooted, releasing the POWER key ONLY when the first logo appeared, and booted right back to DOWNLOAD MODE.

Yes, I did.

I DID NOT Factory Data Reset, or wipe the cache.

I reconnected the cable, hit RESET in Odin, selected TWRP and flashed it. I repeated the same process to RE-BOOT Back to DOWNLOAD MODE, and flashed TWRP AGAIN, just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. (I did grow up back then, you know?)

Then I booted to TWRP recovery.

Wiped cache, Dalvik AND formatted data.

Then, flashed DM-Verity, wiped Cache, Dalvik & formatted data.

Then flashed Magisk.

Then re-booted to recovery again.

And explored everything I could in TWRP just to see if there was ANYTHING I could find that might indicate that if I boot to SYSTEM, I'm gonna be sick.

I couldn't find anything. That made me nervous, but a two-fingered shot of Kentucky Sour Mash calmed my jitters, and I hit REBOOT and selected SYSTEM. Gulp!

All is well.

I bypassed every setup option you can bypass, got in that settings list, got the developer options on (Whew! I didn't lose them)

And, Lo & Behold!! There's the OEM Unlock option, in the wrong switch position, but THERE!!!!

Hallelujah! Ain't technology great?

---------- Post added at 04:07 ---------- Previous post was at 03:29 ----------

All flash actions of TWRP were done with 3.2.3.0, until today.

Until this evening, I had not flashed 3.3.0.0.

I have now done so, using TWRP, I flashed 3.3.0.0 at 04212019 2025 CST.

As of this hour (04222019 0353 CST) it is fine, I've done all kinds of stuff since then, and so far, so good.

There you go.

Adios!

David