yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] alonmore28:
Hey

I have been searching for a clear answer but couldn't find any.

I am looking for guides and information about how I could possibly install a fresh, stock, "vanilla" version on my Note 8 N950N.

mine is the korean 256GB variant. I can't replace it and i wanted to get the 256GB variant anyway.

but some bloatware and also a few minor annoying "bugs" that are in the korean software is really disturbing me. it gets all confused because i am not really in/from korea. i get plenty of korean marketing **** and more...

I would like to have an international version. have it work seamlessly with my local networks, and also when i go abroad (i will be going to the USA in april).

Preferably i would like to get the Stock version, without rooting anything.

but if i have no choice i would install a custom rom which is the "cleanest" and the one most similar to stock.

please, can anyone write down clearly what are the steps I should do. I would be really thankful.

By the way, if it matters, I live in israel (if need to install a software or modem which are compatible.)

please, help!

thank you very much

Alon
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
root it and youll be happy you never got an F
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] alonmore28:
thanks for the reply. could you please explain why will rooting help me? will it allow me to install a clean stock version without the Korean bloatware?
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] shouren04:
Because you can't install F fw on a N without rooting, odin will not let you.

If you don't care about Samsung Pay or Secure Folder, twrp/root & install any custom F based rom you want. Or with root you can remove all the bloatware from your stock fw that you want. Or you can install Weta Rom base only. Weta Rom has the mod installer seperate so if you just want a stock unbloated rom Weta base would be a good choice. Weta is by far my favorite ROM so far & is what I have been running....with the Weta mod though.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] alonmore28:
Thank you,

I actually don't mind about Samsung Pay. it's not being used in Israel anyway, and what is Secure Folder? i didn't know about it also anyway so i guess it wouldnt bother me.

So what is the process step by step?

1. Root phone.

2. then?

is it possible to root the phone and then install a stock firmware of an F variant? i am not interested in having a custom rom anyway...
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
do this:

1

https://xdaforums.com/galaxy-note-8/development/unofficial-twrp-3-2-1-0-greatlte-t3722198

2

https://xdaforums.com/galaxy-note-8/development/rom-weta-1-0-t3698465

3

https://xdaforums.com/galaxy-note-8/development/utility-flashable-csc-selection-v1-0-0-t3711226
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] alonmore28:
Thank you

I will read further on those links.

a question. Is it possible to install TWRP, then change CSC and then flash a stock ROM of the N950F variant? or will the device react badly for it?

thank you.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
you can flash a stockish F rom if it is in zip install format for twrp. you cannot flash a stock F firmware in odin to a N device
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] alonmore28:
okay... thanks

do you know where (if even possible) i could get such a file?
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
https://xdaforums.com/galaxy-note-8/development/test-u3bra8-devbase-v4-6-encryption-t3746309

as close to a stock rim that you will ever find.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
Hey man, I tried doing exactly this on my 256GB SM-N950N with [MENTION=5150393]_alexndr[/MENTION]'s DevBase ROM for the SM-N950F as you linked to above. Skipped the model check, however, I keep getting an error message during the installation process. [MENTION=5150393]_alexndr[/MENTION] stated, here in that his DevBase thread, that flashing the SM-N950F ROM on the SM-N950N isn't that straight forward due to different system partition size.

Please would you happen to know of the proper procedure to resizing my SM-N950N partitions so that I can flash the latest SM-N950F Oreo (don't like Android pie) DevBase ROM on it? Thanks in advance.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
well acctualy hasint he released a proper n960n release?

here:

https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=75483936&postcount=2

oreo and pie build for n960n in the second part of post 2
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
Thanks for the prompt response.

No, that's still Korean. I'm looking to install the unlocked and unbranded UK CSC on my SM-N950N. However, doing that breaks Bixby and other region-locked Samsung services as they detect my model number isn't in the region. So, I figured installing the SM-N950F ROM would resolve the region locking issue. Similar to how Tkkg1994's Iron Man ROM did it.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
oh i get it.

humm and ironman dosent work?

btw the system partition is smaller and you cannot change it.(responding to your initial question)
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
Iron man ROM stopped getting updates/troubleshooting a while back, before my Note 8 was even 1 year old.

Oh, then how did the Iron Man ROM work then?
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
i believe by debloating a bit, the total amount of data written to the system partition was reduced to accommodate the N devices. or by pure fluke, maybe dev never intended to reduce data just for the N but just by removing some knox stuff and other unneeded stuff when rooted.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] Kalm_Traveler:
Bixby settings are in the CSC config - unrelated to model.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
But if I change the CSC to the UK unlocked and unbranded, Bixby starts saying "Ok, I canceled it" to every single 1 of my commands.

Whereas with the Iron Man ROM, which virtually changed my device model number to SM-N950F, and the same UK CSC, everything worked fine. Unfortunately, it's development came to an end long before my Note 8 was even 1 years old.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] Kalm_Traveler:
So you're applying the same CSC patch to both ROMs? Or you mean that a CSC with the same name in Iron Man ROM and in a separate CSC zip behave differently?

My phone is running stock N950N base, with my USA T-mobile CSC patch and Bixby works correctly for a USA Tmobile phone because all its settings are in the CSC config files.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
Thanks for the prompt response.

Hmm, very interesting.

I used Tkkg1994's CSC changer ZIP file in both cases. How did you go about doing your CSC change? If I can simply change to UK unlocked and unbranded CSC while keeping Bixby and every other Samsung service working as normal, I'll be fine with that.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] Kalm_Traveler:
I pulled the CSC folder from the N950U folder and added it to my zip (after adding a few lines and making a few tweaks to enable more features / disable any kind of lockouts etc)

Going to do the same today when i update to Pie
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
Alrighty, gonna give this a shot today with _alexndrs latest SM-N950F and SM-N950N DevBase Oreo ROMs. Will report back whatever I get. Thanks for shearing.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
I just had the time to attempt this. I deleted the CSC folder from the corresponding ALEXNDR folder of the latest DevBase v5.9 Oreo based zip for the SM-N950N using WinRAR on my Windows PC. Then also using WinRAR, I extracted the CSC frolder from the ALEXNDR of the latest DevBase v6.0 Oreo based zip for the SM-N950F, and copied it to the ALEXNDR folder of the SM-N950N zip file. However, I'm getting the following error message:

Zip file is corruupt!
Error installing zip file '/external_sd/BTU_N950NKSU4CRJ2_DevBase_v5.9.zip'

NOTE: the BTU shortcut in the zip file name is the code for the UK unlocked and unbranded CSC

Also, here's the specific error message I was getting during the installation process when I attempted just flashing [MENTION=5150393]_alexndr[/MENTION]'s latest SM-N950F Oreo DevBase ROM in TWRP. Skipped the variant check (using the "skipvc" option on the ZIP file):

Installing system, please wait...
Failed to flash system.img -> /dev/block/sda15

Failed! Can't mount new /system, aborting!

[COLOR="Red"]Update process ended with ERROR: 1
Error installing zip file '/external_sd/Download/BTU_skipvc_N950FXXS5CSA1_DevBase_v6.0.zip'[/COLOR]
Updating partition details...
[COLOR="red"]Failed to mount '/system' (invalid argument)[/COLOR]
...done

Please would you happen to know what's going on? Is there some lines of code I need to change in the CSC folder for it work? Thanks in advance.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
sometimes zip files contain permissions embedded within the zip.

using winrar might have zipped them.

edit:

***might have removed them... lol dunno why i wrote zipped
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
Thanks for the response.

Would using 7-Zip make a difference? Or only the original dev would be able to do such modification in the zip?

---------- Post added at 12:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:18 PM ----------

Thanks for the response.

Would using 7-Zip make a difference? Or only the original dev would be able to do such modification in the zip?
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
this is just a theory so am not sure. i d have to check the rom out. but isn't there any other recent rom in the note 8 forums that might have a recent base and include csc?

anyways what csc are you looking for again?

edit i read back a few posts and i ve never heard of bixby not working because the device is not from X region.

ive had a korean note 8 and now am on a korean note 9 and appart from samsung pay on the phone not working, i have shealth, bixby, a paired galaxy watch with spay on it working(just not the phone) so i realy dont understand why you are having issues.

edit 2

tell me about your device, is twrp installed? or did you root with chainfires autoroot and are on stock recovery
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
Thanks again for the response.

I checked the forums, but pretty much every other ROM I've come across is heavily modified away from the Stock Samsung experience, which is what I actually want. Just without the Korean stuff.

I'm looking to get the unlocked and unbranded UK CSC, code BTU, on my SM-N950N 256GB Note 8.

Did you change the CSC to something outside the Korean region? If I don't change the CSC, everything works fine, but then there's the useless Korean content spread across all their feature-packed services, despite my region language set to Canadian English. Also, in some cases like that of Samsung Music, they're even forcing some privacy-invasive terms on the Korean region devices, demanding personal data like contacts and what not for a music app, otherwise, they won't let you use Samsung Music. Not the case on my friend's SM-N960F/DS Note 9 with Samsung Music, nor was it the case with my Note 8 on the Iron Man ROM disguised as an SM-N950F, different region, different policy.

It's a 256GB SM-N950N Note 8. It has TWRP recovery and was rooted via Magisk.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
yeah i had that exact same phone and everything was working fine. if I get the time, ill make you 2 zips.

one will be stock csc BTU dirextly from the firmware. just flash it. it might wipe your device though.

if that dosent work ill use tkkg's csc pack and update it with pie csc

edit here is option no. 1:

stock csc zip:

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AhXVLDDj8g3AgfIFwsn6OnzOSYS_4w

please note that this is a multi csc, so it dosent mean that ull end up with BTU

you can use Samsung phone info + app (the payed version) to use the its 'other tools' menu option and choose CSC changer (root) option.

there also a dial code that might alos work but i cant remember that it is.

Also, where in the world do you plan to use your phone?(AND what carrier)
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
Thank you very much for your time man, really appreciate it!

Thanks will give it a try this weekend.

I'm using it in Canada, but the Canadian variant isn't Exynos based, so, will still have the issue with the region locked services. Figured UK was the next best thing.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
oh well then me to and i dont think a UK version is going to change anything.

i have an update csc pack that an other user made. im keeping it up to date. if you head on iver to the note 8 general discussion area, there is a canadian discussion thread. last post should have what you need. only thing tho is that you might need to change something in the build.prop( ro.product.device and change value to greatlte ) for the csc pack to flash correctly.

anways ill post back with a plan B a bit later today and might fix the script so you dont need to change build .prop

edit

so ok here is plan B and C

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AhXVLDDj8g3AgcVU7LbF6RVfFwZQXA

within that onedrive link is a test folder. the zip in it should work and get you on a canadian csc.

there is also a zip right in the root of that directory. its the same but you will have to edit your build.prop because it might not work on alex rom. any other rom would work.

anyways id suggest to think about using an other rom like dr ketans or any other recent note 8 pie rom.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
ok so new version of the csc selector:

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AhXVLDDj8g3AgfIHllGFatUnojuCEw
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
No Luck With Option No. 1 ZIP

Really sorry for the late update, work got much busier than earlier anticipated and was moving to a new home at the same time.

I backed up all my data, flashed this option no. 1 ZIP from my MicroSD card via TWRP, wiped my dalvik cache, and rebooted into system. Everything was as they initially were, phone wasn't reset. Navigated to the Samsung Phone Info+ app > Hamburger Menu > Other Tools > CSC Changer (Root), it still only listed the following Korean CSC options:

[IMG="List of CSCs in Samsung Phone Info+ App After Flashing Option no. 1 ZIP"]https://xdaforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4749950&stc=1&d=1556410375[/IMG]

No other CSCs flashed from the Option no. 1 ZIP were detected. Gonna attempt with the Canada CSC Option no. 2 ZIP.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
i recently updated to 1.5x8

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AhXVLDDj8g3AgeA6IyH1iTzQAGB4MA

added some extra goodies. hope everything works out for you. use XAC and choose your carrier. dont flash anything from xaa(usa) as you might have issue with your sim card and have sim lock issues
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
Thanks again for your time and prompt response man!

Downloading, will flash and report back tonight.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
Success With Option No. 2 ZIP :D

Thank you very much man! You got my Note 8 working EXACTLY AS I WANT!

Here's all what I did and the outcomes for future reference:

• Took the precautionary approach by creating latest backup of all my data to my 512GB MicroSD card. Then I flashed the current latest Option 2 ZIP you linked to above, switching from the KTC korean carrier branded CSC to the XAC Canadian Unbranded CSC.

• Absolutely NO Data Loss Occurred on my 256GB SMN9590N

• Got the following log with a little ODM error message during the flashing of this current latest "OVY_OYN_CSCSelection_SM-N9x0X_V1.5x8.zip" file via TWRP, but regardless, all is looking and working great :D:

unmount of /odm failed; no such volume
unmount of /odm failed; no such volume

Your CSC has been successfully installed
Your CSC has been successfully installed

Please Reboot now
Please Reboot now
script succeeded: result was [Please Reboot now]

Installer Sucessfull (Status 0)

End at : Sat Apr 27 23:42:52 2019

• In the Samsung Phone Info+ app, I can confirm that it did see the CSC change:

[IMG="Samsung Phone Info+ app Notices CSC Changed"]https://xdaforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4750043&stc=1&d=1556432885[/IMG]

• I did get multiple korean carrier bloatware apps re-installed, fortunately, all of the ones that show up on the app lists screen can be easily disabled.

[IMG="Re-Installed Korean Bloatware that Showed up in Apps List Screen"]https://xdaforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4750047&stc=1&d=1556433570[/IMG]

However, there's several others like T Security, KPNS, etc. that don't show up on the homescreen and would need a separate app like Package Disabler to remove/disable them.

• As expected, the Samsung Music privacy policy and behavior has changed now that I'm on a non-korean CSC. It's no longer nonsensically privacy-invasive as it was on the Korean CSC, where it was forcing access to my Contacts and Phone permission, otherwise it wouldn't work. It now reasonably asks only for storage even with the latest version:

[IMG="Samsung Music Policy Changed with CSC Region"]https://xdaforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4750052&stc=1&d=1556434079[/IMG]

• Bixby so far appears to be fully functional despite my Model # remaining SM-N950N in the Settings > About Phone, which is EXACTLY what I want :D Before, it would constantly be saying "Ok, I canceled it" when I did the CSC change using Tkg's CSC changer.

• All the useless Korean text have vanished from all of Samsung's feature-packed services :D

• Native call recording, the places tab in the phone app, Hiya caller ID and spam protection, AND proper support for merging calls (yes this was missing while on the Korean CSC) are all there in the Phone app :Dp​

Now I can truly enjoy my Note 8 on Android Oreo :D (not interested in the dumbed-down Pie experience). Thanks again man, really appreciate it!
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
glad it worked out for you.( that error is actualy not a problem since that partition is on note 9( this csc pack works on both note 8 and note 9)

also please note that you should realllly think of flashing a custom rom to really get rid of all the korean stuff.

also, you should actualy choose your carrier.

XAC is the unbranded universal csc. ive removed all the apps and bloat so lets say for example you are with Rogers ( you'd have selected XAC/RWC)

anyways, could i bother you to check with a root explorer:

system/omc/ the CSC you choose to flash

and post cscfeature.xml file here? im curious to see if the mods(camera shutter sound in cam settings and other stuff got flashed?thers a whole bunch of tweaks ive added)

im tring to make sure this csc pack works with all models and sub models of note 8 and 9. also you should now have volte and wifi calling if your carrier supports it.

wifi calling should be in the phone app settings and volte in connection settings in mobile networks. you should also have Carrier Aggregation ( multiple cellular network connection at the same time to offer better speeds. this can bee seem with a small + beside the 4g logo or lte logo in the status bar.)

if any of these services above are absent. it might be firmware related. meaning that:

a- you are on a n950n firmware when you should maybe think of flashing a custom n950f firmware. the kroean IMS settings might not be compatible with canadian csc.

b- csc files in this csc pack are for Pie.

edit:

also back ups are made in:

internal storage/EFS_ODM_bak

contains csc.img and efs.img

.prop is build.prop. afiles with a few settings and generally what youd find in about phone in settings.

both images(.img) can be restaured with terminal in twrp or using adb commands with a computer in case you need to revert.

also i see that you did a full twrp backup.

the carrier config and efs partitions both have files modified by the csc pack. so to revert back simply flash back thoses 2x partition backups. its the same as doing the term or adb restore mentionned above.

ive also time stamped the files in EFS_ODM_bak so that in case multiples attempts are made at flashing the csc pack.
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] MrElectrifyer:
Know of a custom ROM that remains really close to the stock Samsung Experience, but just gets rid of the Korean bloatware and switches me to a Canadian CSC? DevBase was the closest solution, just stuck with Korean CSC...until I got this your awesome CSC Changer that doesn't break any of Samsung's services, only unleashes the fully enhanced stock Samsung experience :D

Couldn't enable WiFi calling on Fido when I earlier used Tkg's CSC Changer, that was due to Fido requiring your device's IMEI to be from them. Not sure if this your CSC file will be any different...will give it a shot later.

Attached :)

Very nice, especially interested in the "Carrier Aggregation" feature. I know my carrier, Fido, shares Telus's network for "Fido Extended" roaming coverage. At the moment, I can only be on either regular "Fido" or "Fido Ext", would be cool if I could be on both at the same time.

Yeah, I'm using _alexndr's near-stock DevBase ROM. Would love to consider any other near-stock Samsung ROM that switches my SM-N950N model to SM-N950F.

Yeah, I'm sticking with Android Oreo, don't like how Samsung is dumbing down their software with this One UI instead of simply making everything 1-hand supported. Unfortunately, have to also block updates to Samsung Music and Samsung Internet on Android Oreo at the moment, as their "new" versions are major downgrades. With a dull, lazy-fugly-flat florescent-blinding white UI in Samsung Music and the edge lighting animation is gone, then they removed several extremely handy addons from Samsung Internet, including the Video Assistant extension, QR Code scanner, etc. Seems like someone from apple is now running Samsung's software development.

Eitherway, thanks again for all your efforts man! Really appreciate it!!
[Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers] bober10113:
thanks for the xml. everything flashed correctly.

for an alternative rom that is up to date but still on oreo apart from Alexander rom, then yeah i dont know.

regarding pie and theming, bodhisattva theme 5.3 is amazing. so if you have reservations of use pie, with that theme it helps alot. regarding some of the removed features and apps, yeah nothing really can be done for that.

i was on the fence for a while but i really like flashing new roms and stuff and since no one really develops oreo roms since no more security fixes will be made, i jumped iver to pie and have adapted.

regarding telus/fido you are right. they do black list imei like Rogers but ALOT of people have been complaining on their forums.

i myself left rogers for that reason to virgin. price was good and all the carrier features were also working. but then i decided to get a galaxy watch LTE and only bell and telus could activate it. so i obviously went with bell.

since virgin and bell are the same, i pretty much was able to get the same monthly rate and features.

edit

attached is a screenshot of that theme i spoke about.