How to fix Galaxy Note8 “only official released binaries are allowed to be flashed” error
Hello everyone! Welcome to our latest #GalaxyNote8 troubleshooting article. Today we address common issues for this device and as usual, all the cases included here are taken from reports we received for the past few days. We will be answering some rooting and software modification scenarios in this one. If you encountered problems with your Galaxy Note8, try to take a look and see if there’s something that can help you fix it.
Problem #1: How to fix a rooted Galaxy Note8 that won’t boot up and showing “only official released binaries are allowed to be flashed” error
Hello. Let me start by saying that i root my phone and after that i had to restart my phone for some reason which i can’t remember but the fact of the matter is that when my phone tried to reboot it could not. All i kept seeing is the samsung note8 appear and then this very small writing at the top of the phone which appeared in red and it read “Only official released binaries are allowed to be flashed.” Now i don’t know what that means but i can tell you that i ihave been almost all over the internet searching for a solution and i have tried almost everything that was offered, like booting in safe mode, booting in recovery mode to do a master reset and everything else that booting in safe mode would allow one to do. my question is, can you help me please. Thanks in advance for any assistance rendered . Michael Brathwaite
Solution: Rooting is tampering with the official software of your device so there’s no official support that you can get either from Google or Samsung. The best thing that you can do is to hope that generic solutions like unrooting or flashing stock firmware will help.
Unroot your device
Depending on the root software you used, this job can be as simple as tapping on unroot button somewhere, or doing more complicated steps. Because you did not tell us how you rooted your device exactly, it’s up to you to do the necessary research for this one. Using Google, search for ways how to unroot your device by mentioning the rooting software you used.
Flash stock firmware
If you are unable to unroot or if the issue continues after unrooting, the best thing that you can is to manually install the original ROM that came with the phone when you unboxed. We assume you know the exact firmware verions or at least wrote it down somewhere before you tampered with the device.
Get Samsung support
The ultimate solution would be to get Samsung’s help. Samsung warranty will be voided if they’ll find out that you tried to root the phone initially so be sure not to mention any of the unofficial modifications you did. If you’re lucky, Samsung may fix the phone for you for free.
Problem #2: How to fix Galaxy Note boot loop issue: won’t boot up and showing error
Hello. My Note8 is stuck at bootloop. it doesn’t update and if i try, goes to error. I’ve tried many ways: wiping cache, erase factory reset, installing last updade from sammobile. it keeps showing error messages, apps shutting down and crashes into reboot.. My phone was bought from bestbuy and installed last update -XAA unlocked version.. i don’t know whatelse to do. once samsung in brazil is not allowed to fix phones from abroad… help me please, thank you in advance Regards from Brazil.
Solution: Boot loop is usually the result of software tampering gone bad. If you tried to root or flashed the device initially, you should have known before that this situation can happen. Software tampering is risky and can potentially damage the software for good so you run the risk of bricking the phone for good. In most instances though, a problem like yours can be fixed by simply flashing the original firmware (the Android version that originally came with the device when you unboxed it). If you haven’t tried that yet, we suggest that you do it this time. Make sure that you use the correct firmware version for your phone model. An incorrect one can perpetuate the problem or permanently disable the device.
You can also try to see if flashing the bootloader to its original state will help. Below are the general steps on how to flash a Samsung bootloader. Exact steps may be slightly different for your particular model. Be sure to consult other guides on how to do this properly.
- Look for the correct firmware for your phone model and download it. Make sure that you select the right one. It should be the same exact firmware that ran previously on your device. We assume that you list down the firmware version somewhere. If you did not take note of it before, there’s a chance that you may pick the wrong one. As you may know now, using an incorrect firmware can cause complications so good luck with that.
- Let’s now say that you have identified the correct firmware. You then want to download it to your computer. The firmware file should have a bunch of files in it like AP_, BL_, CSC_, etc.
- Look for the file that starts with a label BL; this should be the corresponding bootloader file for this firmware. Once you’ve identified the bootloader file, copy it to your computer’s desktop or to any other folder that you can easily access.
- Proceed with the rest of the flashing procedure using the Odin program.
- In Odin, click on the BL tab and make sure to use the bootloader file you’ve identified earlier.
- Now, make sure that the “Device Added” status and its “ID:COM box” has turned blue before hitting the START button. This will initiate the flashing of your phone’s bootloader.
- Restart the phone once the procedure is finished.
Problem #3: Galaxy Note8 group messages are delayed after an update
Good morning. I currently have a Samsung Note 8 and did a software update on it yesterday or the day before. Since then i have not been getting group messages. If I do get them they are hours later if not the next day. I have restarted my phone a few times. Hoping to not have to do a FDR. Thanks.
Solution: If all other network functions like texts, MMS, calling and mobile data work, then the problem must be outside your device. Still we recommend that you try one thing before letting your carrier know. This one thing is clearing your phone’s network settings. Here’s how:
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap General Management > Reset settings.
- Tap Reset network settings.
- If you have set up a PIN, enter it.
- Tap Reset settings. Once complete a confirmation window will appear.
If that won’t help, get help from your network operator.
Problem #4: How to fix Galaxy Note8 screen burn-in issue
Hello. i have a Note8. it’s an awesome phone, great battery life, but it has randomly developed a problem after 3 months of purchase. The screen doesnt look like its at full resolution. I say this because you can see the pixels (small but noticable) creating the “screen door effect” like when you go very close to a 1080p tv or monitor. i didn’t used to look like this, it was a very clean and crisp picture. It happened while the phone was on, out of the blue. I factory reset it hoping that would fix it, to no avail. Before the reset though, the phone seemed to be slow to respond to any input. This is my first android device, i got off the sinking ship that was the windows phone platform, which i greatly enjoyed, and while im afraid its a hardware issue, i’m hoping this is a bug or issue with android and can be fixed in a way that i am just ignorant due to my lack of experience with the android platform. thank you for your time and help.
Solution: If nothing changed after you factory reset, then there’s probably nothing much that you can do about the issue. We don’t know if we understand your description exactly but if there seems to be some pixels that persist even after the image on the screen has changed, you may have a screen burn-in issue. This is basically a noticeable discoloration on the screen that won’t go away. Once it’s there, it’s permanent. This usually happens if a device is left to display the same image for a long time. Hardware manufacturers like Samsung tries to minimize this issue from happening by forcing the system to change images regularly.
If you think you have a screen burn-in issue, we suggest that you bring your phone to your local Samsung service center so it can be repaired.