How to update AT&T Note 5 to Marshmallow when outside AT&T network, other OS issues

This #GalaxyNote5 post answers some Android OS questions we’ve received for the past few days. We hope that this will become another helpful reference for Android community.

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Below are specific topics we’re bringing for you today:

Problem 1: How to update AT&T Note 5 to Marshmallow when outside AT&T network

Hi. So I recently bought a Note 5 online. I didn’t know that it was an at&t factory unlocked phone. Just thought it was unlocked with no network in particular. I live in the Caribbean. A few days having the phone realize that the software is outdated and has Lollipop 5.1.1. I try updating and it says that it’s checking at&t server. is there a way to get update online not through at&t? Please help because I am disappointed that I don’t have the marshmallow update that I was accustomed to. I am from Trinidad and Tobago. And use a bmobile sim. — Liahms.Clarke

Solution: Hi Liahms.Clarke. The best way to go for you right now is to check first if there’s a way for you to upgrade the device via Samsung Smart Switch. This is the official way for you right now. This procedure requires that you install Smart Switch in a computer and in your Note 5 (if you don’t have it at this time). To install Smart Switch in your computer, follow these steps:

1. Open the internet browser on your computer and visit the installation page for Smart Switch
2. Click on the appropriate download link.
   • For PC
   • For Mac
3. Click to launch the downloaded .exe file (.dmg on Mac).
4. Confirm that you accept the terms of the license agreement by clicking the two check boxes.
5. Click Next.
6. Complete the installation process by clicking the Finish After that, the newly installed Smart Switch app will run automatically.

Once you’ve downloaded and installed Smart Switch app in your computer, you can then visit the Google Play Store installation page to download the mobile version in your Note 5.

Now that your computer and mobile have the Smart Switch app, connect your phone to your computer via USB cable and see if there’s an available update. You’ll immediately know if an update is available because the PC version of the app will tell you so. If there’s no available update prompt, you’re out of luck. That means that you’ll need to manually install the update yourself. This process is called flashing and requires advanced Android knowledge. It’s a sensitive procedure and can potentially brick your phone if not done correctly. If you want to do it, make sure that you do research about the subject to avoid encountering problems. Bear in mind that exact flashing procedures may vary by phone model so you have to be absolutely sure that you’re following a good guide.

We’ve found a guide from XDA-Developers site that may help you. We haven’t tested the steps though so we cannot verify firsthand if they work or not. Follow them at your own risk.

Problem 2: Galaxy Note 5 stuck in loading screen after failed rooting

Hi. This is Cantrice. I’m having a problem with my Note 5. I tried to root it but failed. I followed the instruction but after i wipe out i cannot find the storage device in my laptop and cannot copy paste the file i need to copy to my Note 5 and I’m stuck there. Until now my note 5 stuck in the logo that says “Galaxy Note 5.” I cannot use it. Is there anything i can do about it. Please help me. — Cantrice

Solution: Hi Cantrice. We don’t know the history of the device and the exact steps you did but we know that some versions of the Galaxy Note 5 can’t be rooted. The best thing that you can do right now is to see if you can fix the problem by wiping it’s cache or wiping it with a factory reset via Recovery Mode. Here’s how it’s done:

1. Charge the phone for at least 30 minutes.
2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume Up keys, then press and hold the Power
3. When the Samsung Galaxy logo shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up
4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
5. You can either wipe the cache partition or do a factory reset when in this mode.

If factory reset won’t work, or if you’ll be unable to boot to Recovery Mode at all, consider reflashing the bootloader back to stock. Once you’ve done that, you can then flash the stock firmware version.

To reflash a bootloader, these are the sample steps. The exact procedure may vary slightly depending on your phone model. The steps below are for demonstration purposes only:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Proceed with the rest of the flashing procedure using the Odin program.
5. In Odin, click on the BL tab and make sure to use the bootloader file you’ve identified earlier.
6. 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.
7. Restart the phone once the procedure is finished.

Problem 3: Galaxy Note 5 missing Video Calling Switch from Verizon

After receiving an email from Verizon saying I could get voice calling for free, I tried to enable it. Per their online instructions, I tapped settings, and it then asked to tap the “Video Calling Switch” to turn it ON. There is no video switch option! Can possibly you tell me what to do? Thank you! — Jan Martin

Solution: Hi Jan. If your Note 5 came from Verizon itself, that is, it shows the Verizon logo when you restart it, has the Verizon logo at the external cover, or you purchased it from Verizon store, then you should contact Verizon technical support team on how to find the missing feature. It’s path may have changed after an update, or it’s really missing with the current firmware version you have. Make sure that you install any available Android update to see if the Video Calling Switch will appear.

As far as we know, video calling requires that HD Voice & Video add ons is activated and that you must be in the Verizon 4G LTE coverage area. If you are positive that you met these requirements but video calling switch is still not available, you should talk to Verizon about it. We don’t work for Verizon so we can’t be more specific on what may be needed to make it this to work.

One other reason why Video Calling Switch is not available may be the fact that you don’t use a Verizon phone at all. If you have a non-Verizon branded Note 5, that means that the software running in the device does not have that Verizon-specific feature. Video calling switch is not universal for Samsung devices so non-Verizon Note 5 do not support it. Simply ignore the email you receive from Verizon as it may had been sent in error.

Problem 4: Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat questions, how to revert to previous Android version

My phone just upgraded to the OS 7. It is so unbelievably not user friendly or easy to read, everything is black and white. Icons, menus, everything has changed. I’m desperate to go back to previous OS. Please help! — Christine

Solution: Hi Christine. If you received the update officially, that is via your carrier’s network (over-the-air update), the only way to go back to the previous Android version is via unofficial means — flashing the ROM. We won’t recommend that you do that but if you really want to, consider checking our suggestion for other users above.

However, if you want to stick with Android Nougat and just live with it, you’ll soon find out that it’s really not that different from Android Marshmallow in a lot of ways. Just like in most major changes in our lives, new things can be strange. To keep you started with Android 7 though, we suggest that you go under Settings>Display and change some things in that section. You can start by changing the Screen Mode to Basic.

If you want to save power, try to lower Screen resolution to HD (1280*720).

If you don’t want too tiny font sizes, you can go under Screen zoom and font section and resize Screen zoom and Font size.

For a fully new display experience, we also recommend that you visit Settings>Wallpapers and themes.

If you have time, just spend some time playing around with the options under Settings menu until you’re satisfied.

But again, if you really want to revert to the previous Android version and complicate your life, go ahead and do some research how to flash your device.

 

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