Wednesday, August 10, 2011

How to Backup Firmware from Kies Upgrade Process


I have read lots of queries from users in many forums asking how can they extract firmware files from kies while kies is upgrading their phones. In all, I found no answers but questions. I thus decided to provide a simple answer to this long asked question.
I first downgraded my phone by flashing it with S8500XXJF4_Full firmware so that kies will detect an upgrade for me. Yes, when I connected the phone kies detected a firmware upgrade to S8500XXJL2.

Now read on to see how to save the firmware files during kies upgrade process.

1. On your pc, windows explorer, check the option "Show hidden files, folders, and drivers".

2. Now connect your phone to pc via kies to begin the firmware upgrade.

3. Kies will begin to download the firmware files...
a. The files will be saved under a tmp file called "tmp****.tmp"

(NB: **** can be any letters or numbers, e.g. In my two times of upgrade via kies, 
first timethe tmp files was "tmpA4CE.tmp", and on the second it was "tmpD900.tmp"

b. In Windows 7, this tmp file is located at, C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Temp

(NB: * is the pc user session name, e.g. C:\Users\Spacks\AppData\Local\Temp)

4. When download is complete, kies decompresses this tmp file into a folder called 

"tmp****.tmp.zipfolder" and begins the firmware upgrading process.

a. The folder has same name as the tmp file but now with an extention of .zipfolder

(So scroll through the folders in the same directory to locate it).


b. When kies begins the upgrade process starting from 1% until it reaches 100%,

quickly copy the "tmp****.tmp.zipfolder" to your desktop.

You have about 2 to 3 minutes to do this. Kies will delete the folder once upgrade is 100% (completed).


5. The "tmp****.tmp.zipfolder" contains all the firmware files kies has used to upgrade your phone.

Now you have a backup of official firmware from kies. This is also useful in case kies fails to complete the upgrade process. 
Just use the saved files and manually flash your phone using multiloader.

Finally, I attach some screenshots for further assistance.
ATTACHMENTS
Contents of the tmpD900tmpzipfolder.PNG
Contents of the tmp_tmpzipfolder

copy this folder to desktop.PNG
Folder to be copied to desktop

Summary.PNG
Summary
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