Samsung Galaxy S Firmware Upgrade (JG4)
Posted by KhoKing on Wednesday Aug 25, 2010 Under Computer / ITLast night when playing around with Kies (Samsung software for the computer to communicate with Samsung phones), I noticed a notification of Firmware Update is available at the lower right corner of Kies.
New Firmware: PDA:JG4 / PHONE:JG4
I remember two weeks ago when I use Kies, there is no firmware upgrade available. So this must be released only recently.
This is NOT Android 2.2 (Froyo) yet. Samsung has announced in their Korean website that there will be Android 2.2 for Galaxy S in September 2010. Definitely a MUST upgrade later (going through the pains again…). 
Since my wife’s Galaxy S is new, I so thought why not upgrade it! (no valuable data inside it yet).
It took around 15 mins to complete the firmware upgrade, depending on your internet speed as it need to actually download the firmware (binary files) from Samsung website. I am on a 4MB/s Streamyx line.
Upgrade will actually DELETE and ERASE everything from your phone, back to factory default. So beware! You need to back up a few things first before attempting the firmware upgrade:
Contacts
- Contacts (if you are using Google Contacts, then just sync it with Google)
- Contacts in Phone (Copy and backup using Kies first to your PC)
- Contacts in SIM (again, can copy and backup in Kies first to your PC)
SMS / MMS
I am not sure how to back this up. Kies seems not able to view my SMS stored in my Galaxy S. A bug in Kies? It should by right…else how am I able to backup my messages?I don’t know and I have tried several times by plugging and unplugging my Galaxy S to my PC, still Kies can’t load or find my messages.
Nevermind, not that those messages are of super important, so I just proceed to upgrade my phone.
Installed Software
I am not sure how to back this up. I don’t think there is any option to backup the installed software. So, manually note down what you have installed and wanted to install, as you will need to reinstall them later.
Upgrade? What Change? New Features?
I am not sure. Samsung did not mention it during the upgrade. One obvious change I saw after the upgrade is a new Apps Running icon, which you can click to see what apps are running in your phone and can choose to kill it as well. Good feature I would say.
Upon searching for the upgrade info in the internet, I saw some mentioning about the improvement in speed and reducing lag time in using the phone. Also improvement in sound quality. I am currently upgrading my own Galaxy S, will know later after upgraded and played around with it for a while.
It is actually GOOD to upgrade the firmware if you want to CLEAN and put your phone back to its original factory condition!
August 25th, 2010 at 11:09 pm
NIce, I jst got my SGS last week. LOL~ was looking for firmware updates and found your blog post. LOL!
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August 25th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
Hi Gerald,
Thanks for dropping by.
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August 25th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
I read the update was like 600mb? that must have taken a while… still wondering should I update it now of wait for the pending 2.2 ???
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August 25th, 2010 at 11:44 pm
600MB? No wonder took a while for me to download it.
If you do not have much data inside your phone at the moment, then can try the upgrade. Later when you want to upgrade to Android 2.2, you can have better idea.
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September 3rd, 2010 at 8:51 am
Looks like I’m the last to know bout this lol. Updating as we speak. I thought froyo was supposed to come out in Sept?
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September 5th, 2010 at 5:36 am
One thing I don’t enjoy in Kies’ firmware upgrade program is its inability to resume the downloads at least. With a flaky internet connection that I have in my city its almost impossible to download it properly in one go. Took me 4 darn days of hitting “Ok” to its errors about network connections (with no ‘retry’ option) to get this firmware on the phone.
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September 28th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
just got my s.galaxy last Sunday. Need help to resolve the Kies software. I’ve installed the Kies software without any problem but when connected to my phone to download application thru’ Samsung application, error pop up “device not supported” On the option to choose phone, listed only S8500, any idea to resolve this. many thanks
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September 28th, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Hi csh,
Did you download the latest version online?
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September 30th, 2010 at 2:46 am
Hi KhoKing,
1st i installed KIES using the CDs provided and when I launched it, it asked to update to new version. So, I just click yes to accept update, but the result remain the same. Later I downloaded the KIES from Samsung app and still the same. The version I’ve is 1.5.3.10093_31. Kindly help.
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September 30th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Hi csh, not sure why yours can’t detect. Mine has no problem.
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September 30th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Hi Khoking,
Thanks for your reply. All the application in that KIES can detect my phone (GT-I9000) except Samsung Application program whereby it showed the only phone model S8500 available hence this error “device not supported” pop up. Secondly do you have any problem with the music player? It will display strange characters for Chinese title song. Anyway to get rid of this…TQ…bye
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October 19th, 2010 at 11:11 pm
sso, JG4 is the latest version? I have seem many forums going even to JM . wonder why this was not available in Kies
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October 19th, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Hi Koj,
I am waiting for Android 2.2. Should be available in Nov.
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October 28th, 2010 at 9:41 am
I also have the same problem which is “this device does not support firmware upgrade”. Anyone have an idea how to solve it? Thanks.
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November 21st, 2010 at 10:25 am
Froyo (Android 2.2) update is out yesterday.
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December 13th, 2010 at 1:18 am
Hi KKK,
I got my SGS just today, and I clicked on Firmware Upgrade through KIES. I do not know what is happening. Its been 4 hours now, and there’s no movement of the progress bar. Its still 1/3rd on the upgrade process. And as I read more views, I am afraid of bricking my phone by disconnecting the USB between the phone and PC. Why isn’t the firmware upgrade not progressing. Its still stuck there. All the buttons (Backward/Next/Cancel) on KIES (v 1.5.3.x..x that I upgraded after connecting the phone) are grayed out. I am really tensed. I do not want to lose my hard-earned money. I am from Pune, India.
Thanks for all your help.
Regards,
-Anil
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December 13th, 2010 at 1:23 am
Hi Anil,
You can try bring back to Samsung shop.
If your internet connection is slow, it is then not advisible for you to upgrade yourself.
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December 13th, 2010 at 1:25 am
Hi KKK,
Thanks for the quick response. Is there a way I can interact with you over some instant messenger?
I’m really tensed now. I did not even get a chance to use it at all.
Will disconnecting in anyway help restore the phone back to its normal condition?
Advise pls.
Thanks,
-Anil
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December 13th, 2010 at 1:30 am
Hi Anil,
I can’t advise you, as I have not tried disconnecting it half way.
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December 13th, 2010 at 1:32 am
My phone’s gone — It doesn’t start..
I’m ruined!
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December 13th, 2010 at 1:34 am
Sorry to hear that…
Just bring it back to Samsung, if under warranty, then they should fix it for you.
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December 13th, 2010 at 1:37 am
Hi KKK,
I got it just this afternoon; I did not even get a chance to look at the handset properly.
Now the phone does not even recognize after connecting with the PC; Kies says that the device is not connected even after attempting to get it on Recovery Mode.
I am just going dizzy now. How did I blindly click the “Firm Upgrade” on KIES.
Thanks!
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January 8th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Hi,
I had the same problem as Anil, whereby my firmware upgrade just stalled and I was afraid to unplug my phone after reading that it could be rendered useless afterward. I resolved this by the method below.
Since the software that was hanging was “MSC.Thunder.FirmwareUpdate.exe”, I went to the directory where Kies was installed and double-clicked on this again. It then restarted this process and prompted me on how to recover my phone.
As long as you double-click this, it will prompt you step by step what to do. If I remember correctly I did the steps below:
1) Unplug my phone from the cable
2) Remove battery
3) Put battery and cover back on
4) Press the Power, Volume Down and Home button at once
5) Plug it back to my PC
6) Hit the Restore button on Kies software on my PC
I thought it would restore my phone to its original firmware version, but it actually went on to V2.2.
Sorry this post didn’t come sooner, but hope this helps anyone else out there in the future!
Regards.
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January 8th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Oh another thing to note when I did this. None of my data got deleted. I have my contacts, SMS-es and calender entries as they were before the upgrade. Maybe it’s not a complete upgrade even. Haven’t tested it out yet =P
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February 25th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
can someone post how to upgrade from eclair to froyo…got my sgs for almost a mth…cant upgrade…there is nothing with with eclair…but what a shame…
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February 28th, 2011 at 12:28 am
I don’t think the update is available yet from Samsung…
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