Help Kies headache

[shyFluttershy]

I'm trying to use Kies to get a fresh installation of firmware, but as soon as the download process begins, Kies no longer sees my phone. Once the download is complete, Kies remains greyed and if I try to do anything with it, Windows tells me it's become unresponsive and I have to force it closed.

I've made sure Kies is up to date.
I've restarted my computer and my phone.
I've tried different USB ports.
I've made sure my phone is in MTP mode.
I've made sure Developer Options are disabled.
I've made sure my SD card was removed.

It seems to me that the only thing Kies is good for is backing up my phone's data.

Please help!
Thank you.

 

[bkttk2]

I'm trying to use Kies to get a fresh installation of firmware, but as soon as the download process begins, Kies no longer sees my phone. Once the download is complete, Kies remains greyed and if I try to do anything with it, Windows tells me it's become unresponsive and I have to force it closed.

I've made sure Kies is up to date.
I've restarted my computer and my phone.
I've tried different USB ports.
I've made sure my phone is in MTP mode.
I've made sure Developer Options are disabled.
I've made sure my SD card was removed.

It seems to me that the only thing Kies is good for is backing up my phone's data.

Please help!
Thank you.

Few questions.
You have most recent version of Kies?
You have installed Samsung drivers?
You are starting Kies first and then connecting phone?
You are using USB cable that came with the the phone?
Kies is correctly identifying your phone?
In options check option to save download to PC. Does not create an executable but does complete download prior to doing firmware update.

Hopefully the above questions will help identify the culprit.

 

[shyFluttershy]

Few questions.
You have most recent version of Kies?
You have installed Samsung drivers?
You are starting Kies first and then connecting phone?
You are using USB cable that came with the the phone?
Kies is correctly identifying your phone?
In options check option to save download to PC. Does not create an executable but does complete download prior to doing firmware update.

Hopefully the above questions will help identify the culprit.

Most recent version of Kies?
Yes.

Samsung drivers?
Pretty sure. Where do I go to make sure my drivers are up to date?

First start Kies, then connect phone?
Sometimes. I'll try again.

Using the USB cable that came with the phone?
Yes.

Kies is correctly identifying the phone?
Yes.

Save download to PC?
I'm already backed up, so I clicked "skip backup."

Thanks.

 

[sanjuro77]

Save download to PC doesn't make a backup of your current setup, it's the software download (clean JB) that you're replacing yours with.

 

[shyFluttershy]

Well, I got Kies to go a bit further and it's on the part that takes a while, but it's getting ridiculous. It's been sitting at 61% for more than half an hour. I'm going to cancel it and just razzum-frazzum factory reset and go from there.

And for the record, could someone please post up a complete step-by-step "for idiots" guide to using Kies to install firmware? Just so I can make sure this isn't the result of something stupid I've failed to do?

Thank you.

 

[sanjuro77]

Kies takes a longgggggggg time to do anything. Maybe try letting it do its thing overnight or something.

Also I'm wondering if maybe custom recovery/kernel affects Kies? Maybe I'll do some experimenting tomorrow morning.

 

[shyFluttershy]

Kies takes a longgggggggg time to do anything. Maybe try letting it do its thing overnight or something.

Also I'm wondering if maybe custom recovery/kernel affects Kies? Maybe I'll do some experimenting tomorrow morning.

I think I'll do that. I'll factory reset, in case it is the customization, then set it to go overnight. I assume it's okay to let the phone go to sleep while this is happening? I plan to disable my computer's screen saver and just turn off the monitor.

Thanks.

 

[shyFluttershy]

Factory resetting didn't affect the kernel. I think I'll just go with this for now, see if I have any touch-screen non-responsiveness issues. *sigh* Now to remind myself how to root this puppy.

Thanks.

 

[shyFluttershy]

... SuperSU survived the factory reset. Hunh.

 

[bkttk2]

Well, I got Kies to go a bit further and it's on the part that takes a while, but it's getting ridiculous. It's been sitting at 61% for more than half an hour. I'm going to cancel it and just razzum-frazzum factory reset and go from there.

And for the record, could someone please post up a complete step-by-step "for idiots" guide to using Kies to install firmware? Just so I can make sure this isn't the result of something stupid I've failed to do?

Thank you.

Try this.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1978840

 

[shyFluttershy]

Try this.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1978840

Hmm. I did everything correctly. So I guess it was just a matter of it legitimately taking for-freaking-ever. It's just that it had been progressing steadily, if slowly, until it hit 61%, at which point it seemed to just be sitting there (it sat at 61% for more than half an hour). Apparently, I should have just let it go, but I misinterpreted it as something going wrong, and aborted. Doesn't help that my internet connection isn't very fast. Also, I could have sworn it did some quick downloading before it got down to business.

Additionally, it seems that the situation I captured in my screen shots is actually normal. Maybe I should change my screen name to Chicken Little?

Good to know for next time.

Thank you.

 

[sanjuro77]

So I went ahead and did the Kies thing out of pure curiosity. Aside from Kies taking forever to do anything, it went well. It did erase and clear everything on my phone, as expected.
Afterward I installed Mrg's CWM and kernel. His CWM also rerooted my phone for me, just had to install busybox and superuser again normally through the Google store.

Overall didn't have any major issues with Kies. So now I'm running rooted stock JB again.

 

[shyFluttershy]

So I went ahead and did the Kies thing out of pure curiosity. Aside from Kies taking forever to do anything, it went well. It did erase and clear everything on my phone, as expected.
Afterward I installed Mrg's CWM and kernel. His CWM also rerooted my phone for me, just had to install busybox and superuser again normally through the Google store.

Overall didn't have any major issues with Kies. So now I'm running rooted stock JB again.

So you're saying that a Kies re-install wipes out absolutely everything custom, kernel and all? What about your yellow triangle? (I ask just in case I ever need to return the phone for any reason.)

Also, just to confirm, you first fired up Kies and then, with your phone on like normal, plugged it into your computer, and without turning your phone off you let Kies do its thing? And while it was in the downloading phase, did it resemble my screen shot?

Thanks.

 

[sanjuro77]

So you're saying that a Kies re-install wipes out absolutely everything custom, kernel and all? What about your yellow triangle? (I ask just in case I ever need to return the phone for any reason.)

Also, just to confirm, you first fired up Kies and then, with your phone on like normal, plugged it into your computer, and without turning your phone off you let Kies do its thing? And while it was in the downloading phase, did it resemble my screen shot?

Thanks.

Honestly I'm not sure if it wiped the kernel, I just reinstalled the custom one anyway without even checking.
I've heard that reinstalling the stock kernel will get rid of the yellow triangle though. Mine still has a triangle. Maybe I'll try that just to see if it actually gets rid of it or not.

And yes, I pretty much just let Kies do its thing, other than telling it to reinstall the firmware at the beginning. It did everything else on its own, and took quite a while.
And yes, it looked like your pic there.

 

[shyFluttershy]

Honestly I'm not sure if it wiped the kernel, I just reinstalled the custom one anyway without even checking.
I've heard that reinstalling the stock kernel will get rid of the yellow triangle though. Mine still has a triangle. Maybe I'll try that just to see if it actually gets rid of it or not.

And yes, I pretty much just let Kies do its thing, other than telling it to reinstall the firmware at the beginning. It did everything else on its own, and took quite a while.
And yes, it looked like your pic there.

That's re-assuring!

Thank you.

 

[shyFluttershy]

Kies just sat there overnight. The wheel spun but the hamster was gone. Looks like I'm skipping this part. Either that or I need to flash some stock things first because it did put up a warning that flashing custom things can cause it to fail.

:argh: