Update Galaxy Express GT-I8730 to Android 4.1.2 XWAMK1 Official Firmware

Galaxy Express GT-I8730 should be the smartphone you buy in case you look for a device with loads of great features and able to connect to very fast 4G networks.

If you already own this model, we recommend the following procedure: an update to Android 4.1.2 XWAMK1 official firmware.

The firmware that will get your handset upgraded to the newest Android OS came out this past November for the Netherlands region (especially owners of the I8730 running on KPN network).

This handset, whose launch date is April 2013, shall greatly benefit from the new firmware, which comes with KIES logo fully activated (so that you can upgrade the phone with Samsung’s KIES in case you don’t want to update it with our tutorial or OTA).

Let’s see what’s so great about the firmware: by installing it on your smartphone, the device is going to feature sync and connect email updates, mini apps, a new keyboard, group cast, pop up play, extended vsync timing, a fixed frame of 60 fps, all share, Google Now, triple buffering, automatic adjustment for the size of widgets, touch anticipation and free style widget.

A custom ROM must be running on your Galaxy Express I8730 and you mustn’t use another smartphone. You will only brick it if you own a different model. Apart from that, it should be said that the new firmware will, in case your handset’s rooted, delete its system partition and revoke root access. In doing so, though, the new Jelly Bean 4.1.2 stock firmware is not going to affect the internal/external SD cards and it won’t delete the important data stored on your smartphone.

Requirements

For our tutorial, we must ask you to first follow the requirements below before you update your Galaxy Express GT-I8730:

  • look for USB Debugging and enable it;
  • should your phone’s battery levels tell you that you must charge your battery, do it;
  • create several backups (a full NANDroid one, as well, via this guide);
  • turn off, on your phone and laptop, the programs that protect the devices against security issues;
  • flash USB drivers for the handset on the notebook;
  • your PC or laptop must run Windows.Galaxy-Express-I8730

Instructions

You will now come face to face with what must be done so that the smartphone is correctly updated to the new firmware.

  1. For one, be sure to download these packages on your laptop, then extract them: Odin tool from this page and the latest .
  2. Boot the handset in Download Mode by simultaneously pressing and holding the buttons for Volume Down, Home and Power, wait for a warning screen to pop up, then press Volume Up.
  3. After this step, you should begin the next one which tells you to go to the Odin, launch it as Admin on the laptop and after that connect the phone to the latter with the handset’s USB cord.
  4. This is going to make the Odin start looking for your smartphone and, when it is successful, you will encounter an “Added!!” message and an ID:COM box in yellow.
  5. Once the devices are connected to one another, you are able to continue to the next step. But if there’s no connection established between the two, you have to use another USB port or re-flash the USB drivers.
  6. The step that will come up next needs this from you: tap PDA, choose a file with CODE in its name, tap Phone, aim for a file with a MODEM in the name, click on CSC, opt for a file with a CSC in the name, tap PIT and select a file whose extension ends in .pit.
  7. When you are done with this, check F. Reset Time, Repartition and Auto Reboot.
  8. [sc name=”banner-jos”]We want you to do this next: start the installation of the new XWAMK1 by tapping an option called “Start“. As soon as the flashing ends, the Galaxy Express I8730 will restart. In a matter of a couple of minutes you will receive a “Pass” message on the screen; the last few step to follow: unplug the smartphone from the laptop and make sure you open the new firmware by choosing Settings and then opting for About Phone.

This is how you can update your handset to the Android 4.1.2 version. Do you want to ask us something or you deal with problems?

Drop a comment in our comment field below this post. If, by any chance, you don’t enjoy the new firmware, you should have the old one restored by doing this: use the NANDroid backup file. By doing that, the update process is going to be revoked.

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