Guide: Firmware Flash SGH-F480 (Tocco)

[Strawbs]

UPDATE: Pink April 09 Firmware now available at the bottom of this post.

General Info: Flashing your Tocco will delete all personal files, contacts, messages & info saved to the phone memory, & all settings will revert to factory defaults! Everything you wish to restore should be backed up, either to memory card or via Samsung PC Studio (not needed for flashing) before you begin the process & then remove the memory card from the phone.

The Firmware supplied in the link below is an original open (all networks) European Samsung copy that I have found to be reliable and better than the vodafone branded version my handset came with, Network setting were (in my case at least) retrieved from the sim card once it was replaced in the phone. You can check your current firmware version by typing *#1234# in the dialing screen - make a note of it, just in case you wish to find a copy for restoration later.

Languages supported by these firmwares are as follows:

1.Automatic
2.Pyccknn
3.YkpaiHcbKa
4.Latviesu
5.Eesti
6.Leituviu
7.Ka3ak
8.English
9.Deutsch
10.Francais
11.Espanol
12.Italiano
13.Cestina
14.Magyar
15.Polski
16.Slovencina

I don't have time to search for firmwares in different languages, so please don't ask.

Disclaimer\Warning: You can't "back-up" the firmware on your phone, so you won't be able to revert to your previous firmware unless you find a copy on the net! don't start unless you're sure you want to go through with the flash. I will not be held responsible if you brick your phone or lose network specific settings - you do this entirely at your own risk. F480T (Telstra - Australia) users may experience flash failure & subsequent loss of handset functions! This may be down to the need to perform a "full" flash to rid the handset of Telstra software completely, this guide does not cover the Full Flash method, and as such, I do not recommend you use this guide for that purpose. If any of the above scares you, STOP Now.

Download: Download Multiloader V5.33 from MultiLoader_V5.33.exe - 0.09MB & the Firmware F480XEHL2 (December '08) from F480XEHL2.zip - 55.49MB & save to a location you won't forget. Both files have been scanned for virus' & trojans using up-to-date versions of Avast & A-Squared before uploading, but for peace of mind you should probably scan them yourself once downloaded using updated definitions. Unzip the firmware file to its own folder! Inside that folder you should find two others -: 1.BIN & 2.BOOTFILES

Prep'ing: I will assume that your supplied USB cable actually works with your PC - If you don't already know, nows the time to find out by testing the connection! Set the connection option in the handsets "Menu>Phone Settings>PC Connection" to "PC Studio"! Run PC Studio & check the program "finds" your phone. Once you're sure it works you can remove the microSD & sim cards, then replace the battery, but don't turn the phone on yet.

Boot: Hold down the "Volume -" button on the left side, and the "Camera" button on the right, then press the "Power" button = all three buttons need to be pressed together. Your phone should start up into a red\blue on black bootloader screen.

Open multiloader.exe, select the second row (MSM6275/MSM6280(Z*8yada, yada,yada,etc, etc, f480)) & configure to look like my screenshot below by pressing the Boot button on the left side and browse to the bootfiles folder. Then select the other buttons down the left side! amss_compressed, Rsrc1,Rsrc2 [<-use the *F480(Low)* file] and FactoryFS as shown.

zSHARE - Multi-Loader v5.33.bmp

Flashing: You are now ready to flash your Tocco. Connect your phone to your comp and if your phone's COM port doesn't register in the lower panel, click the "Port Search" button on screen, when it finds the phone click "Download".

Alert: Once the download button has been clicked, leave the phone down on the desk, DO NOT unplug or otherwise interupt the flash in any way, and it would be wise to leave the PC alone and not run other programs or you risk corrupting the installation & bricking the phone. That said, I've flashed mine at least 3 times in search of the firmware that best suited me and I haven't had any issues what-so-ever. I know this method works and is reliable - I haven't broken mine yet, so I don't know how to fix yours if you do something dumb. A reflash would likely be the way to sort out any hic-cup, but don't quote me on that.

Watch: Your phone should have a status indicator with percentages and this should be reflected in multiloader, with each file loading after the previous one completes. The process should take roughly 5 minutes, Once it's done your phone will restart by itself once or twice! this is normal & when that's done your flash is complete! It just remains to replace your sim & memory cards, then configure your new phone to your preference! Well Done.

I have made this guide as simple as I know how, follow it to the letter & you shouldn't have any issues. please remember I do not offer support for handsets that have failed because of an attempt at this flash - any failure will most likely be caused by either not sticking to the guide or user PC problems.

Strawbs

Update: January 09 Firmware available Here.

Update: January 09 Rev.3 Firmware available Here.

Update: February 09 Firmware available Here.

Update: Pink February 09 Firmware available Here.

UPDATE: Pink April 09 Firmware available Here.

[Pelluco]

hey, if i flash my phone to firmware F480XEHL2 would i still have croatian (Hrvatski) phone language and T9 lang??

[Strawbs]

I don't see the language you want as you've spelt it, but I'll list the ones that are there! lettering will be slightly off, as my keyboard doesn't have the correct symbology.

1.Automatic
2.Pyccknn
3.YkpaiHcbKa
4.Latviesu
5.Eesti
6.Leituviu
7.Ka3ak
8.English
9.Deutsch
10.Francais
11.Espanol
12.Italiano
13.Cestina
14.Magyar
15.Polski
16.Slovencina

If your language is supported, T9 will be also.

Hope this helps.
Strawbs.

[waynesurvey]

Hi,

Thinking of getting a Tocco and I'd like to know, what improvements does the above firmware update do?

I've read various posts regarding improving picture quality, but what I'd really be interested in is an improvement that would allow a bigger selection of shortcuts via the widgets.

A colleague of mine has a tocco and she doesn't like it cos she has to make too many "button" presses to get to things like calculator and create new text message. I text a lot and would be pi***d off if I had to go through a whole lot of menus to get to new message.

Thanks

[Strawbs]

Selectable widgets\shortcuts are now as follows:

1.Analogue Clock
2.Digital Clock
3.Dual Clock
4.Calendar
5.Photos
6.Games
7.Birthday
8.Profile
9.Alarm
10.Calculator
11.Bluetooth
12.Message (txt & e-mail)
13.Memo
14.Samsung FunClub (i-net shortcut).

All can be put in the widgets bar and from there to the screen if you wish. You still have Media Player, Radio & Events, that cannot be removed from the bar.

[waynesurvey]

Great, thanks for that. Sounds like the hardship has been taken out of creating a new text.

If I call in the phone shop, is there a quick way to check that the firmware is the latest one? I saw on your other thread that *hash1234hash shows the firmware, but what is the latest firmware called? What I mean is when the firmware shows up, what should it look like if it's the latest?

Thanks

[Strawbs]

same as the file above, just without the .zip at the end. It will differ if it has an "operator" version

[Danji]

Just upgraded my Tocco with the instructions above - all worked perfect. Many thanks!!

[Pelluco]

HElp, how i can quit from bootloader screen without flashing my phone. I had problem with removing leather case battery cover too?

[Strawbs]

Originally Posted by Pelluco

HElp, how i can quit from bootloader screen without flashing my phone. I had problem with removing leather case battery cover too?

This is exactly the kind of post that annoys me, and is one of the reasons I post disclaimers with programming guides! questions like the above make writing guides so much more complicated, because these people have to be catered for. Stupidity sometimes knows no bounds.

don't start unless you're sure you want to go through with the flash. ...

If you don't know how to remove the battery cover why would you try to enter the bootloader screen? How did you expect to remove the sim card without first removing the battery?

Remove the battery to kill the phone, then replace it. If you can't even manage that I can't help you.