Samsung Galaxy A5 Marshmallow 6.0.1 Update Guide: Steps

The Samsung Galaxy A5 2015 (Original) came with Android 4.4.4 KitKat. Then in mid-2015, the Android Lollipop 5.0.2 update for Galaxy A5 was rolled out. Now there is Samsung Galaxy A5 Marshmallow 6.0.1 update. The original A5 was updated to Lollipop last year and now it has been upgraded to Android Marshmallow. So this might be its last update. Samsung recently declared that it will provide software support to its phones for two years. This is one of the best policies they have come across till now.

Galaxy A5 Marshmallow 6.0.1 update comes with a lot of upgrades and feature addition. The OTA update for the latest Android is rolling out slowly and can take time. However, if you are an enthusiast, you can use the firmware early by flashing it. This is our Galaxy A5 Android Marshmallow firmware flashing guide. This process doesn’t void the warranty as the firmware is signed by Samsung.

We are using Samsung Galaxy A500H to show you the update or flashing process. This smartphone was announced in 2014 and launched in 2015. It doesn’t have NFC or 4G support but other models do. Make sure of your model number and match that with the firmware you are downloading. There are various models such as A500F, A500W, A500G, A500H/DS, etc. Go to the settings of your phone and find the model in “About Device” in the middle. The model number is required while downloading the firmware from the repository.

Things to make sure of before starting the firmware flash process

1. Charge your phone to above 50%. Higher is better. So you can charge 100% for safety.
2. Use a laptop instead of a desktop because sudden power loss can brick the phone during the flashing process.
3. Use a good USB port of the laptop and use a good data cable. Loose cables and connections can cause connection breakdown which can also brick the phone.
4. Again make sure of the model number of the phone.

Galaxy A5 Marshmallow Firmware Flashing Steps

1. Download the Correct Firmware: After making sure of the device number, go to the Sammobile website’s firmware section to download the image.
2. Check and Download: Check your model number from About Device and then download the correct firmware for it. Try to choose the image of a country that is near to you or a language you know. Always select an image that matches your model number. Please don’t flash the firmware of the telecoms.
3. Download Kies 3 from the Samsung website
4. Install Kies 3 and the required USB drivers.
5. Download Odin: Latest versions are available on Sammobile’s website.
6. Backup your phone’s data: Make sure you have backed up everything from your mobile’s internal storage. It is best to take out the memory card as well. We have made a complete checklist of things to take care of before upgrading a phone.
7. Open Odin Mode: Turn off your phone and press Volume Down + Home Button + Power Button at the same time to open Odin mode.
8. Start the flashing: Connect USB Cable to your phone and computer. Then Open Odin on your PC and select the firmware file by clicking on “AP”.
9. Let the work complete: Press ‘Start’ and let the work be completed. It takes about 5 minutes to install but other processes and the first startup can take longer than 10 minutes. Follow the steps mentioned in our video to get a more clear idea.
10. After the flashing is done successfully, it will reset and show “PASS”.
11. Remove the cable and let the phone boot up. (First boot takes quite an amount of time).
12. The phone will upgrade the system and optimize old apps.

Boot Loop, Issues, and Rollback

In my experience, I found that there can be many issues during the firmware flashing if we are not careful. First of all, make sure all your data is backed up. Then make sure you clean the cache partition and do the full factory reset. After doing these, flash the new firmware which you have downloaded. Clean the cache partition and do the full factory reset again after flashing is completed and Odin says ‘Pass’. This can remove the issue of the phone getting stuck in boot animation. This pre and post-reset can also help in rollback.

Also Read: 7 Reasons to Buy Galaxy S7

One thing we have to keep in mind is that, after new updates, the phone is taking longer to boot after reset. It is even taking up to 20 minutes for the boot to complete. It is a bug and it makes every user quite nervous. Another issue we need to keep in mind is that after manual flashing, the OTA update won’t come. So if any security patch or if any major OS update comes, we have to do the manual flashing.

How to change the region of a Samsung phone using USSD Code?

Samsung uses different profiles, network settings, and apps for different regions or countries. So it is important to have the correct country on your phone. Samsung smartphones are intelligent and they can change the region of your phone when a SIM card from a different country is inserted. However, this is only available for International unlocked models. Also, this automatic profile or region change occurs sometimes only and can reset your phone without warning

Now, if you have flashed firmware of a different country and you want to change the region to your own. Then use the following USSD code to change the CSC code of your Samsung phone.

1. Dial *#06#
2. Find your IMEI number/numbers in case of a dual SIM model.
3. Write the IMEI number somewhere.
4. Then go to dial pad and dial *#272*IMEI Number#. (For example *#272*123456789101#)
5. Select the country you’re in.
6. Enjoy country-specific apps and features.