How to Downgrade T-Mobile Galaxy Note SGH-T879 to Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich [Back To Stock]

  WARNING!

Warranty may be void of your device if you follow the procedures given on this page.

You only are responsible for your device. We won’t be liable if any damage occurs to your device and/or its components.

  T-MOBILE GALAXY NOTE SGH-T879 OFFICIAL ICE CRAM SANDWICH 4.0.4 FIRMWARE

Before you begin with guide instructions below, make sure your android device is adequately charged — at least 50% battery of the device.

  STEP 0: CHECK DEVICE MODEL NO.

To make sure your device is eligible with this, you must first confirm its model no. in ‘About device’ option under Settings. Another way to confirm model no. is by looking for it on the packaging box of your device. It must be SGH-T879!

Do not use the procedures discussed here on any other Galaxy Note (including the Galaxy Note variant at T-Mobile, AT&T and other International variants) or any other device of Samsung or any other company. You have been warned!

  STEP 1: BACKUP YOUR DEVICE

Back up important data and stuff before you start playing around here as there are chances you might lose your apps and app-data (app settings, game progress, etc.), and in rare case, files on the internal memory, too.

For help on Backup and Restore, check out our exclusive page on that linked right below.

► ANDROID BACK UP AND RESTORE GUIDE: APPS AND TIPS

  STEP 2: INSTALL LATEST DRIVER

You must have proper and working driver installed on your windows computer to be able to successfully flash stock firmware on your T-Mobile Galaxy Note. In case you’re not sure, follow the link below for a definitive guide for installing driver for your Galaxy Note on your computer.

► SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE DRIVERS INSTALLATION GUIDE

   STEP 3: INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

  DOWNLOADS

Download the Odin zip file and firmware file given below. Transfer both Odin and firmware file to a separate folder on your computer just to keep things tidy.

  ODIN ZIP FILE

DOWNLOAD LINK | File name: Latest Odin3 v3.09.zip (951 KB)

  FIRMWARE ZIP FILE

DOWNLOAD LINK | File name: T879UVMA1_T879TMBMA1_TMB.zip (679.8 MB)

  STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

  Example video: If you haven’t used Odin before to install a stock firmware or anything else, then we suggest you first watch a video of that to get familiar with the process. The video demonstrates flashing of CWM Recovery on Galaxy S3, but since the procedure is same for flashing stock firmware also, the video will help: Click here to watch the video

Important Note: Backup important files stored on internal SD card of your device, so that in case a situation arises requiring you to do a factory reset after flashing stock firmware, which might delete internal sd card too, your files will remain safe on PC.

1. Extract/Unzip the Odin zip file, Latest Odin3 v3.09.zip on your computer (using 7-zip free software, preferably) to get this file: Odin3 v3.09.exe
2. Extract/Unzip the Firmware zip file, T879UVMA1_T879TMBMA1_TMB.zip on your computer (using 7-zip free software, preferably) to get this file: HOME_T879UVMA1_CL892179_REV02_user_mid_ship.tar.md5
3. Move the firmware file, HOME_T879UVMA1_CL892179_REV02_user_mid_ship.tar.md5, in the same folder in which you extracted Latest Odin3 v3.09.zip (Just for your convenience, that is). So, now you’ll have the following files in that folder:
   • Odin3 v3.09.exe
   • HOME_T879UVMA1_CL892179_REV02_user_mid_ship.tar.md5
4. Disconnect the Galaxy Note from PC if it is connected.
5. Double-click the Odin3 v3.09.exe file to open Odin.
6. Boot your T-Mobile Galaxy Note into Download Mode:
   • Power off your phone first and wait for 6-7 seconds after display is off
   • Press and hold these 3 buttons together until you see Warning! screen: Volume Down + Power + Home
   • Press Volume Up now to continue to Download Mode
     
7. Connect your Galaxy Note to PC. Odin window will show an Added!! message in bottom left box. Odin’s screen would look like this:
   
   If you don’t get the Added! message, here are some troubleshooting tips:
   • Make sure you have installed driver for Galaxy Note as said above in ‘Before you begin..’ section.
   • If you have already installed driver, then uninstall them and re-install back.
   • Connect using a different USB port on your PC.
   • Try a different USB cable. The original cable that came with your phone should work best, if not, try any other cable that’s new and of good quality.
   • Reboot phone and PC and then try again.
8. Load the firmware file (extracted in Step 1) into Odin as instructed below:
   • Click on the AP button on Odin and select the HOME_T879UVMA1_CL892179_REV02_user_mid_ship.tar.md5 file (from step 1). Your Odin window should look something like the screenshot below:
     
9. Now in the Option section of Odin, make sure that Re-Partition box is unchecked. (Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time boxes remain checked, while all other boxes remain unchecked.)
10. Double check the above two steps.
11. Click the Start button to begin flashing stock firmware on your T-Mobile Galaxy Note SGH-T879, and wait until you see a PASS! message in Odin’s top left box.
12. When you get PASS! message, your phone will restart automatically. You can then disconnect your phone from PC.
    

If you see FAIL message instead of the PASS in Odin’s top left box, that’s a problem. Try this now: disconnect your Galaxy Note from PC, close Odin, remove phone’s battery and put it back inside in 3-4 seconds, open Odin and then repeat from Step 3 of this guide again.

Also, If device is Stuck at setup connection or on any other process, then too, try this: disconnect your Note from PC, close Odin, remove phone’s battery and put it back inside in 3-4 seconds, open Odin and then repeat from Step 3 of this guide again.

FEEDBACK US!

It was easy to downgrade your T-Mobile Galaxy Note to stock ICS 4.0.4, right? Let us know in comments below.

Your suggestions and queries, if any, are most welcomed!