Samsung

For your information, the flashing of firmware on Samsung Galaxy S7 could run into many errors and  SW REV. CHECK FAIL is one of them. Once it comes to SW REV. CHECK FAIL S7, the obsolescence of firmware is the leading cause in most of the cases. To fix the error, you must flash the device one more time using up-to-date firmware. Continue reading to learn the way to bring your phone back to working order. 

What You Could Do

• Step 1: On your computer, launch your web browser and visit Sam Mobile official website. 
• Step 2: Go to the Firmware tab then enter 930 in the My Model Number search bar. In the Country search bar, enter your region and search it. Proceed to find the preferred firmware then download it. 
• Step 3: The moment the download completes, locate the downloaded file, right-click it and pick Extract.
• Step 4: On your Samsung S7, press and hold the Power, Volume Down, and Home button at the same time. As soon as the warning screen appears, hit the Volume Up button. That should put the device in Download Mode.
• Step 5: Connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable, right-click Odin on your computer and pick Run as administrator. 
• Step 6: Select  BL, AP, CP, and CSC respectively then choose the corresponding file you previously extracted. For instance, CSC needs to be added to the file called Home_CSC. 
• Step 7: After you finish, hit the Start button and wait as Odin flashes your phone. Once the Samsung Galaxy logo appears for the second time, disconnect your phone from your computer. 
• Step 8:When the flashing wraps up, follow on-screen instructions to set up your phone.

What Is A Flash Tool?

You could think of flash tools as utilities that you could use for flashing/installing firmware of other files, such as root script, onto Android devices. 

What Does SW REV. CHECK FAIL Mean?

If you see SW REV. CHECK FAIL appears on your phone screen, there is a discrepancy between the binaries of your device and the ROM.  Here is an example: SW REV. CHECK FAIL (BOOTLOADER) DEVICE: 8 BINARY: 6 means your device has a binary of 6 and the ROM has a binary of 8. The discrepancy results in conflicts that prevent the flashing from completing successfully. 

What Is Odin?

Odin is a utility developed by Samsung to flash firmware on Samsung devices in download mode (Odin mode). By taking advantage of Odin, Samsung users could flash all sorts of custom ROM onto their phones.  Moreover, it’s possible to use Odin to unbrick Android devices when a need arises. 

When Should I Flash My Phone? 

When you flash your phone, the operating system of your phone will be changed to a different version. As a result, flashing is the perfect fix for many problems on Android such as black screens, bricked devices, crashing applications, etc. Flashing erases all data, files and components before modifying the operating system version. That is more than enough to eliminate errors that plague your phone. 

Noteworthily, flashing a custom ROM allows you to tailor the performance of the device to your liking. Flashing might void your phone’s warranty though so think carefully. 

How Should I Prepare My Phone For Flashing?

Flashing is a delicate process and it’s not uncommon for things to turn south out of the blue. Because of that, it’s essential that you take preparation seriously. 

• Fully charge the phone. 
• Back-up important data.
• Memorize every step of the flashing process. 
• Install Samsung USB Driver on your computer.
• Download the correct ROM file for your device.
• Enable USB Debugging on your Samsung device:
  • Step 1: Open Settings then tap About (Device) 
  • Step 2: Press Build number seven times then go back to Settings.
  • Step 3: Scroll down, select Developer options and enable USB debugging.

Can I Use Odin To Flash Non-Samsung Devices? 

The Odin app is a ROM flashing tool that only works on Samsung smartphones and tablets. To flash non-Samsung devices, you should install and use one of the following flash tools: 

• Android Repair.
• System Repair for Android.
• SP Flash Tool.
• Cyber Flashing.
• Flashing Utility.
• KingoRoot.
• Android Repair Master.
• Phone Doctor Plus.

If your Samsung S5 won’t connect to computer, there is a good chance that you have yet to unlock the screen. Hence, the best solution is to determine whether you have unlocked the screen of your Samsung phone. If the issue persists, it’s strongly recommended that you check out the USB cable, enable USB Debugging, download and install Samsung USB Driver, etc. Continue reading to be able to establish connection between your Samsung S5 and your PC.

What Must Be Done 

Unlock The Screen 

In case you don’t know, Android devices including Samsung S5 won’t allow computers to access data on them if the screen is locked. That is part of security measures a lot of phones nowadays use to prevent unauthorized access. You have a hard time getting your Samsung S5 to connect to your PC? Then it’s a good idea to make sure that the screen of the device is unlocked. 

Check Out The USB Cable

All in all, the USB cable plays a key role in establishing connection between your Samsung S5 and your PC. Thus, for good measure, you should take a look at the USB cable if your Samsung S5 won’t connect to computer. In the case that the cable is loosely connected to the devices, proceed to secure the connection. If the cable is damaged, look for a replacement. 

Note: Depending on the situation, it’s wise to inspect and examine the USB ports of your Samsung and your PC. If one of the ports is dirty, damaged and so on, you must bring it back to working order. 

Enable USB Debugging And MTP Mode

• Step 1: Open Settings, hit About device and tap Build Number option seven times to enable Developer Options. 
• Step 2: Back out to Settings, make your way to Developer Options and toggle on the USB Debugging switch. Also, locate Select USB Configuration, choose it and tick the MTP circle.
• Step 3: Connect your Samsung S5 to your PC then see how things turn out.

Download And Install Samsung USB Driver

• Step 1: Launch the web browser on your computer, visit Samsung website and download the latest version of Samsung USB Driver for Samsung S5.
• Step 2: Right-click the downloaded file, pick Extract here and double-click the extracted file. Afterward, hit Next, select your preferred Language and Region, choose Next, determine the installation destination then hit Install. 
• Step 3: The moment the installation completes, hit Finish, connect your Samsung S5 to your PC and witness the result. 

How Do I Add My Fingerprint To Samsung S5? 

• Step 1: Open Settings, click Finger Scanner and pick Fingerprint Manager.
• Step 2: Hit OK then swipe your finger on the home button till the fingerprint is added to your device. Remember to enter your backup password and confirm it. 
• Step 3: Select Done then choose OK to wrap up the process.

Is There A Way To Move Apps From Internal Memory To SD Card On Samsung S5?

• Step 1: Open Settings, select Applications and choose Application Manager. 
• Step 2: Click the app you want to move to the SD card then pick Move to SD card. 

What Are The Types Of Motions And Gestures Available On Samsung S5? 

On Samsung S5, the available motions and gestures include: 

• Air Browse: Scrolling the page by moving the hand over the sensor
• Direct call: Lifting the call directly when you place the device at the ear 
• Smart Alert.
• Mute/Pause.
• Palm Swipe to Capture.

In order to make use of motion and gestures, go through the below steps: 

• Step 1: Open Settings.
• Step 2: Hit Motion and Gestures.
• Step 2: Enable motions and gestures you want to use. 

 

In discussions about storage space on Samsung S4, it’s not uncommon to see people mentioning Samsung S4 miscellaneous files as well as the amount of space they occupy. You want to free up space on your Samsung S4 by deleting miscellaneous files but don’t know how? In that case, you should find this article helpful. Deon below is everything you must keep in mind once it comes to getting rid of miscellaneous files on Samsung S4.

Deleting Miscellaneous Files On Samsung S4: Guidelines

• Step 1: Swipe down from the top to the bottom of the screen to open the Notification panel, select the gear icon at the top-right screen and choose Storage. 
• Step 2: Proceed to tap Miscellaneous Files/Misc. 
• Step 3: Pick the Files you want to delete by clicking the checkboxes next to the files. Keep in mind that you may delete all files at once: all you have to do is tap Select All then press Delete. 

FAQs 

What exactly are miscellaneous files? 

For your information, miscellaneous files are files that do not belong to app, media, cache and so on. Furthermore, miscellaneous files don’t play a key role in system operations so there is no harm in deleting them in most of the cases. 

How do I move files and folders from Samsung S4 to an SD card?

• Step 1: Go to the Apps menu, launch My Files and tap Home icon on the top right. 
• Step 2: Click All Files then pick Device Storage. Next, pick the files you want to move to your SD card by clicking the checkboxes next to the files. 
• Step 3: After you finish, select the three-line icon, choose Move and hit the SD memory card. Depending on your preferences, you may either designate a folder to move your files in or create a new folder. 
• Step 4: Tap Move on the top right screen to transfer your files. 

What must be done to perform a factory reset on Samsung S4? 

Via Phone Buttons

• Step 1: Press and hold the Power button then hit Power off to turn off the device.
• Step 2: Press and hold the Volume Up, Power, and Home buttons altogether. As soon the Samsung logo shows up, release the Power button while holding others till the Android System Recovery appears. 
• Step 3: Use your Volume Up and Down buttons to navigate to the Wipe data/factory reset then press the Power button. Proceed to select Delete all user data then choose Reboot system now. 

Via Settings 

• Step 1: Go to the Apps menu, open Settings and go to Accounts tab.
• Step 2: Scroll to the bottom, select Backup and reset then choose Factory data reset. 
• Step 3: Press Reset Device to confirm the reset and hit Erase everything. 

Via Factory Format Code

You should be able to perform a factory reset if you know how to use the format code. Open dial pad, enter *2767*3855# and press the Call button.

What must be done to back up the files on Samsung S4?

• Step 1: Go to the Apps menu, open Settings and go to Accounts tab.
• Step 2: Scroll down to the bottom, hit Backup and Reset then check the checkbox next to Back up my data. 
• Step 3: Hit Backup account, select your backup account and choose the Return button.
• Step 4: In the Accounts tab, tap Google and press your Google account under the Accounts section. 
• Step 5: Check all the available boxes, tap the Menu button and press Sync now.

How do I clear the cache of an app on Samsung S4? 

• Step 1: Click the Menu button on the phone, pick Settings and hit More tab at the top. 
• Step 2: Select Application manager under the Device manager then choose the app whose cache you want to clear.
• Step 3: Tap the Clear cache button under the Cache section. 

Should I use Adapt Display? 

Adapt Display in essence adjusts the display brightness, contrast, and saturation based on the displaying content as well as the ambient lighting conditions. The idea behind Adapt Display is to ease strain and protect eyesight. Samsung S4 features seven automatic and four manual modes for you to choose from. If you want to activate/deactivate the Adapt Display feature of your Galaxy S4, you can navigate to Settings, select Display, choose Screen Mode and hit Adapt Display. 

How come videos keep stopping by themselves on my Samsung S4?

You need to check whether you have enabled Smart Pause which is a feature that detects your head movements. For example, when you turn your head against the video, it will automatically pause. To disable Smart Pause, go to Settings, click My Device, pick Smart Screen, and uncheck the box next to Smart Pause. 

If your Note 4 won’t update and you keep seeing the message “Software update unsuccessful”, it’s possible that the cache partition is at fault. To get the device to update, you should consider wiping the cache partition. Other solutions include making use of Samsung Smart Switch, performing a factory reset, flashing firmware via Odin, etc. Continue reading to be able to update your Samsung phone and get the most out of it. 

Note 4 Not Updating: Solutions

Wipe The Cache Partition 

• Step 1: Press and hold the Power button then hit Power off to shut down the device.
• Step 2: Press and hold Power, Volume Up and Home buttons at the same time then let them as soon as the device vibrates. 
• Step 3: In Recovery Mode, use Volume Up/Down buttons to navigate to wipe cache partition then press the Power button to select. 
• Step 4: Choose Yes, navigate to Reboot system now and press the Power button. 
• Step 5: When the screen comes back on, update your phone one more time and see how things turn out. 

Perform A Factory Reset 

• Step 1: Press and hold the Power button then hit Power off to shut down the device.
• Step 2: Press and hold Power, Volume Up and Home buttons at the same time then let them as soon as the device vibrates. 
• Step 3: In Recovery Mode, use Volume Up/Down buttons to navigate to wipe data/factory reset then press the Power button to select. 
• Step 4: Choose Yes, navigate to Reboot system now and press the Power button. 
• Step 5: Proceed to update your phone again then determine whether the issue persists.

Note: Before performing a factory reset, you should back up the device. By doing so, you could avoid losing important data. 

Make Use Of Samsung Smart Switch 

• Step 1: On your phone, open Google Play Store, search for Samsung Smart Switch Mobile and install it. On your computer, launch the web browser, visit Samsung website, search for Samsung Smart Switch and install it. 
• Step 2: Connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable then open Samsung Smart Switch on your computer. 
• Step 3: If an available update, Smart Switch should recommend you to update/provide you the options to update. Click Update and follow on-screen instructions to download update files.
• Step 4: After the download finishes, pick OK to initiate the update. 

Note: Your phone might turn on and off a few times during the update but there is no need to worry. Over the course of the update, see to it that the connection between your phone and computer remains secured.  

Flash Firmware Via Odin

• Step 1: On your computer, launch the web browser, search for the firmware of Samsung Note 4 and download it. Remember to extract the .ZIP file. 
• Step 2: Search for Samsung USB Driver, download the setup file, right-click it and pick Run as Administrator. Follow on-screen instructions to install Samsung USB Driver.
• Step 3: Search for the latest version of Odin, download it, extract the .ZIP file and double-click Odin3.exe.
• Step 4: On your phone, press and hold the Power button then hit Power off to shut down the device. Next, press and hold Power, Volume Down and Home buttons to boot into Download Mode. Press the Volume Up button to continue
• Step 5: Connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable. If the connection is a success, Odin is going to display the message “Added!”. 
• Step 6: On Odin, click AP, navigate to the location where you save your extracted firmware, pick the file and hit OK. 
• Step 7: The moment the checkbox next to AP on Odin is checked, hit Start. The only thing left to do is to allow the flashing to run from start to finish. 

FAQs

How do I set the PIN code for my Samsung Note 4? 

• Step 1: Tap Apps on the Home screen, select Settings and choose Lock Screen.
• Step 2: Click Screen Lock, pick PIN and enter your PIN. The PIN must be at least 4 digits long.
• Step 3: Press Continue, re-enter your PIN again and tap OK. 

Is there a way to limit my data usage on Samsung Note 4? 

• Step 1: Swipe down to reveal Notification Panel, select the gear icon to open Settings and choose Data usage under Wireless and Networks. 
• Step 2: Press Limit mobile data usage to enable it and tap OK in the Data usage limit popup. 
• Step 3: Select Alert me about data usage then choose OK in the Data usage alert popup. 
• Step 4: Drag the black bar around to set the mobile data warning and the orange bar to set the data usage limit. 

Generally speaking, if you keep getting the error “Unable to download content in Show button shapes”, Show button shapes is the root of the problem. To dismiss the error, you must disable Show button shapes in Accessibility settings. In addition, you could clear data/cache of Galaxy Themes, perform a factory reset, etc. Continue reading to be able to get the most out of your Android phone. 

A List Of Solutions 

Disable Show Button Shapes 

• Step 1: On your home screen, swipe from top to bottom, click the gear icon to open Settings, scroll down and pick Accessibility. 
• Step 2: Hit the Vision option in the Category section, scroll down and toggle off the Show button shapes switch. 
• Step 3: Proceed to download a theme then see how things turn out. 

Note: If the Show button shapes option is grayed out, you are currently using a different theme that is not Touchwiz, the default theme. Therefore, you need to switch back to the default theme to implement the fix: 

• Step 1: Open Settings, select Theme, choose the three-line icon on the left and hit My stuff.
• Step 2: Click Default then pick click Apply to go back to the Touchwiz theme. 
• Step 3: Disable Show button shapes, download a theme and determine whether the issue persists.

Clear Data/Cache Of Galaxy Themes

• Step 1: Open Settings, select Apps and choose Galaxy Themes.
• Step 2: Tap Storage, press Clear Data/Cache and hit OK to confirm 
• Step 3: Back out to Galaxy Themes, select Force Stop and choose OK. 

Perform A Factory Reset

Note: Before performing a factory reset, you should back up all your important information because the reset will wipe the memory clean. 

Via Settings

• Step 1: Open Settings, scroll down and hit Backup & Reset.
• Step 2: Select Factory data reset, tap on Reset to confirm and click Delete All.
• Step 3: Allow the process to go all the way. 

Via Buttons

• Step 1: Press and hold the Power button then hit Power off to shut down the device.
• Step 2: Press and hold the Power, Volume Up, and Home buttons (Power, Bixby, and Volume Up buttons if your phone lacks the Home button) at the same time. Release the Power button as soon as the device vibrates while still holding the other two. When a menu appears, release the two buttons. 
• Step 3: Use Volume Up/Down buttons to navigate to wipe data/factory reset then press the Power button to select. 
• Step 4: Choose Yes, navigate to Reboot system now and press the Power button. 
• Step 5: Witness the result.

How Do I Browse The Galaxy Theme Store? 

• A total of 5 main categories exist in the Theme Store: Themes, Wallpapers, Icons, AODs, and Menu. 
• Themes, Wallpapers, Icons, and AODs all have a Featured and Top section at the top of the screen. Additionally, under Top, you can tap All in the left corner to see free and paid options. Pn the top right is a grid icon that can change the content structure of the store. 
• The Menu category can help you view events, purchased items, receipts and payment methods. Other information in the Menu section is viewed content, wish list, and Setting menu that can control and manage features such as auto-updates, notifications, etc. 

What Must Be Done To Download Content From the Galaxy Theme Store? 

All in all, you must have a Samsung account, a payment method, and a billing address. You can use Samsung Pay as your payment method for convenience. 

• Step 1: Navigate to the Galaxy Theme Store and choose the content you want to purchase (theme, wallpaper, icon pack, or AOD theme). 
• Step 2: Click the price button, pick your payment method and verify the total price, including taxes. 
• Step 3: After the purchasing process finishes, hit Apply to make use of the content. The application method may vary depending on what you purchased. 

Note: Free items don’t need a purchasing process. Simply click Download to get the item and tap Apply. In addition, wallpapers and AOD themes can be applied through the wallpaper picker outside the Theme Store. 

Do I Have To Update Galaxy Themes? 

The Samsung Galaxy Theme Store should be automatically updated. In the Theme Store, you can manage and control the auto-updates of themes, icons, wallpapers, etc., via the Settings section. 

In discussions about Samsung phones, same contact under two different names Samsung is a topic that attracts special attention from the community. At the moment, Samsung users could save multiple names to one contact by creating contact groups. New to Samsung devices and don’t know what must be done? Then you should find this article helpful. 

How To Create A Contact Group

On Samsung phones, it’s possible to create groups of contacts in times of need. In a contact group, you can add as many names as you like which enables you to manage multiple contacts and send messages to all members at the same time. The limit for sending SMS messages is twenty participants per group. 

• Step 1: Launch Contacts. 
• Step 2: Click the three-line icon, pick the drop-down arrow next to Group and hit Create group
• Step 3: Enter the Group name then add the Group ringtone
• Step 4: Select + Add member to add contacts to the Group, choose Contacts and hit Done. 
• Step 5: Click the line icon next to the contact name if you want to remove it from the group and pick Save to save your new Group. 

Note: To edit a contact group, go through the steps down below: 

• Step 1: In Contacts, click the Menu icon and pick the Group you want to edit.
• Step 2: Hit the three-dot icon in the top right screen to Delete or Send a message.
• Step 3: Choose the pencil icon to edit or add new members to the group. 

How Do I Import And Export Contacts From SIM Card On Samsung? 

Android 10.0 and above

• Step 1: Launch Contacts, select the three-line icon and choose Import/export Contacts
• Step 2: Tap Import/Export depending on your demand, press SIM card and hit the Import/Export button
• Step 3: Select the contact numbers you want to import/export, choose Done and hit OK to confirm 

Android 9.0

• Step 1: Launch Contacts, click the three-line icon, pick Manage contacts and hit Import/export Contacts 
• Step 2: Tap Import/Export depending on your demand, press SIM card and hit Contacts you want to add in.
• Step 3: Proceed to hit Import/Export again to confirm. 

Android 7.0 – 8.0

• Step 1: Launch Contacts, click the three-dot icon and pick Settings.
• Step 2: Press Import/Export contacts then tap either Import or Export buttons depending on your demand.
• Step 3: Select the location to save Contacts, choose Contacts you want to export/import and hit DONE to finish. 

Android 4.4 – 6.1

• Step 1: Launch Contacts from the Home screen, select the three-dot icon and choose Settings 
• Step 2: Choose Contacts, go to Import/Export contacts, select between Import from device storage and Export to device storage then choose a location to save contacts. 

Android 4.1 – 4.3.1

• Step 1: Launch Contacts, press the Menu icon and choose Import/Export
• Step 2: Choose your preferred option and the saved location for your contacts. 
• Step 3: A process at the top left screen will appear, and after the process, your contacts will be imported or exported to your wanted locations. 

Is It Possible To Transfer Contacts Via Bluetooth On Samsung? 

The answer is yes. Follow these steps to use Bluetooth to transfer contacts:

• Step 1: Turn on Bluetooth on both devices. Also, you must make sure that the Bluetooth settings are set to be visible to all devices. Hit the scan button to check all the available devices. 
• Step 2: Pair with your preferred devices. Tap OK to proceed with the pairing process. On the other phone, confirm the request. 

Android Pie 

• Step 3A: Launch Contacts on your Samsung device, click the three-dot icon and pick Share
• Step 4A: Choose the preferable contacts then select Share at the bottom of the screen
• Step 5A: Select Bluetooth, choose the paired device and wait as contacts get transferred. 

Android Lollipop

• Step 3B: Launch Contacts, tap MORE on the top right screen and press Share
• Step 4B: Check the checkbox next to each of the contacts you want to share, click Share and pick the Bluetooth icon.
• Step 5B: Select the paired device then on the paired device, choose to accept the files. 

Android Kitkat 

• Step 3C: Launch Contacts from the Home screen, tap the Menu button and press Import/Export 
• Step 4C: Choose Share namecard via option, check the checkboxes next to Contacts you want to share and select Done after you finish.
• Step 5C: Select Bluetooth and choose Just once. 

 

Overall, the Note 4 “Could not do normal boot” error is usually caused by bugs so restart is the best solution. Depending on the situation, you should also consider wiping the cache partition, performing a factory reset, and so on. You don’t know your way around your Note 4 and have a hard time carrying out the solutions? Then you should find this article helpful. 

Causes Of The Error 

In the course of operation, Note 4 could run into a couple of errors out of the blue. In the case of Note 4 “Could not do normal boot”, the list of suspects includes: 

• Bugs.
• Corruption.
• Android. 

What Must Be Done?

Restart

• Step 1: Press and hold the Power button then tap Power Off to turn off your phone. 
• Step 2: Turn the device around, remove the back cover and get the battery out of the battery compartment. Next, wait for a minute then return the battery as well as the back cover to where they belong. 
• Step 3: Press and hold the Power button then let go of it the moment the device vibrates.

Wipe Cache Partition 

• Step 1: Press and hold the Power button then hit Power off to shut down the device.
• Step 2: Press and hold Power, Volume Up and Home buttons at the same time then let them go as soon as the device vibrates. 
• Step 3: In Recovery Mode, use Volume Up/Down buttons to navigate to wipe cache partition then press the Power button to select. 
• Step 4: Choose Yes, navigate to Reboot system now and press the Power button. 
• Step 5: See how things turn out. 

Perform A Factory Reset 

• Step 1: Press and hold the Power button then hit Power off to shut down the device.
• Step 2: Press and hold Power, Volume Up and Home buttons at the same time then let them go as soon as the device vibrates. 
• Step 3: In Recovery Mode, use Volume Up/Down buttons to navigate to wipe data/factory reset then press the Power button to select. 
• Step 4: Choose Yes – delete all users data, navigate to Reboot system now and press the Power button. 
• Step 5: Determine whether the issue persists. 

Note: You should back up the device before performing a factory reset. By doing so, you could avoid losing important data. 

When Should I Perform A Factory Reset?

• Your Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is too slow. 
• Your Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is frozen. 
• Your Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is out of space to install new apps. 
• Your Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is unable to pick up calls. 
• You have forgotten the unlock pattern or PIN code to unlock your Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
• Your plan to sell/give your Samsung Galaxy Note 4 away.

What Will Happen If I Perform A Factory Reset? 

Following a factory reset, the data in your device will be erased including everything that has been installed since the day that your device was first activated. In addition, your Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will also sign out of all of the social media accounts and services such as Facebook, Instagram, Google, mail, etc. All conversations, messages, photos, videos, audio recordings and files will be removed too. 

Naturally, before performing a factory reset, it is a good idea to create a backup of your important data, ideally in the cloud (iCloud, Google Drive). By doing so, you should be able to link the device to your cloud account and get the data back with relative ease. 

What Must Be Done To Improve Samsung Note 4 Speed? 

As time passes by, your Samsung Galaxy Note 4 might become sluggish and take a long time to execute processes. To improve the situation, you should give these measures a go. 

• Get rid of non-essential third-party applications, especially those that you don’t use regularly. Use the opportunity to delete unneeded pre-installed applications as well. 
• Transfer some of the media items to memory cards and cloud accounts instead of storing everything in the phone’s memory. 
• Update the OS.
• Restart every now and then. 
• Download and install a reputable antivirus program. 

Once it comes to the error “SECURE CHECK FAIL : recovery” Note 4, the flashing of incorrect ROM is usually the trigger. The best solution in most of the cases is to take a look at the ROM. Besides that, you should consider flashing ROM via TWRP, deactivating the Reactivation Lock and so on. Continue reading to be able to get rid of the error and put your Note to good use. 

The Usual Suspects  

Overall, it’s not uncommon for Android users to run into errors while flashing ROM on their devices. Still, regarding “SECURE CHECK FAIL : recovery” Note 4, you should give the following possibilities into account:

• Incorrect ROM.
• Reactivation Lock is on. 

What Must Be Done

Take A Look At The ROM

Windows 

• Step 1: On your computer, press Windows + E to open File Explorer, make your way to where the ROM you use for the flashing is located and copy the path. 
• Step 2: Press Windows key, type cmd and hit Run as administrator. 
• Step 3: In Command Prompt (Admin), run the command cd *path to the ROM*. 
• Step 4: Proceed to run the command certutil -hashfile *file* MD5 in Command Prompt (Admin). Remember to substitute the name of the ROM for *file*. 
• Step 5: If the return matches the checksum set out by the developers, your ROM is good. On the other hand, if there is a mismatch, your ROM is no good and you must look for the correct one.

MAC

The process is no-nonsense: open Terminal, make your way to where the ROM you use for the flashing is located, type md5 *file* and hit Enter. Next, determine whether there is a match and act accordingly. 

Note: If you still get the error “SECURE CHECK FAIL : recovery” even though your ROM is correct, corruption could be the root of the problem. For good measure, delete the existing ROM, download a new one and use it to flash your Note 4. 

Flash ROM Via TWRP 

• Step 1: Move the ROM into a MicroSD card.
• Step 2: Remove the battery from your Note 4, wait for a bit and put it back in.
• Step 3: Boot into TWRP, flash the ROM from the MicroSD card and see how things turn out. 

Deactivate Reactivation Lock

• Step 1: Remove the battery from your Note 4, wait for a bit and put it back in.
• Step 2: Turn on the device then do whatever it takes to reach the home screen.
• Step 3: Open Settings, select General option and choose Security. 
• Step 4: Proceed to deactivate Reactivation Lock. Enter your credentials if prompted. 
• Step 5: Restart the device, flash it one more time and witness the result. 

Flashing Firmware On Samsung Phones: Guidelines 

• Step 1: On your computer, launch the web browser, search for the desired firmware and download it. Remember to extract the .ZIP file after the download finishes. 
• Step 2: Download and install Samsung USB Driver as well as Odin. 
• Step 3: Press and hold the Power button on your phone then hit Power off to shut down the device. Next, press and hold Power, Volume Down and Home buttons to boot into Download Mode. Proceed to press the Volume Up button to continue.
• Step 4: Open Odin then connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable. If the connection is a success, Odin is going to display the message “Added!”. 
• Step 5: In Odin, click AP, navigate to the location where you save your extracted firmware, pick the file and hit OK. When the field next to AP on Odin is filled, it means that the firmware is loaded and you could hit Start. The only thing left to do is to wait for the flashing to run.

What Must Be Done To Update Samsung Note 4 Via Samsung Smart Switch? 

• Step 1: On your phone, open Google Play Store, search for Samsung Smart Switch Mobile and install it. On your computer, launch the web browser, visit the Samsung website, search for Samsung Smart Switch and install it. 
• Step 2: Connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable then open Samsung Smart Switch on your computer. 
• Step 3: If an available update, Smart Switch should recommend you to update/provide you the options to update. Click Update and follow on-screen instructions to download update files. The moment the download concludes, pick OK to initiate the update. 

Note: Your phone might turn on and off a few times during the update but there is no need to worry. Over the course of the update, see to it that the connection between your phone and computer remains secured.  

For most of the time, inconsistent contact between the SIM card and the pins is responsible for “SIM card removed” error Galaxy S4. If that error gives you a hard time, it’s strongly recommended that you secure the SIM card to the best of your ability. Other solutions include removing the SD card, replacing the motherboard/card tray and so on. Read to the end to learn how to dismiss the error and get your phone to detect your SIM card. 

Approaches To The Situation 

Secure The SIM Card 

• Step 1: Power off your phone, do whatever it takes to reach the card slot and get the SIM card out. 
• Step 2: Proceed to determine whether the SIM card is in working order. If the card is dirty, clean it using a combination of isopropyl alcohol and lint-free cloth. If the card is damaged, replace it at the earliest opportunity. If nothing is out of the ordinary, put the card back into the card slot. 
• Step 3: Turn the phone on and see how things turn out. 

Note: Depending on the situation, you must use other means to secure the SIM card.

• Step 1: Gently get the back cover of the phone out of the way then remove the SIM card as well as the battery. Use a micro Phillips-head screwdriver to unscrew all screws on the back of the phone. 
• Step 2: Use your fingernail to pry off the rest of the phone before moving your fingers around the bezel until it pops out. Refrain from applying excessive force here.
• Step 3: Use scissors to cut out a small piece of the foam about the width of two dimes, then cut a ¼ segment out of the foam piece. That should make it easier to put everything back together. 
• Step 4: Press down on the connector for the SIM card tray until you hear a “click” sound then place the foam piece on top of the connector. Keep the piece from overlapping the camera. 
• Step 5: Reassemble the phone, press down a few times on different locations and re-screw all screws.  Finally, return the SIM card, the battery, and the back cover to where they belong before turning on the phone.  

Note: 

• If the bezel of your phone is bulging, the foam piece may be too big. However, it won’t cause severe problems, just a noticeable bulge on your device. 
• If the issue persists, the foam piece might need to be thicker. Try pressing down the connector a bit more before inserting the foam. 

Remove The SD Card

On Galaxy S4, SIM and SD cards could be used at the same time by design. Still, if you only run into the “SIM card removed” error when you use SIM and SD cards simultaneously, remove the SD card. The removal of the SD card means the loss of some storage space but in exchange, you could make use of the SIM card. 

Replace The Motherboard/Card Tray 

If none of the above, there is a good chance either the motherboard or the card tray is damaged. In that case, you have no choice but to replace the motherboard/card tray. While you should be able to replace the card tray with relative ease, the replacement of the motherboard is no cakewalk. If you lack confidence, feel free to hire someone to carry out the replacement in your stead. 

How Do I Insert A SIM Card Into My Galaxy Note 4? 

• Step 1: In the beginning, get the back cover out of the way. To do so, press the divot next to the power button then gently lift the back cover by the corner nearest the divot. 
• Step 2: Remove the battery then insert the SIM card into the card tray until it clicks in place. 
• Step 3: Put everything back together then turn on your phone. 

What Must Be Done To Move Content To An SD Card? 

• Step 1: Open Apps, select My Files and choose All Files. 
• Step 2: Hit Device Storage, make your way to the files and folders that you want to transfer then check the checkboxes next to them. 
• Step 3: Click the List symbol on the top right, pick Move and hit SD Memory card. Proceed to the desired location on the SD card and hit Move here. After you finish, the files and folders will be moved to your SD card. 

Is There A Way To Move Contacts Over Bluetooth? 

• Step 1: Open Contacts, pick the menu key and click Import/Export.
• Step 2: Select Share name card via then choose either a contact you want to send or Select all to send all contacts. 
• Step 3: Tap Done, hit Bluetooth and press OK. Next, pick the device you want to send your contacts to. If the other device is not visible, make sure that Bluetooth is enabled on the other device and click Scan on your Galaxy S4 to discover it.