Hey guys. Sorry if this has been answered before. I've looked and didn't see it in here so I figured I'd ask. I really don't want to set my phone into "custom" status in case I drop it or break it somehow Anyway, my question is will installing TWRP recovery from GooManager get me a "custom" status? Also, if I install a custom ROM, is there anyway to "trick" it into saying "Official" when I have ROMs and TWRP installed? I really wanted to install ROMs, but I'm too afraid of dropping it or something while the ROM is installed. Thanks!
I believe the "Custom" shows up periodically if you have a custom ROM installed. But really, it shouldn't bother people so much. It's pretty easy to tell if a custom ROM is installed without rebooting the phone. If Verizon cared that much, they could find out. FWIW, I didn't see "Custom" with the open padlock at boot when running stock rooted (aside from during the root process using the pre-release kernel.) It was only after installing a custom ROM that I see it periodically now.
Tortuga said:
I believe the "Custom" shows up periodically if you have a custom ROM installed. But really, it shouldn't bother people so much. It's pretty easy to tell if a custom ROM is installed without rebooting the phone. If Verizon cared that much, they could find out. FWIW, I didn't see "Custom" with the open padlock at boot when running stock rooted (aside from during the root process using the pre-release kernel.) It was only after installing a custom ROM that I see it periodically now.
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Thanks for your reply But the reason I'm asking is because I wanted to know if there's any way to install a recovery or custom ROM while keeping the "official" status for warranty reasons. Is there?
Dark_Spark said:
Thanks for your reply But the reason I'm asking is because I wanted to know if there's any way to install a recovery or custom ROM while keeping the "official" status for warranty reasons. Is there?
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If you were to physically damage it, you would likely still be able to boot to download mode and Odin back to 100% stock. In that case you'd have what you are asking for. I don't believe there is a way to spoof the phone into thinking it's fully official. Like I said, if Verizon/Asurion/etc care enough, they should be able to find out unless you flash back to pre-root stock. Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.
Tortuga said:
If you were to physically damage it, you would likely still be able to boot to download mode and Odin back to 100% stock. In that case you'd have what you are asking for. I don't believe there is a way to spoof the phone into thinking it's fully official. Like I said, if Verizon/Asurion/etc care enough, they should be able to find out unless you flash back to pre-root stock. Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.
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Sorry to ask a million questions, but I used to have my GS4 on the stock ROM but rooted but with TWRP recovery. The statuses everywhere read as Samsung Official. I mean even in ODIN mode too. Is that what they check for in the warranty process? Or can they detect if it was just rooted or have a custom recovery and deny a warranty claim? Thanks for your patience with me.
Dark_Spark said:
Sorry to ask a million questions, but I used to have my GS4 on the stock ROM but rooted but with TWRP recovery. The statuses everywhere read as Samsung Official. I mean even in ODIN mode too. Is that what they check for in the warranty process? Or can they detect if it was just rooted or have a custom recovery and deny a warranty claim? Thanks for your patience with me.
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Happy to help...but I really don't know what Verizon or the insurance provider would check. Some individuals within those places will probably check more thoroughly than others. But I've heard several stories of people taking their phone to Verizon, the tech seeing that it's rooted/fully custom, and replacing it anyway.
If you ever need to take it in for a warranty claim (hardware issue) I'd go back to stock first, but that's my personal opinion.
Edit: Even if it's just stock w/ root, a decently savvy tech could tell just by looking into your app list and seeing "SuperSU" or "SuperUser" or any other root-required apps.
Dark_Spark said:
Hey guys. Sorry if this has been answered before. I've looked and didn't see it in here so I figured I'd ask. I really don't want to set my phone into "custom" status in case I drop it or break it somehow Anyway, my question is will installing TWRP recovery from GooManager get me a "custom" status? Also, if I install a custom ROM, is there anyway to "trick" it into saying "Official" when I have ROMs and TWRP installed? I really wanted to install ROMs, but I'm too afraid of dropping it or something while the ROM is installed. Thanks!
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Click to collapse
No ,there is no method published till now. Possibility to do that is less then 20% since we cant access the hidden scripts for analysing binary counts..
Sent from my GT-I8552 using xda app-developers app
Tortuga said:
Happy to help...but I really don't know what Verizon or the insurance provider would check. Some individuals within those places will probably check more thoroughly than others. But I've heard several stories of people taking their phone to Verizon, the tech seeing that it's rooted/fully custom, and replacing it anyway.
If you ever need to take it in for a warranty claim (hardware issue) I'd go back to stock first, but that's my personal opinion.
Edit: Even if it's just stock w/ root, a decently savvy tech could tell just by looking into your app list and seeing "SuperSU" or "SuperUser" or any other root-required apps.
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Click to collapse
Thank you!
Related
My Vibrant is telling me that T-Mobile has kindly sent me an update. I think it must be the GPS fix. It is rather persistent in that it won't let me choose when to install it. It will only allow me to delay for at most a day. This is quite annoying as I am preparing for a trip and really don't want to mess around with my phone right now.
I am running Vibrant9. Do I want to install this update? Is it gonna break anything? Thanks!
JJMT said:
My Vibrant is telling me that T-Mobile has kindly sent me an update. I think it must be the GPS fix. It is rather persistent in that it won't let me choose when to install it. It will only allow me to delay for at most a day. This is quite annoying as I am preparing for a trip and really don't want to mess around with my phone right now.
I am running Vibrant9. Do I want to install this update? Is it gonna break anything? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shouldn't break anything. Most are still waiting for the update. Personally I was impatient and flashed it through ODIN last night.
OK. I accepted the update. Phone is now stuck on "Vibrant" at reboot. Sigh. Proceeding to trying to restore ROM.
JJMT said:
OK. I accepted the update. Phone is now stuck on "Vibrant" at reboot. Sigh. Proceeding to trying to restore ROM.
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Go to the Development section that are a few threads about this. I looks like anyone with a lag fix, or GPS fix (from JI2) where having this issue, plus I have seen stock people having it too.
Or you can go read my blog post here. the post tells the steps I took to get back the JFD, but you could flash JI6 instead.
you will need to flash JI6 with ODIN to restore, you can not just do a nandroid restore, it is an issue with the kernel and nandroid does not restore/backup the kernel.
*facepalm*@Samsung
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=803492
Anderdroid said:
*facepalm*@Samsung
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It's not Samsung or T-Mobile.. its that the OP performed tweaks so the ROM wasn't a 100.00% version of Stock. Tweaks including lag fixes, GPS fix, etc can cause this.
Personally, I don't know why if you're performing tweaks on your phone and are on a stock ROM. If you're going to tweak your phone, go the full way and tweak everything.
This is why t-mobile had the G2 nand locked..... so this type of user error won't cost them millions, replacing phones that the user messed up with blind stupidity.... that's only for the ones under warranty, you can still call in a lost phone and get replacements..
dan0zone said:
This is why t-mobile had the G2 nand locked..... so this type of user error won't cost them millions, replacing phones that the user messed up with blind stupidity.... that's only for the ones under warranty, you can still call in a lost phone and get replacements..
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So now instead, they get flooded with returns because the phone isn't what people expected.
zephiK said:
It's not Samsung or T-Mobile.. its that the OP performed tweaks so the ROM wasn't a 100.00% version of Stock. Tweaks including lag fixes, GPS fix, etc can cause this.
Personally, I don't know why if you're performing tweaks on your phone and are on a stock ROM. If you're going to tweak your phone, go the full way and tweak everything.
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That's not true, it is Samsung/T-Mobile fault. I know 3 people with 100% stock, unrooted, vibrants, 2 of them got stuck when they updated. the t-mobile forums filled with stock users with their phone stuck at the vibrant screen as well.
camalot said:
That's not true, it is Samsung/T-Mobile fault. I know 3 people with 100% stock, unrooted, vibrants, 2 of them got stuck when they updated. the t-mobile forums filled with stock users with their phone stuck at the vibrant screen as well.
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And what are the chances of this?
Everybody lies.. especially when they're desperate and unwilling to accept the fact that they modified their phone. I don't see any reason why they wouldn't lie to T-Mobile and say that they didn't modify their phones if its "bricked." Because it is not bricked, all it takes is download mode and Odin. There are threads out there that break down on how to use Odin, it's not that difficult to do.
This is why I don't endorse "One Click" anything unless it is a long process. Sure, it makes everything easier but it makes people not think about what they're doing before they do it. Before one clicking, rooting was so simple, put something on your internal sd and boot into recovery and hit reinstall packages. If something like that is too difficult then they shouldn't be doing any modifications in the first place unless they understanding what they're doing.
The T-Mobile forum is not a valid source because there is no concrete proof that they didn't root their phone and modified something. Even rooting and removing bloatware then removing access to root would cause this.
Edit: Looking at the OP's recent posts.. he did indeed run a custom ROM but has possibly did some tweaking after reverting back to stock?
zephiK said:
And what are the chances of this?
Everybody lies.. especially when they're desperate and unwilling to accept the fact that they modified their phone. I don't see any reason why they wouldn't lie to T-Mobile and say that they didn't modify their phones if its "bricked." Because it is not bricked, all it takes is download mode and Odin. There are threads out there that break down on how to use Odin, it's not that difficult to do.
This is why I don't endorse "One Click" anything unless it is a long process. Sure, it makes everything easier but it makes people not think about what they're doing before they do it. Before one clicking, rooting was so simple, put something on your internal sd and boot into recovery and hit reinstall packages. If something like that is too difficult then they shouldn't be doing any modifications in the first place unless they understanding what they're doing.
The T-Mobile forum is not a valid source because there is no concrete proof that they didn't root their phone and modified something. Even rooting and removing bloatware then removing access to root would cause this.
Edit: Looking at the OP's recent posts.. he did indeed run a custom ROM but has possibly did some tweaking after reverting back to stock?
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Well, I know the 2 people that updated stock and got stuck at the vibrant screen were 100% stock because they both called me on what they need to do. one came over and I fixed it with ODIN back to stock (JI6) and the other just said he'd call TMO and get a replacement. they dont even know what rooting is, or that there is a site like that that they can get files to do "one click root"
OK. I'm the OP and I'm back. I was traveling today (with a phone flashed back to stock - that's as far as I got before getting kicked out of the hotel). I've now got the ROM restored and I'm where I was before trying to install the update.
My question is this (probably simple): my phone still wants to do the update. How do I make it go away? I can't install it, and I don't want to have to postpone it every day. Is there a cache I can clear or something?
You could just update it through Odin. I'm on stock with root and JAC's oc/uv kernel and the OTA failed but Odin worked perfectly.
Yes, I will try to flash it with odin when I have the time and interest, but for now I have neither, and I just want the phone to stop bugging me. Ideas?
JJMT said:
Yes, I will try to flash it with odin when I have the time and interest, but for now I have neither, and I just want the phone to stop bugging me. Ideas?
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Click to collapse
It will only stop once you are on JI6
camalot said:
It will only stop once you are on JI6
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OK. I guess I will have to try to push the update through odin. Can someone point me to a link to the files?
I'm kind of irritated by this whole thing. I'm pleased with tmo for pushing the update out, but I mean, really, even Windows allows you to decline to install an update.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=798125
chad658eku said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=798125
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Thanks for the link. It really looks to me that I'm going to need to flash to a stock ROM before flashing JI6. That, as they say, is a bummer.
As I am actually quite content at the moment with Vibrant9, it really seems to me that it would be easier to somehow remove whatever it is on my phone that is requesting that I update. Presumably there is an update.zip file sitting somewhere, that will be copied into sdcard before the updater involves reboot recovery. Any ideas where to look?
I would really rather not do any further flashing until is an official Froyo to flash to.
JWhipple said:
So now instead, they get flooded with returns because the phone isn't what people expected.
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Flooded with returns by morons who think they are smart.
First off, sorry if this has already been covered somewhere and I'm just not finding it.. I've been searching and reading a lot and l am learning a ton, I just cant seem to find an answer for sure..
Note - I am mostly a 'noob'. I have had other sammy phones (a Galaxy S and a Gnex) and have rooted them and put CWM and TWRP on em, and flashed many kinds of custom roms and stuff,, soft bricked em several times,, had to use ODIN to flash em back to stock and start over, followed instructional threads to hack around using ADB and Fastboot commands for different things, etc..Basic playing around with stuff like that. So I sorta know my way around the basics of playing with at least Sammy brand phones.
I recently bought a nice used S4 to play with. I immediately start looking at root instructions and bootloaders and roms,, and ran dead into the brick wall of it already having the ME7 devil on it and thus me being locked out beyond rooting. Since I wanted an S4 specifically for playing with ROMs, I sold that stock ME7 S4 and bought a different one that someone had already put TWRP on and a custom ROM. So now I should be good to go flashing away.
So my question is, if I ever do want to try running a stock ME7 rom sometime, is there one I can flash while playing around flashing trying out different roms that would NOT somehow lock the bootloader? I'm not talking about accepting a Verizon OTA update, I know better than that. I'm talking about manually flashing roms (I am assuming if I flashed a 100% stock Verizon rom it might screw myself and lock the bootloader,, maybe I am mistaken on that assumption idk). I'm seeing the "bonestock me7" rom here on XDA, would that be safe to try for a stock ME7 experience?
ok i'll shut up now,, sorry for the long post.
You're good to go. Just look in the dev section for one to your liking. I've been running BoneStock but there are others including one from andybones which completely stock. Stay clear of any ROM requiring you to Odin as I'd worry about that.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Cool. Thanks much for the help!
Basic operations
sohead said:
First off, sorry if this has already been covered somewhere and I'm just not finding it.. I've been searching and reading a lot and l am learning a ton, I just cant seem to find an answer for sure..
Note - I am mostly a 'noob'. I have had other sammy phones (a Galaxy S and a Gnex) and have rooted them and put CWM and TWRP on em, and flashed many kinds of custom roms and stuff,, soft bricked em several times,, had to use ODIN to flash em back to stock and start over, followed instructional threads to hack around using ADB and Fastboot commands for different things, etc..Basic playing around with stuff like that. So I sorta know my way around the basics of playing with at least Sammy brand phones.
I recently bought a nice used S4 to play with. I immediately start looking at root instructions and bootloaders and roms,, and ran dead into the brick wall of it already having the ME7 devil on it and thus me being locked out beyond rooting. Since I wanted an S4 specifically for playing with ROMs, I sold that stock ME7 S4 and bought a different one that someone had already put TWRP on and a custom ROM. So now I should be good to go flashing away.
So my question is, if I ever do want to try running a stock ME7 rom sometime, is there one I can flash while playing around flashing trying out different roms that would NOT somehow lock the bootloader? I'm not talking about accepting a Verizon OTA update, I know better than that. I'm talking about manually flashing roms (I am assuming if I flashed a 100% stock Verizon rom it might screw myself and lock the bootloader,, maybe I am mistaken on that assumption idk). I'm seeing the "bonestock me7" rom here on XDA, would that be safe to try for a stock ME7 experience?
ok i'll shut up now,, sorry for the long post.
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Writing the nand memory on this handset is nearly impossible through conventional means, suggest a maintenance jig for the board.
heyazzo said:
Writing the nand memory on this handset is nearly impossible through conventional means, suggest a maintenance jig for the board.
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Whats the "nand memory"? the area of memory where the recovery/bootloader code is stored? and what do you mean by conventional means? like using CWM or TWRP I assume? what about ODIN? from prior experience ODIN has written over a custom bootloader that I had loaded with a stock one (if I remember right anyway, I think I've lost my custom CWM or TWRP bootloaders by flashing a stock rom via ODIN,, back on the Gnex, I have never tried that with an S4 but assume it would be the same deal). And whats a "maintenance jig"?
lol sorry for so many questions,, warned ya I was a NOOB
No such thing as a dumb question.
sohead said:
Whats the "nand memory"? the area of memory where the recovery/bootloader code is stored? and what do you mean by conventional means? like using CWM or TWRP I assume? what about ODIN? from prior experience ODIN has written over a custom bootloader that I had loaded with a stock one (if I remember right anyway, I think I've lost my custom CWM or TWRP bootloaders by flashing a stock rom via ODIN,, back on the Gnex, I have never tried that with an S4 but assume it would be the same deal). And whats a "maintenance jig"?
lol sorry for so many questions,, warned ya I was a NOOB
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Click to collapse
I was always curious about things that I didn't understand. First, try to understand the security that's already on this device, then decide if an update really did kill one qfuse out of say 10-12 on the board depending on the lifecycle they gave this particular set of commo gear. Search MSM 8960 security, then get back to me via PM, I want to help you any way I can.
I apologize in advance if this question has already been asked but I was just wondering if it were possible to completely wipe the gs4 to stock like it come straight from Samsung and load your own kernels and roms. Or even load a dev edition or Google play edition load out so that the phone could be customizable. I mean isn't that all vzw does anyway is take the Samsung and Google packages add there own twist and apps to it and lock it down.? Sorry if this seems like a waist of time but it's just a question I keep asking myself but don't have the know how to test it for myself. Any input or further ideas would be appreciated.
cnall09 said:
I apologize in advance if this question has already been asked but I was just wondering if it were possible to completely wipe the gs4 to stock like it come straight from Samsung and load your own kernels and roms. Or even load a dev edition or Google play edition load out so that the phone could be customizable. I mean isn't that all vzw does anyway is take the Samsung and Google packages add there own twist and apps to it and lock it down.? Sorry if this seems like a waist of time but it's just a question I keep asking myself but don't have the know how to test it for myself. Any input or further ideas would be appreciated.
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Click to collapse
Here.. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2606501
Take some time and read through what's on that thread.
To answer your question though, unless your S4 is an MDK build or a Developer Edition you aren't going to be able to have a true custom recovery that allows for AOSP ROMs or custom kernels.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk 2
Mistertac said:
Here.. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2606501
Take some time and read through what's on that thread.
To answer your question though, unless your S4 is an MDK build or a Developer Edition you aren't going to be able to have a true custom recovery that allows for AOSP ROMs or custom kernels.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk 2
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I have read through many many forums hoping someone has found away to bypass the bootloader and nothing so far. Im not asking if i can revert it to an early kernel. I merely suggested to take the s4 and revert it to basically it's shell and find the packages that come for the dev edition or google play edition and load it up. That doesn't sound to crazy does it?
cnall09 said:
I have read through many many forums hoping someone has found away to bypass the bootloader and nothing so far. Im not asking if i can revert it to an early kernel. I merely suggested to take the s4 and revert it to basically it's shell and find the packages that come for the dev edition or google play edition and load it up. That doesn't sound to crazy does it?
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Click to collapse
Ohh OK gotcha! Hey to me that sounds like a great plan lol just I'm in way over my head when it comes to fully understanding what's needed to make something like that really happen.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk 2
Mistertac said:
Ohh OK gotcha! Hey to me that sounds like a great plan lol just I'm in way over my head when it comes to fully understanding what's needed to make something like that really happen.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
You and me both buddy. But hopefully someone with the know how will see this and give it a try. Who knows it could be the answer we have all been waiting for.
cnall09 said:
I have read through many many forums hoping someone has found away to bypass the bootloader and nothing so far. Im not asking if i can revert it to an early kernel. I merely suggested to take the s4 and revert it to basically it's shell and find the packages that come for the dev edition or google play edition and load it up. That doesn't sound to crazy does it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't just revert to the original Google-supplied Android files as that operating system shell doesn't have drivers for the specific hardware devices in your phone - it has to be modified to add drivers for the screen, radio, cameras, touchpad, and so forth. That's files provided in the Kernel, so in the end you're asking to revert to an earlier kernel.
You can't install a Google Edition ROM image without customizing it for the specific phone, which is what some people have done. That is, to take the stock ROM and replace bits with those from the GE phone to try to get closer to the original; however, you can't go very far with this without having to change the kernel to make it compatible with GE, so you're stuck.
It's not a horrible situation as we can still use Safestrap to boot a custom ROM as long as it's compatible with the touchwiz kernel. If we could replace that kernel, we'd be able to run a lot more ROMs, but since the locked bootloader will reject a non-Samsung kernel, we're stuck.
k1mu said:
You can't just revert to the original Google-supplied Android files as that operating sysm shell doesn't have drivers for the specific hardware devices in your phone - it has to be modified to add drivers for the screen, radio, cameras, touchpad, and so forth. That's files provided in the Kernel, so in the end you're asking to revert to an earlier kernel.
You can't install a Google Edition ROM image without customizing it for the specific phone, which is what some people have done. That is, to take the stock ROM and replace bits with those from the GE phone to try to get closer to the original; however, you can't go very far with this without having to change the kernel to make it compatible with GE, so you're stuck.
It's not a horrible situation as we can still use Safestrap to boot a custom ROM as long as it's compatible with the touchwiz kernel. If we could replace that kernel, we'd be able to run a lot more ROMs, but since the locked bootloader will reject a non-Samsung kernel, we're stuck.
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Click to collapse
I understand all of that. I am currently running hyper drive installed through safestrap but it still feels governed apposed to a Google rom. We are still stuck on 4.3 and everywhere else has a later version. I still don't understand why you can't completely erase the internals to reload with a different loadout. Isn't it the same phone regardless of where you get it rather it be samsung or verizon or google?whenever we download updates it installs new cameras and radios I'm not talking about reverting I'm talking about completely shipping the phone down to nothing but download mode and install new kernels drivers and software. Just like the developers at any of the companies do except we won't have to do any testing or development
cnall09 said:
I understand all of that. I am currently running hyper drive installed through safestrap but it still feels governed apposed to a Google rom. We are still stuck on 4.3 and everywhere else has a later version. I still don't understand why you can't completely erase the internals to reload with a different loadout. Isn't it the same phone regardless of where you get it rather it be samsung or verizon or google?whenever we download updates it installs new cameras and radios I'm not talking about reverting I'm talking about completely shipping the phone down to nothing but download mode and install new kernels drivers and software. Just like the developers at any of the companies do except we won't have to do any testing or development
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Short answer - no, you can't do that...it doesn't work that way. Depending on the bootloader your phone came with you cannot downgrade. You can try erasing everything and starting over but that's one thing you cannot change.....your stuck.
cnall09 said:
I understand all of that. I am currently running hyper drive installed through safestrap but it still feels governed apposed to a Google rom. We are still stuck on 4.3 and everywhere else has a later version. I still don't understand why you can't completely erase the internals to reload with a different loadout. Isn't it the same phone regardless of where you get it rather it be samsung or verizon or google?whenever we download updates it installs new cameras and radios I'm not talking about reverting I'm talking about completely shipping the phone down to nothing but download mode and install new kernels drivers and software. Just like the developers at any of the companies do except we won't have to do any testing or development
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Feel free to do what you want...but you may end up with a $600 door stop. ..
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
cnall09 said:
I understand all of that. I am currently running hyper drive installed through safestrap but it still feels governed apposed to a Google rom. We are still stuck on 4.3 and everywhere else has a later version. I still don't understand why you can't completely erase the internals to reload with a different loadout. Isn't it the same phone regardless of where you get it rather it be samsung or verizon or google?whenever we download updates it installs new cameras and radios I'm not talking about reverting I'm talking about completely shipping the phone down to nothing but download mode and install new kernels drivers and software. Just like the developers at any of the companies do except we won't have to do any testing or development
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can totally do this, you can replace the kernel and everything. The phone won't boot, and you'd have a hard brick though. The problem isn't replacing the kernel, the problem is getting the phone to boot after doing so. Download mode operates through aboot, aboot has protections and conditions set that regulate what kernel and recovery partitions you can boot. If these are replaced with a "non-allowed" version the phone simply won't boot, in other words it would be hard-bricked at this point.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
cnall09 said:
I understand all of that. I am currently running hyper drive installed through safestrap but it still feels governed apposed to a Google rom. We are still stuck on 4.3 and everywhere else has a later version. I still don't understand why you can't completely erase the internals to reload with a different loadout. Isn't it the same phone regardless of where you get it rather it be samsung or verizon or google?whenever we download updates it installs new cameras and radios I'm not talking about reverting I'm talking about completely shipping the phone down to nothing but download mode and install new kernels drivers and software. Just like the developers at any of the companies do except we won't have to do any testing or development
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Click to collapse
"Shipping the phone down to nothing but download mode" - yes, you can wipe the internal ROM and strip it down to download mode.
Then you have a brick which runs just the downloader. OK, it's not quite dead, because you can flash stuff. But what can you flash?
OK, so you want to "install new kernels drivers and software". That's not always possible. You flash kernels and and software using the bootloader, but the bootloader won't allow you to flash a kernel that's not pre-approved by Samsung. If you're rooted, the rest of the phone storage can be overwritten with whatever custom software you want, but there's a hitch. You can install whatever software you want EXCEPT for the kernel. (If not rooted, you can't even do that without a custom recovery, which the bootloader won't allow.)
The software that you flash depends on the kernel to drive the hardware, so you can't flash base software that requires services that the stock kernel doesn't provide. This is why only certain ROMs are available for Safestrap - you can't flash CyanogenMod on a Safestrapped i545 because CM isn't compatible with the Touchwiz kernel. It's theoretically possible to modify CM to make it work with a TW kernel, but nobody has done that (unsurprising, as it would be a lot of work that would have to be repeated each CM release.)
The bootloader chain is the way Samsung enforces the restrictions on what you can and can't do with your phone. With a locked bootloader (like ours), you're very limited. Until the bootloader protections are breached, what you propose can't be done.
decaturbob said:
Feel free to do what you want...but you may end up with a $600 door stop. ..
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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well thank you so much for your permission to do what I want I was so afraid you wouldn't approve. and I have geek squad protection with unlimited replacements and no deductable so it doesn't hurt my feelings in the least bit if things don't go as planned. I know i ain't as seasoned as some of yall on here but thats how things get done by asking questions and trial/error.
k1mu said:
"Shipping the phone down to nothing but download mode" - yes, you can wipe the internal ROM and strip it down to download mode.
Then you have a brick which runs just the downloader. OK, it's not quite dead, because you can flash stuff. But what can you flash?
OK, so you want to "install new kernels drivers and software". That's not always possible. You flash kernels and and software using the bootloader, but the bootloader won't allow you to flash a kernel that's not pre-approved by Samsung. If you're rooted, the rest of the phone storage can be overwritten with whatever custom software you want, but there's a hitch. You can install whatever software you want EXCEPT for the kernel. (If not rooted, you can't even do that without a custom recovery, which the bootloader won't allow.)
The software that you flash depends on the kernel to drive the hardware, so you can't flash base software that requires services that the stock kernel doesn't provide. This is why only certain ROMs are available for Safestrap - you can't flash CyanogenMod on a Safestrapped i545 because CM isn't compatible with the Touchwiz kernel. It's theoretically possible to modify CM to make it work with a TW kernel, but nobody has done that (unsurprising, as it would be a lot of work that would have to be repeated each CM release.)
The bootloader chain is the way Samsung enforces the restrictions on what you can and can't do with your phone. With a locked bootloader (like ours), you're very limited. Until the bootloader protections are breached, what you propose can't be done.
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yes sir i did mean stripped down. sorry for the typo. and ok im not talking about stripping it down just to boot a custom rom or kernel. i want authentic samsung/google software and kernels. so the samsung wouldn't even accept its on software. I apologize for seeming argumentative thats not my intent at all. im just trying to get a good idea and handle on how some of this works. i appreciate your input and help on this matter and your patience.
cnall09 said:
yes sir i did mean stripped down. sorry for the typo. and ok im not talking about stripping it down just to boot a custom rom or kernel. i want authentic samsung/google software and kernels. so the samsung wouldn't even accept its on software. I apologize for seeming argumentative thats not my intent at all. im just trying to get a good idea and handle on how some of this works. i appreciate your input and help on this matter and your patience.
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Yeah it's a good idea for someone like yourself who seems fairly new to this stuff, because what you're proposing is kind of what were trying to do to unlock the boot loader. The problem basically is that the very base software contains checks to make sure you're using Samsung approved software.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
joshm.1219 said:
Yeah it's a good idea for someone like yourself who seems fairly new to this stuff, because what you're proposing is kind of what were trying to do to unlock the boot loader. The problem basically is that the very base software contains checks to make sure you're using Samsung approved software.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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i know how to permanently unlock it without bricking it. Hit it with a hammer smoke a whole lot n watch in amazement as the bootloader flies out of this phone, able to be replaced of course. Just kidding dont do that, although ive been tempted
cnall09 said:
well thank you so much for your permission to do what I want I was so afraid you wouldn't approve. and I have geek squad protection with unlimited replacements and no deductable so it doesn't hurt my feelings in the least bit if things don't go as planned. I know i ain't as seasoned as some of yall on here but thats how things get done by asking questions and trial/error.
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reading helps too my friend....also I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that geek squad warranty coverage applies to the the misuse or negligent use of a product....you best read the fine print again.
any way good luck
So I was getting really frustrated with ROMS not working right so I followed someones advice and used ODIN to upgrade to NC5. I got my phone right after launch and rooted it the day I got it, installed TWRP and I have always had an icon on the Samsung screen that is a little lock with the word custom under it and that is the only thing I have retained after upgrading. I can no longer flash a custom recovery via GooManager, the phone simply won't let me. I am guessing when I updated it put me on the latest bootloader and locked it. Is this the case? I really don't like the idea of safestrap, but if I have to use it now I guess I will. If it did indeed upgrade my bootloader, wouldn't the "Custom" icon have disappeared from my lock splash screen?
So what exactly have I done to my phone? Can anyone help me figure out where to go from here?
Custom splash screen only represents that the phone's flash counter has been triggered. Means nothing.
I can't believe you updated from an MDK phone man. If you want to continue to use custom rom's you'll have to use towel root and AT&T's 3.72 safestrap. And get comfortable with Odin. Unfortunately there's no way to get a true custom recovery back on your device.
TB13 said:
So I was getting really frustrated with ROMS not working right so I followed someones advice and used ODIN to upgrade to NC5. I got my phone right after launch and rooted it the day I got it, installed TWRP and I have always had an icon on the Samsung screen that is a little lock with the word custom under it and that is the only thing I have retained after upgrading. I can no longer flash a custom recovery via GooManager, the phone simply won't let me. I am guessing when I updated it put me on the latest bootloader and locked it. Is this the case? I really don't like the idea of safestrap, but if I have to use it now I guess I will. If it did indeed upgrade my bootloader, wouldn't the "Custom" icon have disappeared from my lock splash screen?
So what exactly have I done to my phone? Can anyone help me figure out where to go from here?
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what you did wrong is not research what you were doing.......I can;t believe you followed someone's advice to rid your phone of MDK...
.
this thread contains links and info you best read before proceeding any further
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2606501
Another one bites the dust. That's too bad. Sorry nothing can be done now
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Mistertac said:
Another one bites the dust. That's too bad. Sorry nothing can be done now
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
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if we had a dollar every time we see same or similar post....the aversion to reading and research is compelling
Aaaannnnddddd idiot of the day award goes to me. It had been so long since I had messesd with my phone that I didn't even know I still had an MDK device, I will miss it and I will be shunned for killing it, but life goes on.
I wish I had the power to sticky the threads that people should look at before attempting something like this instead of having useless, unupdated threads stickied in every subforum.
Hey, first post here but I've been reading some threads since 2011.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 (I have experience with custom roms and such with the Droid Charge, also Samsung. See a pattern?).
I rooted it a while back, but recently have been experiencing quite a bit of instability so I wanted to try a custom rom (Hyperdrive is the one that I'm looking at but that's kinda irrelevant to this post).
The problem for me is that every guide expects me to be rooted with the custom recovery. I am rooted, and I did have CWM installed to perform the root, but now for some reason recovery boots into stock and I haven't been able to load any custom recoveries. I tried the CWM Rom Manager app to get CWM back, but it didn't seem to work (touch or normal). I have also tried Goo Manager to get TWRP and that was a complete bust.
I noticed one or two other methods involving safe-strap but I cannot for the life of me get safe-strap working on my phone and I've followed a couple guides several times without success.
I need someone to point me in the right direction to get a custom recovery back on my phone. I'm assuming something got screwed up somewhere along the line, so I'm not confident in these other methods but I'm trying to find a guide using Odin. Part of the problem seems to be that the Verizon phones aren't too common so all the guides and downloads are for a different model.
Please help, I'd prefer an Odin method but I'm open to suggestions.
cdroid93 said:
Hey, first post here but I've been reading some threads since 2011.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 (I have experience with custom roms and such with the Droid Charge, also Samsung. See a pattern?).
I rooted it a while back, but recently have been experiencing quite a bit of instability so I wanted to try a custom rom (Hyperdrive is the one that I'm looking at but that's kinda irrelevant to this post).
The problem for me is that every guide expects me to be rooted with the custom recovery. I am rooted, and I did have CWM installed to perform the root, but now for some reason recovery boots into stock and I haven't been able to load any custom recoveries. I tried the CWM Rom Manager app to get CWM back, but it didn't seem to work (touch or normal). I have also tried Goo Manager to get TWRP and that was a complete bust.
I noticed one or two other methods involving safe-strap but I cannot for the life of me get safe-strap working on my phone and I've followed a couple guides several times without success.
I need someone to point me in the right direction to get a custom recovery back on my phone. I'm assuming something got screwed up somewhere along the line, so I'm not confident in these other methods but I'm trying to find a guide using Odin. Part of the problem seems to be that the Verizon phones aren't too common so all the guides and downloads are for a different model.
Please help, I'd prefer an Odin method but I'm open to suggestions.
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If you are on NC5 then Safestrap is your only option. You are going to brick your phone if you just keep throwing recoveries at your phone until one sticks. If you are on MDK then your bootloader is unlocked and you can do what you want. Read the threads, that's what they're there for.
Jesus loves you!
Phone version
liljoe727 said:
If you are on NC5 then Safestrap is your only option. You are going to brick your phone if you just keep throwing recoveries at your phone until one sticks. If you are on MDK then your bootloader is unlocked and you can do what you want. Read the threads, that's what they're there for.
Jesus loves you!
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I'm actually on ME7. I haven't updated in a very long while because I wanted to root and then stop tinkering. That's not an option for me anymore for the stability reasons. I had over a year of rock solid performance though so it was a good run.
I was searching threads on this forum and others. This one seems to be more reliable than others (and a whole lot friendlier), but I still can't find what I'm looking for.
Maybe you can help me out by pointing out one of the threads that has what I need?
Thanks much.
cdroid93 said:
I'm actually on ME7. I haven't updated in a very long while because I wanted to root and then stop tinkering. That's not an option for me anymore for the stability reasons. I had over a year of rock solid performance though so it was a good run.
I was searching threads on this forum and others. This one seems to be more reliable than others (and a whole lot friendlier), but I still can't find what I'm looking for.
Maybe you can help me out by pointing out one of the threads that has what I need?
Thanks much.
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MDK, as I understand it, is the only bootloader that has been unlocked thus far. If you are still on ME7 and it's locked anyway, you may be better off just taking the update.
Jesus loves you!
liljoe727 said:
MDK, as I understand it, is the only bootloader that has been unlocked thus far. If you are still on ME7 and it's locked anyway, you may be better off just taking the update.
Jesus loves you!
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Okay, well obviously I've messed up my phone somehow, I don't think it's possible for me to just go to system settings and update. How do I go about this if that doesn't work?
cdroid93 said:
Okay, well obviously I've messed up my phone somehow, I don't think it's possible for me to just go to system settings and update. How do I go about this if that doesn't work?
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Well you can update via Samsung Keis, or if you know how to use ODIN you can flash the latest NC5 through ODIN. You'll find everything you'll need from here.
Forgot to say that after you upgrade you can root through towelroot which you can by searching this forum or Google it.
After you install busybox you should be able to install Safestrap, but if you can't, you need to download and install an app calle SElinuxmodechanger and set SElinux to permissive. Then you will be able to install Safestrap. Once you have SS you can only install ROMs on the Stock slot. non of the other slots work.
skeezer308 said:
Well you can update via Samsung Keis, or if you know how to use ODIN you can flash the latest NC5 through ODIN. You'll find everything you'll need from here.
Forgot to say that after you upgrade you can root through towelroot which you can by searching this forum or Google it.
After you install busybox you should be able to install Safestrap, but if you can't, you need to download and install an app calle SElinuxmodechanger and set SElinux to permissive. Then you will be able to install Safestrap. Once you have SS you can only install ROMs on the Stock slot. non of the other slots work.
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Okay, for starters thank you. This is almost exactly what I needed. I've just got one more issue;
I cannot discern from what I've found on the forums or elsewhere what safestrap is safe for my phone now that I'm on NC5?
Thanks again for this, was a big help.
cdroid93 said:
Okay, for starters thank you. This is almost exactly what I needed. I've just got one more issue;
I cannot discern from what I've found on the forums or elsewhere what safestrap is safe for my phone now that I'm on NC5?
Thanks again for this, was a big help.
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3.72
Jesus loves you!
Also keep in mind that you can only install TW ROMs or GPE ROMs that are SS friendly. If you try to install Cyanogen or other AOSP ROMs that require custom kernels you run the chance of bricking your phone