[Q] Rooted S4. Is it Safe to upgrade system? - Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4

Hi- I meant to post this in the sprint section. can't seem to delete this post..
Greetings,
The first week or so S4 was out I had gotten one and rooted it. Not very long after that a 'System update downloaded - touch to install' has been on my phone. Many many months later I have decided to finally ask if it is OK to go ahead and update my system and if not to the latest update, then to which? And if I can let my phone automatically do it or if I need to be careful.
I'm afraid I don't remember how I rooted my phone. It was a 1-click exe I believe.
Here is some information that may help.
Android ver: 4.2.2
kernal ver: 3.40- Sat apr 27 2013
software ver: L720VPUAMDL
Hardware Ver: L720.08
Please let me know if you need more information to help me.
Thanks!

You could update, but you will probably lose root so you will meed to root again.
But, if I were you I would stay on 4.2.2 and just get custom roms to get 4.3 or 4.4.
When you get the official 4.3 on the s4, you still can get root and custom recovery though limited options.
Safestrap recovery is the only custom recovery so far and this recovery can get you 1 or 2 custom roms that are TW based.
Basically, aosp roms are out of the picture. Also going back is impossible!!!! so no more 4.2.2 or 4.4 custom roms that
you might want.
If you still want to update and receive 4.3, go ahead.
This is the the new 1-click root method.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2565758
Safestrap recovery
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2441441
Hyperdrive RLS12 custom rom
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2301724

Related

[Q] Advice for 4.3 upgrade

Hi,
I have a Verizon Galaxy Note II I605 running Android 4.1.1 that I had originally rooted via Odin and followed instructions on the galaxynote2root website last Jan/Feb in 2012
I would like to upgrade to a stock ROM of 4.3 and keep root and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction in regards to which ROM to use and the steps to do so. I really only use root for the wifi tether and would like to keep the phone as close to stock as possible. I've gone through a number of different forums and posts but can't seem to find some good instructions with a corresponding recommendation on an Official OTA 4.3 ROM to use. I've found a lot variations on 4.3 ROMs, but most of them have gutted a lot of things or discussing having to flash firmware which makes me nervous.
Also, is it true I may be forced to take the OTA in the near future and potentially soft brick my phone if I don't either revert back to stock or install a 4.3 ROM which disables the update app. I'm not sure if the ROM i'm currently running has this disabled or not.
Thanks in advance for any help,
eugenikz
Beanstown or sophisticated rom will be the official stock 4.3, however your gonna have to flash the Official MJ9 firmware via Odin. You could take the OTA but the bootloader will be locked afterwards. There is root available with the OTA stock but you won't be able to load a custom recovery therefore no more custom roms.
+1. I did this with my note2. Was the same as yours. I'm now on sophisticated 2.0 highly recommended. I also updated recovery to Phils, which seems to be the conventional wisdom for flashing 4.3.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda app-developers app

Help a noob! Bricked...unbricked...now skrewed.

Ok...so I've been reading almost every post in here all day long...and I wanted to upgrade my Stock Android 4.1.2 phone to one of the cool roms on here. One rom (I can't remember which one)...said I needed MJ9 firmware...so I flashed it. Then I successfully rooted. I then tried to install a new recovery so I could flash the new shiny rom. As soon as I rebooted...got the Verizon Brick Message from hell. Ok...then I searched how to get rid of that. I found a post saying to flash back to stock MJ9 which gave me Android 4.3. Now that means I can't unlock my bootloader so I could root and install the roms...correct?
I guess my question is. Can I use ODIN to flash back to 4.1.2 and have a chance at an unlocked bootloader...or am I skrewed? I should just accept the OTA kitkat and be done with it?
I
Well if you flashed stock 4.3 you most likely locked up your boot loader and there is no known exploit to unlock that boot loader atm. I think there's still a way to root 4.3 but I'm not 100% sure how. Hopefully someone else can chime in on that.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
@gallogj
Unfortunately, your bootloader is locked now, so trying to ODIN to 4.1.2 won't unlock it. There's not an easy way to unlock it now (search the threads and you'll see that Mobile Tech videos can downgrade for a price... and someone else reported that they used an "unbricker" method to downgrade... but others don't appear to have had as much success).
If you stay on 4.3 MJ9, you can still get root, run root apps/ Xposed, etc... And with 4.3 MJ9, you can also use Safestrap to run custom Touchwiz ROM's.
If you take the OTA to kit kat, there's not a root method currently for our Note 2's, so you'll be running pure stock.
It's totally up to you, but if you want root (at least for now), you'll want to stay with 4.3 MJ9.
--------------------------------
Edit: You can check out Safestrap at this link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2704992
Here's a link to the saferoot method for 4.3 MJ9: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2565758

[Q] New to me S4 and lots of questions, please help a newb

Hello all,
So I received my new to me S4, and prior to activating it I wanted to Fist get rid of Knox and put on a custom ROM.However, after much reading I am just more confused. I hoping that someone will just give me the Dummies guide to rooting, nixn' Knox and installing a custom ROM (hyperdrive, or CM).
Like first go download these apps, next do this, then that, kinda instructions.
the phone I received is an:
SCH-i545
Android Version 4.4.2
Baseband I545VRUFNC5
Kernal 3.4.0 [email protected]#1
Build# K0T49H.I545VRUFNC%
SE for Android Status: Enforcing; SEPF_SCH_I545_4.4.2_0011
Secure boot Status Type: Samsung
Security software version: MDF v1.0 Release 2
Hope this is not too much info, but I read all kind of post that seem to condradict one another, just when I think I've found the info I read something else that makes me feel this could lead to disaster. Please help. The last android I had was a Droid Eris, and things seem to have changed quite a bit.
Thanks
Trey
Starksky said:
Hello all,
So I received my new to me S4, and prior to activating it I wanted to Fist get rid of Knox and put on a custom ROM.However, after much reading I am just more confused. I hoping that someone will just give me the Dummies guide to rooting, nixn' Knox and installing a custom ROM (hyperdrive, or CM).
Like first go download these apps, next do this, then that, kinda instructions.
the phone I received is an:
SCH-i545
Android Version 4.4.2
Baseband I545VRUFNC5
Kernal 3.4.0 [email protected]#1
Build# K0T49H.I545VRUFNC%
SE for Android Status: Enforcing; SEPF_SCH_I545_4.4.2_0011
Secure boot Status Type: Samsung
Security software version: MDF v1.0 Release 2
Hope this is not too much info, but I read all kind of post that seem to condradict one another, just when I think I've found the info I read something else that makes me feel this could lead to disaster. Please help. The last android I had was a Droid Eris, and things seem to have changed quite a bit.
Thanks
Trey
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Read my whole post linked below. It is accurate. Do not upgrade to NG6, it is a pain and has root but no custom rom capability (yet). On NC5 however, you can flash a ROM using Safestrap (Do not use the safestrap linked in the thread below (3.72), use the safestrap in the general forum (3.75)). DO NOT FLASH TWRP OR CWM. We have a locked bootloader and flashing those is impossible as of yet.
With safestrap, you cannot flash CM, AOSP, or anything that contains a custom kernel. You can flash Hyperdrive, eclipse, and in rare cases Google Edition (The Safestrap version only!!! Not the normal Google edition!)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2784138
Thanks npjohnson! very helpful, slow day here in Cisco VOIP land so, I was messing around and got Towelroot, and Root checker. After those two, I installed SuperSU, Thanks Tomsgt! It has all worked so far and SuperSU as apparently disabled Knox…. So Im on my way here. Your post should now take me all the way home. Thanks again! :highfive:

Root NK1 question

Hi,
Just got an i545. It is currently on NK1 with 4.4.2. I understand to root it I can follow this (thread closed so can't post there). My confusion is: once I root, can I install safestrap or TWRP and flash custom roms? I read somewhere else on the forum that NK1 is limited to certain AOSP roms. I really like Carbon but am open to trying others and I don't want to screw things up. Sorry if this is noob-ish but I think I gave myself information over-load trying to find the correct steps.
Also, I will be using this with AT&T so would I want to stick to the unified builds?
Thanks,
SS only, no twrp/cwm.
Only TW roms aside from this aosp:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3019132
I used it before LP, a few bugs but overall ran well
Thanks for the info. If safestrap must be used, would these roms work? From what I gather so far, it's also not possible to downgrade from NK1 to NC5 or other, is it? I don't see the point of flashing another TW rom...but that's just me. I guess I can just root and customize for now, and experiment with TW roms if I get bored.
EDIT - I am wrong, it appears that I can odin back to earlier images (MDK, NC5, etc...) Is this feasible? Would it allow me to root, install custom recovery, and any rom I wish?
That list should be good. You can go back to nc5, can't downgrade past KK.
Also, there are threads on how to upgrade to 5.0.1, however if you take the official ota you'll lose root and can't downgrade back
I appreciate your help. Just to confirm, if I downgrade to NC5, will I be able to use ANY custom recovery and flash ANY rom? Or will I still be limited to safestrap and TW roms?
EDIT - Found my answer here. Anything over MDK can only use safestrap and TW roms. Bummer. No point in down-grading then.
Edit 2 - It seems that if I want to run any kind of rom I do need to down grade to NC5 as most seem to be based on it. I assume I would use the full wipe from this guide.
This S4 is my 7th android and it's, by far, got the most hoops to jump through and/or limitations. All my other phones were easy-peasy! Or is it just because it's Verizon branded? All other phones were T-Mo or ATT.
It's this phone & Verizon, they both suck

Strange Build #. Want to root, backup and revert.

I need a bit of help with this one.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 on Verizon, Android 4.4.2 Build VRUFNK4 (I believe this is an intermediate build between the stock VRUFNK1 and Lollipop).
What I'd like to do is root, backup the current build and then revert back if possible to VRUFNK1.
I'm new to rooting a phone so I could use a bit of help and links. I've read many of the posts and tips, but most specifically don't mention my build, which makes me a bit nervous.
Will towelroot work with this ?
Should I use TWRP or Titanium for backup ?
And.........can I find and revert back to the official build VRUFNK1 (4.4.2)
I simply want to get out of this strange build, remove bloatware........ and have some control over not being pestered over OTA updates from Verizon/Samsung.
Possibly, in the future, I'll play around with some custom ROM's.
Any help and opinions would be appreciated.
For what it's worth...................
After digging around on the net for a few days, I found the following. Now, I can't be sure if this works, so consider the implications. If someone else here on XDA can verify it then it might work.
If you have a Verizon Galaxy S4 with the 4.4.2 build of VRUFNK4 this was part one of two updates to Lollipop. Many people like me had been deferring the update and then somehow pushed the wrong button and "wham" got stuck with VRUFNK4., but they were able to stop further installation to Lollipop.
So for people stuck on VRUFNK4 it's pretty much the same as the previous VRUFNK1 except mine seems to eat battery power. AND, from what I know VRUFNK4 is not directly rootable( list below).
i545vrugOC1 5.0.1 Lollipop
i545vrufnk4 4.4.2 (intermediate update to prepare for Lollipop, part one)
i545vrufnk1 4.4.2 Kitkat
i545vrufng6 4.4.2 Kitkat
i545vrufnc5 4.4.2 Kitkat
So, you basically have three choices:
-- Leave it on VRUFNK4 (which is part one of a two part update to Lollipop) and live with the issues.
-- Allow the update all the way to Lollipop and live with Lollipop (and possibly root there)
-- Use the following procedure (yet to be confirmed by someone here at XDA and hopefully help with details)
1. Use Odin 3.09 to flash back to VRUFNC5 (KitKat 4.4.2)
2. If the flash is successful, root with TowelRoot
3. Once rooted on NC5 you should be able to flash whatever build you want, backup and recovery using
Titanium Backup, etc.
Anyone that wants to chime in here, it would be appreciated.
Just thinking.........
Could someone with experience in flashing explain to me why a person can't flash directly to a certain build, in this case,
Android 4.4.2 VRUFNK1 from a newer one (reverting to an earlier build) ??
from what i understand, you should be able to flash anything from NC5 and above via odin with NK4. the Bootloader was changed in lollipop builds OC1 and OF1 so that you can no longer downgrade to older builds from those.
Thanks bangdosa for the info. You seem to be familiar with all this stuff.
So, just to clarify, would it be true that if you're on NK4, you could flash using Odin to NC5 ? And hopefully root.
bangdosa said:
from what i understand, you should be able to flash anything from NC5 and above via odin with NK4. the Bootloader was changed in lollipop builds OC1 and OF1 so that you can no longer downgrade to older builds from those.
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