I asked a similar question back in October, but fell out of the loop again and didn't want to necro an old post. I just want to verify that the information I got back then is still relavent.
Is installing custom ROMs still the best way to bring my MDK S4 up to the current version? If so, what should I be looking for in a ROM title to tell me that it's just a stock ROM that gives the same experience as the OTA? Someone mentioned Deodex'd in my last post, but I have no idea what that means or if it's what I should be looking for.
And for an S4 that came stock with ME7? Should my girlfriend (with an ME7 update) just take the newest OTA and root that, or is there a benefit to sticking with ME7 and installing a ROM? If the answer is to go with a ROM then she'll want the stock new OTA experience as well for now, are there any ME7 ROMs available that can do that?
Thanks again guys!
Don't touch your MDK S4. Leave it on MDK with Loki. It's practically an unlocked bootloader with actual TWRP and CWM. You can still install 4.3 TouchWiz stock ROMs on it because you can change the kernel. Plus you can run AOSP ROMs, which is awesome.
Reonar_Dauth said:
I asked a similar question back in October, but fell out of the loop again and didn't want to necro an old post. I just want to verify that the information I got back then is still relavent.
Is installing custom ROMs still the best way to bring my MDK S4 up to the current version? If so, what should I be looking for in a ROM title to tell me that it's just a stock ROM that gives the same experience as the OTA? Someone mentioned Deodex'd in my last post, but I have no idea what that means or if it's what I should be looking for.
And for an S4 that came stock with ME7? Should my girlfriend (with an ME7 update) just take the newest OTA and root that, or is there a benefit to sticking with ME7 and installing a ROM? If the answer is to go with a ROM then she'll want the stock new OTA experience as well for now, are there any ME7 ROMs available that can do that?
Thanks again guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're girls me7 s4 might as well update to mj7 or mk2 (4.3) as then she'll still be using Safestrap. Mostly everyone is running Hyperdrive anyways. Great performance and battery life with that. Update it, throw Safestrap 3.71 on there then Hyperdrive 12....pretty much bug free.
As far as you're MDK phone just grab whatever AOSP 4.3 or 4.4 ROM you like. You're lucky to have that phone!!
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I have ME7 on my phone and decided to update to be compatible with hyperdrive.
I started the installation like 6 hours ago; is it supposed to take this long?
I had it rooted and got rid of all the bloatware from Verizon using titanium. Would that have something to do with it? Otherwise, I don't know what's going on. Thank you, and I apologize if this was addressed in any other thread.
TheDarkAbed said:
I have ME7 on my phone and decided to update to be compatible with hyperdrive.
I started the installation like 6 hours ago; is it supposed to take this long?
I had it rooted and got rid of all the bloatware from Verizon using titanium. Would that have something to do with it? Otherwise, I don't know what's going on. Thank you, and I apologize if this was addressed in any other thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No its not supposed to take that long. So you're trying to take the ota from me7 you're saying right? You may have to Odin if that doesn't work for you. Sometimes unfreezing and removing mods just doesn't do it
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Mistertac said:
No its not supposed to take that long. So you're trying to take the ota from me7 you're saying right? You may have to Odin if that doesn't work for you. Sometimes unfreezing and removing mods just doesn't do it
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry. Can you link me to where I can find how to do that
Thanks again
TheDarkAbed said:
Sorry. Can you link me to where I can find how to do that
Thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Several youtube videos on Odin process
safestrap enabled, Hyperdrive driven
decaturbob said:
Several youtube videos on Odin process
safestrap enabled, Hyperdrive driven
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went on youtube, but all of them say that they are for I9505. I'm not sure where I'm supposed to look, but my model number says SCH-I545. Does that mean I'm unable to use the process?
Sorry again for asking so many questions.
TheDarkAbed said:
I went on youtube, but all of them say that they are for I9505. I'm not sure where I'm supposed to look, but my model number says SCH-I545. Does that mean I'm unable to use the process?
Sorry again for asking so many questions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Process is similar. ..you just need to have correct image file.
safestrap enabled, Hyperdrive driven
TheDarkAbed said:
I went on youtube, but all of them say that they are for I9505. I'm not sure where I'm supposed to look, but my model number says SCH-I545. Does that mean I'm unable to use the process?
Sorry again for asking so many questions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same process, but get the image for your i545 from the Android Development forum for this phone.
is there any benefit to keeping ME7 or just update to most recent update? thanks for the help.
Related
Is this downgrading from ME7 to MDK possible? If so please guide me in the right direction.
Its not possible... Once you take the update theres no going back...
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda premium
So I am new to the s4 and rooting. I really want to install the Hyperdrive ROM. I have been researching and researching what to do and I think i have found my answer for now and im not happy about it.
From what i gathered, since i installed the update and I am now on ME7, there is no root method bc they locked the phone down. Is this correct?
hondabomdc5 said:
So I am new to the s4 and rooting. I really want to install the Hyperdrive ROM. I have been researching and researching what to do and I think i have found my answer for now and im not happy about it.
From what i gathered, since i installed the update and I am now on ME7, there is no root method bc they locked the phone down. Is this correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use the search button...this has been posted about a 1000 times...but yes you can root it but no custom recovery.
hondabomdc5 said:
So I am new to the s4 and rooting. I really want to install the Hyperdrive ROM. I have been researching and researching what to do and I think i have found my answer for now and im not happy about it.
From what i gathered, since i installed the update and I am now on ME7, there is no root method bc they locked the phone down. Is this correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can root, but cant install custom recoveries or roms.
bfmetcalf said:
You can root, but cant install custom recoveries or roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for being kind and thanks for the info. I did state that I was new and have been looking. I could have started a whole new thread but instead asked the question in here. I do want to install the Hyperdrive rom but since with ME7 you cant install roms...looks like i wont be rooting until somebody gets this figured out. Again, thanks for being cool and answering my question.
y can't we just odin back to mdk?
Stauf99 said:
y can't we just odin back to mdk?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
because of the bootloader will only allow signed packages to be installed on the phone and checks against older firmware and will not allow it. Unless you have the signed key you ain't flashing anything unless we find a workaround.
magneticzero said:
Use the search button...this has been posted about a 1000 times...but yes you can root it but no custom recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So why is there ROMs for the ME7 build if they can't be flashed?
This [email protected] sucks!
So, I'm stuck on ME7 as well (32GB S4, otherwise I'd just go down to the store and swap it, complaining about something -- seems they don't stock them at any local corporate stores).
I'm coming from a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and we have OMAP-Flash, which is like a low-level PROM flashing tool from the Samsung R&D team, and I could fix even a DEAD, or bricked phone with that. Is there something like that here to get back the original bootloader? I cant believe we're stuck on this crap... How 'bout a 2nd-init like my Droid-x days, or something slick like SafeStrap on the RAZR family?
...Just thinkin' "out loud".
IMGetwired said:
So, I'm stuck on ME7 as well (32GB S4, otherwise I'd just go down to the store and swap it, complaining about something -- seems they don't stock them at any local corporate stores).
I'm coming from a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and we have OMAP-Flash, which is like a low-level PROM flashing tool from the Samsung R&D team, and I could fix even a DEAD, or bricked phone with that. Is there something like that here to get back the original bootloader? I cant believe we're stuck on this crap... How 'bout a 2nd-init like my Droid-x days, or something slick like SafeStrap on the RAZR family?
...Just thinkin' "out loud".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Short answer is 'no' - you're currently stuck with root as your best option. Hopefully this will change in the not-too-distant future.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Yeah, this does suck.
Seems like we need someone to pick up the Dragonboard 8074 development kit to help us figure this out...even then, I'm sure Samsung has so many mods in there it'd be nuts to reverse engineer... Ugh, I'm so impatient! :silly:
Slimfast35 said:
So why is there ROMs for the ME7 build if they can't be flashed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because there for people that didn't get robbed by Samsung and update through the evil over the air update lol
Slimfast35 said:
So why is there ROMs for the ME7 build if they can't be flashed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're not quite understanding what a rom is and is not. There is no such thing as a rom for ME7. There are roms that use the ME7 base. They are flashable only by those who have the MDK bootloader. When a build number is listed for a rom, it is the build that the rom is based from.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4
Slimfast35 said:
So why is there ROMs for the ME7 build if they can't be flashed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ROM's that the devs based on MDK have been updated with the ME7 code just like any good developer does. But the bootloader those users have is still from their MDK (original) install. Once you go ME7 you can never go back, downgrade, crossgrade or get beyond the bootloader, for now anyways. Someone will find a way.
Nm
I'm currently rooted on VRUAMDK with (what I believe to be anyway) the first method from when the phone was released. I didn't have much time to bother with it when ME7 came out so I just froze SDM in TiBu and ignored it until now.
Today I saw the info about the MI1 update and decided to give it a shot updating. I saw that it was already rooted so I figured I'd just go for it and do an OTA after unfreezing SDM. However, when I tried that the install restarted the phone into Team Win Recovery and didn't complete. I assume this was because TWR blocks the install to avoid you losing root or something like that.
What I'm wondering is if there's a way to update to MI1 through TWR or some other alternative to the Verizon OTA so I don't lose root at all? I would like to know if there's a similar method for rooted phones with ME7 (since my girlfriends phone is rooted on that.).
Thanks in advance.
Don't take the OTA. Just get an MI1 stock deodex ROM. For the love of God keep your bootloader intact. The newer ones are not exploitable.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
ozzzzysh said:
Don't take the OTA. Just get an MI1 stock deodex ROM. For the love of God keep your bootloader intact. The newer ones are not exploitable.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, I thought that might be the right course of action but wasn't sure that the ROMs were equivalent of an OTA or just a custom rebuild of the old version.
As for my Girlfriend whose phone came with ME7? Should she just take the OTA and then Root again?
The MI1 OTA, from what I've gathered, enables a custom software counter. So unless she's planning on staying fully stock I would avoid the update. MI1 didn't really change enough to justify anyone to update as far as I know.
By custom software counter, I mean that if you were to tinker with your phone too much, it would blow a permanent qfuse that would let Samsung know not to grant your warranty when the time comes.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Reonar_Dauth said:
Okay, I thought that might be the right course of action but wasn't sure that the ROMs were equivalent of an OTA or just a custom rebuild of the old version.
As for my Girlfriend whose phone came with ME7? Should she just take the OTA and then Root again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Neither update offers anything of real value that the custom rom's aren't bringing to the table. Hell there are flashable radios even. Apps to SD for me7 might be the only useful feature. But there are custom me7 roms. Wait on the devs to update you.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
No real value over the MDK release. It just locks things down.
Get one of the ROMs based on MI1.
Move along,,,, Nothing to see....
Bump
If I am still on MDK, can I use any rom (4.3/4.4) or only roms for 4.2.2 MDK?
Things were much simpler on my GNex
PeterifficX said:
Bump
If I am still on MDK, can I use any rom (4.3/4.4) or only roms for 4.2.2 MDK?
Things were much simpler on my GNex
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can flash any rom you want. The only way you'll lock yourself down is if you take an official update.
Verification please
PeterifficX said:
Bump
If I am still on MDK, can I use any rom (4.3/4.4) or only roms for 4.2.2 MDK?
Things were much simpler on my GNex
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Crawshayi said:
You can flash any rom you want. The only way you'll lock yourself down is if you take an official update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey folks...... :highfive: I'm currently working on my Ex Wifes phone SCH-I545. I've not updated or done anything to her phone since I rooted and installed Beanstown. Quite some time ago. Any way, Her Android version is 4.2.2/VRUAMDK. :good: TWRP for recovery, not sure the version. My question is, Can I just flash any of the latest ROMs to her phone? I just want to make sure I don't screw her phone up. @Crawshayi, I see your answer right there. I just want to double check and know that I won't lock her phone down.
I really appreciate you guys. Without you and XDA, I'd be completely lost.
Sincerely
David C
Edit: Thanks guys. Everything worked perfect. My phones are running flawless.
Showing off here. NOTE 2 left side this on my right.
Guys...
SOrry if this is a poor post, but I'm still new to the gs4 on verizon.
When I got the phone about a week ago, It immediately took an OTA upgrade. I'm geussing this was a mistake?
Only reason I say this, is because i'm now on NC5, and it seems that I'm limited as to what I can do as far as ROMS.
However, I'm seeing that there are people on "MDK" which I'm assuming is an older base...are able to put whatever AOSP rom posted in the forum....
DO all phones comes with MDK base?
I can call them and ask to send a replacement....what are the chances its MDK?
A little help would be appreciated....Thanks!
Doubtful vzn has any phones left with mdk (I'm assuming, it was the original base when this phone came out last summer). If it makes you feel any better you were probably on mk2 4.3 when you took the upgrade, so you didn't really lose anything.
You can root, just no custom kernels, no custom recoveries, just safestrap. I'm running a Google play edition aosp 4.4.3 on safestrap and it runs pretty well. There's a thread in the general section.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
docluv01 said:
Guys...
SOrry if this is a poor post, but I'm still new to the gs4 on verizon.
When I got the phone about a week ago, It immediately took an OTA upgrade. I'm geussing this was a mistake?
Only reason I say this, is because i'm now on NC5, and it seems that I'm limited as to what I can do as far as ROMS.
However, I'm seeing that there are people on "MDK" which I'm assuming is an older base...are able to put whatever AOSP rom posted in the forum....
DO all phones comes with MDK base?
I can call them and ask to send a replacement....what are the chances its MDK?
A little help would be appreciated....Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MDK bootloader was on the original GS4 and an exploit called loki was found that could bypass the bootloader lock so that you could root & install a custom recovery like TWRP or CWM & thereby flash both TouchWiz and AOSP roms. Thanks to Vzw /Att /Samsung, ota updates were issued that kills this exploit. All new phones are locked down. Can still root & use Safestrap recovery to flash TW based roms into a "sandbox" parallel system. Can't flash new kernels though.
Got it! Thanks
You know I looked at that ROM....considering giving it a try.,
Im on NC5 and SS, are there any issues with GPS etc?
rrrrrrredbelly said:
Doubtful vzn has any phones left with mdk (I'm assuming, it was the original base when this phone came out last summer). If it makes you feel any better you were probably on mk2 4.3 when you took the upgrade, so you didn't really lose anything.
You can root, just no custom kernels, no custom recoveries, just safestrap. I'm running a Google play edition aosp 4.4.3 on safestrap and it runs pretty well. There's a thread in the general section.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
docluv01 said:
Got it! Thanks
You know I looked at that ROM....considering giving it a try.,
Im on NC5 and SS, are there any issues with GPS etc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have flashed several ss compatible kitkat roms and used gigilies nc2 wifi fix and never had issues with wifi or bluetooth or GPS
sent by safestrap powered echo v26
Hey guys and girls, I have a question for any of you pretty comfortable with SafeStrap...so, I'm helping someone with an update/upgrade - trying to get them to be able to run KitKat ROMs via SafeStrap on his Verizon S4. But first, I need SafeStrap working again.
OK, basically I brought him from MK2 to NC2 using @Surge1223's method and am now on NC2 (I guess its the rooted- leaked version?)
So...my question is, HOW IN THE WORLD do I get SafeStrap back onto his phone while running on NC2? (All I see are links upon links about SS on NC5)
Thanks SO MUCH to anyone who can help me out here... And yes, I've tried reading and reading...no luck yet
calebcabob said:
Hey guys and girls, I have a question for any of you pretty comfortable with SafeStrap...so, I'm helping someone with an update/upgrade - trying to get them to be able to run KitKat ROMs via SafeStrap on his Verizon S4. But first, I need SafeStrap working again.
OK, basically I brought him from MK2 to NC2 using @Surge1223's method and am now on NC2 (I guess its the rooted- leaked version?)
So...my question is, HOW IN THE WORLD do I get SafeStrap back onto his phone while running on NC2? (All I see are links upon links about SS on NC5)
Thanks SO MUCH to anyone who can help me out here... And yes, I've tried reading and reading...no luck yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just did a bit of searching and it seems NC2 is just the leaked version of NC5 and all that changed was a couple apps and a menu. That is secondhand information and may be incorrect I suppose. In any case, I have a NC5 build and used the exact Safestrap APK that I use for my device on my brother in laws S5. I reckon as long as you root/SuperSU/busybox/safestrap you should be good.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 BlackBox using XDA Free Mobile App
liljoe727 said:
I just did a bit of searching and it seems NC2 is just the leaked version of NC5 and all that changed was a couple apps and a menu. That is secondhand information and may be incorrect I suppose. In any case, I have a NC5 build and used the exact Safestrap APK that I use for my device on my brother in laws S5. I reckon as long as you root/SuperSU/busybox/safestrap you should be good.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 BlackBox using XDA Free Mobile App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure?
GrizzlyBarrn said:
Are you sure?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. I said it was secondhand information and I could be wrong. I dont suppose I am though. But I might be. If it were my phone I would try it but I have soft bricked my s4 about four or five times now and am pretty comfortable fixing it so I dont hesitate to try new things. That is just me though.
Jesus loves you!
Okay starting off, I went straight to cyanogenmod's page but it specifically stated "you must be on build I545VRUAMDK"...
There lies the problem. My phone is build KOT49H.I545VRUFNC5.
I got it from Verizon like this, already updated.
It's running kitkat 4.4.2.
Now, the benefit is that I already have root, through Towelroot V3.
__________________________________________________ ______________________________
I've searched on Google and still cannot find a direct answer.
So please can someone tell me where to go to figure this out? Or if you know how kindly tell me?
I've installed Safestrap as well.
Thank you for any help!
Jerald_B said:
Okay starting off, I went straight to cyanogenmod's page but it specifically stated "you must be on build I545VRUAMDK"...
There lies the problem. My phone is build KOT49H.I545VRUFNC5.
I got it from Verizon like this, already updated.
It's running kitkat 4.4.2.
Now, the benefit is that I already have root, through Towelroot V3.
__________________________________________________ ______________________________
I've searched on Google and still cannot find a direct answer.
So please can someone tell me where to go to figure this out? Or if you know how kindly tell me?
I've installed Safestrap as well.
Thank you for any help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you MUST be on MDK to install the ROM and you are on NC5, then I reckon you can't install the ROM. There are not many ROM's available for those of us on NC5 and Safestrap unfortunately.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 BlackBox using XDA Free Mobile App
liljoe727 said:
If you MUST be on MDK to install the ROM and you are on NC5, then I reckon you can't install the ROM. There are not many ROM's available for those of us on NC5 and Safestrap unfortunately.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 BlackBox using XDA Free Mobile App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man, that is what I was worried about... I've heard of hyperdrive being good, it's a 4.4.2 rom, have you had any experience with it?
Jerald_B said:
Man, that is what I was worried about... I've heard of hyperdrive being good, it's a 4.4.2 rom, have you had any experience with it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HyperDrive is solid. I'm on BlackBox right now and I like it better. It is stupid fast but a little buggy as it is a newer ROM. Another option would be to stay with the stock NC5 use Wanam Xposed from the XposedFramework. It allows quite a bit of customization if that is what you're looking for. There are some solid options being on NC5, just make sure you take the time to read through the threads before you flash anything.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 BlackBox using XDA Free Mobile App