Ok, so yesterday my phone was unable to be rooted and unlocked for some unknown reasons. So, stupidly, I flashed the back to bone stock restore file realizing that it was a custom rom file and soft bricked my device. Luckily, with the help of google, I used root66 in which made my device able to boot up back to normal while rooted.
I then took the 2 OTA updates to get to Android 4.1.2 with the build VRAMC3 and now I know for a factho its completely stock according to odin mode. Im ready to unlock this device and get roms up.
Although, Im still scared at when I soft bricked my device. Im wondering if there is any sort of restore file that is compatible for VRAMC3 or if I can use root66 or a downgradeable pda file if I were to soft brick my device again somehow? If someone can link me to it, that would be appreciated.
Thanks.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2024207.
Read through this has everything u need
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium
Wow, you have now created 3 different threads and posted in 2 different casual threads. Just stick to the most current casual thread and stop the unnecessary multiple threads. Use the current version of casual to unlock your phone. Don't worry, your phone isn't going to blow up from using it
AldenIsRad said:
Ok, so yesterday my phone was unable to be rooted and unlocked for some unknown reasons. So, stupidly, I flashed the back to bone stock restore file realizing that it was a custom rom file and soft bricked my device. Luckily, with the help of google, I used root66 in which made my device able to boot up back to normal while rooted.
I then took the 2 OTA updates to get to Android 4.1.2 with the build VRAMC3 and now I know for a factho its completely stock according to odin mode. Im ready to unlock this device and get roms up.
Although, Im still scared at when I soft bricked my device. Im wondering if there is any sort of restore file that is compatible for VRAMC3 or if I can use root66 or a downgradeable pda file if I were to soft brick my device again somehow? If someone can link me to it, that would be appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In this case I would only use the alternate restore to return to stock if you have to. Then you can accept updates or not.
Ridin' a Note 2 blast
Hey guys... I need some help.I have many questions.
So as the title says. My S4 over heated. It's actually been happening for a while and the glass had begun separating from the digitizer over the last few months. A few day ago I awoke to a blotched out black screen that blacks out every so often.
I held off getting a replacement because I was rooted, loki'd on the MDK bootloader.
My replacement arrived today and it was the MK2 baseband. Upon start up VZW tried to push the OTA to me. i stopped it and postponed it to 6:00 AM eastern, MDK was easy, but I'm not familiar with this new process and had some questions. So using searches on XDA I have:
1) Rooted with Saferoot
2) Installed Wanam Xposed
3) Renamed SDM.apk & FWUpgrade.apk to .bak's to the update <-- was this right? I dont want to wake up to a voluntarily installed OTA.
Questions
1) Should I install SafeStrap, if so which version? I see there's an ATT version out there for upgrading to NC5, but there's also a MK2 version.
2) I see a lot up people were able to update to NC5 and keep root with Surge's method. Is there an advantage to this?
3) What's everyone doing for hotspot/tethering now on MK2 and up?
4) On MDK, most of the ROMs were debloated. What do I do to get rid of some of this VZW bloat on here.
Now I need help with the old phone.
Even though the other phone over-heated. I can just see VZW rejecting the exchange because I was rooted, Now with the screen being all black blotches and cutting out, I can't really return it to stock. The phone turns on, and works. I just cant see what's on the screen.
Is there a way for me to utilize my computer to unroot, return to stock recovery, and install a stock ROM all without being able to see the screen on the phone?
I don't want to delete my old Clockwork Mod nandroids from my SD card until I can return the old phone to stock.
Thanks for your help in advance.
ymDroid said:
Hey guys... I need some help.I have many questions.
So as the title says. My S4 over heated. It's actually been happening for a while and the glass had begun separating from the digitizer over the last few months. A few day ago I awoke to a blotched out black screen that blacks out every so often.
I held off getting a replacement because I was rooted, loki'd on the MDK bootloader.
My replacement arrived today and it was the MK2 baseband. Upon start up VZW tried to push the OTA to me. i stopped it and postponed it to 6:00 AM eastern, MDK was easy, but I'm not familiar with this new process and had some questions. So using searches on XDA I have:
1) Rooted with Saferoot
2) Installed Wanam Xposed
3) Renamed SDM.apk & FWUpgrade.apk to .bak's to the update <-- was this right? I dont want to wake up to a voluntarily installed OTA.
Questions
1) Should I install SafeStrap, if so which version? I see there's an ATT version out there for upgrading to NC5, but there's also a MK2 version.
2) I see a lot up people were able to update to NC5 and keep root with Surge's method. Is there an advantage to this?
3) What's everyone doing for hotspot/tethering now on MK2 and up?
4) On MDK, most of the ROMs were debloated. What do I do to get rid of some of this VZW bloat on here.
Now I need help with the old phone.
Even though the other phone over-heated. I can just see VZW rejecting the exchange because I was rooted, Now with the screen being all black blotches and cutting out, I can't really return it to stock. The phone turns on, and works. I just cant see what's on the screen.
Is there a way for me to utilize my computer to unroot, return to stock recovery, and install a stock ROM all without being able to see the screen on the phone?
I don't want to delete my old Clockwork Mod nandroids from my SD card until I can return the old phone to stock.
Thanks for your help in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Install Safestrap for your corresponding baseband. If you have mk2 then install safestrap for mk2.
2. If you upgrade to NC5 and keep root you can flash 4.4.2 touchwiz roms on the stock slot usingthe att 3.72 safestrap
3. For tethering you can use foxfi or you could use surges tethering unlock
4. You can debloat stuff by just disabling the apps you dont want.
For your old phone,
1. You should be able to get your data off of it by just connecting it to your computer then copying stuff from your old phone to your computer.
2. To reset it back to mdk stock, you should boot into odin mode doing the keypress when your phone is off, then after a few seconds press volume up to comfirm boot into odin mode. Then you should be able to odin mdk stock from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2751461
Best of Luck
joshuabg;52899257
2. To reset it back to mdk stock said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2751461[/url]
Best of Luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANK YOU.
Quick question. Does this odin MDK flash install the stock recovery back.
ymDroid said:
THANK YOU.
Quick question. Does this odin MDK flash install the stock recovery back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should, I think it goes over all partitions, boot, persdata, system, recovery, modem, etc.
Won't hurt to try.
Hello. I have done quite a bit of searching, just can't find a similar enough post to tag on some questions. Sorry if this has been asked...but I did look over a month of posts, and google searching.
I have a Note 3 from September, rooted in October...not sure how I got it done...but I jumped the gun and unrooted it with SU thinking I would be able to OTA to 4.4.2. Nope!
So, I am stuck on 4.3.
My big question is how can I get to 4.4.2 with OUT starting over on the phone.
I guess this is a backup question. I have some settings turned on that indicate that a back up is going somewhere, but I can't confirm, and I don't know what all is backed up.
Pictures are backed up, but I would hate to lose them. They are on SD card anyway...so I realize I could take the card out, but something I read suggested I might lose even the micro-simm card contents. Not sure how that would be possible.
But what about things like Quick Notes, and S Note, and Contacts, and all of my apps that I have installed, and settings for those apps.
When I rooted back in October, it worked with out disrupting anything.
How can I get that to happen now WITH an upgrade to 4.4.2 AND getting it rerooted?
If I can't upgrade with out wiping it clean, I am probably going to stay put. So, then what is the best way to root to get "Wifi Tether Router" back working...as it is the only thing I need the phone rooted for.
Finally, what is the difference between NC5 and NC5D. I saw a recent post of somebody else asking it...but none of the replies gave an answer.
Thanks for any feedback.
I don't know if this will help, but you can give it a try. First, you might want to consider that you are where most of us are trying to get back to ( i.e. 4.3 with no KNOX !!! ). Ok, I would go to Samsung Firmware, and download the latest version of 4.4.2 NC5 to your PC. I would backup that copy of 4.3 on your device to your sdcard then if have an ext sdcard copy it there, or copy that backup to your pc. Most of your Pics and data should be in that backup, that you can copy back later with a file explorer like Root Explorer. Now do a factory wipe. Then take the NC5 zip you got from sammie and extract it to a file on your desktop this will change it to a .tar file. Find a copy of Odin v1.85 don't use the 3.09 version on the Samsung website if possible. Cool, reboot your device into download mode, start odin, plug in your device to your PC. Now, load that extracted file on your desktop into PDA odin, and click start. It will take minute to read Md5 then start installing. You will lose root and recovery !!! Your new bootloader will have KNOX 0x0. So, you will have to start over with the root process, but isn't that half the FUN !!! Chainfires v1.94 supersu will root NC5. As for the difference between NC5 and NC5D, It is my understanding they are the same. The D stands for a version of NC5 that was used by Samsung employees ( i.e. programmers and developers ) in the development of NC5. :fingers-crossed::fingers-crossed:
Lokerd, I see you have read my response. Great!!! I would add the you can root 4.4.2 NC5 several ways. As I said above Chainfires v1.94 SuperSu, and One click autoroot, and Towelroot for 4.4.2. All should root your device without tripping KNOX. However, as soon as you flash a new custom recovery like TWRP or Philz CWM ( my favorite ) it will trip KNOX. If you are out of warranty no biggie, besides you need a custom recovery if you want to get back to your 4.3 backup. ( By the way remember you need the same recovery (i.e. TWRP or CWM ) that you made the 4.3 backup with, now on NC5 just a newer version. This will make it easier to recover the 4.3 backup later. They say the most popular recoveries will recover each others backups, but that is rarely the case.
jimzweb1 said:
First, you might want to consider that you are where most of us are trying to get back to ( i.e. 4.3 with no KNOX !!! ).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for taking the time to reply! And to reply with such a nice well though out steps.
So...I should NOT being trying to upgrade? I can do that...just reroot and be done with this. I really don't want to risk having to lose info I have put on the phone, etc. A few new features is not going to be worth it. But, reading about improved 4g and wifi performance. Wifi calling is not important to me. But it would be nice to have the camera on the lock screen...but I bet I could find something that would do that the rooted phone I had.
So, let me ask this. If I do not care about KNOX, is the process you outlined above any easier?
Thanks!
Drew
lokerd said:
Thanks for taking the time to reply! And to reply with such a nice well though out steps.
So...I should NOT being trying to upgrade? I can do that...just reroot and be done with this. I really don't want to risk having to lose info I have put on the phone, etc. A few new features is not going to be worth it. But, reading about improved 4g and wifi performance. Wifi calling is not important to me. But it would be nice to have the camera on the lock screen...but I bet I could find something that would do that the rooted phone I had.
So, let me ask this. If I do not care about KNOX, is the process you outlined above any easier?
Thanks!
Drew
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, if you are out of warranty, and you don't care about KNOX go ahead and upgrade. But, consider this: One, so where clear the only reason for the 4.3 backup is to get to your pics and data at a later time. Here is a link about trying to go back http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2630514 Once you install 4.4.2 NC5 ( this will include a new kernel, bootloader, baseband, and OS ) you CANNOT go to back to 4.3. If you try to install the 4.3 backup after you have upgraded to NC5 you will soft brick your phone. Then, there's KNOX what is KNOX, KNOX is security software written by the NSA for Samsung. Now I'm not saying its spyware, but Samsung is !!! You can go to Samsung's website and all the info about KNOX you need is there.
To answer your last question, no. You have to go through all the motions.
If it was me, knowing what I know now. I would stay at 4.3, install an engineering bootloader (read up on bootloaders they are not forgiving if you mess up ) then try to upgrade basebands. Here is a link for NAB engineering bootloader which should be 4.3, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2655674 Here is the link for a NC5 baseband, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2701837 I believe this will improve your 4G lte.
Last, what I'm running. I run Note 3 "Sprint" 4.4.2 NC5 ( no choice bought the device new with that OS, voided my warranty the second day I owned it ). Rooted with Philz CWM recovery ( hltespr v 6.12.9 ) KNOX disabled and removed. I definitely like 4.4.2 NC5 a lot better than 4.3 my daughters Note 3 had 4.3 before I upgraded to 4.4.2 and rooted it. Here is my XDA website http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2770729 so if you do upgrade this is a good place to start.
Ok. Sorry for more noob questions.
Ok, the only thing I want to ensure is that I don't lose things like S Note, Action Memo, Contacts, Pictures, apps installed. I just don't want to redo everything. Basically, I just want to upgrade the operating system and have everything up and running like it was...just new OS. Is that possible? I understand what you are saying about not being able to use the back up. I guess I just don't understand if I can upgrade this phone with out having to start back over with everything.
I am not out of warranty (purchased October 2013), but I don't see that it would be a problem. I normally don't break or drop my phone...although I did drop it and picked up a nick a few weeks ago. It was unusual circumstances. Point is...I guess I will worry about warranty issues if that comes up. On the other hand, the home button is a getting a little finicky, so I avoid it...using swipe down, and a notification toggle to go to Home whenever possible.
I don't understand the difference between bootloader vs. flashing vs. upgrading basebands vs. rooting as opposed to those other things. it doesn't help that there are multiple ways to do each of the above.
I think I am in over myhead.
Can you help me figure out what I had done before...as it was working pretty good. I Rooted it to get root access, but not sure how I did it. It was easy, and it didn't erase anything. I think I simply used Odin. Attached is a screenshot of a folder of stuff that I might have used. Can you tell what root method I used?
I think I am just going to go back to what I had...and still with 4.3. I actually looked at my wife's identical phone that is on 4.4.2 and other than wifi calling, I don't see the camera on lock screen, so I don't really think I should be messing with stuff I can't wrap my mind around trying to get to 4.4.2.
lokerd said:
Ok. Sorry for more noob questions.
Ok, the only thing I want to ensure is that I don't lose things like S Note, Action Memo, Contacts, Pictures, apps installed. I just don't want to redo everything. Basically, I just want to upgrade the operating system and have everything up and running like it was...just new OS. Is that possible? I understand what you are saying about not being able to use the back up. I guess I just don't understand if I can upgrade this phone with out having to start back over with everything.
I am not out of warranty (purchased October 2013), but I don't see that it would be a problem. I normally don't break or drop my phone...although I did drop it and picked up a nick a few weeks ago. It was unusual circumstances. Point is...I guess I will worry about warranty issues if that comes up. On the other hand, the home button is a getting a little finicky, so I avoid it...using swipe down, and a notification toggle to go to Home whenever possible.
I don't understand the difference between bootloader vs. flashing vs. upgrading basebands vs. rooting as opposed to those other things. it doesn't help that there are multiple ways to do each of the above.
I think I am in over myhead.
Can you help me figure out what I had done before...as it was working pretty good. I Rooted it to get root access, but not sure how I did it. It was easy, and it didn't erase anything. I think I simply used Odin. Attached is a screenshot of a folder of stuff that I might have used. Can you tell what root method I used?
I think I am just going to go back to what I had...and still with 4.3. I actually looked at my wife's identical phone that is on 4.4.2 and other than wifi calling, I don't see the camera on lock screen, so I don't really think I should be messing with stuff I can't wrap my mind around trying to get to 4.4.2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool, your version of 4.3 should be NAB and no KNOX. If this is the case then you should be able to root, and return back to stock, if you have say a hardware issue with your device and have to return it under warranty. So, according to your last post image on 10/24/2013 you used CF Autoroot, if you want to read up here is the link to that http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2466423
Now to get to the latest version of CF Autoroot you need to go to ChainFires ( CF ) repository here is the link http://autoroot.chainfire.eu/ just find the model of your phone and click on File to download. Put that file on your desktop, now go to your android downloads copy and paste Odin v1.85 to your desktop. Click on Odin extract, and open it, now click on PDA a box will open, now select desktop and click on CF Auotroot. It should come up in Odin next to PDA. Now boot your device into download mode, then connect to your PC. In the upper left hand box will light up COMM: with some number in green, blue, or yellow doesn't matter just telling you that a connection was made. Now click start on the bottom of Odin, sit back and watch the magic!
When it says pass your done. Now reboot your phone if doesn't do it by itself go to your app drawer and see if SuperSu is there. To install the Recovery just follow the same steps just substitute the recovery .tar file in place of CF Autroot. I see you have ChainFires v1.65 SuperSu the latest version is v2.01 here is the link http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1538053. If you use CF Autoroot it will probably install the latest version of SuperSu automatically.
I see on 10/25/2013 you downloaded CWM recovery for hltespr ( sprint ) here is the link for Philz CWM http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2596001 the latest version for sprint is 6.12.9 I don't use his unified all in one recovery version, I use the sprint version, but the choice is yours. :fingers-crossed:
jimzweb1 said:
Cool, your version of 4.3 should be NAB and no KNOX.
Odin v1.85 to your desktop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the continued help. Just about ready to reroot the thing.
So, you mention using 1.85...is that only because that is what I have? The latest CF-Auto-Root came with 3.07 but I had already downloaded 3.09 a couple of days ago trying to figure stuff out. I also saw a warning about using the latest Odin...but I think it applied to trying to do the Kindle Fire, which I determined was 3.3 and not able to be rooted with out a special cable, which I have ordered.
Anyway, does it matter if I use the 3.07 that came with the latest version of CF-A-R? Should I use 3.09? Or def stick with 1.85.
EDIT #5: I end up using 1.85 and the original Root, then the new ROOT. So, does it matter that I used the Root from October vs the newest one or older Odin vs. newer? I have it up now, so it is just a matter of tryingt o figure this out.
BTW, I thought I had bricked my phone...went back and read YOUR instruction again, and got it restarted. The instructions on the main CF-A-R thread do not make it very clear.
Thanks a bundle!
Great !!! It doesn't matter which version of Odin you use, as long as it gets the job done. As for CF Autoroot, after your done rooting and boot the device back up. It my take awhile but you will automatically be asked update your apps, and SuperSu will update binarys at that time.
Always getting either "Not authorized by Verizon" or "Upgrade encountered an issue"
Hey guys, hoping someone can help me out with what appears to be a soft brick on my phone.
Background
Bought phone in January 2013, immediately rooted and installed custom recovery. Phone stayed this way until yesterday, when I restored with ODIN and then installed all OTA's to prepare for a replacement under a Best Buy service plan, expecting it to work like it used to where I go into the store and drop off the phone, then a new one is sent to the store. I then installed all OTA's up to 4.4.2 (I think that one is ND7 but not sure as I was using AOSP-based ROMS while rooted). The ODIN restore brought me back to saying the firmware was all official.
Currently
Replacement process changed and I am stuck with this phone for another week while a replacement gets mailed to my home, so I decided to play around with ODIN to restore to MJ9 since most root methods seemed to work for MJ9, but I accidentally chose the LJB image that I had downloaded yesterday for the PDA in ODIN. When running this, it failed on sboot.bin.
I restarted the phone and it said "Firmware Upgrade encountered an issue" and tells me to connect it to Kies, which I tried, but for some reason Kies just runs on Connecting to Device and won't do anything else. I didn't spend a whole lot of time on that though, as it also changed the "System Status" to Custom while leaving Current Binary as Official, and from what I read Kies will refuse to do a recovery if anything is Custom.
I tried to install MJ9 through ODIN and it also fails at sboot.bin, resulting in the same message as above. I downloaded the alternate MC3 from this thread and it ran through ODIN fine since it does not have an sboot.bin, but it gives the error about the firmware not being authorized by Verizon and changes both Current Binary and System Status to Custom (I think MJ9 was the first locked bootloader, so I would assume that is why, but I don't know for sure). There was no alternate for MJ9 so I tried to make my own by extracting, removing sboot.bin, and then putting the rest of the files in a new tar file, but ODIN won't run it and gives an error about the MD5 not matching.
At this point the phone working is not so much of an issue since I already have a replacement on the way to my house, but I would prefer to fix this so a) I have a phone for the next few days, and b) so I don't have to go short something inside on purpose to hard-brick it and prevent them from refusing my replacement claim.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Michael
Once you updated the phone to factory stock 4.4.2, you permanently locked the bootloader and you can't downgrade to any other pre 4.4.2 ND7 firmwares. The easiest thing to do now would be to use Odin to restore the device back to to factory 4.4.2 stock firmware. There is GhettoRoot for 4.4.2 if you're wanting to root the device again on 4.4.2... and people are reporting that safestrap works as well for flashing 4.4.2 touchwiz roms. Good luck!
Ahh, I wasn't aware that ND7 couldn't be downgraded at all; I thought anything past MJ9 would work since that was when the bootloader became locked. I don't see any ND7 ODIN images available anywhere and Kies won't allow me to restore the device. Is there another method I should be using to restore? My wife has an i605 on 4.1.1 right now (same background as mine, just not bricked and no OTAs downloaded); if we updated until ND7 was downloaded but not installed, would I be able to pull the OTA from hers and flash in ODIN, or are they not ODIN-compatible?
opalelement said:
Ahh, I wasn't aware that ND7 couldn't be downgraded at all; I thought anything past MJ9 would work since that was when the bootloader became locked. I don't see any ND7 ODIN images available anywhere and Kies won't allow me to restore the device. Is there another method I should be using to restore? My wife has an i605 on 4.1.1 right now (same background as mine, just not bricked and no OTAs downloaded); if we updated until ND7 was downloaded but not installed, would I be able to pull the OTA from hers and flash in ODIN, or are they not ODIN-compatible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's a link to the Verizon stock 4.4.2 firmware from Sammobile. You'll have to register, but the download should be free. You should be able to use Odin to restore the device with this firmware file and the pit file from Droidstyle's restore guide. If Odin 3.07 doesn't work, try Odin 3.09 from Sammobile... or try Odin 3.10, which I've been using lately with no problems.
Thanks for that link, I was able to download and restore my phone with the ND7 download. I wasn't aware that SamMobile keeps a firmware database, so I also appreciate that piece of info.
Thanks,
Michael
[I just realized I'm in the wrong subforum, please move to Verizon i535 forum, thanks]
My initial intention was to backup the phone before attempting to install Cyanogenmod on it.
I ran towelroot and installed Rom Manager, and flashed the custom recovery.
Upon attempting to enter recovery, it's telling me that some non-Verizon system software is detected so I can't even get in there to backup my phone. I researched and apparently after 4.2 all the bootloaders are locked and cannot be rommed. That sucks, but anyway, this thing is already running 4.4.2 (just got in from Ebay purchase).
How can I get back the stock recovery? I've searched all over the forums but can't quite find what to do. Something with Odin and a stock image? Does that exist for 4.4.2?
TIA
You can get stock recoveries on the net but if you cant flash it you need to go to samsung-updates.com and download the latest rom for that device, flash it with odin then re root it. If there's a cf-autoroot for it you should use that, otherwise any other recommended method.
If your lastest rom on the website is earlier than 4.3 then dont worry about efs etc as custom roms dont change that
If it IS 4.3 or later do not flash anything lower than 4.3. This is because you dont know what the last stock version was.
Going back to stock via odin should solve any issues with all sammy devices. Common sense and reading a lot goes a long way.
Dont forget to reset to factory when flashing back to stock, most common cause of boot loop.
Sent from a stolen phone!