tmobile galaxy s4 (sgh-m919) soft bricked. need help recovering to stock - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Thanks in advance for the help!
Can you get to Download Mode?
yes
Can you get into Recovery? If so, custom (version>) or stock?
yes. I just flashed twp on it. I can change this if needed.
What version of the software / firmware WERE you on?
I was on 4.4.2 OTA stock from tmobile but I did root it and had it rooted and running fine for 6+ months without issue.
What did you do to cause it to soft brick?
I have been getting prompted for an OTA update for a while and kept putting it off for fear of knox and the unknown behavior of me having it rooted. I then let my wife use my phone and she clicked approve for the update. The phone then, according to her, rebooted and never booted back up. I originally thought it was a knox issue but after trying a few different recovery methods found online that seemed straight forward (flash custom recovery, install new rom, or install Samsung approved stock rom, delete cache, etc), all my errors seem to be directed to the PIT according to google searches I have done. at this point I can acknowledge I am out of my depth and have no idea where to go next.
Model: SGH-M919
Model name: GALAXY S4
Country: USA (T-Mobile)
PDA: M919UVUFNH7
What versions of the software / firmware have you tried?
4.2.2, 4.4.2, 4.4.4 all from Samsung site.
Why were you trying different PIT files??
because the current error is "secure check fail: PIT" and the google walk throughs suggested trying new PIT files.
What errors are you having?
from which location? odin or the device?
from the device:
secure check fail: PIT
from odin:
big red FAIL in the first box. message output is below.
<ID:0/003> Added!!
<ID:0/003> Odin v.3 engine (ID:3)..
<ID:0/003> File analysis..
<ID:0/003> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/003> Initialzation..
<ID:0/003> Set PIT file..
<ID:0/003> DO NOT TURN OFF TARGET!!
<ID:0/003> Get PIT for mapping..
<ID:0/003> Firmware update start..
<ID:0/003> aboot.mbn
<ID:0/003> NAND Write Start!!
<ID:0/003> sbl1.mbn
<ID:0/003> sbl2.mbn
<ID:0/003> sbl3.mbn
<ID:0/003> rpm.mbn
<ID:0/003> tz.mbn
<ID:0/003> boot.img
<ID:0/003> recovery.img
<ID:0/003> system.img.ext4
<ID:0/003> Complete(Write) operation failed.
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)

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toosweetnitemare said:
Thanks in advance for the help!
Can you get to Download Mode?
yes
Can you get into Recovery? If so, custom (version>) or stock?
yes. I just flashed twp on it. I can change this if needed.
What version of the software / firmware WERE you on?
I was on 4.4.2 OTA stock from tmobile but I did root it and had it rooted and running fine for 6+ months without issue.
What did you do to cause it to soft brick?
I have been getting prompted for an OTA update for a while and kept putting it off for fear of knox and the unknown behavior of me having it rooted. I then let my wife use my phone and she clicked approve for the update. The phone then, according to her, rebooted and never booted back up. I originally thought it was a knox issue but after trying a few different recovery methods found online that seemed straight forward (flash custom recovery, install new rom, or install Samsung approved stock rom, delete cache, etc), all my errors seem to be directed to the PIT according to google searches I have done. at this point I can acknowledge I am out of my depth and have no idea where to go next.
Model: SGH-M919
Model name: GALAXY S4
Country: USA (T-Mobile)
PDA: M919UVUFNH7
What versions of the software / firmware have you tried?
4.2.2, 4.4.2, 4.4.4 all from Samsung site.
Why were you trying different PIT files??
because the current error is "secure check fail: PIT" and the google walk throughs suggested trying new PIT files.
What errors are you having?
from which location? odin or the device?
from the device:
secure check fail: PIT
from odin:
big red FAIL in the first box. message output is below.
<ID:0/003> Added!!
<ID:0/003> Odin v.3 engine (ID:3)..
<ID:0/003> File analysis..
<ID:0/003> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/003> Initialzation..
<ID:0/003> Set PIT file..
<ID:0/003> DO NOT TURN OFF TARGET!!
<ID:0/003> Get PIT for mapping..
<ID:0/003> Firmware update start..
<ID:0/003> aboot.mbn
<ID:0/003> NAND Write Start!!
<ID:0/003> sbl1.mbn
<ID:0/003> sbl2.mbn
<ID:0/003> sbl3.mbn
<ID:0/003> rpm.mbn
<ID:0/003> tz.mbn
<ID:0/003> boot.img
<ID:0/003> recovery.img
<ID:0/003> system.img.ext4
<ID:0/003> Complete(Write) operation failed.
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This typically would be an easy fix, but if 4.4.4 official doesn't straighten it out, it could be a big pain, most likely owing to the fact that you tried to run 4.2.2 on a phone that has had the official 4.4.2 version installed and/or the fact that you were messing with Pits for some reason. Downgrading newer Samsungs, especially since 4.3, is typically not recommended and in most instances is a really bad idea.

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es0tericcha0s said:
This typically would be an easy fix, but if 4.4.4 official doesn't straighten it out, it could be a big pain, most likely owing to the fact that you tried to run 4.2.2 on a phone that has had the official 4.4.2 version installed and/or the fact that you were messing with Pits for some reason. Downgrading newer Samsungs, especially since 4.3, is typically not recommended and in most instances is a really bad idea.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the information. That explains a lot.
Any suggestions to move forward? Thanks!

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toosweetnitemare said:
Thank you for the information. That explains a lot.
Any suggestions to move forward? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried 4.4.4 yet? If so, and it didn't work, please explain in detail what the error was or where it failed.

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es0tericcha0s said:
Have you tried 4.4.4 yet? If so, and it didn't work, please explain in detail what the error was or where it failed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes I just tried M919UVUFNH7_M919TMBFNH7_TMB. Attached is a screenshot of odin. below is the output from odin.
<ID:0/003> Added!!
<OSM> Enter CS for MD5..
<OSM> Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..
<OSM> Please wait..
<OSM> M919UVUFNH7_M919TMBFNH7_M919UVUFNH7_HOME.tar.md5 is valid.
<OSM> Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..
<OSM> Leave CS..
<ID:0/003> Odin v.3 engine (ID:3)..
<ID:0/003> File analysis..
<ID:0/003> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/003> Initialzation..
<ID:0/003> Get PIT for mapping..
<ID:0/003> Firmware update start..
<ID:0/003> aboot.mbn
<ID:0/003> NAND Write Start!!
<ID:0/003> sbl1.mbn
<ID:0/003> sbl2.mbn
<ID:0/003> sbl3.mbn
<ID:0/003> rpm.mbn
<ID:0/003> tz.mbn
<ID:0/003> boot.img
<ID:0/003> recovery.img
<ID:0/003> Complete(Write) operation failed.
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)
<ID:0/003> Removed!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when turning on the phone without booting into recovery or download mode, I get the message "Firmware upgrade encountered an issue. Please select recovery mode in Kies & try again." I have tried recovery mode in Kies and it does not detect my device.
the little text in the upper left hand corner of the screen says:
odin mode
product name: sgh-m919
current binary: samsung official
system status: custom
knox kernel lock: 0x0
knox warrenty void: 0x1
cso-config-lsb:0x30
write protection enabled:
emmc burst mode enabled
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
entering download mode I get the same little text in the upper left corner of the screen as when just booting the device. The message in the middle of the screen has changed to "Downloading... Do not turn off target!!"
when I try to push the img for 4.4.4 while in download mode, I get the output from odin that I pasted above and the text in the upper left hand corner of the screen has been appended to state:
odin mode
product name: sgh-m919
current binary: samsung official
system status: custom
knox kernel lock: 0x0
knox warrenty void: 0x1
cso-config-lsb:0x30
write protection enabled:
emmc burst mode enabled
start [224, 1448]
bar [240, 1440]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and the blue loading bar has stopped moving.
please let me know if there is anything else I can give you for information. Thank you for looking into this with me.

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It's odd that it fails after trying to do the recovery. I'd see if maybe I could find the stock recovery and just flash that and then attempt the full Odin restore afterwards. But I wanna say it's because of messing around with the Pit.
I think at this point, your options are:
Find a debrick img for your current firmware (or find someone with a rooted Tmo S4 on the same update and you can make one from it, and follow the basic guide here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2369125
while substituting the correct files for your phone.
OR, you'll need a JTAG service.

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That's what I was afraid of. Thanks for the info.

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Figured it out!
I flashed a 4.4.2 IMG via Odin and unchecked "f.reset time".
I kid you not, that let the img be written. *sigh*

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toosweetnitemare said:
Figured it out!
I flashed a 4.4.2 IMG via Odin and unchecked "f.reset time".
I kid you not, that let the img be written. *sigh*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting find. Can't imagine why that would be the trick. Every time I've ever used Odin (on many dozens of Samsungs), it's always been recommended to check that for a full update. Thanks for sharing in case I, or another member has the same thing happen.
Wait, .tar or like the system.img?

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toosweetnitemare said:
Figured it out!
I flashed a 4.4.2 IMG via Odin and unchecked "f.reset time".
I kid you not, that let the img be written. *sigh*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you post the .IMG here please? im running through same issue.

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es0tericcha0s said:
It's odd that it fails after trying to do the recovery. I'd see if maybe I could find the stock recovery and just flash that and then attempt the full Odin restore afterwards. But I wanna say it's because of messing around with the Pit.
I think at this point, your options are:
Find a debrick img for your current firmware (or find someone with a rooted Tmo S4 on the same update and you can make one from it, and follow the basic guide here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2369125
while substituting the correct files for your phone.
OR, you'll need a JTAG service.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just for info. the Model: SGH-M919 will not boot from the SD card, Even if you have the correct debrick.img that was made from the same device.