Little help - Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4

I'm trying to fix an S4 for my friends 14 yr old son. All I know is that he says he used towel root to root it. There's some stuff on screen. Stable root, stable boot initiating, build number etc; can't remember exactly and don't have the phone on me now. Anyway, it boots just fine but systemui is constantly crashing, making it impossible to do anything. I tried a factory reset with no luck. Still same problems. I downloaded stock firmware and tried to odin back to stock also with no luck. Getting a "fail(auth)" message. My question is, before I attempt to try odin again is there a way I can push a new systemui.apk to the phone to try and fix it? Or a way to remove the root files through adb? Any help is much appreciated. For the record, I've successfully unbricked many galaxy devices in my time. Don't know why this one is giving me such a hard time.

Odin failed? Probably a bad download. Also was it a no wipe or emergency repair file? Best bet may be to follow the links in this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2776189 for the appropriate build number and use the emergency repair if everything still isn't working.

I would recommend the no wipe Odin image from surge, Nc5, should take care of your issue. If that fails, you should try the Full wipe of NC5, bc that is rootable without downgrading or following some directions that you may not understand. Dont know your comfort level with the phone, but if you know adb, then you might be smarter than me.
Your Odin might have failed bc of a bad download. Try redownloading the file, use stock samsung data cable, try a different usb port on pc etc.

Related

[Q] Unrooting via mobile odin

My note 2 is having connection problems so I would like to unroot and claim my warranty. I have mostly figured it out but could use some help to make sure I am doing it right before I brick it. My plan is to flash a rooted stock rom (if somebody could link me the correct rom that would be helpful, I am not sure if I can use just any stock rom like here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2578458 or if I need the original stock rom 4.1 or whatever), then use triangle away to reset the counter. After that I will go into mobile odin (as I cannot keep a constant connection for unrooting through the computer) to open the .tar.md5 file that will return it to unrooted. The tar file i have is the Official VRAMC3 4.1.2 from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2024207. After that I think I just have to boot into stock recovery to factory data reset/wipe and it should look like it was never rooted. I am not very knowledgable on all this however so I would really appreciate thoughts or concerns about this process from more experienced people, or if this is just going to completely ruin my phone and is totally wrong. I could not find anybody that has done this exact process with a verizon note 2.
Thanks
Edit: If there is an easier way somebody knows of that does not use a computer connection at all that would be cool too.

[Q] Flashing back to stock ROM from a bootloop/possible brick.

I have a Verizon galaxy note II, and had been running AllianceROM.
AllianceROM seemed to be running pretty good until one day when my accelerometer stopped working. I thought it may be a software bug, so I tried to reflash the ROM. I got a bootloop, and tried again.
I tried to flash cyanogenmod 11 and still got a bootloop. Then I realized I didn't have a safe backup.
I attempted to flash some stock firmware through ODIN, since I couldn't get anything to work through cwm.
In the end, I'm stuck with a note II that can't boot. When I try to turn it on, I see the galaxy note II logo, but then the screen goes black (not off, I have to pop the battery out before I can try again.) Power+home+volume up now brings me to android system recovery/manual mode, and power+home+volume down gets me to ODIN mode.
Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. I really wasn't planning on getting a new phone at this point, so I hope it's not beyond fixing! Thanks in advance.
Ethan,
It sounds like you should be able to fix your device if you are careful. If you can boot into the stock recovery using power+ home + volume up buttons, then do a factory reset and wipe cache... that might fix your problem and let the device boot up normally.
You should also check out Droidstyle's restore guide at this link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=34891181. His guide has links and detailed instructions on how to restore back to stock. (Hit the thanks button for him too... as he spent a lot of time making the guide).
Remember that 4.1.2 is the last build that allows us to unlock our bootloader, so don't restore the device to 4.3 or 4.4.2 unless you want to permanently lock your bootloader. Also, there's no current root method for our phones if they get updated to stock 4.4.2, so don't odin that unless you decide you don't want root and custom ROM'S anymore.
Good luck!
mattnmag said:
Ethan,
It sounds like you should be able to fix your device if you are careful. If you can boot into the stock recovery using power+ home + volume up buttons, then do a factory reset and wipe cache... that might fix your problem and let the device boot up normally.
You should also check out Droidstyle's restore guide at this link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=34891181. His guide has links and detailed instructions on how to restore back to stock. (Hit the thanks button for him too... as he spent a lot of time making the guide).
Remember that 4.1.2 is the last build that allows us to unlock our bootloader, so don't restore the device to 4.3 or 4.4.2 unless you want to permanently lock your bootloader. Also, there's no current root method for our phones if they get updated to stock 4.4.2, so don't odin that unless you decide you don't want root and custom ROM'S anymore.
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just tried following that guide, installing the .pit file and the suggested stock firmware, but Odin reported "FAIL" instead of "PASS."
Now when I try to turn my phone on or go to stock recovery, I get the message "Firmware upgrade encountered an issue. Please use Software Repair Assistant & try again."
Any hope left?
Ethan.S said:
I just tried following that guide, installing the .pit file and the suggested stock firmware, but Odin reported "FAIL" instead of "PASS."
Now when I try to turn my phone on or go to stock recovery, I get the message "Firmware upgrade encountered an issue. Please use Software Repair Assistant & try again."
Any hope left?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, there's still hope to fix it if you can get the phone into download mode.
Here's some info to clarify before you try something else.... What firmware did you try to install when you used Droidstyle's guide? Also, in your initial post, you said "I attempted to flash some stock firmware through ODIN, since I couldn't get anything to work through cwm." What firmware did you flash at that point.... was it one of the Verizon stock firmwares? And what build number was it ( 4.1.2 VRAMC3 , 4.3 VRUEMJ9, 4.4.2 VRUFND7)?
I ask this because, if you flashed 4.3 or 4.4.2, then you can no longer restore back to 4.1.2....you would have to restore back to one of those newer versions (and those newer firmwares actually lock the bootloader and install Knox security features... so that's why I was suggesting not to use them--- unless you already did before you had placed your original post for help).
If you can't restore the phone through ODIN using Droidstyle's guide, then you might try the emergency firmware recovery feature that's available through the Samsung Kies program. You can find Kies at this link: http://www.samsung.com/us/kies/
**The KIES instructions say to use Kies version 2.6 for Firmware recovery back to 4.1.2, and use Kies version 3 for Firmware 4.3 and 4.4.2.
Here's a link to Kies 3 FAQ as well: ( http://www.samsung.com/us/support/SupportOwnersFAQPopup.do?faq_id=FAQ00059191&fm_seq=81528 ). Scroll down under Basic Functions and look for the link to "How do I Perform an Emergency Firmware Recovery..." The process should be similar if you plan to use KIES 2.6 instead - (that's only if you're able to restore back to 4.1.2 and you never Odin flashed one of the newer 4.3+ firmwares) .
I hope you can get it fixed. If you're not sure of things, I would suggest researching more and asking more questions before going forward. There is risk that we all take whenever we start modifying our phones, and the more knowledge we can get, the better chances of recovering from errors when we mess something up. (I know I've made plenty of errors as I've tried to learn... I even bricked my Tranformer Prime tablet shortly after receiving it from EBay :banghead: ). If worst comes to worst, you might end up having to pay someone to do a Jtag repair to unbrick it.... but let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Also-- you could try Verizon's Software Upgrade/Repair Assistant found here: ( http://www.verizonwireless.com/support/devices/knowledge_base.html/80201/ ). I have no idea what the differences are between Verizon's software repair assistant and Kies.... **

No imei and stuck in lg logo bootloop without computer access...help!

Ok I really did it this time. Here is what i stupidly did. my phone was on the 35b update so I used the tot method to take it back to 10b. I rooted and then used the ota updates to upgrade to 12b, and I believe to more times (of course after telling supersu to stay active thru the updates) until I got to the update that would take me over into lollipop. I downloaded the update, but then needed to charge my phone i noticed, so I told it to postphone the update. After I had a somewhat decent charge I told my g3 to update and it immediately went to twrp recovery. Thinking this odd I tried to reboot and it started to bootloop inside twrp. I tried getting it to do a recovery of a save that i had previously had downloaded to my ext sd before I lost root taking the 35b update and it went all the way thru and said success. But as soon as it rebooted into what should have been the system, It instead started bootlooping at the lg logo and hasnt stopped since. I not have got it to go to recovery but it is stock and twrp is now gone but every option results in simply restarting the bootloop. I plugged into my computer to try both tot and kdz only to have them both fail because now my computer no longer recognizes my device. During the stage that I was in recovery trying to use different predownloaded roms is when I realized that my imei has also been erased, which is why I assume my computer cant recognize it anymore. I know I probably have a list of mistakes that could have been avoided but I tried to do this myself and I admit i simply need the vast knowledge of the xda. Please someone guide me in the right direction to fix my phone. I don't have alot of money to spend to replace it and just really need to fix this one please.
ronnieshane1 said:
Ok I really did it this time. Here is what i stupidly did. my phone was on the 35b update so I used the tot method to take it back to 10b. I rooted and then used the ota updates to upgrade to 12b, and I believe to more times (of course after telling supersu to stay active thru the updates) until I got to the update that would take me over into lollipop. I downloaded the update, but then needed to charge my phone i noticed, so I told it to postphone the update. After I had a somewhat decent charge I told my g3 to update and it immediately went to twrp recovery. Thinking this odd I tried to reboot and it started to bootloop inside twrp. I tried getting it to do a recovery of a save that i had previously had downloaded to my ext sd before I lost root taking the 35b update and it went all the way thru and said success. But as soon as it rebooted into what should have been the system, It instead started bootlooping at the lg logo and hasnt stopped since. I not have got it to go to recovery but it is stock and twrp is now gone but every option results in simply restarting the bootloop. I plugged into my computer to try both tot and kdz only to have them both fail because now my computer no longer recognizes my device. During the stage that I was in recovery trying to use different predownloaded roms is when I realized that my imei has also been erased, which is why I assume my computer cant recognize it anymore. I know I probably have a list of mistakes that could have been avoided but I tried to do this myself and I admit i simply need the vast knowledge of the xda. Please someone guide me in the right direction to fix my phone. I don't have alot of money to spend to replace it and just really need to fix this one please.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im fairly knowledgeable with the g3, but im not sure i can help you
the consequences of the minor mistake you made (you cant take an ota with twrp on) are unusually severe.
we have a zip to flash that would have fixed it, but it needs to be flashed in twrp, and i dont believe i have ever seen twrp get removed while making this error.
im thinking the only fix is flashing stock. i would try different usb ports, re-install the drivers, and even try another pc, to get it recognized so you can flash it.
if there is some other fix im forgetting maybe someone else will suggest it, but in a bootloop with no twrp to flush the update, i believe your in a bad spot if you cant figure out how to get it to flash.
sorry
that is how my luck goes, thanks for looking into my problem.
bweN diorD said:
im fairly knowledgeable with the g3, but im not sure i can help you
the consequences of the minor mistake you made (you cant take an ota with twrp on) are unusually severe.
we have a zip to flash that would have fixed it, but it needs to be flashed in twrp, and i dont believe i have ever seen twrp get removed while making this error.
im thinking the only fix is flashing stock. i would try different usb ports, re-install the drivers, and even try another pc, to get it recognized so you can flash it.
if there is some other fix im forgetting maybe someone else will suggest it, but in a bootloop with no twrp to flush the update, i believe your in a bad spot if you cant figure out how to get it to flash.
sorry
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
got my computer to see it but now i cant flash back because I have no imei. Any fix I can do from download mode?
ronnieshane1 said:
got my computer to see it but now i cant flash back because I have no imei. Any fix I can do from download mode?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if trying LG Flash Tool 2014 with a 10B KDZ would work any better than the TOT method without an IMEI.
ronnieshane1 said:
got my computer to see it but now i cant flash back because I have no imei. Any fix I can do from download mode?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is a thread here in help somewhere on how to fix your imei. you would have to look into that, i really dont know how its done or whats possible.

Soft bricked(i think)g3, no download mode - phone still active_help get back to stock

I have a Sprint LG G3 LS990 that I have been having major trouble with as far as getting a custom recovery. Reason being is the Auto Rec wouldnt work for me because of my version of SuperSU. Flashify wouldnt work, even if I could find the correct file becuae it says to be careful when you are using lollipop AND/OR MAKE SURE BOOTOADER IS UNLCKED BEFORE FLASHING. I thought I had found a solution, but that solution did this to my phone. I basically tried to use BUMP to get TWRP, and based on what I read, I am SOFTBRICKED to a certain extent? My phone still works and everything, still root access, but I do not have any type of recovery or download mode to use any of these solutions that I keep finding. When I try to go into Download mode, or Boot into Recovery, it just goes to FASTBOOT. I cannot find our exactly what to do from here. I am rather a NOOB, but can take and retain direction and information well. I have been looking for a FASTBOOT SOLUTION for literally like TWO DAYS now and cannot seem to find one. If anyone could please help and tell me where to go from here. Anything that would get me to where I can factory reset my phone and reroot it. That is really the goal. The ultimate goal is reroot, custom recovery and BLISSPOP ROM and then I will be fine. I need information on totally RESETTING PHONE/(RESTORING RECOVERY?) from fastboot mode, or justs doing the whole process. Resetting phone so everything is how it should be STOCK WISE, so I can proceed to re root it. Thank you in advance for even reading this.
Have you tried flashing a recovery from within android? Like flash the latest twrp.

sch-i545 Baseband unknown, IMEI Null

Hi all
Just want to say I've been using XDA for a very long time, back to the OG Droid days, and wanted to say thanks right off the bat to those who are more skilled than I and for the help posted.
I recently aquired a sch-I545. The phone is in excellent condition, the only issue was that it was missing the IMEI, it's on the phone sticker, just not software. The baseband is also unknown. I knew this when buying it, that's how I got it so cheap. I figured that the guy had tried to flash it, and just didn't want to own up to it.
However, I have hit a wall. I've tried flash a stock rom on it so that I could root it and gain access to the EFS folder and see if I could modify anything. When I did, even though there was an EFS folder there was nothing to modify. I then heard about flashing a modem.bin to see about correcting the baseband and possibly the IMEI. Though I was rooted I didn't have a custom recovery, as of yet. I went to install TWRP via Odin and it starts the NAND write and then Fails.
So at my wits end I took it to a local shop, hoping that they might have better experience with this and I got the phone back today, with the Software Update Failed screen. I asked what was up, and was told that since someone tried to flash it, they erased the IMEI and they couldn't correct it. Asked why they gave me the phone back with the screen and was told that they too tried to flash with ODIN and it failed.
Luckily I didn't have to pay anything, but I think they just borked things up to and didn't want to own up to it lol.
SO....here's my question.
Can I flash a stock, or rooted ROM to this puppy that already has an IMEI and Baseband, and then Modify the IMEI to the correct one that is stickered on the phone? If I can, what search parameters should I look for? And is there a particular version of ODIN I need to use?
If I can't flash a ROM that already has a baseband and IMEI, how can I go about correcting this issue if ODIN doesn't want to write a custom recovery?
Thanks
You'll need Odin software and the correct factory image for the phone. There are a couple different builds so make sure to get the right one. If it's an MDK device and has never taken an OTA you're in luck. It can get TWRP on it after following the process. If it's later than MDK no TWRP. Search here and you'll find a thread explaining how to do it all.
Is there any way to tell if it's MDK after I flash the correct factory image? I have no clue if the person before updated via OTA.

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