I'm helping my friend install CyanogenMod 12 on his S4 (jfltevzw). We've rooted it and we're currently doing a full backup through Safestrap in case anything happens. Once that's finished, I'm unsure as to what we should do. CyanogenMod's wiki has installation instructions for the Verizon S4, but it says in big bold letters to not attempt this if on a ROM newer than I545VRUAMDK. He's on the latest version that Samsung/Verizon have pushed out, which is I545VRUFNK1. Is there an alternate way to install CyanogenMod on top of the newer stock ROM, or is it not possible?
vaindil said:
I'm helping my friend install CyanogenMod 12 on his S4 (jfltevzw). We've rooted it and we're currently doing a full backup through Safestrap in case anything happens. Once that's finished, I'm unsure as to what we should do. CyanogenMod's wiki has installation instructions for the Verizon S4, but it says in big bold letters to not attempt this if on a ROM newer than I545VRUAMDK. He's on the latest version that Samsung/Verizon have pushed out, which is I545VRUFNK1. Is there an alternate way to install CyanogenMod on top of the newer stock ROM, or is it not possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its not possible. ONLY mdk builds will work.
Raymondlikesroot said:
its not possible. ONLY mdk builds will work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dang, so there's absolutely nothing whatsoever that can be done? The page says you can't downgrade, but is anything at all possible now that he's beyond the MDK build? He really wants to make the switch and is fine with doing a complete wipe or whatever is necessary.
EDIT: I've been trying to read up on the VZW S4 and why this isn't possible, but I don't quite get it. Reading other threads it seems like the reason is because the bootloader is locked, but that can't be the case if he was able to install Safestrap. I'm coming from a Nexus 5 where everything is incredibly simple, so I apologize for my ignorance. (I don't mean to say you're wrong or anything as I have no idea myself, I just don't understand why it doesn't work on newer ROMs.)
vaindil said:
Dang, so there's absolutely nothing whatsoever that can be done? The page says you can't downgrade, but is anything at all possible now that he's beyond the MDK build? He really wants to make the switch and is fine with doing a complete wipe or whatever is necessary.
EDIT: I've been trying to read up on the VZW S4 and why this isn't possible, but I don't quite get it. Reading other threads it seems like the reason is because the bootloader is locked, but that can't be the case if he was able to install Safestrap. I'm coming from a Nexus 5 where everything is incredibly simple, so I apologize for my ignorance. (I don't mean to say you're wrong or anything as I have no idea myself, I just don't understand why it doesn't work on newer ROMs.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason we use Safestrap as opposed to twrp is because the bootloader is locked.
Surge1223 said:
The reason we use Safestrap as opposed to twrp is because the bootloader is locked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, okay. Really unfortunate that this isn't possible now. So he's just stuck with TouchWiz and can't do anything about it?
vaindil said:
Oh, okay. Really unfortunate that this isn't possible now. So he's just stuck with TouchWiz and can't do anything about it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep
Sent from my my Lollipopped S4
vaindil said:
Oh, okay. Really unfortunate that this isn't possible now. So he's just stuck with TouchWiz and can't do anything about it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can install hyperdrive rom
its not lolipop but its worlds better then stock ...
also there is a chance of getting the 5.01 GPE edition rom running when Samsung releases the lolipop update for the vz s4
that would at least give us a working lolipop kernel to use with the gpe rombase
and hey you never know there could be a exploite in the lolipop rom/kernel that lets us get kexec working
Basically safestrap loads after the kernel but early enough to replace point to a different root for the system. So we can load what ever system we want... But are stuck with the kernel the phone booted. If the system is based on the stock kernel this is fine... But when it starts making calls to custom kernel stuff you will have trouble.
So Cyanogenmod only provides the GUI? I've installed CM on two B&N tablets and I've been asked to root a new Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4. I've assumed that, because it's new, it will have I545VRUFNK1 4.4.2. I rooted my VSG s3 years ago to 4.3 and there was no going back on that one. It looks like it's the same with VSG s4. So, if CM provides only the GUI, then a rooted VSG s4 can still access Google Apps? What is the concern with with TW based ROMs? Is it the recovery/backup feature or only being stuck with the VSG s4 GUI?
Raymondlikesroot said:
its not possible. ONLY mdk builds will work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This explains why I bricked my phone when I tried to flash CM12...
ryant35 said:
This explains why I bricked my phone when I tried to flash CM12...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha yeah, that could maybe potentially probably be the issue. Just maybe.
Couldn't you ODIN back to an older baseband version and then try to flash CM12?
Lockett said:
Couldn't you ODIN back to an older baseband version and then try to flash CM12?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, in order to get CM, you'll need to be on MDK. Samsung prevents downgrading.
btw. the baseband version doesn't matter much. Its the bootloader version that is the toughie.
Boo! I just picked up my S4 yesterday after a 5 month run of using Windows Phone so I'm trying to figure this phone out. I'm on NK1 and trying to figure out how to root now.
vaindil where did you find a VRUFNK1 compatible version of Safestrip?
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
Pretty much as the title says.
I just signed up with Verizon last Thursday. Updated on first boot to NK1. Then went and did the instructions for rooting NK1 and adding Safestrap. Now I am seeing that it seems I cannot do anything with this phone? Should I downgrade to be able to install CM11/12 or other ROMs? Is this even possible?
Thanks for the help.
thchipmunk said:
Pretty much as the title says.
I just signed up with Verizon last Thursday. Updated on first boot to NK1. Then went and did the instructions for rooting NK1 and adding Safestrap. Now I am seeing that it seems I cannot do anything with this phone? Should I downgrade to be able to install CM11/12 or other ROMs? Is this even possible?
Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry to break it to you but CM isn't possible for you. Basically, safestrap is your only option. If you want CM, you will need to by a used mdk s4.
Raymondlikesroot said:
Sorry to break it to you but CM isn't possible for you. Basically, safestrap is your only option. If you want CM, you will need to by a used mdk s4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that's what I gathered. I do have safestrap installed and installed the official CM11 nightly, as well as another rom but neither one really work. Should it?
As the post that you quoted said, cm isn't possible w/ out a phone that has a mdk bootloader, opposed to nk1, nc5, etc
thchipmunk said:
Yeah, that's what I gathered. I do have safestrap installed and installed the official CM11 nightly, as well as another rom but neither one really work. Should it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only touchwiz based roms, and a few aosp roms, work with safestrap. tldr: no.
Hello everyone,
SO I have the Verizon Galaxy S4, Model NUmber SCH-I545
As the title states, I want to try to install a custom ROM, one based on Lollipop, but I've never done anything like this before, and am concerned with certain things:
1 - Are there even many ROMs based on Lollipop that are stable, and wont be a hassle/annoyance?
2 - I've never flashed a ROM before, am not familiar with the process and have heard bad things about Verizon Samsung phones when it comes to these type of things.
I will give you guys all the info I can though.
First off, I AM rooted. I rooted my S4 using towelroot. It was scary easy. Downloaded towelroot from phone browser, let it do its thing. Checked with root checker, then downloaded SuperSU and Titanium Backup, Greenify etc. Thats all Ive done with root.
So what this means is that everything else on my phone is completely stock. Besides the fact that I am rooted by means of towelroot, and I use a Nova launcher, not TouchWiz plus other aesthetic stuff like a custom icon theme (which I doubt matters here), everything on the phone is completely stock.
I did kinda mess around with deleting some verizon bloatware with titanium backup though. Honestly cant remember what I deleted, I just remember I was pretty careful about downloading pre installed apps that I never used, like amazon services and verizon services, no android system things. Phone works fine. Except that there has been a Verizon software update that just will not work no matter what I do. It doesnt give me a detailed enough error message to find out what the problem is. I think it is a verizon update and not an android update. It will boot into recovery and look like the update works, but the progress bar stops and update always fails. This has been present for months now at this point.
So, with this information, what should I do if I want to install say, the CyanogenMod 12 nightly build for the Verizon galaxy s4? Is installing this rom worth it? Ive heard nightly builds can be annoying and buggy. I dont really want that, but would like Lollipop, or at least would like to try CyanogenMod. I think CM 10.2 based off Jelly Bean is the most recent that is deemed "stable" for the verizon S4.
Im sorry for the length of this post, but please, if someone could hold my hand and baby me through this I would appreciate it so much.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing from someone.
You can, it depends on what buildnumber/bootloader you have.
If you are running the MDK build of android (settings --> about device --> build number --> last few letters/numbers) then you can flash any rom made for the S4, but you will have to use the Loki exploit found at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2292157 . If you are running the latest version (NC5, NJ6, NK1) then you have to use Safestrap as your custom recovery found at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=56030788&postcount=2281 . You can't flash any lollipop ROMS using safestrap, unfortunately.
Oh i see. Well i just checked my phone and it is one of the builds that requires safestrap like you said. Is it possible to install the MDK?
connorjb said:
If you are running the MDK build of android (settings --> about device --> build number --> last few letters/numbers) then you can flash any rom made for the S4, but you will have to use the Loki exploit found at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2292157 . If you are running the latest version (NC5, NJ6, NK1) then you have to use Safestrap as your custom recovery found at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=56030788&postcount=2281 . You can't flash any lollipop ROMS using safestrap, unfortunately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh i see. Well i just checked my phone and it is one of the builds that requires safestrap like you said. Is it possible to install the MDK?
People are working on an exploit which allows you to install MDK but as of now there is no way
connorjb said:
People are working on an exploit which allows you to install MDK but as of now there is no way
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh ok, well alright thanks. Hopefully this will be possible soon. If it takes long enough my contract is up so ill just get a new phone
UPDATE: SOLVED, as of 07 FEB 2016; I needed to find an .MD5-compiled ROM with an NC5 bootloader; my last working bootloader was NC5 and using Odin to flash ROMs with other bootloaders had failed.
My phone has been rooted for over 2 years now and I've run a handful of ROMs, with Hyperdrive probably the most stable of the lot. Last fall I was losing some functionality (bad microphone) and I figured I might as well try a new ROM in case that helped. I install CM 12 and life was okay. I set it to download updates (mistake) and it upgraded me from CM 12 to CM 13. Much as I like the new Marshmallow features, my S4 steadily degraded in function over time, to the point where I stopped making or receiving phone calls.
Last week half of my installed apps disappeared, and attempting to install anything through the Google Play store failed. No clue how that might happen, but I knew it was time to flash a new ROM.
That was when I discovered I could no longer boot into TWRP; it hung on the TEAMWIN logo screen. Then I started getting the Verizon screen claiming it had detected unauthorized software.
Since I could no longer operate the phone, I went ahead and put it into download mode and ran Odin3 v3.10.7 and used that to flash an OC1 ROM, the only one I had that was in .MD5 format.
Now I can't get past a bootloop that leaves me hanging at the Verizon logo screen.
Any thoughts?
What is your bootloader right now? And/or what was it while on Hyperdrive?
Edit: wait....I see where u Odin'd oc1...was it the stock image? If so u may have flashed the oc1 boot.img. If that's the case, I suggest you download FlashFire and read up on it. Because if u were on nc5 or anything before you should be able to ODIN back down. But if u have an oc1 bootloader you're permalocked.
Huh. I tried to respond to this hours ago. Didn't upload, apparently.
Anyhow, thanks for responding. I have not been able to get an .MD5 version of the stock image to flash. The only complete .MD5 I've successfully downloaded is called "I545VRUGOC1_Neutered_Full_Odin.tar.md5". The last ROM running on this device was CyanogenMod 13, which is Android 6 with NC5 kernel.
I'm currently attempting to download "VRUFNC5 Full-Wipe Verizon SCH-I545 4.2.2 562219 Stock Restore.tar.md5" but it is slow going.
As for FlashFire, how could I install it to my phone? I cannot get past the bootloop. Odin seems to be my only option for flashing at this point, right?
Have you tried going to recovery after flashing OC1? maybe there are some leftovers of previous process, if your phone can go into recovery you should try to do some wipes
Edgardo_Uchiha said:
Have you tried going to recovery after flashing OC1? maybe there are some leftovers of previous process, if your phone can go into recovery you should try to do some wipes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great suggestion; unfortunately, TWRP is blocked by the Verizon notice now (the one that tells you Verizon's identified unauthorized software on the phone).
Okay, I'm going to try an NC5.MD5 that I was able to download. Here's hoping it moves this process forward....
I can help you! I have everything! PM me here, or send me a message on hangouts!
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Cincinnatux said:
Huh. I tried to respond to this hours ago. Didn't upload, apparently.
Anyhow, thanks for responding. I have not been able to get an .MD5 version of the stock image to flash. The only complete .MD5 I've successfully downloaded is called "I545VRUGOC1_Neutered_Full_Odin.tar.md5". The last ROM running on this device was CyanogenMod 13, which is Android 6 with NC5 kernel.
I'm currently attempting to download "VRUFNC5 Full-Wipe Verizon SCH-I545 4.2.2 562219 Stock Restore.tar.md5" but it is slow going.
As for FlashFire, how could I install it to my phone? I cannot get past the bootloop. Odin seems to be my only option for flashing at this point, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're on the right path. ODIN the nc5 full wipe. And from there you can use Safestrap to flash whatever. But I'm wondering if you've locked the bootloader to oc1 or of1. If that's the case, you can go to sammobile.com and register and sign-in and download any factory image flashable thru ODIN.
The nc5.md5 worked! It's not particularly stable (yet), but at least the phone boots up and seems to work.Thanks to those who took the time to read over the issue and offer suggestions!
May i ask how you had cm13 running on nc5? @Cincinnatux
klabit87 said:
May i ask how you had cm13 running on nc5? @Cincinnatux
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah me too?!...I was confused throughout this whole post, but I'm glad he took the advice and got nc5 full wipe. Does the trick everytime (on a downgradeable bootloader of course).
ATGkompressor said:
Yeah me too?!...I was confused throughout this whole post, but I'm glad he took the advice and got nc5 full wipe. Does the trick everytime (on a downgradeable bootloader of course).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps I am mistaken. I had NC5 the last time I had checked, which was when I installed CM12. Sometime around December or so CM12 upgraded itself to CM13. The only thing I remember having to change was GAPPS, moving that from 5.1 to 6.0.
Cincinnatux said:
Perhaps I am mistaken. I had NC5 the last time I had checked, which was when I installed CM12. Sometime around December or so CM12 upgraded itself to CM13. The only thing I remember having to change was GAPPS, moving that from 5.1 to 6.0.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regardless of whether it was CM12 or CM13, I would still like to know how you did it and where you got the files from.
Thanks.
klabit87 said:
Regardless of whether it was CM12 or CM13, I would still like to know how you did it and where you got the files from.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I used to troll XDA for ROMs, for CM I'm sure I went to their website and downloaded whatever was current at the time, which was a Lollipop ROM. I used TWRP to install, but I no longer have any of my notes for that install so I couldn't verify any of this, really.
Cincinnatux said:
While I used to troll XDA for ROMs, for CM I'm sure I went to their website and downloaded whatever was current at the time, which was a Lollipop ROM. I used TWRP to install, but I no longer have any of my notes for that install so I couldn't verify any of this, really.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If that's the case then you actually had the mdk bootloader. There is no way to have any cm based rom on nc5.
klabit87 said:
If that's the case then you actually had the mdk bootloader. There is no way to have any cm based rom on nc5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I was assuming as well. When I had the s3, I was able to install a cm Rom thru Safestrap. Actually the other thread we were in by mohammad.afaneh, he was a dev on the Safestrap for s3 and got it to support a cm Rom, but it didn't have working data signal or Wi-Fi.
ATGkompressor said:
That's what I was assuming as well. When I had the s3, I was able to install a cm Rom thru Safestrap. Actually the other thread we were in by mohammad.afaneh, he was a dev on the Safestrap for s3 and got it to support a cm Rom, but it didn't have working data signal or Wi-Fi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So he got kexec working? That would be nice.
Maybe he can provide some insight on this.
I know many others that would love to use cm based roms.
Would be even better if he could get safestrap to work on oc1/of1 bootloaders
klabit87 said:
So he got kexec working? That would be nice.
Maybe he can provide some insight on this.
I know many others that would love to use cm based roms.
Would be even better if he could get safestrap to work on oc1/of1 bootloaders
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think it was kexec. But go to the s3 forums and/or search his afh. We could probably modify it, or figure out exactly what he changed and incorporate it into the SS we have. Depending on what he changed, it may be possible to implement nc5flasher, gain support for AOSP bases (aka get them to boot). But in order to have a fully functional modem/firmware, the kernel would need to be built from source. I do know there is a thread (I think in s4 unified development) on a proof of concept project that will enable insecure modules on locked bootloaders. I could be wrong about the actual forum it's in and exactly what's involved. I believe it can be done, it's just gonna take many minds focused on a common goal with positive intent.
PS. There's a bounty and it would be nice if we could do it.
---------- Post added at 11:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:45 PM ----------
SORRY FOR HIJACKING YOUR POST @Cincinnatux!!!!!
klabit87 said:
So he got kexec working? That would be nice.
Maybe he can provide some insight on this.
I know many others that would love to use cm based roms.
Would be even better if he could get safestrap to work on oc1/of1 bootloaders
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, he modded CM enough to work with SS...
klabit87 said:
If that's the case then you actually had the mdk bootloader. There is no way to have any cm based rom on nc5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to reduce my ignorance a little, maybe one of you can point out the error in my thinking/memory. I thought NC5 vs MDK vs OC1 was whatever was listed in About Phone as the Baseband Version, right? While my phone was MDK at the time of purchase (July 2013), I changed the baseband a few times while upgrading to newer flavors of Android. My current baseband is I545VRUFNC5, which is what I remember it being last fall as well. Where am I mistaken? Thanks!
Cincinnatux said:
Just to reduce my ignorance a little, maybe one of you can point out the error in my thinking/memory. I thought NC5 vs MDK vs OC1 was whatever was listed in About Phone as the Baseband Version, right? While my phone was MDK at the time of purchase (July 2013), I changed the baseband a few times while upgrading to newer flavors of Android. My current baseband is I545VRUFNC5, which is what I remember it being last fall as well. Where am I mistaken? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Baseband does not equal bootloader.
You can update the baseband no problem but can't update the bootloader without being able to go back.
There is an app that you could use to check your bootloader called samsung phone info I believe our something like that.
So I have had my S4 since about a month after launch. Not long afterwards I received the OTA notification. I rejected it and froze the SDM.APK and stopped getting the notification. Fast-forward to recently. I am thinking about getting a stereo for my truck that has Google Auto, but my phone is not compatible. I believe it is because I am running version 4.2.2. Is there a way that I can upgrade to Lollipop, keep root and keep my current apps installed?
Thanks,
Dan
bumpncarstereo said:
So I have had my S4 since about a month after launch. Not long afterwards I received the OTA notification. I rejected it and froze the SDM.APK and stopped getting the notification. Fast-forward to recently. I am thinking about getting a stereo for my truck that has Google Auto, but my phone is not compatible. I believe it is because I am running version 4.2.2. Is there a way that I can upgrade to Lollipop, keep root and keep my current apps installed?
Thanks,
Dan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best thing you can do is install the Custom CyanogenMod 13 ROM for S4 KitKat.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
bumpncarstereo said:
So I have had my S4 since about a month after launch. Not long afterwards I received the OTA notification. I rejected it and froze the SDM.APK and stopped getting the notification. Fast-forward to recently. I am thinking about getting a stereo for my truck that has Google Auto, but my phone is not compatible. I believe it is because I am running version 4.2.2. Is there a way that I can upgrade to Lollipop, keep root and keep my current apps installed?
Thanks,
Dan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
chaotic_jose said:
Best thing you can do is install the Custom CyanogenMod 13 ROM for S4 KitKat.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're still on MDK bootloader, you can flash TWRP and then install a custom ROM. CM 13 works. I also like OctOS 6.0.
If you're on any other bootloader, however, you're stuck with safestrap and TouchWiz-based ROMs.
flamadiddle said:
If you're still on MDK bootloader, you can flash TWRP and then install a custom ROM. CM 13 works. I also like OctOS 6.0.
If you're on any other bootloader, however, you're stuck with safestrap and TouchWiz-based ROMs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do I find out what bootloader I am on? In the about phone it says "Secure Boot Status Type Samsung" Also my baseband Version is I545VRUAME7
If my research so far is correct, looks like I am stuck with safestrap and touchwiz based roms?
It may matter, I am on Verizon.
Thanks
Dan
bumpncarstereo said:
How do I find out what bootloader I am on? In the about phone it says "Secure Boot Status Type Samsung" It may matter, I am on Verizon.
Thanks
Dan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you go to Settings --> About Phone, the last three letters of your Baseband version are what we're talking about. If it ends with MDK, you can bypass the security checks on the locked bootloader via the Loki patch.
Edit
Just saw your update. Yeah, you have the ME7 bootloader, which means you're out of luck for non-TW ROMs. Sorry. Check the ROM List for Safestrap-compatible ROMs. The Safestrap thread has instructions on how to use it.
flamadiddle said:
When you go to Settings --> About Phone, the last three letters of your Baseband version are what we're talking about. If it ends with MDK, you can bypass the security checks on the locked bootloader via the Loki patch.
Edit
Just saw your update. Yeah, you have the ME7 bootloader, which means you're out of luck for non-TW ROMs. Sorry. Check the ROM List for Safestrap-compatible ROMs. The Safestrap thread has instructions on how to use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the information.
flamadiddle said:
When you go to Settings --> About Phone, the last three letters of your Baseband version are what we're talking about. If it ends with MDK, you can bypass the security checks on the locked bootloader via the Loki patch.
Edit
Just saw your update. Yeah, you have the ME7 bootloader, which means you're out of luck for non-TW ROMs. Sorry. Check the ROM List for Safestrap-compatible ROMs. The Safestrap thread has instructions on how to use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Famadiddle
I installed safestrap with no problem. I am looking at the list of available roms and there doesn't appear to be many options for me. I am coming from a stock 4.2.2 and it seems that they require you to come from 4.4.x, the one that specifically say ME7, the download link was out of date. Am I misinterpreting the pre-req's? With a custom rom, do you have to stay within your version? IE i have to stay 4.2.2, and I can't go to 4.4?
Thanks again.
Edit,
So I bit the bullet and installed this one here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2415780
don't really see what all the commotion was about. everything was still the same, seems to have installed over top of my stock rom. It did install something though because the about phone screen has different stuff in it.
Dan
bumpncarstereo said:
Famadiddle
I installed safestrap with no problem. I am looking at the list of available roms and there doesn't appear to be many options for me. I am coming from a stock 4.2.2 and it seems that they require you to come from 4.4.x, the one that specifically say ME7, the download link was out of date. Am I misinterpreting the pre-req's? With a custom rom, do you have to stay within your version? IE i have to stay 4.2.2, and I can't go to 4.4?
Thanks again.
Edit,
So I bit the bullet and installed this one here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2415780
don't really see what all the commotion was about. everything was still the same, seems to have installed over top of my stock rom. It did install something though because the about phone screen has different stuff in it.
Dan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AFAIK, you can install other versions of (Safestrap-compatible) ROMs. If you only install ME7 ROMs, then you're only getting modified versions of the same stock software you already had. I have not used Safestrap myself, so your questions about it will get better answers on the Safestrap thread.