I545 KitKat NK4 Root Help - Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4

Hi everyone, just made an account here because I searched and couldn't find a solution to my problem. I have a Galaxy S4, Verizon i545, which I had rooted with towelroot. When the Lollipop OTA update rolled around, I mistakenly accepted the first half, but the second failed. I've since heard a lot of complaints about Lollipop, so I've decided to try to go with a ROM. Here's my issue: I'm currently on Kitkat NK4, and root no longer works (towelroot now said unsupported). Preferably, I'd like to re-root without a factory reset, just long enough to install SuperSu and Titanium Backup, then flash the Hyperdrive ROM. Can anyone assist me in re-rooting Kitkat NK4 without wiping everything initially? If I just can't do it, then it won't be the end of the world, but I figured if there was any way to do it, this would be the place to find out. Also, I'm a little on the noobish side, so step-by-step would be preferable. Thanks in advance everyone!

OK from something I read somewhere else it looks like I can run the MC5 NO-WIPE, then towelroot and be back to where I started to run Titanium Backup. Can anyone confirm this?

Related

Lost Root After HyperDrive RLS 16

Hello! The reason why I am posting here is because I don't exactly know what my problem is caused by. Yesterday, I followed Surge's method of updating to 4.4.2 with root on my Verizon Galaxy S4. That was successful, and I soon after decided that I wanted to give HyperDrive RLS 16 a try on the 4.4.2 base. I installed HyperDrive, but when when I boot up the phone, I lost all root access, safestrap, and my WiFi will not turn on. I know how to fix the WiFi issue and its an easy fix with root, but the problem is that I totally lost root. When I open up SuperSu it says that the binaries are not installed, and I cannot install safestrap to even flash the Verizon modules to get wifi working. Any help would be much appreciated, and like I said, I do not know what the problem actually is so I asked it in general questions. Thanks in advance!
Same thing just happened to me.. used Surges NC5 stock root and everything was fine for the past few weeks.. today I decided to try Hyperdrive, first custom ROM on this phone for me and I'm having the same exact issue as the OP.. haven't tested wifi so not sure but I've lost root and of course Safestrap custom recovery. Guess I have to Odin back.. so frustrating.
Just flash the latest SuperSU zip through recovery and you should be rooted again in no time.
http://download.chainfire.eu/396/SuperSU/UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.94.zip?retrieve_file=1
Thanks..found the answer in the HD thread..I didn't realize I needed to flash superuser right after the ROM..lost root and SS recovery..ended up having to odin back to MK2.. Re-root and then to NC5.. it's been a long night.
I was having the same problem! No root, wireless or SafeStrap. Had to downgrade to MK2 and start over. Finally running the latest HyperDrive with root and SafeStrap but no wireless, even after flashing the NC5 modules

saferooted ND3 or MJ9? any other options

Unfortunately I've been dealing with a locked bootloader for way too long.
I originally used saferoot on the MJ9 firmware. Then somehow my phone update to the ND3 firmware, but I didn't even notice because I kept all my root access. I only found out when I started getting the messages for the 4.4.2 update. Like an idiot I even tried to update to 4.4.2, but it failed about 1/3 of the way through.
One issue I have is that I constantly get wifi instability when I'm downloading torrents both on my computer and on my phone. I used to get the same wifi instability from the early rooted MJ9 from Beans.
I've read a very little bit about safestrap, I think that's what it's called. I was just wondering what would help me run the most lean and stripped of bloat? I currently have a ton of tasks frozen in ROM Toolbox, but it's nowhere near as lean as the Sophisticated ROM I ran when I had an unlocked bootloader. I sure wish I had never dropped that phone. :crying:
Any advice would greatly be appreciated, or more info about safestrap.
One more question. Where do I the location of where the 4.4.2 was downloaded? I searched and it was said it should be in the cache folder, but I am unable to locate it.

[Q] Could use a little help...I545 Have not taken Lollipop OTA

I've had my VZ S4 since sometime around Dec of 2013. Previously was on a DroidX, I've really honestly never had any problems rooting or installing custom rom's on my phones (A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU HERE that made that possible) so I'm not a noob...but I'm not an expert either. I usually wait and read a lot of threads, follow the instructions and I've always been good to go. My S4 started at MK2, (took the OTA right out of the box, now I now better ) and with the help of K1mu's post on rooting the S4 with Saferoot everything went off with out a hitch (thank you!!). After successfully rooting the phone, I installed Safestrap, backed up the stock rom slot, created a custom rom slot and installed Hyperdrive 11...everything is working flawlessly.
So fast forward a year to KitKat I returned to XDA...read and read and read and followed the Dev's instructions and was good to go again. I know it involved Safestrap-I545-3.75-KitKat-A03.apk, TowelRoot, Odin and ALL_VZW_I545VRUFNC5_I545VZWFNC5_1151670_REV06_user_low_ship_Multi_Cert_Tar.md5. Definitely was one of muniz_ri post. Any way I basically used Odin...flashed back to factory stock followed muniz_ri post and was good to go again with KitKat(Thank You!!)
So now to the present, about a week or so ago I had an OTA screen pop asking to update, it actually showed 2 updates available (don't know if there is a log in the S4 that keeps track of the updates). So I came back here of course and started reading and reading and reading...and I was ready to begin the process in this thread by muniz_ri: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...-to-update-to-i545oc1-5-0-1-keeproot-t3096558 which again I am sure would have went flawlessly. Then I had an accident...I had been dismissing the update (it popped up a lot ) when the unthinkable happened...I pressed yes, the phone went thru the update process and I don't know what update it was but it wasn't Lolllipop...so I was like phewwww, clicked on my RootCheck (JRummy) and it said Rooted 4.4.2 KitKat (NK4), SuperSu 2.46 so I figured everything was ok. Not so, I don't know what the upgrade was but I no longer have root or access to safestrap, SuperSu or any apps that require root...and this is where I need guidance from the masters. I have a TWRP/Safestrap back up (stock-2014-12-08--19-33-37 KOT49H.I545VRUFNK1) from right after rooting for KitKat, nothing else...just root I'm pretty sure of that. So what would be the best way to fix? Is there a way to re-root the phone in it's present condition? Can I use the TWRP back up some how with out SafeStrap? How far back can I down grade with Odin using a VWZ factory image? Any idea what happened with the update prior to Lollipop? Sorry if this was long winded, just trying to figure out the best way moving forward. I don't really care about the data on the phone. Before going forward I'll do A Keis back up of the stuff I want to save. I appreciate any help/answers/suggestions...Jinx

Stuck on NK4

Hello everyone. I don't post much as you can see but I do read a lot. I am confused and need some help please. I will tell you everything I know to this point. I have a Verizon I545 S4 that I rooted using Towelroot with no problems. I started getting the update notification over and over and one day I hit it by mistake. My phone took part 1 of lollipop and changed to NK4. I thought I had no choice so I tried but Part 2 failed. Here is where I am lost. (Let me say this first, just now reading back through all the how to's I had printed off, I can assure you I DID NOT run Triangle Away app. Just now seen it actually. I just clicked unroot in SuperSU and then ran Root Checker and I think it said no root access. I don't remember checking to see if NK4 rolled back or not. I followed a how to called Root Verizon Galaxy S4 SCH I545 on NG6 and NK1 Firmware which may have been wrong? It had me flash with NC5, then use Towelroot, then I think I used NK1 but I can't say for sure. Maybe NG6 but don't think so. Either way it said I was once again rooted and everything was fine other than I noticed I was still showing NK4. Can someone please point me in the right direction to #1 unroot correctly and back to previous firmware #2 put back to factory so I can sell if I do and they don't want it rooted. Thanks in advance for the help.

[Q] Easiest Path - Upgrade MK2 to OF1 ?

Hello Everyone,
I'm a first time poster but have been reading this site for weeks trying to find the answer to my questions. I've acquired a good bit of info but still wanted to clarify some things before I take the plunge.
I'm currently using a Verizon GS4 (I-545) running rooted stock MK2 jellybean. I rooted ~2 years ago to get rid of the bloatware and just never bothered upgrading/keeping up with the firmware updates. There are some new apps that won't work on my phone, but are working on my wife's stock GS4 on OF1. I'd like to upgrade my firmware (and keep root) so that I don't have to keep stealing her phone.
I've come across several threads discussing upgrading from one baseband to the next - none quite match my scenario. Most threads talk about how to upgrade and keep root but now that I'm late to the party, it seems like root methods have been discovered for all stock firmware versions (even OF1 by flashing OC1 kernel, rooting, and flashing back to OF1 kernel). So with this in mind, can I just skip all the complicated stuff and just use Odin to flash OF1 and then follow Edgardo_Uchicha's OF1 root method?
If I can use Odin to flash OF1, will the file I load in the "AP" slot also includes the proper modules, bootloaders, etc. to upgrade everything to OF1? Will it do a factory reset/wipe or will I keep all my data like an OTA? As for getting the Odin file, it looks like I should just use the Samsung site to get it directly?
If I can use the Odin method, are there any drawbacks? If I don't like lollipop I realize I'm stuck and can't go back, but is there anyway to upgrade and be able to go back (downgrade)?
Thanks again for your help!
Mike
Hello Mike,
You can flash OF1 and root via the method others and I posted, some people wrote that other rooting software/apps are starting to work on lollipop builds, I haven't tested yet(since my device have a custom rom and it's rooted) but soon I will and will update the thread. Btw, my suggestion to you is flashing this specific odin package:
[Odin][TAR] I545VRUGOF1 neutered (No BL)
I was on kitkat bootloader, flashed this OF1 build and went back to kitkat without problems
Good luck!
Edgardo_Uchiha said:
Hello Mike,
You can flash OF1 and root via the method others and I posted, some people wrote that other rooting software/apps are starting to work on lollipop builds, I haven't tested yet(since my device have a custom rom and it's rooted) but soon I will and will update the thread. Btw, my suggestion to you is flashing this specific odin package:
[Odin][TAR] I545VRUGOF1 neutered (No BL)
I was on kitkat bootloader, flashed this OF1 build and went back to kitkat without problems
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I followed the thread you linked and it looked like my phone upgraded OK. However, even at lock screen I get the message "Unfortunately, the process com.android.phone has stopped". It reappears as soon as I dismiss it...basically making my phone useless. I was able to navigate to the Settings page though and it says I'm on 5.0.1 but under baseband it says "Unknown" rather than OF1. It does show OF1 under the build number though. I'm guessing it didn't like the MK2 bootloader?
Any ideas how to fix? Help!!
mike2914 said:
So I followed the thread you linked and it looked like my phone upgraded OK. However, even at lock screen I get the message "Unfortunately, the process com.android.phone has stopped". It reappears as soon as I dismiss it...basically making my phone useless. I was able to navigate to the Settings page though and it says I'm on 5.0.1 but under baseband it says "Unknown" rather than OF1. It does show OF1 under the build number though. I'm guessing it didn't like the MK2 bootloader?
Any ideas how to fix? Help!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try wiping via recovery, if I'm not wrong this package does not wipe your phone so maybe there are some leftovers that are messing up the new system
You are correct, the OF1 Odin file you recommended did not wipe my data/apps. You were also correct in that doing a factory reset/wipe fixed the issue. I had some apps that were previously "frozen/disabled" while I had root so I have a feeling that didn't help things when it got updated.
Is there any way to confirm that I still have the MK2 bootloader?
mike2914 said:
You are correct, the OF1 Odin file you recommended did not wipe my data/apps. You were also correct in that doing a factory reset/wipe fixed the issue. I had some apps that were previously "frozen/disabled" while I had root so I have a feeling that didn't help things when it got updated.
Is there any way to confirm that I still have the MK2 bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download and install terminal emulator, the run these commands:
1. su
2. getprop ro.bootloader
Awesome! I was able to confirm I'm still using the MK2 bootloader. Thanks for all your help!

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