Just got a GS4 NK1 off of ebay. What can I do? - Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4

I'm a little saddened that it appears I will not be running Cyanogenmod. (CURSE YOU VERIZON)
I just got a good conditioned Galaxy S4 unlocked for Verizon.
It is running what I've now learned is the NK1 boot loader? After helping my girlfriend put CM on her Evo 4G LTE I figured this would be a piece of cake for a phone as mainstream as a GS4, but apparently not.
So what are my options? Ideally I'd love to run TWRP / Cyanogenmod. But that appears to not be a thing anymore. I dont really care about Lollipop but if its nice I'll run it. I still think the pinnacle for phone UI design was Holo back in whatever CM 10.1 used. I want that ideally but yeah.
I'm reading about safestrap. It looks like I might be doing that. What is a good guide for NK1 S4s?
I saw in some threads that you can downgrade to NC5 with ODIN (which is desirable?) and then would that let me put TWRP and CM on or no?
With all the other phones I've messed with they had clear and concise guides, this one is very confusing, so I figured I'd put this out here and see if anyone can answer. Just want to see my options. I've been looking around this forum for a few days now and I have no clear answer of what to do and what I can do safely.
Model number: SCH-I545
Android Version: 4.4.2
Baseband version: I545VRUFNK1
Kernel version: 3.4.0
[email protected] #1
Tue Nov 4 23:03:49 KST 2014
Build number: KOT49H.I545VRUFNK1

Well,
so far I've made my phone quite unhappy with me. I got safestrap on and root, and then I installed hyperdrive. I must have made an error because it got rid of safestrap and then com.android.keyguard constantly crashes and makes the phone unusable. I'm currently waiting six hours for a unbricking image for odin to download. Sigh.

OKAY.
recovered. ugh. the first time I odin flashed it android was seriously broken but then I learned you have to wipe it in recovery first.
Anyway. Does anyone know how to install hyperdrive RL21 on an NK1 without overwriting safestrap?

Yeah. You have to flash the Hyperdrive UI. The trick is, when it tells you to reboot, on the bottom, above the home button, there are three squares, which represent a button. Click on that, select quit install(install finishes) and flash the Hyperdrive UI and SuperSU. If needed go back to Safestrap/Reinstall and flash the nc5 modules to get wifi back.

XxD34THxX said:
Yeah. You have to flash the Hyperdrive UI. The trick is, when it tells you to reboot, on the bottom, above the home button, there are three squares, which represent a button. Click on that, select quit install(install finishes) and flash the Hyperdrive UI and SuperSU. If needed go back to Safestrap/Reinstall and flash the nc5 modules to get wifi back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am on NK1, will NC5 modules work?

Or the NK1 modules. Either/Or.
I use nc5 because I am on NC5.
ProTip:You can flash back to nc5 since you still have NK1.

XxD34THxX said:
Or the NK1 modules. Either/Or.
I use nc5 because I am on NC5.
ProTip:You can flash back to nc5 since you still have NK1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds reasonable. I was thinking of going to Lollipop, but.. I think on second thought I'll stay here until people get good at messing with it. It works just fine and I can downgrade and do custom stuff. I just renamed the updater apps to make them shut the heck up. Now to enjoy the slow motion goodness of the camera. I came from a Razr M XT907 that COULD have had the bootloader unlocked but the original device bricked its eMMC (flash write failures at random points in whatever the motorola equivalent to Odin is) and completely murdered itself during a kitkat ota update, having to be exchanged. It came back unrootable and un-unlockable (ha)
I'm just gonna de-bloat this install and see how it goes until the community figures out Lollipop (or if they already have figured it out, I get told)
Thanks!

Lollipop is somewhat figured out. As it stands, there are three Lollipop ROMs:
-Stang5litre's ROM
-Super6
- Muniz_it's stock debloat/deodex

XxD34THxX said:
Lollipop is somewhat figured out. As it stands, there are three Lollipop ROMs:
-Stang5litre's ROM
-Super6
- Muniz_it's stock debloat/deodex
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are they worth it? If you need to factory wipe for whatever reason is there a way to get root again reliably without having to have come from root in kitkat?

All ROMs come prerooted. If you have to factory reset, it should still stick. To be safe, get flashfire, wipe the cache and data and third party apps, THEN flash SuperSU v2.49

Related

[Q] ME7 with Unlocked Bootloader Upgrade to MJ7?

Hi,
So I have a SGS4 with ME7 and and unlocked bootloader. I am looking to upgrade to MJ7(4.3?) and be able to keep my full root. Is there a good way to do such a thing yet? Most info I see says MJ7 is only for safe strap, I have a custom recovery so I am not sure if it will work or if it is worth it. Please advise and help me....
Thank you in advance!!!
If you are on ME7 you only have safestrap, which is not available for MJ7. MJ7 upgrade while retaining root is covered in the general section of this site. There are files you need to download and first install MI1. There are no rom options but the benefit of a rom are little on ME7 as you can't get off TW and are stuck on 4.2.2 becaise of kernel limitations.
Read a bit but I took the update from ME7 after losing MDK due to insurance replacement. Only if you really have a custom recovery such as TWRP or CWM on MDK are you losing much.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
kdo23 said:
If you are on ME7 you only have safestrap, which is not available for MJ7. MJ7 upgrade while retaining root is covered in the general section of this site. There are files you need to download and first install MI1. There are no rom options but the benefit of a rom are little on ME7 as you can't get off TW and are stuck on 4.2.2 becaise of kernel limitations.
Read a bit but I took the update from ME7 after losing MDK due to insurance replacement. Only if you really have a custom recovery such as TWRP or CWM on MDK are you losing much.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have CWM Touch Recovery V1.0.3.5 with my ME7 phone so it sounds like I should probably not take the update... I am pretty sure I don't have safestrap. I was on MDK then updated to ME7 and kept my unlocked bootloader and root. I just wish there was a way I could get 4.3 or 4.4... I will keep reading and searching... Thank you.
sonnycohopie said:
I have CWM Touch Recovery V1.0.3.5 with my ME7 phone so it sounds like I should probably not take the update... I am pretty sure I don't have safestrap. I was on MDK then updated to ME7 and kept my unlocked bootloader and root. I just wish there was a way I could get 4.3 or 4.4... I will keep reading and searching... Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You updated the radio I take it? That will show you on ME7 but have the MDK bootloader. Thus leaving your TWRP intact.
So anyway, I'm looking for the same thing. Not happening right now
kdo23 said:
If you are on ME7 you only have safestrap, which is not available for MJ7. MJ7 upgrade while retaining root is covered in the general section of this site. There are files you need to download and first install MI1. There are no rom options but the benefit of a rom are little on ME7 as you can't get off TW and are stuck on 4.2.2 becaise of kernel limitations.
Read a bit but I took the update from ME7 after losing MDK due to insurance replacement. Only if you really have a custom recovery such as TWRP or CWM on MDK are you losing much.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Up until today I had ME7 *with* CWM Recovery. I have no idea how that happened but I think it had something to do with flashing Hyperdrive while I was on MDK. I flashed a ton of ROM's through CWM since having ME7. However, lately I started to have a few bugs that seemed to carry over even after flashing a new ROM (like intermittent boot loops) so I decided to go back to a factory image (without knowing the limitations of ME7). Since I was on ME7, my understanding is that I had to flash an ME7 factory image, which I did and *now* I can't get recovery back, aside from Safestrap. It's a bit of a bummer but I just wanted to post to point out that it is possible to have ME7 and a custom recovery, it just seems like it isn't possible to flash a custom recovery *after* you have ME7. If you got it, keep it.
Super Sam Galaxy said:
Up until today I had ME7 *with* CWM Recovery. I have no idea how that happened but I think it had something to do with flashing Hyperdrive while I was on MDK. I flashed a ton of ROM's through CWM since having ME7. However, lately I started to have a few bugs that seemed to carry over even after flashing a new ROM (like intermittent boot loops) so I decided to go back to a factory image (without knowing the limitations of ME7). Since I was on ME7, my understanding is that I had to flash an ME7 factory image, which I did and *now* I can't get recovery back, aside from Safestrap. It's a bit of a bummer but I just wanted to post to point out that it is possible to have ME7 and a custom recovery, it just seems like it isn't possible to flash a custom recovery *after* you have ME7. If you got it, keep it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You didn't have stock me7 which was my meaning. You had an me7 rom I think is what you're saying.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
kdo23 said:
You didn't have stock me7 which was my meaning. You had an me7 rom I think is what you're saying.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, it wasn't stock ME7 for sure. I think it changed to ME7 when I first flashed Hyperdrive, but was that way for a while on every ROM I flashed after Hyperdrive so whatever change Hyperdrive made seemed to be permanent. Or else I may have just been flashing ROM's that were ME7 by coincidence - do all ROM's explicitly set the baseband or do some just use whatever is already on the device? I don't really understand basebands too well. Anyway, sorry about the mix-up, I wasn't aware you were referring to stock. I sure hope that someone is able to figure out a workaround that allows for a custom recovery because I really like KitKat and I suppose we won't be seeing any TW based KitKat ROM's until Samsung releases an update first. My understanding is that Safestrap only works with TW.
I find a certain degree of irony in the fact that I've never permanently damaged a device when rooting or flashing ROM's (which is pretty good for a noob like me), yet I've done something even worse just by inadvertently allowing an update that came straight from the manufacturer! Why do they have to make things so complicated? :crying:
Super Sam Galaxy said:
Well, it wasn't stock ME7 for sure. I think it changed to ME7 when I first flashed Hyperdrive, but was that way for a while on every ROM I flashed after Hyperdrive so whatever change Hyperdrive made seemed to be permanent. Or else I may have just been flashing ROM's that were ME7 by coincidence - do all ROM's explicitly set the baseband or do some just use whatever is already on the device? I don't really understand basebands too well. Anyway, sorry about the mix-up, I wasn't aware you were referring to stock. I sure hope that someone is able to figure out a workaround that allows for a custom recovery because I really like KitKat and I suppose we won't be seeing any TW based KitKat ROM's until Samsung releases an update first. My understanding is that Safestrap only works with TW.
I find a certain degree of irony in the fact that I've never permanently damaged a device when rooting or flashing ROM's (which is pretty good for a noob like me), yet I've done something even worse just by inadvertently allowing an update that came straight from the manufacturer! Why do they have to make things so complicated? :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Baseband is separate, your rom base is what we were referring to. The baseband change happened with a file you flashed for sure but likely not hyperdrive but a radio file. With a custom recovery you could have had mj7 baseband and custom recovery. Look at build number in the future.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Edit: build number can change too with a rom. Mdk is the only starting stock firmware which can be exploited to allow a custom recovery. Since you had one it meant you rooted on mdk and should not have odined to a later release.
Super Sam Galaxy said:
Up until today I had ME7 *with* CWM Recovery. I have no idea how that happened but I think it had something to do with flashing Hyperdrive while I was on MDK. I flashed a ton of ROM's through CWM since having ME7. However, lately I started to have a few bugs that seemed to carry over even after flashing a new ROM (like intermittent boot loops) so I decided to go back to a factory image (without knowing the limitations of ME7). Since I was on ME7, my understanding is that I had to flash an ME7 factory image, which I did and *now* I can't get recovery back, aside from Safestrap. It's a bit of a bummer but I just wanted to post to point out that it is possible to have ME7 and a custom recovery, it just seems like it isn't possible to flash a custom recovery *after* you have ME7. If you got it, keep it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely impossible to have a custom recovery on an ME7 boot loader. You could've flashed a ME7 radio or a ME7 based rom such as HyperDrive but your boot loader is still MDK. Which is why you lost your recovery, you flashed the wrong factory image.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
kdo23 said:
Baseband is separate, your rom base is what we were referring to. The baseband change happened with a file you flashed for sure but likely not hyperdrive but a radio file. With a custom recovery you could have had mj7 baseband and custom recovery. Look at build number in the future.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Edit: build number can change too with a rom. Mdk is the only starting stock firmware which can be exploited to allow a custom recovery. Since you had one it meant you rooted on mdk and should not have odined to a later release.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I figured out the part about not flashing to a later release after the fact, unfortunately. It was simply a matter of not thoroughly researching and it's a pretty big bummer now because I can't flash! But I suppose worse things can come of not researching, like bricking and thankfully that hasn't happened yet (though I'm certainly going go be more careful in the future). Thanks for explaining about all the baseband/radio stuff, that is a bit over my head. Sure hope an exploit for ME7 (or a way to revert to MDK) is found soon, though from the sound of it that isn't likely.

[Q] VZW S4 overheated lost my MDK

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.

[Q] Installing TWRP on jfltevzw 4.4.2 (NC5)

I was one of the idiots that accidentally upgraded to the newest firmware when it first came out. My device is totally rooted, but I've been reading that I'm required to use things such as SafeStrap or Loki to install custom roms. I'm not sure if this is still the case as its been months since this was discovered. I've been trying to search the forums extensively for a fix, but I've been unable to find one. One thing I came across: here seems to be a very simple way to install TWRP on the Galaxy S4, however, I don't wan to run the risk of bricking my phone and being SOL because I have ****ty firmware and no way to custom recover my phone.
Point blank, would I be able to install TWRP manager via GooManager given that I've updated to NC5? Or even if not, what are my options for custom recovery/roms? End game, I want to walk away with 5.0.1 GPE or Cyanogenmod 12. Hopefully.
I'd really appreciate any and all help. Attached is a screenshot of my phone information.
zQueal said:
I was one of the idiots that accidentally upgraded to the newest firmware when it first came out. My device is totally rooted, but I've been reading that I'm required to use things such as SafeStrap or Loki to install custom roms. I'm not sure if this is still the case as its been months since this was discovered. I've been trying to search the forums extensively for a fix, but I've been unable to find one. One thing I came across: here seems to be a very simple way to install TWRP on the Galaxy S4, however, I don't wan to run the risk of bricking my phone and being SOL because I have ****ty firmware and no way to custom recover my phone.
Point blank, would I be able to install TWRP manager via GooManager given that I've updated to NC5? Or even if not, what are my options for custom recovery/roms? End game, I want to walk away with 5.0.1 GPE or Cyanogenmod 12. Hopefully.
I'd really appreciate any and all help. Attached is a screenshot of my phone information.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once you updated to anything past MDK there's no going back . Safestrap is the only option to install Touchwiz ROMS.
scrillakev said:
Once you updated to anything past MDK there's no going back . Safestrap is the only option to install Touchwiz ROMS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn! That's what I figured. I followed [this guide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLHZfPwLkPM) and installed the SafeStrap APK, but stopped at the "install recovery" step. I've been reading that this can soft brick your phone. Do you have any input? Is it safe to do? If it does brick my phone will I be able to factory reset with Odin?
Sorry for the barrage of questions, I'm a bit of a noob.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT:
Well, I decided to go ahead with it. It worked fine. I rebooted to SafeStrap and went right to do a backup. It failed. I tried to reboot into my stock rom, and it was 0MB. I really might blow up Verizon HQ.
zQueal said:
Damn! That's what I figured. I followed [this guide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLHZfPwLkPM) and installed the SafeStrap APK, but stopped at the "install recovery" step. I've been reading that this can soft brick your phone. Do you have any input? Is it safe to do? If it does brick my phone will I be able to factory reset with Odin?
Sorry for the barrage of questions, I'm a bit of a noob.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT:
Well, I decided to go ahead with it. It worked fine. I rebooted to SafeStrap and went right to do a backup. It failed. I tried to reboot into my stock rom, and it was 0MB. I really might blow up Verizon HQ.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never used SafeStrap so I doubt I will be much help. But once you rebooted your stock ROM is no longer there? Might have to just flash a stock image via ODIN and try again. Verizon isn't going to help you either with modding your phone, XDA is the place to be.
Has there been anything new since this thread was posted or is it impossible still?
mcbeat257 said:
Has there been anything new since this thread was posted or is it impossible still?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry buddy you're SOL
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Free mobile app
If you are rooted use a terminal editor app and type:
getprop ro.bootloader
If it says anything other than I545VRUAMDK your only choice is SafeStrap.
That means if you bought an S4 and it came with MK1, NC5, NK1, or anything other than MDK you cannot flash a custom recovery. The same applies if you took an OTA from VZW. This has been stated 1000's of times here.
Hint:
Look on the box that your S4 came in and read the last three characters where it says what build the phone has.
mcbeat257 said:
Has there been anything new since this thread was posted or is it impossible still?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keep checking up on SS they are working on the ability to also use custom kernels on top which would make it essentially as efficient as a custom recovery, with some storage loss.
safestrap version
Well, I decided to go ahead with it. It worked fine. I rebooted to SafeStrap and went right to do a backup. It failed. I tried to reboot into my stock rom, and it was 0MB. I really might blow up Verizon HQ.[/QUOTE]
***Make sure you are using the correct version of safestrap for your current baseband
another good app from the google play store to download is samsung info
I have used safestrap in the past as I was in the same scenario as you. I currently now have a MDK phone
Illogi.xbone said:
Keep checking up on SS they are working on the ability to also use custom kernels on top which would make it essentially as efficient as a custom recovery, with some storage loss.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How come they haven't been able to unlock the bootloader when only the build version is changing......
There should have been an exploit awhile ago....and why haven't they made an odin option for MDK yet?
mcbeat257 said:
How come they haven't been able to unlock the bootloader when only the build version is changing......
There should have been an exploit awhile ago....and why haven't they made an odin option for MDK yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The exploit was weeded out after MDK
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Free mobile app
The bootloader was never "unlocked" on MDK, there was just an exploit available that allowed the installation of a custom recovery. That exploit was closed in the first update from MDK and a new one has not been discovered. The bootloader itself has some pretty strong encryption so it may never be unlocked.

Update to Lollipop or flash another rom?

I've been having some terribly sluggish issues lately. Lagging when I text, browse the web, even listen to music.
I honestly do not remember which method I used to root, but I rooted & kept the stock rom. I just deleted the bloat.
Not sure if this will help
http://i.imgur.com/L9prnWv.png
I'm at a point where the lagging is really irking me, but I'm not sure which route I should go.
Since I'm rooted, can I just go ahead with the OTA update without any issues? If so, is there a method to root on lollipop?
If not...Should I just go ahead and flash another rom?
Don't take the ota! Follow he thread about upgrading to 5.01 keeping root! Totally worth going to LP. The speed is great! Give it a shot.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
This one? http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...-to-update-to-i545oc1-5-0-1-keeproot-t3096558
yes, that one
XxD34THxX said:
yes, that one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did that, and it says i'm still on 4.4.2. Very strange.
I'm still getting the pop up for the OTA
Make sure to back up any data and do a full wipe to nc5. That can make a difference. Or, Odin back to nc5, and use the Echoe ROM or the Super6 ROM, both of which are on Lollipop.
XxD34THxX said:
Make sure to back up any data and do a full wipe to nc5. That can make a difference. Or, Odin back to nc5, and use the Echoe ROM or the Super6 ROM, both of which are on Lollipop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is all foreign language to me
Sorry.
OK, get a program called odin. It is leaked Samsung software that allows to flash stock firmware on your phone. You have to flash the stock nc5 firmware with this and THEN continue the upgrade to lollipop
Laziness and not knowing much has lead me to not doing anything about the issue until now.
The phone gets slower by the day, so it's time for a change.
I'd like to flash this rom http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2550770 but i'm not too sure if I can flash this via the stock recovery?
If not, how would I go about installing TWRP? I did try to search, but the page kept timing out.
DO NOT TRY TO INSTALL TWRP. YOU WILL BRICK. Thanks to Verizon, we have a locked bootloader, which means we only have Safestrap and Flashfire. SS is based off of TWRP, but is a really really really gimped version. Flashfire is an app that functions like a recovery.
You cannot install that ROM at all, because of this POS bootloader.
What you CAN DO, is install Roms such as Eclipse,Kitpop,Hyperdrive, and Stang's 5.0.1 ROM.
OR, you could do the OTA with root method.

Refurbished S4 w 4.4.2 not activated yet

Just bought a refurbished Galaxy S4 as my other phone was stolen. I am on Verizon. My S4 looks brand new and it's running 4.4.2! I would love to root and then probably flash to cm12. How would I root right now? The s4 has been out for some time and maybe the threads are old. Do I root before activating?
Build kot49h.i545vrufnc5
Please help. I have been without root on another phone for over a year. You can imagine my pain.
NO CM12. Nc5 does not have an unlocked bootloader.
As far as rootz towelroot still works. 1 click apk by geohot.
nc5
Tried the towelroot apk and it does not root, work. i get this message
"Only the Galaxy S4 active is currently supported. If you see this error and you think you have the right phone, email geohot at... i know i have an S4 but cant tell if it is an s4 Active. i just left verizon with an activated phone and it is already trying to push an update. I dont know if i should or what to do.
bbiigg said:
Tried the towelroot apk and it does not root, work. i get this message
"Only the Galaxy S4 active is currently supported. If you see this error and you think you have the right phone, email geohot at... i know i have an S4 but cant tell if it is an s4 Active. i just left verizon with an activated phone and it is already trying to push an update. I dont know if i should or what to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure you are on nc5. Screenshot your settings if you want.
Next, make sure you got it from the real site... That doesn't sound like the right one.
If you have physical menu and back buttons, that's the s4 active. It's ATT only, in which case, this is the wrong device.
NC5
I just gave it a go again after rebooting and it worked. I have root. Now I need to figure out how to remove all this bloated crap. Any ideas. Wish I could flash a custom though. I'm still getting this annoying update window.
bbiigg said:
I just gave it a go again after rebooting and it worked. I have root. Now I need to figure out how to remove all this bloated crap. Any ideas. Wish I could flash a custom though. I'm still getting this annoying update window.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are some debloater scripts on general forum, but I think the best choise to debloat is installing some file explorer (E.G. MiXplorer) and go to /system/app and /system/priv-app and delete everything you don't want. If you don't know what apps to delete This guide it's great
Btw, if you want a rom you can choose any 4.4.2 or newer, don't try any lower android version rom. To install custom roms on this device you can use Flashfire or Safestrap(only for kitkat or lower), I suggest you to use safestrap if you're on kitkat (keep in mind that rom slots doesn't work, you have to flash in stock slot any rom).
oops
I had a rom Hyperdrive installed and it was running well for a minute but I just had to try another rom "Galaxy S6 Port by Albe95"! Now i can make calls and recieve texts but not send them. i have no internet unless its wifi. Im not rooted and Towelroot wont work. No recovery available now and my Android Version is 5.0.2. Im really stuck and nervous. I need my phone for work. Any ideas?
bbiigg said:
I had a rom Hyperdrive installed and it was running well for a minute but I just had to try another rom "Galaxy S6 Port by Albe95"! Now i can make calls and recieve texts but not send them. i have no internet unless its wifi. Im not rooted and Towelroot wont work. No recovery available now and my Android Version is 5.0.2. Im really stuck and nervous. I need my phone for work. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No worries. I think you have to flash the OC1 modems for lollipop roms to work when coming from kk. Check your bootloader version, if it is a NC[place number here] you can odin back to the right update and use the flashfire or safestrap to use the installation instructions in the second post of the ROM forum. Your other option is to stay and flash modems. This is how to do it:
If you lost your recovery:
1)Get root (NOTE: you don't need to do the kernel flashing part because you are already on of1
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-verizon/general/root-of1-t3249971
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-verizon/general/samsung-s4-i545-verizon-of1-root-t3254434
2)Get Flashfire
3)Flash this (fist link) if it fails to solve the problem this
If this doesn't solve your problem and you can't go back to kitkat, you should odin OC1 and root. All credit goes to their respective contributors. Hope I helped
S4 flashing
whowatchlist said:
No worries. I think you have to flash the OC1 modems for lollipop roms to work when coming from kk. Check your bootloader version, if it is a NC[place number here] you can odin back to the right update and use the flashfire or safestrap to use the installation instructions in the second post of the ROM forum. Your other option is to stay and flash modems. This is how to do it:
If you lost your recovery:
1)Get root (NOTE: you don't need to do the kernel flashing part because you are already on of1
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-verizon/general/root-of1-t3249971
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-verizon/general/samsung-s4-i545-verizon-of1-root-t3254434
2)Get Flashfire
3)Flash this (fist link) if it fails to solve the problem this
If this doesn't solve your problem and you can't go back to kitkat, you should odin OC1 and root. All credit goes to their respective contributors. Hope I helped
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried the 2nd option of rooting and it didn't work. I'm still on oc1. How would I Odin back or what files would I use? It's getting confusing.

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