Database Users

MF3 stock firmware question - Don't bash

First let me say I'm not a noob.. I'm a developer but don't really deal with rooting, etc. So please don't bash...
I tried searching for answers to this question, but couldn't find an exact one..
I have the AT&T S4 with the MF3 OTA update. I want to try and install a custom rom, but in reading the hot to's, it says not to attempt to do it with the mf3 update since it's boot locked. Can I re-install a stock S4 firmware using odin and then, after a stock firmware is installed, then install twrp with a custom rom?
Thanks!

itsdavetime said:
First let me say I'm not a noob.. I'm a developer but don't really deal with rooting, etc. So please don't bash...
I tried searching for answers to this question, but couldn't find an exact one..
I have the AT&T S4 with the MF3 OTA update. I want to try and install a custom rom, but in reading the hot to's, it says not to attempt to do it with the mf3 update since it's boot locked. Can I re-install a stock S4 firmware using odin and then, after a stock firmware is installed, then install twrp with a custom rom?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.

scott14719 said:
No.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ha.. Well, that's an exact answer

There is a method in the works on the VZW forums that will allow custom ROMs on locked bootloaders. We are hoping to get it ported over the our side. Things are looking very promising. This method, known as a safestrap, will also allow multiple ROMs at once. Up to 4 slots. It keeps your stock ROM safe so if you have a bad flash, you can still boot right back and have a functional phone. You are only limited by how much space you have on your internal SD.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

itsdavetime said:
Ha.. Well, that's an exact answer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
graydiggy said:
There is a method in the works on the VZW forums that will allow custom ROMs on locked bootloaders. We are hoping to get it ported over the our side. Things are looking very promising. This method, known as a safestrap, will also allow multiple ROMs at once. Up to 4 slots. It keeps your stock ROM safe so if you have a bad flash, you can still boot right back and have a functional phone. You are only limited by how much space you have on your internal SD.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Until then, OP, my advise is to just roll on stock/unrooted. Period.
Cheers

MF3 and Clockwork recovery

I haven't seen much mention about putting clock work recovery on with MF3. I was able to flash it on my Galaxy S4 1337 MF3. Is there a reason I dont see any posts about CWR and MF3 besides there being no stock firmware? Also, will my CWR work like non MF3 users? For some reason I dont see a backup option in CWR...

You have cwm on your i337 with mf3 firmware?

jd1639 said:
You have cwm on your i337 with mf3 firmware?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya. Cwr for sure. On my phone under about I see this under build: jdq39.1337ucuaMF3

Yay sure in sud tyrol

jd1639 said:
Yay sure in sud tyrol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry? I can post screens if I need to.

colbur87 said:
Sorry? I can post screens if I need to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't have the stock mf3 firmware.

jd1639 said:
You don't have the stock mf3 firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hm, how can you tell? The baseband says: I337UCUAMF3
That really makes me believe I have the MF3 firmware. If not, what am I missing here?

Well with MF3 we aren't able to flash custom recoveries because of the locked bootloader why he seems skeptical but if you say you have MF3 baseband and CWM then that's interesting.

raulz28 said:
Well with MF3 we aren't able to flash custom recoveries because of the locked bootloader why he seems skeptical but if you say you have MF3 baseband and CWM then that's interesting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Is what I did was follow the "new root method" for MF3 and I downloaded CWR from play store and flashed. When I boot into recovery it works. Although I haven't flashed anything. I also dont see the backup/restore selection. The

Maybe post up some pics of your baseband and with CWR the skepticism might go away.

Take a pic with a different phone if you have to.we would all like to use a custom recovery with no limitations.
Sent from my SGH-I337 using xda premium

Possibly the stock recovery that he's gaining access to?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

I'm willing to bet you installed the ROM manager APK, which IS NOT CWM. One of the features of ROM manager is the ability to install CWM on some phones. The AT&T S4 with MF3 recovery IS NOT ONE OF THEM! If you actually attempt to install CWM on it, you will brick it (at least soft brick). You are most definitely getting into stock recovery. I suggest you put your phone down and learn about what is happening with it before you can't use it any more. There is a ton of information about this in the forums already. Even a little simple reading without searching will point you in the right direction for this information. If you continue to insist on having put CWM recovery on an MF3 phone (and it is still operational) then I suggest you post a screen shot or picture as requested.

scott14719 said:
I'm willing to bet you installed the ROM manager APK, which IS NOT CWM. One of the features of ROM manager is the ability to install CWM on some phones. The AT&T S4 with MF3 recovery IS NOT ONE OF THEM! If you actually attempt to install CWM on it, you will brick it (at least soft brick). You are most definitely getting into stock recovery. I suggest you put your phone down and learn about what is happening with it before you can't use it any more. There is a ton of information about this in the forums already. Even a little simple reading without searching will point you in the right direction for this information. If you continue to insist on having put CWM recovery on an MF3 phone (and it is still operational) then I suggest you post a screen shot or picture as requested.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree
Sent from my SGH-I337 using xda premium

raulz28 said:
Maybe post up some pics of your baseband and with CWR the skepticism might go away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I booted into recovery and it must be the default one (not CWM). All the options in there got me confused plus when I flashed it said successful. I should have paid more attention to the recovery mode. I saw clear cache and figured it was CWM.

Can't Install CWM?

I have a rooted MK2 device. I tried installing CWM through ROM Manager but my phone will not boot the CWM and when I try it comes up with an error.
It seems to be installing a Loki'd version of CWM recovery will solve the problem, but I don't how to flash loki recoveries and I've looked all over the forums for one specific to loki'd recoveries. Can someone help me out please? I'm relatively new at this so I'm totally unsure about how to proceed. Many thanks!

Sadly, no custom recoveries are currently available for MK2.

Kaze105 said:
Sadly, no custom recoveries are currently available for MK2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh no Well I have a few questions then.
1. I would like to install a 4.4 Google Edition rom. Is there any way for me to accomplish this? Also, is it a bad idea to go ahead and flash it without a recovery?
2. Should I revert the recovery back to original? How would I go about doing that?

hsu0216 said:
Oh no Well I have a few questions then.
1. I would like to install a 4.4 Google Edition rom. Is there any way for me to accomplish this? Also, is it a bad idea to go ahead and flash it without a recovery?
2. Should I revert the recovery back to original? How would I go about doing that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There isn't anything you can do so far. The only thing you could do is use an app I can't remember the name of to flash mods to your current system, but you can not flash ROMs and definitely not anything that may need a different kernel. If you want to get a working recovery then find the MJ6-MJ9 thread but only use the recovery tar file, not the rest of it.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

you sir have a locked bootloader (i think)
hsu0216 said:
I have a rooted MK2 device. I tried installing CWM through ROM Manager but my phone will not boot the CWM and when I try it comes up with an error.
It seems to be installing a Loki'd version of CWM recovery will solve the problem, but I don't how to flash loki recoveries and I've looked all over the forums for one specific to loki'd recoveries. Can someone help me out please? I'm relatively new at this so I'm totally unsure about how to proceed. Many thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well.....if you were on MF3 then you could load safestrap and then get the google edition but it wont support the 4.4 only the 4.2.2 version of the GE
thats what i did. i highly doubt there will be an unlocked bootloader for MK2 im on mf3 and cant even update to 4.3 MK2.....ill ask the developer of safestrap and ask him because he was getting a MK2 galaxy s4 on att last week and he was doing some testing....or you can do some research your self but im happy to help even though my account says im a junior member i know quite a lot....
if safestrap works here is a link http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2448726
IF SAFESTRAP WORKS LOOK UP A GUIDE ON HOW TO USE IT I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU BRICK YOUR PHONE BECAUSE I TOLD YOU ABOUT IT also dont use the stock rom slot if all this works

Dude.
Search. Read. Repeat.

Anx XDA says ni question too stupid..Well some reaponses are..Oh GOD!!!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

r1tesh said:
Anx XDA says ni question too stupid..Well some reaponses are..Oh GOD!!!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No question too stupid. But asking a question that has been answered hundreds of times and refusing to use the search button...

Anyone know how to get rid of that "custom" logo on bootup?

So, I have the MF3 firmware and wanted to update it to the latest version. I backed up my phone, went to settings->Accounts->Backup and Reset->Factory Data Reset
I wiped my phone and after all that, it still has the custom logo. What can I do to get rid of the custom logo so I can update my phone? Any help you guys can give me would be appreciated. Thanks!

jbrookley said:
So, I have the MF3 firmware and wanted to update it to the latest version. I backed up my phone, went to settings->Accounts->Backup and Reset->Factory Data Reset
I wiped my phone and after all that, it still has the custom logo. What can I do to get rid of the custom logo so I can update my phone? Any help you guys can give me would be appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you root ur phone
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Free mobile app

PR3DATOR Aaron said:
Did you root ur phone
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did, but I also did a full unroot using the superuser thingy (I think it was Super SU). My understanding is I should be able to remove root, restore to factory default and the custom logo would go away. Any idea why it wouldn't be working?

jbrookley said:
I did, but I also did a full unroot using the superuser thingy (I think it was Super SU). My understanding is I should be able to remove root, restore to factory default and the custom logo would go away. Any idea why it wouldn't be working?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The best to unroot ur phone is using Odin don't use Super SU cause if u download roms inside the custom rom will not be gone
And what phone are u using
Sent from my GT-I9505

PR3DATOR Aaron said:
The best to unroot ur phone is using Odin don't use Super SU cause if u download roms inside the custom rom will not be gone
And what phone are u using
Sent from my GT-I9505
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the S4, Because I have MF3 firmware, I've been pretty careful to avoid doing any sort of custom flashing to avoid bricking my phone (since they locked the bootloader). Do I have to use ODIN to reset the custom status? And are there any significant risks to the phone if I do it this way? I'm aware anytime you mess with these kind of things, there is some risk, I just want to know it should be safe, it's been tested before, and I'm not just rolling the dice and hoping for the best.

jbrookley said:
I have the S4, Because I have MF3 firmware, I've been pretty careful to avoid doing any sort of custom flashing to avoid bricking my phone (since they locked the bootloader). Do I have to use ODIN to reset the custom status? And are there any significant risks to the phone if I do it this way? I'm aware anytime you mess with these kind of things, there is some risk, I just want to know it should be safe, it's been tested before, and I'm not just rolling the dice and hoping for the best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The custom logo can also be removed by using the triangleaway app.

jbrookley said:
I have the S4, Because I have MF3 firmware, I've been pretty careful to avoid doing any sort of custom flashing to avoid bricking my phone (since they locked the bootloader). Do I have to use ODIN to reset the custom status? And are there any significant risks to the phone if I do it this way? I'm aware anytime you mess with these kind of things, there is some risk, I just want to know it should be safe, it's been tested before, and I'm not just rolling the dice and hoping for the best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I unroot my GT-I9505 using Odin
And there is no risk of unroot s4 using Odin
And i downloaded S5 custom rom and i use odin and my stock firmware to unroot my phone and the custom rom will be gone
All custom rom downloaded and if u want to go back to the original is just using Odin and unroot it
Hope it helps
Sent from my GT-I9505
---------- Post added at 03:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:39 PM ----------
Using TriangleAway app might brick ur phone and it might affect our phone, if u try it and it is Hard Brick and thats will be a problem over there.
Hard Brick and Soft Brick are different
Hard Brick is your phone is dead can't turn to recovery or download mode and you need to change ur motherboard
Soft Brick is usually just when you're phone is stuck in a bootloop, and as the name implies, is caused by a software error, usually the lack of a system to boot from or some other minor software bug that glitching boot. They are easily fixable by reflashing your ROM in recovery.
Sent from my GT-I9505

PR3DATOR Aaron said:
I unroot my GT-I9505 using Odin
And there is no risk of unroot s4 using Odin
And i downloaded S5 custom rom and i use odin and my stock firmware to unroot my phone and the custom rom will be gone
All custom rom downloaded and if u want to go back to the original is just using Odin and unroot it
Hope it helps
Sent from my GT-I9505
---------- Post added at 03:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:39 PM ----------
Using TriangleAway app might brick ur phone and it might affect our phone, if u try it and it is Hard Brick and thats will be a problem over there.
Hard Brick and Soft Brick are different
Hard Brick is your phone is dead can't turn to recovery or download mode and you need to change ur motherboard
Soft Brick is usually just when you're phone is stuck in a bootloop, and as the name implies, is caused by a software error, usually the lack of a system to boot from or some other minor software bug that glitching boot. They are easily fixable by reflashing your ROM in recovery.
Sent from my GT-I9505
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where do I get the correct stock MF3 firmware file to be flashed by ODIN? I just want to make sure I use the correct one if I'm going to mess with ODIN. Haven't used it since my droid charge . . . which was a piece of garbage but I'm pretty sure that's common knowledge and affects no one at this point . . .

jbrookley said:
Where do I get the correct stock MF3 firmware file to be flashed by ODIN? I just want to make sure I use the correct one if I'm going to mess with ODIN. Haven't used it since my droid charge . . . which was a piece of garbage but I'm pretty sure that's common knowledge and affects no one at this point . . .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to SamMobile
Here is the link to find ur firmware
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/
Sent from my GT-I9505

PR3DATOR Aaron said:
Go to SamMobile
Here is the link to find ur firmware
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/
Sent from my GT-I9505
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went to that page and found my phone:
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/SGH-I337/ATT/
All I found for firmware is MDL and MDB. I'm on MF3 but I'm not sure which of these I can use. Would I want to use one of these two? Or would I want to use the TAR files from this location?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2504311
I just want to make sure you know that the MF3 version has a locked bootloader, so if I can't do this with a locked bootloader, I probably need to know sooner rather than later. Thanks for your help!

jbrookley said:
I went to that page and found my phone:
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/SGH-I337/ATT/
All I found for firmware is MDL and MDB. I'm on MF3 but I'm not sure which of these I can use. Would I want to use one of these two? Or would I want to use the TAR files from this location?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2504311
I just want to make sure you know that the MF3 version has a locked bootloader, so if I can't do this with a locked bootloader, I probably need to know sooner rather than later. Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to this video
❤ How To Unroot Any Samsung Galaxy S4 Easiest Way…: http://youtu.be/pLcdvm17rJA
Hope it helps
Sent from my GT-I9505

Since you want to update the phone, you can directly flash the latest using odin. It will remove the custom logo too. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2926642
I have used triangle away on my phone (ATT S4) multiple times and have never seen any issue
More info http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2616221

jmjoyas said:
Since you want to update the phone, you can directly flash the latest using odin. It will remove the custom logo too. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2926642
I have used triangle away on my phone (ATT S4) multiple times and have never seen any issue
More info http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2616221
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bah, I just following the guide to flash my phone back to stock:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2504311
I boot it up and it STILL shows it as a custom ROM. What am I doing wrong? Why would it still say it's custom?

jbrookley said:
Bah, I just following the guide to flash my phone back to stock:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2504311
I boot it up and it STILL shows it as a custom ROM. What am I doing wrong? Why would it still say it's custom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Boot into recovery and do a factory reset

jmjoyas said:
Boot into recovery and do a factory reset
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had done that. I did finally get it working after resetting it a few times. No idea why that is though . . . Hopefully, I'll get those OTA updates soon so I can go back to enjoying my phone. I hate stock so much and don't see much point in making many changes since I'm going to just reload everything via titanium backup once it's all updated.
Thanks for your help!

jbrookley said:
I had done that. I did finally get it working after resetting it a few times. No idea why that is though . . . Hopefully, I'll get those OTA updates soon so I can go back to enjoying my phone. I hate stock so much and don't see much point in making many changes since I'm going to just reload everything via titanium backup once it's all updated.
Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go find for our senior member for help cause they can resovle this problem
Cause this is a very hard case to resovle this thing
Sent from my GT-I9505

S5 At&t on Kitkat no lollipop available

Hi,
I bought a S5 (at&t unlocked) for my son from ebay for Christmas. It is on Kitkat.
When i check via At&t software update I got this each time "Software Update Interrupted" and i have to try again in 24h. I factory-reset the phone several time and got same message.
I tried with Kies and it says I have the latest firmware. Version is G900AUCU2AOA2
My son wanted the S5 because it has Lollipop.
How can i get it? Using Odin? If so please tell me how to do it. Thank you in advance.

Root the phone by using Towelroot or Chainfire. Flash a custom recovery using Odin. I suggest Philz Touch or TWRP. Then download any stock or custom lollipop rom from the AT&T section of this forum and flash it using the custom recovery. Here is the link to the AT&T section of this forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/att-galaxy-s5/development
All of the information you're looking for is there. You can also flash International version Roms on your phone. JUST MAKE SURE WHATEVER YOU FLASH IS SPECIFIC TO YOUR PHONES MODEL OR YOU WILL BRICK IT! You can find your model phone by going to "Settings" and "About Phone". Start there and follow this order.
1.) Root phone
2.) Flash Custom Recovery
3.) Flash Rom of choice.
There are plenty of YouTube videos that will show you how to do everything step-by-step. Just do a little research and the best advice I can give you is make sure whatever you flash on your phone it says it's for your model phone.
Hope this helps

ddomingues said:
Root the phone by using Towelroot or Chainfire. Flash a custom recovery using Odin. I suggest Philz Touch or TWRP. Then download any stock or custom lollipop rom from the AT&T section of this forum and flash it using the custom recovery. Here is the link to the AT&T section of this forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/att-galaxy-s5/development
All of the information you're looking for is there. You can also flash International version Roms on your phone. JUST MAKE SURE WHATEVER YOU FLASH IS SPECIFIC TO YOUR PHONES MODEL OR YOU WILL BRICK IT! You can find your model phone by going to "Settings" and "About Phone". Start there and follow this order.
1.) Root phone
2.) Flash Custom Recovery
3.) Flash Rom of choice.
There are plenty of YouTube videos that will show you how to do everything step-by-step. Just do a little research and the best advice I can give you is make sure whatever you flash on your phone it says it's for your model phone.
Hope this helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is completely and entirely innacurate. If root means nothing to you the att s5 section on xda has the stock files and instructions on how to manually apply the 5.0 ota, as well as how to root KitKat and how to update to a rooted lollipop. Do not try to flash any custom recoveries, you will brick the phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

Rakuu said:
This is completely and entirely innacurate. If root means nothing to you the att s5 section on xda has the stock files and instructions on how to manually apply the 5.0 ota, as well as how to root KitKat and how to update to a rooted lollipop. Do not try to flash any custom recoveries, you will brick the phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is that completely and entirely inaccurate? There are different methods to updating or flashing your phone. Yes you can use Odin to flash the 5.0 ota. IMO I find it much easier to have a custom recovery installed that way it makes it much easier to flash updates or roms in the future especially if you decide to root. Everyone has their methods. But flashing a custom recovery WILL NOT brick your phone IF you flash the correct recovery. That's simply an option to the OP and it's completely up to him what route he wants to take to do this. So before you comment on someone's post and say it's completely and entirely inaccurate remember that's solely from your point of view.

ddomingues said:
How is that completely and entirely inaccurate? There are different methods to updating or flashing your phone. Yes you can use Odin to flash the 5.0 ota. IMO I find it much easier to have a custom recovery installed that way it makes it much easier to flash updates or roms in the future especially if you decide to root. Everyone has their methods. But flashing a custom recovery WILL NOT brick your phone IF you flash the correct recovery. That's simply an option to the OP and it's completely up to him what route he wants to take to do this. So before you comment on someone's post and say it's completely and entirely inaccurate remember that's solely from your point of view.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Except there is no "correct recovery" for the g900a other than safestrap, I have the device I think I might know what I'm talking about. Nothing I said was opinionated, its all straight facts you can even check for yourself.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

Rakuu said:
Except there is no "correct recovery" for the g900a other than safestrap, I have the device I think I might know what I'm talking about. Nothing I said was opinionated, its all straight facts you can even check for yourself.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay. So you just answered the question. There is a "correct recovery". Safestrap.

ddomingues said:
Okay. So you just answered the question. There is a "correct recovery". Safestrap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is only kind of a recovery, it doesn't replace the stock one and only fully works on KK and, requires you to be already rooted.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

I guess the easiest way would be Rakuu's method if you're not too tech savvy by just flashing the 5.0 ota with Odin but if you want to get the phone rooted and play around with custom roms you can flash Safestrap. All up to you but if it were me, I would Root the phone and flash a prerooted Lollipop firmware that way you can always leave yourself open to options in the future. There are a ton of people out there that wish they could get their hands on a g900a on KitKat solely for rooting and modding purposes lol