I have the att s4 with the mf3 build which I received via an ota update. I recently did the root for this build which worked perfectly, afterwards I read through 47 pages of forums and was trying to do the work around djrbliss put out, around page 40 someone says if your phone is rooted just download goomanager and installscriptrecovery. then reboot recovery. I downloaded goomanager then installed script, after this I hit the reboot recovery and the phone went into download mode. and it will stay there. If i restart it returns to download mode. Any Ideas?
Im not 100% but u may hve read wrong. This has happened to everyone who has tryed to flash a recovery on mf3. You can only have root there is no custom recovery for this build. Ok now this is wat you do take your phone to bestbuy tell them kies f'd ur phone up nd they can reflash mf3.at this moment mf3 isnt available to general public
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Yeah, read the forums. I mean seriously, almost every other post, including the one you read, tells you that drjbliss's exploit was patched in mf3, and can brick your device if you attempt to install a custom recovery. It is, quite literally, the biggest topic in the S4 forums. Also, there is no odin flashable image for mf3, so you cannot return to stock without taking it to bestbuy. Read more in the q&a section, as this same mistake has been made and asked about at least a hundred times. Literally.
In conclusion, you have a paperweight till you take it to get it flashed back to normal.
ok thanks for the help
cooljg said:
ok thanks for the help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read this thread. Best buy can flash the stock mf3 firmware and get your recovery back. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=45457012
Either that or J-Tag.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Hey guys thanks for chiming in. I want to give a thank you to those who have gave me a serious answer. I will go back to best buy and try again, but I sent my wife up there and she said the cell phone department told her they do not flash firmware there. She said she asked them if the service section did and the lady told her no again. I am fairly familiar with flashing the firmware on an s3 I just haven't messed with the s4 that much,and obviously I didn't read as well as I thought I did or it wouldn't be bricked. I do have one other question tho if Best Buy can flash it back to stock firmware, is it safe to assume at some point I should be able to flash it back via odin when the mf3 build is released by sammobile? Either way if best buy doesn't flash it back i'm screwed on this one and i'll just have to pick up another s4 tomorrow. I just want to know if this one can be fixed i'd really hate to waste a perfectly good phone.
If and when mf3 firmware is available you should be able to flash with odin. Best buy seems to be using a new software package other than Odin so who knows if an odin package will be available.
I believe at best buy they have to have a "Samsung Experience" booth or area to do the flashing. The normal best buy service counter can't do it.
~wolverine~ said:
I believe at best buy they have to have a "Samsung Experience" booth or area to do the flashing. The normal best buy service counter can't do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct
Question on brick fix
Hey guys thanks for the helpful info. I took it to the samsung experience part of best buy and the guy fixed it. He didn't have to flash the firmware tho, he took the back off and replaced the battery then I don't know what combination of buttons he hit or what but he held something and it was able to reset the phone and came up normally. Does anyone know what he could of hit? The phone was stuck in download mode no matter what you hit it would only reset to it. I had tried booting and holding volume up and home and releasing home for the recovery boot. As a recap of what happened I had rooted the phone and then downloaded goomanager and ran the installed script option under settings then I reset and was stuck in download mode. I just found it crazy that he never had to hook it to his computer to fix it.
cooljg said:
Hey guys thanks for the helpful info. I took it to the samsung experience part of best buy and the guy fixed it. He didn't have to flash the firmware tho, he took the back off and replaced the battery then I don't know what combination of buttons he hit or what but he held something and it was able to reset the phone and came up normally. Does anyone know what he could of hit? The phone was stuck in download mode no matter what you hit it would only reset to it. I had tried booting and holding volume up and home and releasing home for the recovery boot. As a recap of what happened I had rooted the phone and then downloaded goomanager and ran the installed script option under settings then I reset and was stuck in download mode. I just found it crazy that he never had to hook it to his computer to fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, that is interesting. Did he replace the battery temporarily while 'resetting the phone with combination of buttons'?
Or did he place the battery inside and let you have it?
Sounds like a simple factory reset...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
haremmon said:
Hmm, that is interesting. Did he replace the battery temporarily while 'resetting the phone with combination of buttons'?
Or did he place the battery inside and let you have it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He originally plugged my phone up when I gave it to him but it wouldn't come on so he unplugged it and replaced the battery. The battery I had was completely dead. After he replaced the battery he turned it on and it went to the download screen with the little green alien. After that he held some buttons and kept looking at the back and then the front of the phone. I couldn't really see what he hit but shortly afterwards it came up with my lock screen picture. After that he said it doesn't need flashing but he would flash the firmware if I wanted so I said ok and he did. I have the phone now working great but it doesn't show rooted anymore.
Omg how do people not know this already. I have had my S4 for 2 days even i know better and I cant believe people dont read
Related
I've had my fascinate for about 3 weeks and I rooted it and overclocked. I flashed a 2.2 rom that was for a I9000 because my buddy said it worked on his captivate. When it come back on after reboot the screen said galaxy s I9000 and that's it it just kept running that and nothing else. I could get into factory recovery but I can't do anything from there except reboot. and it won't flash update zip either. I will go into download mode and I tryed odin restore now it just has samsung across the screen. Am I bricked cuz I can't get anything to work?
Oh now I've manage to get into CWM recovery but it won't let me apply any zip files or restore any back ups, is that vodoo messing things up?
So you flashed a ROM that isn't compatible with your phone? And you are suprised that it broke?
As for downgrading you might try to find the stock image via: hxxp://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=782204&highlight=odin
If that doesn't work you better figure out a good excuse for the Verizon store...
Good luck!
frostysax said:
Oh now I've manage to get into CWM recovery but it won't let me apply any zip files or restore any back ups, is that vodoo messing things up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Were you running a kernel with Voodoo installed and active when you flashed the ROM?
If you're filesystem is still ext4 and you don't have a Voodoo kernel running, I'm thinking you've got a date with Odin at best.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
Odin. I would like to think you should be able to remove it via the uninstaller listed on that page as well, ?if it is voodoo, but if you can't install anything with CWM then I know it won't work. :/ Also, did you disable voodoo first?
He was valid in trying something different... I don't believe using a ROM from another phone entirely was a good idea, but eh, now we know for sure not to do it.
Yes gentlemen I think its bricked. I have tried the odin restore, I have put the stock image on the SD card using my htc eris and put it in CWM/backup and then put the card back in the phone and tried a backup/restore it still comes up can't mount data every time it says E:Can't mount /dev/block mmcblk0p2(File exist) Can't mount data . I really don't think there's anything left for me to try fellas. I just got my service put back on the eris. If I can't get into it you can't prove its been rooted can you I still got a week left before my 30 days is up. I some wan't to experament with any solutions I am wide open before I put this in the mailbox and send it back. Thanks for your help guys but I will get me another, I guess you know what not to do now"LOL"
frostysax said:
Yes gentlemen I think its bricked. I have tried the odin restore, I have put the stock image on the SD card using my htc eris and put it in CWM/backup and then put the card back in the phone and tried a backup/restore it still comes up can't mount data every time it says E:Can't mount /dev/block mmcblk0p2(File exist) Can't mount data . I really don't think there's anything left for me to try fellas. I just got my service put back on the eris. If I can't get into it you can't prove its been rooted can you I still got a week left before my 30 days is up. I some wan't to experament with any solutions I am wide open before I put this in the mailbox and send it back. Thanks for your help guys but I will get me another, I guess you know what not to do now"LOL"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh wells... Sorry dude. Did you flash System, kernal and pit with Odin?
yes I did but nothing happened when I went to the pit file. Itook it out of m downloads put it in odin with the pit button and hit start,am I doing that right thats the only thing that I did'nt see anthing happen when I hit start. How do you fun the pit file in odin?
I ran into the same exact issue on day 1 with my Fascinate, minus flashing a ROM meant for another phone. I could boot, but my phone wiped to factory at every boot, and I couldn't even run the ota. I exchanged it that same day, and no troubles since. Good luck.
Sent from my Fascinate using the XDA app
you flashed your radio...it's bye bye... Go to verizon and try to blame it on the ota after you flash back to stock...
If you don't know what your doing.... dont do it... That is the number one rule in flashing roms....
Ya well I guess its an expensive paperweight now.I will take your advise and blame it on the OTA. I odered this one over the phone so they have to mail me another one no matter what. You live and learn and that was a great lesson on what never to do. Thanks for all your help I still have my eris to play with for now,I'm running nonsensikal froyo. Perhaps I will zip a new rom on that"LOL"
frostysax said:
Ya well I guess its an expensive paperweight now.I will take your advise and blame it on the OTA. I odered this one over the phone so they have to mail me another one no matter what. You live and learn and that was a great lesson on what never to do. Thanks for all your help I still have my eris to play with for now,I'm running nonsensikal froyo. Perhaps I will zip a new rom on that"LOL"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1: If you're going to mod your phone, you should have insurance, and be prepared to use it.
2: "Blaming it on the ota" just makes everyone suffer. You think that $600 phone will just pay for itself? Not likely. Consumers end up footing the bill, every time. And, in turn, companies like Motorola place E-fuses in their phones to prevent this very thing from happening to cover their bottom line, which in turn affects the modding community too by reducing access to devices.
3: Those phones do get tested when returned. They can/will see that it doesn't have proper software in it when they go to refurb it. And they have no problem charging your account for an out-of-warranty exchange after the fact.
Normally I would agree.... but...
1.they charge 600 dollars for a phone that is not worth 600.
2. There wouldn't be a problem if they didn't hold back the release of a new ota. (With a new update these phones are easily fixable.)
3. They over charge cellphone service. And add 300 dollar cancellation fees.... come-on they don't mind screwing us... screw them.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
There is no excuse for fraud. This is 100% user error. Own up and pay for your choice to ignore the big warning at the top of every flashing thread.
Sent from my Voodoo-powered Fascinate with XDA
Are you serious. I just paid AT&T $300 dollars to cancel an expensive contract just to go to verizon and end up paying more. If you think the phone company is suffering you are sadly mistaken my friend. I have two phones on my contract and pay right at $250 a month, they ain't hurtin for money. I tell you what, if you bricked your phone and it was within your 30 days, now be honest would you call them and say hay I just voided my warrenty and I need to pay for this phone and give you more money for another one or would you try and come up with something else to say. It could happen to you
I do not believe you are bricked. Follow all instructions for odin and also fix the mbr using original.mbr or the program provided by adrynalyne.
Ethics aside, flashing a rom should not brick your phone. Unless you used Odin, and pushed the "radio" button, it can be fixed. Adrynalyne's voodoo removal fix should fix almost any phone problem. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=804784
Try it and see if it works.
what is "mbr "I have not tried that yet and where would I find info on it? What roll does the pit file play in odin restore? is there a certain way to do the pit file? Everything flashed but when I got to the pit file put in odin and hit start nothing happens is that normal? Anymore feedback I will anything at this point, Thanx guys,
Pit is for partition mapping. Mbr is master boot record. From what I saw in one of your earlier posts it looks like your mbr is messed up. Use adrynalynes guide in the post linked to you above by Sgtmack.
I went to the above web site and downloaded the stock kernal but when Iwent to download the mbr file it sent me to a web page with almost nothing on it. again I ask when I do the pit file in odin can someone give me step by step cuz I feel like I 'm doing something wrong here.
Before I get jumped, YES, I did do countless readings to the point of going blind with information overload! Rooting phone was a confirmed success after the OTA update, and I did not do any bootloader roms, but now I can't get pass the download screen while booting up the phone. When I was trying to boot into recovery mode after I did a few quick restarts in a row after rooting phone, to install a debloater .zip, it came to this screen only (see screenshot), quickly (Samsung logo comes up before with the blue corner text) before this, and it's all that it does now. I think I might have pulled the battery a couple times when I saw the first image, my dumbass fault, as a quick power button push wasn't doing anything to reboot. Thinking it's a soft brick as this screen is the only thing that keeps coming up after Samsung Logo with no unlock/lock symbol, when I try to reboot the phone in various ways. I know I can't use Odin to reflash back to stock MDL after the June OTA update, as I tried with no luck came up failed like I knew it would. Plug in via usb to computer, PC doesn't recognize it, so I can't check / access anything on the phone. Pulling straws here. Just looking to get her back to normal
UPDATE
Plugged stock USB cable/Phone in another USB slot, Odin picked it up (See pics), of course I can't downgrade to MDL from MF3.... failure.
US ATT SGH-1337 Jelly Bean 4.2.2
(Last night) Stock Firm: I337UCUAMDL
(This morning) OTA Firm: I337UCUAMF3
You tried to install a custom recovery from what you are describing, yet not really saying.
You wanted to flash a debloat zip... How would one go about doing that? A custom recovery. Unfortunately, there is none for the MF3 update. The only way you would be in this situation is by trying to flash one. So... You're screwed.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
graydiggy said:
You tried to install a custom recovery from what you are describing, yet not really saying.
You wanted to flash a debloat zip... How would one go about doing that? A custom recovery. Unfortunately, there is none for the MF3 update. The only way you would be in this situation is by trying to flash one. So... You're screwed.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I figured I was, was hanging on by chance for a bypass, that I might have a chance on getting the phone to boot normally again, by trying a method I hadn't tried / known yet... :crying:
l33t_killa said:
I figured I was, was hanging on by chance for a bypass, that I might have a chance on getting the phone to boot normally again, by trying a method I hadn't tried / known yet... :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can try what this guy did and see if it helps...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=44433724&postcount=11
If it doesn't work i would say you screwed yourself.
Maybe when you "read yourself blind" you missed the Numerous warnings throughout the MF3 root thread and the rest of the forum about MF3 not being able to use custom recoveries or flashing anything?
Good luck.
scott14719 said:
You can try what this guy did and see if it helps...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=44433724&postcount=11
If it doesn't work i would say you screwed yourself.
Maybe when you "read yourself blind" you missed the Numerous warnings throughout the MF3 root thread and the rest of the forum about MF3 not being able to use custom recoveries or flashing anything?
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
,
Yep, I missed that tidbit of info, I did try your suggestion from another member via this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2407443 as I'm getting closer as per my updates there. Going to try out ou812bkewl's method here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2360859
MF3 Nandroid Backup
I was able to get a full Nandroid Backup for AT&T S4 with the MF# firmware using an app called OBackup. Im not real sure if any of the files would be helpful to those stuck after trying to install a custom recovery. I think if you could get into download mode and in Odin, these .tar files might be helpful.
After getting past the painful MF3 firmware and rooting my Galaxy S4, I loaded Safestrap and proceeded to do a simple Factory Reset, I was too excited about moving forward to notice the 'system' Checkbox was checked and my simple factory reset turned into a full system wipe :c
Fortunately I made a backup before I did anything and it's still on my external SD Card, however, I can't get to the Safestrap Recovery(assuming it's still installed on my phone after the wipe) and trying to boot the phone just causes it to shut off, freeze at the Galaxy S4 splash screen or go straight to the stock download mode.
I downloaded Kies to try and proceed with that but I get a "Device not responding" error.
Now literally all I can do is go into the Stock Download/ODIN mode, is there ANYTHING I could do from here or am I screwed?
SOLVED
Attempted an emergency recovery which caused the yellow triangle to appear then brought it back to Best Buy when different reps were working, told them it was a problem with Kies, and they flashed the stock firmware back onto my phone, now I'll just be impatiently waiting until someone finds a method to load CWM or TWRP after the MF3 update since I'm not exactly a fan of Safestrap ^_^
When it boots into download mode can you cancel,vol down? It might boot, but without system I doubt it
Bestbuy with a Samsung experience can flash the mf3 firmware. They're probably your best bet.
jd1639 said:
When it boots into download mode can you cancel,vol down? It might boot, but without system I doubt it
Bestbuy with a Samsung experience can flash the mf3 firmware. They're probably your best bet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can hit cancel but because it has no system files it just hangs at the Galaxy S4 splash screen. I heard about Best Buy and was going to go there as a last resort and just claim it was a Kies issue.
jd1693 is correct, your best bet is best buy... I only had an issue with my build.prop file in the /system folder, but I could do nothing to recover. My local best buy Samsung "specialist" was unhelpful and wouldn't touch it. I drive an hour and a half to the next nearest one and the guy there was knowledgeable and helpful. He fixed it in 10 minutes. Before I went, I "put" mine in the yellow triangle screen that you get from a kies update fail by trying to restore in kies first. This requires an "emergency recovery" which is a full system flash. I've read others had better experiences with this at best buy over making the employees there put the phone in download mode.
I hope you get a decent Samsung rep. Good luck!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
jd1639 said:
Bestbuy with a Samsung experience can flash the mf3 firmware. They're probably your best bet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Brought it to Best Buy, they said they couldn't do anything for me since my phone was rooted but I told them my problem and they just told me to come here(XDA) or use ODIN or if all else fails, brick my phone and have AT&T replace it.....
So far I haven't gotten any major help here and I'm not very savvy with ODIN and I don't know what use I could make of it with only the Stock download mode and a backup I made before everything went to hell. would really not want to resort to bricking my phone and bringing it to AT&T...
dustyhughes said:
Before I went, I "put" mine in the yellow triangle screen that you get from a kies update fail by trying to restore in kies first. This requires an "emergency recovery" which is a full system flash. I've read others had better experiences with this at best buy over making the employees there put the phone in download mode.
I hope you get a decent Samsung rep. Good luck!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have a yellow Triangle, just the padlock with "custom" under it which appeared after I rooted it. also I can't get my phone to connect to kies :/
EDIT: Managed to do an emergency recovery via Kies and get that yellow triangle screen, I'll bring it back to Best Buy in hope that there's different employees working who I can feed an alibi saying Kies messed up my phone when attempting to do a firmware upgrade.
Hey guys.
Tonight I rooted my phone with the hopes of everything going smooth, it didn't. It was a nightmare rooting the phone itself.
I was trying to install TWRP recovery through Goomanager but that didn't work so I did it through fast boot and terminal emulator with the commands.
After it was done I rebooted my phone and it just went to a black screen with the blue notification light. Then the phone turned off. I can't turn it on at all nor can I get it to go into download mode.
I recently just got this phone, one week ago to be exact, as an early Christmas present and I haven't really even been able to enjoy the phone because I've had the flu. I just now recovered from it and this happens.
I am in a insanely bad situation.
Is there anything at all I can do? Please help me...
dotkong said:
Hey guys.
Tonight I rooted my phone with the hopes of everything going smooth, it didn't. It was a nightmare rooting the phone itself.
I was trying to install TWRP recovery through Goomanager but that didn't work so I did it through fast boot and terminal emulator with the commands.
After it was done I rebooted my phone and it just went to a black screen with the blue notification light. Then the phone turned off. I can't turn it on at all nor can I get it to go into download mode.
I recently just got this phone, one week ago to be exact, as an early Christmas present and I haven't really even been able to enjoy the phone because I've had the flu. I just now recovered from it and this happens.
I am in a insanely bad situation.
Is there anything at all I can do? Please help me...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In these situations its best to provide as much information as possible. What was your Baseband? MDL? MF3? if you have no idea what any of this means....then you shouldn't be trying to flash anything on your phone, atleast not until after doing a ton of research. Your best bet is to try and get it into download mode and ODIN back to a stock image. If you can't get into download mode then unfortunately there isn't much you can do. You can try going to a best buy and see if they can flash it for you. You should know that if you're on MF3 you CANNOT flash a custom recovery other than SafeStrap. Hope some if this helps.
This phone is super special with special needs.if you can get it into DL mode than SEARCH for the Odin files that are floating around here.this phone will teach you how to read again
Sent from my ATT S4 MF3 using Tapatalk
If the phone is new like you said, its a good chance the model is MF3. The custom recovery you installed doesnt work for that model which more than likely cased or helped cause your issue. If you dont know the model and your phone won't turn on...the model number is listed on the box (assuming you still have it).
The TC mentioned he can't obtain DL mode so I'm not sure how the using odin will help him since it won't recognize his phone. I'd try best buy and go from there. If you try to have it warrentied while pleading the "I dont know what happened" card to your carrier...just be warned, if they replace it and find out it was rooted or messed with than they will charge your account the full retail cost. I've had many phones replace via manufacturers warranty and that is the first thing they tell me. It can even be an issue if the screen has a tiny scratch. Hope it works out.
brought to you by my not so sexy GS4 MF3
nash2000 said:
If the phone is new like you said, its a good chance the model is MF3. The custom recovery you installed doesnt work for that model which more than likely cased or helped cause your issue. If you dont know the model and your phone won't turn on...the model number is listed on the box (assuming you still have it).
The TC mentioned he can't obtain DL mode so I'm not sure how the using odin will help him since it won't recognize his phone. I'd try best buy and go from there. If you try to have it warrentied while pleading the "I dont know what happened" card to your carrier...just be warned, if they replace it and find out it was rooted or messed with than they will charge your account the full retail cost. I've had many phones replace via manufacturers warranty and that is the first thing they tell me. It can even be an issue if the screen has a tiny scratch. Hope it works out.
brought to you by my not so sexy GS4 MF3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He he can't turn it on best buy isn't going to help either. No one will be able to tell it's rooted either. Just take it back to where you got it and tell them it won't turn on. If it does turn on then you can Odin it.
dotkong said:
Hey guys.
Tonight I rooted my phone with the hopes of everything going smooth, it didn't. It was a nightmare rooting the phone itself.
I was trying to install TWRP recovery through Goomanager but that didn't work so I did it through fast boot and terminal emulator with the commands.
After it was done I rebooted my phone and it just went to a black screen with the blue notification light. Then the phone turned off. I can't turn it on at all nor can I get it to go into download mode.
I recently just got this phone, one week ago to be exact, as an early Christmas present and I haven't really even been able to enjoy the phone because I've had the flu. I just now recovered from it and this happens.
I am in a insanely bad situation.
Is there anything at all I can do? Please help me...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pull the battery and wait a minute. Then replace it and see if you can use the correct key combo to get into recovery. If you fix it or get it replaced I suggest you do a lot of reading and learning before doing anything else. Good luck.
Bricked Galaxy S4
I've been there my self. The best and fastest thing to do now is go on the Wed and look up mobiletechvideo .
The guys are great. The turn around is fast.
Thread cleaned and closed.
XDA does not condone fraud in any form.
This started as a beg for help thread, but since the GS4 is coming up on 3 generations old, help is quite slow, yet does still exist as of this edit (3-20-15).
None the less, I will try to explain what happened so that people searching for similar problems might find this thread and resolve their issues.
I soft bricked the phone flashing PacMan. ... The instructions CLEARLY stated that you need to flash the rom, then flash GApps. Well, I forgot to Flash Gapps because I was so excited that I had a successful root and new rom to test that I finger ganged the phone.... The phone booted just fine and worked just fine, but I did not have ANY google apps, and went into a panic... LESSON #1 DO NOT PANIC......
What I failed to realize is that Android Lolipop (at least PacMan's version) requires the user to select options in the developer section of the settings menu to enable you to boot into your custom recovery after you have flashed your custom rom.... I DID NOT KNOW THIS and the information was NOT readily available. So what happened was I panicked and tried to flash another recovery which was apparently NOT the correct recovery for my phone.. (the cascade of errors began here). My phone was soft bricked and NOTHING I did would get me out of it.
So, after at least 50 attempts using Odin to try and flash a good recovery, re-root the phone, whatever I could think of, I finally got out of soft brick, and back to a working phone, yet still no google apps, and no recovery (or so I thought).
By this time, I had asked ....no. begged for help on 2 or 3 different threads to no avail when what I thought was a brain storm came to me.... I googled and located the google play store apk, and google play services apk and thought that if I could just get these 2 things installed, I would be able to log onto the google play store and download the apps I need and all would be right with the world....... Yeah.... Remember the cascade of errors thing I mentioned a few lines up ^^^ ?
Once I installed those 2 apk's and rebooted the phone, I was in nag screen hell with no way out, no custom recovery (remember...or so I thought) and no way to access ANYTHING on the phone because literally the second I hit "ok" on the nag screen, it would immediately pop back up...This "nag screen" was the one that pops up and tells you that "google play services has stopped working".. I came inches away from launching the phone against the wall and buying another one... something... anything but a Samsung GS4.
So here we are, 14 hours (of actual face in the phone, Odin, XDA, Google, YouTube) frantically searching for ANY solution.....and NOTHING presented itself, when I decided to take a step back and walk away from it for a couple of hours.......
The next thing I tried was pounding my way through the nag screen... Literally hitting the "ok" toggle to clear the screen, while instantly trying to hit any other button on the screen to get me into the settings menu, because during my little self imposed time out, I had an epiphany.... of sorts..... What really happened is that I remembered seeing a "factory reset" toggle in the settings menus somewhere.....and I was determined to find it........ SO....... 13,386,329 clicks of the "ok" button later, I managed to engage the factory reset switch at the exact right moment, followed by another 4,388 presses of the "ok" button to get to the "confirm" button.......... and like a beacon from heaven...... My phone rebooted, and factory reset, and the #%g^7**&^|@# nag screen was GONE !!!!! Oh my GOD it was GONE !!!!!!! After recovering from my full blown conniption, catching my breath and feeling like a raver must feel after a good night of Molly and glow stick euphoria, I had a working phone again..... almost.
What I did next was go immediately to Odin, re-root the phone, install a DIFFERENT rom, and the latest version of TWRP and like another beacon from the gods I had a wonderfully functional phone with all of the google apps I needed.... and all was good with the world........Pretty much....
I am nearly certain that I cost myself 5 years of healthy living with the stress I imposed upon myself throughout this ordeal ---- The following are lessons learned. Hopefully they save you from madness...
(1) Do NOT use a USB hub to connect your phone to the computer. The phone MUST be connected directly to a USB port on your machine.
(2) Understand the workings of the rom you are going to flash BEFORE you flash it.
(3) DO NOT PANIC
(4) DO NOT randomly install apk's just because you think you are smarter than a 5th grader, and you are so mad your phone doesn't work, you are going to try anything regardless of how retarded it might be.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST and actually probably the MOST IMPORTANT thing to do is locate, download and CONFIRM GOOD a stock firmware for YOUR phone BEFORE YOU ROOT or flash a new rom..... If you get to brick he11 like I did, you will spend more time searching for the tools to get back to zero than you can imagine. You will be revved up, angry with the world, and your google fu will fail you......miserably I might add......
Get all of your ducks in a row BEFORE you root, and before you flash a new rom. That means finding the stock firmware and opening it up in Odin with your phone connected to CONFIRM you have a good firmware to go back to should you fail miserably.... Your very sanity could depend on it...
Team Scream said:
Does anyone have and is willing to share a stock Galaxy S4 rom so I can go back to stock on my phone? I am currently soft bricked and completely dead in the water...
I need to be able to flash the rom using Odin since that is the ONLY way I can communicate with this phone right now....I can flash whatever recovery I want using Odin, but I cannot boot into that recovery once successfully flashed with Odin. It boot loops and goes back to the completely useless PacMan 5.02 rom I flashed previously that repeatedly shows the "google play services has stopped working" screen.... and no number of attempts to clear it by hitting ok will get me to a working desktop
I bricked my phone by flashing PacMan and forgetting to flash GAPPS before rebooting, then trying to install google play services apk and google play store apk manually because I could not get back into recovery for whatever reason....
I have spent the ENTIRE day searching for a stock rom that I can flash with Odin so I can at least get back to zero with this S4 which is actually a brand new phone for me....
PLEASE do not link me to mediafire or rapidgator downloads because I have tried every one of those that google will reveal.. I need one that YOU know is good, and will work. NONE.... NOT ONE of the files I have been able to find online are legitimate .tar files... They ALL unzip with errors and I have tried them on multiple computers.....Multiple download attempts and NOTHING... I have literally been at this for 10 hours now and really need some love.
On a side note, if I can pull the stock rom from my wifes brand new S4 without screwing up her phone, PLEASE tell me how to do that. She literally picked up her brand new replacement S4 today...
Any help is genuinely appreciated... PLEASE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.rwilco12.com/downloads.php?dir=Files/Devices/Samsung Galaxy S4 (SPH-L720)/Stock ROMs
KennyG123 said:
http://www.rwilco12.com/downloads.php?dir=Files/Devices/Samsung Galaxy S4 (SPH-L720)/Stock ROMs
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Click to collapse
Man thank you! THANK YOU! I really appreciate it... I woke this morning to find this reply after leaving my computer running all night for another corrupted downloaded image file.... I have my fingers crossed !!! THANK YOU
P.S. how do I know which one of those files I actually need? I have no idea what the difference is in each of those folders.... Forgive me for noob but I really am pretty noob at this.....
I just looked at the link to help you and noticed that Wilco stops at the NAE baseband. A lot of phones are on the NG2 baseband and if you have a 720T, it could be even a different baseband. Go to settings, "About Phone". Look for" "Baseband" and "Model Number". Write that information down. Once you have that, the last three characters are what is in the list in the link KennyG123 sent you. (For example, I have the original S4 so I have a SPH-L720 and my baseband is L720VPUFNG2 (or NG2 for short. Which was not on that list.) If it is not on the list, go to www.sammobile.com and search for your model number (For example, I am on the SPH-L720. If you just bought your phone from Sprint, you probably have the SPH-L720 or SPH-L720T). You can download the tar file from there. It is a little slow but it will get it done for you. The tar file for both phones are here in this forum if you want to search but going to Sammobile would probably be a little easier from the sounds of it.
dyandell said:
I just looked at the link to help you and noticed that Wilco stops at the NAE baseband. <snip>
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Click to collapse
Hey brother, thank you so much for the help and reply. I might have forgot to mention that I cannot get into the phone to read the model # or get any information from it at all. The nag screen telling me that google play services has stopped working is so persistent that I can't do anything with the phone once it boots.
Is there a way to brute force wipe the phone so that the only thing left when that process is done is a custom recovery like TWRP or Philz or anything other than stock?
If so, would you be so kind as to point me in the direction of a tutorial that would help me get through that process.... I am either not using the right search terms or I am just too old to be good at this and should have stayed home when the rooting lessons were being handed out...
Anyway, I genuinely appreciate your help... Thank you so much !!
Ok I was able to pound my way through the nag screen to the settings menu and eventually got to the baseband and model #
baseband: L720TVPUBOA3
model #: SPH-L720
I have tried 3 times to download the only version I can find on the sammobile.com website using the baseband to search and the file fails to download after getting about 2/3 complete.... I have tried it on 2 separate computers from 2 different locations now...... This is horrifying ...... Every single force that can be working against me, is working against me.
Ugh...... If you have a link to a method I can use to force wipe the phone without a stock rom, but with a recovery I can boot into to flash a rom I have on my external SD card, I would love to see it...... im losing my mind here...
<<<<<<<< EDIT>>>>>>>>>
I was also able to pound my way into the settings menu and do a factory reset which removed the google play nag. From there I was able to root around in the developer options folder where I discovered that in order to be able to boot into recovery, you need to select the "boot options" tab and allow the device to boot into recovery....
I know this device is old now and most people have moved on, and I am pleased that there are some people who stick around here to keep this device alive. I only wish that someone would have advised me to check the boot options selection when I indicated I could not boot into recovery... That would have saved me 2 days of manic obsessive he11....... This was complete he11...... But I am on the other side of it now, and have reflashed another rom... I am back among the living.
Team Scream said:
Ok I was able to pound my way through the nag screen to the settings menu and eventually got to the baseband and model #
baseband: L720TVPUBOA3
model #: SPH-L720
I have tried 3 times to download the only version I can find on the sammobile.com website using the baseband to search and the file fails to download after getting about 2/3 complete.... I have tried it on 2 separate computers from 2 different locations now...... This is horrifying ...... Every single force that can be working against me, is working against me.
Ugh...... If you have a link to a method I can use to force wipe the phone without a stock rom, but with a recovery I can boot into to flash a rom I have on my external SD card, I would love to see it...... im losing my mind here...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprint phones have always been able to downgrade and thinking that has not changed. You should be able to Odin the last one listed on the link I gave you...NAE...then your phone should boot...you can then take the Sprint OTA if you like then root and recovery as normal. Then you can get to the stuff on your SD and flash. The only issues I remember popping up these days is if you mismatch the modem and OS...which wouldn't be the case if you Odin'd NAE.
Team Scream said:
Ok I was able to pound my way through the nag screen to the settings menu and eventually got to the baseband and model #
baseband: L720TVPUBOA3
model #: SPH-L720
I have tried 3 times to download the only version I can find on the sammobile.com website using the baseband to search and the file fails to download after getting about 2/3 complete.... I have tried it on 2 separate computers from 2 different locations now...... This is horrifying ...... Every single force that can be working against me, is working against me.
Ugh...... If you have a link to a method I can use to force wipe the phone without a stock rom, but with a recovery I can boot into to flash a rom I have on my external SD card, I would love to see it...... im losing my mind here...
<<<<<<<< EDIT>>>>>>>>>
I was also able to pound my way into the settings menu and do a factory reset which removed the google play nag. From there I was able to root around in the developer options folder where I discovered that in order to be able to boot into recovery, you need to select the "boot options" tab and allow the device to boot into recovery....
I know this device is old now and most people have moved on, and I am pleased that there are some people who stick around here to keep this device alive. I only wish that someone would have advised me to check the boot options selection when I indicated I could not boot into recovery... That would have saved me 2 days of manic obsessive he11....... This was complete he11...... But I am on the other side of it now, and have reflashed another rom... I am back among the living.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you got it fixed! I have had my phone for over a year now and never heard of a boot options tab. I guess you learn something new every day.
Also glad you got it fixed. But let's keep this open in case someone else has the same or similar issue.
KennyG123 said:
Sprint phones have always been able to downgrade and thinking that has not changed. You should be able to Odin the last one listed on the link I gave you...NAE...then your phone should boot...you can then take the Sprint OTA if you like then root and recovery as normal. Then you can get to the stuff on your SD and flash. The only issues I remember popping up these days is if you mismatch the modem and OS...which wouldn't be the case if you Odin'd NAE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well not being able to leave well enough alone, I locked my phone up again.
Because I was able to get out of soft brick without needing a stock firmware, I never bothered downloading NAE from the link you provided.
Turns out after 2 separate downloads (one using Chrome and one using Firefox) I have determined that the md5.tar files on that site http://www.rwilco12.com/downloads.php?dir=Files/Devices/Samsung%20Galaxy%20S4%20%28SPH-L720%29/Stock%20ROMs are worthless.... BOTH downloads failed in Odin before I could even get out of the gate....
They failed the md5 check that Odin performs and would not allow me to continue.... IS there something I am missing?
Team Scream said:
Well not being able to leave well enough alone, I locked my phone up again.
Because I was able to get out of soft brick without needing a stock firmware, I never bothered downloading NAE from the link you provided.
Turns out after 2 separate downloads (one using Chrome and one using Firefox) I have determined that the md5.tar files on that site http://www.rwilco12.com/downloads.php?dir=Files/Devices/Samsung%20Galaxy%20S4%20%28SPH-L720%29/Stock%20ROMs are worthless.... BOTH downloads failed in Odin before I could even get out of the gate....
They failed the md5 check that Odin performs and would not allow me to continue.... IS there something I am missing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remove the .md5 extension at the end and try again.
KennyG123 said:
Remove the .md5 extension at the end and try again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sweet baby Jeezes please tell me that is not all I had to do.... I spent 4 hours staring at the screen downloading files last night .... I waited 4 hours and finally could not stay awake any more but I finally got the OA3 firmware from SamMobile downloaded successfully. I left the .md5 extension and it is now flashing via Odin as I type this.... I could have saved myself a few more hours of misery if I had known you can remove the .md5 extension..... This learning curve is hard on an old man like me hahaha!
Thanks Kenny
<edit> Ahhhhh.... the sweet smell of success !!! I am now booted back into a stock phone!!!
Man I hope this thread can help save someone else from the anguish I have put myself through with this thing....
Team Scream said:
Sweet baby Jeezes please tell me that is not all I had to do.... I spent 4 hours staring at the screen downloading files last night .... I waited 4 hours and finally could not stay awake any more but I finally got the OA3 firmware from SamMobile downloaded successfully. I left the .md5 extension and it is now flashing via Odin as I type this.... I could have saved myself a few more hours of misery if I had known you can remove the .md5 extension..... This learning curve is hard on an old man like me hahaha!
Thanks Kenny
<edit> Ahhhhh.... the sweet smell of success !!! I am now booted back into a stock phone!!!
Man I hope this thread can help save someone else from the anguish I have put myself through with this thing....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am sure it will! Glad you got it working and glad I helped! Some versions of Odin don't care about the md5 extension and others barf it up. With the way your luck went....well...don't buy a lottery ticket this week...hahaha.