[Q] Having a problem with S4 "soft bricking" - Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello,
I recently tried to root my AT&T Galaxy S4 and install cyanogean mod on it. I screwed something up along the way but I'm not sure what. I tried rooting my phone with Kingo Root Tool, which it said I was successfully rooted. I made the mistake of then accepting an OTA, and of course that soft bricked my phone. I am able to get the phone out of soft brick mode by taking the battery out and putting back in, then entering download mode, and cancelling out. That fixes it every time. As I'm on android 4.2.2, and I understand that I need 4.4.2 for CM11, I thought that I would un-root using the tool, and then try the update again. I un-rooted, it said that it was successful at this. I then tried to install the OTA again, unfortunately it softbricked my phone again. I reset it back to normal, then I figured my best option would be to try and do a factory reset. When I tried the reset, it once again soft bricked my phone. I've reset it back to normal, and everything is working fine, however I'm a little confused as to what's going on. My amateur assumption is that by rooting, it tripped some file rooted deep inside the phone, and now it knows that I tried rooting, therefore it'll block me from updates. If someone could help me this, and possibly help me try and fix it I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

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[Q] Unable to remove custom padlock stock lolipop

I have tried everything I can possibly think of in a short period of time, and need an answer in a hurry. The phone (Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 N-900V) was rooted back when kitkat was the main OS using geohot's towelroot (or possibly kingo root I can't remember which i used after I got the phone and upgraded from ICS). I have 2 of these exact same phones, used the exact same rooting method, and unrooted by uninstalling the superuser app, rebooted, and installed the OTA update to lolipop. My phone works fine, (the one I'm typing from) however, my other phone decided to take a dump. It's a software bug between the samsung firmware and the new lolipop OS. It was working for several months, then all the sudden it wouldn't recognize/register the APN. Now it doesn't see anything just about with the phone. Not even the IMEI from the phones serial number. The sim card has been replaced twice and has worked for a matter of a few hours, however, upon restarting the phone, it goes back to no service, and nothing is registered or recognized. I reflashed the phone with the stock 5.0 Lolipop using Odin several times to no avail. My phone (one I'm using now) once did this months ago, and I was able to access the service menu and reregister the SIM card and phone has worked fine since. With this other phone, I can't get into the service menu at all because nothing is registering. So, after reflashing 4 or 5 times, factory reseting from both the OS and from recovery booting, it still has the same issue. Here is my question. It used to be when I reflashed, the custom padlock would disappear. I'm getting a new phone tomorrow, and I need to get rid of the custom padlock before I return the old phone. I can use Odin, or whatever but it has to be something, I can do while it stays stock. The knox counter has not been tripped, and the flash counter is not tripped nor showing anything on the download mode. Everything lools, and feels stock, except that custom padlock. Is there a way to get rid of that custom padlock unrooted, by reflashing? I even used a pit file to repartition, but that didn't work either. Need help A.S.A.P.!
I would just hard brick the phone just before returning it...they will just throw it out at that point and your secret will be safe.
Hard Brick
xxperrin said:
I would just hard brick the phone just before returning it...they will just throw it out at that point and your secret will be safe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You thinking maybe a NAND erase?
Hard Brick
I've thought about flashing the wrong rom too but dunno if that will work 100%. I either need to fix it, or make it 100% unrecoverable. Any advice?

[Q] Need serious help to safely restore i337 to stock everything

I received a new phone since I broke my old GS4 (I337). It was on AT&T 4.2.2 and I rooted it using motochopper. It was fine. It automatically updated while I was asleep to 4.4.2. I had rooted my old GS4 on the same update. So I figured I'll just root it again. So I used the method where I flash the NC1 kernel, use towel root, then flash NJ4 back. Now my WiFi will not turn on, but I do have root access. Also, a message saying "Unauthorized actions have been detected" and it tells me to restart to undo these changes. I don't want to do it in fear of bricking my device. I'm really scared now and I desperately need to fix this. I just want to go back to complete stock 4.4.2. I've tried reflashing the NJ4 file twice and WiFi will still not turn on. I've attached pictures of the notice and my device info. Please help. I cannot brick this device. I will answer to any questions as fast as possible. At the moment, I am debating whether or not to flash this because I am unsure if it will be compatible. ALL_ATT_I337UCUFNB1_I337ATTFNB1_505595_REV06_user_low_ship_MULTI_CERT.tar
http ://i.imgur.com/68B7MNM. png?1
http ://i.imgur.com/6Cjnzug. png?1
brandon1999 said:
I received a new phone since I broke my old GS4 (I337). It was on AT&T 4.2.2 and I rooted it using motochopper. It was fine. It automatically updated while I was asleep to 4.4.2. I had rooted my old GS4 on the same update. So I figured I'll just root it again. So I used the method where I flash the NC1 kernel, use towel root, then flash NJ4 back. Now my WiFi will not turn on, but I do have root access. Also, a message saying "Unauthorized actions have been detected" and it tells me to restart to undo these changes. I don't want to do it in fear of bricking my device. I'm really scared now and I desperately need to fix this. I just want to go back to complete stock 4.4.2. I've tried reflashing the NJ4 file twice and WiFi will still not turn on. I've attached pictures of the notice and my device info. Please help. I cannot brick this device. I will answer to any questions as fast as possible. At the moment, I am debating whether or not to flash this because I am unsure if it will be compatible. ALL_ATT_I337UCUFNB1_I337ATTFNB1_505595_REV06_user_low_ship_MULTI_CERT.tar
http ://i.imgur.com/68B7MNM. png?1
http ://i.imgur.com/6Cjnzug. png?1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bricking is almost impossible. So stop stressing out. You are in the wrong forum.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att
Usually you have a wrong modem flashed or something with that problem. Stop stressing out and take your time to find the solution. You will not brick it.

Rooted Samsung Galaxy S4 has Nonresponsive Touchscreen

Hello all. Today I decided to root my Samsung Galaxy S4, model SM-S975L. I followed a post from these forums to the T, and everything was going great, until my phone went to sleep and then locked. After it was locked, the touch screen stopped responding. I gave it a reboot and it worked until locked yet again, and again and again and again. I then attempted to use a USSD code that was supposed to bring up some kind of fix to the touch screen firmware, I believe, and the code didn't do anything. Got a pop up that said it was running the USSD code and then nothing happened, it just disappeared. I was also unable to update the su binary when I downloaded SuperSU. Don't know if this is related. Below is the link I used to root my phone. Any help would be wonderful!
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66590962&postcount=223
Judging by that guide, you did not root your device, you installed a completely different firmware.
Not only that, but it is an old version too.
I suggest you download this version and in the configuration screen select "STOCK KERNEL".
It's pretty much the same process as with the other version.
I forgot to mention I rooted my device with the PC version of KingoRoot, and when I used a root checker app it did say it was rooted.
But say I go this route, am I to also install open gapps? And does it need to be a different version?
So my touch screen stopped working again, this time during the AROMA installer. Managed to get through that with the volume keys and power button. Then it took me back to the screen from TWRP where it says I successfully installed the zip. But my phone is locked and my touch screen is not working. What to do? Please, anybody... I don't want to just pull the battery because I still need to wipe the cache and dalvik and doing that to your phone isn't good for it anyways, from my understanding. Please, I don't want to make it even worse if I can avoid it!
rainygreeneyes said:
So my touch screen stopped working again, this time during the AROMA installer. Managed to get through that with the volume keys and power button. Then it took me back to the screen from TWRP where it says I successfully installed the zip. But my phone is locked and my touch screen is not working. What to do? Please, anybody... I don't want to just pull the battery because I still need to wipe the cache and dalvik and doing that to your phone isn't good for it anyways, from my understanding. Please, I don't want to make it even worse if I can avoid it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then flash any other ROM that does not have the word "Optimized" or "Aroma" in its name.
You can also flash the official Lineage ROM, I assume it should work.
I attempted to unroot by flashing the original firmware for my Galaxy S4 and ended up soft bricking it, I think. It says "firmware upgrade encountered an issue. Please select recovery mode in Kies and try again." Kies is not recognizing the phone. Am I correct in thinking it is soft bricked? If so, how can this be fixed? Please explain as if you were explaining to a child, I am clearly not very good at this.
rainygreeneyes said:
I attempted to unroot by flashing the original firmware for my Galaxy S4 and ended up soft bricking it, I think. It says "firmware upgrade encountered an issue. Please select recovery mode in Kies and try again." Kies is not recognizing the phone. Am I correct in thinking it is soft bricked? If so, how can this be fixed? Please explain as if you were explaining to a child, I am clearly not very good at this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try flashing it with Odin again, Kies isn't needed, just connect it to PC(while in that screen) and flash the stock rom with Odin, it should recognize it.

Sprint GS7 - No WIFI and "CUSTOM" after last OTA update. KNOX 0x0.

Ok, so this is my wife's phone. After the last OTA update to QE1, she noticed that the WIFI would not turn on. I kinda ignored her for a couple of weeks until she really made a fuss of it. When I finally got around to it I also noticed that "CUSTOM" was present in the phone information area as well as upon bootup. I've searched XDA as well as other sites and tried everything I could think of but nothing has helped. I cannot mess with any WIFI settings because it will not turn on at all so I can't even access the menu. Neither Sprint nor Samsung will touch the phone because they claim I rooted it. I didn't. I have factory reset it numerous times with no luck. I have ODIN'd the software for a full reset and used all older software versions even. Following Sprint's own software updates, no luck. I have used the Samsung SmartSwitch program on the computer to also do a full reset to factory multiple times with no luck. The Samsung rep at the local Best Buy even tried it. The only thing that a full reset helps with is getting rid of the "CUSTOM" notification until you reboot the phone. It doesn't fix WIFI.
Has anyone had experience with this problem? I am getting ready to root it, but I'm not sure if that will even help. Additionally, the phone currently does not have Sprint service, I had to activate her old phone... So, I don't have access to the internet with the phone unless I reactivate it on an account... I looked at a root option, but it requires wifi...
I'm open to suggestions. Please help..
Ok, so no one has any input on how to fix my problem. Is it not possible with the locked bootloader?
dochummer said:
Ok, so no one has any input on how to fix my problem. What about hard bricking the phone? I've tried ODIN with different model firmware and I can't get a hard brick. Is it not possible with the locked bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After running odin with stock firmware, go into recovery and hard reset the device again . As far as Hard Bricking on Purpose, that would be fraud, something not allowed to be discussed here. Mods please lock this thread.
Thanks for the reply. Sorry about breaking the forum rules, I went ahead and edited my original posting. I've already tried odin with stock firmware and hard resetting the device numerous times with no luck... I'd like to be able to dig deeper into the phone but I'm guessing that won't be possible with the locked boot loader?

(Soft?)-Bricked My S7 with a Flashfire Update, Need Help to Fix It?

So I've been rooting me phone for a while and have managed to never f*** up, till now, and I sincerely hope you guys can help me.
After rooting my S7 a while back, I just recently noticed SuperUser telling me that I didn't have root anymore, so I decided to follow these instructions to re-root my phone:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ve...-to-notes-root-install-xposed-unroot-t3411039
I successfully followed all the steps to get root, but when I opened Flashfire it told me I could install a new update while maintaining root, so since my android is at 6.0.1, I did that and it bricked my phone.
On boot it says "Startup Failed - Use the Verizon Software Repair Assistant . . . " and on top it also says "Custom binary blocked by SECURE BOOT." I have tried going into recovery mode and deleting the system cache, but that doesn't do it. So is there any way to get the phone to properly boot while not deleting my data? I was rooting my phone precisely so I could use Titanium Backup again, so I don't have any backups stored anywhere. I have heard that flashing a recovery image with Odin can work, but would that delete my files? Someone please lend me your expertise.
My phone is a Verizon S7.
Fixed
I am surprised that no one responded to me, but what's important is that, miraculously, I managed to un-brick the phone myself without losing any data! What I did was, as my last hope (since Odin wasn't able to flash the stock image, a la the traditional soft-brick fix), decide to follow the on-screen instructions my phone was giving me and to download and run something called the "Verizon Software Repair Assistant," which can be found in the top google results after searching for the quoted name (xda doesn't let me post the link).
After putting my phone into download mode, I plugged it in, ran the software and let it work overnight. Checking on it in the morning, I found my phone, not only completely functional and working, but updated to Android 7.0 (it was 6.0.1 previously before the failed Flashfire OTA update) and still holding all of my data intact.
So, the interesting thing that I learned is that flashing to stock via Odin to fix a soft-bricked phone should not be the default resolution for potentially most people, as the carrier's default (in my case, Verizon's) repair utility managed to completely fix my phone without any side effects or data loss.
Is there anyone who could chime in on why the Repair Utility did not wipe my phone's memory, even though it warned it would?
**Note**
Verizon links to the Windows version of the repair assistant on their site, but to get the Mac version (which I used), the only way you can get it is by changing the end of the url they mention within the thread from "Win" to "Mac."
Pleased you managed to fix it, and thanks for posting the method for others
As for replies, if you stick around XDA you'll see replies can take days sometimes, patience is the key here
*Detection* said:
Pleased you managed to fix it, and thanks for posting the method for others
As for replies, if you stick around XDA you'll see replies can take days sometimes, patience is the key here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess I am not acquainted with this forum enough then, thanks!
Most likely the cause of the fault would be updating via FlashFire and keeping root. When the update was flashed, it most likely flashed the stock kernel and patched it for root, which is not a compatible root for our devices. Flashing the root kernel with Odin probably would have made the phone boot normally.

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