safestrap vs flashfire and locked bootloader? - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshootin

Hi,
I am running on rooted stocked OC4. This was done following the instruction which uses Flashfire to flash ROM and then ODIN to flash bootloader.
I am now looking to flash custom ROM (T-Mobile ROM specifically). From what I can read, the suggestion is to use safestrap which get around the locked boot loader in order to flash ROM.
However, there has been no update for saftstrap on 5.0.
Flashfire was able to flash stock ROM. Does it mean it has ways to get around locked bootloader?
Thanks

Related

[Q] Downgrade Lollipop to KitKat, Bootloader & Modem question [N910G]

I am currently on Lollipop on my N910G and I want to downgrade to KitKat by flashing a custom rom in recovery. Do I need to downgrade my bootloader and modem as well? I have been trying to find an Odin flashable bootloader and modem but cant find a download anywhere at the moment.
I went through this process a while ago.
From what I remember, I had to wipe the device in recovery and flash the official kitkat rom.
I think I followed this guide:
http://www.androidexplained.com/galaxy-note-4-how-to-downgrade-to-android-4-4-4-kitkat/

I337UCUGOC3 bootloader locked, want to update to I337UCUGOK2 to unlock bootloader

I hit on UPDATE on the phone for an OTA update but it only says UNABLE TO CONNECT AT&T SERVER. When I bought it, it had 5.0.1 (I337UCUGOC3) out of the box. Searching on internet says that is bootloader locked (so I cant do anything).
- Can I Update to I337UCUGOK2 and bootloader will be unlocked (I mean, will I be able to do it)?
- Does anyone know where can I grab I337UCUGOK2 for offline install and is it ODIN safe to update it (remember I have I337UCUGOC3 bootloader locked)?
please help
Once the bootloader is locked, it will always be locked until someone finds a way to unlock it. Updating the bootloader will not allow it to be unlocked.
cybercuate said:
I hit on UPDATE on the phone for an OTA update but it only says UNABLE TO CONNECT AT&T SERVER. When I bought it, it had 5.0.1 (I337UCUGOC3) out of the box. Searching on internet says that is bootloader locked (so I cant do anything).
- Can I Update to I337UCUGOK2 and bootloader will be unlocked (I mean, will I be able to do it)?
- Does anyone know where can I grab I337UCUGOK2 for offline install and is it ODIN safe to update it (remember I have I337UCUGOC3 bootloader locked)?
please help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlocking/exploiting the bootloader for the AT&T is still in process, I think.
Bootloader locked means you can not install custom recovery like TWRP, CWM or custom kernel. You can still root, you can still use odin and you can still install custom rom using either safestrp or flashfire.
Here is the thread explaining how to upgrade stock or rooted stock roms.
The explanation starts from installation of NB1 firmware so that you can easily root the phone by using twolroot.
If you do not care for the root you can start reading from the step 2 "Flash update in stock recovery"
Since you are on OC3, you need OC3 to OC4 and OC4 to OK2 files to get OK2.
help... I want to RMA it
sway8966 said:
Unlocking/exploiting the bootloader for the AT&T is still in process, I think.
Bootloader locked means you can not install custom recovery like TWRP, CWM or custom kernel. You can still root, you can still use odin and you can still install custom rom using either safestrp or flashfire.
Here is the thread explaining how to upgrade stock or rooted stock roms.
The explanation starts from installation of NB1 firmware so that you can easily root the phone by using twolroot.
If you do not care for the root you can start reading from the step 2 "Flash update in stock recovery"
Since you are on OC3, you need OC3 to OC4 and OC4 to OK2 files to get OK2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everywhere says I need a kitkat rom as base.
My s4 came with 5.0.1 with OC3 and bootloader locked out of the box. I tried some post where says I can flash TWRP and CWM but my phone stucked on bootloops. Then I managed to get back to stock rom and now when I want to turn it on it says " SAMSUNG (and lower on the screen) Custom"
Camera began to fail and I want to return it as RMA but I was looking to reset the flash counter but every post I read is that OC3 bootloader locked users are just doomed.
Do you know a method that I can do for reset that counter?
Camera dont focus anymore and I tried all the posts about safemode, etc.
cybercuate said:
Everywhere says I need a kitkat rom as base.
My s4 came with 5.0.1 with OC3 and bootloader locked out of the box. I tried some post where says I can flash TWRP and CWM but my phone stucked on bootloops. Then I managed to get back to stock rom and now when I want to turn it on it says " SAMSUNG (and lower on the screen) Custom"
Camera began to fail and I want to return it as RMA but I was looking to reset the flash counter but every post I read is that OC3 bootloader locked users are just doomed.
Do you know a method that I can do for reset that counter?
Camera dont focus anymore and I tried all the posts about safemode, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing TWRP and CWM is for the AT&T S4 with older bootloader (MDL, MDB). After that two firmware versions the bootloader is locked.
For AT&T S4 the last full firmware released is NB1. After that they released incremental updates via OTA. That is why you need kitkat (NB1) as base.
For NB1, Muniz uploaded two firmwares. One is the stock and the other is rootable stock. Try the stock one and see you still have the custom symbol.
To reset the counter, there is an app calls Triangle away by Chainfire. However, it does not work on AT&T S4 with locked bootloader.
Trying Odin-Stock NB1
sway8966 said:
Unlocking/exploiting the bootloader for the AT&T is still in process, I think.
Bootloader locked means you can not install custom recovery like TWRP, CWM or custom kernel. You can still root, you can still use odin and you can still install custom rom using either safestrp or flashfire.
Here is the thread explaining how to upgrade stock or rooted stock roms.
The explanation starts from installation of NB1 firmware so that you can easily root the phone by using twolroot.
If you do not care for the root you can start reading from the step 2 "Flash update in stock recovery"
Since you are on OC3, you need OC3 to OC4 and OC4 to OK2 files to get OK2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sway8966 said:
Flashing TWRP and CWM is for the AT&T S4 with older bootloader (MDL, MDB). After that two firmware versions the bootloader is locked.
For AT&T S4 the last full firmware released is NB1. After that they released incremental updates via OTA. That is why you need kitkat (NB1) as base.
For NB1, Muniz uploaded two firmwares. One is the stock and the other is rootable stock. Try the stock one and see you still have the custom symbol.
To reset the counter, there is an app calls Triangle away by Chainfire. However, it does not work on AT&T S4 with locked bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I'll try Odin it with the stock rom from your link. I'll post news here when it finish flashing
1st part - Success
I'm on 4.4.2 NB1, flash counter back to normal but still bootloader locked
Now I have to go back to OC3 to RMA it.
OTA does nothing, smartswitch shows no updates neither kies.
I'll have to Odin it back to OC3
Can I have some help?
And Success. I'm back on stock OC3 no root.
time to RMA
- camera still doesn't focus
- boot screen is back to normal but when in odin mode the counter shows 0x1
- sometimes shows "sim card could not be detected" or similar messages and force me to restart the phone (just happend 2 times until now, never happend before)
I followed this thread
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/guide-odin-to-stock-updating-rooting-t2926642
Post 2
Thanks to sway8966

Bootloader question

I don't know if I'm in the correct forum for this, but I'm confused about BL's and need a some assistance. I recently went from a rooted stock ni2 4.4.4 rom to CVertigo1's no-bs bpb1 5.0 rom. I have successfully unlocked my bootloader again and flashed TWRP 3.0.0. Everything's running fine at this point. I want to return to stang5litre's 5.0 dev ed rom that I was running when I ran into a camera failed issue, screwed the phone up and odin'd back to ni2 and rerooted. Phone Info is telling me that I have g900vvru1ani2 bootloader version. I thought I needed to be on a 5.0 bootloader to run a 5.0 rom? BOK3 pda and csc versions and bpb1 baseband.
Do I need to worry about the bootloader?
Can I install stang5litre's rom with my phone the way it is?
I'm able to flash in TWRP, and have used odin repeatedly.
Any help please?
Thanks
Don't know how I didn't see this. Can I follow jrkruse's instructions for updating /downgrading bootloader on page one of the bootloader unlock thread?

[Q] Do I need to unlock my bootloader to flash a new ROM?

I've rooted and flashed ROMs on several phones but this is my first time on a Samsung device. When I did this in the Moto X Pure I had to unlock the bootloader before installing TWRP and flashing a ROM, but I'm not sure if I need to unlock my bootloader in this phone since I already flashed TWRP and rooted through ODIN.
Do I need to unlock the bootloader to flash a new ROM? (TWRP installed and phone is rooted)
The phone is a SM-G900F running stock 6.0.1 btw
No.

If I safestrap to PhoenixROM MM, can I also safestrap back to stock LL?

I'm trying to get off a stock rooted Lollipop LL PB1 to something else. I have a locked vzw bootloader with CID 11 so that limits me. I understand I can use safestrap to apply something like PhoenixROM.
1) is that right that it's possible to safestrap a different ROM with my locked bootloader?
2) If yes, how can I tell which ROMs are stock I can use in safestrap (like Phoenixrom) and which are custom I can't use (like LineageOS)?
3) if I have a SS backup of my stock lollipop and don't like phoenix (which seems to be MM) can I restore from safestrap back to my stock LL? Or could I just re-install the stock LL image?
4) can I/should I update the modem in this process, or does the locked bootloader prevent that?
Thank you in advance to answering all or any of these. I promise to use the Thanks button!

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