I have been trying to upgrade my 4.4.2 s4 I337 to 6.0 marshmellow and am having many problems. Also I am EXTREMELY new to anything android or flashing or anything like this at all, I learned everything I know just today.
I rooted my phone using the towelroot method because it was the easiest for my phone. I am also using safestrap recovery because I think my phone is bootloader locked? I was having a lot of problems trying to install twrp so I just assumed it was that. I'm using usb debugging and I am using the 6.0 pico gapps.
I have tried multiple roms using safestrap and making sure that the rom is specifically for my phone, at&t and I337 but each time the rom shows it was successful and I reboot it goes to recovery booting and says I don't have an OS and I have to recover back to stock firmware using odin, beccause I did a full wipe before each install of the roms.
If there is any other info I might have missed or have anything to help me I would greatly appreciated it, and again I basically have no idea what I am doing and am just going off of trial and error and googling what every term means. Thank you
Edit: My bootloader is NB1 if that matters also.
Edit: Doing a little more searching is it even possible for me to get 6.0 with my phone?
The bootloader on your phone is locked and cannot run any custom ROMs unless it is a rom that is based on a stock Samsung ROM; therefore, a 6.0 ROM or higher is not possible. Also, Lineage, RR, etc. is not possible.
audit13 said:
The bootloader on your phone is locked and cannot run any custom ROMs unless it is a rom that is based on a stock Samsung ROM; therefore, a 6.0 ROM or higher is not possible. Also, Lineage, RR, etc. is not possible.
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Click to collapse
Thank you for the reply! After a lot more researching and doing very stupid stuff (it was all for fun and learning mostly anyway) I did brick my phone saying firmware upgrade encountered an issue I can only get to download mode I tried flashing the original firmware I had using the stock 4.4 nb1 file but that is also now failing in odin, do you have any suggestions that could work?
Edit: I tried flashing to mk2 and thats how it bricked, but shouldn't I be able to go back to my stock firmware even if I bricked my phone like this? Both the towelrootable stock nb1 4.4 and the normal stock nb1 4.4 isnt working when I try to flash them in odin
You should flash the same or newer ROM to the phone. Even though the phone says it encountered an error, you can still flash the phone with Odin with this message in the screen.
Hopefully, this thread will help: https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/guide-odin-to-stock-updating-rooting-t2926642
audit13 said:
You should flash the same or newer ROM to the phone. Even though the phone says it encountered an error, you can still flash the phone with Odin with this message in the screen.
Hopefully, this thread will help: https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/guide-odin-to-stock-updating-rooting-t2926642
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Click to collapse
I'm probably jinxing it by typing while its still working but I switched my usb cable and so far it hasn't failed when before it would fail immediatly, thank you for all the help!
Only the MDL bootloader can run non touchwiz ROMs. All other bootloaders can only run touch wiz based ROMs.
Related
Hello, so even though I'm fairly new to the world of custom ROM's I feel as though this website has provided me with more than sufficient information for me to keep on flashing. I've flashed a few ROM's in the past but I'm currently stuck as for what I should do next. I currently have an S4 ATT MF3 which I would like to upgrade to MK2 so that I can put a 4.4.2. ROM via Safestrap using the Deadly Venom method.
Based on the guide (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2573080) I need to boot into the stock recovery and flash stock MF3 then MK2 which I can then root and safestrap. When I added my first ROM on this device I replaced the stock ROM (I have a hatred for TouchWiz) and replaced with a GPE ROM.
My phone can no longer boot into the stock Samsung recovery, it merely just bootloops instead, but I can still flash via Safestrap. So what should I do? Can I get the stock recovery back? Would I have any issues if I flash the MK2 update via Safestrap instead of the stock recovery? Will flashing the MF3 stock tar via Odin be all that I need to do? Any advice would be appreciated!
DarthVayda said:
Hello, so even though I'm fairly new to the world of custom ROM's I feel as though this website has provided me with more than sufficient information for me to keep on flashing. I've flashed a few ROM's in the past but I'm currently stuck as for what I should do next. I currently have an S4 ATT MF3 which I would like to upgrade to MK2 so that I can put a 4.4.2. ROM via Safestrap using the Deadly Venom method.
Based on the guide (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2573080) I need to boot into the stock recovery and flash stock MF3 then MK2 which I can then root and safestrap. When I added my first ROM on this device I replaced the stock ROM (I have a hatred for TouchWiz) and replaced with a GPE ROM.
My phone can no longer boot into the stock Samsung recovery, it merely just bootloops instead, but I can still flash via Safestrap. So what should I do? Can I get the stock recovery back? Would I have any issues if I flash the MK2 update via Safestrap instead of the stock recovery? Will flashing the MF3 stock tar via Odin be all that I need to do? Any advice would be appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you don't mind losing your user data (back up anything you want from internal storage) just flash the MK2 full ODIN. Otherwise, there is a thread somewhere with just the MF3 recovery image and if you have root you could use an app to manually flash that (don't remember the app).
DeadlySin9 said:
If you don't mind losing your user data (back up anything you want from internal storage) just flash the MK2 full ODIN. Otherwise, there is a thread somewhere with just the MF3 recovery image and if you have root you could use an app to manually flash that (don't remember the app).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The app is flashify
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Possible to restore stock recovery?
So after (stupidly) assuming that I knew what I was doing since I have been rooting/flashing/breaking/fixing my S3 for two years now that I would be able to easily install CM11 on my dad's S4 since he is always complaining about AT&T bloatware. He is running the absolute latest update from AT&T and never rooted or anything. I was able to successfully root it using the extSdCard method, but then made the mistake of trying to flash TWRP.
After a couple of failures, I went onto these forums to see that it is well documented that custom recoveries do not work with the latest firmware. Noted, and I will keep an eye out for updates to this issue.
My questions:
Since the goal was only to install Cyanogenmod 11, I would have just run the CM Windows Installer if I wasn't trying to create a full stock backup first (hence why I tried rooting and installing TWRP first). Since that is no longer an option, has anyone attempted to use the CM Windows Installer on the MF3 build? I assume that if a custom recovery cannot be installed that this method will not work, but was just wondering if anyone has had success.
The more important questions...
Since the stock recovery is now gone, will this create an issue if a new OTA update is released and he attempts to install? I am wondering if the OTA updates rely on the existing recovery to complete the update or if the OTA will rebuild it before installing the update?
Lastly, are there reliable methods for restoring the stock recovery?
Thanks everyone!
pravus87 said:
So after (stupidly) assuming that I knew what I was doing since I have been rooting/flashing/breaking/fixing my S3 for two years now that I would be able to easily install CM11 on my dad's S4 since he is always complaining about AT&T bloatware. He is running the absolute latest update from AT&T and never rooted or anything. I was able to successfully root it using the extSdCard method, but then made the mistake of trying to flash TWRP.
After a couple of failures, I went onto these forums to see that it is well documented that custom recoveries do not work with the latest firmware. Noted, and I will keep an eye out for updates to this issue.
My questions:
Since the goal was only to install Cyanogenmod 11, I would have just run the CM Windows Installer if I wasn't trying to create a full stock backup first (hence why I tried rooting and installing TWRP first). Since that is no longer an option, has anyone attempted to use the CM Windows Installer on the MF3 build? I assume that if a custom recovery cannot be installed that this method will not work, but was just wondering if anyone has had success.
The more important questions...
Since the stock recovery is now gone, will this create an issue if a new OTA update is released and he attempts to install? I am wondering if the OTA updates rely on the existing recovery to complete the update or if the OTA will rebuild it before installing the update?
Lastly, are there reliable methods for restoring the stock recovery?
Thanks everyone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would flash in Odin the stock mf3 tar file, but out will wipe the device. All his apps and data. If you can find the mf3 recovery image file you could try to flash that in flashify, if you're rooted
Edit, found this. I didn't download the file but I'm guessing it's a .img file. You could flash that in flashify or use the dd command
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
pravus87 said:
So after (stupidly) assuming that I knew what I was doing since I have been rooting/flashing/breaking/fixing my S3 for two years now that I would be able to easily install CM11 on my dad's S4 since he is always complaining about AT&T bloatware. He is running the absolute latest update from AT&T and never rooted or anything. I was able to successfully root it using the extSdCard method, but then made the mistake of trying to flash TWRP.
After a couple of failures, I went onto these forums to see that it is well documented that custom recoveries do not work with the latest firmware. Noted, and I will keep an eye out for updates to this issue.
My questions:
Since the goal was only to install Cyanogenmod 11, I would have just run the CM Windows Installer if I wasn't trying to create a full stock backup first (hence why I tried rooting and installing TWRP first). Since that is no longer an option, has anyone attempted to use the CM Windows Installer on the MF3 build? I assume that if a custom recovery cannot be installed that this method will not work, but was just wondering if anyone has had success.
The more important questions...
Since the stock recovery is now gone, will this create an issue if a new OTA update is released and he attempts to install? I am wondering if the OTA updates rely on the existing recovery to complete the update or if the OTA will rebuild it before installing the update?
Lastly, are there reliable methods for restoring the stock recovery?
Thanks everyone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In addition to the above post from jd, the CM installer will not work on our device as our bootloader is locked. There is no way to run any AOSP based ROM once your phone is on MF3 firmware or higher.
DarthVayda said:
Hello, so even though I'm fairly new to the world of custom ROM's I feel as though this website has provided me with more than sufficient information for me to keep on flashing. I've flashed a few ROM's in the past but I'm currently stuck as for what I should do next. I currently have an S4 ATT MF3 which I would like to upgrade to MK2 so that I can put a 4.4.2. ROM via Safestrap using the Deadly Venom method.
Based on the guide (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2573080) I need to boot into the stock recovery and flash stock MF3 then MK2 which I can then root and safestrap. When I added my first ROM on this device I replaced the stock ROM (I have a hatred for TouchWiz) and replaced with a GPE ROM.
My phone can no longer boot into the stock Samsung recovery, it merely just bootloops instead, but I can still flash via Safestrap. So what should I do? Can I get the stock recovery back? Would I have any issues if I flash the MK2 update via Safestrap instead of the stock recovery? Will flashing the MF3 stock tar via Odin be all that I need to do? Any advice would be appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
pravus87 said:
So after (stupidly) assuming that I knew what I was doing since I have been rooting/flashing/breaking/fixing my S3 for two years now that I would be able to easily install CM11 on my dad's S4 since he is always complaining about AT&T bloatware. He is running the absolute latest update from AT&T and never rooted or anything. I was able to successfully root it using the extSdCard method, but then made the mistake of trying to flash TWRP.
After a couple of failures, I went onto these forums to see that it is well documented that custom recoveries do not work with the latest firmware. Noted, and I will keep an eye out for updates to this issue.
My questions:
Since the goal was only to install Cyanogenmod 11, I would have just run the CM Windows Installer if I wasn't trying to create a full stock backup first (hence why I tried rooting and installing TWRP first). Since that is no longer an option, has anyone attempted to use the CM Windows Installer on the MF3 build? I assume that if a custom recovery cannot be installed that this method will not work, but was just wondering if anyone has had success.
The more important questions...
Since the stock recovery is now gone, will this create an issue if a new OTA update is released and he attempts to install? I am wondering if the OTA updates rely on the existing recovery to complete the update or if the OTA will rebuild it before installing the update?
Lastly, are there reliable methods for restoring the stock recovery?
Thanks everyone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is the MF3 stock recovery, flash in PDA slot in Odin(AP in Odin v3.09+): https://mega.co.nz/#!klcz1B4J!BVAno0CcaJ7aXc9tHgUtpQ0vy_NF5ceh7RogLR6JBTU
muniz_ri said:
Here is the MF3 stock recovery, flash in PDA slot in Odin(AP in Odin v3.09+): https://mega.co.nz/#!klcz1B4J!BVAno0CcaJ7aXc9tHgUtpQ0vy_NF5ceh7RogLR6JBTU
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks to everyone for all the information, and thank you especially for sharing the link. I am staying with my parents short-term in a very rural area with awful internet and I was dreading downloading the 2+GB stock firmware file just to get recovery back. This is perfect. Thanks again!
So, I'm a noob when it comes to flashing custom ROMs. I've had my S4 rooted for a while and have had no issues. Decided recently to try a custom ROM.
I tried installing UltimaROM (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2537495) and everything seemed to work fine during install, but once the final reboot happened I am stuck in a Download Mode loop. Reading more, I am now not so sure this ROM will work on my phone (duh.) I am assuming that I am going to have to use Odin to flash a stock ROM back to my phone.. is this true? And, if so, how can I tell which ROM to install? I looked at the SamMobile site and there are two f/w downloads that appear to apply to my phone, but they are labeled I337UCUAMDL and I337UCUAMDB. Neither one of these seem to match what I was at, so I'm not sure if I should use either.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
P.S. I did use Safestrap/TWRP to take a full backup of my phone before trying to install the ROM. Is there any way to flash just a new recovery and do a restore, instead of flashing a full stock ROM back?
You're right that the rom won't work with safestrap. You'll have to Odin the nb1 tar file. Look in the general forum for it
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Thanks. I'm trying that now.
Hey folks. I'm finding a lot of threads from 2 years ago and unfortunately they aren't much help with my device. I've inherited this phone, and my goal is to upgrade to CM12. Unfortunately I'm dealing with AT&T's locked bootloader and other issues.
I'm currently on Android 4.4.4, Baseband I337UCUFNJ4. I've managed to get root access using the Odin method of flashing NC1 then back to NJ4, root is working., but I've been unable to flash an updated Recovery. I've tried everything except for the Safestrap method, which last I read wouldn't work for installing Cyanogenmod. Using Odin, I've tried to flash CWM Recovery after converting the .img to a .tar.md5 (Odin failed to transfer this), I've tried using ROM Manager to install Recovery (claimed to work, but actually did nothing), then also used Flashify and Rashr to flash, which seemed to get further, but upon reboot the phone gave an error about software not authorized by AT&T.
I've done way too much googling this weekend and trying all sorts of things that haven't worked, from all sorts of threads from 2013 and 2014, does anyone have a reliable method that works if I'm already on 4.4.4, or am I still out of luck with this device? There is no SIM in the phone right now, but I may want to use it as a phone later if I can upgrade to CM12.
You're pretty much stuck. Only ROMs you can flash are AT&T official stock ROMs for the S4, or ROMs that are specifically safestrap-compatible. No other recovery will work, either.
That being said, if you're interested in lollipop, there's a stock, deodexed lollipop ROM for our phone that is safestrap-compatible on here called Goldeneye v53 that I enjoy.
Sent from my SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
I'm in the same situation as you, I ended up using safestrap with Pure Nexus http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/development/rom-google-edition-s4-t2837239
Closest I could get to a desirable phone without original Samsung FW. Good luck
Hmmm. What I'm wondering at this point is how does the bootloader get onto the device originally? Can't a working bootloader from another model S4 be flashed in place of the AT&T one?
I would imagine that there must be some software that can be used to fully wipe the phone, repartition the memory, write a new bootloader, etc. If a phone were hard bricked, it would seem that there would be a way that Samsung or some carrier can use to get the phone working again.
Hello
First let it be known that i have searched my butt off and tried many different things. The best i could get was a rooted phone and a non working safestrap install.
Can someone please give clear instructions here in this thread to either a) install safestrap on 4.4.2 nc4 or b) let me know if it's possible to install verizons stock lollipop firmware using odin (no recovery required).
I would love to get a working custom recovery to try different roms. Failing that, id love to know if it's possible to just flash stock lollipop firmware on this device.
I'm sorry to make such a request, as my first post.. But have been rooting and roming and xdaing since the Samsung vibrant. I'm just tired of trying to make this locked bootloader work. I must've tried a hundred different things.
As of right now ive odind back to 4.4.2 stock with nc4 kernel and said root, busybox, and supersu.
I'm familiar with odin, flashing, all the terminology, and can find the files on my own.
scottayy said:
Hello
First let it be known that i have searched my butt off and tried many different things. The best i could get was a rooted phone and a non working safestrap install.
Can someone please give clear instructions here in this thread to either a) install safestrap on 4.4.2 nc4 or b) let me know if it's possible to install verizons stock lollipop firmware using odin (no recovery required).
I would love to get a working custom recovery to try different roms. Failing that, id love to know if it's possible to just flash stock lollipop firmware on this device.
I'm sorry to make such a request, as my first post.. But have been rooting and roming and xdaing since the Samsung vibrant. I'm just tired of trying to make this locked bootloader work. I must've tried a hundred different things.
As of right now ive odind back to 4.4.2 stock with nc4 kernel and said root, busybox, and supersu.
I'm familiar with odin, flashing, all the terminology, and can find the files on my own.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes..you can flash stock firmware for 5.0 via Odin. You will lose root and as of this time....can not root 5.0
once on 5.0, you can only odin back to 4.4.4 which is also unrootable.
simplyeorange said:
Yeah you can go back to 4.4.4 I've read post of people on this forum saying they were able to get back to 4.4.4 you need to download the stock tar. Which you can find on sammobile than boot into download mode and then open Odin flash the stock tar. After its done flashing Then boot into stock recovery and do factory data reset. Wait about 5-10mins and should boot you into 4.4.4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my Note 3 via Tapatalk
Thanks for that. I'm sorry about the aggressive tone of my original post. I was just quite frankly mad at how much verizon locked the note 3 down. I own it, you know? Lol.
I wanted custom recovery mostly for the nandroid backups. If i flash the nc2 kernel on 4.4.2 with nc4 kernel... Supposedly this is supposed to make safestrap work with one rom slot (stock). I tried this but it soft bricked. Is there a custom nc2 kernel I'm supposed to flash?
Also if i odin the stock 5.0 files will this keep all user apps and data? I suppose i could use titanium backup for that but I'm not sure if it will be compatible from 4.4.2 to 5.0?
I guess i have to debate whether i want nandroid backup abilities or lollipop.
So I have been having a really hard time trying to get TWRP installed. And now I understand why, it's because it's AT&T and it has a locked bootloader. But being the stupid me I sometimes am, I installed it with Flashify. It succesfully installed! But oh wait.... The bootloader is LOCKED and now whenever I try to boot into recovery I just get this message 'System software not authorized by AT&T has been found on your phone.' And I don't know how to fix this. I just really want a custom recovery so I can install customs ROMs. Thanks for any help in advance
TechGuyYT said:
So I have been having a really hard time trying to get TWRP installed. And now I understand why, it's because it's AT&T and it has a locked bootloader. But being the stupid me I sometimes am, I installed it with Flashify. It succesfully installed! But oh wait.... The bootloader is LOCKED and now whenever I try to boot into recovery I just get this message 'System software not authorized by AT&T has been found on your phone.' And I don't know how to fix this. I just really want a custom recovery so I can install customs ROMs. Thanks for any help in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, first I think you may need to flash a stock ROM to get rid of that message.
Next, the custom recovery you are looking for is called SafeTrap. Similar to TWRP, but it should work with locked bootloaders.
GDReaper said:
Well, first I think you may need to flash a stock ROM to get rid of that message.
Next, the custom recovery you are looking for is called SafeTrap. Similar to TWRP, but it should work with locked bootloaders.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But I am running Android Lollipop, will SafeTrap work? Do I still need to flash a stock ROM? And If I need to, should I use Odin to do it?
TechGuyYT said:
But I am running Android Lollipop, will SafeTrap work? Do I still need to flash a stock ROM? And If I need to, should I use Odin to do it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only way to flash stock is with Odin. Or Kies.
I don't know if it will work on lollipop, due to the bootloader being locked tighter.
But if it doesn't work, then nothing will.
TechGuyYT said:
But I am running Android Lollipop, will SafeTrap work? Do I still need to flash a stock ROM? And If I need to, should I use Odin to do it?
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Click to collapse
If your phone is AT&T S4 (SGH-i337), the highest firmware available is NB1 firmware cooked by muniz_ri . You can get it from here.
You can flash that with odin. Once you are in NB1 you can root the phone and upgrade back to lollipop. You can read the instructions and get the required files here.
As SGH-i337 has locked bootloader the available custom rom flashers are safestrap and flashfire. Using safestrap in lollipop is pain in the neck so I use the flashfire.
You are also in the wrong form IMHO. There is a separate forum for SGH i-337. You can find it here.
The i337 cannot accept a custom recovery other than safestrap and custom roms must be based on a stock s4 rom which means no cm or aosp.