[Q] No root access? - G2 and Desire Z General

I'm not sure of the validity of this report and endgadget have been known to be wrong but this is not sounding good ...
http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/06/t-mobile-g2-said-to-have-hardware-rootkit-that-restricts-modif/
Any thoughts on the possible lack of root access?

Check out the DZ Android Development forum, where you'll see that root has already been achieved, albeit on a temporary basis (i.e. doesn't persist after a reboot).
Also check out the G2 dev forum where there's a *lot* more info on this (since folks actually have G2s, unlike the DZ which hasn't come out yet). When an update comes out for the G2, then there must be a way for it to write to memory properly, so I'm sure it can be cracked, it just needs time ...

Thanks, I hope you're right in that time is all that's needed. I hate it when maufacturers lock down devices and restrict your usage (looking at you Apple)!
I think the article is pointing at the original firmware being written back to the device on boot after root access has been gained so maybe this is the problem the devs are having trouble with now, making it stick.

I could be wrong, but I think the original story about it restoring the stock firmware/ROM has been debunked. The issue is, I believe, really about not being able to write to the built-in memory.

The point you are missing is in the URL. 2010/10/06. That was 18 days ago . Read fresh news, not old news.

faugusztin said:
The point you are missing is in the URL. 2010/10/06. That was 18 days ago . Read fresh news, not old news.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good point. Never thought to look at the date as this was linked today from another forum I frequesnt - so I assumed (wrongly) that it was upto date!

Related

Android noob needs help and sure others do too!

Hi guys,
Im new to the Android scene, and thats because of the N1 got my nexus on order and should arrive shorty in the following week. Been reading the threads here over the last week or so, but alot of things aren't quite clear to me. Especially because im a Android noobie (previous WinMo )
Anyways reading about the Unlocking bootloader and Rooting the device seems pretty straight forward. I understand the consequences of each part and thus appears to be pretty easily done.
The things that i am unclear about are the addon packs and the things it comes bundled with?
- What are the current benefits from flashing these "addon" packs?
- They aren't ROM's just kind of expansion packs right? so no lost data after?
- Wtf is adb? lol i keep seeing it but no idea what it is, thus confusing for noobies like me.
- In cyanogens thread here it says backup using Nandroid, and when i find Nandroid in google i get this. But it says for G1? will it still work fine?
Thankyou for any answers as I believe you will help me to NOT mess up my new phone. I'm sure alot of other people would be thankful for your answers.
Thankyou again!
Hello,
First off welcome to Android, second, get the fire suit on for the "wrong forum" flames.
What are the current benefits from flashing these "addon" packs?
Not a *ton* but there is Tether and other goodies that you can start using.​
- They aren't ROM's just kind of expansion packs right? so no lost data after?
Yes to 1st, and there will be lost data when you unlock the bootloader.. if you unocked the bootloader, and then used the phone for a week or so, THEN flashed this addon pack, then no data loss.​- Wtf is adb? lol i keep seeing it but no idea what it is, thus confusing for noobies like me.
Android Debug Bridge... its used for debugging. lol....​- In cyanogens thread here it says backup using Nandroid, and when i find Nandroid in google i get this. But it says for G1? will it still work fine?
No, the Nandroid backup will be an option AFTER you unlock the BL and install Amon_RA's Recovery image..​
Good luck man!!
thanks for the reply.
I'm trying to gather as much as i can before i get the phone in my hands. Maybe because i want to start right away when i get hold of the phone lol You have enlightened me on many points.
I was just wondering also,
I've read about apps such as Nexus Torch and SetCPU which require rooting. Are these apps aquired simply after I unlock + root from the market place? because i read about reinstall su and similar.
Sorry for the noobiness, as i've mentioned im a android beginner and not too familiar with the terms used.
I just want to install some cool apps and convert those iphone users......(my gf )
No they're not required. Rooting is really only for the hardcore phone nerd (which is probably why you're on this site!) I personally am holding off on rooting my N1 until it's fully understood on if it can be re-locked etc. If this is your first Android phone I would recommend doing some reading around on the G1 forum and understand the full capabilities of rooting your device and some neat apps.
**edit
mis-read what you said. Those apps can be obtained from the "Makin Bacon" add on somewhere on this forum. Cyanogen posted it up.
SystmDcln said:
No they're not required. Rooting is really only for the hardcore phone nerd (which is probably why you're on this site!) I personally am holding off on rooting my N1 until it's fully understood on if it can be re-locked etc. If this is your first Android phone I would recommend doing some reading around on the G1 forum and understand the full capabilities of rooting your device and some neat apps.
**edit
mis-read what you said. Those apps can be obtained from the "Makin Bacon" add on somewhere on this forum. Cyanogen posted it up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm doing the same thing as this guy. I'm super hardcore about customization so I have no doubt that I'll root my phone eventually but not quite yet. Things are still a bit too new and right now there really aren't that many reasons to root (outside of tethering support IMO). If you can live without tethering for a month, then you should wait to root.
welcome
addon packs do a few things to your phone. the biggest things, i think, are the busybox and the dropbear installations, and the tethering apps. some modders also like to "optimize" android too. whether or not it actually works, i can't personally tell, but i take their word for it.
busybox will allow you to run some common linux commands on your android (with a terminal app i guess...) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BusyBox
dropbear is an ssh server so that you can access the command line (and push files to your android) from your computer
tethering means share your cell connection with a computer to give your computer internet. i've used it in many airports, and it's sweet.
like the other dude said, the initial root will require a data wipe, but not the addons. i'm not sure if it's true for EVERY rom (i think it is) but when you first install a whole rom a wipe is required, but when upgrading to a newer version of the same rom no wipe is required. if you like to keep your sms and mms's then it's good to have some of these linux tools so you can move and replace the sms and mms databases manually.
adb is android debugging bridge. it's a part of the android sdk (software development kit) that google gives out for free and is meant to develop apps. with it you can plug your phone into your comp via USB and run all sorts of commands on it from your computer. droidexplorer is basically a GUI for the adb commands, so with ADB you can do all that droidexplorer can do. http://de.codeplex.com/
nandroid is kind of like "system restore" for android. you need to root the phone, then flash Amon_RA's recovery thingy (in one of the threads). once you're in recovery, you can create a nandroid backup (kind of like an image of your current android phone) that you can restore later. then restoring it is as simple as going back into recovery and clicking "restore".
m00moo said:
Hi guys,
Im new to the Android scene, and thats because of the N1 got my nexus on order and should arrive shorty in the following week. Been reading the threads here over the last week or so, but alot of things aren't quite clear to me. Especially because im a Android noobie (previous WinMo )
Anyways reading about the Unlocking bootloader and Rooting the device seems pretty straight forward. I understand the consequences of each part and thus appears to be pretty easily done.
The things that i am unclear about are the addon packs and the things it comes bundled with?
- What are the current benefits from flashing these "addon" packs?
- They aren't ROM's just kind of expansion packs right? so no lost data after?
- Wtf is adb? lol i keep seeing it but no idea what it is, thus confusing for noobies like me.
- In cyanogens thread here it says backup using Nandroid, and when i find Nandroid in google i get this. But it says for G1? will it still work fine?
Thankyou for any answers as I believe you will help me to NOT mess up my new phone. I'm sure alot of other people would be thankful for your answers.
Thankyou again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow thanks vmuch for the kind replies!
i feel like i understand the previous things i've read around in the forum alot more now!
So the question to root or not root, rooting the device would prob be the option for me as:
1) dont really want to do a wipe after a week or two
2) want cool apps such as SetCUP/Nexus Torch
One thing im wondering is whats this about paid apps and rooted devices in the market? After rooting some people cannot see paid apps or something?
Once again thankyou for the kind kind replies and i hope some other noobies like me are learning
If I buy an app (I'm thinking of the Exchange Calendar sync app) and then end up rooting and installing another ROM (say the EU ROM if it has multitouch) will I be able to get my purchased apps working again - or do you have to rebuy them?
If you buy an app it'll always show as purchased on the marketplace so you can redownload it - all the ones I bought on my G1 were still available when I setup the N1 for example.
m00moo said:
wow thanks vmuch for the kind replies!
i feel like i understand the previous things i've read around in the forum alot more now!
So the question to root or not root, rooting the device would prob be the option for me as:
1) dont really want to do a wipe after a week or two
2) want cool apps such as SetCUP/Nexus Torch
One thing im wondering is whats this about paid apps and rooted devices in the market? After rooting some people cannot see paid apps or something?
Once again thankyou for the kind kind replies and i hope some other noobies like me are learning
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait to root. Right now it's still too unknown on the "ins and outs" of this phone. When I first started rooting on my G1 and MyTouch I wiped a lot while learning things about it. Research while you wait. An OTA is supposed to come out to fix some bugs, and nobody has released any ROMs anyways. And on paid apps, Google Checkout keeps a record of what you purchase, no matter how many times you wipe Market will always have them listed in the "Downloads" Tab as "Purchased" to re-download at no charge.
m00moo said:
wow thanks vmuch for the kind replies!
i feel like i understand the previous things i've read around in the forum alot more now!
So the question to root or not root, rooting the device would prob be the option for me as:
1) dont really want to do a wipe after a week or two
2) want cool apps such as SetCUP/Nexus Torch
One thing im wondering is whats this about paid apps and rooted devices in the market? After rooting some people cannot see paid apps or something?
Once again thankyou for the kind kind replies and i hope some other noobies like me are learning
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that happened to me. i think it has to do with the fact that i rooted and turned on my phone before i even put my simcard in. i opened the market and couldn't see "top paid apps" (though i could still search for apps and paid ones would show up). after i turned it off, then put my sim card in and turned it back on, no dice, still no top paid apps.
i reflashed nexusone-superboot-1.1.img with my sim card in this time (can't remember if i wiped. i think it required a wipe) and i turned it on with my sim and voila. paid apps. so it's definitely fixable if you run into that problem.
thanks again for the replies
Im pretty up for rooting upon recieving my handset which should be by wednesday the latest (no engraving), as i ordered on friday 8th. But being the first time im quite scared to do so lol especially on a brand new phone.
But as SystmDcIn said theres too much we don't know as of yet and slowly things are becoming more and more developed as we speak.
The main issue for me is using the phone 2 weeks in and then wiping it clean hopefully somebody will make some cool ROMS soon which include the "addons and goodies" so the process is made way more simple.
Thanks again guys! Well appreciated!
I would also agree with waiting to root. I dont see the benefits of SetCPU for the N1, cuz its already at 1ghz, if it was underclocked i would understand.
Orangeandblue302 said:
I would also agree with waiting to root. I dont see the benefits of SetCPU for the N1, cuz its already at 1ghz, if it was underclocked i would understand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use SetCPU to underclock the device in sleep mode.
I also underclock when I am not going to be using it for long periods.
Saves battery life.
true true, didnt think of it like that. most people want to overclock, i shouldnt assume. you know what happens when you assume lol.
It is a bit of a travesty to do it to this device. Its like putting a Beetle engine in a Porsche.
I can't always be near a charger, and until I can get a bigger battery that will give me more than seven hours, this is the solution.
this being my first android device i have spent hours on end on theses boards and on wiki's learning as much as i can about the phone and the platform... many of these basic questions that he asked i also had not 24 hours ago haha...
that being said, i think a lot of people are moving over to android so what if a thread got started that would answer basic questions that typically ever new user is going to have? ive yet to find a straight forward answer for half of the crap i have tried to find out and having it all in 1 place would be quite beneficial for people switching over... this could be moderated highly to keep it clean and in order?
a nice, straightforward, helpful community would be a nice touch to overtake some iphone shares
I see that you're from Hong Kong also- has your device shipped yet? I ordered mine on the 8th as well and it still shows not yet shipped. Was just wondering whether that's normal as most people state that the device shipped a day after ordering.
yamanote said:
I see that you're from Hong Kong also- has your device shipped yet? I ordered mine on the 8th as well and it still shows not yet shipped. Was just wondering whether that's normal as most people state that the device shipped a day after ordering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I am not really from Hong Kong lol I'm in fact from UK and Chinese. My Phone will be arriving early next week so whilst waiting, I am trying to learn as much as possible in case i damage my phone being a noob. lol
I agree with JHaste, i think due to the N1 and the upcoming HTC andoird devices. Alot of people will be moving over to Android in the coming 2-3 months. The questions i asked will be asked over and over and some kind of wiki,faq or android bible will be great. If anybody had the time and knowledge of basic rooting, unlocking and flashing could do such a thing it will be greatly appreciated
m00moo said:
thanks again for the replies
Im pretty up for rooting upon recieving my handset which should be by wednesday the latest (no engraving), as i ordered on friday 8th. But being the first time im quite scared to do so lol especially on a brand new phone.
But as SystmDcIn said theres too much we don't know as of yet and slowly things are becoming more and more developed as we speak.
The main issue for me is using the phone 2 weeks in and then wiping it clean hopefully somebody will make some cool ROMS soon which include the "addons and goodies" so the process is made way more simple.
Thanks again guys! Well appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think cyanogen's mod includes a backup app (titanium backup or somethin)...you'd be able to save all your data before you wiped it clean (but then you'd need the same backup app to restore it)

EU bug

I keep on hearing this EU bug here and there .....I have some questions regarding this .....
1,why does this happen?
2,will it affect only vibrant running ics or even jellybean?
3.how can I bring back my vibrant to normal? (don't post me regarding those guide I need breif steps).........thanks for helping
Answers (sort of):
akarshfrevr said:
1,why does this happen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. No one knows why it happens yet. Seems the earliest case had been around February for the Vibrant (before it got a real name like EUbug. Happened to Jasonhunterx)
akarshfrevr said:
2,will it affect only vibrant running ics or even jellybean?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2. There has been a crap-ton (this isn't metric or imperial but is a valid form of volume in my realm) amount of speculation, attempts, theories, support, more speculation all in the [Guide] Encryption Unsuccessful - Reset Android thread in the Captivate side of things. Me, Yosup, Mr_Psycho, DerT, Silvercrown, Swehes,...have all contributed to it over time but no one can get to the *root* of the problem. Even Adam Outler and Cyanogen themselves don't know why. There is also a Reference thread going too and is located here ---> [REF][ICS] Encryption Unsuccessful Reference
Here is a recent post I had over there with a brief synopsis of devices effected and ROMs/Kernel.
Bottom line, is there is no solution yet, although some users have reported getting their /data back but have no idea why or how. Further bottom line would be, if you don't want to get hit or roll the dice with the EU bug, STAY ON FROYO OR GB builds. **Sorry for the Bold CAPs but that is an important part that many should read. So far I haven't heard anyone on JB get hit with it, but that doesn't mean it isn't out there. Was Months before ICS users realized what was happening and then it was too late.
akarshfrevr said:
how can I bring back my vibrant to normal?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Short answer: You can't (yet). Some really bright minds are working on it but many users on both sides have left the Vibrants and Cappy's behind in pursuit of newer and shiny models. I fear that we might not find a solution and if we do, this device will be close to 3 years old and while it still rocks hard, is considered a dinosaur in mobile phone tech. And that to me is too bad.
agreed @ WOOD im yet to upgrade /update or renew my contract with Tmobile i dont know what i want to do anymore ever since the Vibrant it was like now all i think of is ..is there DEVing going on with this and that phone lol i wanted the Blaze 4g because the dual core SNAP Dragon s3 but i saw little to no dev on there still trooping out the Vibrant hardcore lol with great deal of DEV's was so sad to c FISH leave my heart SANK lol
Woodrube said:
Short answer: You can't (yet). Some really bright minds are working on it but many users on both sides have left the Vibrants and Cappy's behind in pursuit of newer and shiny models. I fear that we might not find a solution and if we do, this device will be close to 3 years old and while it still rocks hard, is considered a dinosaur in mobile phone tech. And that to me is too bad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since it happened to me also (read my testimony here), I could say this bug is somehow reversible UNLESS ONE HITS THE "RESET PHONE" BUTTON. Do not press it! Pull the battery out and boot to recovery through button combo and restore a nandroid. If you are a flasher and not a noob, always keep a working nandroid backup (it saved me). I'm not sure if I could flash anything else, perhaps it's the same flashing process somehow getting corrupted?
ioancr said:
... I could say this bug is somehow reversible UNLESS ONE HITS THE "RESET PHONE" BUTTON. Do not press it! ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never pressed Reset (and knew beforehand not to thanks to advice from Woodrube, et al) ... yet I still succumbed to EU.
No one knows a sure fire way to make this "reversible" unfortunately. Those who have had their internal sd's restored seem to have been more lucky than anything else - ie. there's no common thread to link nor duplicate their results.
Maybe one day, this thing gets figured out.
yosup said:
I never pressed Reset (and knew beforehand not to thanks to advice from Woodrube, et al) ... yet I still succumbed to EU.
No one knows a sure fire way to make this "reversible" unfortunately. Those who have had their internal sd's restored seem to have been more lucky than anything else - ie. there's no common thread to link nor duplicate their results.
Maybe one day, this thing gets figured out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, I didn't know that, it seems really worse than I thought of. Sorry if I ask it, but you still were able to get to recovery weren't you? Also, did you have a nandroid backup to try a restore?
Then I was yes very lucky, sorry for you guys and hope someday someone will save your phones too...
ioancr said:
... Sorry if I ask it, but you still were able to get to recovery weren't you? Also, did you have a nandroid backup to try a restore? ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I could get to recovery, but I couldn't mount the internal sd anymore (and haven't been able to yet to date). So, I couldn't restore a nandroid backup or flash any of the roms I had downloaded on the int sd.
The vold.fstab emmc swap method at least let's me use the phone normally (albeit without the int sd), but I'm keeping my fingers crossed Woodrube & The Gang figure out how to restore access to the int sd ... some day.
I got scared by this bug i left ics itself and now I'm running helly bean ...........I don't have an ext memory card and should I get one? you know just in case if something goes wrong I can use the roms from ext memory card or nandroid backup and come back to normal ...........
This bug appears to be similar to the emmc bug on the note. Essentially, the eprom (programmable chip) on the motherboard of your phone.... for some reason it writes additional bits of code (like 2 bits or 8 bits) on the chip which then basically changes how the cpu sees the index... which then Bricks the phones.
Like Woodrube said...... The Vibe is 3 years old and it Totally Amazes me how great this phone really is.......... it is one of the few that could get ICS or JB ....... think about it this thing was released with Eclair (2.1)...... and still running like that lil bunny......
Oh and BTW CONGRATS TO WOODRUBE..... He is now the latest addition to the Moderator's group here at XDA Congrats to Woodrube.
:victory::victory::victory::victory::victory: ~~~~~ oka1
Woodrube said:
Answers (sort of):
Short answer: You can't (yet). Some really bright minds are working on it but many users on both sides have left the Vibrants and Cappy's behind in pursuit of newer and shiny models. I fear that we might not find a solution and if we do, this device will be close to 3 years old and while it still rocks hard, is considered a dinosaur in mobile phone tech. And that to me is too bad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oka1 said:
... Oh and BTW CONGRATS TO WOODRUBE..... He is now the latest addition to the Moderator's group here at XDA Congrats to Woodrube.
:victory::victory::victory::victory::victory: ~~~~~ oka1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
:thumbup::thumbup: Congrats, Woodman!! :thumbup::thumbup:
Very worthy bump-in-pay-grade for one of the all-time "counselors" that roam these halls. Great to see that good guys do win.
Note: I'm not sure if the following information is 100% valid for our device, but I've been digging into the problem and how others have gotten it.
How to reproduce:
- After bootup perform sudden power removal
- boot-up interup and reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, with encryption support in ICS, Android has become a lot more
picky about having all the filesystems initialized with valid data,
and mistakenly assumes that anything that's not zero or valid is
encrypted, refusing to go any further.
In Gingerbread and before, anything that wasn't valid was expected to
be invalid, and Android would just re-initialize it, regardless of
whether it was zero or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
theexel said:
Note: I'm not sure if the following information is 100% valid for our device, but I've been digging into the problem and how others have gotten it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting stuff. I wonder what would cause part of the file system to become invalid though, seemingly during normal usage.
Not trying to thread jack but I read this quote on team-passion by the dev:
The encryption bug is due to a partition going bad. If it happens to the internal SD then you're done. It's not an ICS bug. It happens on all ROMs and all phones. ICS makes an effort at fixing it. Previous versions don't, or don't make themselves apparent. Bricks have been happening for ever. The Vibrant is 2 years old. Hardware fails. Just like in your PC. This kind of error come up on stock OTA updates, on other devices, as well. Not for SD, as far as I could find. But OTA updates of ICS are for new devices. If there are any corruptions the phone gets returned
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there any truth to this? Can the EU bug happen on any rom? Is ICS as safe as any other rom?
crazexr7 said:
Not trying to thread jack but I read this quote on team-passion by the dev:
Is there any truth to this? Can the EU bug happen on any rom? Is ICS as safe as any other rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
till date it has only occurred on ics roms ......jb roms not even a single case reported .....I'm hoping it won't come to jb .....I got scared by this bug and I moved from ics to jb .......2.2 and 2.3 are safe to escape from this bug
crazexr7 said:
Not trying to thread jack but I read this quote on team-passion by the dev:
Is there any truth to this? Can the EU bug happen on any rom? Is ICS as safe as any other rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, there is no truth to this (see my earlier post in this thread for more info).
Not 1 single Froyo or Gingerbread build hsa ever gotten the bug (fact).
The EU bug occurred in early ICS builds for the first time (fact).
It occurred more frequently in Passion versions b1-v13 more than any other ROM out for the Vibrant (fact).
Sounds like there is some spin doctor action going on over there (speculation based on fact).
No one has yet to figure out why,how or when this happens. BUT, it is not from hardware degradation, except for the very small chance that overclocking puts extra heat and strain on the Nand chip (fact and speculation).
Ok so OKA1 said something about the EMMC chip corruption on the Note (which he owns). I was allocated my new forums and lo and behold, one was the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and guess what? They are having a major problem with....CWR and kernels that are making the machines nearly un-usable. Here is a link to the General section that might have some more info with it's multiple threads about the same thing (for now. Muhahaha!)
Woodrube said:
No, there is no truth to this (see my earlier post in this thread for more info).
Not 1 single Froyo or Gingerbread build hsa ever gotten the bug (fact).
The EU bug occurred in early ICS builds for the first time (fact).
It occurred more frequently in Passion versions b1-v13 more than any other ROM out for the Vibrant (fact).
Sounds like there is some spin doctor action going on over there (speculation based on fact).
No one has yet to figure out why,how or when this happens. BUT, it is not from hardware degradation, except for the very small chance that overclocking puts extra heat and strain on the Nand chip (fact and speculation).
Ok so OKA1 said something about the EMMC chip corruption on the Note (which he owns). I was allocated my new forums and lo and behold, one was the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and guess what? They are having a major problem with....CWR and kernels that are making the machines nearly un-usable. Here is a link to the General section that might have some more info with it's multiple threads about the same thing (for now. Muhahaha!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok so I'm running chimera v1.1 if I want to flash froyo again can I just flash a froyo rom from ics and be ok? or do I have to odin back to stock and go from there?
Gingerbread/Ice Cream Sandwich/Jellybean to Froyo with just a ROM flash = Brick waiting to happen.
ODIN back to stock, bud.
You can go from:
Froyo <-> Froyo:good:
Froyo -> Gingerbread :good:
Gingerbread <-> Gingerbread/MIUI:good:
Froyo/Gingerbread -> ICS/JB:good:
ICS <-> ICS:good:
ICS ->JB:good:
JB <-> JB:good:
ICS/JB -> Froyo/Eclair:bad:
Gingerbread -> Froyo/Eclair:bad:
Do NOT restore cross-OS Nandroids either. Meaning that you cannot restore a Froyo while you are on GB/ICS/JB.
Woodrube said:
You can go from:
Froyo <-> Froyo:good:
Froyo -> Gingerbread :good:
Gingerbread <-> Gingerbread/MIUI:good:
Froyo/Gingerbread -> ICS/JB:good:
ICS <-> ICS:good:
ICS ->JB:good:
JB <-> JB:good:
ICS/JB -> Froyo/Eclair:bad:
Gingerbread -> Froyo/Eclair:bad:
Do NOT restore cross-OS Nandroids either. Meaning that you cannot restore a Froyo while you are on GB/ICS/JB.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks guys I'm going to miss ICS but it's just not worth keeping. I would love to flash to JB but GPS and 911 issues are scaring me away.

New to XDA, ETA on custom Roms for MF3?

I understand it will be out when its out, but I just migrated from iOS and I would always see postings from certain sites on when the next Jailbreak is coming. I am getting used to Android and I was wondering if anyone has heard anything and if not is this the best place to follow to find out?
There are already mf3 based roms...check the development section
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
milkeeway said:
I understand it will be out when its out, but I just migrated from iOS and I would always see postings from certain sites on when the next Jailbreak is coming. I am getting used to Android and I was wondering if anyone has heard anything and if not is this the best place to follow to find out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are on the AT&T S4 that has been updated to MF3 we will have to wait until a bootloader exploit is found. There is NO ETA for this and it may take a while... maybe never. Just keep an eye on one of our many bootloader threads and pledge to pay the dev if you want to help motivate.
If you are on a custom rom and waiting for more keep an eye on the development section
mg2195 said:
There are already mf3 based roms...check the development section
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the problem is that I purchased my GS4 and it came with MF3 pre-installed. Right now they have MDL Roms with MF3 features in it. Last I checked there was no way to flash custom Roms onto a phone that has MF3 on it!
milkeeway said:
I think the problem is that I purchased my GS4 and it came with MF3 pre-installed. Right now they have MDL Roms with MF3 features in it. Last I checked there was no way to flash custom Roms onto a phone that has MF3 on it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
then see my post. Sucks but we are locked down
milkeeway said:
I think the problem is that I purchased my GS4 and it came with MF3 pre-installed. Right now they have MDL Roms with MF3 features in it. Last I checked there was no way to flash custom Roms onto a phone that has MF3 on it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are correct, there is currently not a way to flash custom roms.
God promised man he'd put beautiful women in all corners of the world. Then he laughed and laughed and made the world round.
joshuadjohnson22 said:
If you are on the AT&T S4 that has been updated to MF3 we will have to wait until a bootloader exploit is found. There is NO ETA for this and it may take a while... maybe never. Just keep an eye on one of our many bootloader threads and pledge to pay the dev if you want to help motivate.
If you are on a custom rom and waiting for more keep an eye on the development section
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that information. That is a bummer to hear the realistic possibility that it may never come. I guess I would be extremely bummed as rooting is the main reason I came to Android and bought the S4. I was naive in the sense I thought all S4 were the same. Little did I know there was so many variations. I even came to the forums before I bought it but everything seemed like a foreign language coming from iOS.
Any idea who I might be able to talk to to Pledge some cash to see that it gets worked on?
And also is there any way to see a MOD about this captcha restriction lol!
milkeeway said:
Thanks for that information. That is a bummer to hear the realistic possibility that it may never come. I guess I would be extremely bummed as rooting is the main reason I came to Android and bought the S4. I was naive in the sense I thought all S4 were the same. Little did I know there was so many variations. I even came to the forums before I bought it but everything seemed like a foreign language coming from iOS.
Any idea who I might be able to talk to to Pledge some cash to see that it gets worked on?
And also is there any way to see a MOD about this captcha restriction lol!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now rooting is available, but this thread is to pledge http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2361870
You can always just buy the tmobile version, they don't have a locked bootloader so you can flash away. Just a thought
joshuadjohnson22 said:
Now rooting is available, but this thread is to pledge http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2361870
You can always just buy the tmobile version, they don't have a locked bootloader so you can flash away. Just a thought
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for all that info. I am an idiot honestly that's all that can be said. I should have done a little more research before I made a purchase. I traded my iPhone 5 with a little cash on top for a brand new Galaxy S4 on AT&T (My carrier) had I known all of this before I would have searched Craigslist for a T-Mobile version and then sim unlocked it for AT&T...
Guess I learned my lesson, I really wish I could afford to go buy a T-Mobile S4 too but they sell for like $500-$600 out of contract.... Just can't do it and I am stuck with AT&T right now. Meanwhile my buddy who told me I should buy an S4 is laughing his rooted and recovered ass off right now lol...
Good to hear rooting is available
soccer_rm said:
Good to hear rooting is available
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What can you do with a root if you are not able to install custom roms?
Is there anything I could do in the meantime that would improve the functionality or performance of my phone?
milkeeway said:
What can you do with a root if you are not able to install custom roms?
Is there anything I could do in the meantime that would improve the functionality or performance of my phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can install a lot of mods which will archive a lot of the same things as a custom rom. You can remove bloat, theme, add things... it is pretty awesome. See the development sections and the themes and app sections to see all the awesome stuff. Some people always stay with stock and just add mods
milkeeway said:
What can you do with a root if you are not able to install custom roms?
Is there anything I could do in the meantime that would improve the functionality or performance of my phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
joshuadjohnson22 said:
You can install a lot of mods which will archive a lot of the same things as a custom rom. You can remove bloat, theme, add things... it is pretty awesome. See the development sections and the themes and app sections to see all the awesome stuff. Some people always stay with stock and just add mods
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...you can also do some serious damage, and without recovery, you can easily "Brick" your device... Please be careful what you remove/change/mod, as if you bootloop or fubar your current OS, you will NOT be able to Odin Back to stock to recover just yet...
removing some of the Samsung Apps will break things when they are removed, and TiBU can't always put them back... for now I just froze all the bloatware, and won't remove anything until there is a way to go "Back to Stock"
Hope this helps.
slyguy2000 said:
...you can also do some serious damage, and without recovery, you can easily "Brick" your device... Please be careful what you remove/change/mod, as if you bootloop or fubar your current OS, you will NOT be able to Odin Back to stock to recover just yet...
removing some of the Samsung Apps will break things when they are removed, and TiBU can't always put them back... for now I just froze all the bloatware, and won't remove anything until there is a way to go "Back to Stock"
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those are very good points! No nandroids either. It's best not to mess with a lot of those areas unless you know what your doing.
God promised man he'd put beautiful women in all corners of the world. Then he laughed and laughed and made the world round.
slyguy2000 said:
...you can also do some serious damage, and without recovery, you can easily "Brick" your device... Please be careful what you remove/change/mod, as if you bootloop or fubar your current OS, you will NOT be able to Odin Back to stock to recover just yet...
removing some of the Samsung Apps will break things when they are removed, and TiBU can't always put them back... for now I just froze all the bloatware, and won't remove anything until there is a way to go "Back to Stock"
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, thanks for clarifying, I should also let the OP know I have the S4 Active which has the ability to ODIN back to stock if something goes wrong. I do not know if you will have that pleasure so think twice and read before trying anything
I have decided I probably won't take advantage of the root until I can safely make a recovery. I actually posted a $25.00 pledge (I know it isn't much) towards finding a fix for newer users of the S4. People who have to warranty their phones will likely have the update installed.
Crossing my fingers now.
Please read forum rules before posting
Questions and Help issues go in Q&A and Help section
Thread moved
Thank you for your cooperation
Friendly Neighborhood Moderator
And we do not ask for ETAs on XDA
This would be on hold for awhile until another bootloader fix surfaces, then you will see a whole bunch of MF3 custom roms.
milkeeway said:
I have decided I probably won't take advantage of the root until I can safely make a recovery. I actually posted a $25.00 pledge (I know it isn't much) towards finding a fix for newer users of the S4. People who have to warranty their phones will likely have the update installed. Crossing my fingers now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's probably a good choice and you can enjoy the S4 i337 without doing anything, it is a great phone.
Of course, rooting -basic rooting using the new technique for the MF3 rom-- seems to work well enough for many so far. So please don't view it as jumping off a cliff and hoping to find a vine on the way down or something so bleak.
For your model, which does not currently have as many recovery options as the earlier MDL versions, it certainly pays to be careful and also to understand your options for return or exchange if you do muck up the phone. The trick is to understand the specific risks up front. In this case, what can go wrong in the rooting process and how often does it seem to occur.
Read the XDA thread on this new rooting exploit for MF3 and see exactly what others did to get root without ruining their phone -and do only and exactly the steps that have worked for others. The rooting process takes only a couple of minutes --but so does bricking your phone when it rooting is done incorrectly.
The differences between success and failure are:
1. How much you understand of the procedure?
2. How much you have prepared in advance for what you are doing and trying to accomplish? and
3. How carefully and patiently are you doing each and every step of the process?
I've rooted several phones and tablets and been fortunate to get it right most of the time, or to be able to recover when I did not get it right. Unfortunately, in your case it appears that you need to get it right the first time for rooting, and many many folks have. So while this is very different from the iPhone "click on this site and you're jailbroken" approach, it is not low-percentage surgery either :good::good::fingers-crossed: So, I'd recommend that you continue to read up on that new root technique for MF3:
-- read to see how it is being accepted, what kind of feedback folks have and also
-- how safe/or comfortable folks seem to be in using it. and
-- what problems have come from trying it -bricks? soft bricks? recoverable or not?
I've read the original post (OP) on the exploit, but not all the information is in the one thread.. I am sure there are several threads that echo this development. . . Might have even more information too. After, that you will know if you want to try the rooting step. Or not.
Good Luck!
P.S.
- While root does not sound as valuable as being able to switch roms and use full customizations, it does provide quite a bit. For example: you can add (root-requiring) apps like "Titanium Backup" (which not only backsup all of your programs and data, but also can "freeze" programs that are useless and running in the background when you don't want them to do so!) Or Greenify, which has the same functionality for dealing with unwanted apps (better actually!) and apps like Cerberus to help you keep track of your phone or find it if lost.
- Rooting to add these types of add ons, without fiddling with some of the more invasive mods that others have already warned about in the other posts, may be acceptable middle ground for you -it does provide customizations for your phone without stretching the safe use limits very far.
Take your time. . . keep reading and move at your own pace. It's hard to come here, start reading and simply "get it" on first bounce. . .It's just a shame that your friend with the older S4 didn't provide a couple of hints or tips about which versions to by ("buy the red ones"... :laugh so you could have picked up one that is easily customizable. . .(of course if you are still in the 14 day window you might go back and try to exchange for another one and look for a MDL version -according to some posts they seem to be the red ones that no one wanted to buy early on . . . . hmm
Good Luck!
markbc01 said:
That's probably a good choice and you can enjoy the S4 i337 without doing anything, it is a great phone.
Of course, rooting -basic rooting my upgradeusing the new technique for the MF3 rom-- seems to work well enough for many so far. So please don't view it as jumping off a cliff and hoping to find a vine on the way down or something so bleak.
For your model, which does not currently have as many recovery options as the earlier MDL versions, it certainly pays to be careful and also to understand your options for return or exchange if you do muck up the phone. The trick is to understand the specific risks up front. In this case, what can go wrong in the rooting process and how often does it seem to occur.
Read the XDA thread on this new rooting exploit for MF3 and see exactly what others did to get root without ruining their phone -and do only and exactly the steps that have worked for others. The rooting process takes only a couple of minutes --but so does bricking your phone when it rooting is done incorrectly.
The differences between success and failure are:
1. How much you understand of the procedure?
2. How much you have prepared in advance for what you are doing and trying to accomplish? and
3. How carefully and patiently are you doing each and every step of the process?
I've rooted several phones and tablets and been fortunate to get it right most of the time, or to be able to recover when I did not get it right. Unfortunately, in your case it appears that you need to get it right the first time for rooting, and many many folks have. So while this is very different from the iPhone "click on this site and you're jailbroken" approach, it is not low-percentage surgery either :good::good::fingers-crossed: So, I'd recommend that you continue to read up on that new root technique for MF3:
-- read to see how it is being accepted, what kind of feedback folks have and also
-- how safe/or comfortable folks seem to be in using it. and
-- what problems have come from trying it -bricks? soft bricks? recoverable or not?
I've read the original post (OP) on the exploit, but not all the information is in the one thread.. I am sure there are several threads that echo this development. . . Might have even more information too. After, that you will know if you want to try the rooting step. Or not.
Good Luck!
P.S.
- While root does not sound as valuable as being able to switch roms and use full customizations, it does provide quite a bit. For example: you can add (root-requiring) apps like "Titanium Backup" (which not only backsup all of your programs and data, but also can "freeze" programs that are useless and running in the background when you don't want them to do so!) Or Greenify, which has the same functionality for dealing with unwanted apps (better actually!) and apps like Cerberus to help you keep track of your phone or find it if lost.
- Rooting to add these types of add ons, without fiddling with some of the more invasive mods that others have already warned about in the other posts, may be acceptable middle ground for you -it does provide customizations for your phone without stretching the safe use limits very far.
Take your time. . . keep reading and move at your own pace. It's hard to come here, start reading and simply "get it" on first bounce. . .It's just a shame that your friend with the older S4 didn't provide a couple of hints or tips about which versions to by ("buy the red ones"... :laugh so you could have picked up one that is easily customizable. . .(of course if you are still in the 14 day window you might go back and try to exchange for another one and look for a MDL version -according to some posts they seem to be the red ones that no one wanted to buy early on . . . . hmm
Good Luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well my Galaxy S4 on MF3 I actually bought on craigslist so the only exchange options are through the manufacturer. What I ended up doing was going to AT&T and using my upgrade to buy another S4 I just told the sales Representative to look on the side of the box for MDL software version or I was not going to upgrade. He was happy to make the sale. Now I have two s4

Shield Kill Switch

Hi figured we could use our own separate thread to discuss the killswitch Nvidia supposedly put in place on our old Shield tablets and see what has worked for those who have received their replacement units. If you've gotten a replacement please share if your old unit has been destroyed or not...if not please let others know what the old tablet has on it or what you did to attempt to prevent the brick! Thanks for helping us all out here!
As I said in the other thread, I received my new one, and my old one is still usable on rooted latest stock, unlocked bootloader, with the only app missing being Chrome for some reason. Nothing else disabled or uninstalled. Maybe they haven't turned on the server that sends the kill signal yet.
If the company wants the other device back (dunno if that is true), why keep it? You are breaking a deal while making it less appeling for companies to do this type of thing...+its a saftey risk for you and others around you.
Nvidia said they do not need it back
ManualG on the Nvidia forum said they are not requiring you send it back
"We don't require you to send it back to us to receive the replacement and are collecting them only to make it less of a burden on everyone else who dont have drop off locations like that close by." So you can keep it if you want ?
16 gig tablet, got it this morning. My original is still functional, it was stock rom, rooted with xposed on it. That's as much modding as I've done with mine.
does anyone have more informations about this killswitch?
Is it a service that needs to be deactivated or deleted or a kernel feature?
I just want to make sure it doesn't kill my old tablet when I set up the new one.
Alternatively, I could just flash an older factory image or custom firmware.
From what I've read on other forums (i.e. reddit) most have indicated that the killswitch is embedded in the bootloader and will activated on the defective tablet once the replacement tablet is registered on the nvidia side. I of course cannot confirm for this to be the case but just sharing what others have reported.
yea but it must communicate with the server then and that only works when Android is booted up and all communication drivers loaded.
So there must be another service running in Android that gives this information to the bootloader to kill itself.
If it's bootloader based, flash a bootloader from one of the older recovery images.
Will try that. BL from Update 2.2.2 should be fine?
actually if I flash it back to 2.2.2 it should be fine too since the changes to 3.X aren't that big
That should work just fine.
big time noob question but where are you getting the old bootloaders from to flash?
Until somebody's tablet gets deactivated and a log is captured during the deactivation process, everything said here or anywhere else is just speculation.
bluegizmo83 is right, however the discussion has to start somewhere so kudos to the OP for getting this thread started.
chicodelta said:
bluegizmo83 is right, however the discussion has to start somewhere so kudos to the OP for getting this thread started.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I completely agree. I'm all for conversion. But I don't want people to get the wrong impression, like trying to flash an older bootloader. That may stop the deactivation, but it also may not. Its only speculation at this point.
bluegizmo83 said:
Oh I completely agree. I'm all for conversion. But I don't want people to get the wrong impression, like trying to flash an older bootloader. That may stop the deactivation, but it also may not. Its only speculation at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said. I apologize if my post came through as a solution. I was only mentioning that as folks had mentioned a possible bootloader lock.
Any thoughts on whether flashing CM would serve as a way to circumvent the killswitch? I see that release for this tablet is already available http://forum.xda-developers.com/shi...-cyanogenmod-12-shield-tablet-lte-na-t3055043. Thoughts?
scorpionx said:
Well said. I apologize if my post came through as a solution. I was only mentioning that as folks had mentioned a possible bootloader lock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem. As I said, I'm all for the discussion, I just wanted to make it clear to everyone that its all just speculation at this point.
I think the old bootloaders are in the old full OTA's someone correct me if I'm wrong. You can also extract them from the full OTA
chicodelta said:
Any thoughts on whether flashing CM would serve as a way to circumvent the killswitch? I see that release for this tablet is already available http://forum.xda-developers.com/shi...-cyanogenmod-12-shield-tablet-lte-na-t3055043. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To me, this is the most logical place to start at this point! Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, but unlocking the bootloader, rooting, and installing a custom rom seem like a good starting place. If the stock devices are definitely getting wiped anyways, any changes we make now can't hurt the chances of keeping it alive!

Rooted PG5

So I have seen a few people saying they are rooted on PG5. Can those of you that have done it please post how it has worked out for you? Thanks.
MOD EDIT:
Questions belong in the Help section, not How-To. I've moved your thread there.
live2playloud said:
So I have seen a few people saying they are rooted on PG5. Can those of you that have done it please post how it has worked out for you? Thanks.
MOD EDIT:
Questions belong in the Help section, not How-To. I've moved your thread there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on PG5. I rooted about 10 days ago. After applying all the fixes, it is working ok. Fighting 2 issues. (1). Still getting update notifications every day. (2). Seems like I lost my wireless fast charging capability. I'm going to make some changes tonight and see if that fixes anything. I've learned a lot more about the phone, had some fun rooting it, but haven't really gained much if anything.
buzzme said:
I'm on PG5. I rooted about 10 days ago. After applying all the fixes, it is working ok. Fighting 2 issues. (1). Still getting update notifications every day. (2). Seems like I lost my wireless fast charging capability. I'm going to make some changes tonight and see if that fixes anything. I've learned a lot more about the phone, had some fun rooting it, but haven't really gained much if anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to disable system updates with package disabler pro or something like that and the updates should stop
I can't recall if I was on PH1 or PG5 when I rooted. I got lucky found a cosmetically damaged SM-G930V early Sept and remember seeing the update requesting install when I met the seller. I did update then root im just not sure to what lol. I used the G930x_QC_Rooted_BOOT.TAR and after pushing SU with ADB she needed very little optimization ie: BusyBox, TricksterMOD, BuildProp & TiB in that order. I had a few obvious issues at 1st but the phone seemed to get quicker & cooler the more i used it overall. The biggest problem I've had so far is getting the adoptable storage feature to stick. Which has nothing to do with root so moving on. All and all I'd have to give the experience 2 thumbs up. Also if you screw up one of your protected partitions like i did you can always use the Verizon Update/Repair Assitant to save your phone. Provided youve registered that phone with Verizon prior to ahem, "messing up" The tool doesnt seem to have a download link its suppose to PuP when you conect phone If it doesnt they have link to the Samsung site where you can DL. Ive since switched to one of the debloated custom ROMs and I guess I never really knew what fast really was because there was this moment when i opened up the recents and i had like 40+ pages open. Scrolling was so beautifully liquid smooth and crystal clear and lightning fast I got a lump in my throat fellas. SHE doesnt slow down! I gotta drink a redbull just to get on my phone!

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