Slipstream updates... - Sprint Samsung Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshoot

Hi, I got a question for all the chefs out there...How do I slipstream a MDL update.zip into MDC stock rom?
Here's what I know/have:
1. Android kitchen
2. MDC stock and I can mount the img with loopback option in Mac
3. I have MDL update.zip, looked inside, there's a bunch of patch files
I'm unsure of how to apply these patches into the MDC stock with given tools.
TIA
Edit: I searched but there's only one thread about this but no replies

Related

[Q] S4 Restore to original MDL version or how to install Fixed Kernel via CWM

Help needed!
Tried to root my Sprint SPH-L720 MDL version (really need to be able to use it as HotSpot like I was using my previous phone) and having issues with getting root access as Sprint has added a SetUID restriction on the kernel with the latest update.
But most important, Good Enterprise stopped working as it detected that phone is rooted or partially rooted (as Titanium Backup gives me a message that it was able to acquire Root Privs – but its UI never opens up). Not having Good Enterprise is not an option for me.
So, decided to go back to Original as seen posts with instructions (these were key for me to move forward with rooting) that it is easy to do, however only know realized that all these ports are using MDC version of Firmware and I could not find Official Firmware for MDL version. Only MDC version available. Ouch!
Question #1: Anyone knows if MDL version of Original Firmware even exists and if yes where to download it? Or should I just use MDC version? Would it work?
If recovery is not available, I could pass this phone to one of my kids but I will need to fix root. To fix root I need to flash new MDL kernel using ODIN & CWM recovery. I have Fixed MDL Kernel, but I could not find instructions on how to flash it.
Question #2: Anyone could point me to the instructions on how to flash Kernel using ODIN and CWM Recovery?
Thank you In advance!
only way right now is to flash mdc and then take the ota.
for some reason Samsung has not released the mdl yet.
kernels you flash in recovery like a rom just read the install instruction in any kernel thread.
there is also an unroot script posted in dev you might try.
for rooting did you odin cf auto root? pretty hard not to root that way.

Upgrading to MF9 from MDL Stock Rooted Rom

Hey guys, I was wondering if someone would be willing to help me out. it has been a LONG while since I have owned an android device. as a matter of fact I never truly owned one and my only experience was flashing the TP2 to android and playing with it. I spent the past two years with a WP7 and I loved it but Sprint is taking there sweet ol' time releasing POS low end WP8 so it was time to switch.
I was hoping someone could guide me or point me in the right direction of how to accomplish this. I currently have the galaxy4 and I do like it a lot. I am on stock rom MDL that is rooted with the hot spot mod. my phone got the OTA for the MF9. I looked into being able to root the MF9 and it looks like it is no problem. so I tried to push through the MF9 update but it failed and I believe this is because I am rooted and also modded some system files when I did the hotspot mod. what would be the procedure to update to MF9 from MDL and re-root the device and but the hot spot mod back. if anyone has any guidance it would be most appreciated. Thanks!!
Steveo:laugh:
Questions go in Q&A
Development is for developers to post work
Thread moved
Be Careful I updated to MF9 from MDL and now my phone is no longer rooted and I can't get wifi access
Here is my post:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2372749
steveoski111 said:
Hey guys, I was wondering if someone would be willing to help me out. it has been a LONG while since I have owned an android device. as a matter of fact I never truly owned one and my only experience was flashing the TP2 to android and playing with it. I spent the past two years with a WP7 and I loved it but Sprint is taking there sweet ol' time releasing POS low end WP8 so it was time to switch.
I was hoping someone could guide me or point me in the right direction of how to accomplish this. I currently have the galaxy4 and I do like it a lot. I am on stock rom MDL that is rooted with the hot spot mod. my phone got the OTA for the MF9. I looked into being able to root the MF9 and it looks like it is no problem. so I tried to push through the MF9 update but it failed and I believe this is because I am rooted and also modded some system files when I did the hotspot mod. what would be the procedure to update to MF9 from MDL and re-root the device and but the hot spot mod back. if anyone has any guidance it would be most appreciated. Thanks!!
Steveo:laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was also on MDL stock rom and rooted. I recommend to never take OTA updates if you are rooted. I got MD9 by using info from the post by 'Mudavo': http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2277480
I used the first one listed of the Index of Guides: "-How to Install Stock MF9 ROM and Firmware". For the 'Choose a Rooted Stock MF9 ROM' I choose the 'odexed no data wipe' zip from 'Crawrj" (FYI at 1.4GB, it's a large file). With 'noobnl' thread, I had to do the ini edit but it's was easy. Don't forget to redo the ini edit when you are done and change it back to what it was before.
Follow it exactly, any problems you can ask 'Mudavo' or 'crawrj' in their post. I have seen others having to repeat the process to make it work so if it doesn't flash the first time, try it again. Hope this helps.
Stock MF9 ROM and Firmware Installation Guide
In TWRP or CWM BACK UP!
Download noobnl's tar from here for MF9 firmware and modem:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...php?p=43418277
Choose a Rooted Stock MF9 ROM of choice and Stock MF9 Kernel from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...php?p=43426426
In noobnl's thread, read and apply the instructions on editing the .ini file for the boot loader update in Odin.
Odin flash the MF9 Firmware .tar. Put the .tar in the same folder on your computer that the Odin execution app is. Right click Odin.exe and click run as administrator. Check update phone boot loader. Flash the .tar using PDA mode. Auto reboot checked.
In TWRP or CWM Do a FULL wipe. (system, data, cache, dalvik) Install Stock MF9 ROM and MF9 Kernel.
Profit. You should now be full MF9. You do not need to go any further."
So does that mean that I will wipe all data on my phone, or should I back everything up with root backup? I already did a nandroid, too.

[Solved] Cannot recover MJA system image

Hello,
This is will be my first XDA post ever since I always fix the most "brickiest" problems with all the Android based devices I have ever owned but not this time.
My Galaxy S4 has been updated to the latest MJA OTA (with successful CF root) and I have attempted to re-mod the hotspot service but this caused the annoying knox message to show. When attempting to restore the JAR and ODEX files, I think I have either overwritten the files in the incorrect order (ODEX -> JAR) and the phone rebooted as FX was trying to do that. So services.odex got corrupted and it was time for my to ODIN flash the MDC full stock rom as that USED to be my solution until Samsung's brand new knox protected bootloader. ODIN is not an option for me now, since the bootloader will prevent me flashing things like the pit, aboot and probably most of the other files inside the tarball. I can flash custom recovery and the MDC kernel successfully and that's about it. With custom recovery I have flashed rooted MF8 for the base operating system, and they applied the rooted MJA rom on top. The phone shows the S4 branding but then it reboots; It cannot boot into the operating system. I do not know the condition of the flash counter atm since I cannot check that in TriangleAway but it will stay "Official" under download mode, I think. I also do not know the versions of the firmware installed either in case something from MDC tar had an succession in replace some of the partitions. I am pretty sure the kernel however is still at MDC while I managed to install the system image of the MJA stock rom.
So my question is, what can I do bring back the working MJA stock rom image (/system and kernel) using TWRP recovery? Else I will have to go to Sprint and saying that the update from OTA has bricked my phone and that I have no idea how phones work.
Thank you.
45553543 450
Sorry, I forgot to add that I know that once you have MJA flashed, you cannot downgrade back unless of course someone figured out how to disable all the bootloader security but I really do not see that happening.
Fixed my own problem. Downloaded the official MJA stock tar.md5 rom from sammobile and flashed it, and managed to restore all my data using Titanium backup. This thread can be now closed.

MK2 Update Zip : How to Flash?

Hi. I just downloaded the MK2 update.zip and currently my phone is on MF3.
I have Shoshock 4.2.2 ROM installed.
Since the file is a ZIP file, I want to make sure that to flash this update.zip is to go to recovery and install the update.zip.
I have safetrap as recovery now.
I have Shoshock 4.2.2 ROM installed.
Is this the way to flash the MK2 update.zip?
Thank you.
qwer43 said:
Hi. I just downloaded the MK2 update.zip and currently my phone is on MF3.
I have Shoshock 4.2.2 ROM installed.
Since the file is a ZIP file, I want to make sure that to flash this update.zip is to go to recovery and install the update.zip.
I have safetrap as recovery now.
I have Shoshock 4.2.2 ROM installed.
Is this the way to flash the MK2 update.zip?
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The MK2 zip file that your are referring to is a stock copy straight from Best Buy's Samsung Experience. It is NOT intended to be flash via Safestrap. It's intended to go onto your SD card and flashed via the internal recovery on your phone (Power + Volume Up)... mind you if you install the MK2 update in this manner it will lose both root, and Safestrap on the device. There is current a method to root it, but until Hashcode finishes working on a new 4.3 version of Safestrap your lose the ability to use custom roms.
I appreciate the reply. Now, I understand it better on how to flash it from the phone's internet recovery, NOT the safetrap recovery.
Thanks a lot.
NighthawkXL said:
The MK2 zip file that your are referring to is a stock copy straight from Best Buy's Samsung Experience. It is NOT intended to be flash via Safestrap. It's intended to go onto your SD card and flashed via the internal recovery on your phone (Power + Volume Up)... mind you if you install the MK2 update in this manner it will lose both root, and Safestrap on the device. There is current a method to root it, but until Hashcode finishes working on a new 4.3 version of Safestrap your lose the ability to use custom roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
qwer43 said:
I appreciate the reply. Now, I understand it better on how to flash it from the phone's internet recovery, NOT the safetrap recovery.
Thanks a lot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, unless you know what your doing I wouldn't mess with those files, or the stock recovery mode unless you want to risk bricking your device.

[Q] Deleted Stock Recovery?

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!

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