Ok so I got my AT&T S4 successfully rooted using the guide I found on here that uses the Motochopper tool. Root Checker verified I am indeed rooted. But that's it. I'm only rooted to the stock ROM. Nothing custom. Now how to I go about getting a CWM recovery thing on my phone, while still maintaining the stock ROM?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4 Beta
On the play store, download goo manager (for twrp) or rom manager (for cwm) to install a custom recovery. Don't use either app to do anything but just install the recovery. Once it's installed, boot into recovery and make a backup, even if you're planning on staying stock. Cheers
Step 1. Go to the development forum and read about how to do it.
Step 2. Know how to do it.
Step 3. Do it.
I need more basic. I mean I know CWM means ClockWorkMod, but I don't know what that means. I also know that CWM is more popular than TWRP (I don't know what TWRP stands for) because the rom manager app has tons more downloads in the play store than the goo one does. What is a recovery mode and why do you need one? I mean if I screw up I can just use Odin to flash the AT&T stock ROM back. I wish someone would post a link to a ROMS for Dummies page.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4 Beta
If I were you I'd be happy that your rooted and now find out what that means to you and what you want to do with a rooted phone. You don't need a custom recovery if all you're interested in is being rooted. And if you mess up, Odin back to stock may not be an option. You may permanently hard brick your phone. So really decide what you want to do with the phone before you proceed any further.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda app-developers app
feetr2c said:
I need more basic. I mean I know CWM means ClockWorkMod, but I don't know what that means. I also know that CWM is more popular than TWRP (I don't know what TWRP stands for) because the rom manager app has tons more downloads in the play store than the goo one does. What is a recovery mode and why do you need one? I mean if I screw up I can just use Odin to flash the AT&T stock ROM back. I wish someone would post a link to a ROMS for Dummies page.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you really should have read and understood this first: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2301762
These guys are correct and trying to help you avoid a brick. If you are not aware of the basics start reading. Even if you are experienced at flashing on another device.
I had extensive experience on HTC phones and feel like a noob here, but getting better. But I have read over a thousand posts, at least, and dozens of how to videos since early may. And only feel comfortable now to flash a custom rom. Not ready yet as phone stock is pretty good for me atm. And would prefer an unlocked bootloader first. I only rooted and flashed a recovery about a week ago. May be a little slower than some, but never got into a problem I couldn't get out of on my HTC phones using the same learning process.
If you come back with specific questions where they know you have researched things they will gladly help. Googling some of the terminology is a good idea too. Had to do that when I first started flashing roms. A different language for sure.
Good luck and enjoy the phone and the rooted world.
In my experience with the S4 CWM does not work as well as TWRP. I had many issues installing a few custom ROMS with CWM, but as soon as i loaded TWRP those ROMS which wouldn't install would install properly. TWRP also was able to read my ext SD when it was formatted in exFat.
Related
Anyone else a tad nervous about flashing a recovery.
I really want titanium backup.
But
My main problem is I want to have a play with different sound mods, but the device is sooo new im scared about voiding the warranty.
Any thoughts
???
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
You'll be able to go back to stock and reset the flash counter with triangle away should you need to send your phone back for service. That is, unless you do something very wrong so just make sure you read and understand everything before flashing.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
fstorm said:
You'll be able to go back to stock and reset the flash counter with triangle away should you need to send your phone back for service. That is, unless you do something very wrong so just make sure you read and understand everything before flashing.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Duuuuudddddeeeee
Your a legend
All I have wondered this whole time
Custom recovery here I come. Any suggestions
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
jcurran.jc said:
Duuuuudddddeeeee
Your a legend
All I have wondered this whole time
Custom recovery here I come. Any suggestions
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TWRP
Please press thanks if I helped you!
TWRP is buggy and pretty awkward to use. The UI is horrible.
I'd recommend Philz Cwm recovery, it's awesome!
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium HD app
jcurran.jc said:
Anyone else a tad nervous about flashing a recovery.
I really want titanium backup.
But
My main problem is I want to have a play with different sound mods, but the device is sooo new im scared about voiding the warranty.
Any thoughts
???
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't b scared.
Don't be scared, and read the forums here
Make sure you understand what you are doing, and there are some awesome guides here for beginners, read them. DO NOT forget to create a backup before you proceed. Download the official firmware for your model too, just in case something goes wrong. And be confident, hopefully nothing will go wrong if you follow the steps word by word.
Sent using GT-I9505!
Obagleyfreer said:
TWRP is buggy and pretty awkward to use. The UI is horrible.
I'd recommend Philz Cwm recovery, it's awesome!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, like Jccurran.jc, I am a new comer to the Android world and delighted to have a S4. Having rooted my phone, I am starting to explore what custom ROMs have to offer. In this staged process, I am now keen to get Recovery on my phone but despite my readings still have a number queries that I would be grateful for someone to help me understand. All of these are based on the premise that you must have custom recovery on your phone before moving to installing a custom ROM on it. The specific questions I have are:
Am I correct in understanding that "custom recovery" is merely the means of installing a ROM to return to should the installation of a custom ROM go wrong?
If this is the case, why can't your Stock ROM achieve this fall-back role?
There seem to be several ways of installing a custom Recovery whether it be via TWRP, ClockWorkMod and Philz CWM. These all seem to achieve the same objective but use different custom recovery file formats whether they be zip, taz or image files. However, is the method of choice largely a personal one and once the custom recovery file is in place, it doesn't make any difference when you move on to installing a custom ROM or are you now locked into a set way of installing a Custom ROM?
All guides to undertaking installation of a custom recovery stress the importance of backing up your phone (which is a little confusing to a new comer as I have Titanium Backup Pro but can't backup my ROM until I have Recovery in place?). I have done what I can but note that some sites recommend using EFS Prossional to backup my phone's EFS settings folder that contains very critical phone specific information that include IMEI (encrypted in the nv_data.bin), wireless MAC addresses and product code. While I can't be certain that this doesn't happen with Apps like My Backup Pro or Helium, it seems very sensible to help avoid bricking my phone but the program itself requires BusyBox v1.20.2, not the current version in Google Play Store which is more recent but as the developer states is less stable than the older version (and with which EFS Professional wont work). Despite my best attempts to locate the older version as a APK file I haven't been able to as most links point to crap or seem to be for inclusion in custom ROMs (but this may reflect my lack of understanding of the Android system). Can anyone help me understand this and point me to a site where I can obtain the necessary version of BusyBox to enable me to run EFS Professional?
Some sites, including one of the responders to this thread, point out the importance of staying with your phone's offical firmware so that the modem and other hardware components of your phone continue working properly. I have purchased an unlocked international GT-I9595 phone via an internet store that has the baseband version I9505ZHUAME1. Should I my custom recovery file be the same (or its more recent release) or can I use an international LTE variant file such as "CF-Auto-Root-jflte-jfltexx-gti9505.zip"? Obviously, living in Australia, I am not wedded to the Hong Kong based ROM that is native to my phone.
If the answer to the previous question is to stay with the phone's native ROM, then this may force me away from TWRP as it doesn't believe there is any Recovery files available for my phone. Does this fit with other people's experience?
Many thanks in advance for any responses as I totally agree with another responders to this thread (FlOYD') advice: "Make sure you understand what you are doing!".
Basically the first step to customising your Android device is rooting, second step is backing up EFS and third is installing a custom recovery.
The stock recovery doesn't give you an option to install anything or make backups this is why you need custom.
The first thing I do after flashing a custom recovery (usually a .tar.md5 file in PDA section of Odin) is back up my current state.
You can choose any recovery you like, like firmware, some are built better than others. CWM is the original and probably the most used, followed by TWRP. They both have advantages and disadvantages.
I prefer Philz version of CWM personally as I don't flash CM based ROMs and tend to stick with Touchwiz ROMs.
You can also flash custom kernels using a custom recovery this is basically the 'bridge' between your phone's hardware and software. You can change LOTS of things with a custom kernel, I won't go into that.
Once you've backed up your EFS and current state you can flash a new Rom, try it out, if you don't like it then just restore back to your old back up
Before making any changes to themes, or installing zips you should make a backup, that why if anything goes wrong you can just restore it again. And believe me it happens often!
Read through threads, read again and when using Odin double check everything is in the right place and DO NOT TICK REPARTITION!
I'm sure you'll be fine, you seem like a responsible guy lol
Have fun with your new toy!
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium HD app
So, normally I'm not this green; I can find what I need to find regarding the procedures for the order in which to do things.
This time 'round, I don't see a thread that really calls out in simple terms the process to get a custom ROM on the AT&T S4. I see a ton of confusing references because the forums should really be separated, since Canada seems to have more options with ROMs and recoveries.
Would anyone be so kind as you outline the gist of the steps to take, and the proper files to use? Also, if we can run custom ROMs on this phone, why does it matter if the bootloader is locked?
Thanks in advance!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
disturbd1 said:
So, normally I'm not this green; I can find what I need to find regarding the procedures for the order in which to do things.
This time 'round, I don't see a thread that really calls out in simple terms the process to get a custom ROM on the AT&T S4. I see a ton of confusing references because the forums should really be separated, since Canada seems to have more options with ROMs and recoveries.
Would anyone be so kind as you outline the gist of the steps to take, and the proper files to use? Also, if we can run custom ROMs on this phone, why does it matter if the bootloader is locked?
Thanks in advance!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That locked boot loader will keep your phone from starting.. Roms don't include the boot loader..
If your already rooted your best bet is download goo manager from the market.. Hit menu and click install open recovery script... Select the proper at&t twrp.. Reboot into recovery when its done to test if it works. When you know it works go here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2291956
[RECOVERY]SGH-I337 OUDHS Recovery - now with smart auto-loki and download the flash able zip and boot into recovery to flash it.. The last one you downloaded has auto Loki so even if you flash a kernel or ROM without Loki this will take care of it.. Then just flash per the devs instructions for the ROM you want to use
Sent from my WICKED AT&T S4
disturbd1 said:
So, normally I'm not this green; I can find what I need to find regarding the procedures for the order in which to do things.
This time 'round, I don't see a thread that really calls out in simple terms the process to get a custom ROM on the AT&T S4. I see a ton of confusing references because the forums should really be separated, since Canada seems to have more options with ROMs and recoveries.
Would anyone be so kind as you outline the gist of the steps to take, and the proper files to use? Also, if we can run custom ROMs on this phone, why does it matter if the bootloader is locked?
Thanks in advance!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2314494
Not a Dev, but not a Noob, either. Formerly had a SGH-i897 Galaxy S for 3 years and flashed like crazy on it, while transitioning from Eclair to Froyo to Gingerbread to ICS to Jellybean, mostly using the fine offerings from the AOCP Collective folks. While familiar with Odin, CWM was my usual go-to utility.
Upgraded recently to a SGH-i337 Galaxy S4. Must have owned it for two, maybe three hours, before I rooted it with MotoChopper. This allowed me to re-install Titanium Backup. I left it as merely rooted, while I read up on CWM and some new-fangled thing called TWRP, which I wanted to get installed before casting about for a new ROM. (At the time, AOCP did not have an offering here, or it would have been a no-brainer for me.)
One morning, I turned on the phone and noticed it was doing an OTA update. . . . . . . . .
Mildly curious, I logged onto XDA to read what the community thought about the update, only to discover that I had missed all the dire warnings by a day and my (now) version I337UCUAMF3 ROM had it's boot-loaders locked from a blown Q-Fuse, courtesy of Samsung and AT&T.
Took me a week before I found the rooting solution from jortex, but thankfully, I'm now rooted again.
This background now leads to my questions:
I have ROM Manager Premium (from previous purchase) but have not installed it.
I was aware on my previous SGH-i897 that mixing the Gingerbread and Jellybean boot loaders was like, a Bad Thing when flashing ROMs and would promptly brick the phone.
Does CWM require the ability to load from a boot loader?
I know it creates an update.zip file to restore the original ROM, and usually does so by using whatever ROM is installed at the time.
So wouldn't it just create an update based on the I337UCUAMF3 ROM?
Even if I can't flash new ROMs (unless or until somebody comes up with a Q-Fuse Fix) couldn't I at least have all the recovery and .zip flashing of apps and cache clearing menu choices available to me from CWM?
Or would the act of just installing CWM on a I337UCUAMF3 ROM immediately brick my phone?
In Other Words, how close can I dance to the water's edge?
Been to the ROM Manager web site and they claim I can do any thing at any time.
(Easy for them to say: It ain't THEIR phones!)
Been searching these threads and can't come up with anything explicitly stating yea or nay.
So far, I have been happy enough with the TW stock ROM, but I always felt better being able to boot to recovery to fix things, on those few occasions I got just a leeeeeetle too close to the Bleeding Edge!
What is the consensus out there?
Will CWM 6.0.3.6 bork a I337UCUAMF3? Yes or no?
Would appreciate any thoughts that might enlighten me! :fingers-crossed:
It sure could brick the phone, the only thing you can do at the moment is root. I have seen a couple people try running a recovery on it, and it required a jtag service to restore the device.
Be careful.
TheAxman said:
It sure could brick the phone, the only thing you can do at the moment is root. I have seen a couple people try running a recovery on it, and it required a jtag service to restore the device.
Be careful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate the response!
This phone is far different from the Captivate. There is no flashing anything on MF3. Basically you are waiting for a work around if that is even possible.
Sent from my SGH-I337 using xda premium
Hello, I have just got a Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 White 16GB in the UK locked to the O2 network. This is my first time using an Android phone and I have looked around and saw the Google Edition, how do I flash it onto my phone? is there any drawbacks is the ROM the official one, it will not damage my phone or anything will it? I have warranty on it, I do know rooting and flashing voids the warranty but will I be able to unroot and go back to the official OS that was on the phone?
I just want the Google Play Edition as I find the Touchwiz UI horrible and GPE is apparently quite faster and better for battery life.
Please help me and please take into consideration that I am a beginner and have never done this kind of stuff, thanks.
That's simple.
You need:
Heimdall suite: https://github.com/downloads/Benjamin-Dobell/Heimdall/heimdall-suite-1.3.2-win32.zip
CWM Recovery: http://www.clockworkmod.com/rommanager
ROM:http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2348272
1.Install heimdall on pc
2. download recovery for your device
3.Turn off phone > Press vol down + home +power button, you will go to download mode
4.run heimdall with command prompt and type: heimdall flash --recovery yourrecovery.img if that will not work type: heimdall flash --RECOVERY yourrecovery.img
5. Turn off your phone and go to recovery by pressing vol up + home + power button
6. Wipe data and flash your rom from sd card.
7. Reboot.
8. Enjoy.
Press thanks if it work for You.
ShadowBlazeSheff said:
Hello, I have just got a Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 White 16GB in the UK locked to the O2 network. This is my first time using an Android phone and I have looked around and saw the Google Edition, how do I flash it onto my phone? is there any drawbacks is the ROM the official one, it will not damage my phone or anything will it? I have warranty on it, I do know rooting and flashing voids the warranty but will I be able to unroot and go back to the official OS that was on the phone?
I just want the Google Play Edition as I find the Touchwiz UI horrible and GPE is apparently quite faster and better for battery life.
Please help me and please take into consideration that I am a beginner and have never done this kind of stuff, thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First what firmware are you currently on? I have an o2 model and I believe they are still officially on 4.2.2. firmware I think. If you are on a 4.2.2 firmware pre knox bootloaders you'll be fine. You can root and later use triangle away to clear the counters. If you are on a KNOX bootloader then rooting will make it impossible for you to downgrade to a lower firmware.
Rooting is easy, you just need to flash CF-Root, flash custom recovery and good to go using Odin. There are a few different GPE roms around so read the relevant threads and see what users are saying in regards to the roms.
I have no idea what Knox and stuff is, I'm a basic beginner so I basically know nothing, here is screenshot of it
Just checked I have Knox installed so rooting and stuff will void my warranty forever without any chance of getting it back right?
An easy way to check is to shut down your phone, hold the volume down + home button + power button until you are presented with a green Android and a warning about download mode, press whichever it is to go to download mode (don't worry, to get out of it just hold down the power button and then restart your phone). You are looking for knox warranty or something like that with a 0x0 or 0x1 beside it, if it isn't in the list in the top left corner, you are pre-knox bootloader and you are fine to follow the instructions provided above.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I have done it and it seems I do not have this supposed Knox thing, btw can you give me a link with good instructions on how to cf flash, install custom recovery and use odin? I also don't know what GPE rom to go with, I just want one that is fast, stable and makes my battery life good
Hi,
Just wanted to put my 2 pence in and help with choosing a ROM.
I have flashed both GPE other roms on my S4 and I must say the best Rom in terms of battery (speed, size and customisation) is PACman rom. This may not he very helpful if you are definitely wanting to go pure android but I was in the same position and after using PACman its hard to recommend anything else.
You will lose some Sammy services like smart scroll, samsung camera functions, s-health and others but if you can live with that have a play and try out the different roms.
Once rooted and added a recovery (I use CWM) you can flash and flash any roms you like to try.
Give the rom a day or 2 to settle and see what you like the best.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Hi everyone!
Basicly I can't install Samsung based ROMs on my s4 i9505. I am able to install only aosp based ROMs. I flashed manyroms starting from Omega, echoe and many more.
I even tried to flash stock ROM but it is not rebooting and gives bootloops.
Appreciated for all your advises.
blondbond said:
Hi,
Just wanted to put my 2 pence in and help with choosing a ROM.
I have flashed both GPE other roms on my S4 and I must say the best Rom in terms of battery (speed, size and customisation) is PACman rom. This may not he very helpful if you are definitely wanting to go pure android but I was in the same position and after using PACman its hard to recommend anything else.
You will lose some Sammy services like smart scroll, samsung camera functions, s-health and others but if you can live with that have a play and try out the different roms.
Once rooted and added a recovery (I use CWM) you can flash and flash any roms you like to try.
Give the rom a day or 2 to settle and see what you like the best.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I'm not really looking for customisation as such, but since you've had experience with GPE ROMS which is the best GPE version for battery and performance/speed?
i9505 GE Rom
ShadowBlazeSheff said:
Hi, I'm not really looking for customisation as such, but since you've had experience with GPE ROMS which is the best GPE version for battery and performance/speed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My personal best experience was to use the ROM Here
Its very quick and has a couple of little extras for you.
May I say that you will need to ROOT your device which will void your warranty.
Im not 100% sure how O2 set their devices up but you may need to see if there are any O2 related apps you need/want to keep also before flashing.
You will also need to install a recovery.
The procedure is very simple and their are some very detailed explanations and step by step guides on how to achieve this.
Please think carefully about what your next step is as its very easy to root and then unroot but some devices have KNOX built in to them which means as soon as you root you "flip a switch" (a sort of eswitch) which cant, as of yet, be flipped back again and no amount of "unrooting" will reset your device exactly how it was before modifying.
It sounds daunting but everyone on here is really helpful and you are not the first to be trying this for the first time. There are 100's of users all doing the same thing as you and asking all the right questions. Everyone has a point of view and some people may prefer one thing over another. Once you are ready let us know and we can point you in a few more directions/posts.
blondbond said:
My personal best experience was to use the ROM Here
Its very quick and has a couple of little extras for you.
May I say that you will need to ROOT your device which will void your warranty.
Im not 100% sure how O2 set their devices up but you may need to see if there are any O2 related apps you need/want to keep also before flashing.
You will also need to install a recovery.
The procedure is very simple and their are some very detailed explanations and step by step guides on how to achieve this.
Please think carefully about what your next step is as its very easy to root and then unroot but some devices have KNOX built in to them which means as soon as you root you "flip a switch" (a sort of eswitch) which cant, as of yet, be flipped back again and no amount of "unrooting" will reset your device exactly how it was before modifying.
It sounds daunting but everyone on here is really helpful and you are not the first to be trying this for the first time. There are 100's of users all doing the same thing as you and asking all the right questions. Everyone has a point of view and some people may prefer one thing over another. Once you are ready let us know and we can point you in a few more directions/posts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, thanks for your reply, I checked through that download mode on my S4 and I did not see that Knox counter 0x0 or 0x1 or any mention of it anywhere so it's safe to say that I am on 4.2.2 pre knox bootloader, I am currently looking on CF-Flash root using Odin, will look into recovery but since you have experience could you recommend me to a guide for the recovery you are using which I see a lot of people use
ShadowBlazeSheff said:
Hello, thanks for your reply, I checked through that download mode on my S4 and I did not see that Knox counter 0x0 or 0x1 or any mention of it anywhere so it's safe to say that I am on 4.2.2 pre knox bootloader, I am currently looking on CF-Flash root using Odin, will look into recovery but since you have experience could you recommend me to a guide for the recovery you are using which I see a lot of people use
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is a brilliant guide to rooting, recoveries using the most common and tried and tested methods and products (I use CWM recovery but have also use Philz and TWRP) they all have their merits and all do similar things.
PLEASE READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE AND ALL SUB LINKS - IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT SURE ABOUT HIT US UP HERE AND WE CAN HELP YOU
Good luck and happy rooting
blondbond said:
Here is a brilliant guide to rooting, recoveries using the most common and tried and tested methods and products (I use CWM recovery but have also use Philz and TWRP) they all have their merits and all do similar things.
PLEASE READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE AND ALL SUB LINKS - IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT SURE ABOUT HIT US UP HERE AND WE CAN HELP YOU
Good luck and happy rooting
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know the GPE ROM you recommended, will it work for my GT-I9505 UK O2 model, it's locked to O2 if that makes any difference?
This should work fine. But I would maybe do a little diggin to see if it does.
My device was a Vodafone device and I used this with no problems at all.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Mine is locked to Meteor Ireland and I installed (a different) GE ROM with zero issues. It booted first time, and from my own experience that's a rarity!
Best of luck with it, I love the GE ROM especially since I have the one thing I thought wouldn't work: the IR blaster! There's a watchON apk on xda somewhere and it's great! It fcs a few times but it will work!
Nice ^^
May I also suggest you do this:
Root device and install recovery
Make a Nandroid backup from within recovery and save that to your external SD card
Then go ahead and flash new rom
That way if anything should go wrong you can just restore your phone from your Nandroid back up.
Very useful
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
blondbond said:
Nice ^^
May I also suggest you do this:
Root device and install recovery
Make a Nandroid backup from within recovery and save that to your external SD card
Then go ahead and flash new rom
That way if anything should go wrong you can just restore your phone from your Nandroid back up.
Very useful
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do this! Then copy the backup folder onto your PC also. Nandroid backups have saved me many times! It's easy to forget.
I've been doing this for years and forgot with my S4 to install a custom recovery That was a bit silly, then flashed without a nandroid backup, that's a bad idea!
Even if there isn't any issue sometimes you just think: I don't like this and prefered it the way it was, you can have it back to EXACTLY the way it was in about 5 mins with a backup!
I do not have a external SD card at the moment, will this be problem??
Thanks everyone, I've managed to get a 4.3 GPE ROM installed!!!
Hey guys... Before I get into this, I would like to say that i'm very new to this whole rooting thing, so please forgive me for my lack of knowledge on various terms and such, and I'm a first time user here at xda.
What's written below might get a little bit complicated so i will try to make it as detailed as possible. Please bare with me here.
So I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 sgh-i337 (AT&T) running on android 4.4.4 (with touchwiz, you guys know the deal). I really wanted stock android lollipop, because I really like the look and feel to it. When I decided to root the phone, I went through many tutorials and I tried many different methods, and none of them worked. The phone still worked fine, but SuperSU was not installed and Root Checker said the phone was not rooted. After scouring the internet, I found one tutorial that had my S4 type and the same version. At that point I realized that my android version was hindering my rooting process. The tutorial used Odin to flash a kernel (NC1), root the phone using towelroot, install SuperSU, (Root Checker too to check if it worked), and then flashing the original kernel again (my original kernel was NJ4). After following this process, my phone was rooted, and everything worked fine.
As I said before, I wanted a GPE ROM, and so I needed a custom recovery. I decided to install CWM, since most GPE ROMs used this specific recovery. Again, I followed many different tutorials, and after each and every one, I would try to go into Recovery mode, and it would just launch the stock recovery. I found another tutorial on another website that involved flashing the recovery from an app in the google play store, so I decided to try it out. I now regret this as it led to more problems. I followed these instructions, and when launching into recovery mode from that point on, I get the yellow triangle with the error message "System software is not authorized by AT&T"
Sure, I could get around it by going into download mode from there, canceling, and it would reboot like normal, and the phone still worked, but I needed to get ride of that error message.
Once again doing my research, I figured out that if I flash a stock firmware specific to my phone, it will reset the phone (the only stock firmware available has android version 4.2.2, which is a really popular version, and is compatible with most custom recoveries and ROMs, so I decided to flash the firmware, as it would also change the version back, right?) When I flashed it using Odin like the directions said, it failed. i then figured out that it failed because my binary counter is not 0. I looked into resetting the binary counter for the AT&T S4, and I found Triangle Away. However, in order to reset your binary counter, you need an unlocked bootloader, and the AT&T S4 (sgh-i337) has a locked bootloader (I don't want to use Triangle Away if it's going to brick my phone, i'd rather unroot and keep touchwiz than brick). In the process of finding this out, I also figured out that the only custom recovery that you could use on a locked bootloader S4 sgh-i337 is SafeStrap. But i heard when using SafeStrap you are limited as far as ROMs go? Would I be able to get a GPE 5.0 Lollipop ROM with SafeStrap? Cause if not I might just unroot using SuperSU and software update my phone (will that fix the error when trying to get to Recovery mode?) Also, if I install Safestrap, will it fix the error message?
Again, sorry for my inexperience in all of this, and thanks for staying with me here. Any help and additional information on what I should do (or any GPE Lollipop ROMs I should use that are compatible with my phone and version and such), as well as any links to tutorials are greatly appreciated (also, keep in mind that all of the vocab I know when rooting is used in this post, I am not aware of most other terms - again, forgive me).
You wrote a lot but I'm not sure what state your device is in right now and what you want to do. But as you've found out, safestrap is the only custom recovery you can use. And touch wiz based roms are the only ones you can use. Afaik there are no 5.0 custom roms you can use at this time.
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jd1639 said:
You wrote a lot but I'm not sure what state your device is in right now and what you want to do. But as you've found out, safestrap is the only custom recovery you can use. And touch wiz based roms are the only ones you can use. Afaik there are no 5.0 custom roms you can use at this time.
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
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Oh, thanks for the help! The phone currently works fine, and it is rooted, but when I go into Recovery Mode it gives me the yellow triangle with the error... Will installing SafeStrap fix that? Regardless, thanks for the help, really do appreciate it!
jd1639 said:
You wrote a lot but I'm not sure what state your device is in right now and what you want to do. But as you've found out, safestrap is the only custom recovery you can use. And touch wiz based roms are the only ones you can use. Afaik there are no 5.0 custom roms you can use at this time.
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
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Also, if i were to update the phone to the next version (i heard there is a way to bump the S4 up in android version) would that reset the error in Recovery Mode? And I also heard that with SafeStrap, you are limited to ROMs on the same android version as the one on your phone? I really like 5.0, but if it's not possible to get it as the moment (and I haven't found any 5.0 ROMs for the sgh-i337 yet - you were right) i might just unroot using SuperSU and just update my version, unrooted and all. I'd rather have my phone be nice and clean than to have root on it with a corrupted recovery mode, and not make use of the root at all (I've seen other ROMs and I prefer 5.0). I might just try to make the phone feel as close to stock as possible by using more google apps and such (keyboard, messages, etc.). Regardless, thanks for the help and additional input, really do appreciate it!
EvilLemon said:
Also, if i were to update the phone to the next version (i heard there is a way to bump the S4 up in android version) would that reset the error in Recovery Mode? And I also heard that with SafeStrap, you are limited to ROMs on the same android version as the one on your phone? I really like 5.0, but if it's not possible to get it as the moment (and I haven't found any 5.0 ROMs for the sgh-i337 yet - you were right) i might just unroot using SuperSU and just update my version, unrooted and all. I'd rather have my phone be nice and clean than to have root on it with a corrupted recovery mode, and not make use of the root at all (I've seen other ROMs and I prefer 5.0). I might just try to make the phone feel as close to stock as possible by using more google apps and such (keyboard, messages, etc.). Regardless, thanks for the help and additional input, really do appreciate it!
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I would recommend you flash the nb1 tar file in Odin. That'll bring your device to like new. Then you can let it ota nj4. There are root methods for nc1 and nj4. See this
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=56453100
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
jd1639 said:
I would recommend you flash the nb1 tar file in Odin. That'll bring your device to like new. Then you can let it ota nj4. There are root methods for nc1 and nj4. See this
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=56453100
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
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Thanks so much! I followed the instructions and now my phone is back to normal, Recovery mode and all! Really do appreciate it, thanks!
EvilLemon said:
Thanks so much! I followed the instructions and now my phone is back to normal, Recovery mode and all! Really do appreciate it, thanks!
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No problem. I'm glad you got it working again
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app