Database Users

[Q] Need help rooting galaxy s4 with VPUAM9F build.

Hi everyone, I'm new to android and having problems rooting my Sprint S4. I tried to root using ODIN but apparently Sprints newest update has made it impossible to root. My phone was believed to be rooted but the supersu app say that there is currently no binary installed. When I try to update the binary it just fails. I don't know where to go from here. I was going to flash the stock firmware but I cant find one for this build. All help is appreciated, thanks in advance.

Ic3man2171 said:
Hi everyone, I'm new to android and having problems rooting my Sprint S4. I tried to root using ODIN but apparently Sprints newest update has made it impossible to root. My phone was believed to be rooted but the supersu app say that there is currently no binary installed. When I try to update the binary it just fails. I don't know where to go from here. I was going to flash the stock firmware but I cant find one for this build. All help is appreciated, thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What guide did you use to root?
The #1 misfit
of my crew of misfits

I used the guide on galaxys4root.com and used team win

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2257101
Did you try this?
Sent from my SPH-L720 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

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Questions and request for assistance go in the Q&A section.
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Root stock 4.3 but can't get recovery

So I've gotten the official 4.3 att update via ota.. Just today..
After carefully reading and understanding some thing I went and rooted via this method https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5mCsDyW-TI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
^which works fine BTW.. SuperSU works approved by Root checker..
However I can't get safestrap to work on this device since the update where 4.2.2 worked
It state recovery installed but when I Boot to Recovery just brings me back to home screen.. Is there another method to have safe strap installed? Or is there another custom recovery I can install and make it work?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

Safestrap doesn't work on 4.3
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

crashpsycho said:
So I've gotten the official 4.3 att update via ota.. Just today..
After carefully reading and understanding some thing I went and rooted via this method https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5mCsDyW-TI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
^which works fine BTW.. SuperSU works approved by Root checker..
However I can't get safestrap to work on this device since the update where 4.2.2 worked
It state recovery installed but when I Boot to Recovery just brings me back to home screen.. Is there another method to have safe strap installed? Or is there another custom recovery I can install and make it work?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why would you try safestrap on 4.3?

scott14719 said:
Why would you try safestrap on 4.3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't find any threads on recovery via 4.3 recovery found root but nothing else.. Would you mind shredding some light on the recovery.. In not a 100% percent noob so just a testify answer would help if possible
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

At this point, you don't have a working recovery and safe strap doesn't work. We don't have a flashable odin file for the new update yet I believe. If a Samsung experience at best buy does, I'd imagine you'd could go into into a best buy and see if they'd re flash it. I could wrong or there could be another way.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

crashpsycho said:
I didn't find any threads on recovery via 4.3 recovery found root but nothing else.. Would you mind shredding some light on the recovery.. In not a 100% percent noob so just a testify answer would help if possible
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the Safestrap thread that you got the safestrap recovery from tells everything about it. Here is a thread in Q & A as well...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2428254
I'm hoping you at least read the entire safestrap thread before trying to install it?
Here is the information on 4.3 for AT&T...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2498897
If it doesn't mention anything in there about recovery, then it doesn't (yet) exist. Just keep an eye on the thread. If a working recovery is created it will be posted there. There is no need to ask about it in that thread, it will happen when / if it happens and someone will post about it.

Retaining root from MF3 to 4.3?

Hey guys, I've done a lot of searching in this forum and found a lot of conflicting answers, so decided to start a fresh thread. I've been on 4.2.2/MF3 for a while now running Safetrap. I'm looking to take the OTA from AT&T and upgrade to 4.3.
I havent seen any root methods for 4.3 yet, but the question is, can I upgrade to 4.3 and retain root if I am running the latest version of SuperSU Pro with survival mode enabled?
A custom recovery with the option for installing ROMs is not needed, especially since I havent been able to do that since I updated to MF3. All I need is to keep root under 4.3 and I'll be more than happy, thanks!

kevinco1 said:
Hey guys, I've done a lot of searching in this forum and found a lot of conflicting answers, so decided to start a fresh thread. I've been on 4.2.2/MF3 for a while now running Safetrap. I'm looking to take the OTA from AT&T and upgrade to 4.3.
I havent seen any root methods for 4.3 yet, but the question is, can I upgrade to 4.3 and retain root if I am running the latest version of SuperSU Pro with survival mode enabled?
A custom recovery with the option for installing ROMs is not needed, especially since I havent been able to do that since I updated to MF3. All I need is to keep root under 4.3 and I'll be more than happy, thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is my exact question. I just need some concrete answer as to yes or no... but as you said way too many conflicting answers!

YES.
I used "Survival mode" and it worked for me.
ROOTED ATT MK2 using Tapatalk

Hi so there is a way to update stock to 4.3 and continue using safestrap to run 4.2.2 roms????I would doubt that with what Ive read so far.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

jball said:
YES.
I used "Survival mode" and it worked for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too can confirm this works using Survival Mode from SuperSU Pro (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.supersu.pro&hl=en).
Now, that being said, being a very big noob myself (switching over from heavily tweaked jailbroken iPhone 5), I did this, all was well, I thought I had some issues with some apps and thought 'hmm... maybe I'll just downgrade to MF3 and see if the problem is fixed'. Yeah, attempting to do that with Odin has left me soft-bricked, but for all intents and purposes (that I can tell) it's actually hard-bricked 'cause Kies did nothing, Odin does nothing, if I understand things correctly the only thing that could possibly help is if we had the MD5's available to us for MK2, which, my searching is coming up empty. So, point is according to what I can tell, if you go MK2, there is NO going back to 4.2.2, so use caution.
So just an important safety tip there (unless someone wants to correct my noobness).

Yes. I can confirm that enabling "survival mode" in SuperSU and updating will keep your root; i did this on my pphone coming from MF3.
However, with that being said, i quickly unrooted from there because i had issues with MMS/messaging and phone calls not being recieved, and i did not want to reset my phone. If you run into similar issues as i am not the only one reporting those issues you can so a reset on your data (your root will not be affected, you will be rooted after the reset) or an unroot will work.
happy updating

kevinco1 said:
Hey guys, I've done a lot of searching in this forum and found a lot of conflicting answers, so decided to start a fresh thread. I've been on 4.2.2/MF3 for a while now running Safetrap. I'm looking to take the OTA from AT&T and upgrade to 4.3.
I havent seen any root methods for 4.3 yet, but the question is, can I upgrade to 4.3 and retain root if I am running the latest version of SuperSU Pro with survival mode enabled?
A custom recovery with the option for installing ROMs is not needed, especially since I havent been able to do that since I updated to MF3. All I need is to keep root under 4.3 and I'll be more than happy, thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First with Safestrap you CAN flash Roms. It is just limited to about 10 or so Roms that will work as they need to be 4.2.2 based.
Now with that said for those that ONLY want root on MK2 then someone in the Verizon thread has a WORKING ROOT available for MK2 4.3 firmware here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2565758 and it DOESN'T come with the maliscious code that Kango and VRoot does. This DOES NOT give you recovery but it does give root. So thank the OP in that thread for helping out the community. I did and I HOPE I will never need to use it!!!
Good luck and Happy Rooting...
Sent From My Spiderman,Ironman,Red,Dark Blue,Green, GreyedOut BadAss Themed I337

[Q] SuperSU OTA or Flash rom?

Howdy
I've followed the instructions on rooting my Nexus 4 along with all subsequent updates from nexus4root.com
However, that site has been inactive since 26Nov, 2013.
So I'm running a rooted stock 4.4 KRT16S and have got the 4.4.2 OTA update sitting on my phone waiting to get installed.
Please help me with advice on one of these two options:
1] A link to a file and instructions where I can update from 4.4 rooted to 4.4.2 rooted.
or
2] Will enabling OTA survival on my SuperSU v1.86 and then tapping on the OTA 4.4.2 on my device work?
Much thanks in advance
Cal.

Clockworkmod recovery 6.0.4.3 is onboard

calvinv said:
Howdy
I've followed the instructions on rooting my Nexus 4 along with all subsequent updates from nexus4root.com
However, that site has been inactive since 26Nov, 2013.
So I'm running a rooted stock 4.4 KRT16S and have got the 4.4.2 OTA update sitting on my phone waiting to get installed.
Please help me with advice on one of these two options:
1] A link to a file and instructions where I can update from 4.4 rooted to 4.4.2 rooted.
or
2] Will enabling OTA survival on my SuperSU v1.86 and then tapping on the OTA 4.4.2 on my device work?
Much thanks in advance
Cal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Downloaded the factory image of 4.4.2 and flash. Since you are rooted do a nandroid backup, a Titanium Backup, and backup your sdcard because all of it will be wiped. This is if you are determined to have the stock 4.4.2 this is the only thing I can think of to get there.
You can also try a custom rom as well.
Sent from my Nexus 7 2013 using Tapatalk

Thank you Berry.
Wouldn't that cause me to lose root?

Supersu paid version is the only one that has survival mode(or originally was) and that's not guaranteed.
Definitely won't survive a factory image flash.
I know it works OTA from 4.3 to 4.4 but haven't tried 4.4,1 to 4.4.2. Should work and if it doesn't it is easy enough to re root.
Any problems feel free to ask.
Phone : Nexus 4 /Rom : cataclysm / Kernel : Stock.

calvinv said:
Thank you Berry.
Wouldn't that cause me to lose root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it would. Do this (only) if you are determined to run stock 4.4.2.
Sorry for the delay, if you don't quote, I won't get a notification.
Sent from my Nexus 7 2013 using Tapatalk

calvinv said:
Thank you Berry.
Wouldn't that cause me to lose root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll lose it but then just flash back supersu zip file and you're back rocking a rooted nexus. And btw, you don't need to flash factory image for 4.4.2. Just go to general section and look for a thread name OTA Helpdesk (use search option mate ) and flash/sideload the OTA file in recovery (preferably stock recovery or you can use twrp but cwm is a no go for OTA). Then flash back supersu. This is the easiest way and you still keep all your apps/data intact.

Berrydroidcafe said:
Sorry for the delay, if you don't quote, I won't get a notification.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My bad, though I learnt something new there
Another of your comments made me decide to take the alternative ROM plunge.
So (deep breath) I've just flashed Paranoid Android's most recent rom
Loving the multi tiles within quick settings feature.
For the first half hour I kept trying to figure out where PA's setting are. After quite a bit of searching online, I found out that since it's being newly developed on KitKat, there are no PA settings at this point. Hope I've got that right?
Much thanks
Cal.

arffrhn said:
Just go to general section and look for a thread name OTA Helpdesk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was the perfect thread which answered my original query. Thank you and Bladebuddy

Help sought: Screwed up my S4 and seeking a fix

Note: Relevant device info will be provided below.
Dear techwizards,
I've been trying to root my phone for a while, I've done it before: both my S II and S III were international variants, and rooting those devices was very simple. But after getting an S IV from America and consensually downloading a samsung issued update -- I had yet to read up on the disadvantages of knox -- my rooting and android experience took a turn for the worse.
Long story short -- I know developers are a proud bunch who value their time -- I tried rooting my phone yesterday after almost smashing my phone on a coffee table. They say it's a well known side effect of Touchwiz, but I'll leave that to you.
I used a towelroot.com root -- a wonderful tool, if I may say so. After that, I visited the CM website and picked out the compatible CM11. I never got to flashing it though, as my problems arose while installing a recovery.
I had downloaded an app, a something recovery or another. They had an option to flash recoveries on there--it would download your recovery for you and do all the work, which seemed plausible as most video tutorials demonstrated. To my astonishment, doing so bricked my phone.
I tracked back, looked for the samsung stock rom, downloaded all 2.2 gb's of it and flashed it. It worked. My phone was functional but I suspect something within it stinks. My device, apparently for security reasons, wont let my wifi or 4g to establish a connection. It's making it impossible for me to fix this problem as I can't root my device or flash a custom rom.
About Device:
Pre problem I was running a:
SGH-I337UCUFNC1 baseband. Build Number ending with: NC1.
Android version: 4.2.2
Post problem:
Baseband: I337UCUFNC1
Build Number: JSS15J.I337UCUEMK2
Android version 4.3.
If I could find my original stock 4.2.2 NC1 version and get simple instructions on how to re-install it back to stock version, I'd be very grateful.
If you know how I could fix the internet issue on the MK2 one, and provide some simple instructions of how to root it, I'd be grateful too.
If you think neither would work, and have something else in mind, Im open to your suggestions.
Much Regards,
Y

You can only use safestrap for the recovery. See in the general forum index, all things at&t....
You can't flash cm, only touch wiz based roms
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app

jd1639 said:
You can only use safestrap for the recovery. See in the general forum index, all things at&t....
You can't flash cm, only touch wiz based roms
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never got to installing or attempting to install CM.
Things took a turn for the unexpected after I tried installing CMW recovery.
Please reread my post

I've read it. You can't install cwm. That's what had messed up your device. The only recovery you can use is safestrap
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I957 using XDA Free mobile app

jd1639 said:
I've read it. You can't install cwm. That's what had messed up your device. The only recovery you can use is safestrap
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I957 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Thanks for the info. Do you know what could be done to restore my device to stock? As of now I'm running a MK2 Android 4.3 on a NC1 4.2.2 device and the wifi/4g connection aren't working.

androidshmandroid said:
I see. Thanks for the info. Do you know what could be done to restore my device to stock? As of now I'm running a MK2 Android 4.3 on a NC1 4.2.2 device and the wifi/4g connection aren't working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you look for the thread I pointed you to? In the general forum index, all things at&t... You're going to want to start there. That'll link you to this
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=49687770
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I957 using XDA Free mobile app

Since your bootloader is already locked, you might as well Odin to stock. Odin to NB1 then use stock recovery to flash the NC1 update from a zip file on a microSD.
Part of the problem is that the NC1 is not 4.2.2 like you listed, but 4.4.2. That's the update you applied that started the sordid tale. When you were on 4.2.2, with bootloader MD<something>, you could have flashed CM or whatever, because you would be able to have TWRP or CWM recovery. When Samsung pushed out a 4.3 update (MK2 I believe) all the unlocked bootloader fun was over, probably permanently for this phone.
When you flashed MK2 firmware (4.3) onto the phone, parts of it don't work with the NC1 baseband, causing the problems you've seen. If you Odin NB1, then do the quick zip update from stock recovery to get all the way to NC1, you'll be back to stock and everything should work.
Once that's done, you can go through this process:
1. Root with Towelroot.
2. Install SuperSU to manage root access. (You might have to reboot, it's a 50%/50% shot... sometimes it hangs trying to disable Knox... no worries just reboot)
3. Install SafeStrap... it will create the safestrap recovery. You might need to install SELinux Mode Changer app (from play store) and set to permissive, to get Safestrap installed.
4. Boot to the SafeStrap recovery. Install any touchwiz rom. Only touchwiz compatible roms will work. I liked GoldenEye.
When installing touchwiz ROMs, typically one flashes the ROM, then SuperSU, then the NC1 modules, then the ATT BuildProp/APN file. Sounds complex but goes quickly. Some roms have some of these things built in.
Good luck! I eventually decided I didn't like the ATT Samsung restrictions of the locked boot loader, and bought a T-Mobile M919 variant of the S4. Unlocked boot loader. Woo hoo. And works fine on ATT.
Marc