Database Users

Important/Urgent: Who has a STOCK Verizon tab 7.7 (SCH-i815)

I need help! I need a stock, unmodified recovery partition image.
Anyone here with a vzw tab who DOES NOT yet have CWM installed?.
PLEASE contact me.
Thanks!

electron73 said:
I need help! I need a stock, unmodified recovery partition image.
Anyone here with a vzw tab who DOES NOT yet have CWM installed?.
PLEASE contact me.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have one that hasn't been moded but have no idea how to get you what you want. PM me if you know how to download and send to you and I'll do my best to help.

I'll check my laptop at home tonight. I believe I kept my heimdall backup before flashing cwm
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2
Just checked, mightve deleted it. Sorry man

aximtreo said:
I have one that hasn't been moded but have no idea how to get you what you want. PM me if you know how to download and send to you and I'll do my best to help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh that would be awesome! Are you rooted? Let me find the commands in the meantime, I read somewhere it's a simple one command in terminal to extract the recovery partition into a file on sd card...

WHAT AN ORDEAL !!!!
But in the end: SUCCESS!
I managed to get my tab updated with the Verizon OTA update.
The problem is definitely CWM !!! A rude awakening is in store for everyone with the P6800 CWM installed, because it a) fails to verify the checksum of OTA files correctly on the i815, b) it thinks the tablet is a P6800, so the OTA file fails to run if it assert checks for "SCH-i815" hardware AND lastly c) modem updates don't work because the device /dev/cdma_update doesn't exist, so the modem.bin firmware_update call fails !!!
In short, I had to fumble the OTA file apart and do the update manually in two runs:
First file, kick the checksum, hardware check and modem update out, then manually run the ZIP through CWM. The zip subsequently (LUCKILY) updated the stock recovery and overwrote CWM with a new fresh stock recovery.
Second file had everything kicked out BUT the modem udpate and LTE patch, so with the STOCK recovery this file ran through just fine, updated the modem and then applied the LTE delta patch.
Phew!!!
Of course I had to manually restore root after the update, had backed up with voodoo, auto restore failed, so terminal and hacking it was...
Now I have the tab running on clean stock FD01, baseband and LTE FD01, rooted and stock recovery.
No more CWM, no more "hacking" with the ROM until some dev finally releases a "correct" CWM and at least ANY factory ODIN image is available to bring the tab back to stock if needed!!!
Kinda sick of the non-support for this tab. So much going on for the Galaxy Note and pretty much every other device. I'm starting to regret having bought this "special" Verizon version

Awesome find and great to know for whenever ics does come out. Could you please post the recovery img you got?
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

OK after getting so many responses I decided to just post everything here in hopes that it will help others, too:
All files are here:
http://www.mywo.org:88/XDA/sch-i815/index.php
Step by step procedure to update the Verizon Tab from ..FA02 to ..FD01 build IF YOU ARE stuck with CWM installed on your tab and the original OTA fails with errors:
Upload the SCH-I815_FA02c_To_FD01.1.zip to the INTERNAL(!) SD card. This is important because CWM contains a bug that will only allow you to install from ZIPs stored on the INTERNAL SD storage.
Upload the SCH-I815_FA02c_To_FD01.2.zip to the EXTERNAL(!) (micro SD) card. This is important, because after the factory recovery is restored, it will correctly (and only) look for ZIPs on the EXTERNAL card.
Best way just copy both files to both locations
Fire up CWM and do "install from ZIP" and select SCH-I815_FA02c_To_FD01.1.zip
It should run (takes a while) and eventually tell you all is done. BOOT the tab. It should boot fine but in system it will show the new Android build FD01 but the baseband (radio) will still be the "old" one.
Now press and hold power and vol up again until you see the default Samsung recovery menu. Choose install from ZIP and select SCH-I815_FA02c_To_FD01.2.zip. This will now upgrade the baseband only. When done, reboot and enjoy being back on the "factory upgrade path" with the tab.
I hope someone more savvy than me can "fix" CWM to work properly with VZW tabs (accept the checksum, not fail the check for "SCH-i815" and provide the correct /dev file links for radio upgrades). Until then, I recommend just leaving the tab as-is and not tinkering with the ROM. Not that there is any custom ROM available anyway :-(
I also pulled the NEW factory recovery image FD01_recovery.img with the following command:
dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p6 of=/sdcard/FD01_recovery.img bs=4096
So in case anyone with a botched recovery wants to restore factory (Samsung 3e) recovery. This was actually the reason I had to go through all this... There is NO factory recovery image ANYWHERE to be found. I can't believe that I should be the first one ever to post one?? Anyway, hope it will help
I'm still quite new here, so I do really appreciate every click on that "thanks" button
P.S. for tinkerers and devs I also uploaded the original, untouched OTA file (0559c0e4e08e.update_SCH-I815_FA02c_To_FD01.bin) as it came from Samsung or Verizon or whatever and ended up in the /cache partition.

THANK YOU!
Electron,
You sir, are a BOSS! Thank you so very much for doing the work, and sharing it. You just made things one hell of a lot easier on me, and anyone else that follows.
Regards,
-Rob

Also want to say thanks. You rock, dude. I wouldn't have known how to revert **** on my own.
Also, I feel like we need a sticky or something for sch-i815 owners to go to for device specific stuffs, especially since there is little knowledge/info out for this device.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

hmm i only ever installed ROM manager ... but i did root it ... problem is ... now i don't have a CWM recovery to flash the file ... any ideas?

phigmeta said:
hmm i only ever installed ROM manager ... but i did root it ... problem is ... now i don't have a CWM recovery to flash the file ... any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're in luck! You don't need to go through the whole ordeal because you do NOT have CWM! You can just update the regular intended way. Go into settings, about phone and then click check for system updates. If it presents you the OTA update, just do it the regular way.
My complicated "hack" is only necessary if you DO HAVE CWM installed.

Im sorry I did not explain well what my issue is.
I do not have CWM installed, however i did delete a few appilcations using titanium backup. This causes updates to not take. I would really like to just take it back to factory and start over (this time with less stupidity on my part)
I of course would assume that once its at factory i can then install updates again.
Right now when i try i get the "!" droid sign and a reboot

phigmeta said:
Im sorry I did not explain well what my issue is.
I do not have CWM installed, however i did delete a few appilcations using titanium backup. This causes updates to not take. I would really like to just take it back to factory and start over (this time with less stupidity on my part)
I of course would assume that once its at factory i can then install updates again.
Right now when i try i get the "!" droid sign and a reboot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey
OK unless someone can tell us how to "make" an ODIN flashable ROM for you, here is what I would do (and please don't get scared because it sounds a bit convoluted).
First, you need to be rooted. This is obviously the case.
IMPORTANT since you don't have CWM installed yet, SAVE your factory restore.img before proceeding, this saves you a lot of hassle later!
Open the android terminal, type su (accept the prompt) and then type (or copy/paste)
dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p6 of=/mnt/sdcard/factory_recovery.img bs=4096
Check that you have a "factory_recovery.img" file on your sd card now it should be about 8M big.
Now you're safe to install CWM from the forum, look for the other thread(s) where this is being discussed and follow the instructions for the P6800 "international" version with 3G. CWM Thread here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1613638&highlight=cwm&page=3
Then (thanks to nicduim!) there is a full factory (rooted) CWM image floating around on the forums here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1613638&page=6
Which I used to restore my tab to "almost factory" with the missing bloat apps back in place.
I have a copy on my server here: http://ww.mywo.org:88/XDA/sch-i815/ it's the "2012-05-06.22.48.58.ZIP"
unzip that and put the contents on your INTERNAL SD card in the folder clockwordmod. So on your internal SD you should have /clockworkmod/2012-05-06.22.48.58 and inside there the files boot.img, recovery.img etc.
Use CWM recovery to restore this backup. If you never used CWM before. Press power button and volume up and hold both until you see the menu screen with text. You can go up/down with the volume buttons (go slow, it's very laggy) and with the power button you "select" an option. Select the "restore from backup" option and point it to the only folder being offered, the 2012-05-06.22.48.58.
The restore takes a while, then reboot the tab. Now you're back to stock! Last thing you need to do is get rid of CWM again because in the end it's still a bit buggy and will prevent the OTA update from running properly.
Since you luckily have a backup of the factory recovery in form of that factory_recovery.img file, just install and open terminal again, type su and then type (or copy)
dd if=/mnt/sdcard/factory_recovery.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p6 bs=4096
This overwrites CWM with your original Samsung Android recovery.
Now you just reboot as usual, connect to the internet and wait until the popup message shows up that a system update is ready, accept it and enjoy
If you don't want to wait for the automatic OTA, you can also stop before killing CWM and use my convoluted 2-step manual update which will get you to the exact same condition as the official OTA.
Hope all this makes sense

I was already on stock FD01 when I tried installing CWM for the P6800 that's floating around here somewhere. Odin said it was a success, but it looks like it didn't take. I've done it a few times, but still ended up w/ the stock recovery. However, after reading through your thread, I do not see a /dev/cdma_update in my I815 either. Is it possible that my attempt to install CWM (although unsuccessful) wiped out this file, among others?
Right now, I'm still at stock FD01 (rooted) and everything seems to be working. When I tried doing an OTA update, it just tells me that I have the latest update and no newer update is available.
One other thing, if I have to, I only have the stock recovery right now since CWM didn't take, can I simply flash both zip's using the Samsung stock recovery to put everything back in stock?
SCH-I815_FA02c_To_FD01.1.zip
SCH-I815_FA02c_To_FD01.2.zip

AlpineMan said:
I was already on stock FD01 when I tried installing CWM for the P6800 that's floating around here somewhere. Odin said it was a success, but it looks like it didn't take. I've done it a few times, but still ended up w/ the stock recovery. However, after reading through your thread, I do not see a /dev/cdma_update in my I815 either. Is it possible that my attempt to install CWM (although unsuccessful) wiped out this file, among others?
Right now, I'm still at stock FD01 (rooted) and everything seems to be working. When I tried doing an OTA update, it just tells me that I have the latest update and no newer update is available.
One other thing, if I have to, I only have the stock recovery right now since CWM didn't take, can I simply flash both zip's using the Samsung stock recovery to put everything back in stock?
SCH-I815_FA02c_To_FD01.1.zip
SCH-I815_FA02c_To_FD01.2.zip
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh wait, so you are saying that in "About device" your Android is 3.2
Baseband i815.04 V.FD01 I815FD01
and your Build number is already at HTJ85B.I815FD01.SCH-I815.I815FD01 ?
That would mean you are already updated. In this case, it should be pretty easy to fix your problem. Which apps did you delete with Titanium? I can back them up from my system and make them available for you. All you'd need to do is drop the backup files into your Titanium backups folder and then fire up titanium and restore them!
The /dev/cdma_update node is only required WITHIN CWM recovery, so that is nothing for you to worry about. The zip files above won't help you because they are incremental updates requiring your system to be at FA02, not FD01 !

Yes... I'm already in the latest update. I already backed up the bloatware using Titanium Backup before uninstalling. So I just need to restore them back in order to receive and apply OTA updates in the future?
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Xparent ICS Blue Tapatalk 2

Please Help
Hi. I'm rooted and removed all sorts of bloatware with Titanium. I did this a long time ago and did not back anything up because I'm used to running hardware with custom ROMs available, and not relying on OTA updates.
Since there aren't any custom ROMs for the i815, I'd like to get ready for the upcoming ICS update. To do so, I want to get FD01 loaded onto my device, but I can't update because I've apparently removed too much of the required bloatware.
Does anyone know WHAT pieces of bloatware I'd need to reinstall in order for the OTA update to apply? I'd assume I can restore them and then apply the update and re-root.
If anyone can help pinpoint what missing APKs might help, I'll give them a shot. And, to the extent I figure anything out, I'll repost here in the hopes that it helps someone else.

electron,
Your instructions worked ... thank you so much

@jkrell... the failed attempt at installing the update should return an error message(s). You just have to read through them until you find the culprit(s). Apparently I uninstalled a few odexed files that were needed. I couldn't update until i hunted them down and restored them.
I guess we all jumped at the opportunity to install the cwm recovery image, that we didn't even think about cmda updates....ooops. So far i had to do a complete factory restore after the update. I was getting soft bricked to the point where I had no choice. Good thing I sent all titanium backups to actual sd card, i was able to salvage 97% f my data..... with the exception of a few downloads i forgot to move.
Gamecih doesn't work anymore (either version). No more automative data hacks I'm not sure what's going on. I uninstalled adfree..used titanium backup to uninstall both versions and reinstalled both several times. Oh well.
It really sucks not having nandroid backups but it's not worth the trouble of having to do this everytime an OTA modem update gets pushed to my tab. Needless to say, I won't be odining the cwm based recovery image again.
I'm with the O.P. I wish i hadn't wasted my money on this tab. No true cwm for this tab, so no dev will ever waste thier time with this tab. The sch i815 will soon be forgotten about and some other tablet will be all the hype before summer ends....that's just how it is. 21 months left on my contract.... [email protected]#k my life. Lol

Thanks Smitty.
When I try to update, I just see the "!" logo and then the device reboots. Is there a log file somewhere I can look at to see what the errors are?
I hear ya on the gloom and doom, but this device has only been out for just over 3 months now. I'd expect a recovery and some custom ROMs to come eventually. I doubt I'll go the custom ROM route unless CyanogenMod is supported, because I have no complaints about the tablet's performance thus far. It's speedy, smooth and the battery lasts forever.
In my book, this is a great tablet and I'm satisfied with the purchase.

[Q] Can't update after deleting stock apps

I've been trying to update from 4.1.2 to 4.2.2, but I deleted some stock apps and now the update is failing. I've tried flashing it manually and OTA, and various other things, but nothing has helped so far. Has anyone else had this problem?

The OTAs are for use with [size=+2]unmodified[/size] factory ROMs.

bftb0 said:
The OTAs are for use with [size=+2]unmodified[/size] factory ROMs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I figured that out when I tried to update. I can't flash it either, so your post doesn't really help.

wipeout4wh said:
I figured that out when I tried to update. I can't flash it either, so your post doesn't really help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My post tells you that you have the wrong expectation about what OTAs are capable of... and that you are probably the 200'th dude to come in here and say
"Wahhh! The OTA doesn't work on my heavily modified stock ROM!".
If you want it to work without exerting any mental effort, return the /system, boot, and recovery partitions back to 100% pure stock corresponding to whatever release your original ROM was based upon, and run the update. Then re-flash your recovery and re-perform all your /system mods, starting with a flash of the same root kit you started with.
Note that the the update you are contemplating also includes a bootloader update - performed the safest way possible (signature checking performed by the existing boot loader). Doing it the manual way (via fastboot) is quite dangerous, even for experts. If you have a 3g version there is also a radio update which also should not be attempted in any other way than via a pure stock OTA install including use of a stock recovery.
Make a full Nandroid backup before you begin anything - and get a copy of that backup off of the tablet as well as a failsafe measure. If you screw things up moving forward, at least you will be able to start over from where you are right now.
If you have been operating using best practices, you should already have a nandroid backup of the pure-stock /system & boot images. TWRP allows you selectively restore individual partitions. Few users seem to know how to actually make a backup of stock recovery partitions, but you can get that out of oldblue910's archive site - find the link in the OTA thread.
good luck

wipeout4wh said:
I figured that out when I tried to update. I can't flash it either, so your post doesn't really help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He's telling you the plain and simple truth. Want the OTA- as it stands, you're out of luck. Either return to stock and then flash the OTA, or flash the 4.2.2 factory image. That's it. Nothing more. That anyone even bothered to answer this uselessly redundant thread is a miracle in and of itself.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

[Q] Have MDL, have root, have zero idea how to get 4.3

Hello all,
I have had my S4 for awhile now and need some help. When I first received it, I did some reading, rooted, did something that removed a triangle or a padlock, can't remember which one and made sure the AT&T software update was unable to run. At the time, custom recovery wasn't possible so I stopped there. So here I am now, rooted with MDL and I have no idea where to go from here to get the latest 4.3, although apparently I have the holy grail of firmware.
I've read as much as I possibly can, subscribed to the forums, GOOGLED, SEARCHED, RTFM and waited for someone else to come along and ask the very same question. Some did but those threads never really gave me the info I need to SAFELY flash my phone up to 4.3. So what do I do? All I need is some guidance, I follow directions well. Teach me! Please and Thank You
Doug

DO NOT UPDATE YOUR FIRMWARE IF YOU STILL HAVE MDL. ....U JUST NEED INSTALL CWM RECOVERY OR TWRP RECOVERY. .... AND THEN INSTALL CUSTOM 4.3 ROM. .... EVEN 4.4 KITKAT ROM. ..... BUT IF U DO UPDATE TO NEWEST MK2 FIRMWARE THEN U WOULD LOSE THE PRIVILEGE OF MDL..... WHICH IS RARE. ..... GOODLUCK
Swyped from MK2 Deadly Venom SS

Right! One of the things I have learned is that I want to keep the MDL baseband. What I really want are all the improvements that 4.3 or 4.4 offer. Also, I'm hoping my Pebble and my S4 play better together than they do now.
Do I just pick a recovery? Are they the same? Guess I need to read some more.
Sent from somewhere...

DRRies said:
Right! One of the things I have learned is that I want to keep the MDL baseband. What I really want are all the improvements that 4.3 or 4.4 offer. Also, I'm hoping my Pebble and my S4 play better together than they do now.
Do I just pick a recovery? Are they the same? Guess I need to read some more.
Sent from somewhere...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This one click tool is pretty awesome. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2297033... .. Super easy as 1.2.3.... and have everything u need. ......root....CWM or TWRP recovery and even flash to stock via Odin. ... Hope this work for u and hit THANK button If someone helped you. ...
Swyped from MK2 Deadly Venom SS

DRRies said:
Hello all,
I have had my S4 for awhile now and need some help. When I first received it, I did some reading, rooted, did something that removed a triangle or a padlock, can't remember which one and made sure the AT&T software update was unable to run. At the time, custom recovery wasn't possible so I stopped there. So here I am now, rooted with MDL and I have no idea where to go from here to get the latest 4.3, although apparently I have the holy grail of firmware.
I've read as much as I possibly can, subscribed to the forums, GOOGLED, SEARCHED, RTFM and waited for someone else to come along and ask the very same question. Some did but those threads never really gave me the info I need to SAFELY flash my phone up to 4.3. So what do I do? All I need is some guidance, I follow directions well. Teach me! Please and Thank You
Doug
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As ted said, upgrading is bad. You can change modems and such to the MK2 baseband, it's the bootloader that's the issue. As long as you don't try to take any OTA's and don't ODIN any newer version you'll be fine. If you want to run the official AT&T 4.3, your closest bet is StockUp MK2 and the rebloat addon. Otherwise, you can choose either CWM or TWRP and flash away as long as you remember to use the loki patch for things that aren't patched already.

I've read the info at the link you provided before and wondered if I'm already rooted, what would happen? Is that safe to use if currently rooted?
Also, since I'm currently on MDL, would a factory reset return me to a fresh MDL or would it force me to update to current software?

Start here. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=42320391

Ok so I strated with the thread posted. I now have TWRP installed, nandroid backed up and all sorts of zips on my ext card. Also made Kies backups. My first ROM flash, Stockup_MK2 went fine until reboot and I had no mobile data or cell signal. What did i do wrong? I immediately did a restore from the nandroid backup to return to where was before.

DRRies said:
Ok so I strated with the thread posted. I now have TWRP installed, nandroid backed up and all sorts of zips on my ext card. Also made Kies backups. My first ROM flash, Stockup_MK2 went fine until reboot and I had no mobile data or cell signal. What did i do wrong? I immediately did a restore from the nandroid backup to return to where was before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you wipe before installing the rom? Just use the slider toggle in wipe. If so, check that the apn is setup correctly.

DRRies said:
Ok so I strated with the thread posted. I now have TWRP installed, nandroid backed up and all sorts of zips on my ext card. Also made Kies backups. My first ROM flash, Stockup_MK2 went fine until reboot and I had no mobile data or cell signal. What did i do wrong? I immediately did a restore from the nandroid backup to return to where was before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In stead of a stcok MK2 rom might I suggest a fairly stock but cleaned up rom like MDOB or any other close to stock rom's
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2280556
Not advocating any one person but he does good stuff and it based on the actual AT&T update to 4.3.. Make sure you do as the guy above me stated and do the simple swipe to wipe in TWRP

NB4 Safestrap Restore and System Dump

NB4 Safestrap Restore: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2CETO5oJqxFVENCOGZqZWZPQjg/edit?usp=sharing
NB4 System Dump: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2CETO5oJqxFYThxc096ZG9BUVU/edit?usp=sharing
Similar to what megalomanic14 posted for MJ5, these are backup and restore files for stock NB4 with nothing removed. This is mainly for people who already updated to NB4 but altered their system, removed stuff, etc., and just want to get their system back to a basically stock setup. The Safestrap restore can be extracted and placed in the same folder where your other backups are stored(TWRP/BACKUPS/*device serial number*), and then restored in recovery. The system dump is for anyone who wants to poke thru the system without actually installing it, or for those who deleted stuff from their system but didn't back it up.
I was helping someone on NB4 who had messed up their system, so i figured I'd post this here for anyone else who might need it. Plus it can be handy to have.
Note: the backup contains root, which can of course be removed thru SuperSu. And i can't remember but the system dump might have xposed framework installed into as well lol. enjoy..

So with the stock_nb4_safestrap.zip, how would I go about recovering from these images? My phone is currently sitting at the boot screen, showing an unlock.
Thanks!
- derek

[derek] said:
So with the stock_nb4_safestrap.zip, how would I go about recovering from these images? My phone is currently sitting at the boot screen, showing an unlock.
Thanks!
- derek
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you have Safestrap recovery installed and can put the extraced folder into the TWRP backup directory on your storage, you can restore the system at least. unfortunately this isn't a full firmware restore for real emergencies or anything..

For anyone wondering if they can use this to do the upgrade if the OTA fails, the answer is "sort of". In my case at least the baseband and build numbers differ, not sure what else if any is/isn't updated

neoman4426 said:
For anyone wondering if they can use this to do the upgrade if the OTA fails, the answer is "sort of". In my case at least the baseband and build numbers differ, not sure what else if any is/isn't updated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah this will only give you the system portion of the update.... Not the baseband, kernel, or anything else. It's mainly for anyone who already updated to NB4 who wants to restore a stock setup after they altered their system, removed stuff etc. Perhaps I'll mention that more clearly above. But I guess it is a way to update just the system

neoman4426 said:
For anyone wondering if they can use this to do the upgrade if the OTA fails, the answer is "sort of". In my case at least the baseband and build numbers differ, not sure what else if any is/isn't updated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have you tried this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2559715, or this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2619005 to get the update to work?

YrrchSebor said:
have you tried this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2559715, or this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2619005 to get the update to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried the SafeStrap restore, didn't help. haven't tried the full restore yet, requires Odin as far as I can tell and I haven't been assed to reboot into Windows to use it

neoman4426 said:
Tried the SafeStrap restore, didn't help. haven't tried the full restore yet, requires Odin as far as I can tell and I haven't been assed to reboot into Windows to use it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just letting you know, someone I know was getting stuck at 25% when updating. They used the Odin/Heimdall MJ5 restore and then the update went thru fine

YrrchSebor said:
Just letting you know, someone I know was getting stuck at 25% when updating. They used the Odin/Heimdall MJ5 restore and then the update went thru fine
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Finally got around to doing the full restore, it did indeed work for me as well. Figured it would, had all the files downloaded but didn't care enough to reboot into Windows until today

ATT I-337 running GoldenEye and having major issues.

My Prior thread: https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/help/n00b-sgh-i337-running-original-kernel-4-t3850783
I obtained a stock MDL i337 S4 running 4.2.2 and following the instructions in the prior thread I rooted with TowelRoot and updated to Lollipop 5.0.1/ GoldenEye and I've had nothing but problems ever since, so much so that the phone has almost gotten me lost in Oakland and has made me late for work twice!
The phone freezes, sometimes randomly reboots, shuts down applications without reason or warning (LIKE MY ALARM CLOCK!!!), apps can freeze while in use (like Google Maps at a critical time!), it eats power like me at a Chinese buffet and runs hot sometimes, apps are slow to load or won't load (sucks when a call comes in. By the time I am able to answer it, the caller has hung up!), app updates hang, and more. I suspect that part of the issue is that the instructions I got for rooting it and installing a custom ROM were a bit different than those of the GoldenEYe dev (who abandoned his project years ago and no longer answers questions) but I'm not sure.
The first time I did the upgrade, it froze at the Samsung screen for almost 30 min and I had to start over. Then when it was complete the phone was almost unusable. I read that there were issues with SuperSU so I started uninstalling some of the dev apps (I really don't know what the hell I'm doing but was desperate) and when I disabled SuperSU and did clean up to switch to another superuser app" then thought I uninstalled it and all the problems seemed to go away. A few days later while doing something else in the play store, I find that SuperSU is running even though it no longer shows in my apps! So thinking something nefarious was going on, I uninstalled it via the play store and my phone was back to being hosed again. Ok, yes I'm an idiot and deserved that.
I go back to the beginning and started all over AGAIN, reinstall/upgrade but with a different kernel (thinking maybe that?, I tried leaving my apps and settings but that didn't take. Any clue how many times I've now configured my email and office tools? lol) and ended up with what I have now, ie the issues above. I thought about trying to just somehow go back to stock 4.2.2 then just finding the stock ATT Lollipop firmware and saying to hell with root but those instructions are not clear and most post links to the firmware are now dead (I REALLY don't want to brick my phone. I have no money for another and I need my phone for my job). I'd really like to go above Lollipop if at all possible but would be happy just to have GoldenEye work!
Does anyone have any idea what the heck is going on with my phone and how I fix it? This is a serious problem for me.
SGi337
Android 5.0.1
Baseband I337UCUAMDL
Kernel Ver: 3.4.0-S4-AELKerel-v4.3-LP [email protected] #36 Wed Apr 8 19:56:06 EEST 2015
Build number LRX22C.I9505XXUHOD7
Rom Ver: GOLDENEYE 53 XXUHOD7
Dev iB4STid
SuperSU PseudoPro (had Pro, didn't reinstall it the last time) is installed but disabled
ES Task Manager and ES File Manager
Titanium Backup Pro

And so we meet again! Okay so forget golden eye. What you should do is get ODIN for your PC. Then get the MDL firmware and flash it with ODIN by connect your phone to your PC. You might also need Samsung Kies for your PC for this as it has the drivers for your phone.
Once you're back on Android jelly bean, use towel root to root, install Loki, install clockwork mod or TWRP recovery (for TWRP go here https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2262996 and for clockwork mod just use my guide again).
Then flash this:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/development/rom-100-stock-i337oc3-5-0-mdl-t3098197
This will give you the latest stock Rom for your phone. It's from AT&T but has been modified to work with the MDL bootloader so it doesn't patch the Loki exploit.
Also remember that you need superSU installed or else you won't have any root management for your root apps.

Hi! lol
Any idea why this is happening? I'd really like to go to something like Marshmallow or the like but if stock is it, that will have to do.
I tried finding the MDL firmware but so far all the links are old dead ones. Have you seen anything more current?
StoneyJSG said:
And so we meet again! Okay so forget golden eye. What you should do is get ODIN for your PC. Then get the MDL firmware and flash it with ODIN by connect your phone to your PC. You might also need Samsung Kies for your PC for this as it has the drivers for your phone.
Once you're back on Android jelly bean, use towel root to root, install Loki, install clockwork mod or TWRP recovery (for TWRP go here https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2262996 and for clockwork mod just use my guide again).
Then flash this:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/development/rom-100-stock-i337oc3-5-0-mdl-t3098197
This will give you the latest stock Rom for your phone. It's from AT&T but has been modified to work with the MDL bootloader so it doesn't patch the Loki exploit.
Also remember that you need superSU installed or else you won't have any root management for your root apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I have no idea why golden eye is giving you issues. It works fine for me and you followed my guide just like I did. Anyway, you can goto marshmallow but it'll be AOSP based rather than touchwiz based so the look and feel will be way different than that of golden eye or any other stock Samsung ROM.
You can also just try going into clockwork mod and do a wipe (I forgot the sequence, it's wipe system, data, cache I THINK but it's in my guide on the order of how to do it) for a clean install of a ROM from there. This will eliminate the need for ODIN. You should however, keep ODIN on standby in case anything goes south you can go back to how the phone was when you first got it. I have the ODIN MDL firmware on a USB drive, let me find it over the weekend and upload it to my Google drive and will link you to it.

SilkRoadDog said:
I tried finding the MDL firmware but so far all the links are old dead ones. Have you seen anything more current?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey dude, here's the link to the MDL firmware for ODIN off my Google drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZXv9FAcDbfkbFZzh078SSMZ85jbMVPSx/view?usp=drivesdk

StoneyJSG said:
Hey dude, here's the link to the MDL firmware for ODIN off my Google drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZXv9FAcDbfkbFZzh078SSMZ85jbMVPSx/view?usp=drivesdk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well after putting up with the phone issues for 2 months, I reset everything following your instructions to the best of my abilities (except couldn't get towelroot to load so went with another). Let's see how this works! lol

Your instructions say "SuperSU will kill the evil KNOX for you." What is that and how do I do this?

SilkRoadDog said:
Your instructions say "SuperSU will kill the evil KNOX for you." What is that and how do I do this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once rooted, goto the Google play store and download the SuperSU app, open it and it will ask you some stuff then do the rest. Towel root needs internet access to work. I was starting to have issues with golden eye rom off and on until I flashed the OC3 modem, you may wanna try that after you get back to golden eye.
There's also another ROM on here called i337_OC3_stock_rooted_rom(MDL) , you may want to try it out as it's 100% stock and hasn't been modified like golden eye rom has. I am not sure it works with clock work mod recovery so you might need TWRP recovery for it.