Database Users

Soft-Bricked S4 by Flashing Different Version Rom

Hi everyone,
Before blasting away with comments as to why I would do this, here's my story,
I live in Canada and just brought home a i9508, a China variant of the S4. It belonged to my dad and he didn't want it so I just took it. The i9508 doesn't have Play Store, and it doesn't work on Canadian 3G network.
So to me, the phone is useless right off the start (don't intend on selling it either, who wants it?) So I had 2 options:
1) Leave the phone as it is, and probably use it once every 1-2 years when I visit HK
2) Flash custom roms on it fully aware of the risk it will have so that there's a possibility I can make it more usable
So in the end I went with option 2.
I followed a guide and flashed TWRP for i9505 using Odin onto the phone, and used TWRP to install chainfire SU, and it actually worked (but SU wouldn't open because some sort of security on the phone is blocking it)
Next step, I downloaded the CM version for i9505 and flashed onto the phone, and that worked too. Only problem I've encountered was that the phone would only boot after a fresh install. If I installed CM, turned the phone off after the initial start up, the phone wouldn't boot pass the Samsung logo.
Up until this point, I didn't make a backup, because of my arrogance, cause I have available a copy of the official firmware, in case anything happens.
So I figured at this point, maybe if I restore the original firmware, and try the whole process again, the custom rom would work. So I went into Odin, flash the firmware with PDA, and failed. It just wouldn't work. After retrying it a couple of times, and downloading different updates of the firmware, nothing worked. Only thing working right now is, I can get into Download mode, and I can get into TWRP recovery (but for some reason, I can't flash the zips that I've adb pushed onto the phone, zip can't open)
For me, if it can't be fixed, then it's really SOL. But if there's a way to fix it, I'm open to testing anything people have in mind, cause afterall, this phone is paper weight either way. I'm interested in seeing if I could enable 3G by flashing a i9505 radio, despite warnings, although, I've never actually came across a thread where someone had actually tried it before.
Either way, if someone has any idea on how to fix the phone, and wouldn't mind sharing it, that'll be greatly appreciated.
Working
I can get into Download mode, but Odin is failing (if you need the error please let me know and I'll post it)
I can get into TWRP recovery, but can't flash files
I can get into adb

This isnt the correct forum for your phone. XDA don't follow clones

Unfortunately a section for i9508 doesn't exist, so I figure the closest one would be i9505.
Anyhow, if someone has an idea of how to fix it, I'm more than happy to do testing on it, like flashing other roms or radios.

[Q] Samsung Galaxy S4 REALLY unfixable

Sup guys. I have a problem with my S4. I doubt anyone will be able to help me find a fix but its worth a try. I hope someone will help.
Anyway, I flashed my GT-i9500 (Galaxy S4) from 4.2.2 to 4.3. Now it doesnt boot, It just gets stuck at the 2nd boot screen. Its not even a bootloop. It just hangs there. The S4 sound that plays gets cut like halfway.
I tried flashing a lot of different ROMS, and it still does the same thing. When I rooted it, I noticed the boot welcome sound plays full, but it still hangs after that.
I used Philz Recovery and mounted all the folders etc, but efs says invalid. So that means the EFS folder is messed. I get that, but I cannot repair the EFS if I cant boot the phone, I need the Samsung MTP **** for Samsung Tool to work. I have an N7100 (Note 2) Where I repaired the EFS with Samsung Tool, I was able to boot the phone.
I looked ALL over the net including this forum and found nothing. Right now the phone is just worth nothing. This is my last option, to ask here myself. If it cant be fixed I just cut my losses and get another phone.
I also flashed a PIT file, CSC file, Modem file during the period I was trying to get this fixed. If anybody knows this problem, It'll be very helpful.
Thanks.

you could try upgrading to 4.4, i have all the files for omega v21
heres the link for all the stuff from my google drive.
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B_trhAurRvdmb0RkNGpoTkVNU0k&usp=sharing
instal the bootloader and phone file via odin, bl = bootloader cp = goes into the phone part of odin
then fash the rom via philz recovery, worth a try !!
good luck

That wouldn't work, thats for the Snapdragon variant I think. The i9505. I have the i9500. I'll download the Omega ROM for i9500 and try it anyway.
Thanks.

Still doesnt work.

StickyBomb said:
Still doesnt work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you tried complete of phone, than power and vol up, at the buzz lose vol up and at loge lose power button.
and then flash with odin bl. and modem
etc.

I've flashed with Odin & Recovery.
I flashed another bootloader, XXUEMK8 & Odexed Knox Free Stock ROM XXEUMK8 & it still does the same. I dont know whats wrong with it.
Another thing I forgot to mention is if I root it using Odin, the welcome sound plays full and it hangs, and if I reboot it, the welcome sound goes back to cutting off again.
This phone probably cant be fixed. I dont know wtf's wrong with this phone. This is WORSE than hard bricked.
oh & as I mentioned before, I have a Galaxy Note 2 & had an EFS problem with it. I fixed it, the difference was this Note 2 actually booted properly with any ROM installed. I used a Z3X Box & Samsung Tool to fix up the EFS. Maybe this problem is only with i9500 or with i9500 & newer models.

Eeeer don't mean to point out the obvious here but you did do a factory reset in stock recovery after flashing stock 4.3 in Odin? That's all you needed to do at the start.
When I went from 4.2 to 4.3 I couldn't get it to boot at all unless I performed factory reset after flash.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium HD app

I came from a rooted Samsung org. rom 4.3 to omega v21.1 Android 4.4.2
After this i tried slimkat, and had from first start the same issue, no booting.
Nothing works
only starting with power and vol. up as descried above, I could flash XXUFNA5 bootloader & modems.
After this twrp.
And at last I flashed S4 Google Edition - 4.4.2, a ROM for the Samsung Galaxy S 4

Thanks for the help people.
I gave up on trying. I tried everything even factory reset after flashing, different ROMS, different Android versions. 4.1.2, 4.2.2 & 4.3. Today I ended up selling the phone's LCD. Atleast I didnt everything. lol. Wouldn't be buying another Samsung EVER. I was thinking I need another box and stuff, like NSPRO but I dont have that.

[Q] No Sound and No Phone Calls After Updating Firmware and Rom, what should I do?

I have used custom roms for a while about 4 years on various models, I consider myself to know enough to get the job done and sometimes I know enough to get myself in trouble.
I ungraded my Galaxy S4 Sprint phone firmware to NAE from (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2338919), and then I put the KitKat rom from (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2650706), and when it came up, it did not have Data or Cell connectivity, (Said Unknown in settings screen) it had Wifi, and it had NO SOUND at all. So I moved back and put a 4.3 rom on there, and I got back the Data and Cell connectiviy, but still no SOUND at all, and when I used the Dialer app and dial a number it went to a white screen and then locked up and Force Closed.
Then I tried to go back and put MK2 firmware on from that same post above with same results. I have tried many ROM's of many varieties of Android and NO SOUND at all.
I am using Philz Recovery and doing the Wipe for Clean Install many times and then rebooting back into recovery mode before I install any Rom. I am using Odin 3.07 for the Modem firmware updates and have no indication that they are installing wrong.
I have searched for the solution on these forums and googleing it for the better part of 4 hours (At a late night job). I have not been able to fix it.
Please help. I have wifi, I can text and receive texts. I can not make phone calls or recieve phone calls. I can not play sounds or hear any sounds come from phone. Haptic response happens when it should.
I plan on going and downloading one of the Sprint Stock Roms to take it back to stock through and through to see if that helps and will post it that works, but if there is another solution with detailed steps to take, let me know.

[SOLVED] No SOUND after update.
micah.weihert said:
... I plan on going and downloading one of the Sprint Stock Roms to take it back to stock through and through to see if that helps and will post it that works, but if there is another solution with detailed steps to take, let me know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And that Plan worked. I downloaded the stock MK2 rom from sammobile website, using the free signup and then I used Odin 3.09 putting that rom in the AP spot.
Afterwards, I was Knoxed and Un Rooted, but I had SOUND where as before I did not.
So back to the process of de-knoxing and rooting.
I did find this process on XDA finally. Thanks.

micah.weihert said:
And that Plan worked. I downloaded the stock MK2 rom from sammobile website, using the free signup and then I used Odin 3.09 putting that rom in the AP spot.
Afterwards, I was Knoxed and Un Rooted, but I had SOUND where as before I did not.
So back to the process of de-knoxing and rooting.
I did find this process on XDA finally. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm having thesame issue, flashed NAE modem and every ROM after that has had no sound, constant re-boots, locking up, some ROMS work fine, others are unusable, but they all have the same problem: no sound. I'm goin g to flash back stock like you did, glad i searched before i created a thread just like yours, wish me luck.

[Q] Quick Question If Someone Has a Moment, Please

I just swapped from my Amaze 4g, to a used Note 3, and I'm a little lost as far as where I should start.
It says that it's on 4.4.2, and that I cannot update due to a modified system.
Basically, I would like to get updated to 5.1.1 (or as close as is official for the Note 3), and root it.
I'm afraid I'm not familiar with Samsung devices, and because I purchased this from ebay, I don't know how to tell the exact state that the former user put it in (I expected they would return it to stock prior to selling).
It's currently a T-Mobile branded, SM-N900T, on 4.4.2, build is KOT49H, security software MDF v1.0 release 2. Kernel is 3.4.0-660648.
It is supposedly unlocked for carriers, though I have not attempted a SIM card use yet, until I can tell that what I have is a valid device and the IMEI is checked out.
Any thoughts on how to validate the IMEI, and sort out how to get my new phone up to date would be appreciated. As I stated, I expected the vendor would have returned it to stock, but that is clearly not the case, so I don't want to accidentally boot loop it by doing something I shouldn't. I have not owned a Samsung before, so I want to be careful on how it differs from my Nexus 7, Amaze 4g, and Droid X, as they're all obviously very different in the OS area.
Thank you for the help1

Download tbe stock 4.4.2 rom and use odin to install. Then you will get the OTA updates.
Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

There is no stock 5.1.1 for note 3, only cm12.1/ aosp. Latest is 5.0 and you can use odin to flash. Maybe it's rooted that's why you can't update.

bladebarrier said:
I just swapped from my Amaze 4g, to a used Note 3, and I'm a little lost as far as where I should start.
It says that it's on 4.4.2, and that I cannot update due to a modified system.
Basically, I would like to get updated to 5.1.1 (or as close as is official for the Note 3), and root it.
...
Thank you for the help1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some apps to install from Play Store...
Phone INFO Samsung - this will tell you all about your phone and the firmware etc.
Root Checker Basic - tells you if you are rooted or not.
SuperSU - this is so valuable you should buy the Pro licence. Chainfire does some great work for our phones.
TWRP - I have the zip version on my extSDCard and an Odin version on PC in case I have to rebuild from a Stock firmware. CWN works OK but most ROM builds seem to be for TWRP I think and a backup from one will not work on the other.
I don't know your previous phone so you probably need Odin v3.09 - this sits on PC and lets you flash firmware to the phone. (connected by USB)
For which you need Samsung USB drivers so the PC will recognise the phone. Install on PC before connecting phone.
Then do some browsing and find the processes to root your phone and install the ROM you want. If you just want Stock and access to all your phone, you can root it after flashing the original v5.0 download (from Sammobile or similar site - note on Sammobile you need a free account to DL) and then install Custom recovery (if wanted - it WILL trip the Knox flag but that may not matter given it's 2nd hand and might already be tripped anyway)
Read, make SURE you understand what is being said BEFORE you do anything - ask if you don't.
Good luck...

N9005 Lollipop brick
Hi All, just need a huge help here, a friend of mine has been using a N9005 which was auto restarting, she went online and downloaded this firmware...N900AUCUEOC1_N900AATTEOC1_N900AUCUEOC1_HOME.tar.md5....2.5GB in size...and flashed it, but the phone is stuck in boot loop even after recovery wiping data and cache, the phone can boot into download mode but re flashing the firmware always fails.....is there a solution for this.....please help

Thank you all for the info, especially the detailed info from Journyman16. I checked, and it is flagged as custom, which is fine, so I'm going to go ahead and try to return to mostly stock, update it, and root it.

Ok, everything went well. I had to do two attempts at rooting, but I think it's just one of those things where sometimes it doesn't restart into the process every time.
All seems good. I'm on 5.0, rooted, busyboxed, and smooth sailing.
Thank you all, again, for the tips. The Note 3 is running very well. Thank you to all of the devs that have made this process so refined. I've donated to you before, and did so again today. It's outstanding to have such well versed coders, on XDA, helping out the community.

mjmbirige said:
Hi All, just need a huge help here, a friend of mine has been using a N9005 which was auto restarting, she went online and downloaded this firmware...N900AUCUEOC1_N900AATTEOC1_N900AUCUEOC1_HOME.tar.md5....2.5GB in size...and flashed it, but the phone is stuck in boot loop even after recovery wiping data and cache, the phone can boot into download mode but re flashing the firmware always fails.....is there a solution for this.....please help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have never learned not to ask in others posts? What does your problem has to do with this topic at all?
When you need help. Just click on Q&A then Create a new thread. How hard is it?

Rogers Canada: i9505 "App stopped working" and cellular data not working off and on

Rogers Canada: i9505 "App stopped working" and cellular data not working off and on
Hi, I have the galaxy s4 i9505 from canada on rogers network. The actual model is SGH-i337M though. I have been using cyanogenmod but most recently, the optimized cyanogenmod 5.1.1 from alcurd. And for both OS's I have constant random app crashes from gapps and stock cyanogenmod apps. they randomly crash when i'm in them or they'll crash right away when i try to open one. they don't always crash, but it happens enough to get annoyed from it. Also my data disconnects all the time. it will say I have no service. this happens everynow and then. I've tried installing stock samsung firmware for 5.0.1 then installing cyanogenmod optimized after but it does nothing to fix it. I've even tried installing the new modem after. maybe I didn't find the right one, i'm not sure. Does anyone know what could be causing these issues and help me out with how to fix them or does anyone know a good rom that wont have these issues? I want a cyanogen like rom or pure android. I hate samsungs stuff lol. Thank you so much if you can help :]

OathVyne said:
Hi, I have the galaxy s4 i9505 from canada on rogers network. The actual model is SGH-i337M though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you don't have an I9505.
I don't think there is a separate modem file available for your S4, unless it's in the forum for your device, so you'll likely have to download the complete ROM. The correct ROM for your S4 is here. Make a nandroid backup of your current ROM and make sure it's saved to the MicroSD card. Flash this ROM through Odin, let it boot, and let it take care of its business. Then head back into download mode, flash your custom recovery, reboot into the recovery, and restore your nandroid backup.
I would try and find just the modem and bootloader package for your S4, as none of the modem/bootloader packages here are for your device. If you can find that, then you can avoid having to do all the steps above and simply flash the modem and bootloader via Odin.
With luck, installing the right bootloader and modem will cure many of your issues.

Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
Then you don't have an I9505.
I don't think there is a separate modem file available for your S4, unless it's in the forum for your device, so you'll likely have to download the complete ROM. The correct ROM for your S4 is here. Make a nandroid backup of your current ROM and make sure it's saved to the MicroSD card. Flash this ROM through Odin, let it boot, and let it take care of its business. Then head back into download mode, flash your custom recovery, reboot into the recovery, and restore your nandroid backup.
I would try and find just the modem and bootloader package for your S4, as none of the modem/bootloader packages here are for your device. If you can find that, then you can avoid having to do all the steps above and simply flash the modem and bootloader via Odin.
With luck, installing the right bootloader and modem will cure many of your issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would it be this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/sgh-i337m-canadian-stock-official-t3082758 ?
It only has modem file, theirs no bootloader :/

It's marked "Modem/Baseband" so the one file should cover both. But even without the bootloader the modem should still be able to be flashed.