[Q] Clarification Needed - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshootin

Hey guys. GOt my AT&T s4 here. first one i got couple weeks ago got the MK2 OTA and downloaded just fine, never got TWRP thru GooManager or CWM thru ROM Manager to work n install a recovery. SafeStrap is the only thing i had gotten working. Phone ended up getting wet, switched the board inside with that from a slightly older s4. this one came with the MDL firmware. However this time TWRP thru GooManager worked. So i installed couple other recoveries that wouldnt work before, one with Auto-Loki feature and the other was SafeStrap. With SafeStrap i installed two versions of CM11, none of which got beyond a black screen. Also i have little to no signal since dealing with MDL. Tried to update to MK2, but this time i get a reboot 2 my custom recovery followed by Status 7 error. I am interested in trying out a CM11 ROM, as well as maybe one or two TouchWiz ROMS. Mainly CM, really love the Torch app. What do i need 2 do in general to accomplish this? Ive got ODIN, pretty sufficient experience rooting and modding phones,so not a completely dummy here. Was wondering if i maybe needed to flash a kernel to get those CM ROMS working. any guidance is extremely appreciated.

You were trying to use SS. If you would read, you would know that only 4.2.2 TW and GPE ROMs work with SS unless you have the latest SS, but then again no AOSP, AOSP, CM or MIUI will work. Since the new board is able to have a custom recovery because it is pre MF3, use that to flash those types of ROMs .the error 7 is because you tried to OTA update with a custom recovery. Can't do it.
You say you are not a noob, but I disagree. Every concern you have mentioned is on the first page of both the QA section and general section. Read before you brick.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Related

Flash ROM & some crazy nintendo graphics

Hi guys, I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on a few things for me.
I have an ATT SGH i-337 MK2 with SafeStrap 3.71
Today I tried to flash PAC ROM and Dirty Unicorn into ROM Slot-1, and upon reboot when the ROM's logo should appear the whole screen just looked like when a nintendo cartridge isn't working. It was just a few crazy colors with some blocks and lines here and there.
Then I tried AOKP with it's Loki'd Kernel being part of the ROM. The nintendo screen came back again, but then the AOKP logo popped up clear as day for a second. Then went back to the lines and colors.
So could this be a problem with Safestrap compatibility? If so, how can I uninstall it? (I did read the dev's thread, and it just says use .APK and IDK what that means)
Or could it be that I also need to use Loki Doki with the other two? (Didn't see anything about that in PAC or DU threads)
Thanks!
Same issues apon using The Samsung Galaxy S4 for Verizon (jfltevzw) Build MK2 rooted using vRoot (English) and using safestrap. if needed I can upload the safestrap apk or version. If I install any type of AOSP ROM the boot logo is either missng or baby blue with wierd static lines. AOKP is the only AOSP ROM that eventually boots (with static boot logo) but no wireless works, and this is the same wether MK2 and/or MJ7 modules are installed or not. the only rom I can successfuly install and use daily that has no bootloader based issues is Hyperdrive ROM For jfltevzw & jflteatt. Any info would be much apreciated!
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
^ Interesting. I didn't expect anyone else to have this issue. I never read about it before. I really feel like it has something to do with SafeStrap.
Heath Cliff said:
Hi guys, I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on a few things for me.
I have an ATT SGH i-337 MK2 with SafeStrap 3.71
Today I tried to flash PAC ROM and Dirty Unicorn into ROM Slot-1, and upon reboot when the ROM's logo should appear the whole screen just looked like when a nintendo cartridge isn't working. It was just a few crazy colors with some blocks and lines here and there.
Then I tried AOKP with it's Loki'd Kernel being part of the ROM. The nintendo screen came back again, but then the AOKP logo popped up clear as day for a second. Then went back to the lines and colors.
So could this be a problem with Safestrap compatibility? If so, how can I uninstall it? (I did read the dev's thread, and it just says use .APK and IDK what that means)
Or could it be that I also need to use Loki Doki with the other two? (Didn't see anything about that in PAC or DU threads)
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you would have read 1st, then you would know that you can NOT flash any non TW rom on MK2. This is stated over & over on XDA. Safestrap is NOT the problem it is a Godsend from Hashcode for us to be able to flash custom roms onto our locked boot loader devices. Please read before flashing, bricking & then bashing the developers. Follow the directions posted on how to restore your phone, or better yet make a trip to Best Buy & they'll do it for you. Good Luck.
REEEEEEAAAAADDDD!!!!
It's been very well documented that AOSP does not work with safestrap. Neither does loki. There currently is no way/fix to flash AOSP.
So
1. No AOSP or GPE
2. No loki
3. No flashing custom kernels
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
John The Rhino said:
If you would have read 1st, then you would know that you can NOT flash any non TW rom on MK2. This is stated over & over on XDA. Safestrap is NOT the problem it is a Godsend from Hashcode for us to be able to flash custom roms onto our locked boot loader devices. Please read before flashing, bricking & then bashing the developers. Follow the directions posted on how to restore your phone, or better yet make a trip to Best Buy & they'll do it for you. Good Luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did read first. I've been reading this forum for quite a while actually. But there is so much information it's hard to keep it all straight. This ATT stuff is a lot different then my VZW Razr was. That phone was just flash and forget. There are so many different ROM's for this phone now that are 4.3 or KitKat I guess I just didn't realize that, that Android version came with the ROM and was originally something more mod-able stock.
Any way I wasn't bashing SS or Hashcode. I clearly said "compatibility issue" i.e. some programs just don't play well together hence the existence of compatibility mode, virtual machines, and x86 processors. So maybe you should read before bashing novice community members and making yourself look like a big asshole.
And I don't need best buy to fix anything I have a NANDroid, backup on Kies3, and Google+. Besides, I did all of this flashing I on a separate partition so the stock ROM was never altered. Thanks for absolutely nothing at all.
For anyone else that feels like they can move on with me, I would really like to try to install TWRP in place of SS. I'd appreciate any help with how to go about doing that. TIA
Heath Cliff said:
I did read first. I've been reading this forum for quite a while actually. But there is so much information it's hard to keep it all straight. This ATT stuff is a lot different then my VZW Razr was. That phone was just flash and forget. There are so many different ROM's for this phone now that are 4.3 or KitKat I guess I just didn't realize that, that Android version came with the ROM and was originally something more mod-able stock.
Any way I wasn't bashing SS or Hashcode. I clearly said "compatibility issue" i.e. some programs just don't play well together hence the existence of compatibility mode, virtual machines, and x86 processors. So maybe you should read before bashing novice community members and making yourself look like a big asshole.
And I don't need best buy to fix anything I have a NANDroid, backup on Kies3, and Google+. Besides, I did all of this flashing I on a separate partition so the stock ROM was never altered. Thanks for absolutely nothing at all.
For anyone else that feels like they can move on with me, I would really like to try to install TWRP in place of SS. I'd appreciate any help with how to go about doing that. TIA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well stating Safestrap may have a compatibility issue is offensive to the developer, especially since you did not read the instructions or posts from other members who did as you. If you would follow the directions it's perfect. I have 4 different roms on my phone + stock to choose from! How cool is that? I understand the overwhelming urge to flash a rom, as I too have been flashing on my Skyrocket since the factory warranty expired last year, and flashing roms is a breeze on that device. However, this S4 is more complicated since the introduction of the KNOX & the LOCKED boot loader. These phones are expensive so unless you really want a $700.00 brick, read, read some more, then read it all again. Safestrap uses TWRP to flash the roms, but TWRP alone is not compatible with MK2 nor is CWM. If you want to flash roms on your ATT MK2 S4 Safestrap is the only way to do that at this writing.
John The Rhino said:
Well stating Safestrap may have a compatibility issue is offensive to the developer, especially since you did not read the instructions or posts from other members who did as you. If you would follow the directions it's perfect. I have 4 different roms on my phone + stock to choose from! How cool is that? I understand the overwhelming urge to flash a rom, as I too have been flashing on my Skyrocket since the factory warranty expired last year, and flashing roms is a breeze on that device. However, this S4 is more complicated since the introduction of the KNOX & the LOCKED boot loader. These phones are expensive so unless you really want a $700.00 brick, read, read some more, then read it all again. Safestrap uses TWRP to flash the roms, but TWRP alone is not compatible with MK2 nor is CWM. If you want to flash roms on your ATT MK2 S4 Safestrap is the only way to do that at this writing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, well thank you for that. I just see so many ATT S4's in here with other ROMs and Recoverys I thought I could get something to happen. Anyway, sorry for the poor thread and response. I appreciate the plain blunt fact that SS and the ROMs that work with it are my choices for now. And don't worry about me. The worst that I'd probably get is a soft brick and I've recovered from that before Thanks again
Heath Cliff said:
Okay, well thank you for that. I just see so many ATT S4's in here with other ROMs and Recoverys I thought I could get something to happen. Anyway, sorry for the poor thread and response. I appreciate the plain blunt fact that SS and the ROMs that work with it are my choices for now. And don't worry about me. The worst that I'd probably get is a soft brick and I've recovered from that before Thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey man I totally understand. It's hard to watch all these other roms pop up for the original S4 & we can't flash them. But we no longer have to suffer with only the stock rom option since Hashcode's brilliant Safestrap was released. Once you get use to it, the ability of being able to multi-boot roms really kind of makes up for the locked boot loader. Soon though, we will have 4.4 Kit Kat & then we can start this process of getting off the stock rom all over again. Right? It could be worse, we could have I-phones. We do have a ever growing number of great custom TW based roms available to us here for our device. So try them, you'll be surprised how much better your phone performs. Glad I made sense & forgive my bluntness that's just how us Rhinos roll.

I'm thinking about switching to the vzw g2...Major questions first!

I've been reading these forums for two days now and I'm just add confused as when I started. If I get a new device that comes with the current 12b update, I see root is available, but very Unclear about recovery - all the threads op's are vague and misleading. Any clarification would be appreciated. 2nd: of the plethora of roms available, is it true that the rom itself must be updated for the 12b firmware? That's the jist I'm getting, and how on earth do you know if they have been? It's all very confusing and Unclear. I'm coming from the beautiful unlocked bootloader if the vzw galaxy s3 and our important threads are grouped into guides and updated regularly. Understanding the basics is easy with the s3, but I'm truly questioning if I want the g2 now (I'm a flashaholic) - so confused!
Any detailed help would be awesome..
Sent from my LG-V500 using Tapatalk
you might have some problems with 12b and installing recovery root your phone install an app called freegee and select twrp or cwm i like twrp but i think both work i had one problem when i backed up stock rom stock freaked out and asked for a decrptyion code reboot fixed that so some have reported problems one thing if your going to root install a custom rom because if lg pushes the ota to your device if its rooted it will brick it cm11 is a little unstable but if you can look past some bugs its a great experience
I DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY if you brick your device ROOTING or modding your device has risk
oh and have fun with cyanogenmod
Personal Experience
Just got a replacement 12B G2, this is what I've noticed:
-Installing root/recovery is still fairly simple on 12B.
-No problems with flashing roms either (tested both TWRP and Philz Touch).
-But KERNELS will throw you a curve ball. 12B requires a separate loki patch from the older builds. PAEK refused to flash in both recoveries (assert failed: run_program("/tmp/loki.sh ==0) until I found a user-patched workaround kernel. After that it flashed fine, but it required some digging.
Right now AOSP is nowhere near 100 percent stable on the VZW G2 and probably won't be until LG gets their act together. Just something to consider. Best of luck!
I hope lg gets there act together cm11 is unstable but I can use it as mY daily driver no problem maybe with a kitkat update it will be more stable
Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk

[Q]cm11 on mk2?

im driving myself insane reading threads and getting confused. i just got an s4 i337 and its running mk2. i really want to run cm11 or atleast a stock aosp rom. im not enjoying touchwiz at all. am i even able to do that? i got saferoot and safestrap but after that im confused.
The Jack of Clubs said:
im driving myself insane reading threads and getting confused. i just got an s4 i337 and its running mk2. i really want to run cm11 or atleast a stock aosp rom. im not enjoying touchwiz at all. am i even able to do that? i got saferoot and safestrap but after that im confused.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Negative. Only touchwiz based roms will work with 4.3 MK2.
Your best bet is using an AOSP themed ROM such as blackbox or purified. You can find some more info here... http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2616221
Or, more simply, install a new launcher such as apex or nova and then you won't have to worry about touchwiz
That's extremely disappointing. I'm really starting to hate this phone and I think I'm going to call att tomorrow and see if I can get something else. Perhaps an htc one or lg g2. But this isn't going to work out. This is not the level of customization I want. Touch wiz goes deeper than just the launcher, and what happens in another year or two when att stops providing updates? No, I'm done and I don't want this thing anymore. Bad ATT and bad Samsung.
Sent from my TouchPad using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
The Jack of Clubs said:
im driving myself insane reading threads and getting confused. i just got an s4 i337 and its running mk2. i really want to run cm11 or atleast a stock aosp rom. im not enjoying touchwiz at all. am i even able to do that? i got saferoot and safestrap but after that im confused.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm no expert, but anything other than MDB and MDL means a locked bootloader. AFAIK that means, all safestrap does is let you load a different rom, but that rom has to be based on the touchwiz kernel. That means no AOSP and that means no CM11. I'm in the same boat.
Hello,
Sorry to revive this after several months of inactivity, but I have exactly the same problem and am confused by the information I have found on XDA, possibly a fault of my own. I have a Galaxy S4 AT&T i337 with MK2 4.3, and I want to run CM11.
A much much more tech savvy friend of mine setup my phone in January 2013 with CM11 using the TWRP recovery. It originally was just the AT&T stock everything. Unfortunately, I no longer have contact with him, and I have no idea how he did any of this . I was specifically running the build from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2383143, which is now here: http://www.handy-faq.de/forum/galax...h_app2sd_glove_mode_dual_boot_for_all_s4.html
Since then it updated automatically to the last nightlies without any issues. Two days ago, however, I updated, and my phone went into a boot loop. I booted into recovery and tried to flash the last version that worked, but that resulted in my phone staying in a boot loop without being able to boot into recovery. I then used Odin to flash the original firmware and stock ROM, and now it works fine, but I miss CM11 very badly (or more accurately I find the stock ROM annoying in comparison).
The previous posts here indicate that CM11 cannot be installed on the i337 MK2. Also, this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=42320414&postcount=2 lead me to this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2428254 which says "Also, at this time, only TW based ROMs will work with SS. CM, AOSP, AOKP, MIUI, etc will not work." But I do not actually understand the difference between Safestrap and TWRP enough to know whether or not Safestrap not allowing CM11 means this model won't allow CM11 at all.
I would like to understand why there is indication that CM11 cannot be put on the i337 MK2 when my friend somehow succeeded. Then perhaps we can succeed in devising a method to install CM11 on this model. I apologize for not having any proof that it worked, but I swear I ran CM11 on this exact model and firmware build for many months very happily.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this discrepancy? Sorry if this is a naive/stupid post. Thanks in advance to anyone who chimes in.

[Q] Phone refuses to boot with a rom

Hi, I've been trying to install a custom rom (at this point ANY custom rom) on my friend's phone. I have worked on several phones before, including my own sprint GS3, but this is my first time trying to work around a locked bootloader, and BOY is it a pain, haha. I'm no dev, but I would like to think that I'm pretty competent.
First a few things to note, are that the phone is currently on NI1 (Been too much of a sissy to go to NJ4 in case it screws something up, I don't even know why), it is the 16Gb version, I am using an external sd card to flash everything, and yes I am flashing loki-doki after everything.
So what I've done so far is:
- Try to install TWRP
- Find out that won't work and finally figure out I need safestrap
- Successfully install safestrap after using towelroot by ODIN-ing the NC1 kernel then going back to the NI1 kernel
- Try to flash Resurrection Remix and KToonsez kernel using a new rom-slot, and wind up soft-bricking (stuck on bootloader screen, can get to download mode)
- ODIN NB1 tar then ODIN NI1 update
- Repeat the last few steps several times because I'm too idiotic to realize that it JUST ISN'T GOING TO WORK!
- Finally find a reference to flashing the ATT kernel modules after the rom. That got me past the soft brick and safestrap screen, but I don't even see a boot animation
As of right now my sequence to successfully not soft-bricking (what an accomplishment) is to flash the rom>gapps>ATT kernel module>supersu>loki-doki>wipe dalvik/cache
Now, is it worth it having already spend a good 7 hours, just to get a custom rom? Of course not, it's not my phone and my friend isn't picky. He'd be just fine with rooted TW. However, It kills me that I don't know what's going on, so here I am lol.
TL;DR: Phone has safestrap, is rooted, but any time I flash a rom it gets past the boot loader/safestrap screen and never shows a boot animation, or anything past that. Can anyone help figure out what's going on please?
Thanks in advance.
You can only flash touch wiz based roms with safestrap and you can't flash kernels with safestrap. That's been your problem with soft bricking.
Edit, see this for roms you can flash http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=53758227
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2616221
Thanks guys. I thought I read through the whole thread, but there is so much information, it's pretty scattered, I must have missed the thing about only TW roms working.
Now a few more questions:
1) Is it worth updating to NJ4? The phone is new and doesn't have any app data or anything that would be missed by updating. I see quite a few roms in 4.4.4, but it looks like most of them are AOSP based, which leads me to my next question...
2) Is there a way to get AOSP roms to work? I see all of these AOSP based roms, obviously for this phone, but it would be pointless to make them if they don't work.
Masterjuggler said:
Thanks guys. I thought I read through the whole thread, but there is so much information, it's pretty scattered, I must have missed the thing about only TW roms working.
Now a few more questions:
1) Is it worth updating to NJ4? The phone is new and doesn't have any app data or anything that would be missed by updating. I see quite a few roms in 4.4.4, but it looks like most of them are AOSP based, which leads me to my next question...
2) Is there a way to get AOSP roms to work? I see all of these AOSP based roms, obviously for this phone, but it would be pointless to make them if they don't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It wouldn't hurt to update to nj4. But it's not going to help you either. Only phones on mdb or mdl bootloader can flash non touch wiz based roms using loki. And you can't go back to those bootloaders
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
Alright then. Hyperdrive looks pretty good, I'll try that along with Ktoonsez kernel. I'll report back later to let you know how it goes. Thanks again!
Masterjuggler said:
Alright then. Hyperdrive looks pretty good, I'll try that along with Ktoonsez kernel. I'll report back later to let you know how it goes. Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, you can't flash a kernel in safestrap
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
Oh, I get it now. That didn't quite register before. So just to confirm, after I flash the rom (which already has its own custom kernel included), I still need to flash the stock ATT kernel, correct?
Flash the rom, super su, and the att module for your base. Hyperdrive is a very good rom, good luck. Also the rom doesn't include a kernel, your original kernel stays put. That's why only tw roms work, because your new rom has to be compatible with the kernel already on your phone.
Just reporting in, I now have the phone up and running using Hyperdrive Rom. Thanks for the help!
I actually had a problem where it would not shut down correctly, but found out it was because I was installing the rom in a rom-slot in safestrap. As soon as I tried the stock rom slot, it worked flawlessly.

Tried two roms, getting the 'com.android.phone' has stopped responding (immediately)

I've tried Paranoid Android 4.6 and CM 11, both with the same result.
I could not get any custom bootloader to install, aside from safestrap. This seems to be on there ok now, and I can install PA or CM roms from my sd card.
When they are finished installing though (along with Gapps), when it boots into the OS I instantly get the popup telling me the process com.android.phone has stopped. I hit ok and it comes back immediately, no matter how many times I hit it. I can't get into the menus or setup screens, the popup comes back instantly.
Since PA and CM both did this same thing, I am guessing my problem is perhaps not the rom. Any ideas please on what I might try next? The phone is basically bricked at this point.
Taymar said:
I've tried Paranoid Android 4.6 and CM 11, both with the same result.
I could not get any custom bootloader to install, aside from safestrap. This seems to be on there ok now, and I can install PA or CM roms from my sd card.
When they are finished installing though (along with Gapps), when it boots into the OS I instantly get the popup telling me the process com.android.phone has stopped. I hit ok and it comes back immediately, no matter how many times I hit it. I can't get into the menus or setup screens, the popup comes back instantly.
Since PA and CM both did this same thing, I am guessing my problem is perhaps not the rom. Any ideas please on what I might try next? The phone is basically bricked at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, you can't flash cm or pa on your device. They can only be flashed on devices with the mdb or mdl bootloader. If you're using safestrap, and it's the only recovery you can use, you're probably on 4.4.4, nb1 or nc1 or nj4, bootloader. You'll need tw based roms. See the ones that work with safestrap.
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
Thank you,
I flashed to NJ4 after rooting. Could you recommend any custom rom that is tw based please, or am I basically limited to stock?
I tried flashing a new TW rom but now I'm stuck in a recovery mode bootloop (safestrap seems to be gone).
edit: tw = touchwiz? (Sorry, I'm new at this).
Really appreciate the explanation, thanks again.
Taymar said:
Thank you,
I flashed to NJ4 after rooting. Could you recommend any custom rom that is tw based please, or am I basically limited to stock?
I tried flashing a new TW rom but now I'm stuck in a recovery mode bootloop (safestrap seems to be gone).
edit: tw = touchwiz? (Sorry, I'm new at this).
Really appreciate the explanation, thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your stuck to 4.4.4 unless you do the method mentioned on the forums and GoldenEye comments.
But a caution its not for the new, is risky and you lose the safestrap recovery boot because safestrap is not lollipop compatible right now.
Got it. Thank you.
I finally found a 'stock' firmware that I managed to load via Odin. Looks like AT&T just pushed the lollopop update to my phone as well so I guess stock lollipop will work for me until I upgrade my phone.
Out of interest, I'm looking at the oneplus one phone. Am I correct in thinking I should have way less problems trying to root & install custom roms on that, since it comes loaded with CM and the carrier isn't going to be constantly fixing exploits that allow root?
Really appreciate the help guys, thanks again.
Taymar said:
Got it. Thank you.
I finally found a 'stock' firmware that I managed to load via Odin. Looks like AT&T just pushed the lollopop update to my phone as well so I guess stock lollipop will work for me until I upgrade my phone.
Out of interest, I'm looking at the oneplus one phone. Am I correct in thinking I should have way less problems trying to root & install custom roms on that, since it comes loaded with CM and the carrier isn't going to be constantly fixing exploits that allow root?
Really appreciate the help guys, thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't own it so I couldn't tell you but I would look up the forum for it before hand and see what they say about it.
If it's not an ATT and Verizon phone most likely it's not boot loader locked.
Taymar said:
Got it. Thank you.
I finally found a 'stock' firmware that I managed to load via Odin. Looks like AT&T just pushed the lollopop update to my phone as well so I guess stock lollipop will work for me until I upgrade my phone.
Out of interest, I'm looking at the oneplus one phone. Am I correct in thinking I should have way less problems trying to root & install custom roms on that, since it comes loaded with CM and the carrier isn't going to be constantly fixing exploits that allow root?
Really appreciate the help guys, thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oneplus you will be able to root and recovery, I believe even unlock the bootloader. You just have to pay full price of the phone of course, but it's separate from carrier so no root patching OTAs.
Awesome. Thank you so much guys. I think I'm going to try out the oneplus one. Sounds like it'll be a lot more straightforward than with AT&T's devices.

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