[Q] Need help on updating - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshootin

So I've not updated my phone in a while. I decided maybe it was time to update to a more current ROM and I see that there have been a lot of updates and different options now.
I have the ATT S4, running 4.2.2 I337UCUAMF3-SHOstock-V2.3
Kernel: 3.4.0-Jeboo_kernel_v1.5+
Baseband: I337UCUAMDL
I like having a near custom ROM with as little additions as possible. What do I need to update to for the most current roms, or some updates that I need to stay away from. Sorry if this is a bit noobish. I got too far behind on this and all the different levels of updates have me all confused.

benk016 said:
So I've not updated my phone in a while. I decided maybe it was time to update to a more current ROM and I see that there have been a lot of updates and different options now.
I have the ATT S4, running 4.2.2 I337UCUAMF3-SHOstock-V2.3
Kernel: 3.4.0-Jeboo_kernel_v1.5+
Baseband: I337UCUAMDL
I like having a near custom ROM with as little additions as possible. What do I need to update to for the most current roms, or some updates that I need to stay away from. Sorry if this is a bit noobish. I got too far behind on this and all the different levels of updates have me all confused.
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If you're running a custom kernel, then that means your bootloader is compatible with the loki exploit, and you should never flash any ODIN package besides MDL and don't flash any zip file that includes bootloaders. Other than that, you can flash any ROM you like. There's a stock prerooted NC1 zip which is the latest stock firmware with no mods but root. Just make sure you flash the version that doesn't include bootloaders and you'll be good to go. I don't know if it includes the kernel in the zip, but if you want to keep your custom kernel then just reflash it afterwards and make sure you flash loki if it doesn't by itself. Additionally, if you upgrade to a 4.4 ROM, I believe you will need to flash a 4.4 modem to get working sound and radio. You can use the flashable zips in RockRatt's thread safely through your recovery.

Related

What are my options I am MDL and Rooted

AT&T S4 with 4.2.2 MDL. I rooted it way back when. I have CWM recovery installed. No AT&T Updates have happened because they always fail At the same time what are my options for getting 4.3 or for that matter when 4.4 comes out?
I have bloatware still. Use root for backups and a few other root required apps. I've run custom roms before when I was on my HTC Evo 3D. If I install a custom rom will I loose my current root / status?
If you want a stock rom minus bloat...
Here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2280556
For a stock international rom
Here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2313469
Or... Google Edition rom, no sammy features
Here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2349077
I would use these as starting points because they're modded slightly and if you want more, explore other roms.
Make sure you update your recovery to avoid any errors in flashing. You can also flash to the latest radio and revert if it doesn't work for you.
You won't lose root. You already have recovery, so you can always get it back.
There are 4.3 custom roms out there, there are people who want an S4 that came with MDL. I'd flash a custom 4.3 rom. We can even ugrade (flash) our modems to MF3, MJ5, MJ6 and flash back to MDL without ruining the phone like those who took the upgrades prior to root and got screwed by Samsung.
Do some research like above and for gods sake dont unroot your phone and take any OTA updates or you will regret it.
Just my advice.

Installing a new stock rom or doing OTA updates your baseband?

i'm AOKP on my Nexus 4 atm. I've heard that even if you do OTA for custom rom or flash a new custom rom like cyangomod mod or another AOKP rom, the baseband WOULD NOT be updated but rather it keeps the baseband that your phone originally came with, i was told custom roms can't change your baseband.
However, i was also told that installing a new stock rom like going from stock 4.3 to 4.4 would update your baseband. Or if you're on stock 4.3 and do an OTA upgrade to 4.4, it would also update your band.
so custom roms can't update or change your baseband via OTA or flashes and Stock roms can?
Custom roms can change your baseband, its just that they choose not to most (if not all) of the time. In other words, they have the potential to do it, but they dont.
Its the same with ota's or stock roms. They can change the baseband...sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't. It all depends on what has been included in the .zip and what the edify script tells the recovery to do.
It is common practice not to change radio/baseband with a custom ROM as flashing firmware can be dangerous and shouldn't be done unless needed.
To top it off flashing any firmware through recovery is the least safe way to do it, granted that is how OEMS will do OTAs which often come with new firmware.
So to answer your question you will pretty much never get a new radio packaged with a custom ROM, but when there is an ota that comes with a new radio you will.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

[Q] help me understand the root world a little more

I'm trying to learn more about the S5 root world. I am currently running the OTA NHA build, and am rooted using towelroot, and have the latest safestrap installed (also have supersu and busybox). What i am trying to understand is how the custom rom's work now. I just got the S4, and never had my bootloader locked since i rooted/rom'd earlier on and never ran stock, and i was using TWRP so there were no rom slots or the like; you downloaded a rom, wiped your phone, flashed it, done.
This bootloader/kernel/baseband talk is what's confusing me. A question that i've been trying to find the answer for is as such: let's say i have my NHA rooted phone, but there is an NE9 rom on the forum i want to try (extreme syndicate/alliance). Can i just flash that to a rom slot and go, or do i flash the kernel as well? if i flash the kernel, won't that mess with my stock rom, or does that just patch the kernel inside of the rom slot?
I already understand that chronologically, the baseband/build versions are NCG>NE9>NHA>NI2, so understand that rom's baseband is a version behind NHA. Someone please help clarify some of this for me

A little help, please.

I'm coming from 4.4.1 I want to flash a Lollipop ROM, I haven't flashed for very nearly 2 years. I'm obviously rooted already.
Is coming from KitKat as simple as just flashing a Lollipop ROM? I'm an SM-9005, I've got Odin 3.10 and I want to flash Resurrection-Remix-LP-v5.5.5.
I've seen that I need to backup my PIT and obviously backup my current ROM, do I need to update my baseband or radio etc?
No one?
No need to backup your baseband or radio. RR is an AOSP ROM as far as I know, so you won't be able to flash it with Odin I'm guessing, as it comes as a zip package? I don't have any interest or idea about it, but you can only flash via Odin if the ROM comes as tar image.
Also as you are coming from KK, you 'might' need to flash a stock Lollipop ROM first to update the bootloader from KK to LP, read RR topic, see if its mentioned or not. If its not then you probably don't need to, but as I said no idea.

Need a bit of advice- 1337 4.4.4 nj4 custom rom options + routes

Greetings. Here's a bit of quick backstory-
I have experience rooting many android devices. I have only flashed 2 kernels before iirc (2 different devices) with Odin. I've tried to do as much reading as I could but I'm a little stumped and also been having some brainfog due to life stress so I need a little help if anyone could be kind enough to help.
The main device in question is my At&t Galaxy s4
-SGH-1337 on 4.4.4
-Baseband/build NJ4
-Stock at&t rom as far as I remember
-Rooted
-Locked bootloader
Now what I want to do is flash a good custom rom. I have my eye on Hyperdrive but I'm confused on a few things-
•Do I need to use loki or safestrap? Which one should I use?
•To use Hyperdrive RSL20 do I need to downgrade from 4.4.4 to 4.4.2? Can I even?
•If Hyperdrive isn't an option for me, how exactly should I go about flashing something like Goldeneye? I'm a little confused on the process at this point with both loki and safestrap. I tried the newest version of safestrap for NJ4 apparently but the rom slots apparently aren't working yet for that version and I wasn't sure if it was wise to flash over the stock rom slot. Kind of confused on this whole thing.
I'm not asking for fleshed out guides or anything as I can find those myself. Just kind of need some clarification on these things for the tl;dr version-
•Being on 4.4.4 locked bootloader, if I want to flash a 4.4.2 rom, do I need to downgrade? Can I even?
•Should I use loki or safestrap? In order to use safestrap in my case it looks like I"ll have to downgrade either way, is this correct?
I thank everyone for taking their time to read through this.
Also mods, I apologize if this is in the wrong area.
Read the first few posts of http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2616221. That should give a lot of valuable info.
Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
I'm still unclear on a few things I guess.
I've read that thread over and over before it was linked, and read it a few times again.
I realize being on NJ4 that if I use safestrap, I have to flash the stock rom slot and it must be a touchwiz rom. Got that. What I really want to know at this point is that are 4.4.2 and 4.4.4 roms interchangable? For instance- I'm on 4.4.4 nj4. Can I flash hyperdrive which is a 4.4.2 rom?
If not and I have to downgrade, is it even possible for me to downgrade being on a locked bootloader?
Edit: Well I just bit the bullet and downgraded to 4.4.2 via odin, did full wipe with safestrap etc, and got the hyperdrive rom up and running. A little disappointed as I was hoping to get a better antutu score but it was the same score I got with stock nj4 rom that I debloated myself. Meh. I guess I might give goldeneye a shot.
Bump! I'm in the same situation
After playing around with all that Hyperdrive rom had to offer as well as ktoonz kernel and overclocked profiles, I made the jump to a custom Lollipop rom ultimately for the performance upgrade of Lollipop's ART system. After seeing the difference I really see no reason to go back to kitkat at this point. I've been using the 5.0.1 Goldeneye rom and like it so far. I just have a few kinks to work out but overall it's been good. I'd like to get a 5.1.1 rom on this but alas I don't think I've come across a safestrap compatible one yet.

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