New to Android and Rooting, would like some help - Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello guys, as the title says, i'm completely new to android and rooting. I just got my Galaxy s4 like two days, and I'd like to root it, but there's a lot of ways to do it, and I have trouble finding my paticular device (which will be listed below). I'd like if someone could point me in the right direction be it here or elsewhere, for how I can root this thing without tripping? the warranty (the knox thing), and preferably easy lol.
My device
Galaxy S4 from T-Mobile
Model SGH-M919
Its dated for Fri Feb 14 (if that also helps, since I've seen the date being important being stated for towelroot?)
4.4.2

I found this on google. Root tutorial for sgh-919. It still in xda http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2294005

groovism said:
I found this on google. Root tutorial for sgh-919. It still in xda http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2294005
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I'll check it out

Before trying rooting please make sure you are using the rooting guide for the correct version(model no.) of your phone. As you may be aware, there are many versions (models) of the S4.
if your intention of rooting is to use custom ROMs, then you can have a look at the 'model no. android development' /'model no. original android development' forums here on XDA for the particular model(verison)of your phone (i9500/i9505/i9506). Custom ROMs almost always are pre-rooted.
you can check your model no. using Settings -> About device -> Model number.

Related

Am I rootable?

Im brand new to the android world. Finally left apple and switched to the better side. Been doing some research before rooting and installing a rom on my device. I just want to check and see if this is okay.
I see that if you have MF3 you cant do any of these.
I believe this does mean I have mf3 but i want to double check.
under about device it says my baseband version is I337....MF3
and my build number is ...........MF3.
So is there nothing I can do to my phone just yet?
dankify said:
Im brand new to the android world. Finally left apple and switched to the better side. Been doing some research before rooting and installing a rom on my device. I just want to check and see if this is okay.
I see that if you have MF3 you cant do any of these.
I believe this does mean I have mf3 but i want to double check.
under about device it says my baseband version is I337....MF3
and my build number is ...........MF3.
So is there nothing I can do to my phone just yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With MF3 only option is root only
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Forum Runner
dankify said:
So is there nothing I can do to my phone just yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
welcome to android. glad to have you here but sorry on such poopy circumstances. to answer your question, at the moment there is little you can do. the MF3 build is in fact rootable, but i do not recommend it to anyone, especially a new user. if you were to root your device and have any problems at all with it, there is no way to unroot or even really get your problem straightened out. without going into all the details, it's just too risky at this point for me to recommend rooting your device on this build number simply to allow you to remove a few apps you dont want on the phone. you cannot even install a custom recovery or flash any ROMs. sorry your entry into android had to begin this way. i've seen several users that are still within their 14-day return window, take their devices to at&t to exchange for a different color S4. when doing that, they have the rep check 1 or more S4's and make sure they're getting a device with MDL (if the store even has any).
stay posted as there will be a fix for this at some point. cheers.

[Q] Rooting the Samsung Galaxy SGH-I337

I've never rooted my phone before, but I'm very familiar with customizing the phone, etc. I also read about custom ROMS and was wondering if flashing my ROM is the same and/or similar to rooting the device or once the device is rooted, do you then decide what type of ROM you want to use to put on the device and is there specific advantages/disadvantages to different ROMs developed by different people? Is there a particular favorite someone would use over another? Please let me know because I've decided to try rooting my S4 today. After the latest Android 4.3 update, some things haven't been working particularly well since I had already installed other apks from newer versions of Android (like the newer camera and gallery), and after the latest update, things just don't seem to run as smoothly so I've decided to wipe the device and start from scratch again. So I've seen threads about ways to root the device but is one way better than another and the same goes with custom ROMs (and whether this is the same thing or not)?
MJ9 Root
Well, I also just read in another thread that there currently isn't a way to root the I337 4.3 Build number ending in MJ9. So does this mean I can't root this device and I'm stuck restoring it back to how it was?
Rolldog said:
Well, I also just read in another thread that there currently isn't a way to root the I337 4.3 Build number ending in MJ9. So does this mean I can't root this device and I'm stuck restoring it back to how it was?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're correct that you can't root it. I don't know what you mean by restoring it back to the way it was
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Rolldog said:
I've never rooted my phone before, but I'm very familiar with customizing the phone, etc. I also read about custom ROMS and was wondering if flashing my ROM is the same and/or similar to rooting the device or once the device is rooted, do you then decide what type of ROM you want to use to put on the device and is there specific advantages/disadvantages to different ROMs developed by different people? Is there a particular favorite someone would use over another? Please let me know because I've decided to try rooting my S4 today. After the latest Android 4.3 update, some things haven't been working particularly well since I had already installed other apks from newer versions of Android (like the newer camera and gallery), and after the latest update, things just don't seem to run as smoothly so I've decided to wipe the device and start from scratch again. So I've seen threads about ways to root the device but is one way better than another and the same goes with custom ROMs (and whether this is the same thing or not)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, as you have asked several questions in here, I have moved to Q and A. We don't allow "best rom" discussion as that can only be determined by the individual.
The other questions are, however, "ok" to ask, and I know the many helpful users here will certainly jump in with assistance!

[Q] How do I Root Samsung Galaxy S4?

I tried to root my Samsung Galaxy S4 today using towelroot but it never worked. It said my device was not supported **I spent the last hour - hour and a half looking on YouTube to find a tutorial on how to root my S4. All I found was tutorials for phones running 4.2.2 but I'm running 4.4.2. Are there any simple ways to root a Samsung Galaxy S4 running 4.4.2? By the way, I don't know if this will help but my model number is SGH-I337M.
SpencerC1993 said:
I tried to root my Samsung Galaxy S4 today using towelroot but it never worked. It said my device was not supported **I spent the last hour - hour and a half looking on YouTube to find a tutorial on how to root my S4. All I found was tutorials for phones running 4.2.2 but I'm running 4.4.2. Are there any simple ways to root a Samsung Galaxy S4 running 4.4.2? By the way, I don't know if this will help but my model number is SGH-I337M.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all Questions go in the Q&A section not the general section of the forum. I'm sure a mod will be moving this.
Second doing a quick Google search of 'root i337m 4.4.2' gives you the following website as the top result which should be what your looking for...
http://www.android.gs/root-canada-galaxy-s4-i337m-on-vlufnc1-android-4-4-2-kitkat/
dmc2359 said:
Firest of all Questions go in the Q&A section not the general section of the forum. I'm sure a mod will be moving this.
Second doing a quick Google search of 'root i337m 4.4.2' gives you the following website as the top result which should be what your looking for...
http://www.android.gs/root-canada-galaxy-s4-i337m-on-vlufnc1-android-4-4-2-kitkat/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That guide says "This guide will work with the*VLUFNC1 Android 4.4.2 KitKat stock ROM" but when I go to the about device section in my settings it say VLUFNI2 not VLUFNC1. Will it still work?
Sent from my SGH-I337M using XDA Free mobile app
SpencerC1993 said:
That guide says "This guide will work with the*VLUFNC1 Android 4.4.2 KitKat stock ROM" but when I go to the about device section in my settings it say VLUFNI2 not VLUFNC1. Will it still work?
Sent from my SGH-I337M using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually have the same model as you, followed that same guide and it worked. I'm rooted.
Good luck with the Root!

I've had it...

Help...please.
Rooting this phone is a convoluted bunch of bull****.
I am on OC4. I need to downgrade. Yet every tutorial I go to is full of broken links for the files I need and over a year old.
So far I have these as steps.
1. Downgrade via Odin somehow, not sure what file to use for that, as most links are broken af due to their age. I have Odin 3.10.
2. Towelroot.
3. Recovery
4. Custom rom, going Cyanogen.
5. I have seen threads mentioning having to downgrade my Kernel? Where does that fit in?
Before you ask I have searched google and this forum first, as per protocol. I probably didn't look hard enough.
I am not asking for a step by step, just updated links or tutorials, and maybe some info on what I have right and wrong.
I am NOT NEW to rooting android phones. Rooted the last 5 I've owned starting with the G1.
Thanks in advance. Sorry for the noobness. This S5 isn't like my 4G LTE or Droid Incrdible, but it is still pissing me off.
Honestly77 said:
Help...please.
Rooting this phone is a convoluted bunch of bull****.
I am on OC4. I need to downgrade. Yet every tutorial I go to is full of broken links for the files I need and over a year old.
So far I have these as steps.
1. Downgrade via Odin somehow, not sure what file to use for that, as most links are broken af due to their age. I have Odin 3.10.
2. Towelroot.
3. Recovery
4. Custom rom, going Cyanogen.
5. I have seen threads mentioning having to downgrade my Kernel? Where does that fit in?
Before you ask I have searched google and this forum first, as per protocol. I probably didn't look hard enough.
I am not asking for a step by step, just updated links or tutorials, and maybe some info on what I have right and wrong.
I am NOT NEW to rooting android phones. Rooted the last 5 I've owned starting with the G1.
Thanks in advance. Sorry for the noobness. This S5 isn't like my 4G LTE or Droid Incrdible, but it is still pissing me off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are no Cyanogen ROMs for our phones, since that requires a different kernel than our locked bootloader can accept. Which ROM do you want to use? I'll see if I can put together a quick guide for you. I personally use Freedom ROM, which currently uses an OC4 base.
Right here buddy 3rd post. Most of this stuff is pretty easy you just have to read threw the threads.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-galaxy-s5/help/samsung-user-lollipop-to-root-t3092863
Thanks and that thread never appeared in my searches. That and I don't have time to go through thousands of results. It'd take me longer than this did. Also. Cyanogen for galaxy s5
.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...ent/rom-cyanogenmod-12-1-android-5-1-t3066252
freedom rom and alliance rom look good. So one of those if cyanogen doesn't work.
Honestly77 said:
Thanks and that thread never appeared in my searches. That and I don't have time to go through thousands of results. It'd take me longer than this did. Also. Cyanogen for galaxy s5
.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...ent/rom-cyanogenmod-12-1-android-5-1-t3066252
freedom rom and alliance rom look good. So one of those if cyanogen doesn't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah you can only use t-wiz base roms because of the bootloader.
Honestly77 said:
Thanks and that thread never appeared in my searches. That and I don't have time to go through thousands of results. It'd take me longer than this did. Also. Cyanogen for galaxy s5
.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...ent/rom-cyanogenmod-12-1-android-5-1-t3066252
freedom rom and alliance rom look good. So one of those if cyanogen doesn't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless you bought a Developer edition with an unlocked bootloader, it's best to stay away from the Unified Development section. You'll just end up with your heartbroken, since they all require kernels that we can't get on our phone. Your best bet is to stick within the Verizon-specific development thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-galaxy-s5/development
And make sure you end up with the right firmware (bootloader, kernel, modem) that matches the ROM you choose! Otherwise, you won't boot up. It took me a few failed boots and attempts before I learned that the hard way.

Just got an AT&T Android 5.0 warranty replacement for my rooted 4.4.2; options?

So I just got a 5.0 Lollipop SM-G900A, Baseband G900AUCU4B0F3 warranty replacement for my old rooted 4.4.2 SM-G900A AT&T S5.
I want to get root back. I don't care about warranty since I'm technically out of warranty now and they replaced my phone past warranty (I was really nice to the friendly female CSR I got on the phone). I believe my options are:
Live without root
downgrade to 4.4.2 and root with towelroot without tripping knox
root 5.0 but trip knox
I'd like to do number 3, but I don't know what the best method is at this point. I haven't kept up on any developments in root area since I rooted my 4.4.2 and was supremely happy with it ever since. I know that flashing an already rooted ROM is one of the options but honestly I've gone down the custom ROMs road before on previous phones and I know if I start that again I'll be going through tons of ROMs looking for the one I like best and I've been so happy with rooted vanilla stock that I don't want to take the time to go down that path right now if I can help it. Is there a way to root 5.0 directly if you don't care about Knox/warranty?
I fully realize that I could RTFF and figure out what my answer is but I'm hoping someone who is current will take pity on me and point me in the right direction and cut my RTFF down from hours to minutes. TIA for any help.
https://twitter.com/srsroot/status/634952981960597504
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using XDA Free mobile app
I don't believe it's possible to root 0F3 at this time. Sorry bro...
If root is achieved once again, I would highly recommend sticking to Muniz_ri's rooted stock roms which can be found in the "General" section of each carrier-specific S5 Thread, then running his debloat script (and installing google now launcher) to have a very clean android.
Has there been any updates on this? the "SRSroot" site seems sketchy. Google is not showing me results that I want to hear.
Frankbot said:
Has there been any updates on this? the "SRSroot" site seems sketchy. Google is not showing me results that I want to hear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No update, still unrootable.
Sent from my Galaxy S5 using XDA Labs

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