I finally got my MK2 ATT S4 rooted once I realized that "MK2" comes after "MF3." I picked up the correct version of safefoot and everything worked the first try. Proceeded to to an ADB backup, install Titanium Backup Pro, and do a Titanium backup. Safety first.
My next step was twrp. But whether I install it through the android store or downloading the img file (openrecovery-twrp-2.6.3.1-jflteatt.img), trying to boot into recovery takes me into the load screen, and power off and on takes me back to the load screen. Not an infinite loop, as using volume-down / power on takes me to the load with a warning and the option to reboot to Android. But I've got no recovery now.
Should TWRP work with Android 4.2 and build MK2? Should I download some other recovery? Or should I restore my ADB backup to get back the stock recovery? Suggestions and pointers to compatible recoveries will be greatly appreciated.
Only Safestrap recovery works for MK2 and MF3.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2448925
You can only install touchwiz roms.
Please read before you softbrick you device...
We have a locked bootloader, only safestrap works, no other recoveries. Safestrap for mk2 is still in beta so not all roms are working with it. Safestrap is only for touchwiz based roms. You can not flash kernels with safestrap, you can not flash cyanogenmod, aokp or any other aosp based roms. Locked bootloaders suck.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
solved
Kaze105 said:
Only Safestrap recovery works for MK2 and MF3.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2448925
You can only install touchwiz roms.
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Click to collapse
Thanks to both of you. Safestrap 3.71 did it nicely. Noe I'm limited to touchwiz romd. Gotta learn what that means...
I did it a year ago, and took no effort. Now it seems impossible.
I suppose the bootloader is still locked, and no one found a way around it?
And I can't install any sort of recovery on my phone, it won't even enter recovery mode at all it just enters download mode. someone please help Im very frustrated
The boot loader is still locked. So, no custom recovery and kernel. The only working recovery is safestrap.
There are lot of ROMs that can be flashed. For more info - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2616221
jmjoyas said:
The boot loader is still locked. So, no custom recovery and kernel. The only working recovery is safestrap.
There are lot of ROMs that can be flashed. For more info - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2616221
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Click to collapse
thanks
before i go further, any recommendation on which one of those kitkat roms to use? I just want to have the most bloatware removed with the most optimized performance, obviously...
What phone are you talking about?
first things first... what bootloader are you on? if mf3 or newer you have to use safestrap recovery, mdl or older can use several different recoveries and the Loki exploit.
AT&T S4 with ViSiON-X (ViSiX) & california Chrome custom (cCc)
Hi folks. I don't know what I'm doing wrong here. I know I am bound to safestrap at this point but NONE of the safestrap ROMs work for me. I don know what the deal is. I've done probably 5-10 other phones with CWM or TWRP and I never really have too much trouble. I cannot for the life of me get any ROMs to work other than flashing the tar build of the Sammy Stock ROM via Odin. That's the only thing that I can get working. If anyone would help me troubleshoot I would be really grateful. Here is what I have been doing:
1. First ROM was stock Sammy 4.4.4 (i think). whatever the latest that there was for Sammy stock OTA update.
2. Went through days of nonsense after a VZ to ATT phone flash on accident.
3. I now I have Safestrap working when I want it to.
4. Basically my process starts with flashing stock Sammy Rootable 4.4 with Odin
5. Next I root with towl and install safestrap.
6. Then I download and copy ROMs to the SD card.
I do notice that when I install Safestrap, click Install Recovery, it confirms but the second part of the app says "not active". Is that right?
fuzzyreets said:
Hi folks. I don't know what I'm doing wrong here. I know I am bound to safestrap at this point but NONE of the safestrap ROMs work for me. I don know what the deal is. I've done probably 5-10 other phones with CWM or TWRP and I never really have too much trouble. I cannot for the life of me get any ROMs to work other than flashing the tar build of the Sammy Stock ROM via Odin. That's the only thing that I can get working. If anyone would help me troubleshoot I would be really grateful. Here is what I have been doing:
1. First ROM was stock Sammy 4.4.4 (i think). whatever the latest that there was for Sammy stock OTA update.
2. Went through days of nonsense after a VZ to ATT phone flash on accident.
3. I now I have Safestrap working when I want it to.
4. Basically my process starts with flashing stock Sammy Rootable 4.4 with Odin
5. Next I root with towl and install safestrap.
6. Then I download and copy ROMs to the SD card.
I do notice that when I install Safestrap, click Install Recovery, it confirms but the second part of the app says "not active". Is that right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For every ROM i have flashed through Safestrap, I have always had to flash it to the 'stock' slot. Once you Odin to stock (or for me on NB1, I actually odin to MK2 but retain my NB1 kernel) root it, then install safestrap, then reboot into safestrap, wipe everything except sd, and flash the Safestrap compatible TW-based ROM you want from the zip on your extsd into the stock-slot. Then, while still in Safestrap, flash Venom's KitKat magic AT&T modules. At least, that's how I have done it. Follow the Install Instructions section of the [Index] thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2616221
Once you root and get Safestrap installed, you should only use Odin in case you screw up and softbrick and need to get back to your base stock ROM to start the process over again.
Good luck.
manstable said:
For every ROM i have flashed through Safestrap, I have always had to flash it to the 'stock' slot. Once you Odin to stock (or for me on NB1, I actually odin to MK2 but retain my NB1 kernel) root it, then install safestrap, then reboot into safestrap, wipe everything except sd, and flash the Safestrap compatible TW-based ROM you want from the zip on your extsd into the stock-slot. Then, while still in Safestrap, flash Venom's KitKat magic AT&T modules. At least, that's how I have done it. Follow the Install Instructions section of the [Index] thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2616221
Once you root and get Safestrap installed, you should only use Odin in case you screw up and softbrick and need to get back to your base stock ROM to start the process over again.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couple questions about what you wrote....
"Once you Odin to stock (or for me on NB1, I actually odin to MK2 but retain my NB1 kernel)"
This is something I have been trying to understand. What is MK2 vs what is NB1? I don't understand these pieces of this rooting puzzle. In my mind currently I have the Boot puzzle piece which is safestrap at this point and the ROM which is WHATEVER. No?
"flash the Safestrap compatible TW-based ROM"
Does it have to be a TW ROM? I'm doing this to try to get away from Touchwiz.
Thank you VERY much for your reply. I appreciate your time in explaining. Outside of flashing the ATT modules, I think I have been doing the other procedure the same.
fuzzyreets said:
Couple questions about what you wrote....
"Once you Odin to stock (or for me on NB1, I actually odin to MK2 but retain my NB1 kernel)"
This is something I have been trying to understand. What is MK2 vs what is NB1? I don't understand these pieces of this rooting puzzle. In my mind currently I have the Boot puzzle piece which is safestrap at this point and the ROM which is WHATEVER. No?
"flash the Safestrap compatible TW-based ROM"
Does it have to be a TW ROM? I'm doing this to try to get away from Touchwiz.
Thank you VERY much for your reply. I appreciate your time in explaining. Outside of flashing the ATT modules, I think I have been doing the other procedure the same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MK2, MF3, NB1, NC1, etc., are all different versions (or builds) of the baseband software our ROMs run on. A kernel (as I understand it at least) is the underlying software that sits below the ROM and is intermediary software that connects the top-most software we interact with (the ROM) to actually control our phone's hardware -- the IR blaster, wifi chips, touch screen capacitive sensors, etc. When playing around with ROMs, you need to know what kernel you are on (i think it's unchangeable for phones with locked bootloaders like ours) -- but more importantly what BASEBAND you are on. The baseband (and possibly the kernel?) updates from taking OTA updates direct from AT&T/Samsung. You can only flash ROMs that are compatible with the baseband you have upgraded too -- which you can see on your "About Device" page in settings. For example, I am running Goldeneye v34 which is a XXUGNE8 build, on my AT&T SGH-i337 that is on a baseband of I337UCUNB1.
Edit: Unfortunately, you have to flash TW-based ROMs...due to our bootloaders being locked (and us being stuck on the stock-kernel). Safestrap is the only way we can flash ROMs with firmware that is MF3 or newer (several several builds ago) but only works with TW-based ROMs.
Please click THANKS if you found this helpful...trying to get posting privileges in dev forums that i've been lurking in for way too long.
manstable said:
MK2, MF3, NB1, NC1, etc., are all different versions (or builds) of the baseband software our ROMs run on. A kernel (as I understand it at least) is the underlying software that sits below the ROM and is intermediary software that connects the top-most software we interact with (the ROM) to actually control our phone's hardware -- the IR blaster, wifi chips, touch screen capacitive sensors, etc. When playing around with ROMs, you need to know what kernel you are on (i think it's unchangeable for phones with locked bootloaders like ours) -- but more importantly what BASEBAND you are on. The baseband (and possibly the kernel?) updates from taking OTA updates direct from AT&T/Samsung. You can only flash ROMs that are compatible with the baseband you have upgraded too -- which you can see on your "About Device" page in settings. For example, I am running Goldeneye v34 which is a XXUGNE8 build, on my AT&T SGH-i337 that is on a baseband of I337UCUNB1.
Edit: Unfortunately, you have to flash TW-based ROMs...due to our bootloaders being locked (and us being stuck on the stock-kernel). Safestrap is the only way we can flash ROMs with firmware that is MF3 or newer (several several builds ago) but only works with TW-based ROMs.
Please click THANKS if you found this helpful...trying to get posting privileges in dev forums that i've been lurking in for way too long.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is invaluable information. I can't thank you enough. I would hit the THANKS button 100 times if I could for you. You totally saved me here and put the pieces together for me for the most part. I don't completely understand it but I have things working now. Thank you VERY much.
manstable said:
MK2, MF3, NB1, NC1, etc., are all different versions (or builds) of the baseband software our ROMs run on. A kernel (as I understand it at least) is the underlying software that sits below the ROM and is intermediary software that connects the top-most software we interact with (the ROM) to actually control our phone's hardware -- the IR blaster, wifi chips, touch screen capacitive sensors, etc. When playing around with ROMs, you need to know what kernel you are on (i think it's unchangeable for phones with locked bootloaders like ours) -- but more importantly what BASEBAND you are on. The baseband (and possibly the kernel?) updates from taking OTA updates direct from AT&T/Samsung. You can only flash ROMs that are compatible with the baseband you have upgraded too -- which you can see on your "About Device" page in settings. For example, I am running Goldeneye v34 which is a XXUGNE8 build, on my AT&T SGH-i337 that is on a baseband of I337UCUNB1.
Edit: Unfortunately, you have to flash TW-based ROMs...due to our bootloaders being locked (and us being stuck on the stock-kernel). Safestrap is the only way we can flash ROMs with firmware that is MF3 or newer (several several builds ago) but only works with TW-based ROMs.
Please click THANKS if you found this helpful...trying to get posting privileges in dev forums that i've been lurking in for way too long.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw the issue is resolved. Good work. Just to clarify, though... The baseband in the "about device" page is actually your modem. Most of time the modem will match the kernel and bootloader, but it's not always the case...
1. MK2 base users that use the magic tool to flash kitkat roms, end up flashing the mld modem in odin (part of the magic tool files). After they flash a rom, their baseband will show up as mld.
2. You can flash any modem in safestrap and you will see your baseband change... http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2496517
Unless you are on 100% stock where you know the base matches the modem, the best way to verify your base can be found in post 4 here... http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=51067793&postcount=4
I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 i337 with the oc4 bootloader running android 5.0.1. I'm seeking help on how to flash a custom ROM onto this device. It seems that it's very difficult to install a custom recovery onto the device, as it has a locked bootloader.
I've been reading up here on XDA and it seems the only possible way to do anything is to root it, but the only method I've used in the past to root phones was simply flashing root.zip in a custom recovery. I have seen a program called KingRoot that is apparently able to root the device on 5.0.1, however, I do not have much confirmation and it seems a slight bit sketchy. Even after rooting, I'm not sure of whether or not I'd be able to install a custom recovery and a custom rom from there.
The other thing I have seen is Safestrap. However, I do not know if it works with the oc4 bootloader. I have read this guide on XDA titled "Odin to Stock, Updating, Rooting, and Safestrap Guide" however, it doesn't really tell me the process of installing Safestrap onto a 5.0.1 device. If I "odin back to stock" to an earlier version of android, will I be able to then root and install custom recovery or Safestrap more easily? Link:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/guide-odin-to-stock-updating-rooting-t2926642
TL;DR: what's the easiest way to install custom ROMs onto the i337 Galaxy S4 running Android 5.0.1 with the oc4 bootloader?
I wouldn't reallly recommend kingroot.
And rooting your phone does not allow you to install a custom recovery. In fact, those are two different things which are non-dependent of each other.
To install a custom recovery and rom you will probably need to unlock the bootloader. Something about loki patching it.
Hi Gurus,
I am dusting off my old AT&T branded S4 (SGH-I337/jflteatt) which still runs KitKat (4.4.2) to Lineage (I think 14.x images are available). The BaseBand version is: I337UCUFNI1. It is out of contract, so no worry about getting any official updates.
The thread here about TWRP for this phone made it look easy to install with the official app from the PlayStore. But after installing TWRP, I get an error 'System software not authorised by AT&T has been found" when I boot either to recovery or to ROM. I am guessing Secure Boot is still actively preventing custom images from booting.
So, how do I bypass this and go about successfully installing Lineage? Will Loki help me do it? Once I install TWRP, is it just a matter of installing official Lineage, or should I make other considerations?
Thanks in advance.
You have to be on the jelly bean MDL bootloader in order to install any custom recovery or ROM. Once you have upgraded to kit kat, you cannot go back. Only the MDL bootloader can take advantage of loki, all other bootloaders (including yours) can't as the exploit was patched in the MK3 firmware I think.