Hi,
Ok guys so a friend of mine wanted root on his S4 Gt-i9500, which I got for him using towelroot, no problems there and for a while he was happy with the root access and getting his phone debloated and a few other bits and bobs. However now he wants to try a couple of AOSP roms, and has asked me to help, which Im happy to do.
If it was my phone I'd take my chances and see what happens but with someone elses device I feel like I should be a bit more responsible, although I have made the dangers clear.
So what I want to do Is add a custom recovery, I've done a bit of googling and I can find out how to do it easy enough when rooted the traditional way, but my concern would be will I run into any problems with the Bootloader still being locked if I just flash a twrp .img with Flashify?
Maybe I should do a full unroot, and root via CF-Root Method and then find a TWRP .tar and flash with Odin.
Not used to having the Bootloader Locked issues as I use a HTC so is an easy unlock.
Any advice people can give would be helpful, hopefully I can just use Flashify and keep it as simple as possible
Ok, just to make things crystal clear, there is a big difference between a locked (i.e. encrypted) bootloader as found on AT&T and Verizon phones, and a SEAndroid Enforcing (aka Knox) bootloader. With the former you cannot customize the firmware that came with the phone, but developers have found workarounds. With Knox, you're still able to root and install custom ROMs if desired. You simply lose the ability to use Knox, which most of the userbase doesn't care about. In HTC speak, all Galaxy S4 bootloaders except the AT&T and Verizon models are equivalent to S-Off.
For installing TWRP, downloading an image and installing through Odin will work. TWRP Manager from the Play Store can also do the job, and do it without you being connected to the PC. Once you have TWRP installed, installing a custom ROM is quick, easy, and painless. Custom ROMs are usually pre-rooted, i.e. including SuperSU or Clockworkmod Superuser. This means you won't have to root again.
Related
Hello everyone,
this is my first time posting on the XDA forums after doing a lot of research, so please bear with me if I've missed something painfully obvious. My issue I'm looking to get help with is my AT&T GS4 i337.
Here goes the problem, initially I had the FNJ4 (4.4.4) baseband and build number. I was really excited to try custom ROM's like CM11 or 12. I ended up reflashing the phone via odin with baseband and build number FNB1 with a rootable kernel (titled I337UCUFNB1_TWRootable_Full_Odin.tar 4.4.2). This successfully worked as did using TowelRoot (v3) to root. Since the reflash, I cannot seem to load CWM or TWRP much less access even the factory recovery mode on startup (it goes to the "unable to boot into normal mode" screen). And today, I was messing around with the "Disable Service" app and accidentally unchecked the box to turn off the service for SuperSu (even though I re-checked the box, I still lost root). And now I cant even run the tr.apk file to successfully root again - what I mean is the tr.apk installs and says I have root, but then when I check the root with root checker basic it says the phone has not been successfully rooted.
On a side note, I did find a flashable recovery .zip version of SuperSu (2.46) app to get the app back except now, shortly after startup, the app service turns itself off and I loose SuperSu again. I really don't know what to do.
I have tried messing with Terminal Emulator, Flashify, TWRP manager, ROM manager, ODIN and Titanium Backup to try and get SuperSU (to get root) and the factory recovery mode back (I also tried using Safetrap to install CWM and TWRP without success). The only program I haven't messed with is flashing with Heimdall. Oh yeah, I also tried using SELinux Mode Changer (changed mode to permissive) without any success.
I know this is getting super long, but my initial intent was just to be able to run CM11 or CM12 and customize the phone the way I want it. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'm not sure how to prioritize these problems.
The bootloader of the AT&T S4 SGH-I337 is locked. This means you can not install a custom kernel or a custom recovery, and thus you are limited to touchwiz based firmware. You can have custom firmware based on touchwiz, however, you will not be able to have CyanogenMod or any other aosp based firmware.
I would suggest that you repeat the process: flash stock NB1, the rootable kernel, root with towelroot, and install SuperSU as you did before, and then depending on where you want to end up, install safestrap or upgrade to Lollipop with the keeproot method. Look in the general forum for threads by guut13 and muniz_ri.
creepyncrawly said:
The bootloader of the AT&T S4 SGH-I337 is locked. This means you can not install a custom kernel or a custom recovery, and thus you are limited to touchwiz based firmware. You can have custom firmware based on touchwiz, however, you will not be able to have CyanogenMod or any other aosp based firmware.
I would suggest that you repeat the process: flash stock NB1, the rootable kernel, root with towelroot, and install SuperSU as you did before, and then depending on where you want to end up, install safestrap or upgrade to Lollipop with the keeproot method. Look in the general forum for threads by guut13 and muniz_ri.
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Got it. Thank you very much for responding so quickly! I'm new to this whole thing (the world of installing custom ROM's and the like) and I'm finding that so many details (Root/firmware/baseband/kernel/ROM compatibility) are so much more dependent on carrier and model number than I ever imagined. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction by helping me understand my limitations. Now its time to do a little more research.....
Is there a root procedure for the galaxy s4 that's on the newest lollipop update ? I was able to root with kingroot but read its not safe to use kingroot and try install a custom rom ?
dpmeeks said:
Is there a root procedure for the galaxy s4 that's on the newest lollipop update ? I was able to root with kingroot but read its not safe to use kingroot and try install a custom rom ?
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CF-autoroot or flash TWRP then in TWRP flash SuperSU
Kingroot and SuperSU_me method works also... Watch the entire process in 2 parts... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWnYFDQ1Vio
K94U said:
Kingroot and SuperSU_me method works also... Watch the entire process in 2 parts... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWnYFDQ1Vio
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Have you lost root since? I've read a lot about people loosing root after a few hours to a couple of days. Any other issues, like random crashes / freezes / reboots?
Ezintn said:
Have you lost root since? I've read a lot about people loosing root after a few hours to a couple of days. Any other issues, like random crashes / freezes / reboots?
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That's why flashing TWRP and SuperSU is the safest/easiest way to root, it's about as straightforward as it gets
mattzeller said:
That's why flashing TWRP and SuperSU is the safest/easiest way to root, it's about as straightforward as it gets
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Wasn't aware I could flash a custom recovery on a stock unrooted phone. I don't use the s4, that's why both of the ones I own aren't rooted already, my personal phones are often rooted before I even get home from the store! I need root and su without tripping knox or making any significant changes to the current set-up on either phone. I would prefer the recovery was stock on at least one of 'em. So how should I go about this? One is a tri band and the other isn't. The dual band one needs to be as stealth as possible. Losing root really won't matter as long as the system permissions remain as is prior to losing root.
Ezintn said:
Wasn't aware I could flash a custom recovery on a stock unrooted phone. I don't use the s4, that's why both of the ones I own aren't rooted already, my personal phones are often rooted before I even get home from the store! I need root and su without tripping knox or making any significant changes to the current set-up on either phone. I would prefer the recovery was stock on at least one of 'em. So how should I go about this? One is a tri band and the other isn't. The dual band one needs to be as stealth as possible. Losing root really won't matter as long as the system permissions remain as is prior to losing root.
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Flashing a custom recovery is going to trip knox. Why do you care about knox? Triband or not flashing TWRP and SuperSU is the same. If you lose root and have things that require root to operate, you will lose the function of those things, unless it's a one off type of thing
mattzeller said:
Flashing a custom recovery is going to trip knox. Why do you care about knox? Triband or not flashing TWRP and SuperSU is the same. If you lose root and have things that require root to operate, you will lose the function of those things, unless it's a one off type of thing[/QU
It's imperative that root is stealth. Just need to give one app already running su permissions. On one device knox is monitored, that's why I care. I wouldn't care on my s5, but I never tripped it anyway - rooted with modified stock recovery, flashed MOAR, flashed TWRP. Been using MAOR and TWRP since each was first released. Been rooted on my personal devices since 3 days after the Hero was released. I've just never rooted the s4 or "stealth rooted" any device. That's why Kingroot / SSM looks promising. Any help would be appreciated.
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Hello all, I've been doing a lot of searching today to figure out if I can, and how to, install any custom recovery onto my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 on Android 5.0. I want to do this so I can either install a custom rom, or use xposed. But now that I'm on 5.0 I'm not sure what's possible anymore. I can root just fine, but installing TWRP with Flashify, or CWM with ROM Manager just puts my phone in a soft lock when I power it up. Giving me an error because it recognizes that I've installed a custom recovery, so it just locks my phone. I've gotten out of this twice now but using Odin to install the Lollipop rom again. To reiterate, is there any way I can install custom recovery on this phone now? I've seen some conflicting things in my searches so I have no idea what the case is.
Thanks
If the phone has a locked bootloader, a custom recovery can't be installed.
Is there a root method for the PL1?
Thanks in advance.
Not afaik.
If you want rooted stock(-ish) PL1 though, a workaround is to:
A) roll back to OF1 stock (w/Odin),
B) root w/ one of the Yemen tools*
C) unlock the bootloader again (CID is already changed on a previously unlocked phone but the Odin stock flash in step (A) re-locks the bootloader)
D) install a custom recovery
E) flash my PL1 ".zip flashable" stock ROM in the recovery (thread in General forum)
F) take the recovery's offer to root the rom, or explicitly flash a SuperSU .zip bundle of your choosing.
G,H) start making twrp/nandroid backups and debloating as desired.
* I've never tried/used these; my Note3 still is on the NC4 bootloader (but w/ updated modem), so I can still flash stock NC4 and root w/ towelroot if I lose everything accidentally. Odin-flashable modems are also provided in that thread.
good luck
Simple
Is there a better method or a tutorial that might make it easier for someone that is more of a layman?
Thanks
I managed to root PL1 using kingroot, although doing so is quite risky in more ways than one. After rooting I found a guide for replacing kingroot with supersu. Id recommend flashing a custom recovery prior to replacing root should you decide to do so. I believe I used an app called TWRP manager for that. Of course if youre going to do that you also need to unlock your boot loader....Not really sure how i did that but I vaguely remember it wreaking havoc on my sd card
I just did this, FYI to all. Kingroot for PL1 on verizon S4, then super-sume to remove it and install superSU. Works great. Kingroot is very shady so hopefully that supersume removed all of it's dirty claws
Flashing the custom rom with rooting the device make the device less secure and we cannot use the internet banking applications so , can we flash the custom rom without rooting the device ! If, yes then what will be the procedure !?
altafalam540 said:
Flashing the custom rom with rooting the device make the device less secure and we cannot use the internet banking applications so , can we flash the custom rom without rooting the device ! If, yes then what will be the procedure !?
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Jajajajajaja sorry but your question is very funny????
But no, it's not possible install custom ROM without root
I would think one can flash when booted into TWRP. One needs to be unlocked though.
The custom ROM you flash does not need to be rooted either.
In fact one can boot into TWRP from fastboot. So one does not even need TWRP on the device itself.
You do not need to root your device to use a custom ROM. But if you wanna flash GApps, then you need to root your device or it may not work as intended.
Wrong, Gapps can be installed from TWRP which has unlimited access to the system partition. In that sense, TWRP is "rooted". But this has nothing to do with the installed firmware being rooted or not.
altafalam540 said:
Flashing the custom rom with rooting the device make the device less secure and we cannot use the internet banking applications so , can we flash the custom rom without rooting the device ! If, yes then what will be the procedure !?
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Wow this thread exploded with mis-information.
You can install custom ROM's unto your device via TWRP, as well as flash GAPPS and any custom kernels, mods etc you'd like WITHOUT having to gain superuser access within the ROM itself.
You WILL however require to unlock your bootloader that, at least as far as I know, WILL trigger safety net and thus render certain applications (like said banking apps) unusable. To avoid this you can flash magisk, an alternative root solution that also masks certain aspects of the device that allows the device to pass safetynet while retaining root.
There are plentiful amounts of tutorials out pretty much everywhere that will allow you to easily unlock your bootloader, install twrp and root w/ magisk if desired, etc.
DECHTECH said:
Wow this thread exploded with mis-information.
You can install custom ROM's unto your device via TWRP, as well as flash GAPPS and any custom kernels, mods etc you'd like WITHOUT having to gain superuser access within the ROM itself.
You WILL however require to unlock your bootloader that, at least as far as I know, WILL trigger safety net and thus render certain applications (like said banking apps) unusable. To avoid this you can either A. Relock your bootloader after flashing custom rom (should work) or B. Flash magisk, an alternative root solution that also masks certain aspects of the device that allows the device to pass safetynet while retaining root.
There are plentiful amounts of tutorials out pretty much everywhere that will allow you to easily unlock your bootloader, install twrp and root w/ magisk if desired, etc.
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I don't think you can relock the bootloader when on a custom rom. This will probably brick your device since it will fail the checks of the locked bootloader and then you will have a bricked device with a locked bootloader.
So yeah, you also spread some misinformation I suppose which is even more dangerous than what the other users suggested.
+1, no way you can relock your bootloader after installing a custom firmware. Bootloop guaranteed.
michkost858 said:
I don't think you can relock the bootloader when on a custom rom. This will probably brick your device since it will fail the checks of the locked bootloader and then you will have a bricked device with a locked bootloader.
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Lannig said:
+1, no way you can relock your bootloader after installing a custom firmware. Bootloop guaranteed.
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Could have sworn you could do this but I guess I was wrong, sorry for that.
Edited original post.