I have the Verizon GS4 and I understand there is also the VZ GS4 Original Android Development and Android Development. Can i flash these generic GS4 Roms and kernels on my VZ GS4 also?
I came from the HTC Rezound which was VZ exclusive so i don't know the intricacies of flashing ROMs between carriers.
TL;DR Will generic i9505 GS4 ROMs work on the VZ GS4? (safe?)
gleggie said:
I have the Verizon GS4 and I understand there is also the VZ GS4 Original Android Development and Android Development. Can i flash these generic GS4 Roms and kernels on my VZ GS4 also?
I came from the HTC Rezound which was VZ exclusive so i don't know the intricacies of flashing ROMs between carriers.
TL;DR Will generic i9505 GS4 ROMs work on the VZ GS4? (safe?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
I believe it is OK to flash ROMS on your phone,BUT make sure you only flash type specific modems.
gleggie said:
I have the Verizon GS4 and I understand there is also the VZ GS4 Original Android Development and Android Development. Can i flash these generic GS4 Roms and kernels on my VZ GS4 also?
I came from the HTC Rezound which was VZ exclusive so i don't know the intricacies of flashing ROMs between carriers.
TL;DR Will generic i9505 GS4 ROMs work on the VZ GS4? (safe?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There happens to be one or more threads covering this in some detail in the Verizon GS4 forum. It is not as simple as just flashing the rom and being good to go with no other effort. Also DO NOT flash an i9505 kernel on your phone.
Go to the Verizon forum and read what's been posted. If you don't, the best case scenario for you is that you'll be staring at your phone as it it refuses to boot into the os and tells you that unauthorized software has been detected and to bring it to a Verizon store. Worst case is that you brick it by flashing another device's kernel.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4
Thanks for your posts! I'll go check it out in the VZ Forums
I just bought the HTC One for $200, but then I saw that Best Buy had the Samsung Galaxy s4 on sale for $50. I did not know which one I wanted and was truly torn between the two and ended up buying the HTC but if I can save $150 I will gladly get the s4. My only problem is that as I've been reading up on cs4 forums to make sure that I would be able to unlock root and flash custom roms I had came across what seems to be the problem with an AT&T firmware update known as mf3. If I cannot root and flash custom kernels and roms I do not think I will take advantage of the offer from Best Buy. My problem is that even after all the reading I cannot figure out whether it is possible to root and flash custom ROMs and kernels to the new version from AT&T, known as mf3, or if it is still not possible, or if it will be possible very soon so that I'm may use Android 4.4 Kit Kat on the phone or any custom Rom I wish. Can someone please clarify this for me as soon as possible because my time to return the HTC One to AT&T is coming close to its end?
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
You can root and flash some roms using safestrap. But it's very limited. Imo I'd stay away from the s4
It's there any progress toward cracking MF3? I've had a one x for pat year and kinda wanted a change and I love the screen on the s4. If you had to choose between the s4 and the HTC one taking into consideration the mf3 problem, which would you choose? And which would you choose if there was no mf3 problem?
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
If you can find a S4 with MDL or earlier firmware it's a excellent phone. Personally if it has MF3 or later I wouldn't bother. But that's just my opinion.
You might as well get rid of the One as well. It's just as locked down.
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Untrue, about HTCone being just as locked down. It can have it's boatload unlocked quiet easily and if you want to, although it's not necessary, you can even do s-off to get full unbridled access. I previously had a HTC one x and also from everything I've read it seems AT&T went out of there way to lock down s4 tight , just like they did to the one x but eventually the devs got it. I do want the s4 though,even though this phone is awesome(HTC One), and I can live with no custom Rom for a while but I can't go without root. So if I get a s4 with mf3 will it still be able to be rooted ? I've read up on it but don't understand what everyone is talking about when they say if the phone is encrypted or notand it seems to be random.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
So sick and tired of reading about MF3, or MK2 constantly on these forums. If you want to buy an S4 on AT&T look for an MDL one on eBay. It's not that hard, really.
Or buy the T-Mobile variant or International version.
Thanks for your kind response to my honest question mattmjb0188. I can't get a t mobile or international variant bc I'm on a budget. I will use my upgrade to get the phone at best buy for $50, and the condition of this price is that it must be a contract renewal/upgrade, which is another reason I can't get diff version of the phone. Did you even read the op? I would love to get one brand new out of the box with mdl but the odds of that are slim hence why I asked the question in the 1st place. So if you can't help or don't like the question then don't respond, but I do thank you for your info about the other variants that don't have issues, it just doesn't help me.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
Rad ryan said:
Thanks for your kind response to my honest question mattmjb0188. I can't get a t mobile or international variant bc I'm on a budget. I will use my upgrade to get the phone at best buy for $50, and the condition of this price is that it must be a contract renewal/upgrade, which is another reason I can't get diff version of the phone. Did you even read the op? I would love to get one brand new out of the box with mdl but the odds of that are slim hence why I asked the question in the 1st place. So if you can't help or don't like the question then don't respond, but I do thank you for your info about the other variants that don't have issues, it just doesn't help me.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyone new on these forums just asks over and over about MF3 and the Android 4.3 update. Basically, if you get an S4 with Mf3 or later firmware, you are pretty much stuck on stock. Then we have noobs who don't read and attempt to root their MF3 phones and brick them.
On pure stock, the S4 is a bad phone. The software is very laggy and needs a lot of improvement. I was one of the early adapters when it first came out. The phone was a nightmare with MDB and MDL firmware. Mf3 made slight improvements, but not enough.
I would not even invest in buying this phone right now. Most development for it has died down because of the restrictions. Developers are moving on. Those of us with MDL firmware (like myself) won't see much continued support for Loki nowadays anyway. If the bootloader could be unlocked, I believe it would have been unlocked by now. All these workarounds are very limited, and dangerous.
Personally, I wouldn't even buy the phone at this point. Scrape the funds together for either the T-Mobile S4 or Note 3.
Get the nexus 5, you'll be very happy
Thank you very much for that answer, that was an excellent answer. Although I'm not a noob bc I've been doing this stuff for years and been a member for years.I did the trading but I am not familiar with Samsung at all bc the last Samsung I had was a captivate. It's there a lot of active development for the t mobile variant? I'm guessing it's probably around $600, right? Lastly do you think that there will be a solution to the lock down of mf3 and later in the next few months?
Again thanks for your very helpful answer.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
Rad ryan said:
Thank you very much for that answer, that was an excellent answer. Although I'm not a noob bc I've been doing this stuff for years and been a member for years.I did the trading but I am not familiar with Samsung at all bc the last Samsung I had was a captivate. It's there a lot of active development for the t mobile variant? I'm guessing it's probably around $600, right? Lastly do you think that there will be a solution to the lock down of mf3 and later in the next few months?
Again thanks for your very helpful answer.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The development for the AT&T S4 has died down. In my opinion, no one will ever unlock the bootloader for it. Maybe someday with some future device, but not this device. The closest we got was with the loki method, which was great. But that's long gone now.
Look on negri for the T-Mobile variant. I think its M919. I'm not sure. T-Mobile developers have been able to make great roms for the device, instead of wasting so much time to find a workaround. Maybe even try T-Mobile out and see if they've improved in your area. They got a lot better in my area, but still a lot of EDGE.
If I were you, I'd go for the Nexus 5.
Rad ryan said:
Thanks for your kind response to my honest question mattmjb0188. I can't get a t mobile or international variant bc I'm on a budget. I will use my upgrade to get the phone at best buy for $50, and the condition of this price is that it must be a contract renewal/upgrade, which is another reason I can't get diff version of the phone. Did you even read the op? I would love to get one brand new out of the box with mdl but the odds of that are slim hence why I asked the question in the 1st place. So if you can't help or don't like the question then don't respond, but I do thank you for your info about the other variants that don't have issues, it just doesn't help me.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Heres my suggestion, if you want the s4, get it from best buy than sell it unopened for as much as you can and than with the money you get buy a tmobile or i9505 international variant...(not i9500 or the verizon or sprint one)
The tmobile variant is probably your best bet, the tmobile variant supports all of ATT service bands so youll have no issues with reception or internet. The tmobile variant can flash roms from any of the other s4 variants (verizon sprint att i9505...just not any roms from the i9500)
So in other words if you get the tmobile variant you dont have to worry about a dead dev scene as you can always flash roms from a differnt carrier...only thing is you will probably have to set up your apns for att rom flashes
Hope that helps you
And on another note if you decide to stick with the ATT s4, every firmware can be rooted
Mdb has real recoveries, so you can flash anything as long as you "loki" the kernel - Unfortunately I do not think there are any stores that are selling phones with this firmware
Mdl has real recoveries, so you can flash anything as long as you "loki" the kernel...Unfortunately it is pretty much impossible to find a phone with this firmware in any store now
Mf3 has safestrap which is kinda like a recovery, with it you can flash any touchwiz based 4.2.2 rom (stock roms) or any 4.2.2 Google Phone Edition (aka GPE, which is an aosp experience S4, no bloatware no samsung features, its like having a nexus in the body of an s4) rom...NO CUSTOM KERNELS, NO AOSP ROMS (no cyanogenmod) - this is the firmware most phones come with
Mk2 (latest firmware) recently got a beta safestrap...as of now you can flash some 4.3 touchwiz stock based roms, alot dont boot yet, and the GPE 4.3 rom doesn't boot with it either. As it becomes stable it should work identical to the one for mf3 - phones will probably start coming with this one soon
In other words, safestrap allows you to run roms that are built off the same firmware version as your stock rom, safestrap flashes no kernel, so whatever rom you flash has to be compatible with the stock kernel of your current firmware
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---------- Post added at 08:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 PM ----------
Rad ryan said:
Thank you very much for that answer, that was an excellent answer. Although I'm not a noob bc I've been doing this stuff for years and been a member for years.I did the trading but I am not familiar with Samsung at all bc the last Samsung I had was a captivate. It's there a lot of active development for the t mobile variant? I'm guessing it's probably around $600, right? Lastly do you think that there will be a solution to the lock down of mf3 and later in the next few months?
Again thanks for your very helpful answer.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They actually seem to be getting close to another work around which will allow you to flash any rom or kernel using safestrap...turns out theres a feature in the 4.3 mk2 kernel which allows unsigned drivers to run, in theory they can compile a kexec driver for the kernel which would allow you to use any kernel thus allowing the flash of any rom...theres a how-to thread in the original development section with more info, however...its not a guarentee we will see this anytime soon, as you never know what issues they may run into...but something to look into if your interested
EDIT: actually heres a post from the thread i mentioned which pretty much sums up how we hope this "exploit" will work as far as kernel flashing goes http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=48703510&postcount=10
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With all that said; how come I have the MF3 baseband my s4 (jflteatt), and I still have a custom recovery with the ability to flash different roms and kernels? Is it because I installed the custom recovery on an earlier baseband and then it got updated to a newer baseband but still kept recovery?
I only found out I had MF3 on my phone now because I couldn't flash a different recovery anymore.
Yes
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noel_leon said:
With all that said; how come I have the MF3 baseband my s4 (jflteatt), and I still have a custom recovery with the ability to flash different roms and kernels? Is it because I installed the custom recovery on an earlier baseband and then it got updated to a newer baseband but still kept recovery?
I only found out I had MF3 on my phone now because I couldn't flash a different recovery anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is literally impossible to have officially updated through OTA while on a custom Recovery. What I suspect has been done is the same as my phone. I got an MDL device and quickly installed TWRP and a custom ROM. As new updates came out, I flashed just the baseband. So now, I have a 4.4 ROM with the MK2 baseband and am able to install anything I like.
If I were to have ever done an OTA, I would no longer be able to have a custom recovery because of a blown Qfuse.
Please don't try to say that what you have is the only phone with OTA MF3 and custom recovery.
The only way to have anything like that is through SS and that is not a true recovery. If you do have that, you can only install certain ROMs not including AOSP, AOKP, MIUI, or CM.
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When did I ever say I was the only one? I asked a simple question that I mostly had the answer to already; which in turn was answered by a simple "Yes" from HiTideBlastoise.
And I never said anything about OTA either. I said I had installed custom recovery on an earlier baseband and then my baseband was updated but recovery was still intact.
I never said you did say that. It was preemptive. Secondly, you make it out to seem like you did nothing to update your baseband. You are making it seem like it just happened. Well, that can't happen without either updating the entire phone or flashing it yourself. The funny thing is the baseband means nothing when it comes to recoveries and flashing ROMs. It can only be used as a possible sign on a stock device as to what version one is running. On a modified device, like yours, it is worthless information on the version of Android. Like I said before, I have 4.4 with MK2 as my baseband. How can I install ROMs. Not because it updated my baseband after I already have a custom recovery... But because I never took an OTA and made it do the stuff I wanted.
Basically what I am saying is that you need to be clear with what you say. Everything you said makes it sound like your phone did it all by itself without you or someone else making it the way it is. There is no other option. You have to have done something to have a custom recovery and an MF3 baseband with pre MF3 bootloaders.
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I agree with graydiggy that the only way to still have a custom recovery and mf3 baseband is that you either flashed an mf3 tw rom with a modem or a a standalone modem to your mdl software. If you took the "OTA" successfully, you will definitely have a locked down bootloader now.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Figuring that the stock one is so locked down, is it possible to take new features of an ota of the regular s5 and flash it to a dev edition one without messing up root? Things like updated boot, going from 4.4.x to 4.5, etc?
I recall but never fully understood that was the problem with the s4, they never sent out ota update for the dev edition....
Just debating getting an s5 dev edition, but don't want to be stuck with original firmware/software
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808phoneaddict said:
Figuring that the stock one is so locked down, is it possible to take new features of an ota of the regular s5 and flash it to a dev edition one without messing up root? Things like updated boot, going from 4.4.x to 4.5, etc?
I recall but never fully understood that was the problem with the s4, they never sent out ota update for the dev edition....
Just debating getting an s5 dev edition, but don't want to be stuck with original firmware/software
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Click to collapse
I believe you can upgrade from 4.4 to 4.5 but have to flash a unlocked bootloader like one from t-mobile or a international version. From what I gather from the Note 3 thread that's pretty much how they do it.
Well I know the s4 dev edition's problem was that they wouldn't update firmware for it, stuff like the boot (I forget which other things weren't able to get updated since they weren't sending out otas), which left the device with only it's original firmware
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You'll be able to do some stuff. Consider how cm releases updated firmware even though the carrier doesn't make a release. It's tough but possible.
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My S4 got fried. When I got it fixed, I found that it was upgraded to a newer build which has Knox. Therefore, I cannot use custom recovery or flash AOSP ROMs anymore. I cant stand Touchwiz.
I was thinking of selling my S4 and going for an S5 but it appears that no AOSP ROMs have not been released yet and development has ceased because of issues with GPS and Camera.The GPE version which can help with ROM development also has not been released yet and its release appears unlikely as time goes by. This phone was released back in April and I dont know if I can expect a stable AOSP ROM to be ever released - As the phone gets older, it gets more unlikely that someone will have the interest to fix these issues. Anyone share these concerns - any related thoughts - Is the S5 worth buying?
Development has not stalled, stop creating drama. This is a great phone all around so it was worth getting before root even occurred. Get the M8 if you can't be bothered...
phonedawg said:
My S4 got fried. When I got it fixed, I found that it was upgraded to a newer build which has Knox. Therefore, I cannot use custom recovery or flash AOSP ROMs anymore. I cant stand Touchwiz.
I was thinking of selling my S4 and going for an S5 but it appears that no AOSP ROMs have not been released yet and development has ceased because of issues with GPS and Camera.The GPE version which can help with ROM development also has not been released yet and its release appears unlikely as time goes by. This phone was released back in April and I dont know if I can expect a stable AOSP ROM to be ever released - As the phone gets older, it gets more unlikely that someone will have the interest to fix these issues. Anyone share these concerns - any related thoughts - Is the S5 worth buying?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GPS and Camera issues? No. And the development hasn't stalled, but is definitely more moderated than older phones. And you will not see ANY AOSP roms until the bootloader is unlocked(likely never). You have to use safestrap so you will only have Touchwiz roms.
phonedawg said:
My S4 got fried. When I got it fixed, I found that it was upgraded to a newer build which has Knox. Therefore, I cannot use custom recovery or flash AOSP ROMs anymore. I cant stand Touchwiz.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To add to what was said above, Knox is not the problem. The locked bootloader put in place on the Verizon and At&T variants is the problem. The T-Mobile and Sprint Galaxy S5s also have Knox, but their bootloaders are unlocked. So users of those models are free to flash whatever ROMs are available for their variants.
And the root exploit has been patched. So maybe not the best phone if you can't stand TW/absolutely can't stand not running a custom ROM unless you can get one that has not had the patch installed.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Free mobile app
FWIW I've been running custom ROM's since my old original Moto Droid and felt the same way. I finally took the plunge yesterday and paid full retail for the S5 (unlimited data plan)... I've got root and SuperSU with knox dis-abled, so I can freeze/delete anything I want and Foxfi lets me broadcast wifi tether. This phone is pretty well fantastic as it is. Even though some features are nice I ain't so sure I am even gonna mess with it. The phone is THAT good IMO....
phonedawg said:
My S4 got fried. When I got it fixed, I found that it was upgraded to a newer build which has Knox. Therefore, I cannot use custom recovery or flash AOSP ROMs anymore. I cant stand Touchwiz.
I was thinking of selling my S4 and going for an S5 but it appears that no AOSP ROMs have not been released yet and development has ceased because of issues with GPS and Camera.The GPE version which can help with ROM development also has not been released yet and its release appears unlikely as time goes by. This phone was released back in April and I dont know if I can expect a stable AOSP ROM to be ever released - As the phone gets older, it gets more unlikely that someone will have the interest to fix these issues. Anyone share these concerns - any related thoughts - Is the S5 worth buying?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As for AOSP ROMs. I have never had success with any AOSP ROM on my Moto Maxx HD, or my Sammy S4 Developer Edition and I tried every AOSP ROM available for them. In every case battery life was bad, or camera wasn't right or did not work, or GPS would not work or hold the sync, or they got real laggy after a few days or data would come and go. It didn't make a difference which ROM, there was always something that wasn't quite right. In the case of my S4, it always ran better on a TW based ROM.
I have an S5 Developer Edition now. Based on my previous experience with AOSP ROMs, I'm not holding my breath for a AOSP ROM that performs any better on my S5 than they did on my S4 because I don't think they'll ever get there.
There is root and SafeStrap for the S5 retail version now, as you already know. From most accounts the S5 performs very nicely with the TW based ROMs available...and so does my S5 Dev Edition. I'm not sure what it is about TW that you don't like but the S5 is a great phone whether you flash a custom ROM or not.
ezas said:
And the root exploit has been patched. So maybe not the best phone if you can't stand TW/absolutely can't stand not running a custom ROM unless you can get one that has not had the patch installed.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
Verification on this statement? I gotta swap mine out for a warranty issue, hoping this isn't true. I haven't found anything else to confirm this....
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prenedo said:
Verification on this statement? I gotta swap mine out for a warranty issue, hoping this isn't true. I haven't found anything else to confirm this....
Sent from my SM-G900V using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The exploit has been patched, but the S5 has not received an update. So there is a chance the warranty replacement you receive may be ok, as long as the kernel is before June 3.
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So I just switched from T-Mobile to AT&T and I'm thinking about getting a Galaxy S5. I plan on rooting it, and installing safestrap, but I can't *stand* TouchWiz - are there any ROM's that don't have TouchWiz as the base and are based on something else? It seems a bit confusing - I know that there are no AOSP/CM based ROM's for the S5 (AT&T Version), and yes, I know I can install Nova Launcher or something, but all the ROM's I see seem to just look like TouchWiz but maybe de-bloated. Thanks in advance....
No, locked bootloader prevents it, touchwiz base only.
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Rakuu said:
No, locked bootloader prevents it, touchwiz base only.
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Click to collapse
OK thanks Rakuu.