Database Users

Updating 4.4 to 4.4.2 with XPOSED

Hey guys, I tried looking for the answer to this but couldn't find any info.
I'm currently on rooted, stock 4.4, stock kernel with XPOSED installed. I want to update to 4.4.2 without losing data.
I don't want to re-root using a computer method such as one click install since it does not work on my computer. What are my options?

TechActivist said:
Hey guys, I tried looking for the answer to this but couldn't find any info.
I'm currently on rooted, stock 4.4, stock kernel with XPOSED installed. I want to update to 4.4.2 without losing data.
I don't want to re-root using a computer method such as one click install since it does not work on my computer. What are my options?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The other I can see is with custom recovery.
Procedure:
Flash custom recovery like CWM or TWRP if you don't have,
Download OTA 4.4.1, 4.4.2 zip and SuperSU 1.8 zip
Disable Xposed
Boot into recovery
Install 4.4.1 OTA zip then 4.4.2 OTA zip
Install SuperSU zip
Reboot your phone
Enable Xposed

SafeStrap vs Flashfire

Does anyone have any recommendations of either using flashfire or safestrap? My device broke and had to be sent a new refurbished. Luckily it had 4.4.4 so I was able to root. I am unsure if I should go and install SafeStrap again or just use FlashFire to install ROMs. Am I missing any necessities by skipping SafeStrap?
Thanks

llama555 said:
Does anyone have any recommendations of either using flashfire or safestrap? My device broke and had to be sent a new refurbished. Luckily it had 4.4.4 so I was able to root. I am unsure if I should go and install SafeStrap again or just use FlashFire to install ROMs. Am I missing any necessities by skipping SafeStrap?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally recommend SafeStrap as it's an actual recovery. If you screw up when using FlashFire and you can't boot your phone to system you will have to ODIN the ROM back. With SafeStrap you can always get back to it by just flashing the NI2 kernel.
FlashFire = app
SafeStrap = recovery

Use both, Flashfire for flashing and such; SafeStrap for recovery.

Safestrap vs. FlashFire
I agree use both. Having the security of safestrap is priceless and having the ability to flash zips with flashfire under the protection of safestrap gives the best of both worlds. I am on jrkruse's stock BOG5 with safestrap and ability to downgrade and also have flashfire. With this it made it possible to load viper4android by using the SuperSu zip for Viper flashing the zip file with FF. Thanks to all the developers that made this possible.

I Don't Know What I'm Doing Anymore!

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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.....

Upgrading to MM from LP (Rooted)

I've been reading a lot of threads with a number of different ways to upgrade to MM on a rooted phone. Anywhere from restoring back to stock to take the OTA to flashing one of the files in this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/mot...rom-stock-rooted-debloated-x1575-6-0-t3262242
I am currently running LP 5.1.1 unlocked BL, rooted, xposed installed.
Couldn't I just unroot, flash stock recovery and the system img and accept the OTA? DO I have to return to full stock? Also is systemless root the only way to root after you take the OTA?
Sorry be there is so much information going around I just want to make sense of the update process.

AndKacz said:
I've been reading a lot of threads with a number of different ways to upgrade to MM on a rooted phone. Anywhere from restoring back to stock to take the OTA to flashing one of the files in this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/mot...rom-stock-rooted-debloated-x1575-6-0-t3262242
I am currently running LP 5.1.1 unlocked BL, rooted, xposed installed.
Couldn't I just unroot, flash stock recovery and the system img and accept the OTA? DO I have to return to full stock? Also is systemless root the only way to root after you take the OTA?
Sorry be there is so much information going around I just want to make sense of the update process.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can probably just flash stock recovery and system.img and accept the OTA.
Systemless root isn't the ONLY way to achieve root on MM, but using the traditional (/system) root method requires a modified kernel to set SELINUX to permissive. For now, it looks like systemless is the way to go.
Good Luck.

samwathegreat said:
You can probably just flash stock recovery and system.img and accept the OTA.
Systemless root isn't the ONLY way to achieve root on MM, but using the traditional (/system) root method requires a modified kernel to set SELINUX to permissive. For now, it looks like systemless is the way to go.
Good Luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there an advantage of systemless root over the traditional? And I am guessimg since I have SuperSu installed I will still need to do a complete restore to stock.

Root PL1?

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