I Don't Know What I'm Doing Anymore! - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshootin

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.....

Related

Towelroot + TWRP Advice

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.

[HELP] Having problem installing custom recovery

Hello,
I'm having problems installing custom recovery (both CWM and TWRP). I've already been installing custom recoveries before and then I decided to go fully stock. So, now I've been fully stock for quite a while and today I tried installing custom recovery. In Odin it says "Pass" but no custom recovery installed. I've disabled Reactivation lock and enabled USB debugging. I really don't know what's wrong.
If anybody knows what's the problem, I would really appreciate the help!!!
EDIT: The problem was in official TouchWiz build version. That version (in my case) couldn't been rooted and didn't allow another recovery being installed. I downgraded to BNL9 version, before I was on BOA3 version. You can easily find earlier version on sammobile.com
If you're rooted, use TWRP manager from Play store, few people have this issue, myself included
I just said I went fully stock. So, no. I`m not rooted. But thanks for the advice. Might need it in the future!
AlwaysAndroid said:
Hello,
I'm having problems installing custom recovery (both CWM and TWRP). I've already been installing custom recoveries before and then I decided to go fully stock. So, now I've been fully stock for quite a while and today I tried installing custom recovery. In Odin it says "Pass" but no custom recovery installed. I've disabled Reactivation lock and enabled USB debugging. I really don't know what's wrong.
If anybody knows what's the problem, I would really appreciate the help!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This happened to me a while back when I had a Galaxy S3, i found a solution, unfortunately, you must be rooted to do this solution.
In this post http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=27597756&postcount=1 you'll find a section that states "Stock Recovery being reflashed after a reboot?" and there is the one solution that worked for me.
If you manage to find any of this files through a file explorer, it means that your ROM is flashing stock recovery on every boot. So you would need root access to rename them.
Thank you very much. I will certainly dig into this and search for it.
U need Root
You'll need root for that project.
I had the same problem.
I took CF-Autoroot and flashed it. Right afterwards I booted again manual into stock recovery mode and wiped cash and dalvik cash. After that -without reboot-
removed the battery for a minute. I reinserted the battery and I booted into download mode and flashed recovery-cwmtouch-6.0.4.7-kgsm.tar.
Finally, to stay off of KNOX, which always is going to bother, you should install an app, called: Knox-Disabler. It doesnt clean the phone from Knox, but it keeps Knox inactive.- :good:
Good luck

Installing custom recovery on sm-n900v with stock lollipop rom

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.

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

Request: Can someone Loki the latest TWRP (official release is not properly lokied)

Although TWRP is *supposed* to be lokied, it turns out that all the 3.x versions are not properly lokied. This has been reported in the last couple of pages of this thread, and it's been reported in their bug tracker (although they seem to be ignoring it for now).
One of the users in that xda thread was kind enough to loki a few TWRP releases, but the latest one he did was v3.1.1.0, and he hasn't done any more since.
Can someone else be kind enough to Loki the latest version of TWRP for jflteatt, located here? (Preferably both IMG and TAR, so people can use it with whichever installation method they prefer/need)
My guide tells you how to Loki CWM recovery, it should work the same for TWRP (should is the keyword here).
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/how-to-one-guide-to-mdl-bootloader-t3584122
StoneyJSG said:
My guide tells you how to Loki CWM recovery, it should work the same for TWRP (should is the keyword here).
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/how-to-one-guide-to-mdl-bootloader-t3584122
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. However, the method described requires root.
I had root on CyanogenMod 11, but ever since I flashed LineageOS 14.1, I haven't been able to root my phone without bricking it - so this method won't work for me.
How are you on lineage OS without having root? You need root to install a custom recovery which then in turn allows a custom ROM. I know lineage OS hides or does sometimes with superSU, so it might be hiding root as well (unless I am thinking of Oct OS).
Your phone is probably rooted, use the root checker app from the play store to check. If by chance somehow it's not, then use towel root, king root, one click root, safe root, CF auto root, or kingo root to root it. If all else fails you might have to ODIN back to stock, then root, then install the latest TWRP then Loki it using my guide then install lineage OS.
StoneyJSG said:
How are you on lineage OS without having root? You need root to install a custom recovery which then in turn allows a custom ROM. I know lineage OS hides or does sometimes with superSU, so it might be hiding root as well (unless I am thinking of Oct OS).
Your phone is probably rooted, use the root checker app from the play store to check. If by chance somehow it's not, then use towel root, king root, one click root, or kingo root to root it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, my phone is definitely not rooted. It *previously* had root under CyanogenMod 11. That's how I had a custom recovery installed. So I was able to use TWRP to flash LineageOS 14.1 just fine. However, here are the results of my trying to root this phone under LOS 14.1:
1. Magisk: Bricked on Samsung Logo.
2. SuperSU (normal systemless): Not installed properly. Seems to fail on patching the boot image.
3. SuperSU (system mode): Bricked on Lineage boot screen.
4. LineageOS addonsu: Installs fine, but doesn't seem to do anything. I still don't have root.
I've tried posting about this in a few places on xda, but so far, I haven't had any luck.
So *maybe* if I revert back to an older version of Android, I might be able to get a working root. But in order to be recent, it's looking like I have little choice but to finally retire this phone and get something newer. Which is unfortunate, because there's nothing wrong with the phone hardware-wise.
Perhaps I'll try one of the other root options you mentioned and hope it doesn't brick my phone as well.
That's really odd that you have a custom recovery and ROM without root. You might have to ODIN back to stock Android 4.2.2 jelly bean using the MDL firmware .tar file. Can you revert back to a TWRP that is Loki?
StoneyJSG said:
That's really odd that you have a custom recovery and ROM without root. You might have to ODIN back to stock Android 4.2.2 jelly bean using the MDL firmware .tar file. Can you revert back to a TWRP that is Loki?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a Lokied version of TWRP (3.1.1.0), which is working fine. But with all of the problems I've been having trying to get root, I was wondering if perhaps a newer version of TWRP might make the difference. That's why I was trying to get a Lokied version of the latest TWRP.
Ah so you're trying to gain root by flashing TWRP. No idea why lineage OS removed root, unless the people who made it built it that way. The only thing I can think of is either try all the root apps I mentioned before and if that doesn't work then ODIN back to MDL stock and use towel root to root. If lineage OS is anything like Oct OS, you will have to root using a root .zip file.
I wish I could be more help, but I haven't ever used lineage OS before due to liking touchwiz. I run golden eye ROM on my at&t Loki phone.
StoneyJSG said:
My guide tells you how to Loki CWM recovery, it should work the same for TWRP (should is the keyword here).
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/how-to-one-guide-to-mdl-bootloader-t3584122
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately it does not work:
Code:
1|[email protected]:/data/local/tmp # ./loki_flash recovery twrp.img
[+] loki_flash v1.1
[-] Input file is not a Loki image.
1|[email protected]:/data/local/tmp #
jabulon said:
Unfortunately it does not work:
Code:
1|[email protected]:/data/local/tmp # ./loki_flash recovery twrp.img
[+] loki_flash v1.1
[-] Input file is not a Loki image.
1|[email protected]:/data/local/tmp #
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for trying it! It's now confirmed my guide is only for CWM recovery.
Not sure if you've already searched it out, but HERE is my thread with the latest Loki patched twrp. I lokied jfltexx 3.2.3-0 which works on the i337 (ATT) s4.
There's also this:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/lokid-jfltexx-twrp-att-vzw-s4-t3869503
StoneyJSG said:
There's also this:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/lokid-jfltexx-twrp-att-vzw-s4-t3869503
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your link IS my link from the post directly above yours
Oh crap haha so it is. Oops brain fart there, my fault.
StoneyJSG said:
Oh crap haha so it is. Oops brain fart there, my fault.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're good ? I had it in a separate post, and I just created that thread the other day to give it a permanent home more easily found.

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