Database Users

[Q] Rooted Verizon S5

Hello all!
Glad I can report that the towelroot exploit worked successfully on my Verizon Samsung Galaxy S5 phone.
I'm a noob to Android devices, but I think they are awesome
I've spent most the day reading up on Android backup and recovery, differences between rooting and unlocking the bootloader, and I have a couple of questions relating to these topics:
1) I've rooted my Samsung Galaxy S5, and, in the event that I accidentally loaded a virus on my phone, or seriously messed something up with my root access, I'd like to have a way out of it. I've been reading up on the Android Recovery Mode: Wipe Data/factory reset. My question is this: Is it still okay to use this feature after I've rooted my ROM using towelroot? Also, if I use this feature, will it also completely re-install system software (like a Win 7 Reinstall)? Or is this just deleting some user data and leaving the once upon a time read only folders alone?
If method one mentioned above isn't a full OS restore, I think this is my other option...
2) Since I've rooted my phone with towelroot, I know that my bootloader is still locked. I know that another backup option is to use CWM to do a custom backup/recovery, however, I know that unlocking the bootloader right now may not be possible. I can't find any already existing threads relevant to Verizon Galaxy S5 bootloader unlocking since towelroot has been released released, however, I have stumbled upon this website which mentions my phone in the list: (I can't post links yet, please google "samsung galaxy s5 cwm phizl", and click on the second link. What do you guys think of this guide, do you think this will actually work for the unlocked Verizon Galaxy S5?
Thank's for any help with this.

Does this question stump everyone?

If you do a wipe it goes back to how it was when you first installed the rom/ first boot.

shredfast said:
I'd like to have a way out of it. I've been reading up on the Android Recovery Mode: Wipe Data/factory reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is oversimplified, but the files on your phone are more or less organized like this -
1. User settings, installed apps (data partition) - this is what a factory data reset would erase.
2. System files (most of them) - these read only files don't normally change unless you get an OTA firmware update. If you accidentally delete or somehow corrupt system files, you can reinstall the firmware to fix these. A custom ROM (if your bootloader was unlocked) would replace the files here.
3. Cache. These are temporary files. Some problems can be fixed by deleting these. If deleted, your phone will rebuild the cache when it boots.
4. SDcard. Built in, internal storage space for user files, downloads, etc. If you have a physical SD card, that is seperate and referred to as the external or secondary SD card.
5. Other stuff e.g. the bootloader, modem, etc.
A 100% backup is often referred to as a "Nandroid". Meaning that you backup the entire memory (NAND). You can only do that properly with a custom recovery like TWRP or CWM. The next closest thing would be an app like Titanium Pro.
The system data reset will only default the user settings (data partition). It won't remove most user files (internal SD card) or touch the read only system files (system partition).
I don't know what your second question really pertains to. You should have described it fully, rather than try to get us to replicate your Google search. I'll just say that it's highly unlikely that anyone will figure out how to unlock the Verizon bootloader anytime soon.
Verizon has an unlocked Developer model phone, but it is handicapped by poor firmware updates. If you want the advantages of an unlocked bootloader, change carriers. Most carriers do not lock the S5 bootloader. Just ATT, Verizon and a few US CDMA carriers.
Because your bootloader is locked, you can't use a real custom kernel or recovery. But they can be emulated with Safestrap.
.

How to backup and re-format phone?

Hi guys,
I've had my Samsung Note 3 for years but recently having some issues with it so I think I'll just start again from scratch and hope this sorts out my issues. I essentially want to do the equivalent of reformatting a PC and reinstalling the OS.
A couple questions:
1) I currently have a custom firmware - the only reason is to get around the security settings of my old work (to access emails, you need to input password to unlock phone every single time). I'm not sure if my new work requires this for my emails - how do I check if this is the case or not?
2) If I don't need to get around the custom firmware for the above reason, I will go with the genuine firmware. Otherwise, I will need a custom firmware which allows me to apply a fix for the email security settings. I don't need any other custom features - I just need a firmware which is as light as possible. Suggestions?
3) I have over 1,100 contacts in my phone. I want to ensure I don't lose any. When I go to Contacts and Select "Contacts to Display" --> "Device" there are none - so I'm assuming that if I reinstall a new firmware, there are none on the device to be lost, and as long as I re-sync with Google/Samsung/Microsoft Exchange accounts, I won't lose any. Is this correct?
4) Is there anything I need to backup aside from contacts, images/videos etc?
5) My memory card is about 5 years old and sometimes plays up so I might get a new one just to be safe. What is the fastest version available, and what is the largest size you can use with a Note 3?
6) What is the process for doing a full wipe, and reinstalling a new firmware? I installed my current firmware years ago and have forgotten the process
Thanks a lot.
PS: Below are the details of my current firmware version etc:
http://s21.postimg.org/skqvh2vaf/Screenshot_2015_11_06_18_00_57.jpg

) What is the process for doing a full wipe, and reinstalling a new firmware? I installed my current firmware years ago and have forgotten the process
Recovery mounts and storage format system data cache .
Boot to download mode flash stock rom .
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-note-3/general/samsung-galaxy-note-3-sticky-roll-t3237249

Why and how did Xposed screw my phone?

Like a month ago, I was rooting my phone with Magisk. First, I installed TWRP, everything went OK. Then I flashed Magisk, everything was still OK. But when I tried to install Xposed with root privileges, it just installed and I rebooted, the phone got bricked, like the last level of soft brick! Factory reset wasn't working, I didn't had a Xposed Uninstaller, I didn't also have an SD Card, so I couldn't flash a ROM from SD Card using TWRP, also my PC didn't have a SD Card slot. It was rebootlooping over and over again. eRecovery gave me an error, saying "A serious boot problem has occured, it is hardly recommended to wipe data/factory reset." or something like that. I did what it said, still rebootlooping. Nothing was working, Xposed has completely screwed my phone. The last solution was to give the phone to Huawei Service Center. It came back 3 days later, and the results Xposed made was terrible. Huawei locked my bootloader and Xposed FRIED MY MOTHERBOARD. But they changed the motherboard, nothing else. So my warranty is still in place , but still, my phone is no longer open for rooting, flashing etc. I don't know what to do. I want know two things;
1- How did Xposed do that and is it not supporting my phone?
2- How can I unlock my bootloader back?
Thanks.

HuaweiPUser said:
Like a month ago, I was rooting my phone with Magisk. First, I installed TWRP, everything went OK. Then I flashed Magisk, everything was still OK. But when I tried to install Xposed with root privileges, it just installed and I rebooted, the phone got bricked, like the last level of soft brick! Factory reset wasn't working, I didn't had a Xposed Uninstaller, I didn't also have an SD Card, so I couldn't flash a ROM from SD Card using TWRP, also my PC didn't have a SD Card slot. It was rebootlooping over and over again. eRecovery gave me an error, saying "A serious boot problem has occured, it is hardly recommended to wipe data/factory reset." or something like that. I did what it said, still rebootlooping. Nothing was working, Xposed has completely screwed my phone. The last solution was to give the phone to Huawei Service Center. It came back 3 days later, and the results Xposed made was terrible. Huawei locked my bootloader and Xposed FRIED MY MOTHERBOARD. But they changed the motherboard, nothing else. So my warranty is still in place , but still, my phone is no longer open for rooting, flashing etc. I don't know what to do. I want know two things;
1- How did Xposed do that and is it not supporting my phone?
2- How can I unlock my bootloader back?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Xposed doesn't work on P smart at the moment ..everybody knows this and you were warned not to install it ...xposed did NOT do anything to your motherboard ...pay dc unlocker 4€ and download their application anf follow the instructions on how to unlock your bootloafer ...huawei service center will have installed the LATEST firmware which is IMPOSSIBLE to umlock bootloader ..so FIRST you will need to downgeade ...there are many posts explaining how to downfrade using firmware finder tool & dns

KevMetal said:
Xposed doesn't work on P smart at the moment ..everybody knows this and you were warned not to install it ...xposed did NOT do anything to your motherboard ...pay dc unlocker 4€ and download their application anf follow the instructions on how to unlock your bootloafer ...huawei service center will have installed the LATEST firmware which is IMPOSSIBLE to umlock bootloader ..so FIRST you will need to downgeade ...there are many posts explaining how to downfrade using firmware finder tool & dns
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the explanation, I get it now. But I wasn't warned to not to download Xposed, and where does it say P smart is not supported?

HuaweiPUser said:
Thanks for the explanation, I get it now. But I wasn't warned to not to download Xposed, and where does it say P smart is not supported?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't remember .... obviously it's not mentioned in every post but i definitely saw it in more than few spots ...anyway bad luck .. ultimately it's huawei who screwed us their clients by not releasing source code and locking bootloader ..making it a pain in the behind to build custom roms for the device and costing money to unlock it ...so the good devs just move on ...the sad situation is we are on the fringe ..lucky enough to have got root through a last ditch paid bootloadee unlock and treble support making custon roms possible albeit with broken camera , nfc and others ...uuugh stupid huawei .... definitely my first and last one ....

Rooting an sm-n910t WITHOUT a factory reset

(SOLVED)
Hi,
Ive been searching around all week now trying to find a way to do the above, root my note 4 without a factory reset.
As far as i can gather, my bootloader is unlocked.
I suspect it has had somekind of non-t-mobile standard wizardry performed upon it prior to my ownership (2nd hand). The reason i think this (naive?) is as i understand it, these, in the UK, were locked to t-mobile sims new, however, mine can use any sim. also, since my ownership (couple years +), maybe 3 or 4 times it has randomly rebooted and gone into some kind of anti-"fiddling" mode stating something along the lines of "this phone has none genuine blah blah and is now locked. take it into a t-mobile shop to get fixed". A simple battery pull has "fixed" the issue each and every time.
Now, the actual main reason i want to root this, apart from the obvious other advantages, is to be able to perform a complete backup (including all the backup locked out apps). i have a few apps ive paid for, but have since been pulled from the play store, thus, should this phone die, i have no way of restoring them.
it seems that, the only way to backup these apps is to root the phone. i can only find ways in which to root my phone that involve a factory reset. hence im stuck in a catch 22.
According to posts i've read, fastboot doesn't work with my phone. I have been reticent to actually follow through with any method which may reset/factory wipe my phone (as, if i understand it correctly, changing the bootloader/recovery will?).
even though i have found apk's for some of these apps, they are only for the trial versions, and not what i have previously paid for. furthermore, some of these companies have either gone bust, or simply refuse to respond to my emails. losing their cache i can live with, losing the full apps i "can't".
i use a laptop with arch installed. i have occassional access to a windows10 pc.
please please tell me it is possible to root this phone without losing these apps. Or at the very least, a way of pulling/backing up these apps.
ive not found a browser that can see into the data\app folder. adb can see into the data\app folder and pull apps, but not the apps i want to backup which have been pulled from the play store that ive paid for.
phone details:
model sm-n910t
android 6.0.1
baseband n910tuvu2eqi2
kernel 3.10.40 - 9385989
[email protected]#1
build no mmb29m.n910tuvu2eqi2

Hrafnblod said:
Hi,
Ive been searching around all week now trying to find a way to do the above, root my note 4 without a factory reset.
As far as i can gather, my bootloader is unlocked.
I suspect it has had somekind of non-t-mobile standard wizardry performed upon it prior to my ownership (2nd hand). The reason i think this (naive?) is as i understand it, these, in the UK, were locked to t-mobile sims new, however, mine can use any sim. also, since my ownership (couple years +), maybe 3 or 4 times it has randomly rebooted and gone into some kind of anti-"fiddling" mode stating something along the lines of "this phone has none genuine blah blah and is now locked. take it into a t-mobile shop to get fixed". A simple battery pull has "fixed" the issue each and every time.
Now, the actual main reason i want to root this, apart from the obvious other advantages, is to be able to perform a complete backup (including all the backup locked out apps). i have a few apps ive paid for, but have since been pulled from the play store, thus, should this phone die, i have no way of restoring them.
it seems that, the only way to backup these apps is to root the phone. i can only find ways in which to root my phone that involve a factory reset. hence im stuck in a catch 22.
According to posts i've read, fastboot doesn't work with my phone. I have been reticent to actually follow through with any method which may reset/factory wipe my phone (as, if i understand it correctly, changing the bootloader/recovery will?).
even though i have found apk's for some of these apps, they are only for the trial versions, and not what i have previously paid for. furthermore, some of these companies have either gone bust, or simply refuse to respond to my emails. losing their cache i can live with, losing the full apps i "can't".
i use a laptop with arch installed. i have occassional access to a windows10 pc.
please please tell me it is possible to root this phone without losing these apps. Or at the very least, a way of pulling/backing up these apps.
ive not found a browser that can see into the data\app folder. adb can see into the data\app folder and pull apps, but not the apps i want to backup which have been pulled from the play store that ive paid for.
phone details:
model sm-n910t
android 6.0.1
baseband n910tuvu2eqi2
kernel 3.10.40 - 9385989
[email protected]#1
build no mmb29m.n910tuvu2eqi2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried Odin? Samsung phones don't use fastboot but have their own flashing tool.

QuoPrimum said:
Have you tried Odin? Samsung phones don't use fastboot but have their own flashing tool.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm now rooted, cheers
I used ODIN on windows and CF_Auto Root.
I was just incredibly worried about getting a phone wipe/reset. I think, with having read through so many different guides and discussions, and having first tried to find a linux only solution, I'd ended up confusing myself. It just seemed that, when I thought I understood the process enough to actually physically start the rooting, all I could see was boot loop, bricking and factory reset issues in the guides.
Awesome forum.

Any apps you buy on the play store don't just disappear.
Check your actual purchase list for your Google account, it'll force a cached page.
Which is how I found out Activision pushed a (paid) mobile version of Zombies, removed it, then pushed the same game to the market which they continued to update.

[HELP] Samsung SM-G950F system & Os recovery ?

Hello,
Here is my problem.
2 days ago, I wanted to root my phone to get rid of any Google stuff (at this point I didn't know the existence of ADB commands :crying: ).
I followed a step by step youtube tutorial (youtube.com/watch?v=ZD-5twDm6XI), which works with TWRP, magisk and Odin (factory reset is needed).
Once everything is finished, my phone is finally rooted, and I grant superuser rights to Titanium app to uninstall google, and only SOME apps uninstalled totally (maps, chrome, facebook) BUT google play services won't uninstall. So, I try with System App Removal to uninstall google play stuff, and the same happens.
I reboot my phone, and it seems that everything disappeared... Not so sure... Indeed, the play store reinstall all applications as soon as I connect to the WiFi! and I have a persistent message "google play services stopped" that prevents me from browsing for example.
At this point, I use ADB commands, to remove anything which contains "com.blahblah.google.blahblah" and the play store (com.android.vending) with -k command. And it worked totally fine !!!!! I disconnect my phone, ready to backup my data. Idkw, i wanted to uninstall system app removal. IMPOSSIBLE from the phone, which says : "samsung One UI stopped" (I was in safe boot mode). My phone doesn't answer, so I reboot it.
Once it has booted, the TWRP menu screen appears. Ok, isn't that weird ? I swipe to allow changes, then I go to system to boot "normally" my phone.
A warning says : NO OS INSTALLED !!!! I don't understand, I panic, but finally boots my phone. Black charging screen. Forever.
I started first to flash an "official" Samsung ROM from Sammobile. TWRP indicates it is an invalid .zip, adb too. Odin doesn't manage to boot from the ROM too. I take a deep breathe and cry. Then I download the /e/ ROM which works fine !! but it has become impossible to backup my data from my samsung account....
So, I came to ask you a few things. WHY did it happen ? How can I be sure that there is no trace of TWRP anymore ? However, my phone storage is 64 GB and there is only 53,5 Gb free of internal storage !? Do you think the original firmware could be "hidden" in my files (e ROM is about 800Mos compressed) ?
It is stupid, but after my mistakes, I miss google...
I will do my best to reply asap.
Thank you for your help !
PS: -I'm a newbie in informatic, don't make things too complicated
-sorry for bad English, not my mother language

Google writes and distributes android.
There are many things in android that you cannot remove and still have a viable system.
imho you will have to flash a rom but we need your phones information (found in settings/system/about phone) model, version baseband, etc. etc
Others more knowledgeable can step in and help.
also read:
https://www.androidcentral.com/factory-reset-protection-what-you-need-know

KrisM22 said:
Google writes and distributes android.
There are many things in android that you cannot remove and still have a viable system.
imho you will have to flash a rom but we need your phones information (found in settings/system/about phone) model, version baseband, etc. etc
Others more knowledgeable can step in and help.
also read:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your reply ! I've read your article about FRP but I'm afraid it's not my problem...
Here are some of my phone specifications :
model : SM-G950F
version baseband : G950FXXS8DTC1
OS : /e/ version 0.9-p-dev-dreamlte (LineageOS API : Ilama 9)
Android 9
I've been digging the web for ROMs but each time I feel unsecure about it (virus, etc...) so I hope maybe you have something trustworthy

[UPDATE]
S8recovery said:
Hello,
Here is my problem.
2 days ago, I wanted to root my phone to get rid of any Google stuff (at this point I didn't know the existence of ADB commands :crying: ).
I followed a step by step youtube tutorial (youtube.com/watch?v=ZD-5twDm6XI), which works with TWRP, magisk and Odin (factory reset is needed).
Once everything is finished, my phone is finally rooted, and I grant superuser rights to Titanium app to uninstall google, and only SOME apps uninstalled totally (maps, chrome, facebook) BUT google play services won't uninstall. So, I try with System App Removal to uninstall google play stuff, and the same happens.
I reboot my phone, and it seems that everything disappeared... Not so sure... Indeed, the play store reinstall all applications as soon as I connect to the WiFi! and I have a persistent message "google play services stopped" that prevents me from browsing for example.
At this point, I use ADB commands, to remove anything which contains "com.blahblah.google.blahblah" and the play store (com.android.vending) with -k command. And it worked totally fine !!!!! I disconnect my phone, ready to backup my data. Idkw, i wanted to uninstall system app removal. IMPOSSIBLE from the phone, which says : "samsung One UI stopped" (I was in safe boot mode). My phone doesn't answer, so I reboot it.
Once it has booted, the TWRP menu screen appears. Ok, isn't that weird ? I swipe to allow changes, then I go to system to boot "normally" my phone.
A warning says : NO OS INSTALLED !!!! I don't understand, I panic, but finally boots my phone. Black charging screen. Forever.
I started first to flash an "official" Samsung ROM from Sammobile. TWRP indicates it is an invalid .zip, adb too. Odin doesn't manage to boot from the ROM too. I take a deep breathe and cry. Then I download the /e/ ROM which works fine !! but it has become impossible to backup my data from my samsung account....
So, I came to ask you a few things. WHY did it happen ? How can I be sure that there is no trace of TWRP anymore ? However, my phone storage is 64 GB and there is only 53,5 Gb free of internal storage !? Do you think the original firmware could be "hidden" in my files (e ROM is about 800Mos compressed) ?
It is stupid, but after my mistakes, I miss google...
I will do my best to reply asap.
Thank you for your help !
PS: -I'm a newbie in informatic, don't make things too complicated
-sorry for bad English, not my mother language
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been browsing through my root files and folders ( / ) ...
So :
/system is occupied with 2.33 GB
/vendor with 577 MB
/mnt with 9.01 GB
/proc with ... 236.9GB but every under-folder is empty... (explanations welcome !)
/storage is empty
If anyone could check on his device (S8 Exynos with android 9.0 Pie and One UI) if the files' sizes approximately matched, it would be great !

The one I just received is G950FXXS8DTC6 / G950FOXM8DTC1 / G950FXXS8DTC1 (after it took the Apr 1 update) so probably identical - a Yateley GU46 6GG UK phone. I am running it on ATT Prepaid(US) , which gave me the Apr 1 update. I don't know its history but it hasn't been modified - knox=0.
What you would need to do is get that zip and flash it with odin, but having no experience flashing the S8 myself, or any idea where to get that zip, I can be of no help to you. (I just came off a moto x4 which I ruined by flashing a couple custom rom's to try to help others on that forum - the blessings of Pie on that device!)(plus, taking the Apr 1 update on that phone requires a factory reset/wipe.) I needed a dependable phone here and in Europe on vacation.
Keep posting and ask someone to help you re-flash it.
EDIT: I wonder what a settings/general management/factory reset would do. But don't do one until someone here much more experienced with the S8 suggests it.
EDIT: WARNING WARNING WARNING -> Before flashing, ACTIVATE PIN in "Secure startup" (You'll be asked for it AFTER flashing!)
lockscreen and security / secure startup / require pin
I also see a note to delete your google account before doing this. Don't know if necessary.
EDIT: I believe I have found the rom - see pic This is from the SamFirm exe. 0.3.7 I put VOD for the region.
Remember: don't do anything with this until someone experienced in S8 tells you to!

Hi KrisM22,
I've already flashed with Odin, and I have talked about this on different forums, seen tutos on websites,... I hope this time it will work
I have the ROM required, selected activate pin, followed step by step the recommendations, and if I figured it out I will keep you up to date !

KrisM22 said:
The one I just received is G950FXXS8DTC6 / G950FOXM8DTC1 / G950FXXS8DTC1 (after it took the Apr 1 update) so probably identical - a Yateley GU46 6GG UK phone. I am running it on ATT Prepaid(US) , which gave me the Apr 1 update. I don't know its history but it hasn't been modified - knox=0.
What you would need to do is get that zip and flash it with odin, but having no experience flashing the S8 myself, or any idea where to get that zip, I can be of no help to you. (I just came off a moto x4 which I ruined by flashing a couple custom rom's to try to help others on that forum - the blessings of Pie on that device!)(plus, taking the Apr 1 update on that phone requires a factory reset/wipe.) I needed a dependable phone here and in Europe on vacation.
Keep posting and ask someone to help you re-flash it.
EDIT: I wonder what a settings/general management/factory reset would do. But don't do one until someone here much more experienced with the S8 suggests it.
EDIT: WARNING WARNING WARNING -> Before flashing, ACTIVATE PIN in "Secure startup" (You'll be asked for it AFTER flashing!)
lockscreen and security / secure startup / require pin
I also see a note to delete your google account before doing this. Don't know if necessary.
EDIT: I believe I have found the rom - see pic This is from the SamFirm exe. 0.3.7 I put VOD for the region.
Remember: don't do anything with this until someone experienced in S8 tells you to!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The flashing WORKED :victory: !!! It frightens me right now to check if TWRP has disappeared... But thank you anyway !z

S8recovery said:
The flashing WORKED :victory: !!! It frightens me right now to check if TWRP has disappeared... But thank you anyway !z
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excellent! What ROM did you flash it with?

KrisM22 said:
Excellent! What ROM did you flash it with?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I flashed a ROM from https://www.imei.info/download-firmware/samsung/samsung-g950f-galaxy-s8/SM-G950F/ , then I just followed the steps and flashed with Odin. TWRP has disappeared (the classic recovery menu came back). I think I have found my issue with the "no OS installed" bug : it could be because I deleted the essential API com.google.android.packageinstaller, what may have prevented the phone from booting and launching the OS and its apps .
I should have read this excellent post before...
*I ran antivirus analysis with virustotal and Bitdefender, which both declared the extracted files were safe : I didn't notice anything different by my phone compared to the original OS too, so...