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[Q] Do I need to upgrade bootloader before installing custom rom?

Hi there,
just got my hands on this international Note 3 and looking to root it and install a custom rom. I think I got all the information and softwares on how to root and flash custom recovery. but I'm just not sure if I need to upgrade my bootloader before flashing a custom rom? I don't even know what bootloader i'm on. but I do know that I'm still on 4.3 stock.
please let me know of anything that I need to do before flashing a custom rom.
thanks so much!

slamming_sammy1 said:
Hi there,
just got my hands on this international Note 3 and looking to root it and install a custom rom. I think I got all the information and softwares on how to root and flash custom recovery. but I'm just not sure if I need to upgrade my bootloader before flashing a custom rom? I don't even know what bootloader i'm on. but I do know that I'm still on 4.3 stock.
please let me know of anything that I need to do before flashing a custom rom.
thanks so much!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
first step, flash with odin stock KK rom to have good bootloader, after root and put recovery you want and don't preoccupate anymore bootloader and flash custom rom or not...

rayman95 said:
first step, flash with odin stock KK rom to have good bootloader, after root and put recovery you want and don't preoccupate anymore bootloader and flash custom rom or not...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok thank you!
I tried using kies to upgrade to 4.4 as i figured that would be the easiest way, but keep getting an error, so I do need to flash stock using odin. but I'm so confused as to which one to download. right now when I fire up kies, it shows this:
current firmware version: PDA:MJ7 /PHONE:MJ7 /CSC:MJ6 (ZTO)
Latest firmware version: PDA:NG3 / PHONE:NG2 / CSC:NG3 (ZTO)
can someone let me know which firmware I need to download from sammobile.com?
thanks so much.

oh please disregard. I didn't know sammobile.com had a place where we can search by country, etc. it's really cool. so I found what I needed.
thank you.

I was able to do an OTA update, so now I'm on kitkat 4.4; so my question is, now do I need to do anything for preparation in order to root?
thanks.

nothing to do
flash cf auto root and you re done...

thank you! you guys are great!

How To Flash A Custom Rom from Stock? {SGS 4 4g i19506}

Hello, I am new to this rooting and flashing stuff on the Samsung Galaxy s4 4G, and i just wanted to know how i can flash a 5.X.X custom rom from the stock 4.4.2 rom from the very beginning.
It would be nice if someone could post a link to a tutorial or something i can follow to flash my phone.
I have read some of the guides but i cannot understand what to do as the instructions seem to advanced.
Thank you

First you need a custom recovery. I recommend TWRP. Just google TWRP S4 and it will take you to the S4 section. There you have the download link and some install instructions. I recommend using the Odin method.
Then you need Odin. Odin 3.09 or 3.10 works. Sorry I cannot post links, I'm on mobile and it's pretty tricky getting everything together.
Flashing a custom recovery or rom is pretty much the same for all S4 models (with a few exceptions).
Installing the recovery is the most difficult part if you're a beginner. Installing the custom rom is as simple as selecting it and confirming the procedure.

Can i install TRWP recovery without rooting my phone?
Currently i have updated to the stock 5.0.1 rom and am trying to root my phone to install the custom recovery.

TWRP 2.8.6.0 is available as a tar file flashable through Odin without rooting. From there, upgrade to 2.8.7.0.

So is root required to flash a custom rom? Or can i just flash a TWRP recovery then flash the custom rom from there?
Thank you
Edit: Thank you for your help i have figured it out

androidboss7 said:
So is root required to flash a custom rom? Or can i just flash a TWRP recovery then flash the custom rom from there?
Thank you
Edit: Thank you for your help i have figured it out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope it doesn't require root, u can just go ahead and flash ur custom rom

Custom and Stock ROMs Question

Hi everyone, I have question that I hope you can answer.
Today I flashed a Custom Recovery and Rooted my Note 3 SM N900. Everything is working fine, I rooted my phone in order to delete apps like trip advisor, s health among other apps. But I've seen that there are 6.0 ROMs for my phone. I've seen many tutorials and I would like to flash a custom ROM. (I'm thinking on flashing Resurrection Remix 5.1.1 for my SM N900). I already made my efs folder backup.
So, my question is this. When I decide to go back to a stock ROM (Lollipop Samsung Touchwiz the one I currently have) do I need to do something extra? Like, I would be able to flash a sotck samsung ROM through TWPR recovery for example? or what I need to do is just flash through odin?
Could you please tell me what I need to know on this cases?
Thank you very much! :good:

just flash with odin and you r good to go

raman99311 said:
just flash with odin and you r good to go
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And What about the bootloader? Do I Need to unlock it if I want to install any custom ROM? I installed TWRP recovery on my phone, then I Rooted the phone. The steps that I've seen on the Internet to flash a Custom ROM doesn't have a step that unlocks bootloader or so.
Or the bootloader is unlocked since I rooted the phone? I'm confused. I really appreciated if you or someone could explain this doubt.
Thanks in advance. :good:

N900 is already factory bootloader unlocked
Sent from my SM-N920C

Using a bootloader unlock app could brick the phone. The only note 3 I know of with a locked bootloader is the AT&T Sm-900a.

Updating to Marshmallow on OF1

Been off this thread for awhile (you know how life gets in the way) and was wondering if there are any meaningful upgrades to an S4 with 1545VRUGOF1 rooted via Flashfire. with stock.
C

If you want marshmallow, then custom ROMs are the only way to get it.

Which s4 do you have? Isn't flash fire for the i337?

audit13 said:
Which s4 do you have? Isn't flash fire for the i337?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SCH-1545
Android 5.0.1
I545VRUGOF1
At the time, Flashfire was the only path to root

Look here for a possible answer: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-verizon

Any guidance? I have the VRUGOF1 Bootloader and consequently was only able to root with Flashfire. Not sure if there has been any development to allow Marshmallow to be put on this device

wedmiston said:
Any guidance? I have the VRUGOF1 Bootloader and consequently was only able to root with Flashfire. Not sure if there has been any development to allow Marshmallow to be put on this device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, there are ROMs for that device. But you can only flash with a custom recovery so you'll have to find one.

Look in the Verizon forum. This forum is for the international version of the s4.

Pwnycorn said:
Yes, there are ROMs for that device. But you can only flash with a custom recovery so you'll have to find one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe I'm not being clear, but I was uder the impression if you have the OF1 Build you can only root with Flashfire, and, you cannot install CWM or TWRP as it will brick your device. I am not looking to add another ROM, I am fine with stock. My goal is to see if there is a way to go from Lollipop to Marshmallow safely given my specific device parameters

wedmiston said:
Maybe I'm not being clear, but I was uder the impression if you have the OF1 Build you can only root with Flashfire, and, you cannot install CWM or TWRP as it will brick your device. I am not looking to add another ROM, I am fine with stock. My goal is to see if there is a way to go from Lollipop to Marshmallow safely given my specific device parameters
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can't install any custom recovery, then there isn't any way you can.
There is no official TouchWiz Marshmallow ROM for the S4, as such, the only way to get marshmallow is through a custom ROM.
A custom ROM can only be flashed via custom recovery.
Ergo, if you can't flash a custom recovery, there is no way to get marshmallow.

The Verizon OF1 bootloader is locked and not exploitable. Only the MDK bootloader had that luxury. You also cannot downgrade to it. If you want to flash a ROM other that stock head to the Verizon Galaxy S4 development forum and read up on SafeStrap and ROMs that can be installed with it. A custom recovery such as TWRP is not able to be installed on your device. Because of that ROMs such as CM, JDC custom ROMs, etc. are out of reach for you.

Pwnycorn said:
If you can't install any custom recovery, then there isn't any way you can.
There is no official TouchWiz Marshmallow ROM for the S4, as such, the only way to get marshmallow is through a custom ROM.
A custom ROM can only be flashed via custom recovery.
Ergo, if you can't flash a custom recovery, there is no way to get marshmallow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks
So to summarize, since I am on the OF1 build and could only root via Flashfire, the bootloader remains locked...consequently I still cannot flash TWRP or CWM, and as you put it, out of luck to get Marshmallow.
However, has anyone successfully used Flashfire and Xposed? I saw it on another thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidQuestions/comments/406o9w/verizon_galaxy_s4_unlocked_bootlaoder/
but there was no definitive conclusion that it was successful. Anyone have any direct experience with this? Since Safestrap and Flashfire are both custom recoveries installed alongside of your locked bootloader, do either work to get to Marshmallow?

wedmiston said:
Thanks
So to summarize, since I am on the OF1 build and could only root via Flashfire, the bootloader remains locked...consequently I still cannot flash TWRP or CWM, and as you put it, out of luck to get Marshmallow.
However, has anyone successfully used Flashfire and Xposed? I saw it on another thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidQuestions/comments/406o9w/verizon_galaxy_s4_unlocked_bootlaoder/
but there was no definitive conclusion that it was successful. Anyone have any direct experience with this? Since Safestrap and Flashfire are both custom recoveries installed alongside of your locked bootloader, do either work to get to Marshmallow?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are a little confused. SafeStrap is not a custom recovery so to speak, TWRP is. SafeStrap allows the installation of some mods, etc. on devices with a locked BL. A quick look in the Verizon S4 Android Development forum does not show a MM build that can be installed via SS, only LP builds.
The issue with a locked BL and SS is you cannot install a different kernel which limited what could be installed.

I saw a set of OF1 instructions out on Stang5litre's OP for his ROM. Has this been validated as a stable rom for those of us on OF1?

Bootloader and modem question

How do I know which bootloader do I have? I'm currently running build B35.
Can someone direct me to a thread how to flash universal bootloader and modem?
If I use bkores flash toolkit, it said you have to flash universal bootloader, modem along with Rom and Gapps but in which order?
If using twrp for future flash do I need to flash universal bootloader and modem every time I switch ROM?

I'm not an expert but here's what I understand.
1. You don't have to worry which version you have unless you're flashing a custom ROM, usually for Nougat you want the B15 and for Oreo you want the B35.
2.Universal Bootloader>Modem>ROM>GApps>Magisk/SuperSU
3.You only need to flash it once if you're switching ROMs with the same android version.

Nicz14 said:
I'm not an expert but here's what I understand.
1. You don't have to worry which version you have unless you're flashing a custom ROM, usually for Nougat you want the B15 and for Oreo you want the B35.
2.Universal Bootloader>Modem>ROM>GApps>Magisk/SuperSU
3.You only need to flash it once if you're switching ROMs with the same android version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the reply.
I'm on Android 7.1.1 with build B35.
I want to flash a custom ROM.

vic_singh said:
Thank you for the reply.
I'm on Android 7.1.1 with build B35.
I want to flash a custom ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you haven't you need to unlock your bootloader before you can start flashing custom ROM. You can find a guide on how to do it here.