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.
.

Help needed, bootloop. spyware?

Hi guys I have a problem, I am using miui7 developer ROM and my phone has been compromised twice, I have had my bank account hacked(long story but calls where diverted and bank log in details changed) and 4 days ago someone tried to log on to my banking app remotely 5 times and so it was locked down, bank has confirmed it was my phone and my WiFi provider that was used and I know it wasn't me, so I have tried to flash 2 ROMs using all the correct methods and it always results in the same, a boot loop, I am wondering if partitions have been messed with, or if there is something hidden on the file system causing this, what I would like to do is wipe everything, I don't mean just system data cache etc I have tried all that unsuccessfully, I mean fully wipe and reset all the partitions memory emc chip and totally start fresh, can anyone help please, I really need to sort it out I know my phone is compromised because of things that have happened. Any solutions please. Anyone experienced malware in miui7 ROMs? Your help is really appreciated.
Rich

Phone? BL locked/unlocked? Root?

krcovsky said:
Phone? BL locked/unlocked? Root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Redmi note 4g single sim doir, bootloader not sure never unlocked so presume locked, rooted and unrooted tried both methods, flashed plenty of ROMs in the past without trouble.

Sorry but i cant really help since i do not own the device. It would probably be best to try to find a solution on miui forum, directly ask a member of a Dior device team. And don't know if you flashed through recovery or fastboot mode - try both mehtods, also developer/stable rom. I think flashing through fastboot also acts as a full factory reset. There must be a tutorial for unbricking or resolving bootloops. Also try some custom cm/aosp based roms to see if the phone will boot. And since miui is chinese, you can presume that there is some data leaking, but i don't think that it contains malware - it would be too much even for xiaomi (unless you "picked up" some shady script/trojan/whatever along the way).

custom binary blocked by FRP lock? bricked?

Hi, I'm sorry if this isn't the right place to post this but Im having to use someone else's windows phone and its hard to navigate through the site.
My problem is that I tried to root my s6 edge plus using an application called King Root. The install got to 17% and then turned the phone off. When I load the phone up now I just get the message "custom binary locked by FRP lock" in red writing and the phone instantly boots off.
Is there a way to get around this without losing my data on my phone? I have some very important photos that are on there that I really don't want to lose, unfortunately nothing is backed up. I've been researching and apparently this is possible using a programme called Odin? I hope this is possible as I don't want to lose my stuff on my phone.
Any help would be great, thank you.

To be brutally honest if you haven't heard of Odin and you're using Kingroot, you're way out of your depth and you shouldn't be even thinking about rooting your device.
Not being nasty, sincerely. But you need to do a LOT of research.
The only way to rescue your device is to flash a stock firmware via Odin. There are guides on this site, read them and then read them again and again. Your photos are probably gone unfortunately. I would say definitely, but mircles can happen..
Good luck!

Maybe just flashing the stock bootloader may help but once you atart flashing the pda i think your photos may be gone. Unless where ever they are stored doesnt get over written they may be recovered uisng a data recovery app on the play store like gt recovery and the deep scan option.. it still finds photos from 5 new rom installs on my opo

(Soft?)-Bricked My S7 with a Flashfire Update, Need Help to Fix It?

So I've been rooting me phone for a while and have managed to never f*** up, till now, and I sincerely hope you guys can help me.
After rooting my S7 a while back, I just recently noticed SuperUser telling me that I didn't have root anymore, so I decided to follow these instructions to re-root my phone:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ve...-to-notes-root-install-xposed-unroot-t3411039
I successfully followed all the steps to get root, but when I opened Flashfire it told me I could install a new update while maintaining root, so since my android is at 6.0.1, I did that and it bricked my phone.
On boot it says "Startup Failed - Use the Verizon Software Repair Assistant . . . " and on top it also says "Custom binary blocked by SECURE BOOT." I have tried going into recovery mode and deleting the system cache, but that doesn't do it. So is there any way to get the phone to properly boot while not deleting my data? I was rooting my phone precisely so I could use Titanium Backup again, so I don't have any backups stored anywhere. I have heard that flashing a recovery image with Odin can work, but would that delete my files? Someone please lend me your expertise.
My phone is a Verizon S7.

Fixed
I am surprised that no one responded to me, but what's important is that, miraculously, I managed to un-brick the phone myself without losing any data! What I did was, as my last hope (since Odin wasn't able to flash the stock image, a la the traditional soft-brick fix), decide to follow the on-screen instructions my phone was giving me and to download and run something called the "Verizon Software Repair Assistant," which can be found in the top google results after searching for the quoted name (xda doesn't let me post the link).
After putting my phone into download mode, I plugged it in, ran the software and let it work overnight. Checking on it in the morning, I found my phone, not only completely functional and working, but updated to Android 7.0 (it was 6.0.1 previously before the failed Flashfire OTA update) and still holding all of my data intact.
So, the interesting thing that I learned is that flashing to stock via Odin to fix a soft-bricked phone should not be the default resolution for potentially most people, as the carrier's default (in my case, Verizon's) repair utility managed to completely fix my phone without any side effects or data loss.
Is there anyone who could chime in on why the Repair Utility did not wipe my phone's memory, even though it warned it would?
**Note**
Verizon links to the Windows version of the repair assistant on their site, but to get the Mac version (which I used), the only way you can get it is by changing the end of the url they mention within the thread from "Win" to "Mac."

Pleased you managed to fix it, and thanks for posting the method for others
As for replies, if you stick around XDA you'll see replies can take days sometimes, patience is the key here

*Detection* said:
Pleased you managed to fix it, and thanks for posting the method for others
As for replies, if you stick around XDA you'll see replies can take days sometimes, patience is the key here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess I am not acquainted with this forum enough then, thanks!

Most likely the cause of the fault would be updating via FlashFire and keeping root. When the update was flashed, it most likely flashed the stock kernel and patched it for root, which is not a compatible root for our devices. Flashing the root kernel with Odin probably would have made the phone boot normally.

trying to understand between root bootloader and flashing rom

my first g6 had a broken screen last week. me being abusive to it. from frustration.
bought a used g6 as a backup very quickly but im not liking v9.0
id like to install the first 7.0 version it ever had available H870. I have 3 apps total installed more of a pro privacy advocate so no browser and would like to shut those annoying update popups which are extremely intrusive and come at the worst times. would like to block as much as possible to also have battery life
I dont understand what the roo does, what the bootloader does and I understand I need to flash a kdz rom. if I understand, I need to install 7.0 (not 7.1 or later) then use the root and bootloader to block updates notifications and to remove default apps in the phone.. basically tweak system things...is this correct?
I used to tinker with windows mobile back in the days but after years of fear of bricking and only have one phone, I had to suffer through annoyances in the OS they give. it is time to have a phone that doesnt annoy me and isnt intrusive. I really do need calmness after 18 months of hell with covid.
inevitably I will move to pinephone once it gets mature. for now using this g6. I dont run after the newest models.
any insight or experiences or tips you could throw at me would be appreciated as I think i may be mixing things up
stay afe

i have a used H870 here. Did the root+twrp, up to PIE and tryed/flashed many things, but wasn´t that happy at all. That was a few month ago. A week ago I replaced my battery and tada, sweet runner. So again I wanted more and bricked it to "no sim" after restoring from a kernel here. Since there isnt much for Pie, roms, deadlinks, broken twrp etc. the only tool which worked and helped me was LG bridge to restore to latest stock pie.
I would recommend u to root without recovery via magisk/fastboot method and go for some adaway, acc battery charger, lsposed + gravity, debloat and maybe a kernel manager + etc.
dont forget, when u have sporadic lags, go for the battery.
gl on ur way mate
----
ps just for info
the only working usb drivers where delivered via the LG bridge tool driver update for me, i tryed many..