Root [Verizon] Backup MJ7 Stock Rom

[maplewood]

I just switched from an S3 to an S4 and didn't realize that the S4 is seemingly so much more locked down. (bummer).

I've rooted (with Vroot) and want to move to CM11. But before I do so I want to backup that stock, rooted, MJ7 rom.

Booting into (stock) recovery doesn't show a backup option. Am I missing something?

Am I being unjustly cautious not going to a custom rom without a backup. (I do have Odin and the .tar file -- which I had to use when I believed TWRP when it suggested that I could install a custom recovery -- thereby softbricking the thing. But it was easy enough to recovery. Annoying but harmless).

A second question. I really like the Samsung 4.3 keyboard with the numbers on the top row. If I go to CM11 or whatever can I still install/run that keyboard?

 

[ironass]

I just switched from an S3 to an S4 and didn't realize that the S4 is seemingly so much more locked down. (bummer).

So is the Galaxy S3 now! See, #1.0 of Warning - Knox Security on 4.3 firmwares.

I've rooted (with Vroot) and want to move to CM11. But before I do so I want to backup that stock, rooted, MJ7 rom.

Booting into (stock) recovery doesn't show a backup option. Am I missing something?

There is no nandroid backup/restore option in a stock recovery, only on custom recoveries.

 

[Rukbat]

Booting into (stock) recovery doesn't show a backup option. Am I missing something?

You're missing the nandroid backup function - which the stock recovery doesn't have.

Am I being unjustly cautious not going to a custom rom without a backup.

That's for you to decide. Do you think it's unjustly cautious to check out the bungee cord before you drop 300 feet down the cliff? Or do you use rubber bands and just hope it works? Some people accept more danger than others.

(I do have Odin and the .tar file -- which I had to use when I believed TWRP when it suggested that I could install a custom recovery -- thereby softbricking the thing. But it was easy enough to recovery. Annoying but harmless).

Soft-bricking is annoying. Hard-bricking can be fixed too, but it's a lot more than just annoying. (As long as the hardware isn't damaged, there's probably some way to stuff some software in there to allow you to eventually get a working ROM going.)

A second question. I really like the Samsung 4.3 keyboard with the numbers on the top row. If I go to CM11 or whatever can I still install/run that keyboard?

The keyboard in Android is an app - install whichever one you like. I kind of like the 4.3 Sammy keyboard too.

 

[maplewood]

The keyboard in Android is an app - install whichever one you like. I kind of like the 4.3 Sammy keyboard too.

Is there a link for the APK? A bit of rummaging around the Play Store, etc. is not turning it up.

I would think/guess that the APK is somewhere on the phone where it could be saved out and then side loaded after a rom flash (once someone works out the recovery/unlock/etc. issues on this phone).

 

[Podivin]

Moved thread to the root forum for better visibility from other rooters.

 

[SwoRNLeaDejZ]

Is there a link for the APK? A bit of rummaging around the Play Store, etc. is not turning it up.

I would think/guess that the APK is somewhere on the phone where it could be saved out and then side loaded after a rom flash (once someone works out the recovery/unlock/etc. issues on this phone).

It's going to probably be in your system/app folder. What it's actually called is anyone's guess. On my phone the stock keyboard was named LatinIME2.apk

 

[jake99x3]

Advice vroot is shady and have found my s4 having errors when rooted with vroot. My advice is to go back to factory and use saferoot to root instead of vroot.