• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Root [AT&T] Galaxy S4 Rooting Issue

okay i can root the phone no issues there. then whatever directions i use to flash a rom it tells me to wipe the data/factory reset which makes no sense if i just rooted the phone. im stuck and could really use some assistance. i dont like the touchwiz and want to flash a rom as close to pure google as possible.
 
Factory data reset does not remove root. I'd think you need safe strap to flash if you have mk2. See if there is a Google edition touchwiz rom for 4.3 to use with safe strap.
 
I'm no expert either. I've been reading on xda. One important thing - if this phone which is purchased or OTA-updated to recent versions (MF3 and MK2) then it has Enhanced Security Linux with locked bootloader, so flashing is not so easy.

To the best my knowledge, flashing a custom rom with Odin is not an option and you could brick your phone trying. (there is an odin back to stock on xda).

In fact, there is only one way to flash and that is using a program called safestrap
I think you are on AT&T, correct?
The program page for safestrap for S4 is here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2448925
The Q&A page for AT&T S4 phones is here
Official AT&T S4 Safestrap Discussion Q/A - xda-developers

It's a lot to read.

Even with safestrap, the ROM can be changed but the Kernel cannot be changed. That means you are limited to ROMs that use the same kernel as the one you have now. The kernal you have now is Touchwiz on Android 4.3, so you can only use custom Roms that have that same kernel. Last I checked, there were few or no Roms available in that category (there were a lot more custom roms that use Touchwiz / 4.2.2 kernal).

You have to comb xda to find ones that might work. I haven't seen much of a list. Here's a few:

Mention of ROMs that might work: Goldeneye:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=49528405&highlight=4+3#post49528405

Deadly Venom and Dark Carnage (sounds gruesome)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=49435267&highlight=4+3#post49435267

You might stumble accross a few others but there's not many.
I haven't installed safestrap yet, still looking at the options. Safestrap can require a lot of room on your internal sd to house the stock rom and additional roms.

The part about S4 Google Edition Rom - I mentioned because you said you wanted google experience. I remember reading about G.E. rom somewhere (added link below) and that's why I mentioned it. But now I'm thinking it won't work. For one thing it needs to be a Touchwiz kernel (it's probably AOSP so wouldn't work), also not sure if 4.3. It mentions Loki which applies to older phone firmware than ours (which use safestrap). You're welcome to look into it more but I'm thinking it won't work:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2365317
 
I would like to see if I could just get back to stock 4.3. Right now in the upper part of the screen where the time and battery icon is, therein lies what looks to be 2 N's flipped together, not really sure what this means but the phone seems to be functioning fine. How do I get back to stock?
 
sparker781 said:
I would like to see if I could just get back to stock 4.3. Right now in the upper part of the screen where the time and battery icon is, therein lies what looks to be 2 N's flipped together, not really sure what this means but the phone seems to be functioning fine. How do I get back to stock?
Click to expand...

if you're wanting to go back to stock just download the firmware for your device from sammobile and flash it w/odin. presto
 
KJohns said:
could he not flash an older build via odin? (assuming that the mk2 is an issue.)
Click to expand...
No way. You can't go backwards if you have purchased as mk2 or ota'd to mk2. Simply not possible at this time and might brick trying. The new version is more secure and part of that security involves special provisions (locked bootloader, something about "blown qfuse") to prevent rooted phones from being able to roll back to a less secure (earlier) kernel.
 
KJohns said:
if you're wanting to go back to stock just download the firmware for your device from sammobile and flash it w/odin. presto
Click to expand...

http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/

The latest versions available for SGH-I337 (I'm assuming that's sparker,correct me if I'm wrong) is MDL. It an earlier version and won't work on a locked bootloader MK2 phone.

There are lots of smart people working at xda to figure out and share ways to get things done on our phones. I try to follow their instructions. Personally I am not someone knowledgable or bold enough to use my phone as a test case to expand the frontiers.
 
didn't realize the att version was so strict lol. the tmobile version has its bootloader unlocked (which is what I have..) there's got to be a way to unlock it... anyone have any pertinent links on that?
 
there's got to be a way to unlock it... anyone have any pertinent links on that?
Click to expand...
The earlier attempts to provide locked bootloader were circumvented by LOKI.

But there is nothing similar for the newer versions like AT&T MF3 and MK2. The closest we have is Safestrap with very limited ability to "flash" custom roms (only those using the same kernel).

So, no-one will be able to provide a link to something that is not known to exist at this time. However, if there was an unlock method, you would surely see someone claiming their bounty here:
AT&T
[Bounty] AT&T Galaxy S4 Bootloader Unlock - xda-developers
[BOUNTY]New Root+Recovery method and/or Bootloader Unlock - xda-developers
Verizon:
[BOUNTY] New Root Method Exploit or Full Bootloader Unlock ***Updated Daily*** - xda-developers
 
img_knox_01.jpg
 
Kjohns really not sure what any of that means. My phone runs fine...The only thing I've noticed is that when I boot it, it displays a lock thats unlocked but the phone itself seems fine. So I am not sure what that means though
 
sparker781 said:
Kjohns really not sure what any of that means. My phone runs fine...The only thing I've noticed is that when I boot it, it displays a lock thats unlocked but the phone itself seems fine. So I am not sure what that means though
Click to expand...

this has gotten off topic lol ...please tell me you made a backup
 
there is a working method available but it won't be publicly released until may according to this site:
Click to expand...

Dan Rosenberg Releases 'Loki', A Tool To Allow ROM/Recovery Developers To Bypass The Bootloader On The Verizon And AT&T Galaxy S4
Click to expand...
That was May 2013. Loki works for older versions as I mentioned above. We're talking about MK2 (again assuming it was purchased as MK2 or OTA'd to MK2), for which there currently is no bootloader unlock. That means you can't flash to anything with a different kernel, including older versions.
 
My phone runs fine...The only thing I've noticed is that when I boot it, it displays a lock thats unlocked but the phone itself seems fine. So I am not sure what that means though
Click to expand...
My phone has that ever since I successfuly rooted. I think it's just an indicator to service personnel that the phone has been tampered with.

I'm not sure if you have root or not. Maybe try to install a program requiring root acces and see if it works.

Are you still having the problems you reported earlier in the thread? Or did you get rid of them? How...factory reset?

Again your only option to change Rom will be Safestrap. And the only Roms you will be able to use are those 4.3 TW Roms that are compatible with safestrap. That is until or unless there is a breakthrough, but seems quite stalled to me.
 
@electricpete I did manage to factory reset the phone earlier and Playstore seems fine...It runs etc....The only issue I've been having is that lock showing unlocked when I boot. Also the apps I disabled have come back and I just need to go into app manager and disable them again.....

@KJohns.....No I did not do a backup of my phone. I do have a list of apps I have installed though...Not sure if that would have made a diff in what I am trying to accomplish
 
sparker781 said:
@electricpete I did manage to factory reset the phone earlier and Playstore seems fine...It runs etc....The only issue I've been having is that lock showing unlocked when I boot. Also the apps I disabled have come back and I just need to go into app manager and disable them again.....

@KJohns.....No I did not do a backup of my phone. I do have a list of apps I have installed though...Not sure if that would have made a diff in what I am trying to accomplish
Click to expand...

since i can't seem to find one available , im gonna upload an odin flashable mk2 so you can return to stock (i think thats what you were wanting to do yes?)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom