Hello everyone. I'm a recent android convert from iOS, and loving it.
I've rooted and gotten CWM onto my Telus GS3 and made a back-up of the stock samsung rom
I would like to try out some of the other roms and have been pouring over the threads. Unfortunately, i'm still confused about a few things and hoping someone can clarify or point me in the right direction:
Flashing a new rom seems easy enough. I'd like to try out CM10/aristodemos JB. What i'm confused about is the following:
1. according to this thread, i might run into issues w/ build.prop
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1915875
what is it? and do i need to be following what they say in that thread w/ all of the AT&T roms i try to flash?
2. do i need to be re-flashing my telus modem from the Modem List after i flash these roms?
I guess i just haven't found the one thread that summarizes for us Telus users, what we need to do Differently when flashing say the CM10 or any other of the AOSP roms?
Thanks! any help would be appreciated!
Hi! I've a Telus S III myself and ran into absolutely no problems rooting and reflashing it (with CM10) - no build.prop tinkering and no modem reflashing (third party ROM images normally don't include modems, and those that do will note this).
I rooted through flashing - with Odin - the rooted Telus image available over in the sticky in the dev forum, which also includes instructions for flashing a CWM (make sure it is new enough to avoid the error 7 described in the other thread).
Basically, there's nothing really Telus-specific unless you choose the pre-rooted image route for rooting, and that only applies to the root process.
Good luck, and enjoy your customising...
ahhh perfect, that's good to hear!
thanks!
Hello all, hopefully this will help give some clarification for users, especially ones who have a newer SGS3, who are experiencing issues trying to flash certain ROM's and are getting errors due to assert/bootloader checks.
There is a specific part of a ROM .zip file called the updater-script which contains a security feature known as the assert lines. These parts of the script look for a bootloader match prior to flashing to ensure the ROM is compatible with the phone. This is used when there are multiple variants of one phone, such as the SGS3, which is available from Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, and some international variants. Flashing a ROM meant for a different carrier can have disastrous consequences, so developers include this bootloader check as a CYA measure. Here is where a lot of newer users are running into trouble and are choosing a "fix" which is incorrect. If your phone has MK3 (Sprint) or MK5 (Virgin Mobile/Boost) as the bootloader (not the modem, will address that later), then you have a bootloader which is not recognized for 4.3.x or earlier builds of CyanogenMod or custom ROM's based on AOSP. The CM 11 builds do recognize MK3, so will flash fine with no modification needed for rooted users. More importantly though, if MK3 or MK5 is your bootloader, then you have Knox as well, and Knox will fight any attempt to replace it with another bootloader, as in it will brick your phone badly. Therefore, MK3 and MK5 users who think their flash has failed because they need a different bootloader and then proceed to change their firmware, either with a "return to stock" .tar file via Odin or a flashable .zip designed to change the firmware have just inadvertently bricked their phone.
Here are some rules of thumb:
1. Know what is on your phone! Be aware of what bootloader you have, specifically you need to know if you have Knox or are Knox-free. If you are Knox-free, congratulations, if you have Knox, my condolences. In the Knoxed-up situation NEVER EVER try to push, via Odin a .tar file designed to "return to stock" if the bootloader associated with that file is MD4 or earlier (Sprint users) or MG2 or earlier (VM/Boost). Sprint users also have .zip files available designed to do the same thing, avoid these as well if you have Knox. Flashing a ROM with an earlier Android build is just fine, there is no bootloader included in a custom ROM based on AOSP, contrary to what some people are posting. You can "downgrade" to an earlier build of Android if you wish, you absolutely CANNOT downgrade your bootloader if you already have Knox on your phone.
2. If you get an "assert failed" message, you just need to modify or delete the asserts to match your bootloader, you do not need to change the bootloader itself. DO NOT assume that changing your bootloader is a fix for anything without knowing what you are doing first.
3. Modem does not equal bootloader. We use the same nomenclature (MD4, MK3, etc.), which can be confusing, but modems are interchangeable, and there are .zip files available so that you can easily flash from one to another. Additionally, anybody who has an SPH-L710 can use any modem designed for Sprint, VM, or Boost. A lot of Sprint users actually achieved great signal/data results with the MG2 modem from VM/Boost, and I have used MK3 modem just fine myself (I am on VM). ROM .zip files don't care about your modem, only your bootloader.
I hope this helps, I am seeing way too many users asking why they bricked their phones when this information would have helped them in advance had they not just forged ahead and assumed the bootloader was the problem. If anyone would like to know how to safely modify or delete the assert lines please let me know via posting or PM.
Useful information.
One item that could use some clarification is how to know whether a package includes a bootloader, and whether the assert line in the script will work with the Knox bootloader?
poit said:
Useful information.
One item that could use some clarification is how to know whether a package includes a bootloader, and whether the assert line in the script will work with the Knox bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the most part, as far as I know any custom ROM in the Original Android Development section, as well as anything AOSP based in the Android Development section will never contain a bootloader. The ROM's that do should be clearly (hopefully!) labeled as being "return to stock" (wording may vary), with the specific bootloader listed, and will almost always be a .tar file, not a .zip file. If it is a .zip, there should be some mention of "firmware" involved. This is not set in stone, just what I have seen in the various titles.
As to the assert lines, one of them just has to be an exact match for the bootloader designation, Knox or otherwise. If you have managed to install custom recovery and root post-Knox (it is possible, just can be a little bit of a headache), then Knox is a non-issue in terms of the assert lines and the bootloader check, the check is not looking for Knox, it is looking to see if any one of the several bootloaders listed in the asserts is present on the phone before proceeding.
using sprint stock rom on boost mobile s3
Mr. Struck said:
Hello all, hopefully this will help give some clarification for users, especially ones who have a newer SGS3, who are experiencing issues trying to flash certain ROM's and are getting errors due to assert/bootloader checks.
There is a specific part of a ROM .zip file called the updater-script which contains a security feature known as the assert lines. These parts of the script look for a bootloader match prior to flashing to ensure the ROM is compatible with the phone. This is used when there are multiple variants of one phone, such as the SGS3, which is available from Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, and some international variants. Flashing a ROM meant for a different carrier can have disastrous consequences, so developers include this bootloader check as a CYA measure. Here is where a lot of newer users are running into trouble and are choosing a "fix" which is incorrect. If your phone has MK3 (Sprint) or MK5 (Virgin Mobile/Boost) as the bootloader (not the modem, will address that later), then you have a bootloader which is not recognized for 4.3.x or earlier builds of CyanogenMod or custom ROM's based on AOSP. The CM 11 builds do recognize MK3, so will flash fine with no modification needed for rooted users. More importantly though, if MK3 or MK5 is your bootloader, then you have Knox as well, and Knox will fight any attempt to replace it with another bootloader, as in it will brick your phone badly. Therefore, MK3 and MK5 users who think their flash has failed because they need a different bootloader and then proceed to change their firmware, either with a "return to stock" .tar file via Odin or a flashable .zip designed to change the firmware have just inadvertently bricked their phone.
Here are some rules of thumb:
1. Know what is on your phone! Be aware of what bootloader you have, specifically you need to know if you have Knox or are Knox-free. If you are Knox-free, congratulations, if you have Knox, my condolences. In the Knoxed-up situation NEVER EVER try to push, via Odin a .tar file designed to "return to stock" if the bootloader associated with that file is MD4 or earlier (Sprint users) or MG2 or earlier (VM/Boost). Sprint users also have .zip files available designed to do the same thing, avoid these as well if you have Knox. Flashing a ROM with an earlier Android build is just fine, there is no bootloader included in a custom ROM based on AOSP, contrary to what some people are posting. You can "downgrade" to an earlier build of Android if you wish, you absolutely CANNOT downgrade your bootloader if you already have Knox on your phone.
2. If you get an "assert failed" message, you just need to modify or delete the asserts to match your bootloader, you do not need to change the bootloader itself. DO NOT assume that changing your bootloader is a fix for anything without knowing what you are doing first.
3. Modem does not equal bootloader. We use the same nomenclature (MD4, MK3, etc.), which can be confusing, but modems are interchangeable, and there are .zip files available so that you can easily flash from one to another. Additionally, anybody who has an SPH-L710 can use any modem designed for Sprint, VM, or Boost. A lot of Sprint users actually achieved great signal/data results with the MG2 modem from VM/Boost, and I have used MK3 modem just fine myself (I am on VM). ROM .zip files don't care about your modem, only your bootloader.
I hope this helps, I am seeing way too many users asking why they bricked their phones when this information would have helped them in advance had they not just forged ahead and assumed the bootloader was the problem. If anyone would like to know how to safely modify or delete the assert lines please let me know via posting or PM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can i use a return to stock of Sprint S3 "L710VPUCMK3_L710SPRCMK3_L710VPUCMK3_HOME.tar" on a Boost mobile with bsaeband version L710VPUBMk5???
alemosman said:
Can i use a return to stock of Sprint S3 "L710VPUCMK3_L710SPRCMK3_L710VPUCMK3_HOME.tar" on a Boost mobile with bsaeband version L710VPUBMk5???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you will want a return to stock tar meant specifically for Boost. There is one available on the Android Forums Boost subforum, give me a minute and I will get you a link.
Edit: Can't find the specific post right now, I would suggest going to the Boost subforum and starting a thread or contacting either @jdsingle76 or @wetbiker7 (they are both active here on XDA as well) as they are probably the two most knowledgeable Boost users of this phone that I know.
http://androidforums.com/boost-mobile-galaxy-s3-all-things-root/
Mr. Struck said:
No, you will want a return to stock tar meant specifically for Boost. There is one available on the Android Forums Boost subforum, give me a minute and I will get you a link.
Edit: Can't find the specific post right now, I would suggest going to the Boost subforum and starting a thread or contacting either @jdsingle76 or @wetbiker7 (they are both active here on XDA as well) as they are probably the two most knowledgeable Boost users of this phone that I know.
http://androidforums.com/boost-mobile-galaxy-s3-all-things-root/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@Mr. Struck is right, MK3 is for the Sprint version of the S3. If you want to go back completely stock MK5, at this time, the only way I can think of to do that, is to Odin flash back to MG2, and then do OTA to get MK5. Two things here to remember, as Mr. Struck pointed out. First, DO NOT DO THIS if you have the Knox bootloader on your phone. Flashing back to 4.1.2 will hard brick your phone. Secondly, if you don't have the Knox, and flash back to MG2, and then OTA MK5, you WILL get the Knox bootloader. Your call...here's the link for MG2 tar. Good luck!
http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=23212708291678209
Hey guys...I hope you can help me out here. After days of searching this thread is the closest I've come to some clarification but I'm still a little confused.
My brother bought an AT&T i747 S3 (d2att) off of a coworker the other day. When I started to look through it I noticed it has SuperUser installed so I downloaded root checker and sure enough the guy that sold it had already rooted it. I thought to myself "great", mind you it was running 4.1.1. So in decided to throw some kitkat on it! Before doing that I thought it wise to update the recovery to the latest. So I went and found a "d2att philz touch cwm" and began the update process only to receive a status 7 error informing me that the package was for a d2att device (which I knew) and I was using a d2spr (which I'm not). So I went and downloaded the d2spr recovery and it updated allowing me to install a d2lte ROM. Everything works but I can not get an LTE signal at all.
My question is...is there anything I can do to make this work? My brother would love to have LTE connectivity but if we can't do anything we'll probably just sell it to a pawn shop. They probably won't know diddly squat.
Anyone still following this thread? I wanted to change roms from LiquidSmooth to MOAR 9.0.1. I have MD4 radio installed and have read that installing MK3 will put the dreaded KNOX bootloader lock on our phones? I thought this was just when we updated to 4.3? Thanks in advance
mcc23 said:
Anyone still following this thread? I wanted to change roms from LiquidSmooth to MOAR 9.0.1. I have MD4 radio installed and have read that installing MK3 will put the dreaded KNOX bootloader lock on our phones? I thought this was just when we updated to 4.3? Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Part three of the OP: modem does not equal bootloader.
Bootloader, Modem and a new ROM (S4)
Mr. Struck said:
Here are some rules of thumb:
1. Know what is on your phone! Be aware of what bootloader you have, specifically you need to know if you have Knox or are Knox-free. If you are Knox-free, congratulations, if you have Knox, my condolences. In the Knoxed-up situation NEVER EVER try to push, via Odin a .tar file designed to "return to stock" if the bootloader associated with that file is MD4 or earlier (Sprint users) or MG2 or earlier (VM/Boost). Sprint users also have .zip files available designed to do the same thing, avoid these as well if you have Knox. Flashing a ROM with an earlier Android build is just fine, there is no bootloader included in a custom ROM based on AOSP, contrary to what some people are posting. You can "downgrade" to an earlier build of Android if you wish, you absolutely CANNOT downgrade your bootloader if you already have Knox on your phone.
2. If you get an "assert failed" message, you just need to modify or delete the asserts to match your bootloader, you do not need to change the bootloader itself. DO NOT assume that changing your bootloader is a fix for anything without knowing what you are doing first.
3. Modem does not equal bootloader. We use the same nomenclature (MD4, MK3, etc.), which can be confusing, but modems are interchangeable, and there are .zip files available so that you can easily flash from one to another. Additionally, anybody who has an SPH-L710 can use any modem designed for Sprint, VM, or Boost. A lot of Sprint users actually achieved great signal/data results with the MG2 modem from VM/Boost, and I have used MK3 modem just fine myself (I am on VM). ROM .zip files don't care about your modem, only your bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am glad to have found this post as I have been struggling with the decision to update my ROM from 4.3 (old bootloader and modem) to 4.4.2 on my S4 GT-i9505. With a lot of discussion about Knox I was very uncertain whether I could leave the BL and Modem as they were and merely update the ROM. I am pleased to say you can but now I am trying to understand the value of upgrading the BL +/- Modem as new Official products have been released. This thread is very useful but I thought I'd add a few more links to it in case others are also interested in this topic.
Here's a description of the purpose of the modem I found in one of the links below. I think it helps me see why you may want or need to update it at some stage: •Baseband/Radio/Modem - radio[version].img - Is the firmware for the separate cell modem and is responsible for your cell phone signal and on older devices may control wifi, bluetooth, and GPS (on most newer devices, these are handled by the kernel and ROM). Upgrades may improve or diminish battery performance, network signal strength, and roaming capability. It is also sometimes required to have a minimum Baseband version to use a ROM so that the RIL will play nice with the Baseband.
Here's a description of what a radio/modem is:
http://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidQuestions/comments/1wzmp7/what_are_all_the_different_pieces_of_android/
http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-international-all-things-root/588852-modems-dummies-guide.html
Here's a link to whether you need to upgrade your modem and how to do it on an S4:
http://galaxys4root.com/galaxy-s4-radiomodems/
http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/63870/omega-rom-4-4-bootloader-modem-problems
Here's a link to Official modems for S4s [i9505/i9000]: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=48113546
Discussion of Knox with new BL can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=46189882
I am still searching for why one would want to update their BL and/or modem if their existing ones are working fine? I am also trying to understand why some ROM update the BL (and modem?) as part of their install processes.
So if you have any links or thoughts about these issues, please post here or drop me a line.
Hi, I am sure there are countless threads out there already talking about the inconveniences that 4.3 bring and the problem you get for trying to downgrade. I have read through many of them and I think I have the general idea of how to downgrade relatively safely without running into the problems I am currently aware of. I want to confirm what I know. I would like to be informed before I do anything, especially something as dangerous as a downgrade attempt.
So all that I am aware of right now is that 4.3 brings in a new bootloader, attempts on trying to change the bootloader will result in hard brick, so does that mean any previous firmware that does not flash a bootloader will be fine? will stock firmware from sammobile work? I am looking at this one right now,
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/3/?download=16006
Second problem is 4.3 also changes the efs format, any modem before I think MG4 won't be able to read it, and you won't get network, this should be easily fixed by flashing the latest modem here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1831898
...right? also the modems are made custom recovery flashable, if I want to use odin instead, do I just unzip and put the modem.bin into odin?
Also plans to root first and backup efs, I hear you have to go through hell to get it back if you lose it...
Doing any of those should trigger the knox counter...so basically anyone that still have warranty left and plan to use it cannot do anything...even rooting...right?
But that should be the least of your worries if you are determined to downgrade...
I am not sure if that is all the trouble I will run into, I don't know what made samsung so confident that they can even say it is impossible to downgrade, they meant to say difficult but you can do it, right?
also I am on SGH i747m bell.
Firstly, I am not new to flashing or searching on XDA! I have installed custom roms/recoveries on at least 10 different android devices and have been a member here for some time. I'd like to think that I have helped more people out than I've asked for help....
but my new (to me) Note 2 has me stumped!!!
I have recently traded in my much loved Note 1 (running a rock solid AOKP KIT KAT rom) for a SGHi1317m (I believe originally from Rogers). It was unlocked and I am able to get full LTE service from my carrier (Bell Mobility) after setting the APN.
I originally upgraded in order to get greater functionality out of my Gear 1 smartwatch (better battery life with BT 4.0, among other benefits)
24 hours in and I am dieing to get back to some form of KitKat! The question is How?
I have searched this forum and have come away with the impression that because of the different variations on this phone, Knox, differing bootloaders with differing recoveries, there are many ways to brick this phone!!
I have already found out that one cannot easily update the recovery via the simple solutions offered on the playstore for CWM or TWRP. I am familiar with ODIN and have multiple versions of it running on different laptops in my house ready to try. The question is which package will give me a recovery that will allow me to flash roms and persist through a reboot?
According to my phone info, I am on bootloader i317MVLUCMK5 ( a version I have not seen in any of the tutorials) My KNOX counter reads 0x0 but when I try to search for updates ( I am presently on stock android 4.3 rogers), it says that I will not receive any as my phone has been modified (i suspect it can tell that the phone is unlocked as I am using a Bell sim in a Rogers phone).
As I have no warranty, and don't really care if my Knox counter is tripped, I am hoping someone can help me get started in flashing this phone.
i think if you look in the cwm thread you'll find instructions. mostly everything i see is a soft brick meaning it just doesnt boot into rom. i suggest cwm as it seems more maintained than twrp, and twrp gave me issues.
download a stock modem because the international roms will overwrite your modem and you'll get no signal bars and need to reflash after a upgrade. check out the n7100 form, sub forum n7105 and look for roms there. this forum is really dead. i'm running international rom nc3 with my at&t mk6 modem. mj5 bootloader because its 4.3 but unlocked from downgrading.
i too didn't care about knox or warranty, but most of the good stock roms have it stripped. i can't find anything as good as 4.3 tw stock roms and the custom roms i've tried seem to have fc's and whatnot.
i also used devil kernel and got tons of fc's so i'm using the stock kernel for now. might try agni. but back on topic your best bet is to try and find cwm odin package for philz touch. really once you get past all the noobs here you find it works just like any other samsung. you can flash a recovery via odin, cf auto root, and you're done.
I have a T999L and have flashed pretty much every ROM, and with all of them, I have no signal. I wipe cache/factory reset, installed, rebooted, and never have a signal. When I go into mobile networks, there's no apn. I've tried everything I could find from others with this problem and can't get it to work. What am I doing wrong? I have literally been doing this all day. Since 10 am and it's now 12:30 am. I would've flashed the stock ROM sooner, but my phone hasn't been working right, so I figured a newer one would be beneficial.
Oh, and I've only been trying the ones that say they're for t999l or d2lte.
Flash stock firmware with Odin. If you're having problems on every single rom something is wrong with your device or firmware. Only way to know is the Odin flash.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
DocHoliday77 said:
Flash stock firmware with Odin. If you're having problems on every single rom something is wrong with your device or firmware. Only way to know is the Odin flash.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for replying.
I had been using what you provided (thanks for that, btw - that was super fast and easy, so even if I don't have a custom ROM, at least I'm rooted!) I ended up flashing back to that so it at least works. I think before I found your thread, though, I tried flashing ROMs a and stopped because not many said specifically for LTE, so I just didn't want to keep messing around. Once I realized my device was different, I dug more an was saved by your thread. Anyway, is it possible I messed something up when I had originally flashed non-functioning ROMs?
Wow, so I think I figured out my problem, and it's indicative that I shouldn't have been messing around with flashing... I didn't realize firmware and ROMs were different. So since I was flashing 4.4 ROMs with the old firmware, would that result in my problem or a brick? Sounds like unfixable brick, so I'm clearly very fortunate to have a working phone right now! lol
I'm doing a backup now and downloading LUVUBNC1. I know to use Odin for the firmware, but it's a .zip file, which Odin doesn't do... Sorry, I've flashed plenty of ROMs on my old phones, so doing anything outside of a regular .tar in Odin or .zip in recovery is a new concept to me and I'm not having the easiest time finding directions.
Sorry I haven't replied sooner. Had a lot going on lately and its just been hard to do much online.
The firmware you downloaded just needs to be extracted. Its zipped just to make it a smaller download. when you unzip it, the resulting file should be a .tar.md5 file. This is what you flash with Odin.
As for Roms, as long as you stay in the T-Mobile subforums, you will be relatively safe. Just do not flash any firmware or modems that are not specifically for your model. Some people have had some issues with certain roms not working quite right on the T999L, but its nothing that causes permanent harm. If this happens you can always just flash back to a known good rom, or your stock firmware.
So for future reference, you can flash all of the Roms, Kernels and Recoveries found in these T-Mobile forums. (In fact, I suggest flashing either the d2lte or d2tmo recoveries over the d2ltetmo). Just remember, Firmware and Modems are ok ONLY if they are for your model.
And with regard to flashing 4.4 roms on old firmware, you don't need to worrry about a brick as long as you stick to what I just said. The only thing different is for 4.4.2 touchwiz roms (which are all ported from Sprint or AT&T). To run a 4.4.2 TW rom, you must be updated to the 4.3 firmware (which you are if you are running NC1). But even so, if you were on earlier firmware, it wouldnt hard brick, it would just hang at boot.
I hope that clears things up a bit for you!