Hello, I'm new to this forum although I've been following most of the threads. I have a Galaxy S3 by AT&T, unlocked and running stock 4.1.1 before I decided to flash to CM. Didn't like a few things about CM so I tried to Odin back to stock 4.1.1. Got to pass quite alright but the phone wont boot back up and now seems bricked. I've read about problems others have had with bricking trying to downgrade from stock 4.3 to other earlier versions on this particular phone model. I, however, thought this was a problem with stock rom only and CM had taken care of the dreaded knox and secure bootloader?
How do I fix this brick and get the phone back up and running? I'd greatly appreciate the steps laid out in plain English a newbie would be able to comprehend easily enough. Thanks
Did you go into recovery and do a factory reset?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
shortydoggg said:
Did you go into recovery and do a factory reset?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much! Just did that and it worked.
Update
shortydoggg said:
Did you go into recovery and do a factory reset?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Click to collapse
Just wondering then if it's possible to switch to CM or any knox-free custom rom from stock 4.3 on the AT&T Galaxy S3? If so, it would seem to be a convenient workaround to the problems users have expressed trying to downgrade from 4.3 to 4.1.1 in order to free unlock their phones. I mean .. first install a custom rom and then odin back to stock 4.1.1 to unlock and, thereafter, upgrade either back to stock or a preferred custom rom? Would this be possible?
You can't downgrade from the stock 4.3 bootloader to an older bootloader. Trying to flash an older bootloader will brick the phone.
You need to be on stock 4.1.1 in order to use the free unlock method. A custom 4.1.1-based ROM will not have the required menu options.
audit13 said:
You can't downgrade from the stock 4.3 bootloader to an older bootloader. Trying to flash an older bootloader will brick the phone.
You need to be on stock 4.1.1 in order to use the free unlock method. A custom 4.1.1-based ROM will not have the required menu options.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Maybe I didn't phrase my question properly ... I mean is it possible to go to from stock 4.3 to a custom ROM based on 4.3 (or newer) e.g. CM11? I understand you can't downgrade from stock 4.3 to an older bootloader which is why I'm asking if a workaround involving stock 4.3 to custom 4.3 based and then back to stock 4.1.1 is possible? I don't know if anyone has been able to successfully flash custom 4.3 based to the AT&T version of the GS3 running stock 4.3.
Larry2999 said:
Thanks. Maybe I didn't phrase my question properly ... I mean is it possible to go to from stock 4.3 to a custom ROM based on 4.3 (or newer) e.g. CM11? I understand you can't downgrade from stock 4.3 to an older bootloader which is why I'm asking if a workaround involving stock 4.3 to custom 4.3 based and then back to stock 4.1.1 is possible? I don't know if anyone has been able to successfully flash custom 4.3 based to the AT&T version of the GS3 running stock 4.3.
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Click to collapse
You should be able to flash anything as long as its listed as a bootloader. I believe only kit kat ROMs have vleumk5 as a boot installer
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Related
I am rooted with 4.3 and want to install 4.4. Not sure which ROM to use but am not sure why I need to flash the KitKat bootloader?
If I want to return to 4.3 and have flash this 4.4 bootloader, do I then have to find the JB bootloader?
cyaclone said:
I am rooted with 4.3 and want to install 4.4. Not sure which ROM to use but am not sure why I need to flash the KitKat bootloader?
If I want to return to 4.3 and have flash this 4.4 bootloader, do I then have to find the JB bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some of the fixes in ROM require changes in bootloader. I'm pretty sure the 4.4 ROM will still boot using the 3.15 bootloader. You might not get all the fixes though.
One fix I know for sure you won't get unless you get the 4.01 bootloader is the magnetic smart wake fix.
I'm pretty sure a 4.3 ROM will boot using the 4.01 bootloader. Not sure if it breaks anything or not.
Run it for a while if you want. I don't think anything major will go wrong.
Thanks. Will I be able to use the 4.4 if I return to a 4.3 ROM?
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cyaclone said:
Thanks. Will I be able to use the 4.4 if I return to a 4.3 ROM?
Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
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If you upgrade to 4.4 ROM then downgrade to a 4.3 ROM but keep your user data, it will hang at the x animation.
If you factory reset then it will work again.
Thanks. I will do a backup of the 4.3 so l can return if I desire
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I am looking to buy a Note 2 from eBay and the seller is not sure which android version it is on. I'm expecting worst case scenario which is that the phone is 4.3. If I were to get it and it has the 4.3 stock ROM, is there any chance I could roll back to it?
Yes,
You can downgrade the OS but not the bootloader.
You can flash 4.1.x custom ROM's as long as bootloader is not included, which is how almost all ROM's are packed.
You can still flash 4.1.2 stock using Mobile odin as mobile Odin does not flash the bootloader.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Sweet as long as I can put custom ROMs on it then, I'm happy. I'm sure Knox would be tripped regardless if I tried to go back to 4.1 stock
Hey all. So im usually not in these threads, i own a sprint note3 myself. But my friend has a metropcs s4( SGH-M919N, jfltetmo). And he wants to root but dosent know much about rooting, roms ,and such. I would say im pretty good with these things, ive had a lot of experaince, just not with the s4. So basically i did some research and im putting a mini guide below of my understanding of how to pimp out this phone! If anyone could correct, add-to; and answer some of the questions I had. Thanks Folks!
General Questions
First off. My understanding is T-mobile and metropcs software is NEARLY identical.
1.What is the current version/ name of the latest T-mobile s4 software.
2.What is the current version/ name of the latest metro pcs s4 software.
3.Are they identical, or compatible. Meaning could i odin the latest stock tmobile s4.tar software on metropcs phone, and have everything work properly. (In case i were softbricked)
4. If not could someone please link me to where i could find the official stock metro-pcs..Tars (flashable with odin)
Rooting methods:
1.)This is Chainfires Auto-Root for t-mobile S4 which some have said worked well for them. Thou I have read of issues (loss of wifi- Fails)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2294005
is this the best most current rooting method for metropcs phone? Again any success or issues?
OR..
2.) Injecting twrp then flashing Update-Supersu
This is the most used rooting method for note3 and it seems fairly universal. Would this likely work for Metropcs S4?
Step 1: Place "UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.94.zip" on sd card. This is Chainfires flashable root (http://download.chainfire.eu/396/SuperSU/)
Step 2: Odin twrp-2.7.1.0.tar for tmobile s4 (http://teamw.in/project/twrp2/179)
Step 3: immediately boot into twrp. Flash UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.94.zip.
Reboot: Done
Theoretically this should easily root phone and instal twrp recovery, without changing stock software...thus, no issues. YES?
Unrooting
Again could someone please point me to the correct stock software .tar that I could odin to unroot, un-soft brick the metropcs s4
Custom roms:
I hear that the custom roms for Tmboile and Metropcs are very interchagnale
Obviously the AOSP unified custom roms should be safe to flash without issues. (jflte roms)
(Cm s4 unified nightlies: http://download.cyanogenmod.org/?device=jflte&type=nightly)
BUT:
what about touchwiz based roms. Are there any specifc toucwiz metropcs custom roms to flash. Or can any of the t-mobile toucwiz custom roms be flashed to metropcs phone.
so again. If anyone could give me their thoughts/ideas, and clear up some of the questions i had and point me to best/safest way of working with the metropcs s4. Thanks in advance, sorry i know its a lot of reading: :good:
:cyclops:
4.3 or 4.4.2? I have a Metro Gs4 and I used saferoot on 4.3 with no complications at all. And any TW ROM will work.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Kriptik210 said:
4.3 or 4.4.2? I have a Metro Gs4 and I used saferoot on 4.3 with no complications at all. And any TW ROM will work.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Click to collapse
thanks for the reply.. but ya i was asking what is the latest official software for the metropcs s4, and what is it called. I havent been able to take a look at the phone yet, so im having to look everything up.
My understanding is that the metro pcs was only upgraded to 4.3 with the name of mk5.
was there a kit-kat update released for metro s4?
1) NB4
2) don't know but I think it does have 4.4.2 update
3) pretty identical but I would not interchange firmwares
4) sammobile.com
Root
1) no issues with me with M919 using that method
2) I wouldn't recommend doing it this way, after 4.3 it doesn't work very well.. It looks like you're looking to flash a ROM, so root isn't even needed, just flash a recovery with Odin and flash ROM.. Although this will trip Knox counter.
Unrooting just flash stock firmware
Custom ROMs: aosp or touchwiz will work without issues.. If WiFi does not work, flash NB4 baseband (safe to flash on M919N)
CollinsB said:
thanks for the reply.. but ya i was asking what is the latest official software for the metropcs s4, and what is it called. I havent been able to take a look at the phone yet, so im having to look everything up.
My understanding is that the metro pcs was only upgraded to 4.3 with the name of mk5.
was there a kit-kat update released for metro s4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I am told the s4 for Metro is still coming our with 4.3 JB. But once the phone is activated you have to opt out of the update when it asks. I have been treating MK5 just as if it was MK2 and I have not had any issues.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
---------- Post added at 02:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:40 PM ----------
http://true-android.blogspot.com/2013/12/install-uvuemk5-android-43-jb-firmware.html?m=1
Here is a link with the stock MK5 firmware
Sent from my SGH-M919 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Kriptik210 said:
From what I am told the s4 for Metro is still coming our with 4.3 JB. But once the phone is activated you have to opt out of the update when it asks. I have been treating MK5 just as if it was MK2 and I have not had any issues.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
---------- Post added at 02:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:40 PM ----------
http://true-android.blogspot.com/2013/12/install-uvuemk5-android-43-jb-firmware.html?m=1
Here is a link with the stock MK5 firmware
Sent from my SGH-M919 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Click to collapse
Thank you so much for the Stock firmware! :good:
I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the *seemingly* conflicting responses.
So i got a chance to look at the phone. It is 4.3 Mk5, What is MK2?
So, so far your "saferoot" root method seems to be the safest most compatible root method from what ive read.
thou as far as installing custom recoveries Twrp seems to be the best, but ive read that 4.3 Is now a locked bootloader!???
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2544503
that sounds ridiculous. I dont believe its locked. and i should be able to odin the latest version of twrp to the device, right? I know knox has been implemented in 4.3+ but thats no big deal
also about roms:
I know that the actual tmobile S4 did get a kit-kat update (called NB4) the metropcs variant definitely did not
you said that any touchwiz rom would work, as did @serio22 above.
But it seems that they only stock custom roms in these threads are tmobile touchwiz kit-kat roms.
but according to @serio22 above: I should not "interchange firmwares"
So if that is true what touchwiz roms can you flash? they are all tmobile roms
My understanding was I could root, odin twrp. And flash roms. Aosp roms are golden but, i would think that since metropcs even uses tmobile network now, you should be able to flash any tmobile custom rom (even if its kitkat) and have everything functioning... True??
thank you both very much @serio22 and @Kriptik210
and im sorry to be a pain im just genuinely confused, and i really need clarification, i said id have this guys phone figured out by Monday!
Firmware is not the same as ROM, that's why I suggest you flash ROM instead of firmware, any ROM will be ok. Bootloader is not locked I'm sure, Knox bootloader does not mean locked bootloader as many people think. Just Odin twrp and flash your ROM as I said earlier, rooting would be an extra step.
serio22 said:
Firmware is not the same as ROM, that's why I suggest you flash ROM instead of firmware, any ROM will be ok. Bootloader is not locked I'm sure, Knox bootloader does not mean locked bootloader as many people think. Just Odin twrp and flash your ROM as I said earlier, rooting would be an extra step.
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Click to collapse
ah that makes sense. Well id still want to root, just to titanium backup his things first, and have a secure stock rooted nandroid backup. Though then just a couple more questions remain :highfive:
So say i were to flash any toucwiz t-mobile kitkat rom Such as.
Insane Kit-kat v9
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2683507
or
Warpdrive
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2682608
The OS would be kit-kat. Would i need to then odin flash a kitkat baseband (modem) as well for working signal. If so how?
Also does the kitkat rom change the bootloader already on phone.
reason being. For the note3 once you update it from JB to kitkat. The bootlaoder is changed. Meaning you CANNOT downgrade even odin flashing the previous version .tar will BRICK
is this the same case? If i flash a tmobile rom (thus upgrading), would i not be able to odin the metropcs 4.3 MK5 stock.tar
OR
would i not be able to simply restore the nandroid stock rooted MK5 backup i made.
Thanks again :highfive:
CollinsB said:
ah that makes sense. Well id still want to root, just to titanium backup his things first, and have a secure stock rooted nandroid backup. Though then just a couple more questions remain :highfive:
So say i were to flash any toucwiz t-mobile kitkat rom Such as.
Insane Kit-kat v9
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2683507
or
Warpdrive
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2682608
The OS would be kit-kat. Would i need to then odin flash a kitkat baseband (modem) as well for working signal. If so how?
Also does the kitkat rom change the bootloader already on phone.
reason being. For the note3 once you update it from JB to kitkat. The bootlaoder is changed. Meaning you CANNOT downgrade even odin flashing the previous version .tar will BRICK
is this the same case? If i flash a tmobile rom (thus upgrading), would i not be able to odin the metropcs 4.3 MK5 stock.tar
OR
would i not be able to simply restore the nandroid stock rooted MK5 backup i made.
Thanks again :highfive:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bootloader will not update and its not needed because kernels are modified to bypass this "restriction" only thing you need to update is the modem to NB4.. There is a thread already with instructions, just follow it and you'll be good.. And yes you can still flash back to 4.3 stock and restore nandroid because bootloader will not change
serio22 said:
Bootloader will not update and its not needed because kernels are modified to bypass this "restriction" only thing you need to update is the modem to NB4.. There is a thread already with instructions, just follow it and you'll be good.. And yes you can still flash back to 4.3 stock and restore nandroid because bootloader will not change
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a millions times over good sir! I should now be able to put together the pimpest of phones haha
Its a good feeling when things all come together. Like completing a puzzle!
:laugh:
I've heard that my MK5 bootloader is locked and others say it isn't. Serio explained everything else lol. TWRP is great. XDA doesn't permit saying things are better than another but I use TWRP and I haven't had any issues with 2.6.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Hi All,
I have S3 T999v – Wind variant running on stock 4.4.2 , overall I hate this kitkat experience...
My issue is whenever I try to flash custom recovery TWRP (2.7.1.0 or older), it installs but when I try to take backup it shows nothing to take backup of (no System , no EFS etc....). When I try rebooting it gives error “NO OS Found” I am able to proceed anyways and it starts up phone fine.
Can anyone tell me what could be the issue here??? I wanna downgarde to either stock 4.3 or to install custom liquid smooth 4.4.4. but would prefer to take a back up just in case.
BTW my phone is rooted , rooted it with towel root.
Also can I flash T999 (t-mobile) based recoveries onto my T999v ?
Would appreciate your help :good:.
Thanks
I recommend using d2tmo recoveries over d2can. More roms will be flashable. And you can use any rom here in our forums.
For now, try using either cwm or philz recovery. Youre experiencing a known issue that I believe is related to the hardware revision. I keep hoping to attempt a fix, but just havent had time yet. But for now, one of the other recoveries should work for you.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk
DocHoliday77 said:
I recommend using d2tmo recoveries over d2can. More roms will be flashable. And you can use any rom here in our forums.
For now, try using either cwm or philz recovery. Youre experiencing a known issue that I believe is related to the hardware revision. I keep hoping to attempt a fix, but just havent had time yet. But for now, one of the other recoveries should work for you.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Doc,
I will give it a try, but if there is a way to downgardde to 4.3 stock? Tried odin it with sam mobile firmware, its crashing
sam33r said:
but if there is a way to downgardde to 4.3 stock? Tried odin it with sam mobile firmware, its crashing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you cannot downgrade firmware. Just try what doc said
serio22 said:
No, you cannot downgrade firmware. Just try what doc said
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks buddy, yup CWM worked :good:
but why cant we downgrade to 4.3, i though it was that one cannot downgrade lower than 4.3 i.e. 4.2. in not possible now!
Knox. They prevent any downgrading to protect against tampering with Knox secure containers. You can't downgrade anymore, period. Anything beyond 4.3 or with Knox will be this way from now on.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T999 using Tapatalk
Yeah just like doc said, if you're on 4.3 firmware you can't downgrade firmware to 4.1.2, or if you're on 4.4.2 you can't downgrade to 4.3 or 4.1.2.. Anything lower than your current firmware is a no.. You can only flash equal or newer firmware
I am looking for a way to downgrade from stock 4.4.2 to 4.3. I have read you can't downgrade with odin once your bootloader has been updated....
However, can you on 4.4.2
1) Install a custom recovery
2) Root
3) De-Knox.
4) Nandroid backup rooted deknoxed 4.4.2 (just to be safe).
Then,
Install a rooted stock 4.3 rom such as the one found in this page:
http://www.droidviews.com/install-android-4-3-leaked-firmware-on-att-galaxy-s3-note-2-galaxy-s4-s4-active/
Starting at the text "For AT&T S3 Users with Root and Custom Recovery" which links to a rooted 4.3 zip file?
http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=23196940996968760
Seems like this might work?
You can flash older roms. Just not older firmware and modems.
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DocHoliday77 said:
You can flash older roms. Just not older firmware and modems.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the response.
Just to be clear.
Refurbished i747 shipped with 4.4.2 installed
ne4 bootloader
ne4 modem
Can I still flash a touchwiz 4.3 stock rom provided I don't overwrite the modem or bootloader? If so, will the touchwiz 4.3 rom work with the ne4 modem? Seems like the old rom may not play well with a new modem.
Again, my main goal is to use Drivelink app to use mirrorlink with my car radio head. Drivelink only works on 4.3.
Thanks for your help and patience.
I was thinking of trying this rom with ne4 modem and bootloader....
[ROM][JB 4.3] i747z UCUEMJ2 (Modified) Stock TouchWiz No-Knox ROM(Odexed)NEW 11/23/13
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2075639
Is this a bad idea?
Should be perfectly fine. As for how well the modem works with it, it's never been much of an issue. People have been running mixed builds since the first update. It's possible it might not work quite as well, but I doubt any differences would be great enough to notice.
As for your Drive link, is it limited to 4.3 on the app side, or is it more of a rom issue? If the app simply isn't compatible, not much can be done there. But someone (I think in the S3Rx thread just found out how to get Chromecast to work. Maybe that would help your app on a 4.4.2 rom?
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