[GUIDE] Mac Root (tested) - Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4

This guide is for the select few that need to root their Samsung Galaxy S4 via Mac.
This guide only shows how to swap kernels in order for you to run motochopper then swap back to stock kernel.
Please keep in mind this is technical and involves using manual commands for heimdall in terminal.
If you have anything to add or have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
I have tested this method using Heimdall on my Windows 7 machine.
I do not own a Mac to fully test this.
I am not an expert nor do I portray myself to be one.
I am not responsible to any problems from this method including bricking any devices, loss of data, or other issues that may arise with your device or computer. (Just to cover my behind.)
Things you need:
1. Heimdall
2. prerelease kernel boot.img (MD5: cd49d9c337d624abec5f6f1229e1abf6)
3. stock kernel boot.img (MD5: 3c776b87c2c1390787189e60d311c769)
4. Motochopper Root Exploit Tool
5. Drivers can be installed by installing Kies
First install Heimdall.
And make sure you have the drivers installed.
Make sure you have the prerelease kernel boot.img (MD5: cd49d9c337d624abec5f6f1229e1abf6) in an easy place to find and make sure you keep it seperate from the stock kernel boot.img (MD5: 3c776b87c2c1390787189e60d311c769).
If you have Kies installed, uninstall it.
Then open the heimdall-frontend application that was installed with heimdall.
Use the heimdall-frontend app to detect the device by going to Utilites > Detect.
Next open a terminal type
Code:
sudo heimdall flash --BOOT <full path to prerelease kernel>
Enter your password.
The prerelease kernel will be flashed and your device will reboot.
Go to Settings > More > About phone
and check to make sure your kernel version is 423399.
Then go into Settings > More > About phone > tap "Build number" about 7 times until it unlocks Developer options
Verify in Developer options setting on your device that you have "USB debugging" checked.
Verify in Developer options setting on your device that you have "Verify apps via USB" unchecked.
Verify in Security setting on your device that you have "Unknown sources" checked.
Verify in Security setting on your device that you have "Verify apps" unchecked.
Extract the motochopper.zip file.
Open terminal, navigate to the motochopper folder and type
Code:
sudo chmod +x run.sh
Then type
Code:
sudo ./run.sh
Follow the on screen prompts.
After you are rooted, make sure you update the su binaries.
Otherwise you will lose root later on.
Next boot your phone into download mode in order to put the stock kernel back.
Open the heimdall-frontend application and detect your device once again. (Utilities > Detect)
Next open a terminal and type
Code:
sudo heimdall flash --BOOT <full path to stock kernel>
Then go to Settings > More > About phone
and make sure the stock 562219 kernel is installed.
Credits go to djrbliss, chainsdd, Samsung, creators of Heimdall, and if I missed anybody please let me know and I will add them to it.
Thanks to Doppletronica for confirming the method.
If you found this guide helpful please hit the thanks button
EDIT: If this thread now belongs somewhere else due to its nature, please move it mods.
Also anybody is free to share this guide, just link them to this thread and please give credit where credit is due.
Thanks.

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klabit87 said:
Is there anybody willing to test a root method running a Mac?
I may have found a way but I don't have any way to test it myself otherwise I would.
If interested please pm me.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
does it have an unroot? i'd be willing to try it out. if so

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theidoctor said:
does it have an unroot? i'd be willing to try it out. if so
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not too sure about an unroot method.
I'm sure if I looked at it hard enough I could come up with something.
Are you looking for an unroot method via Mac?
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.

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klabit87 said:
I'm not too sure about an unroot method.
I'm sure if I looked at it hard enough I could come up with something.
Are you looking for an unroot method via Mac?
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea. i mean, just for testings sake. i dont want to have to go through the whole unroot just to test a root method drama.
i could unroot on my VM and try your root, but what are the possible effects to it going down? does it work with you?

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theidoctor said:
yea. i mean, just for testings sake. i dont want to have to go through the whole unroot just to test a root method drama.
i could unroot on my VM and try your root, but what are the possible effects to it going down? does it work with you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pm sent.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.

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Update:
I tried making an unroot method.
That completely failed.
So I had to use Odin to get running again.
I did however get a chance to test the root method for Mac users.
It worked with no problems for me.
I may continue working on the unroot method but that depends on my own free time.
If anyone is interested in assisting with it that would be great.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.

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klabit87 said:
Update:
I tried making an unroot method.
That completely failed.
So I had to use Odin to get running again.
I did however get a chance to test the root method for Mac users.
It worked with no problems for me.
I may continue working on the unroot method but that depends on my own free time.
If anyone is interested in assisting with it that would be great.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
pm me instructions and i will try it out tonight. i dont mind being a flashaholic tonight

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theidoctor said:
pm me instructions and i will try it out tonight. i dont mind being a flashaholic tonight
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will finish my write-up and get it to you as soon as I can.
I'm not around a computer at work so it may be later this evening possibly.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.

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theidoctor said:
pm me instructions and i will try it out tonight. i dont mind being a flashaholic tonight
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pm has been sent. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.

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You can unroot it the same way you root. Use Heimdall.

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DarkMenace said:
You can unroot it the same way you root. Use Heimdall.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I knew I was making it harder than it was supposed to be.
I was really only interested in the root guide since a good few people were asking about it.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.

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I was wondering if someone can help me. I keep getting this error message:
patxp:desktop ArmandoOrona$ sudo heimdall detect
Password:
Device detected
patxp:desktop ArmandoOrona$ sudo heimdall flash --BOOT boot.img
Heimdall v1.4.0
Copyright (c) 2010-2013, Benjamin Dobell, Glass Echidna
http://www.glassechidna.com.au/
This software is provided free of charge. Copying and redistribution is
encouraged.
If you appreciate this software and you would like to support future
development please consider donating:
http://www.glassechidna.com.au/donate/
Initialising connection...
Detecting device...
Claiming interface...
libusbx: error [darwin_claim_interface] USBInterfaceOpen: another process has device opened for exclusive access
ERROR: Claiming interface failed!
patxp:desktop ArmandoOrona$
I uninstalled kies and android file transfer and restarted mac. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Has anyone else tested this? Just curious.

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anothamexican said:
I was wondering if someone can help me. I keep getting this error message:
Initialising connection...
Detecting device...
Claiming interface...
libusbx: error [darwin_claim_interface] USBInterfaceOpen: another process has device opened for exclusive access
ERROR: Claiming interface failed!
patxp:desktop ArmandoOrona$
I uninstalled kies and android file transfer and restarted mac. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got this same error. What I did was uninstall kies and then open the heimdall-frontend app that was installed with heimdall, and use it to detect the phone. (In Utilities->Detect) From there I could run the command line part successfully. Worked for me.

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Doppletronica said:
I got this same error. What I did was uninstall kies and then open the heimdall-frontend app that was installed with heimdall, and use it to detect the phone. (In Utilities->Detect) From there I could run the command line part successfully. Worked for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So just to clarify, are you saying the whole process worked for you?
Whereas you successfully rooted your phone?
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.

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klabit87 said:
So just to clarify, are you saying the whole process worked for you?
Whereas you successfully rooted your phone?
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. Once I got the kernel to flash okay, The rooting process worked flawlessly.

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Doppletronica said:
Yep. Once I got the kernel to flash okay, The rooting process worked flawlessly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great! Thanks for your confirmation.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.

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Man.....I wish I saw this yesterday. I spent 2 hours getting my old imac up and running with bootcamp to install windows.....another hour looking for my old XP disc to actually install it on the iMac, another half hour to install XP, then a good 45 minutes or so trying and failing to gett all the samsung drivers to wok (too several installs and unistalls til it finally worked). After all that, I downloaded the all in one root kit and install recovery as well.

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Doppletronica said:
I got this same error. What I did was uninstall kies and then open the heimdall-frontend app that was installed with heimdall, and use it to detect the phone. (In Utilities->Detect) From there I could run the command line part successfully. Worked for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got heimdall frontend to detect the device, where do I type in the commands? Under which tab?

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anothamexican said:
I got heimdall frontend to detect the device, where do I type in the commands? Under which tab?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The guide has been updated.
You need to continue the process in terminal.
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2.