Related
Carrier: Verizon
Device: Samsung Galaxy S4 (MK2)
Custom ROM: Hyperdrive ROM
Phone is rooted, and Safestrap is installed and working flawlessly
I see this question posted all the time, but I'm reading a lot of conflicting information. As I've been searching around the net for a solid (and up-to-date) answer, I was wondering if there was a definitive answer to the following question:
Can I flash a custom ROM to the stock slot using Safestrap, remove the stock ROM from the phone, and keep the backup on my PC for later restoration?
I would assume that I should do the following:
1) Make a backup of the stock ROM (using Safestrap)
2) Wipe the Stock slot
3) Install/Restore custom ROM to the Stock slot
Am I correct in assuming this?
If there are any issues, I'd love to hear why. I'm still trying to figure out all the info. If there are any benefits/drawbacks, I'd also love to hear those. I'd consider myself a "conservative" user. I do nothing with themes and major modifications.
Thank you for any advice!
I apologize if this question has been answered elsewhere.
That works just fine and many people already have. AT&T people are in the same boat and do it too.
Sent from Black<3's I337 running Foxhound ROM
DeadlySin9 said:
That works just fine and many people already have. AT&T people are in the same boat and do it too.
Sent from Black<3's I337 running Foxhound ROM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the information.
remainnameless said:
Thank you for the information.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just make sure you have the Odin tar file for your phone just in case something goes wrong. Me and a few others ran into some issues messing with the stock slot. Good idea to have that anyways.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Just in case someone comes across this in the future:
Everything worked as planned. No issues to report.
But doesn't this entirely contradict what the website says?
On the How-To Safestrap site:
Install: This is for flashing a .zip file to the currently active system. Currently, this is disabled for the stock system. In a future release I will enable flashing to the stock system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And yet people are wiping and flashing to stock fine?
Cool, I will try that
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium HD app
DaGamer12345 said:
But doesn't this entirely contradict what the website says?
On the How-To Safestrap site:
And yet people are wiping and flashing to stock fine?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hashcode didn't support flashing to the stock slot when I used SafeStrap. You could do it, but if you ran into problems you were not to expect any help from him.
Now whether or not he disabled that option completely in newer versions of SafeStrap I'm not really sure since I'm on an mdk S4 now.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Mistertac said:
Hashcode didn't support flashing to the stock slot when I used SafeStrap. You could do it, but if you ran into problems you were not to expect any help from him.
Now whether or not he disabled that option completely in newer versions of SafeStrap I'm not really sure since I'm on an mdk S4 now.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
reason why its called safestrap...and has saved me many times able to get back to my stock rom slot...but we all have our own levels of risk but hashcode made safestrap the way he did for a reason.
I run 3 roms on my S4 and have no issues with memory limitations
So then this is a yes on flashing to stock? Thinking about flashing a SS rom, but not sure how it goes.
I assume I would flash the kernel modules as you have to do that with every custom rom.
If Safestrap lives on the stock system, how does it stay after you wipe? It stays on an unwipe-able area? Because it can't stay on recovery, can it?
If anything goes wrong, I could just flash the MK2 stock with Odin, correct? It wouldn't trip KNOX flag to 0x1?
Out of curiosity, if an OTA was available for stock MK2, and I had it as a custom rom, it would brick the phone or what would happen?
In Titanium Backup, you DON'T restore all the system apps, and only the user apps when migrating roms?
This would be my first time wiping/flashing a rom over the system (and not just over a rom slot), so I'm nervous as almost all people new to this sort of thing.
DaGamer12345 said:
So then this is a yes on flashing to stock? Thinking about flashing a SS rom, but not sure how it goes.
I assume I would flash the kernel modules as you have to do that with every custom rom.
If Safestrap lives on the stock system, how does it stay after you wipe? It stays on an unwipe-able area? Because it can't stay on recovery, can it?
If anything goes wrong, I could just flash the MK2 stock with Odin, correct? It wouldn't trip KNOX flag to 0x1?
Out of curiosity, if an OTA was available for stock MK2, and I had it as a custom rom, it would brick the phone or what would happen?
In Titanium Backup, you DON'T restore all the system apps, and only the user apps when migrating roms?
This would be my first time wiping/flashing a rom over the system (and not just over a rom slot), so I'm nervous as almost all people new to this sort of thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, you're asking a lot of questions that have been already answered, so here's some quick answers.
1. Flashing the modules won't hurt.
2. Safestrap lives in separate directory on your internal storage. As long as you don't wipe the internal storage, it'll still be there. However, if you flash a stock ROM into the stock slot, then Safestrap won't be run during boot and can't be activated.
3. Yes, you can always flash an OEM stock ROM. Factory images from Samsung won't set the Knox Warranty Void flag. This does NOT mean that you can downgrade to an earlier release.
4. OTAs won't brick the phone - they'll fail if you have modified anything that the OTA will be patching.
5. You should only restore user apps and data. You must have the restorecon fix for that to work. Restoring system apps is pretty risky.
None of these are new questions or new answers. Yes, there's a lot to read here, but you really need to spend the time.
k1mu said:
Well, you're asking a lot of questions that have been already answered, so here's some quick answers.
1. Flashing the modules won't hurt.
2. Safestrap lives in separate directory on your internal storage. As long as you don't wipe the internal storage, it'll still be there. However, if you flash a stock ROM into the stock slot, then Safestrap won't be run during boot and can't be activated.
3. Yes, you can always flash an OEM stock ROM. Factory images from Samsung won't set the Knox Warranty Void flag. This does NOT mean that you can downgrade to an earlier release.
4. OTAs won't brick the phone - they'll fail if you have modified anything that the OTA will be patching.
5. You should only restore user apps and data. You must have the restorecon fix for that to work. Restoring system apps is pretty risky.
None of these are new questions or new answers. Yes, there's a lot to read here, but you really need to spend the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I remember you! You made the Saferoot method I used. Sorry for asking some dumb questions, I just wanted verification for 1, 3, and 4. I'll have to search for the restorecon fix. I'll be flashing Eclipse because I was only looking for an AOSP experience and Hyperdrive has more than I need (leading to larger rom size). The rom is going to go through a big update sometime this weekend so I'll wait for the update.
DaGamer12345 said:
Oh I remember you! You made the Saferoot method I used. Sorry for asking some dumb questions, I just wanted verification for 1, 3, and 4. I'll have to search for the restorecon fix. I'll be flashing Eclipse because I was only looking for an AOSP experience and Hyperdrive has more than I need (leading to larger rom size). The rom is going to go through a big update sometime this weekend so I'll wait for the update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whew. I thought "Oh I remember you" was going to be followed by ".. you're that jerk that... " :laugh:
Have a good weekend.
remainnameless said:
Carrier: Verizon
Device: Samsung Galaxy S4 (MK2)
Custom ROM: Hyperdrive ROM
Phone is rooted, and Safestrap is installed and working flawlessly
I see this question posted all the time, but I'm reading a lot of conflicting information. As I've been searching around the net for a solid (and up-to-date) answer, I was wondering if there was a definitive answer to the following question:
Can I flash a custom ROM to the stock slot using Safestrap, remove the stock ROM from the phone, and keep the backup on my PC for later restoration?
I would assume that I should do the following:
1) Make a backup of the stock ROM (using Safestrap)
2) Wipe the Stock slot
3) Install/Restore custom ROM to the Stock slot
Am I correct in assuming this?
If there are any issues, I'd love to hear why. I'm still trying to figure out all the info. If there are any benefits/drawbacks, I'd also love to hear those. I'd consider myself a "conservative" user. I do nothing with themes and major modifications.
Thank you for any advice!
I apologize if this question has been answered elsewhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just installed hyperdrive to the stock slot and everything works perfect.
Hi All - Long time listener, first time caller.
I have a Verizon S4 and have been running stock root for a while now. I'm looking to install Carbon ROM. For some reason, when I try to flash it, I get the "Unauthorized Software" message that pops up after it completes and reboots. My only option is to boot back into TWRP and restore from backup. Everything that I've read says that it's because my bootloader isn't unlocked, but I can't figure out how to do it.
Is there something else I need to do? I'm on Ubuntu, so I can't really run the Windows things (unless Odin, for example, works through VIrtualbox? I haven't tried because there are general virtual USB issues that have soft bricked other devices I've had.)
I'm definitely on MDK (I froze the Samsung updater) and my initial effort to root was done on a friend's computer with Odin using these instructions: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2290798.
Running through the forum, I've tried:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2606501 (Followed the MDK links which go to below)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2578569 (it just talks about rooting which I already have)
I'm sure there's a step somewhere that I've missed, but I can't see the forest through the trees. Anything obvious that I didn't do?
The only other things I can think of that could get me there:
1. Update to the latest firmware and then just give in and use safestrap (not ideal)
2. Could I re-flash to the pre-release kernel and then go directly to CarbonROM? Will I need to reflash to the release-version of MDK after?
Open to suggestions.
FranklinPIerce said:
Hi All - Long time listener, first time caller.
I have a Verizon S4 and have been running stock root for a while now. I'm looking to install Carbon ROM. For some reason, when I try to flash it, I get the "Unauthorized Software" message that pops up after it completes and reboots. My only option is to boot back into TWRP and restore from backup. Everything that I've read says that it's because my bootloader isn't unlocked, but I can't figure out how to do it.
Is there something else I need to do? I'm on Ubuntu, so I can't really run the Windows things (unless Odin, for example, works through VIrtualbox? I haven't tried because there are general virtual USB issues that have soft bricked other devices I've had.)
I'm definitely on MDK (I froze the Samsung updater) and my initial effort to root was done on a friend's computer with Odin using these instructions: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2290798.
Running through the forum, I've tried:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2606501 (Followed the MDK links which go to below)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2578569 (it just talks about rooting which I already have)
I'm sure there's a step somewhere that I've missed, but I can't see the forest through the trees. Anything obvious that I didn't do?
The only other things I can think of that could get me there:
1. Update to the latest firmware and then just give in and use safestrap (not ideal)
2. Could I re-flash to the pre-release kernel and then go directly to CarbonROM? Will I need to reflash to the release-version of MDK after?
Open to suggestions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ROM may not have Loki support...if you are using the older twrp version it may not auto lokify the ROM...try updating your recovery and give it another go
FranklinPIerce said:
Hi All - Long time listener, first time caller.
I have a Verizon S4 and have been running stock root for a while now. I'm looking to install Carbon ROM. For some reason, when I try to flash it, I get the "Unauthorized Software" message that pops up after it completes and reboots. My only option is to boot back into TWRP and restore from backup. Everything that I've read says that it's because my bootloader isn't unlocked, but I can't figure out how to do it.
Is there something else I need to do? I'm on Ubuntu, so I can't really run the Windows things (unless Odin, for example, works through VIrtualbox? I haven't tried because there are general virtual USB issues that have soft bricked other devices I've had.)
I'm definitely on MDK (I froze the Samsung updater) and my initial effort to root was done on a friend's computer with Odin using these instructions: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2290798.
Running through the forum, I've tried:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2606501 (Followed the MDK links which go to below)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2578569 (it just talks about rooting which I already have)
I'm sure there's a step somewhere that I've missed, but I can't see the forest through the trees. Anything obvious that I didn't do?
The only other things I can think of that could get me there:
1. Update to the latest firmware and then just give in and use safestrap (not ideal)
2. Could I re-flash to the pre-release kernel and then go directly to CarbonROM? Will I need to reflash to the release-version of MDK after?
Open to suggestions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would recommend trying out Philz ( cwm ) recovery possibly. There have been random issues like yours reported and usually updating the recovery or just trying a different ROM all together gets better results.
You shouldn't need to go back to stock mdk for anything since you're already rooted and have a custom recovery.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the suggestions. I did update my recovery, but now that I think of it, I may not have tried to re-flash since upgrading. My preference is to not use CWM, but I will if I have to, I guess.
In either case, I'll try this all out when I get home from work and post back. Thanks for the suggestions.
FranklinPIerce said:
Thanks for the suggestions. I did update my recovery, but now that I think of it, I may not have tried to re-flash since upgrading. My preference is to not use CWM, but I will if I have to, I guess.
In either case, I'll try this all out when I get home from work and post back. Thanks for the suggestions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me suggest trying liquid smooth 4.4
Awesome ROM to try.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
FranklinPIerce said:
Hi All - Long time listener, first time caller.
I have a Verizon S4 and have been running stock root for a while now. I'm looking to install Carbon ROM. For some reason, when I try to flash it, I get the "Unauthorized Software" message that pops up after it completes and reboots. My only option is to boot back into TWRP and restore from backup. Everything that I've read says that it's because my bootloader isn't unlocked, but I can't figure out how to do it.
Is there something else I need to do? I'm on Ubuntu, so I can't really run the Windows things (unless Odin, for example, works through VIrtualbox? I haven't tried because there are general virtual USB issues that have soft bricked other devices I've had.)
I'm definitely on MDK (I froze the Samsung updater) and my initial effort to root was done on a friend's computer with Odin using these instructions: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2290798.
Running through the forum, I've tried:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2606501 (Followed the MDK links which go to below)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2578569 (it just talks about rooting which I already have)
I'm sure there's a step somewhere that I've missed, but I can't see the forest through the trees. Anything obvious that I didn't do?
The only other things I can think of that could get me there:
1. Update to the latest firmware and then just give in and use safestrap (not ideal)
2. Could I re-flash to the pre-release kernel and then go directly to CarbonROM? Will I need to reflash to the release-version of MDK after?
Open to suggestions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would try their suggestions. For future reference though, you can use heimdall instead of Odin on Linux. I love it I think its better than odin
Sent from my unknown using Tapatalk
Ok, so I updated TWRP to the latest and tried again. Got the same message as before about unauthorized software and in the upper left, it said something about "Fail: Kernal"
From there, I had a hard time getting back into recovery. It would either say it was booting into recovery and then shut off or it would freeze. I eventually got back in and am restoring now.
Thanks for the information on Heimdall - I wasn't aware of it. The reason I wanted to go with Carbon is that it has a built-in application to control/override application permissions. Does something like that exist for LiquidRom? Or is it compatible with PDroid or something similar? (I didn't see a mention of it in their features, but might have missed it)
One more thought: I am using the Carbon nightlies for KK. Maybe there's a problem with the source file (I've redownloaded 4 times)? Or maybe I'm just destined to be on stock forever. :crying:
Edit: I just tried putting Philz recovery on and now I can't get into recovery as that's now giving the same unauthorized software message.
Edit2: I was able to get TWRP on eventually by going into Odin mode and hitting "Cancel." Each normal reboot would then give the same unauthorized message, so I just went back to TWRP and it's booting normally again. Ah, yay to Verizon and their locked phones.
Ok, I've tried a few more times tonight with no luck, so I'll give it a break for now and look into it more tomorrow or over the weekend.
FranklinPIerce said:
Ok, so I updated TWRP to the latest and tried again. Got the same message as before about unauthorized software and in the upper left, it said something about "Fail: Kernal"
From there, I had a hard time getting back into recovery. It would either say it was booting into recovery and then shut off or it would freeze. I eventually got back in and am restoring now.
Thanks for the information on Heimdall - I wasn't aware of it. The reason I wanted to go with Carbon is that it has a built-in application to control/override application permissions. Does something like that exist for LiquidRom? Or is it compatible with PDroid or something similar? (I didn't see a mention of it in their features, but might have missed it)
One more thought: I am using the Carbon nightlies for KK. Maybe there's a problem with the source file (I've redownloaded 4 times)? Or maybe I'm just destined to be on stock forever. :crying:
Edit: I just tried putting Philz recovery on and now I can't get into recovery as that's now giving the same unauthorized software message.
Edit2: I was able to get TWRP on eventually by going into Odin mode and hitting "Cancel." Each normal reboot would then give the same unauthorized message, so I just went back to TWRP and it's booting normally again. Ah, yay to Verizon and their locked phones.
Ok, I've tried a few more times tonight with no luck, so I'll give it a break for now and look into it more tomorrow or over the weekend.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's odd that flashing Philz didn't work for you. Its a pain I know but probably if you had wiped the phone with stock mdk then tried again it woukd have worked I bet. I had to do that with this phone when i got it. It came with twrp, but was acting real funny not always getting into recovery or just hanging up on reboot. But you have a working twrp so that's good too.
I don't believe liquid has the built in app permissions you're talking about but maybe I missed it. I don't really mess with permissions. Liquid has everything else though and then some!
I know some Roms were having problems with unified builds. I know liquid does not at this point. Maybe it'd be worth trying just so you're not on stock lol you may want to look into the Loki doki zip that you flash after flashing the ROM. I've seen some people on here using that when they were getting the same error you were. Just an idea.
Good luck man!
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
My friend and I both have Fascinates. I got mine first, and just rooted the Gingerbread that came with it. I use it for medical purposes, and really needed something stable and reliable.
When my friend got hers, we decided to go for a more recent ROM, and chose GeeWiz 4.4.2 (Jellybean). It was real easy to install and didn't require anything special. It worked great for a little while, but as she added apps to it, it got real laggy and hard-crashed a fair amount.
Yesterday, all hell broke loose with it. Suddenly, every Google app was crashing, including the Play Store. I researched the issue and found many other people with similar problems on various phones. I tried literally 16 different fixes, none of which worked. So I had to hard reset it.
Since it's a blank canvas, and her experience with GeeWiz wasn't all that great, I figure it's a good time to try something else.
What do YOU recommend?
Here's her priorities:
1. Must be super stable.
2. Everything must work. Speakerphone, bluetooth, camera, video, microSD, you name it.
3. Not laggy.
4. Good battery life.
She really likes the Jellybean notifications, so she would prefer Jellybean or later.
I'm very interested in what the community recommends. :highfive:
the newest cm10.1 nightly was rock solid for me. helly bean 4.2.2 was good too. don't go beyond 4.2 if you want good stability, i don't think some basic things work in the cm11 builds yet (GPS and MMS are flaky)
oh also don't feel bad for running stock GB. i'm actually running it right now (rooted, lean kernel, and i gutted out the majority of samsung things)
---------- Post added at 11:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:00 PM ----------
also, for future reference, any thread you post of similar connotation to this will probably get locked by a moderator and he'll say "oh try roms out for yourself blah blah blah"
so if that happens, don't say i jinxed it. also, i've had my fassy for around 6 months and i've tried literally everything under the sun for it.
I agree with sceptic on these ROM selections
rockpaperlizard said:
Yesterday, all hell broke loose with it. Suddenly, every Google app was crashing, including the Play Store. I researched the issue and found many other people with similar problems on various phones. I tried literally 16 different fixes, none of which worked. So I had to hard reset it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought Geewiz was only made for the Fascinate? I have been trying the Geewiz rom, and so far the only time it became laggy was when I set the cpu Govenor to a power saving option. Otherwise it has actually been much faster booting up than the kitkat roms.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using xda premium
Okay, trying to get Hellybean working... but am stuck!
Thank you to everyone providing a reply so far. Please keep the suggestions coming. :highfive:
I am trying to install the recommended Hellybean 4.2, and am stuck.
The phone was stock Gingerbread, and then I installed the GeeWiz 4.4 ROM on it. Had some lagging and crashing, so now I'm trying to get Hellybean 4.2 on it, per recommendations of others.
So I downloaded the latest Hellybean 4.2 from the hellybean website. I then booted into recovery, and selected Update from Zip and and tried to install the Hellybean zip. I get a Status 7 error. Some sites said to try it 3 times. I tried it 5 times. No dice.
I can't find a Hellybean 4.2 Fascinate thread on XDA, so details are sparse. Am I blind?
Am I correct in understanding that Hellybean 4.2 includes the devil kernel? Or do I need to ODIN a different kernel first?
I installed ROM Manager to get the latest CWM Recovery, but it says the Fascinate is an "unknown device". There is no CWM Recovery installation file for the Fascinate listed on the Clockworkmod website. UGH! :crying:
Can anyone help? I can follow step by step instructions real well. :good:
Progress Update
I noticed the link in hhp_221's signature, and followed it. I installed his devil kernel for Jellybean 4.2.2. Works a treat. :good:
Then I tried to install the Hellybean 4.2 zip file in the resultant CWM Recovery, and now I get a Status 0 error. Tried it 5 times. Same thing each time.
Help!
rockpaperlizard said:
I noticed the link in hhp_221's signature, and followed it. I installed his devil kernel for Jellybean 4.2.2. Works a treat. :good:
Then I tried to install the Hellybean 4.2 zip file in the resultant CWM Recovery, and now I get a Status 0 error. Tried it 5 times. Same thing each time.
Help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
okay here's some instructions (assuming the phone is on stock. if it isn't just go into odin and reflash it again because you're probably bricked)
1. let it boot up after odining EH03 (might want to throw cm10.1, helly, and google apps on the sd card at this point)
2. after it boots, flash GBBootloaders.tar and cwm 4 fixed for cm7. those files can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1238070
3. go into recovery by pressing and holding volume up, down, and power until the samsung logo flashes and reapppears
4. wipe data and cache
5. flash the newest cm10.1 (gapps too if you want to stay on cm, if you want helly don't bother flashing gapps)
6. reboot
7. if you're flashing helly, reboot into recovery from cm and flash helly from CWM. and gapps. wipe data too just to be safe.
if any of my guide didn't help, just follow the thread i linked in step 2. it's a good comprehensive guide.
also never flash anything with ROM Manager, it's useless for this phone because the version of CWM on ROM Manager is really old. i've bricked my phone when trying it.
Getting closer!
skepticmisfit said:
okay here's some instructions (assuming the phone is on stock. if it isn't just go into odin and reflash it again because you're probably bricked)
1. let it boot up after odining EH03 (might want to throw cm10.1, helly, and google apps on the sd card at this point)
2. after it boots, flash GBBootloaders.tar and cwm 4 fixed for cm7. those files can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1238070
3. go into recovery by pressing and holding volume up, down, and power until the samsung logo flashes and reapppears
4. wipe data and cache
5. flash the newest cm10.1 (gapps too if you want to stay on cm, if you want helly don't bother flashing gapps)
6. reboot
7. if you're flashing helly, reboot into recovery from cm and flash helly from CWM. and gapps. wipe data too just to be safe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for all the tips. Using your tips, I successfully got CM 10.1 onto her phone. But I read her the description of HellyBean, and she would prefer that (of course :cyclops.
So once CM 10.1 is on, I booted into it, and then immediately turned it off. I then booted into CWM recovery, and tried to install the Hellybean ROM. I get the Status 7 error each time. You mentioned wiping data after installing helly, but I think you meant before (let me know if I'm mistaken).
I researched Status 7 errors, and some people say they are because the ROM is expecting a different existing version to be installed over. I took a look at the build.prop file in Hellybean, and it references the Gingerbread 2.3.5 EI20 ROM, whereas all I could find was the stock Gingerbread 2.3.5 EH03 ROM. I tried editing the build.prop file to reflect EH03, but I an aborted error when trying to install that.
The radio and all other items on the phone should be stock. Not sure if that helps or hurts in getting Hellybean installed.
Anyways, any and all help in getting from CM 10.1 to Hellybean 4.2.2 would be most appreciated. Or I can put stock Gingerbread 2.3.5 EH03 back on and start from there. :good:
rockpaperlizard said:
Thank you for all the tips. Using your tips, I successfully got CM 10.1 onto her phone. But I read her the description of HellyBean, and she would prefer that (of course :cyclops.
So once CM 10.1 is on, I booted into it, and then immediately turned it off. I then booted into CWM recovery, and tried to install the Hellybean ROM. I get the Status 7 error each time. You mentioned wiping data after installing helly, but I think you meant before (let me know if I'm mistaken).
I researched Status 7 errors, and some people say they are because the ROM is expecting a different existing version to be installed over. I took a look at the build.prop file in Hellybean, and it references the Gingerbread 2.3.5 EI20 ROM, whereas all I could find was the stock Gingerbread 2.3.5 EH03 ROM. I tried editing the build.prop file to reflect EH03, but I an aborted error when trying to install that.
The radio and all other items on the phone should be stock. Not sure if that helps or hurts in getting Hellybean installed.
Anyways, any and all help in getting from CM 10.1 to Hellybean 4.2.2 would be most appreciated. Or I can put stock Gingerbread 2.3.5 EH03 back on and start from there. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wipe data before installing helly. also i've never bothered with build.prop in Hellybean. it only references to EI20 for Voodoo Sound drivers. EI20 is the stock build for.. i believe the US Cellular Mezmerize (aka not the Verizon Fascinate). so don't screw with it
yes stock radio is good. EH03 is a good radio but if you want you can flash EC09, based off of a leak of GB. some people have good luck with it, i used to but i like EH03.
so.. i'm not sure if you can boot the phone into helly bean. it sounds like you were getting a lot of "status 7" errors, which i didn't ever get while trying to use helly. this may or may not be caused by the sd card. try a different card if possible. if you're bricked at this point just start over from EH03.
also be sure you're using the 2013-7-23 build of helly, that's the last one based off of 4.2.2, the rest are broken 4.3 builds.
Good advice!
skepticmisfit said:
also be sure you're using the 2013-7-23 build of helly, that's the last one based off of 4.2.2, the rest are broken 4.3 builds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the heads up on the helly build! I got one from the Hellybean website, and it's labeled 20131024. I tried and tried to find the 2013-7-23 but no luck , could you guide me to a source for it? Thanks!
rockpaperlizard said:
Hey, it's the girlfriend here. BF is out, so I was trying to get the right files gathered. Thanks for the heads up on the helly build! I got one from the Hellybean website, and it's labeled 20131024. I tried and tried to find the 2013-7-23 but no luck , could you guide me to a source for it? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
here you go: http://andromirror.com/file/1386
good luck!
Sooooo close...
Thank you for the helly link!
Followed instructions, and successfully got it to helly!:good:
But... been trying to flash the gapps, and no go. It says it's successfully installed, but then nothing happens. Also noticed it can't mount the cache. And noticed that the zip says it's signed but if signature verification is enabled, cwm says the signature is not valid.
Any thoughts/ideas/solutions? Thanks!
rockpaperlizard said:
Thank you for the helly link!
Followed instructions, and successfully got it to helly!:good:
But... been trying to flash the gapps, and no go. It says it's successfully installed, but then nothing happens. Also noticed it can't mount the cache. And noticed that the zip says it's signed but if signature verification is enabled, cwm says the signature is not valid.
Any thoughts/ideas/solutions? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cache...
give us what the recovery version number is.
Is it the red touch recovery (that is what is included with hellybean)
gapps...
bad download maybe, it does happen...
get and verify the md5 yourself with an app
for windows
or an android one
like this one
are you using this gapps version? http://goo.im/gapps/gapps-jb-20130812-signed.zip
its what you need to start with,, and then after you sign in to your account,, it will check to see what needs to be updated.
.
I tried the cm10 mentioned here. It does seem very nice. It appears to have more features than Geewiz also, along with a lot more ringtones.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using xda premium
Information
hhp_211 said:
cache...
give us what the recovery version number is.
Is it the red touch recovery (that is what is included with hellybean)
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the avenues to explore. The recovery that comes up is CWM Recovery v4.0.1.0. Does that mean helly didn't really install successfully? When it boots, it does give the Devil kernel graphic, which I understand is part of helly?
hhp_211 said:
gapps...
bad download maybe, it does happen...
get and verify the md5 yourself with an app
are you using this gapps version? http://goo.im/gapps/gapps-jb-20130812-signed.zip
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked at the gapps. It is the gapps-jb-20130812-signed.zip and the md5 checks out.
It's the blue CWM, forgot to mention that...
rockpaperlizard said:
Hi, GF here again. I'm new to all this, thank you for the avenues to explore. The recovery that comes up is CWM Recovery v4.0.1.0. Does that mean helly didn't really install successfully? When it boots, it does give the Devil kernel graphic, which I understand is part of helly?
I looked at the gapps. It is the gapps-jb-20130812-signed.zip and the md5 checks out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whoa you're not supposed to have blue recovery after flashing a 4.x ROM (or MTD as we call it).
go to step 4 in this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1238070
you're going to have to reflash EH03 in Odin before doing anything because your recovery is borked.
Got it!!
Finally got helly onto a phone! Ended up starting all over, and then just flashing to helly since had the right file and hadn't tried going directly (skipping CM). And it worked! But the 3-finger salute got us back into blue CWM. So I started all over again, and once helly was on, I thought I'd do a reboot just to make things happier, which is when we noticed the 'reboot to recovery' and remembered that we had read somewhere that you sometimes have to use that instead of the 3-finger. So we did and everything has been golden since then. I love, love this ROM! :laugh:
Big thanks to you guys for helping us through the process! We couldn't have done it without you!!
rockpaperlizard said:
GF here. We finally got helly onto the my phone! We ended up starting all over, and then just flashing to helly since we had the right file and hadn't tried going directly (skipping CM). And it worked! But the 3-finger salute got us back into blue CWM. So I started all over again, and once helly was on, I thought I'd do a reboot just to make things happier, which is when we noticed the 'reboot to recovery' and remembered that we had read somewhere that you sometimes have to use that instead of the 3-finger. So we did and everything has been golden since then. I love, love this ROM! :laugh:
Big thanks to you guys for helping us through the process! We couldn't have done it without you!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's weird that 3-finger into recovery is broken for you.. it wasn't for me. but whatever, as long as it works
Requesting help. I am not a noob by any means, I have installed custom roms many times, and rooted many phones, and installed and used safestrap on several phones, but I cannot get ANY custom rom to install properly on my Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4, which is (was) rooted, with Safestrap 3.72, and MK2 firmware.
I was running the stock 4.3/mk2 firmware, with the latest busybox and supersu, and the latest safestrap, and safe root installed. I was able to successfully root the phone, and install safestrap, but even when I created a rom slot, gave it a name, wiped it completely, and then try to install one of the many 4.3/mk2 "Safe" roms, no rom will boot, once installed. It is so frustrating! I read somewhere that with the Verizon S4, and MK2 firmware, you could only install a rom in the stock rom slot, so I tried that, and now safestrap is gone, and the phone boots to a light blue screen with little green checkmarks. So I'm in the process of downloading the original MK2 firmware from Samsung and using Odin to restore. Anybody have any ideas? I'm thinking of quickly getting rid of the S4 while it still has some value.
mactechnm said:
Requesting help. I am not a noob by any means, I have installed custom roms many times, and rooted many phones, and installed and used safestrap on several phones, but I cannot get ANY custom rom to install properly on my Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4, which is (was) rooted, with Safestrap 3.72, and MK2 firmware.
I was running the stock 4.3/mk2 firmware, with the latest busybox and supersu, and the latest safestrap, and safe root installed. I was able to successfully root the phone, and install safestrap, but even when I created a rom slot, gave it a name, wiped it completely, and then try to install one of the many 4.3/mk2 "Safe" roms, no rom will boot, once installed. It is so frustrating! I read somewhere that with the Verizon S4, and MK2 firmware, you could only install a rom in the stock rom slot, so I tried that, and now safestrap is gone, and the phone boots to a light blue screen with little green checkmarks. So I'm in the process of downloading the original MK2 firmware from Samsung and using Odin to restore. Anybody have any ideas? I'm thinking of quickly getting rid of the S4 while it still has some value.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3.72 is for 4.4 KitKat and was made for the AT&T version of the S4, therefore, you are not able to create slots. You would need to install 3.71 and only flash 4.3 based roms. If you want 4.4 based roms you need to upgrade to NC5 and install 3.72, but you are only able to flash to the stock side.
There's plenty of info for you to read in the General section.
riker147 said:
3.72 is for 4.4 KitKat and was made for the AT&T version of the S4, therefore, you are not able to create slots. You would need to install 3.71 and only flash 4.3 based roms. If you want 4.4 based roms you need to upgrade to NC5 and install 3.72, but you are only able to flash to the stock side.
There's plenty of info for you to read in the General section.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your response. Actually what I failed to mention is I did have 3.71 installed first, and I had the exact same problem. So it's not an issue with the safestrap version. And I have tried about 12 different ROMs. Including BajaROM-S4-Release-v-2.2 and BoneStock4.3_S4v2.1. As I said, I'm not a newbie at all, and I'm not about to hunt and peck for information again (which is what I've been doing for two days now). I wouldn't have asked for help if I had been successful in my search.
I have never had an issue installing any safestrap compatible rom...3.72 is strictly for android 4.4 and no rom slots...so no way you would ever get a rom installed using 3.72 on MK2 base build. As for 3.71...never heard of any issue with SS compatible roms for 3.71 not installing right. Really difficult to figure out what you are doing wrong from what you are giving us...
sent by safestrap powered echo v26
decaturbob said:
I have never had an issue installing any safestrap compatible rom...3.72 is strictly for android 4.4 and no rom slots...so no way you would ever get a rom installed using 3.72 on MK2 base build. As for 3.71...never heard of any issue with SS compatible roms for 3.71 not installing right. Really difficult to figure out what you are doing wrong from what you are giving us...
sent by safestrap powered echo v26
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, thanks for your help. I'm going to start with Odin. Wipe it all clean and start over. That's always the best option. Thanks!
basically, I'd follow this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2763834
I'd go back to MK2, root, BB, SS 3.71. Then go up to NC5 ROMs with SS 3.72. Wiping EVERYTHING along the way, system included, not just factory reset
Similar Issue
I not a noob either im very familiar with how this whole operation works.
I have a very similar issue as well I'm (unable to flash roms including my own recovery). I'm 100% knowledgeable on CM, but when it comes to Safestrap or TWRP base Recoveries I'm far from noon but not an expert so to say... Here's my issue. I have the NC5 firmware and once had the Hyperdrive RLS17.1 KK S4 Final.zip... I went back to the I545VRUFNC5-Stock-Root-Deodex.zip.... I recently attempted to download another ROM, (based on the same firmware of course) as soon as I attempted to flash it (which only took about 1 min and didn't work) I figured something was wrong. So I just decided to go back to my recovery that I've made a few moments ago. When I tried to do that. The msg " E: Unable to mount '/system' " appeared.
Now I've notice since then Wiping and Flashing return the same results.
There is no longer an OS on my S4... I can not Mount the System.
So I believe in stuck in Safestrap 3.72.
(Please let me know what other info you need, I spent the last couple of days trying to figure this out on my own, so far I'm losing the battle)
Please help guys.
same problem
mactechnm said:
Requesting help. I am not a noob by any means, I have installed custom roms many times, and rooted many phones, and installed and used safestrap on several phones, but I cannot get ANY custom rom to install properly on my Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4, which is (was) rooted, with Safestrap 3.72, and MK2 firmware.
I was running the stock 4.3/mk2 firmware, with the latest busybox and supersu, and the latest safestrap, and safe root installed. I was able to successfully root the phone, and install safestrap, but even when I created a rom slot, gave it a name, wiped it completely, and then try to install one of the many 4.3/mk2 "Safe" roms, no rom will boot, once installed. It is so frustrating! I read somewhere that with the Verizon S4, and MK2 firmware, you could only install a rom in the stock rom slot, so I tried that, and now safestrap is gone, and the phone boots to a light blue screen with little green checkmarks. So I'm in the process of downloading the original MK2 firmware from Samsung and using Odin to restore. Anybody have any ideas? I'm thinking of quickly getting rid of the S4 while it still has some value.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im having the same problem i am also frustrated i don't know what to do
Similar Issue
I know there must be a way... If only I can get it to mount the "system" and "systemorig"...
I'm going to play around with the Slots and the datas Size's and see what I come up with.
Pretty sure you will need to Odin the stock NC5 image and start over.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
jmgib said:
Pretty sure you will need to Odin the stock NC5 image and start over.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh ok. The Stock NC5 image... Great.
Where can I find the stock image?
If possible, could you please send a link?
Thanks in advance
damien302 said:
I not a noob either im very familiar with how this whole operation works.
I have a very similar issue as well I'm (unable to flash roms including my own recovery). I'm 100% knowledgeable on CM, but when it comes to Safestrap or TWRP base Recoveries I'm far from noon but not an expert so to say... Here's my issue. I have the NC5 firmware and once had the Hyperdrive RLS17.1 KK S4 Final.zip... I went back to the I545VRUFNC5-Stock-Root-Deodex.zip.... I recently attempted to download another ROM, (based on the same firmware of course) as soon as I attempted to flash it (which only took about 1 min and didn't work) I figured something was wrong. So I just decided to go back to my recovery that I've made a few moments ago. When I tried to do that. The msg " E: Unable to mount '/system' " appeared.
Now I've notice since then Wiping and Flashing return the same results.
There is no longer an OS on my S4... I can not Mount the System.
So I believe in stuck in Safestrap 3.72.
(Please let me know what other info you need, I spent the last couple of days trying to figure this out on my own, so far I'm losing the battle)
Please help guys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
shonnick01 said:
im having the same problem i am also frustrated i don't know what to do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I only just saw these posts, I have not been on here for a week or so but if you are still having issues... As far as what went wrong to begin with, did you factory reset/advanvanced wipe all but the internal sd before flashing? Are you only installing into the 'stock' slot on SafeStrap? As far as the fix, if you are suck in Safestrap, you will need to boot into recovery mode, if possible and wipe/factory reset and then boot into download mode and flash one of these http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2735172 in Odin.
liljoe727 said:
I only just saw these posts, I have not been on here for a week or so but if you are still having issues... As far as what went wrong to begin with, did you factory reset/advanvanced wipe all but the internal sd before flashing? Are you only installing into the 'stock' slot on SafeStrap? As far as the fix, if you are suck in Safestrap, you will need to boot into recovery mode, if possible and wipe/factory reset and then boot into download mode and flash one of these http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2735172 in Odin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot man. The is has been resolved...
I had to Odin the stock NC5 (exactly what you've just mentioned in your response.) I had to flash it twice actually. The first time only took about 3 mins. I then tried to restore my backup, but during the time it restari SS (when the flash was approximately 90% done) I then went to restart the system and then received the notice "No OS loaded). So I wiped all except my SD card and then I just thought to myself to just try and Odin the stock NC5 one more time (it was getting late and I was about to give up). On the 2nd attempi it took almost 3 times the length as before (15-20mins) when it finished, it bypass the " unlock Samsung screen " and displayed the stock splash screen and audio then the Verizon screen. ( I was happier the a crackhead at a free crack-give-away)...
So I want to thank you for responding, I was determined not to give up,, and it was really close before I was about throw in the towel... Thanks a bunch. (You're response was exactly what I did last night)... I was about to update my issue as soon as I fixed it las night was it was so late and I was really sleepy, then I wake up to your message with the exact fix.
Thanks a lot ☺☺
I bought a note 3 thats rooted already and ive rooted a device before but this root or maybe the kitkat version does not give me 4glte i currently have lidroid official v1.5.1 it has a lot of features i like anything similar that comes with kitkat 4.4.4? i tried the freze rom and its not letting me load it to the phone for some reason any help or input is appreciated thanx
P.Dub said:
I bought a note 3 thats rooted already and ive rooted a device before but this root or maybe the kitkat version does not give me 4glte i currently have lidroid official v1.5.1 it has a lot of features i like anything similar that comes with kitkat 4.4.4? i tried the freze rom and its not letting me load it to the phone for some reason any help or input is appreciated thanx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It appears you are running an outdated version of this rom here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2485607 if you like the rom down load the latest version and flash with odin. Who is your carrier ? This rom is for SM-N9005 which is AT&T ? As far as 4G LTE go settings/general/system update/update PRL then power down and reboot the device.
If your on a Sprint carrier I would get back to stock NC5 rooted, this thread will answer all your questions http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-3-sprint/general/samsung-note-3-rom-flashin-basics-t2896440 Enjoy !!!
jimzweb1 said:
It appears you are running an outdated version of this rom here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2485607 if you like the rom down load the latest version and flash with odin. Who is your carrier ? This rom is for SM-N9005 which is AT&T ? As far as 4G LTE go settings/general/system update/update PRL then power down and reboot the device.
If your on a Sprint carrier I would get back to stock NC5 rooted, this thread will answer all your questions http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-3-sprint/general/samsung-note-3-rom-flashin-basics-t2896440 Enjoy !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea i have sprint and already tried to update the prl i tried another rom with kitkat4.4.4 and it gave me 4glte but it kept crashing on me so switched back im going to take a look at the link you suggested thanx
P.Dub said:
yea i have sprint and already tried to update the prl i tried another rom with kitkat4.4.4 and it gave me 4glte but it kept crashing on me so switched back im going to take a look at the link you suggested thanx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I would do. First odin flash back to NC5 stock unrooted. Then boot into stock recovery and do a factory reset. Next odin flash NC5 stock unrooted .tar again, then boot into download mode it should look like this
with official on both lines, sometimes it shows official on one line and custom on the other. That will give you headaches later. Now go ahead root, and install a recovery, beloat the stock rooted rom, for use as a daily driver, and make sure nothing crashes. Next make a backup so you have base to work from. Follow the instructions on the thread I listed above. I know this seems like a pain, but somewhere part of that AOSP rom is being left behind and causing your install of a stock rom to crash.
So I searched and found a ROM its nice and simple but now WiFi doesn't work ?
Sent from my SM-N900P using XDA Free mobile app
P.Dub said:
So I searched and found a ROM its nice and simple but now WiFi doesn't work ��
Sent from my SM-N900P using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well thats no good!!! What are you looking for in a rom functionality for customization? Touch wiz or some like CyanogenMod? Can you upload a screenshot of what your device is running? Like 4.4.2 or 4.4.4? Do you have custom recovery?
Goat1378 said:
Well thats no good!!! What are you looking for in a rom functionality for customization? Touch wiz or some like CyanogenMod?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I want something similar to what I have. The rom I just tried was the cyanogen and wifi didn't work with it and it kept rebooting after an 1 hr of trying it on my phone.... main reason I want to switch is to get the 4glte I like the ability of not holding down the buttons to go into recovery
Sent from my SM-N900P using xda app-developers app
P.Dub said:
I want something similar to what I have. The rom I just tried was the cyanogen and wifi didn't work with it and it kept rebooting after an 1 hr of trying it on my phone.... main reason I want to switch is to get the 4glte I like the ability of not holding down the buttons to go into recovery
Sent from my SM-N900P using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you like aosp roms? Ok are you on NC5 or NH7? The screenshots in my last post will show you what you look for under setting/general/about device
Yes custom recovery I believe. And 4.4.2
Sent from my SM-N900P using xda app-developers app
P.Dub said:
Yes custom recovery I believe. And 4.4.2
Sent from my SM-N900P using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have a pc with odin?
Yes sir I do
Sent from my SM-N900P using xda app-developers app
P.Dub said:
Yes custom recovery I believe. And 4.4.2
Sent from my SM-N900P using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you want update your firmware to NH7 or stay NC5?
Would like to update. I would need a new rom correct?
Sent from my SM-N900P using xda app-developers app
P.Dub said:
Would like to update. I would need a new rom correct?
Sent from my SM-N900P using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey Pedro,
I put together this post when helping another person out on another thread. I think it'll work as a step-by-step guide for you:
I'll explain how to install a custom ROM and some common things to think about/check prior to installing anything:
Installing a Custom ROM
Step 1 - Gather Information
First off, you need to know what version of Android your phone currently is running. This is easily done by looking in the Settings Menu -> General -> About Device.
The Main things we are looking at on this screen are Software Version, Model Number, Android Version, and Baseband Version. I'll explain these (to the best of my knowledge) below:
Software Version:
This is the "type" of Android that you're running. Rather than quoting the entire name, we typically only refer to the last 3 characters (MJ4, NAB, NC5, etc.). Stock Note 3 devices will (most-likely) be running one of 3 different versions of TouchWiz (TW):
MJ4 - This is the last Jellybean version of TW for the Sprint Note 3NAB - This is the first KitKat TW version for the Sprint Note 3NC5 - This is the second KitKat TW version for the Sprint Note 3NH7 - This is the latest KitKat TW version for the Sprint Note 3
The reason that we are concerned with the Software Version is that between the MJ4 and NAB versions, there were major changes. So if you're running MJ4, you will have to do additional steps before flashing a custom ROM based on a newer version. And if you're on NAB or NC5, you will not be able to go back to MJ4, so beware what you're flashing.
For the most part, if you're on NH7, you can flash either a NH7 or NC5 custom ROM, but just read the ROM's FAQ to see if there are any issues with doing so.
Model Number:
Most people don't worry about this, but I always do when looking at a new ROM. The Sprint Note 3 is different from the Verizon Note 3, which is also different from the International Note 3. It's always best to double-check that the ROM you're trying to install is truly meant for your device. This simple check will prevent a LOT of potential issues you'll get when installing a ROM.
Android Version:
This is just an additional check to the Software Version. Always best to know.
Baseband Version:
The Baseband is, unless I'm mistaken, the "kernal" for the phone's cellular and 4G radios. Sometimes upgrading (or downgrading) the Baseband can help with signal strength and reception. Some users have noted that they got better reception on older Baseband versions. I haven't personally looked into it and the reports from other users seem somewhat anecdotal, but it's good to know which Baseband you're on.
The Baseband is independent from the ROM version, so you can run an older Baseband (MJ4 or NAB) on a newer ROM (NC5), and vice-versa.
The last bit of information you need to know is the Bootloader Version. The way to find this information is to reboot your device. When you see the text on the screen, you should look for the Bootloader Version. It'll be a long string of characters, but you're only looking for the last 3 (MJ4, NAB, or NC5).
Once you have all the above information, you should be ready to start the fun process of preparing your phone to flash your first ROM.
Step 2 - Backup your Media
First thing: Backup all of your media to your computer. If there's pictures/music/videos/recordings you don't want to lose, back them up. It's just good practice. Don't lose all your cat pictures because you flashed something and it somehow erased your internal storage. I tend to keep everything of importance on the External Storage, but there are times where even external storage can be wiped, so it's best to back up everything to a PC.
Step 3 - Upgrade your Phone to the latest Stock ROM (NH7)
This only is a MUST applies if you're running an older version and want to install a NH7 ROM. Most continually-developed ROMs are either NC5 or NH7 now, so the first things first: Update your phone to NH7.
Go over to micmar's thread and download the One-Click File. It will remove Root, but don't worry, because when you install a new ROM, it will automatically include root access.
Follow the instructions in his thread and your phone will now be fully upgraded.
At this point, your "About Device" should show the following:
Software Version: N900PVPUCNH7
Android Version: 4.4.4
Baseband Version: N900PVPUCNH7
Reboot your phone and let it sit for a minute so it can get it's bearings.
Step 4 - Install a Custom Recovery
So far, we've been flashing everything in ODIN. Now, we're going to use ODIN one last time to flash a custom recovery, so that you can flash custom ROMs without the need of a computer.
The most-commonly used Custom Recovery is TWRP (XDA Link). You'll want to use the latest version, 2.8.0.
Flash this in ODIN. You should use the "PDA" or the "AP" Slot.
Reboot your phone to make sure it works correctly.
Step 5 - Make a Nandroid Backup of your device
If you don't know what a Nandroid backup is, don't worry. It's basically just taking your phone as is and making a backup of it. In case you make a mistake or flash a bad download of a ROM, this allows you to restore your system. I always keep my backups on the External Storage (microSD Card), so in case I have to wipe my internal storage, it's not a big deal. You can also copy the files over to your PC, just to be more paranoind about your nandroid backups (rhyming is fun!).
You do this by restarting into Recovery (power down device, hold down home button and volume up while powering on phone).
Once in TWRP, go to "backup." Make sure the storage selected is "external storage." This screen will have various options of what to backup. I typically choose everything except external storage. Typically, backups range from 1-2 Gigs.
For me, backups typically take 5-10 minutes to do. In my opinion, this is totally worth it, since I can always restore a backup with no issues.
Step 6 - Install a Custom ROM
Once you choose your custom ROM from the Development Section, follow the instructions on the original post to install it. I'll give a general outline of what I do whenever installing a new ROM, but sometimes a custom ROM will have specific instructions, so you want to make sure to read the posts carefully.
Generic Instructions for Installing a ROM:
Download ROM and check the md5
Internet being spotty in my area, I always check the md5 to make sure that the file downloaded correctly. You can check the md5 using this windows program or using a file explorer on your phone like ES File Explorer. I always copy the ROM zip file to my external SDcard.
Reboot to Recovery
Wipe Data, System, Cache, and Dalvik Cache
This is called a "Clean Wipe," meaning it will wipe out your installed Apps and the data associated with them. Some people will claim that "Dirty Flashing" (i.e. not wiping the above) is OK, but I've seen too many apps Force Closing (FC-ing) when dirty flashing. Also, if you dirty-flash and encounter an issue with a ROM, the first piece of advice is to do a clean install. Might as well do that initially and hopefully not run into any issues.
Install the Custom ROM
Pretty straight-forward on how to do this... just click "Install" and then browse to the place your copied the ROM zip file.
Reboot your phone and run through the typical initial start-up information (google account, etc).
Once you get your phone set up the way you like (apps, accounts, wifi passwords, etc), I'd make another Nandroid backup, just so you have one where it's setup with everything you need. This will make any issues less painful, since you'd restore a backup that's already setup.
Step 7 - Further Considerations
If you ever want to try a new ROM, all you have to do is repeat step 6. Beware, though, people easily become flashaholics when they first figure this stuff out.
If you were paying attention to my "Generic Instructions" when installing a ROM, you'd notice that every time you do a Clean Install of a ROM, you lose all your apps... All of your Angry Birds 3-Star levels are gone!
Well, there are ways to get prevent losing that data... One is by "Dirty Flashing" (Not wiping the "system" or "data" partitions before flashing a ROM in TWRP). This is common practice among users here on XDA, but is typically frowned upon by ROM devs. I've noticed that a good number of issues on ROM threads stem from people Dirty Flashing. It typically causes more problems than it solves.
The other way of backup up and restoring app data (prior to wiping) is by using Titanium Backup. I could write up a long post on how to use Titanium Backup (TiBu), but the main things to remember are the following:
White line items are fine to be restored (both Data and Apps).
Restoring Yellow line items is typically OK (Data only).
Restoring system apps or data (red line items in TiBu) is typically a bad idea.
I've been using TiBu for the past 2-3 years and it's typically worked like a charm. Sometimes, when there's a major Android Update (like from JellyBean to KitKat), it can become broken, but the Developer is really responsive and gets it to work within a few weeks. If you upgrade to PRO, you can schedule automatic app backups (I backup all my user apps every night at 3am). You can also restore apps/data from Nandroid Backups (which is great if you do a Nandroid backup but had forgotten to update your TiBu backups).
In Summary
Whew, that was a lot to write... I'm a Structural Engineer, not a Software Engineer, so I don't know the technical side of things like bootloaders or basebands, but hopefully none of the information I provided was false.
Anyways, let me know if you have any problems with the install. I appreciate any feedback!
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Since you're looking for AOSP ROMs, I'd recommend looking into this section of the forums. You need to make sure whichever ROM you are looking into works for the Sprint version of the phone (HLTESPR).
Alright so I used the last posts links and upgraded to 4.4.4 but now my data doesn't work