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Cant update ROM. What am I doing wrong

I have a NS unlocked and rooted. I have ROM Manager, busybox etc. I followed all the instructions but I can't update ROMs or the 2.3.3 update or CM7 nothing. Each time it starts to unpack or whatever it gets about 1/3 the way and aborts. Something about verifying signatures or something.
Very frustrating.
Thanx in advance
I Love The Smell Of Burnt Rubber Anytime

try to download the ROM again
sounds like the zip file is corrupted

What version Clockwork Recovery are you using? Try reverting back to a older version or something.
Verify the ROM's MD5 Hash using HashTab (Google it)

I've tried several times with downloads and now the latest clockwork and the version prior.
Samething always aborts, can't verify signature. Tried manual and through rom manager.
When using rom manager is that suppose to do the whole install? Cuz that only gets me to the little droid and the triangle. I have to get myself into bootloader and continue manually from there.
Thanks
I Love The Smell Of Burnt Rubber Anytime

hllywd said:
I've tried several times with downloads and now the latest clockwork and the version prior.
Samething always aborts, can't verify signature. Tried manual and through rom manager.
When using rom manager is that suppose to do the whole install? Cuz that only gets me to the little droid and the triangle. I have to get myself into bootloader and continue manually from there.
Thanks
I Love The Smell Of Burnt Rubber Anytime
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what's the latest clockwork recovery? did you try 3.0.0.5?

Ya. The new ver is 3.0.2.4
I Love The Smell Of Burnt Rubber Anytime

hllywd said:
I've tried several times with downloads and now the latest clockwork and the version prior.
Samething always aborts, can't verify signature. Tried manual and through rom manager.
When using rom manager is that suppose to do the whole install? Cuz that only gets me to the little droid and the triangle. I have to get myself into bootloader and continue manually from there.
Thanks
I Love The Smell Of Burnt Rubber Anytime
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm... It sounds like clockwork isn't properly installed. ROM Manager should take you directly to clockwork recovery without you having to do anything.

the problem you are facing is that you are still on stock rom. so even if you flash clockwork recovery and then reboot to recovery, you'll always end up going to the stock recovery. this is a new feature implemented by google.
what you should do is...
1) go to bootloader
2)flash the clockwork recovery using fastboot
3)DO NOT reboot the phone or quit bootloader. immediately after flashing the rec. using fastboot, just enter recovery (through bootloader)
4)flash you new rom
just for u to have an idea. the recovery should be orange in colour.
option 2.
you also have the option of using a file manager with moun/root functions such as root explorer and rename the recovery script in etc folder but i guess step 1 is much easier for now.

OK I played alot today and this is what happened.
After fixing permissions and flashing the new CWM and wiping data/cache it finally worked. Unfortunately titanium and my backup didnt bring everything over. So I went back and forth between stock and CM7 several times but I just couldnt get all my stuff back in CM7. So I thought Id try the 2.3.3 update but not wiping stuff. That didnt work. Then I tried one more time with CM7 but not wiping. I couldnt get pastthe little CM7 droid on the skateboard. So went back to stock for now. Ill have more time on Sat to give things another try.
At least I can get in it now.
Any ideas/thoughts/
Thanks and sorry for the long post.

[Q] Please help: I think I'm soft-bricked.

Well, okay, technically I'm not actually even totally sure what soft-bricked means, but while I can get to both a fastboot screen and into what appears to be CWM (orange recovery with more options than blue), my phone is hanging on the Google boot screen.
Here's what I did.
I have a rooted Nexus S that was running 2.3.3 stock. The OTA update notification came up today, so I allowed it. But then it seemed to hang for, like, half an hour.
So I pulled the battery and allowed it to reset. Which was fine, no biggie. I still had 2.3.3, but no longer had root. So I flashed the GRI40 superboot. Still fine. But I no longer had an update, and it was still 2.3.3.
So I flashed CWM and went to the 2.3.3 stock image. CWM downloaded said image, didn't seem to have any problems, and I clicked to wipe the cache and dalvik.
And now it won't boot beyond the Google screen. But like I said, I'm on fastboot screen now (unlocked) and seem to still have clockwork. Nothing else, though, and there's nothing on my sd card. I know, I know, the lack of back up is a noob mistake.
Help? I'd really just like to get to stock but rooted 2.3.4.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=947950
Use this i have got the same problem
that solved

prad1po said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=947950
Use this i have got the same problem
that solved
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A couple of the other threads by people with hard bricks (problem today?) mentioned Odin as problematic. It's okay to use?

Also, I have to admit, I see a lot of discussion of Odin in the forums, and have Googled it, but I don't actually know what it is or how to use it.

willentrekin said:
Also, I have to admit, I see a lot of discussion of Odin in the forums, and have Googled it, but I don't actually know what it is or how to use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odin is the Fkash program from samsung to flash the lhine first time
you have CWM? no need of odin!
reboot into cwm --> mounts & storage --> mount usb
search a the deoxed 2.3.4 rom and download it..
also search the forum for superuser binary to flash
then wipe system and cache
flash zip first the rom then superuser
reboot
have fun

Okay. Almost there, I think.
You're right about CWM. I got it mounted okay, and get a drive on my computer, into which I can copy a zip and then unmount. At which point I get:
Installing {whichever zip I try. So far, I've tried Nandroid Stock 2.3.4_rooted and 2.3.2 GRH78c}
Finding update package...
Opening update package...
Installing update...
Installation aborted.
That's as far as I get right now. And I'm not touching anything. I wiped the data and cache. Do I have to further mount/unmount anything?

willentrekin said:
Okay. Almost there, I think.
You're right about CWM. I got it mounted okay, and get a drive on my computer, into which I can copy a zip and then unmount. At which point I get:
Installing {whichever zip I try. So far, I've tried Nandroid Stock 2.3.4_rooted and 2.3.2 GRH78c}
Finding update package...
Opening update package...
Installing update...
Installation aborted.
That's as far as I get right now. And I'm not touching anything. I wiped the data and cache. Do I have to further mount/unmount anything?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wipe system too? :/
do you have the latest recovery?
maybe you have a nandroid backup anywhere?
else download one at the dev section i think are enough backups
copy one to /clockwork/backup/***DATE***
hope that fixes your problem :S
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

willentrekin said:
Well, okay, technically I'm not actually even totally sure what soft-bricked means, but while I can get to both a fastboot screen and into what appears to be CWM (orange recovery with more options than blue), my phone is hanging on the Google boot screen.
Here's what I did.
I have a rooted Nexus S that was running 2.3.3 stock. The OTA update notification came up today, so I allowed it. But then it seemed to hang for, like, half an hour.
So I pulled the battery and allowed it to reset. Which was fine, no biggie. I still had 2.3.3, but no longer had root. So I flashed the GRI40 superboot. Still fine. But I no longer had an update, and it was still 2.3.3.
So I flashed CWM and went to the 2.3.3 stock image. CWM downloaded said image, didn't seem to have any problems, and I clicked to wipe the cache and dalvik.
And now it won't boot beyond the Google screen. But like I said, I'm on fastboot screen now (unlocked) and seem to still have clockwork. Nothing else, though, and there's nothing on my sd card. I know, I know, the lack of back up is a noob mistake.
Help? I'd really just like to get to stock but rooted 2.3.4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just download the 2.3.4 (stock rooted) file on here...in the de section...
its a nandroid back up
then just put it in the clockworkdmod/ folder on your phone
reboot into recovery and restore it
viola!
thats what i did to get mine rooted...its way easier than trying to actually root it!
edit: yeah what the post above mine said...lol..didnt see that posted yet!

Okay. Followed guidance. Still hanging but maybe getting closer.
I made a backup of the borked system, and then went into the clockwork folder and created a new folder within the backups. I unzipped the 2.3.4root ROM and renamed the folder to almost the same name as the borked system. I then tried to restore that.
I got an MD5 fail? I'm not sure what that means.
Maybe I should replace all the files in the legit-made backup with the files from 2.3.4?

Awesome! I got it! I went and got Axura's 2.3.3 stock/rooted and installed that from the zip. I don't know why the other two aborted, but this one worked. So it looks like I've got rooted stock 2.3.3 again!
I'm not so sure I'm going to try for 2.3.4 now.
Thanks for the help!

Root, EP OTA?

I just finished putting on Clockwork recovery after the OTA and then flashed Imosyen's 4.0 kernel. During the process I heard the Voodoo stuff take place, but upong rebooting my phone I don't have root. I read in these boards on the EE4 OTA that this should have worked, any ideas and has anyone got thier phone rooted on the new OTA?
Thanks.

luckdog said:
I just finished putting on Clockwork recovery after the OTA and then flashed Imosyen's 4.0 kernel. During the process I heard the Voodoo stuff take place, but upong rebooting my phone I don't have root. I read in these boards on the EE4 OTA that this should have worked, any ideas and has anyone got thier phone rooted on the new OTA?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try getting back into CW recovery and let me know how that goes. If so then just download superuser and you got it.

No root
I can boot into CWR after using ODIN to put it on once and under voodoo controls app it shows my phone as being voodoo on all partitions, just don't have root. I knew the OTA would kill root, was just hoping thier was a quick fix out there like just flashing a kernel. The phone is pretty snappy though with imoysens kernel running voodoo and using ADW as the launcher. Like what I see so far.

luckdog said:
I can boot into CWR after using ODIN to put it on once and under voodoo controls app it shows my phone as being voodoo on all partitions, just don't have root. I knew the OTA would kill root, was just hoping thier was a quick fix out there like just flashing a kernel. The phone is pretty snappy though with imoysens kernel running voodoo and using ADW as the launcher. Like what I see so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Someone didn't read the instructions for properly installing the leaked OTA?
BEFORE YOU ODIN BACK TO EE4, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE SU FLASHABLE ZIP, THE OTA UPDATE AND IMOSEYON'S KERNEL ON YOUR SDCARD!
Make sure the update file is renamed to "update" and that it's on the root of your sdcard. (not in any folders or anything)
Odin back to EE4. Reboot normally.
Turn the phone off, then reboot into Stock Recovery and run the update.
Once the update finishes and the phone boots regularly. Reboot into Download Mode and plug the phone into the computer.
Start Odin, Uncheck "Auto Reboot", select PDA, NOT PHONE!
Click on the PDA tab and find your recovery file then click "start."
Once it is done and you see the word "PASS" on Odin, unplug the usb cable and press down all three buttons to boot into recovery (volume up, home, power)
Once in recovery, wipe cache, wipe dalvik, mount /system and flash the SU flashable zip.
Go back and wipe cache and dalvik again, mount /system again and flash the kernel.
After that, your recovery will stick and you're good to go. You are now rooted and running on EP4D.
Here is the flashable Super User zip. http://www.multiupload.com/V6R1RZJPXV

luckdog said:
I just finished putting on Clockwork recovery after the OTA and then flashed Imosyen's 4.0 kernel. During the process I heard the Voodoo stuff take place, but upong rebooting my phone I don't have root. I read in these boards on the EE4 OTA that this should have worked, any ideas and has anyone got thier phone rooted on the new OTA?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you install superuser? I bet you are rooted, but you don't have the tools installed to use it.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk

Questions or Problems Should Not Be Posted in the Development Forum
Please Post in the Correct Forums and Read THIS
Moving to Q&A

Thanks!!! Rooted
spc_hicks09,
Thanks sir, I started from CWR and followed the instructions and it worked! The original instructions I got yesterday didn't have any information on rooting, just on how to install the update. I appreciate the help and if the "spc" in your username represents a military rank, thanks for serving!

luckdog said:
spc_hicks09,
Thanks sir, I started from CWR and followed the instructions and it worked! The original instructions I got yesterday didn't have any information on rooting, just on how to install the update. I appreciate the help and if the "spc" in your username represents a military rank, thanks for serving!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're very welcome for the instructions! Yes the Spc in my name is my rank and thank you for your support!

most if not all root issues can be fixed by simply flashing superuser in CWM (you can get the latest .zip from the dev ChainsDD's superuser site), then downloading/updating it in the market if it doesn't show up
blazing through on my 4G Droid Charge

If interested, the CWM version found here is already rooted.

Kies Failure

After painstaking deliberation, they had reached the decision to eat gingerbread. Cautious and deliberate by nature, they opted to install stock 2.3.6 using Kies, presumably the safest choice. KB5 had been having a hard time connecting to the pc via usb with debugging active - no choice was given how to connect to pc, and Kies was not recognizing the phone. Finally bypassing the usb hub allowed Kies to recognize the device, and after a long download, a usb error message flashed up and process failed. Removed phone battery and reboot, all is well but SCREW KIES
Odin from now on

Probably the most creative thing I've seen here all night. Kudos to you my friend!
Sent from my SGH-T959V using XDA App

Downloaded the stock ODIN version of GB 2.3.6 KJ6 .tar here to flash via ODIN but phone will not connect via usb at all now. I think I reverted it's firmware back to the paleolithic era somehow. Could someone share the link the newest ODIN? I have v1.85 and I think also 4.03?
Unless anyone has any ideas, looks like CWM may be my only chance. How can I upgrade firmware if the method used to update is inoperable? Whenever I go into download mode it will not connect with USB. Instead windows says
"USB Device Not Recognized
One of the USB devices attached tho this compter has malfunctioned and windows does not recognize it. For help with this problem, click here."
Great bricked in a factory reset version of kb5 ugh. And this all happened because I tried to use stupid Kies!

Son of a ginger biscuit I figured out why it would not connect it was the 6 FOOT CORD I had hooked up for convenience it WILL NOT GO INTO ODIN OR KIES without the original 3' cord wow

Don't know if it was related to the Kies failure or not but now I am up and running though I cannot flash any .zip with cwm, says signature not verified, and I cannot find a toggle, I have 2.3.6 running now, rooted with super one click zerg, recovery 3e, is there a difference between "rom manager" and "cwm"?? How do I fix this I'd like to install the custom debloater .zip... upgraded from kb5

Farlander said:
Don't know if it was related to the Kies failure or not but now I am up and running though I cannot flash any .zip with cwm, says signature not verified, and I cannot find a toggle, I have 2.3.6 running now, rooted with super one click zerg, recovery 3e, is there a difference between "rom manager" and "cwm"?? How do I fix this I'd like to install the custom debloater .zip... upgraded from kb5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely stay away from ROM Manager, from what I've read. You're getting that signature verification error probably because the phone now has standard recovery vs. CWM. That's an assumption on my part, though. You would have to ODIN one of Drhonk's modded kernels that comes with voodoo/cwm/root to get CWM installed. Within the standard recovery there is not a place to toggle the signature verification.
Considering you're on KJ6 now, go to http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1194032 and grab drhonk's KJ1 kernel. Put it into the PDA section of ODIN and flash it. Then you'll have CWM.

Farlander said:
is there a difference between "rom manager" and "cwm"??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same issue when I first started. ROM Manager is an app used to download & install custom ROMs, make backups, etc., but it does not work correctly on our phones. "CWM" (as used in the context of the SGS4G) is the custom recovery menu we install to do basically the same things. Anyway, follow stephen_w's instructions to install a custom kernel and that will solve your issues.

Awesome response stephen_w. A link! So much info out there I'm compiling a small database but when I need something it's usually back to search!
I was up and running KJ6, trying to install .zip files from root of sd card using cwm. Did not work - error was E:\ signature verification failed
So, decide to ODIN back to KB5, and try to load cwm, upgrade via cwm, and see if there was a glitch there. Did not work. Upon ODINING back to KB5, download screen has different look, and phone bootloops at Galaxy S logo. I'm about to ODIN flash 2.3.6 again and hope that it works....
This all started because Kies failed (presumably due to length of cord) the KJ6 from Raver that I ODIN'd in I THOUGHT was all stock actually came with CWM and super user preloaded. CWM did not recognize su.apk in the root and was therefore less functional. I fixed permissions and the error went away, but many icons were still greyed out. I wanted to bring back my apps/data from rom manager backup, but my recovery would not work. It would not open the .zip files, and there was no toggle to enable/disable signature verify. This may have been because I did not buy the pay version of CWM, or I don't know how to use it properly. Do you have to somehow flash the recovery to enable CWM? Is there a particular recovery designed for KJ6 SGS4G??
Also, what is the "bootloader update" option for in ODIN?

Farlander said:
Awesome response stephen_w. A link! So much info out there I'm compiling a small database but when I need something it's usually back to search!
I was up and running KJ6, trying to install .zip files from root of sd card using cwm. Did not work - error was E:\ signature verification failed
So, decide to ODIN back to KB5, and try to load cwm, upgrade via cwm, and see if there was a glitch there. Did not work. Upon ODINING back to KB5, download screen has different look, and phone bootloops at Galaxy S logo. I'm about to ODIN flash 2.3.6 again and hope that it works....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weird; I've not had the signature verification error with CWM, only with the standard recovery.
When you went back to KB5 you went from a Gingerbread (GB) ROM to a Froyo ROM. Froyo & GB require different boot loaders so if the ROM you flashed did not have both boot loaders, then you get stuck in a boot loop. Going back to KJ6 will probably get you going again.
This all started because Kies failed (presumably due to length of cord) the KJ6 from Raver that I ODIN'd in I THOUGHT was all stock actually came with CWM and super user preloaded. CWM did not recognize su.apk in the root and was therefore less functional. I fixed permissions and the error went away, but many icons were still greyed out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought Raver's ODIN version of KJ6 was pure stock. I didn't think it had CWM or Superuser.
I wanted to bring back my apps/data from rom manager backup, but my recovery would not work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might have problems recovering to GB ROMs. This is due to an error in CWM for GB. The problem prevents the /system partition from unmounting. From what I've been told, you have to flash back to a Froyo ROM, like Bali, to do the recovery then flash back to the GB ROM afterward. Not sure if that's your problem here, though, as I've never used ROM Manager.
It would not open the .zip files, and there was no toggle to enable/disable signature verify. This may have been because I did not buy the pay version of CWM, or I don't know how to use it properly. Do you have to somehow flash the recovery to enable CWM? Is there a particular recovery designed for KJ6 SGS4G??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never paid for a version of CWM. I've always used one of drhonk's modded kernels to get CWM. Installing the KJ1 kernel I mentioned earlier should do that for you.
Also, what is the "bootloader update" option for in ODIN?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My best ODIN advice: Let ODIN decide what needs to be checked and what should not. I've not used the "Phone Bootloader Update" feature. Don't go anywhere near the "Phone EFS Clear", either. I've a feeling that would wipe out your IMEI and other things.
See if you can get Raver's ODIN Stock KJ6 to install, then install drhonk's KJ1 kernel. Once done, reboot into recovery mode and see if it is CWM Red recovery, which is should be. Note the version number at the top and report it back here.
If all of that works well and the right version of CWM is there, then maybe we need to examine what ZIP you're trying to flash. Maybe it's a corrupt file.

Thank you very much, succesfully flashed GB 2.3.6 KJ6, succesfully flashed Drhonks KJ1, had a hard time entering recovery boot mode
RECOVERY BOOT MODE 3 BUTTON SGS4G 959V
HOLD: vol up, vol dn, power
RELEASE: power
RELEASE: vol up, vol dn
Disabled voodoo and I'm about to load up busy box, (CWM i.e. rom manager???) per the instructions......
UPDATE 20:02 ownloaded "rom manager", re-enabled VOODOO, rebooting. I think I get what's going on here. The file system is being reformatted / partitioned every time voodoo is enabled/disabled. I'm assuming the enabled mode is ext4 partitioning. However, cwm must be installed during fat32 mode, thus the reasoning for enable/disable voodoo. Can't wait to try this out, is it really faster than stock KJ6?? Love the look and feel of the rom already!

Farlander said:
Thank you very much, succesfully flashed GB 2.3.6 KJ6, succesfully flashed Drhonks KJ1, had a hard time entering recovery boot mode
RECOVERY BOOT MODE 3 BUTTON SGS4G 959V
HOLD: vol up, vol dn, power
RELEASE: power
RELEASE: vol up, vol dn
Disabled voodoo and I'm about to load up busy box, (CWM i.e. rom manager???) per the instructions......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, since being on GB I've been unable to get into recovery unless I use an app like Quick Boot or using ADB from the Android SDK.
Rom Manager and CWM, to my knowledge, are different animals. Good luck getting it going; it sounds like your 95% of the way there.

Heck yea workin good now to restore those apps I lost and debloat and play with boot animations!!!
UPDATE: Just also flashed via CWM .zip the debloater file, SWEET
Bloatware remover flashed with cwm works awesome, just browse to find the .zip doesn't even need to be in root dir
So far no noticeable deficiencies and without even installing app killer I have 165 used and 343 megs of ram free!!
I'm about to try to backup progs using rom manager, but when I click "backup/restore" it tells me I have to flash clockwork mod, which I'm pretty sure is already flashed??

Farlander said:
Heck yea workin good now to restore those apps I lost and debloat and play with boot animations!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, glad you got it working

MY PHONE IS NOW ALL THAT IS PERFECT
Thank you EVERYBODY
This took me about 2 weeks of 3-4 hours a day research and thumb work
now operating
2.3.6 KJ6 GB w/
KJ1 drhonk stock + voodoo + cwm
debloater.zip
Titanium Backup to restore all apps (adfree, app killer, etc. etc.)
Icons and background are gone but no bigggy

mine got unplugged in odin download screen can anyone help?

Andrew.80 said:
mine got unplugged in odin download screen can anyone help?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That blows. Does ODIN recognize it when you plug it back in? If so, just reflash.
Sent from my SGH-T959V using XDA App

When in doubt take the battery out! (to dinner)
UPDATE: I want to make a total phone backup (of all my current settings) using rom manager. When I go to "backup current ROM" it says cwm needs to be installed and gives me options for several phones, including the i9000. Should I do this even though cwm red is already installed on my phone? Need a workaround here...
thanks in advance

Farlander said:
When in doubt take the battery out! (to dinner)
UPDATE: I want to make a total phone backup (of all my current settings) using rom manager. When I go to "backup current ROM" it says cwm needs to be installed and gives me options for several phones, including the i9000. Should I do this even though cwm red is already installed on my phone? Need a workaround here...
thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ROM manager doesn't work on the SGS4G. Your best bet right now is titanium backup, or flashing the bali kernel for 2.2 if you want to make a full backup using cwm recovery.

stephen_w said:
Definitely stay away from ROM Manager
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ultimakillz said:
ROM Manager is an app used to download & install custom ROMs, make backups, etc., but it does not work correctly on our phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FBis251 said:
ROM manager doesn't work on the SGS4G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man, this should really be posted somewhere.

stephen_w said:
That blows. Does ODIN recognize it when you plug it back in? If so, just reflash.
That fixed it
Sent from my SGH-T959V using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my SGH-T959V using xda premium

[Q] Odin can't flash stock, boot hangs at logo

Good morning...
Right now, my phone (Galaxy S III on Verizon) will not boot past the "Galaxy S III" logo. Odin will not flash a stock Jelly Bean ROM from StockRoms.net. It gets stuck on the first .img, boot.img. I am downloading a new stock ROM right now and will try a full wipe.
Being silly and ambitious, I do not have a nandroid before it wouldn't boot. On Monday (two days ago) I rooted it. I flashed the VRALEC boot chain, rebooted, flashed ClockworkMod recovery, and installed the SuperSU bootloader and root patch through recovery. I rebooted, allowing CWM to disable the automatic re-flashing of the recovery. With my newly rooted phone, I jumped at trying to install Google Wallet. I went with the route of using Wallet Installer as found on the app store. And, being silly, I checked all three OS options (JB, ICS, and one other). After authorizing the superuser request, my phone almost immediately shut off. I think I made a nandroid through CWM after that, but not one that would run.
I thought it was going to be just build.prop having issues, so I went on a wild quest trying to find a working one online and get it on the device. I worked it into the updater script of my SuperSU patch. Nonetheless, nothing there fixed it. I've tried a bunch of things, including (get this) extracting the stock system.img.ext4 image, mounting it, tarring the device, creating an MD5 for it, and wrapping it up like a nandroid to "restore" with CWM.
I'm thinking I'm going to try and wipe the entire device, maybe leave /recovery, and flash a new I-535 ROM with Odin, see if that works. I don't know if it will. Any advice?
My flash counter is at about 5 after many attempts to get back to something that will boot, so warranty is not an option. Not that they've ever been a whole lot of help anyways.

Sounds like you can still enter recovery. If so adb push a custom ROM to your phone to flash.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

What I have done in the past when flashing a completely stock unrooted ROM through Odin is remove the battery, replace it, boot to stock recovery, and do a factory reset plus wipe cache! This will make my phone boot every time, because flashing a stock makes it boot loop!
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

joaquinla1 said:
What I have done in the past when flashing a completely stock unrooted ROM through Odin is remove the battery, replace it, boot to stock recovery, and do a factory reset plus wipe cache! This will make my phone boot every time, because flashing a stock makes it boot loop!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My phone has CWM recovery on it, but I don't see any reason CWM's factory reset and cache wipe would be any different. I'll give it a shot.
mentose457 said:
Sounds like you can still enter recovery. If so adb push a custom ROM to your phone to flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may try this if I can't upload one through Odin after a complete wipe, like above. Also, I've only used adb push to upload individual files. How would I use it to push a ROM?
Thanks for all your help. The ROM I'm going to try and flash now is the official stock from stockroms.net. I can't post the link as I'm new but it's I535BLK_nowipe.zip. I'll keep this updated.

sworld said:
I may try this if I can't upload one through Odin after a complete wipe, like above. Also, I've only used adb push to upload individual files. How would I use it to push a ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you download a ROM, say Beans 11, it will be a zip file. Push that single file to the internal storage. Do not unzip it. Then boot into recovery and flash the zip.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

mentose457 said:
When you download a ROM, say Beans 11, it will be a zip file. Push that single file to the internal storage. Do not unzip it. Then boot into recovery and flash the zip.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That makes more sense.
UPDATE: I "factory reset" the data partition and formatted /system and /cache through ClockworkMod. Turned it off, flashed VRALEC through Odin, rebooted, flashed the stock ROM, and then CWM. I'm restoring my nandroid of /data right now, and I'm awaiting an OTA firmware update to bring it up to the latest VZW JB. Then I'll root.. finally.

The thing with Odin is that after you reset you have to do a factory reset through stock recovery to finish the process. Otherwise you will get stuck in a boot loop like you did.
Sent from my GeeEssThree

z06mike said:
The thing with Odin is that after you reset you have to do a factory reset through stock recovery to finish the process. Otherwise you will get stuck in a boot loop like you did.
Sent from my GeeEssThree
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? I've only odined once on the s3 and didn't have to wipe. On the fascinate and an older version of Odin after the flash before it booted it would automatically wipe.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

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So, the phone is functioning now. Of course, I am running a slightly older version and once I connect to a solid Wi-Fi network I'll request the newest update again.
However, I did already try to download the software update from Verizon, and it seemed to work fine. It rebooted into recovery and CWM seemed to handle it okay, although it claimed the signature was bad. It installed though, rebooted, and updated some app databases. And then, it said the update failed with "Code 401."
Right now I'm not too worried. Hopefully I can apply the update properly soon. It is worth noting that simply using CWM "advanced restore" on only the /data partition, without exactly matching the ROM build, has seemed to leave it hanging at the "4G LTE" logo.
Thanks for all of your help!

The phone will not install a Verizon update with a custom recovery installed.