Is there a way to unlock the bootloader of the Verizon Galaxy S III on 4.4.2? - Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III

Hello XDA Developers!
This is my first post here.
Last year I was looking for a way to install Cyanogenmod on my aging SCH-I535. I rooted my phone with towelroot, but I saw I was unable to install a custom rom due to Verizon's locked bootloader. I was on the latest update (4.4.2) and there was no known way to unlock my phone's bootloader at the time.
Today I tried to connect my Xbox One controller to my phone via the USB/BT Joystick Center app, and I was prompted to install a custom rom that allows the application to access my controller. Bummer. I looked for a workaround and I noticed that there's still Cyanogenmod development being done on the Verizon S3, and that there were many others using the rom. Now I really want to install Cyanogenmod. How do they do it? Did they have a custom rom before the new update rolled in?
I considered flashing an older stock rom to get the old bootloader, but I heard that only bricks it.

pinkfang said:
Hello XDA Developers!
This is my first post here.
Last year I was looking for a way to install Cyanogenmod on my aging SCH-I535. I rooted my phone with towelroot, but I saw I was unable to install a custom rom due to Verizon's locked bootloader. I was on the latest update (4.4.2) and there was no known way to unlock my phone's bootloader at the time.
Today I tried to connect my Xbox One controller to my phone via the USB/BT Joystick Center app, and I was prompted to install a custom rom that allows the application to access my controller. Bummer. I looked for a workaround and I noticed that there's still Cyanogenmod development being done on the Verizon S3, and that there were many others using the rom. Now I really want to install Cyanogenmod. How do they do it? Did they have a custom rom before the new update rolled in?
I considered flashing an older stock rom to get the old bootloader, but I heard that only bricks it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are on a locked bootloader. You cannot flash custom roms, only roms that are specifically for safestrap which is the only recovery option you have other than stock. And there are only a few bootloader locked roms.
CM is only for unlocked bootloaders. You basically had to unlock your bootloader prior to the 4.3 NC1 update otherwise your stuck.
Nexus 6 via VRToxin

There is, buuuuut you either have to be able to solder 3 spots in millimeters of each other precisely, or shell out $50 to have it done.
By using a jtag, it is possible on the Verizon variant to downgrade. Here's a link http://http://www.mobiletechvideos.com/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-s3-bootloader-downgrade-service/
I've sent a few people his way and all had stellar reviews. He's the only dude around I know of that offers such a service. He even offers quicker shipping offers now too. Worth checking out if you can go a few days without your phone
---------- Post added at 12:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:59 AM ----------
http://www.mobiletechvideos.com/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-s3-bootloader-downgrade-service/
Sorry, original link didn't render right for some reason

Related

Got a buncha questions for you guys

Hello, my roommate has a Verizon Galaxy S3. He recently took the 4.4 update, and it apparently screwed up his phone pretty bad. He gets terrible battery life and force closes and freezing. He came into my room knowing that I'm an android nerd and he asked me to root and rom his phone. Cool.
So, now I'm trying to catch up on the current state of the GS3.
He has never rooted or installed recovery. I was under the impression that the Verizon GS3 had an unlocked bootloader, but now I'm reading that the bootloader might be locked since he updated?
1: Is it possible to ODIN back to an earlier version and then unlock his bootloader?
2: What's JTAG?
3: Is there an easy way to install recovery on 4.4 that I'm missing?
Any links or advice you guys could give me would be really helpful... I'm currently reading and jumping between links, but It's hard to figure out where the phone currently stands with all the conflicting information out there and the new update that just pushed.
9kracing said:
Hello, my roommate has a Verizon Galaxy S3. He recently took the 4.4 update, and it apparently screwed up his phone pretty bad. He gets terrible battery life and force closes and freezing. He came into my room knowing that I'm an android nerd and he asked me to root and rom his phone. Cool.
So, now I'm trying to catch up on the current state of the GS3.
He has never rooted or installed recovery. I was under the impression that the Verizon GS3 had an unlocked bootloader, but now I'm reading that the bootloader might be locked since he updated?
1: Is it possible to ODIN back to an earlier version and then unlock his bootloader?
2: What's JTAG?
3: Is there an easy way to install recovery on 4.4 that I'm missing?
Any links or advice you guys could give me would be really helpful... I'm currently reading and jumping between links, but It's hard to figure out where the phone currently stands with all the conflicting information out there and the new update that just pushed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1: No, it is not possible to ODIN back to unlock the bootloader. Your friend is stuck on 4.4.2.
2: JTAG is a service you can send your phone off for and pay for to unbrick a hard bricked phone. As long as you or your friend do not hard brick his phone, you won't need a JTAG.
3: You cannot install any kind of standard recovery on 4.3.1 or 4.4.2 on the Verizon Galaxy S3. There is an unofficial safestrap you may be able to use on 4.4.2 found here -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2797314 But there are no ROMs to flash using safestrap, so for the moment it is kind of pointless.
There really isn't conflicting information in these threads unless you are looking at old, outdated threads on rooting. All of the information anyone needs to know about the current state of the Verizon Galaxy S3 can be found in just a few threads:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2575661
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2653030
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2784249
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2639337
Owned by Landshark AGAIN!
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[Q] Galaxy S3 Verizon 4.3 TWRP?

I just got a Verizon Galaxy S3 and I want to install Cyanogenmod 11 on it. I am familiar with installing it however I am not familiar with how to install a custom recovery on this device. It has the 4.3 update. I have tried all of the ways depicted on TWRP's website to no avail. I am willing to use any recovery necessary to install Cyanogenmod. Please help me! I can't stand TouchWiz!
southpaw5271 said:
I just got a Verizon Galaxy S3 and I want to install Cyanogenmod 11 on it. I am familiar with installing it however I am not familiar with how to install a custom recovery on this device. It has the 4.3 update. I have tried all of the ways depicted on TWRP's website to no avail. I am willing to use any recovery necessary to install Cyanogenmod. Please help me! I can't stand TouchWiz!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im sorry but Verizon locked down the bootloaders on 4.3-4.4. Most recent unlockable bootloader is on 4.1.2. You can use a downgrading service at mobile tech videos to go back to 4.1.2 and unlock your bootloader for fifty bucks. But for now, you're stuck with safestrap and TW based roms. Sorry dude.
Sent from my Unlocked SCH-I535 running whatever rom I've chosen for the day.

[Q] Galaxy S3 - Can I install a custom recovery? (NOT SAFESTARP)

Since Verizon forced us to update to 4.3 Jellybean back in 2013, Galaxy S3 users using the carrier have been locked out of their bootlader, and, to my knowledge, no one has found a way around this.
Well, I'm kind of tired of the stock ROM my GS3 (running 4.4.2 Kitkat), and it's Touchwiz interface. While I do like it, I would prefer something like Cyanogenmod, however, because of the locked bootloader, I can't install a custom recovery that's not Safestrap, and I already screwed my phone up BADLY using that to the point where the recovery actually deleted my OS and didn't recognize the CM file I tried flashing on it.
I was hoping someone on here would know if there is a way to unlock the bootloader of my GS3, or if there is another recovery I can stick on my phone to use to flash my CM file so I can upgrade to CM12, since it's not terribly likely that Samsung will release a Lollipop update for the device.
ANY help would be appreciated.
DaJesuZ said:
Since Verizon forced us to update to 4.3 Jellybean back in 2013, Galaxy S3 users using the carrier have been locked out of their bootlader, and, to my knowledge, no one has found a way around this.
Well, I'm kind of tired of the stock ROM my GS3 (running 4.4.2 Kitkat), and it's Touchwiz interface. While I do like it, I would prefer something like Cyanogenmod, however, because of the locked bootloader, I can't install a custom recovery that's not Safestrap, and I already screwed my phone up BADLY using that to the point where the recovery actually deleted my OS and didn't recognize the CM file I tried flashing on it.
I was hoping someone on here would know if there is a way to unlock the bootloader of my GS3, or if there is another recovery I can stick on my phone to use to flash my CM file so I can upgrade to CM12, since it's not terribly likely that Samsung will release a Lollipop update for the device.
ANY help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you cannot unlock the bootloader or flash a custom recovery other than safestrap. Which means you cannot flash CM on your phone. Many, many people have been working at finding a way to unlock these Samsung bootloaders, and no one has found a way yet. So I doubt anyone will ever find a way to unlock the bootloader.
Does this apply to the T-Mobile version?
Sent from my SM-G900T using XDA Free mobile app

[Q] Fixing the modem in a TWRP Recovery, Rooted Stock 4.4.4 Sprint Galaxy Note 3

I know 100% for fact that the phone is Spark enabled. I did a stock update to Lollipop once and had great Spark signal on my device. I hate Lollipop and my apps that require root access do not function on Lollipop.
I am wondering what I need to do in order to access Spark LTE again. I am using a 4.4.4 stock rom that is rooted via TWRP and Super SU. I don't recall exact versions and such as I have been using the same stock rom for a year now.
I recently retried 5.0/5.1 and my rooted apps still have issues, so I do not want to use Lollipop.
Is there a modem file I need to change to be able to get Sprint Spark? I had it before also on 4.4 when the phone was 100% stock and I did the official update to 4.4 from 4.2 or 4.3(been a year).
The phone was bought out, no longer under warranty as of November, and Knox already tripped so I don't care about any of that. The phone was manufactured Sept/Oct 2014 if that helps.
Any suggestions?
Mplode said:
I know 100% for fact that the phone is Spark enabled. I did a stock update to Lollipop once and had great Spark signal on my device. I hate Lollipop and my apps that require root access do not function on Lollipop.
I am wondering what I need to do in order to access Spark LTE again. I am using a 4.4.4 stock rom that is rooted via TWRP and Super SU. I don't recall exact versions and such as I have been using the same stock rom for a year now.
I recently retried 5.0/5.1 and my rooted apps still have issues, so I do not want to use Lollipop.
Is there a modem file I need to change to be able to get Sprint Spark? I had it before also on 4.4 when the phone was 100% stock and I did the official update to 4.4 from 4.2 or 4.3(been a year).
The phone was bought out, no longer under warranty as of November, and Knox already tripped so I don't care about any of that. The phone was manufactured Sept/Oct 2014 if that helps.
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i dont know specifically how to fix your issue, but im betting if you look in your devices general forum, you will find a thread with all the available modems. you may have to try a couple until you figure out which one is correct for your version, if its not noted.

I need a rooted rom for Galaxy SM-G920V anything later than OG7

So basically I never wanted to update my phone but I accidentally pressed Install Now when I was trying to open the messaging app. Now I can't root it anymore or downgrade it. Worst mistake ever for my phone :crying:
So my phone found a new update, but I don't want to update it because I want to look for a updated ROOTED rom that is later than OG7. If anyone has a odin flashable / zip flashable, PLEASE message me. I have a friend that works with android roms, he said that its something to do with the bootloader and it has to be rewritten by hand to make it rootable because of verizons bootloader, and to unlock the bootloader. PingPongRoot doesn't work anymore after the 5.1.1 update. I really hate this update. it slowed my phone down a lot. **** you verizon :crying::crying::crying:
Anyways I need a rooted rom to flash on my phone to make my phone think its signed by Samsung or Verizon and it's a new update. Please help me root my phone. I really got nothing to root it now ;-;
AndroidFan16 said:
So basically I never wanted to update my phone but I accidentally pressed Install Now when I was trying to open the messaging app. Now I can't root it anymore or downgrade it. Worst mistake ever for my phone :crying:
So my phone found a new update, but I don't want to update it because I want to look for a updated ROOTED rom that is later than OG7. If anyone has a odin flashable / zip flashable, PLEASE message me. I have a friend that works with android roms, he said that its something to do with the bootloader and it has to be rewritten by hand to make it rootable because of verizons bootloader, and to unlock the bootloader. PingPongRoot doesn't work anymore after the 5.1.1 update. I really hate this update. it slowed my phone down a lot. **** you verizon :crying::crying::crying:
Anyways I need a rooted rom to flash on my phone to make my phone think its signed by Samsung or Verizon and it's a new update. Please help me root my phone. I really got nothing to root it now ;-;
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, it doesn't exist for the Verizon Galaxy S6. The last rooted ROM was OE2.
Mike
AndroidFan16 said:
So basically I never wanted to update my phone but I accidentally pressed Install Now when I was trying to open the messaging app. Now I can't root it anymore or downgrade it. Worst mistake ever for my phone :crying:
So my phone found a new update, but I don't want to update it because I want to look for a updated ROOTED rom that is later than OG7. If anyone has a odin flashable / zip flashable, PLEASE message me. I have a friend that works with android roms, he said that its something to do with the bootloader and it has to be rewritten by hand to make it rootable because of verizons bootloader, and to unlock the bootloader. PingPongRoot doesn't work anymore after the 5.1.1 update. I really hate this update. it slowed my phone down a lot. **** you verizon :crying::crying::crying:
Anyways I need a rooted rom to flash on my phone to make my phone think its signed by Samsung or Verizon and it's a new update. Please help me root my phone. I really got nothing to root it now ;-;
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried updating to Marshmallow? I'm on CleanROM 1.5 android 5.0.2 OE2, and have been curious of the new android version, but at the same time do not want to lose root. Let me know if Marshmallow is worth losing root. Only advantage I see to root at this point is not having all that damn bloatware I really hate and cannot remove without root. Thanks.
isruco said:
Have you tried updating to Marshmallow? I'm on CleanROM 1.5 android 5.0.2 OE2, and have been curious of the new android version, but at the same time do not want to lose root. Let me know if Marshmallow is worth losing root. Only advantage I see to root at this point is not having all that damn bloatware I really hate and cannot remove without root. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I rather not update it unless
1: A root method is available
2: A rooted rom for Marshmallow is available
Just saying. upgrading to 5.1.1 unintentially (mainly because i was directly going to the messaging app but accidentally pressed install now) made me loose my root access. That's why I'm seeing if there is a rooted rom for that rom or a root method for that room.
AndroidFan16 said:
I rather not update it unless
1: A root method is available
2: A rooted rom for Marshmallow is available
Just saying. upgrading to 5.1.1 unintentially (mainly because i was directly going to the messaging app but accidentally pressed install now) made me loose my root access. That's why I'm seeing if there is a rooted rom for that rom or a root method for that room.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I understand, it seems verizon is never going to allow it. Just look at Note 4 from verizon, it came out in 2014 and still no sign there will ever be root available for that one either. I'm even considering moving to tmo since there is root on their devices. Good luck.
isruco said:
From what I understand, it seems verizon is never going to allow it. Just look at Note 4 from verizon, it came out in 2014 and still no sign there will ever be root available for that one either. I'm even considering moving to tmo since there is root on their devices. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-verizon/general/note-4-verizon-bootloader-unlock-t3358913
sent from your mom's phone.
Droid_JD said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-verizon/general/note-4-verizon-bootloader-unlock-t3358913
sent from your mom's phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, I'll have to check this out. Maybe verizon SGS6 5.1.1 and later will come some day as well.
Thanks for the info :victory:
isruco said:
Wow, I'll have to check this out. Maybe verizon SGS6 5.1.1 and later will come some day as well.
Thanks for the info :victory:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Still sticking in 5.1.1
maybe it might work in the future exploits

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