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Hi all, made an account in anticipation of my night spent mucking around with my new Galaxy S4 i9507. I had been reading about people who have had success and some who have had less success with getting custom ROMs on their devices. None said what methods they used, so I decided to compile together what I did today.
UPDATE 3/6/14
I installed a snapshot of CM 11 (KitKat) onto my device with little issues. I'll update this guide with the links to that firmware, and also update the existing links because of changes CyanogenMod made to how they aggregate their S4 devices now. They are treating them all as derivatives of 'jftle', so basically one firmware fits all devices, including the i9507! (even if not official yet).
Please read the bottom of this post if you wish to install KitKat on your device.
CUSTOM FIRMWARE ON SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 i9507 - Aus/HK
Tonight I have managed to root the device's stock firmware (I have the Australian Optus/Virgin device); install ClockworkMod Recovery on the stock firmware, and then use it to install CyanogenMod 10.2.0 (jfltexx) on the device.
If you're looking to root this device, I found that by treating it essentially as an international i9505 I was able to fulfil all three of the things I mentioned above.
UPDATE: THIS WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY AND RESULT IN 'KNOX WARRANTY VOID 0x1' BEING DISPLAYED WHEN YOU ENTER DOWNLOAD MODE ON THE DEVICE. PLEASE BE SURE YOU ARE OKAY WITH THIS HAPPENING BEFORE TRYING THIS FOR YOURSELF. AS IT STANDS, KNOX CANNOT BE RESET, IT IS AT A HARDWARE LEVEL.
[ROOT i9507]
Using Chainfire's guide to CF-Auto-Root in the Galaxy S 4 i9505 Original Android Development section of this forum; I was able to root my device despite it being an i9507. Being a new user, I wasn't sure exactly what things to test out whether the root worked/was permanent, but I did install AdBlock Plus and it asked me for Superuser privileges, then proceeded to work. I also restarted the device and tested whether the root was still present; it was.
[INSTALL CLOCKWORKMOD]
I decided to install CyanogenMod as I have heard from friends that have it; and read online about it being one of the more stable custom ROMs available. It has been a while since I last owned an Android device! So, continuing with my theme of treating this device as being an international i9505, I obtained CM 10.2.0, a stable release of the jfltexx CM, based on from their website (as of December 2013, this was the most recent). Their custom installer app on Windows did not support my phone, so I had to use their guide for manual installation.
Their guide contained steps to installing ClockworkMod Recovery as well as the ROM installation. Following the guide, I installed it without a hitch. When rebooting the phone from ClockworkMod, it prompted me about the fact that the phone may reflash its own recovery tool, but this did not happen. Once again, a success.
[INSTALL CYANOGENMOD]
The last task was to install CM. This was quite an endeavour as I decided to use someone else's Windows 8 laptop (being the only Windows device I had access to at the time) and I forgot how much of a struggle it can be! Again, I used CM's guide to installing 10.2.0 (which by the way is Android 4.3.1, whereas the stock firmware is bloated and heavy at 4.2.2). This went off without a hitch once I reminded myself how the ADT works. I also did as CM suggested and installed the Google Apps pack alongside the ROM.
So, currently this is where I'm at. The device boots and reboots fine. Some users in certain threads had issues with loading 4.4 (KitKat) ROMs or custom ROMs that they didn't allude to the names of, so I don't know if they were having issues with CM or not. There are other threads, but that was the one that kickstarted my attempts to get this all to work. Their issues with the custom ROMs seemed to be related to the 4.4 ROM not recognising the modem of the i9507; I'm not sure why this is but the i9507 was made specifically for Australian/Hong Kong networks so perhaps 4.4 has not been updated yet or something of the like. Anyway, on 4.3.1, or CM 10.2.0, my SMS, calling, and internet are working fine (it displays Virgin Mobile as my carrier). My 4G reception is somewhat iffy in this town (or in particular my house), and the reception seems to be switching between 3G and H so whether that is indicative of 4G not working, I'm not sure. LTE is definitely checked in the settings, however, and my area does have 4G, but my parents' iPhone 5Ss sometimes do not have 4G in this house either. I'll report back tomorrow after having tested the phone for a day to see if the 4G does activate.
As it stands, however, the phone seems to be functioning well. Oddly the Settings report that the phone is an i9505, I assume that's normal as I'm using a ROM for that particular phone!
[CONCLUSION]
So, I hope that anyone who has been looking for a way to remove the carrier/Samsung bloat from their i9507 device will have a good time using the guides I've used. I followed them to the letter and I had no issues.
DISCLAIMER: I had no troubles, but that's not to say you won't either. Please be careful, as you may potentially risk affecting your phone negatively. I'm simply telling you what I did, not giving you a 100% correct and flawless guide that will work no matter what.
Also if you're looking for a 4.4 ROM then you might be out of luck, least till some dev or coder takes notice of this device's existence and helps out to develop a specific way of rooting this phone/installing custom ROMs for this phone. Overall though, it seems to all work fine so perhaps the 4.3.1 CM isn't such a bad thing.
If you try this and want the original firmware back on your phone, use this link. I believe that OPS is the Australian firmware, the other one is for Hong Kong. So, for the second link, HK is Hong Kong, and the one without is for Aus.
UPDATE 3/6/14
I've successfully managed to install a Nightly build of CM 11, based on KitKat. Read my latest post in this forum for more info. I essentially found that upgrading from within the phone itself caused a number of issues so I did a fresh flash. Please note that such a flash of a new OS wipes all personal data but not things like images, videos, etc. I lost all my contacts, SMS, browsing history, apps etc. But my Gallery, Downloads folder, etc remained intact.
I followed my guide to flashing the phone again, but I used a Nightly build of CM 11, based on KitKat. As I write this, there are actually stable versions of CM that you can use in place of the CM 10.2.0 I used in the above guide. If you follow those steps but use this firmware you'll find no issue. Feel free to use CM's guide, but don't, under any circumstances, forget to flash Google Apps to your phone!!!
If you need a hand or want a question answered, feel free to post here and I'll do my best to help you out. Thanks!
kaiserwatson said:
Hi all, made an account in anticipation of my night spent mucking around with my new Galaxy S4 i9507. I had been reading about people who have had success and some who have had less success with getting custom ROMs on their devices. None said what methods they used, so I decided to compile together what I did today.
Tonight I have managed to root the device's stock firmware (I have the Australian Optus/Virgin device); install ClockworkMod Recovery on the stock firmware, and then use it to install CyanogenMod 10.2.0 (jfltexx) on the device.
If you're looking to root this device, I found that by treating it essentially as an international i9505 I was able to fulfill all three of the things I mentioned above.
[ROOT i9507]
Using Chainfire's guide to CF-Auto-Root in the Galaxy S 4 i9505 Original Android Development section of this forum; I was able to root my device despite it being an i9507. Being a new user, I wasn't sure exactly what things to test out whether the root worked/was permanent, but I did install AdBlock Plus and it asked me for Superuser privileges, then proceeded to work. I also restarted the device and tested whether the root was still present; it was.
[INSTALL CLOCKWORKMOD]
I decided to install CyanogenMod as I have heard from friends that have it; and read online about it being one of the more stable custom ROMs available. It has been a while since I last owned an Android device! So, continuing with my theme of treating this device as being an international i9505, I obtained the latest stable release of the jfltexx CM from their website (it was the most recent stable release at the time, may be out of date by the time you get to doing this yourself). Their custom installer app on Windows did not support my phone, so I had to use their guide for manual installation.
Their guide contained steps to installing ClockworkMod Recovery as well as the ROM installation. Following the guide, I installed it without a hitch. When rebooting the phone from ClockworkMod, it prompted me about the fact that the phone may reflash its own recovery tool, but this did not happen. Once again, a success.
[INSTALL CYANOGENMOD]
The last task was to install CM. This was quite an endeavour as I decided to use someone else's Windows 8 laptop (being the only Windows device I had access to at the time) and I forgot how much of a struggle it can be! Again, I used CM's guide to installing 10.2.0 (which by the way is Android 4.3.1, whereas the stock firmware is bloated and heavy at 4.2.2). This went off without a hitch once I reminded myself how the ADT works. I also did as CM suggested and installed the Google Apps pack alongside the ROM.
So, currently this is where I'm at. The device boots and reboots fine. Some users in certain threads had issues with loading 4.4 (KitKat) ROMs or custom ROMs that they didn't allude to the names of, so I don't know if they were having issues with CM or not. There are other threads, but that was the one that kickstarted my attempts to get this all to work. Their issues with the custom ROMs seemed to be related to the 4.4 ROM not recognising the modem of the i9507; I'm not sure why this is but the i9507 was made specifically for Australian/Hong Kong networks so perhaps 4.4 has not been updated yet or something of the like. Anyway, on 4.3.1, or CM 10.2.0, my SMS, calling, and internet are working fine (it displays Virgin Mobile as my carrier). My 4G reception is somewhat iffy in this town (or in particular my house), and the reception seems to be switching between 3G and H so whether that is indicative of 4G not working, I'm not sure. LTE is definitely checked in the settings, however, and my area does have 4G, but my parents' iPhone 5Ss sometimes do not have 4G in this house either. I'll report back tomorrow after having tested the phone for a day to see if the 4G does activate.
As it stands, however, the phone seems to be functioning well. Oddly the Settings report that the phone is an i9505, I assume that's normal as I'm using a ROM for that particular phone!
[CONCLUSION]
So, I hope that anyone who has been looking for a way to remove the carrier/Samsung bloat from their i9507 device will have a good time using the guides I've used. I followed them to the letter and I had no issues.
DISCLAIMER: I had no troubles, but that's not to say you won't either. Please be careful, as you may potentially risk affecting your phone negatively. I'm simply telling you what I did, not giving you a 100% correct and flawless guide that will work no matter what.
Also if you're looking for a 4.4 ROM then you might be out of luck, least till some dev or coder takes notice of this device's existence and helps out to develop a specific way of rooting this phone/installing custom ROMs for this phone. Overall though, it seems to all work fine so perhaps the 4.3.1 CM isn't such a bad thing.
If you try this and want the original firmware back on your phone, use this link or this one. I believe that OPS is the Australian firmware, the other one is for Hong Kong. So, for the second link, HK is Hong Kong, and the one without is for Aus.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I'll post later tomorrow when I've tested the phone for a day to see if it's still working, and to see if the 4G/LTE does actually work. Fingers crossed nothing goes wrong in the meantime!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had my i-9507 rooted for about a month now with foxhound rom, also on the optus variant.
One thing i've noted is, its next to impossible to update the MODEM for it.
I think because our latest modem for this variant is the one we have stock. And new updates haven't been put in terms of modem specifically for our variant yet.
We should keep this thread stickied for Australian OPTUS GT-i9507 discussion.
OR open up a sub forum for it.
kaiserwatson said:
I'll post later tomorrow when I've tested the phone for a day to see if it's still working, and to see if the 4G/LTE does actually work. Fingers crossed nothing goes wrong in the meantime!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Firstly, thank you for creating this complete description of your experiences with customising the i9507.
Secondly, just wanted confirmation that you do now have the pesky "KNOX WARRANTY VOID: 0x1" displayed when your device is in Download mode, right?
Lastly, any updates, issues? All still working, including 4G/LTE?
Hey sorry its been more than a day, I've been swamped with work, that Christmas time feel.
I do have the Knox 0x1, which I assume means my warranty is void. There's conjecture as to whether that will actually affect warranty for this device in Australia, as I've read up on the Knox system but i think the ACCC would have serious issues with this system actually affecting the warranty. But yes, it would seem my warranty is void, let's hope the phone lasts two years!
I have been able to access 4G, the phone says 4G or LTE, sometimes switching between the two. Again, the reception in the town I'm currently staying in is pisspoor so I can't say for certain whether the antenna/modem is fully functioning to the degree it would be on the stock firmware, but I can definitely access the Optus 4G network.
One issue I did have was that I sent an SMS then immediately turned my screen off, 40 minutes later the message was still 'sending'. I have recreated the same scenario but I haven't been able to get it to happen again, perhaps just a weird tower-side quirk. I know people were having issues with the modem and the phone sleeping but this doesn't seem to be related. Overall I'm really happy with how this has all gone. My battery life has been increased by at least 40% and the phone is so much faster. Very pleased.
kaiserwatson said:
Hey sorry its been more than a day, I've been swamped with work, that Christmas time feel.
I do have the Knox 0x1, which I assume means my warranty is void. There's conjecture as to whether that will actually affect warranty for this device in Australia, as I've read up on the Knox system but i think the ACCC would have serious issues with this system actually affecting the warranty. But yes, it would seem my warranty is void, let's hope the phone lasts two years!
I have been able to access 4G, the phone says 4G or LTE, sometimes switching between the two. Again, the reception in the town I'm currently staying in is pisspoor so I can't say for certain whether the antenna/modem is fully functioning to the degree it would be on the stock firmware, but I can definitely access the Optus 4G network.
One issue I did have was that I sent an SMS then immediately turned my screen off, 40 minutes later the message was still 'sending'. I have recreated the same scenario but I haven't been able to get it to happen again, perhaps just a weird tower-side quirk. I know people were having issues with the modem and the phone sleeping but this doesn't seem to be related. Overall I'm really happy with how this has all gone. My battery life has been increased by at least 40% and the phone is so much faster. Very pleased.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That occurs because the modem signal cuts out after you switch your phone off, or lock it.
This issue can be resolved by updating our modems, but with our current variant we can't update it yet apparently, until the correct new modem for our specific variant has been released.
Hi guys,
I thought I would also post here.
I have the optus 9507 and I tried a couple of different kitkat 4.4 roms. They all worked perfectly except for the fact that they lost data completely as soon as the phone went to sleep. the weird thing is, the phone showed 0 bars but i could take calls just fine, just had data issues.
i tried the slimkat rom and the echoe rom with the same issue
i went back to stock firmware, rooted, ran a debloat script i found on xda, removed a bunch more apps, then unrooted again because i need to run good for enterprise for work.
im getting decent battery life with the debloated stock rom but i would like to move to 4.4 if theres a rom that works. ive been watching the optus and sammobile site hoping there will be a newer modem for the hk version because i think optus will take their time releasing 4.3 for this model.
kaiserwatson said:
Hi all, made an account in anticipation of my night spent mucking around with my new Galaxy S4 i9507. I had been reading about people who have had success and some who have had less success with getting custom ROMs on their devices. None said what methods they used, so I decided to compile together what I did today.
Tonight I have managed to root the device's stock firmware (I have the Australian Optus/Virgin device); install ClockworkMod Recovery on the stock firmware, and then use it to install CyanogenMod 10.2.0 (jfltexx) on the device.
......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your experience sharing,
I also started with Cyanogen and shared about the same experience.
Just didn't know the Knox thing before I started.. should had read up more before doing it.
So you did the Recovery with Heimdall also? What has made you switch to the customized Rom camp
kaiserwatson said:
Hey sorry its been more than a day, I've been swamped with work, that Christmas time feel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, no worries at all, anyone who works weekends can take all the time they need...
But yes, it would seem my warranty is void, let's hope the phone lasts two years!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, I've done some reading also and you're right, it seems to be all conjecture, I really doubt handset warranty refusal can be based on the KNOX Warranty chip. I think the Samsung Enterprise Security Group VP explains it well here.
Overall I'm really happy with how this has all gone. My battery life has been increased by at least 40% and the phone is so much faster. Very pleased.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great to hear, based on this I can ge ahead and 'burn out' my eFuse, happy in the knowledge that my Knox warranty has gone to a good cause. :fingers-crossed:
---------- Post added at 08:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 PM ----------
opelcalibra said:
then unrooted again because i need to run good for enterprise for work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can only assume your "enterprise for work" has nothing to do with KNOX, right? Coz that option would be closed for you now...
CuriosityBrah said:
That occurs because the modem signal cuts out after you switch your phone off, or lock it.
This issue can be resolved by updating our modems, but with our current variant we can't update it yet apparently, until the correct new modem for our specific variant has been released.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That odd message not sending was the only issue I've had with this sort of thing; I can still download things, receive messages and calls just fine while my phone is sleeping, how do you know if the modem signal is cutting off? Perhaps it's just a selective thing, not sure. Don't know how to test if it's happening to me because it doesn't seem to be, lol.
opelcalibra said:
I have the optus 9507 and I tried a couple of different kitkat 4.4 roms. They all worked perfectly except for the fact that they lost data completely as soon as the phone went to sleep. the weird thing is, the phone showed 0 bars but i could take calls just fine, just had data issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey mate if you check the forum that I linked to the Knox issue; someone on there posted a fix for sound/WiFi issues post-Knox voiding, maybe that fix'll work for you. Sorry I can't link you to the exact post but it was about 10-20 pages in.
opelcalibra said:
i went back to stock firmware, rooted, ran a debloat script i found on xda, removed a bunch more apps, then unrooted again because i need to run good for enterprise for work.
im getting decent battery life with the debloated stock rom but i would like to move to 4.4 if theres a rom that works. ive been watching the optus and sammobile site hoping there will be a newer modem for the hk version because i think optus will take their time releasing 4.3 for this model.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I reckon they'll take ages, they have pretty much left everyone who's getting this phone in the next couple of months in the dark because of the (as I can tell) severe lack of devs etc in Aus who have Samsung phones and are willing to hack them to the ****. I wish I could help out somehow, but I don't have the time to learn so I figured I'd help out by putting up my experiences. I'm still learning as I go haha.
As for your KitKat problem, I have read that 4.4 didn't do so well in terms of battery life and bloat, what are your reasons for wanting to go to it? I wanted the most recent build also but I figured that if they're still having issues with it then it was better to go with something I knew would work (ie. 4.3.1).
phileasx said:
Thanks for your experience sharing,
I also started with Cyanogen and shared about the same experience.
Just didn't know the Knox thing before I started.. should had read up more before doing it.
So you did the Recovery with Heimdall also? What has made you switch to the customized Rom camp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I followed the Windows process on the CM wiki to the letter, so yeah I did the Heimdall also.
Mate legitimately I went from my stock firmware taking up so much space on the hard drive to the real lightweight CM, seeing as I haven't bought a micro SD yet that was a big deal. Also battery life was a major reason for me buying the S4 so to be able to further improve it is just hella.
siganid said:
Hey, no worries at all, anyone who works weekends can take all the time they need...
Yea, I've done some reading also and you're right, it seems to be all conjecture, I really doubt handset warranty refusal can be based on the KNOX Warranty chip. I think the Samsung Enterprise Security Group VP explains it well.Great to hear, based on this I can ge ahead and 'burn out' my eFuse, happy in the knowledge that my Knox warranty has gone to a good cause. :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In Australia I think we're pretty good. Funny that Samsung and Optus have given us this nice present and it's only a matter of time before someone cracks it open and remains above the warranty voiding
I have read that Knox may be software-based, which would make sense, and maybe it's a matter of time before someone cracks that too. Hehe.
Go ahead, post here if you have any issues and I'll see if I can help you out. What ROM would you be planning on using? A 4.3.x one?
kaiserwatson said:
I followed the Windows process on the CM wiki to the letter, so yeah I did the Heimdall also.
Mate legitimately I went from my stock firmware taking up so much space on the hard drive to the real lightweight CM, seeing as I haven't bought a micro SD yet that was a big deal. Also battery life was a major reason for me buying the S4 so to be able to further improve it is just hella.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to the rom flashing side
After read up more, I realize Odin is a more popular method for Galaxy S4 flashing,
Besides that, Stock rom battery life should also be all right. Samsung did quite some efforts to make the software user friendly.
Anyway, the Bloatware chunk are really irritating have to say.
because i cant keep still i have flashed my phone again lol.
i flashed the official CM 11 (4.4.2) and gapps for kitkat and all is working awesome so far.
no issues with losing signal when going to sleep. seems very fast. right now im happy with it.
Could someone please find new links for the original software posted in the OP?
Links are dead, would be greatly appreciated! =)
Also, Opelcalibra, you have no issues with network/signal on CM 4.4.2 with the Optus i9507?
I better give it a try then lol
RE: Signal issues
Hi,
I also have the AU i9507 Opus S4, I flashed the Omega based 4.4.2 KitKat (i9505 version) and had wifi problems (Greyed out) I tried various fixes and went back to 4.3 based Omega, this had its problems with cell signal being lost when locking the mobile.
I fixed this by going into settings and experimented with mobile networks i.e. Settings, more networks, mobile networks, network mode and tried all 4x options with (for me at least) the GSM ONLY option selected, great rom and worth losing the 4g which is very patchy in my part of Melbourne.
D
Anyone else had any sort of success rooting this phone without tripping Knox.
Also, is it just me, or does it suck pretty hard that we Aussies get stuck with an inferior version of a phone? (Snapdragon 600 in the I9507 vs the 800 in the other international versions)
Update
Hi
Just wondering if anyone has an update on this? Success or otherwise...
One of the main reasons I'm looking to root is to boost volume levels - I find the volume to be way too low. Does anyone know of a way to do that without rooting? Of course I'd like to remove bloatware but could live with it if volume was fixed.
Thanks in advance.
thestuntman80 said:
Anyone else had any sort of success rooting this phone without tripping Knox.
Also, is it just me, or does it suck pretty hard that we Aussies get stuck with an inferior version of a phone? (Snapdragon 600 in the I9507 vs the 800 in the other international versions)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey bro, no one has cracked without tripping Knox yet because as far as I can tell it's a phone specific fix/hack. So, because our phone is a different and 'rare' model, I doubt that the major heads in the Knox-proofing scene (CF comes to mind) will have the time to make a fix for the knox trip. So for now, either suffer in your jocks (QQ) get a different phone (uh, not likely) or wait for the minute chance that someone actually cares about Aussies )
As for your second point, yeah, it does suck. We get shafted with all sorts of things like prices, release dates, localization...the list goes on. Unfortunately the people who make these ploys know we're desparate and will pay the exorbitant prices anyway :/
jameshef said:
Hi
Just wondering if anyone has an update on this? Success or otherwise...
One of the main reasons I'm looking to root is to boost volume levels - I find the volume to be way too low. Does anyone know of a way to do that without rooting? Of course I'd like to remove bloatware but could live with it if volume was fixed.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey mate, the rooting was probably the easiest part of the whole situation. You can follow my guide in the OP if you're having trouble. Just be aware about the warranty issues etc because your audio issue may be hardware related rather than software? Is the volume issue in the headphones or the speaker? Some apps may not utilise the phones full volume and also be sure to go into the settings of the phone and make sure the volume limiter is turned OFF. This **** me to tears for the longest time but once I figured out what the issue was, all good!
The only thing I'd say is just make sure its not a hardware issue because you don't want to root your phone, find out that it wasn't a software issue, take your phone into Samsung and have them tell you that your warranty is voided because you rooted. Obviously that's a worse case scenario but just be on the safe side.
I hope I helped you guys!
kaiserwatson said:
Hey mate, the rooting was probably the easiest part of the whole situation. You can follow my guide in the OP if you're having trouble. Just be aware about the warranty issues etc because your audio issue may be hardware related rather than software? Is the volume issue in the headphones or the speaker? Some apps may not utilise the phones full volume and also be sure to go into the settings of the phone and make sure the volume limiter is turned OFF. This **** me to tears for the longest time but once I figured out what the issue was, all good!
The only thing I'd say is just make sure its not a hardware issue because you don't want to root your phone, find out that it wasn't a software issue, take your phone into Samsung and have them tell you that your warranty is voided because you rooted. Obviously that's a worse case scenario but just be on the safe side.
I hope I helped you guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm fairly certain it's a software issue. I've done a fair bit of reading on it and the low volume is a very common complaint about the S4. My volute limiter is turned off - thanks for that tip though!
I'm going to try to root this weekend. I really hope that it works and I don't have any issues with reception dropping when the phone goes to sleep! Feels risky.
I've changed my firmware from Optus to XSA, but am still on 4.2.2, how do I upgrade now?
Kies says I have the latest release.
has anyone got links to newer modem files for this phone? been given one to update it to 4.4, but i know from experience that doing so without at least a 4.4 GSM modem, it wont behave right.
to the people without working wifi after updating: flash the Ktoonz kernel, he has a fix for that.
Hi All,
I recently updated to the new official 4.3 update from optus in order to update my baseband etc.
Then i immediately updated to the i9505 Goldeneye 4.4.2 rom. Ran a ebloat script to get rid of alot of the extras and its running very nicely.
Since updating the modem I get 4g at home which i never did before.
optus rom here
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/3/?download=27109
flashed via odin (will lose root and custom recovery). re-root and install recovery after flashing this room.
goldeneye rom here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2313469
obviously this will flag knox, mine was flagged long ao
As I'm sure tons of you guys know, 4.4.2 is absolute crap. Battery life, lag, GPS issues. There is barely anything good about the update. I am sick and tired of having to charge my phone almost three times a day just because the update (that Samsung claimed in my tech support chat, is "well up to date".) that isn't going to get fixed ever again.
One of these horrible features is Samsung KNOX. Just to get more customers from businesses, Samsung KNOX is ultra secure, down to the very bootloader. Basically turning into Motorola with the no-downgrade thing. Basically making it so not even older custom ROMs will flash. (I haven't flashed a ROM yet. And I'll get to why.)
Now, on HTC devices I have used, If I hated the new update, all I needed to do was Flash an older stock rom, even use an RUU if I needed to. But this update is just plain awful. And thanks to KNOX, there is no way back.
So, I have a few questions to ask.
4.3 DID come with Samsung Knox, along with the Bootloader I believe, which in my eyes, is a very narrow tunnel, but it's there.
You can uninstall Samsung KNOX through the app (If you don't have the app in the drawer, there is a way to set it up anyways. Which I did. and I pressed uninstall KNOX, but the apps are still present on the phone.)
Does this mean the security is off? Or that the 0x0/0x1 flag is off?
Is there a way to root, flash a custom 4.3 ROM, and ODIN back to Stock 4.3?
Is there even a way to do anything development-like on the device without flipping that trigger?
Or can all of this be solved by fixing settings on 4.4.2, not needing to do this anyways?
(if anyone just wants to see how bad the battery is, I can upload Battery Manager screenshots and Gsam Shots as well.)
Thanks to anyone who can provide me with some tips and maybe solutions.
nxhappy said:
As I'm sure tons of you guys know, 4.4.2 is absolute crap. Battery life, lag, GPS issues. There is barely anything good about the update. I am sick and tired of having to charge my phone almost three times a day just because the update (that Samsung claimed in my tech support chat, is "well up to date".) that isn't going to get fixed ever again.
One of these horrible features is Samsung KNOX. Just to get more customers from businesses, Samsung KNOX is ultra secure, down to the very bootloader. Basically turning into Motorola with the no-downgrade thing. Basically making it so not even older custom ROMs will flash. (I haven't flashed a ROM yet. And I'll get to why.)
Now, on HTC devices I have used, If I hated the new update, all I needed to do was Flash an older stock rom, even use an RUU if I needed to. But this update is just plain awful. And thanks to KNOX, there is no way back.
So, I have a few questions to ask.
4.3 DID come with Samsung Knox, along with the Bootloader I believe, which in my eyes, is a very narrow tunnel, but it's there.
You can uninstall Samsung KNOX through the app (If you don't have the app in the drawer, there is a way to set it up anyways. Which I did. and I pressed uninstall KNOX, but the apps are still present on the phone.)
Does this mean the security is off? Or that the 0x0/0x1 flag is off?
Is there a way to root, flash a custom 4.3 ROM, and ODIN back to Stock 4.3?
Is there even a way to do anything development-like on the device without flipping that trigger?
Or can all of this be solved by fixing settings on 4.4.2, not needing to do this anyways?
(if anyone just wants to see how bad the battery is, I can upload Battery Manager screenshots and Gsam Shots as well.)
Thanks to anyone who can provide me with some tips and maybe solutions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once your on 4.4.2 you cannot downgrade. It's not even an option
Sent from my Nexus 5
I heard it was strictly because of the KNOX bootloader. Which led me to believe that if I somehow rooted without tripping the 0x1 trigger, removed knox, and then flashed 4.3 through odin, that I'd be able to get back to a system version that doesn't suck.
nxhappy said:
I heard it was strictly because of the KNOX bootloader. Which led me to believe that if I somehow rooted without tripping the 0x1 trigger, removed knox, and then flashed 4.3 through odin, that I'd be able to get back to a system version that doesn't suck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Basically yes. I wouldn't even try to downgrade it. You will brick it
Sent from my Nexus 5
Alright. But is there any way I can root without tripping the 0x1? Or a way to just save battery on 4.4.2? I barely get 7 hours anymore when I got at least 18 on 4.3.
ShapesBlue said:
Basically yes. I wouldn't even try to downgrade it. You will brick it
Sent from my Nexus 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This probably won't work either, but rooting, flashing a 4.3 CUSTOM ROM w/ touchwiz? Is that possible at all?
nxhappy said:
This probably won't work either, but rooting, flashing a 4.3 CUSTOM ROM w/ touchwiz? Is that possible at all?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your on 4.4.2 then no. If your on 4.3 yes. Only flash roms intended for the correct bootloader
Sent from my Nexus 5
Do you know of any way to keep android system and Android OS from eating up my battery?
nxhappy said:
Do you know of any way to keep android system and Android OS from eating up my battery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apps are always the biggest culprit of battery issues. If you don't already have it installed I high recommend GSAM battery monitor. That will give you an idea of what is killing the battery the quickest
Sent from my Nexus 5
I've had it for awhile and its Kernel (Android OS)
nxhappy said:
I've had it for awhile and its Kernel (Android OS)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have the app and the root companion for it then it should be pretty clear about which apps are in question
I also highly recommend an app called Wakelock detector (root)
Sent from my Nexus 5
I can't root unless I wanna tip the trigger. Which I don't wanna do. And I only have 2 apps, even tried safe mode, so its definitely the update itself.
nxhappy said:
I can't root unless I wanna tip the trigger. Which I don't wanna do. And I only have 2 apps, even tried safe mode, so its definitely the update itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your on NE1 you can root but as far as I've read towelroot is the only option for rooting. As long as the kernel is before a certain date. I can't remember off hand what the date is however. It's hard remembering a log of this as I'm not locked down like most are
Sent from my Nexus 5
Okay. I really like this phone, I just can't handle the terrible battery life this update has given me. It's almost as bad as what I got on my HTC One M7 when I ran sense 7.. And that had BAD battery life. Wish I could flash and root without having to deal with the trigger.
I just tried safe mode and my battery drained the same amount.
nxhappy said:
Okay. I really like this phone, I just can't handle the terrible battery life this update has given me. It's almost as bad as what I got on my HTC One M7 when I ran sense 7.. And that had BAD battery life. Wish I could flash and root without having to deal with the trigger.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still use my S3 so I understand. I only use it for games and on wifi but it's still a champ
Sent from my Nexus 5
I use mine as a phone since I had a droid ultra that broke, one problem could be the battery is brand new, and I heard new batteries need to be cycled 4 times at least. Or the update is just crap. And Samsung and Verizon doesn't care, so I'm as stuck as I can be as of now, I'm guessing.
nxhappy said:
I use mine as a phone since I had a droid ultra that broke, one problem could be the battery is brand new, and I heard new batteries need to be cycled 4 times at least. Or the update is just crap. And Samsung and Verizon doesn't care, so I'm as stuck as I can be as of now, I'm guessing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh i agree. Samsung and VZW came together and truly ruined the S3. Then again they ruined more than a few phones
Sent from my Nexus 5
Yeah. Definitely. Would switch to T-Mobile but their coverage here is absolute crap. Do you know of any good extended batteries or long lasting ones between 2200 and 3000 miliamp hours?
I've never used one with this one so unfortunately I wouldn't be of much help with that. And yea TMobile coverage here is horrible as well.
I know a lot if people used the zero lemon battery which is a lot bigger
Sent from my Nexus 5
Anybody interested in the bootloader and unlocking it I encourage you to sign this petition. These phones are ours to use how we see fit and the more noise we make the better our chances are. I bought this phone under the assumption that nothing had changed and for Samsung to change their policies without notice isn't acceptable for me and hopefully you as well. Thank you
Petition
Dude, there's honestly no point. Ive been on xda for about 10 years and ive always need to root every single android phone ive owned. Until recently, Samsung started making pretty good android phones starting with the s6 and up. I had no reason to root my s6, note 5, and now no reason to root my s7 edge. Im not saying you should have no need to root yours, i just feel like Samsung and android have come a long way and nowadays rooting serves no purpose;for me at least. Is rooting worth losing Samsung pay or any other security features we need to protect us? Not really. Also, Samsung can change their policies as they please, you still bought their phone. Rooting died a couple years ago, move on. Best of luck with your petition.
No point is simply just not true. I haven't even looked at a Samsung until the S6 last year and I got the M9 instead. Now with HTC dumping boomsound on the M10 I switched after 8 HTC phones. While I agree Samsung has come a long way not only in hardware but software and you can do more things now without root I still miss it a lot. Have this phone a week now, not having root sucks. It's just not the same. While yes you can do quite a bit without it, there is still plenty missing. People saying that root is dead or they don't need it is just denial for the fact that things have got so locked down it's not worth justifying the hassle which might just be true.
Let's say knox was never developed, triangle away still worked so you could also go back to stock and you could flash away with an unlocked bootloader everyone would be singing a totally different tune and you guys would be rooted. Now that Samsung has total control, we have to justify it to ourselves on why it makes sense not to root which frankly right now I think is the case.
kennypow3rs said:
Dude, there's honestly no point. Ive been on xda for about 10 years and ive always need to root every single android phone ive owned. Until recently, Samsung started making pretty good android phones starting with the s6 and up. I had no reason to root my s6, note 5, and now no reason to root my s7 edge. Im not saying you should have no need to root yours, i just feel like Samsung and android have come a long way and nowadays rooting serves no purpose;for me at least. Is rooting worth losing Samsung pay or any other security features we need to protect us? Not really. Also, Samsung can change their policies as they please, you still bought their phone. Rooting died a couple years ago, move on. Best of luck with your petition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its all good if you have no interest then that's fine but I for one do. I hate touchjiz and the bloatware that is just the tip of the iceberg. Rooting will never die maybe some people don't but most that have rooted will always want it. Thanks for your input though. Without root we really don't have any need for a development section so this forum will likely die. I'm jumping ship to the lg g5 until samsung does something if they ever do.
brendan802 said:
Its all good if you have no interest then that's fine but I for one do. I hate touchjiz and the bloatware that is just the tip of the iceberg. Rooting will never die maybe some people don't but most that have rooted will always want it. Thanks for your input though. Without root we really don't have any need for a development section so this forum will likely die. I'm jumping ship to the lg g5 until samsung does something if they ever do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally have no problem with Samsung locking things down. In fact for the general pop it will be great, but since we live in the free world it Samsung should still allow the option of choice. As long as they have the proper disclaimer in place that warns of consequences the one can make the decision. I think the big reason for the locked bootloader has to do with carriers leasing the phones. Since rooting breaks the pay app and can't reversed. Just imagine if you got a previous leased phone and the pay app doesn't work. What samsung should do is allow for a complete reset factory action including knox. Maybe not have it available to the general public but maybe the carriers or somewhere higher up. This would give the best of both worlds.
kennypow3rs said:
Dude, there's honestly no point. Ive been on xda for about 10 years and ive always need to root every single android phone ive owned. Until recently, Samsung started making pretty good android phones starting with the s6 and up. I had no reason to root my s6, note 5, and now no reason to root my s7 edge. Im not saying you should have no need to root yours, i just feel like Samsung and android have come a long way and nowadays rooting serves no purpose;for me at least. Is rooting worth losing Samsung pay or any other security features we need to protect us? Not really. Also, Samsung can change their policies as they please, you still bought their phone. Rooting died a couple years ago, move on. Best of luck with your petition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude you've been here 5 years. I've been here 7. Neither of which matters. Rooting didn't die any more than rock and roll did when disco came along.
I drive a semi and without root I can't get the headphone, or bluetooth, volumes high enough when running through the trucks stereo. And before you start talking about headphones, those that cover both ears are illegal and i don't like listening through only one ear. So I want root. If you don't that's wonderful for you, but please don't step onto a developers board, claim seniority you just don't have, and try to tell people the board has become meaningless.
DreamingWolf said:
Dude you've been here 5 years. I've been here 7. Neither of which matters. Rooting didn't die any more than rock and roll did when disco came along.
I drive a semi and without root I can't get the headphone, or bluetooth, volumes high enough when running through the trucks stereo. And before you start talking about headphones, those that cover both ears are illegal and i don't like listening through only one ear. So I want root. If you don't that's wonderful for you, but please don't step onto a developers board, claim seniority you just don't have, and try to tell people the board has become meaningless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is my second account ive definitely been here since the palm and original HTC touch days with Windows pocket lol. But to the point, rooting is dead per se, but there's definitely less of a reason to do so these days. Touch wiz is damn near perfect. Even for those thay dont like it can slap a launcher on it. I see no purpose to root, i can block ads with ad guard. Also stock android doesnt have all the bells and whistles either so id rsther stay stock. Again, i know others may need it, but i was simply saying its pointless thess days. I still come here for many other things, just not to root.
Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
kennypow3rs said:
This is my second account ive definitely been here since the palm and original HTC touch days with Windows pocket lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I stand corrected.
kennypow3rs said:
Again, i know others may need it, but i was simply saying its pointless these days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are not 'needed' and 'pointless' antonyms? You just refuted your own statement.
And I don't use stock android. I use rooted and modded versions of Sprint's base ROM. The only stock versions I have truly liked and used are by Temesek, and those tend to be few and far between on Sprint variants.
I also never use Touchwiz. It's been NovaLauncher for years now for me. And I just prefer all the little conveniences and tweaks that you can make with root. Like an extended power menu without having to add more apps from Google Play. And several diagnostic tools I use to troubleshoot when I have a weak or slow signal where I shouldn't.
So I'm really happy that your content to live with what Samsung and Sprint deign to allow you, I'm not. And since these boards seem to be doing just fine, I would guess that there are enough people who agree with me to make your opinion not nearly as wide spread as you believe it to be.
And one final question, if you believe rooting is pointless and dead, why are you still on these boards?
DreamingWolf said:
I stand corrected.
Are not 'needed' and 'pointless' antonyms? You just refuted your own statement.
And I don't use stock android. I use rooted and modded versions of Sprint's base ROM. The only stock versions I have truly liked and used are by Temesek, and those tend to be few and far between on Sprint variants.
I also never use Touchwiz. It's been NovaLauncher for years now for me. And I just prefer all the little conveniences and tweaks that you can make with root. Like an extended power menu without having to add more apps from Google Play. And several diagnostic tools I use to troubleshoot when I have a weak or slow signal where I shouldn't.
So I'm really happy that your content to live with what Samsung and Sprint deign to allow you, I'm not. And since these boards seem to be doing just fine, I would guess that there are enough people who agree with me to make your opinion not nearly as wide spread as you believe it to be.
And one final question, if you believe rooting is pointless and dead, why are you still on these boards?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still come here for other things, like questions i may have, apps, reviews, and ive been here for so long i still help others when i can. Its still a community i am apart of regardless if i root or not.
Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
Root or not to root is a matter of opinion, I think it is far from dead or useless imo.
I have rooted every phone I have ever had that it was capable on within 24 hours of getting the phone just because I want to put on the phone what I want not what Samsung thinks I want.
I don't fit well with the masses and rooting let's me be that way with my phone....
That said this has been seen before on other devices and has been worked around by the amazing devs on this sight.
Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
Rooting will never die unless the manufacturers kill it. It has too much of a following with people that love to root and need to root. So yes no root is a huge deal for me I'm coming from a Nexus 6 where I had multirom and weekly updates. The phone never gets boring when it is unleashed and rootable. I have had the Edge for about a week and I'm already bored/frustrated with it. I'm going to the Sprint store today to try and return it. My Nexus 6 flies compared to the S7 Edge even though its specs are way better. Hardware can only get you so far the software is what makes the phone fly. The stock S7 Edge has so much BS bloatware and unneeded stuff that slows it down significantly. Give me the international one and maybe I would keep it. Also, the Samsung pay is a joke for me because it doesn't support any of my banks or cards. I will be preordering the LG G5 or waiting for the next Nexus.
We should have the option.
I don't really need to root today, because I primarily use the phone for business and I don't want to have it down because I change my mind on which ROM to pick every 6 hours.
But I want the option to get rid of the ****, yes, ****, they put on this phone. Why they load junk I can't get rid of is beyond me.
If we can't control the phone, I'll have to jump off the Samsung bandwagon next year...no matter how good they make it.
Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
brendan802 said:
Anybody interested in the bootloader and unlocking it I encourage you to sign this petition. These phones are ours to use how we see fit and the more noise we make the better our chances are. I bought this phone under the assumption that nothing had changed and for Samsung to change their policies without notice isn't acceptable for me and hopefully you as well. Thank you
Petition
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there one for Sprint? This petition does not go to them at all.
Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
So I've had this thought about this locked bootloader problem. I am not sure if this is a viable solution or whether it would even work. I was thinking that our European brethren has an unlocked bootloader. Would there be a way to Odin their bootloader on our devicesor would the fact that they have a different processor be a problem. Because in theory if we had a Samsung sign Odin file of with an unlocked bootloader we should be able to Odin and have a unlocked bootloader, no? Or is there more to it than that?
El.Dante565 said:
So I've had this thought about this locked bootloader problem. I am not sure if this is a viable solution or whether it would even work. I was thinking that our European brethren has an unlocked bootloader. Would there be a way to Odin their bootloader on our devicesor would the fact that they have a different processor be a problem. Because in theory if we had a Samsung sign Odin file of with an unlocked bootloader we should be able to Odin and have a unlocked bootloader, no? Or is there more to it than that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good question. But no, it would not work. Not even because it's a different processor, which that is part. But say if T Mobile got an unlocked bootloader, it would not work for Sprint. Nor would it necessarily help to know how it happened and use it as a road map to unlock another carrier's bl.
Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
not so fast
mkeller96 said:
Rooting will never die unless the manufacturers kill it. It has too much of a following with people that love to root and need to root. So yes no root is a huge deal for me I'm coming from a Nexus 6 where I had multirom and weekly updates. The phone never gets boring when it is unleashed and rootable. I have had the Edge for about a week and I'm already bored/frustrated with it. I'm going to the Sprint store today to try and return it. My Nexus 6 flies compared to the S7 Edge even though its specs are way better. Hardware can only get you so far the software is what makes the phone fly. The stock S7 Edge has so much BS bloatware and unneeded stuff that slows it down significantly. Give me the international one and maybe I would keep it. Also, the Samsung pay is a joke for me because it doesn't support any of my banks or cards. I will be preordering the LG G5 or waiting for the next Nexus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would suggest waiting to see if the bootloader is locked down on the lg g5 before ordering. I was not planning to root my s7e, but I must say I was curious to see what this powerhouse was capable of if unleashed from touchwiz,sadly I will never know.:crying:
Anyone else receive an OTA update this morning from Sprint? Took about 15 minutes to download and install.
I'm now showing software version G935PVPU2APC5.
runner77 said:
Anyone else receive an OTA update this morning from Sprint? Took about 15 minutes to download and install.
I'm now showing software version G935PVPU2APC5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have Ota's stopped, but i haveapb5.
Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
Root
I have a sneaky suspicion that the Sprint S7 & S7 Edge will end up just like the
ATT Note 5 and S6 Edge/Edge+ phones and will NEVER have root. LOL
I would strongly advice & suggest NOT to get rid of your current rooted phones at least not yet!!!
(unless you buy a different brand which can be rooted)
Have a great day!
El.Dante565 said:
So I've had this thought about this locked bootloader problem. I am not sure if this is a viable solution or whether it would even work. I was thinking that our European brethren has an unlocked bootloader. Would there be a way to Odin their bootloader on our devicesor would the fact that they have a different processor be a problem. Because in theory if we had a Samsung sign Odin file of with an unlocked bootloader we should be able to Odin and have a unlocked bootloader, no? Or is there more to it than that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the firmware for the Chinese model s7 edge it is the closest match to ours and the firmware will not load in odin. It checks against the model and csc codes so we couldn't even cross flash with t-mobiles firmware. I have the bootloader posted over in t-mobile forums and a few people are poking around to see what can be done. Unfortunately bootloader and hardware hacks are nothing I have ever done before.
I appreciate any help you experts can give... links and videos. I'm running out of time and don't have enough to research everything... so I hate asking but I have to... I leave in 4 days and this device is still in the box.
My trusty and loved Nexus 6 of 4 years finally burned its charging port out and until the Pixel 3 hits.. I bought an S8 Plus. The model I have is G955u1z an unlocked S8+ I picked up from Best Buy. I hate to admit it but its been so long since I've done any flashing /updating because I had my N6 so well tuned.. that I'm rusty and at a loss of where to begin. Yes I'm searching, yes I'm googling and youtubing but often I am finding methods that aren't for the unlocked version and I don't want to go from box to brick in 3 days. For reference this device will be hooked up to my Verizon account.. I'm still using my N6 for the moment (thankfully it has Qi.. which has kept me from upgrading to a new Nexus or Pixel since). I understand that I will loose Knox.. and Samsung pay. Had to find out what that even was but don't think i would use it anyway.
So what is my first step? Update to the latest stock rom? Install TWRP immediatly? I see that there is something new.. Magisk but I'm not fully grasping it I guess to know if its better than Su, but from what i gather you can hide root from apps with it? Advantages/Disadvanatages? I'm also a dedicated Xposed user also, so that is a must to have. I really prefer the stock android experience but it seems most run the Renovate Ice 3.0 rom? Is there a way to make the other speaker work instead of that downward firing single one? Gesture navigation from the Pixel?
Please pick through guys... if you can help with anything I am in your debt. Just bad luck/bad timing when I should be excited about a new shiny.
mulderato said:
I appreciate any help you experts can give... links and videos. I'm running out of time and don't have enough to research everything... so I hate asking but I have to... I leave in 4 days and this device is still in the box.
My trusty and loved Nexus 6 of 4 years finally burned its charging port out and until the Pixel 3 hits.. I bought an S8 Plus. The model I have is G955u1z an unlocked S8+ I picked up from Best Buy. I hate to admit it but its been so long since I've done any flashing /updating because I had my N6 so well tuned.. that I'm rusty and at a loss of where to begin. Yes I'm searching, yes I'm googling and youtubing but often I am finding methods that aren't for the unlocked version and I don't want to go from box to brick in 3 days. For reference this device will be hooked up to my Verizon account.. I'm still using my N6 for the moment (thankfully it has Qi.. which has kept me from upgrading to a new Nexus or Pixel since). I understand that I will loose Knox.. and Samsung pay. Had to find out what that even was but don't think i would use it anyway.
So what is my first step? Update to the latest stock rom? Install TWRP immediatly? I see that there is something new.. Magisk but I'm not fully grasping it I guess to know if its better than Su, but from what i gather you can hide root from apps with it? Advantages/Disadvanatages? I'm also a dedicated Xposed user also, so that is a must to have. I really prefer the stock android experience but it seems most run the Renovate Ice 3.0 rom? Is there a way to make the other speaker work instead of that downward firing single one? Gesture navigation from the Pixel?
Please pick through guys... if you can help with anything I am in your debt. Just bad luck/bad timing when I should be excited about a new shiny.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By posting in this section here
mulderato said:
I appreciate any help you experts can give... links and videos. I'm running out of time and don't have enough to research everything... so I hate asking but I have to... I leave in 4 days and this device is still in the box.
My trusty and loved Nexus 6 of 4 years finally burned its charging port out and until the Pixel 3 hits.. I bought an S8 Plus. The model I have is G955u1z an unlocked S8+ I picked up from Best Buy. I hate to admit it but its been so long since I've done any flashing /updating because I had my N6 so well tuned.. that I'm rusty and at a loss of where to begin. Yes I'm searching, yes I'm googling and youtubing but often I am finding methods that aren't for the unlocked version and I don't want to go from box to brick in 3 days. For reference this device will be hooked up to my Verizon account.. I'm still using my N6 for the moment (thankfully it has Qi.. which has kept me from upgrading to a new Nexus or Pixel since). I understand that I will loose Knox.. and Samsung pay. Had to find out what that even was but don't think i would use it anyway.
So what is my first step? Update to the latest stock rom? Install TWRP immediatly? I see that there is something new.. Magisk but I'm not fully grasping it I guess to know if its better than Su, but from what i gather you can hide root from apps with it? Advantages/Disadvanatages? I'm also a dedicated Xposed user also, so that is a must to have. I really prefer the stock android experience but it seems most run the Renovate Ice 3.0 rom? Is there a way to make the other speaker work instead of that downward firing single one? Gesture navigation from the Pixel?
Please pick through guys... if you can help with anything I am in your debt. Just bad luck/bad timing when I should be excited about a new shiny.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is 1 rooted rom but no twrp maybe safestrap but we have locked bootloaders so no good
Check out partcyborg rom
Wait...... lol.. you mean that the Snapdragon versions... even carrier unlocked still have locked bootloaders? ohhhhhgod...I can't live with this device in stock form.
mulderato said:
Wait...... lol.. you mean that the Snapdragon versions... even carrier unlocked still have locked bootloaders? ohhhhhgod...I can't live with this device in stock form.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it's horrible
Hello,
Long time i didn t buy a new phone ( i am still on s9+) and there where a lot of rom for the s9+, but doesn t seem to find them for the s21+.
Where are they ?
I believe more people aren't interested to root, unlock bootloader and create custom roms. One of reasons you lost warranty, secondly you lost google pay, samsung pay, secure folder etc. No Updates OTA. And many more. Yes you can fix some of them by custom kernel or Magisk Hide etc. And android in nowadays is enought good. So are you interested in this?
@Itadiki What are you missing from OneUI? What would you want from a custom ROM that you don't have in the official ones?
As @Nettwerk was saying, nowadays OEM Android is good enough even for most of the people that in the past would run a custom ROM. So custom ROMs make little to no sense. Put the disadvantages on top (like loss of warranty or functionalities) and you get the current situation.
@Nettwerk My s9 was rooted and I still had access to google pay. We don t have samsung pay and never used secure folder but I don t see the reason why it would not work
As For @daniel_loft The same reason I wanted my all other devices rooted. Faster speed, no bloatware, optimization in general, and discover a lot of possibilities I didn t think about with all rooted software than can customize everything.
I can root the device myself, Remove the bloatware, install xposed framework and lots of other tools myself. But I am lazy, and not as knowledgable as the excellent people who spend hours and hours on giving us a way better rom than the stock one.
Yes the loss of warranty is a risk I am willing to take.
Secure folder checks knox. If efuse is trigered than it doesn't work. If I'm not wrong.
daniel_loft said:
@Itadiki What are you missing from OneUI? What would you want from a custom ROM that you don't have in the official ones?
As @Nettwerk was saying, nowadays OEM Android is good enough even for most of the people that in the past would run a custom ROM. So custom ROMs make little to no sense. Put the disadvantages on top (like loss of warranty or functionalities) and you get the current situation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Custom roms are always a good option , they lead to many innovations that with time and popular demand are later integrated in official rom , my last two phone i have not rooted them , i have not missed a thing from not doing it either.
If you root you will miss out in Samsung pay or google pay but of course it may not be important to everyone
Itadiki said:
Hello,
Long time i didn t buy a new phone ( i am still on s9+) and there where a lot of rom for the s9+, but doesn t seem to find them for the s21+.
Where are they ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
I found one .
Hi,
there is a very good one for S21 Ultra -> https://drketanrom.com/samsung-s21ultra
TeLMiT92 said:
Hi,
there is a very good one for S21 Ultra -> https://drketanrom.com/samsung-s21ultra
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yes I saw it ... but not for S21+ unfortunately
daniel_loft said:
@Itadiki What are you missing from OneUI? What would you want from a custom ROM that you don't have in the official ones?
It's not what's missing...it's what I *want* missing....I really want to get rid of the Bloat...nd fix a couple of issues that are plaguing my current s10+ (like the fact that any streaming is interrupted if *any* other resident program is in front of it, and needs an update....my Music cuts out when Waze needs to check in, for example (every 5 minutes).... and T-Mobile swears there is nothing wrong. (...then why did it start doing this *after* a forced Update that they refuse to roll-back?)
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I could go on...but it's not additional functionality...it's control of my device (If I wanted to be told how to use my phone...I'd get an iPhone *ecccchh*)
Itadiki said:
Hello,
Long time i didn t buy a new phone ( i am still on s9+) and there where a lot of rom for the s9+, but doesn t seem to find them for the s21+.
Where are they ?
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I know what you mean.
I remember back in the day when I had an HTC One X (still my favourite phone even though I got an s21) then later the M8 and there were tons of roms and mods available from a range of creators. My fav rom was the Viper range which had tons of features like tap to wake and customisable themes which didn't appear on official android for years and had OTA updates which got you on the latest android version before official release.
But I think, as said above, nowadays android has progressed to the point that you don't need to root to get roms with missing features and the likes of Samsung update their phones much faster than they used to. Even I haven't installed a custom rom since the S8 (the S6 & One M9 were the last ones I rooted. And the M9 was only to remove htc bloatware). And though rooting is still useful for removing baked in apps you don't need (Samsung, I'm looking at you!) but in general it's not needed anymore. Especially since manufacturers seem to have got 'inspiration' (interpret that as you will) from some of the fantastic indipendent developers found on sites like XDA.
The other problem is that these days more people use their phones for banking and paying in store and these functions are blocked on rooted phoned.
It is a shame though, the creativity, diversity of mods and general level of knowledge that was once found here back then was amazing.
That's not to say there isn't great talent still here, there is, simply back then there were much more developers creating full roms.
FerretPD said:
I could go on...but it's not additional functionality...it's control of my device (If I wanted to be told how to use my phone...I'd get an iPhone *ecccchh*)
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Totally agree with you here.
This was once a clear distinction between android and iPhone. These days they are all trying to suck you into their own eco system.
What's funny is that on my Huawei Nova 5t I had much more control of an apps access to my data and no apps were 'baked in' like Samsung pay etc. We should not have to root a phone we own to remove apps we don't want or make changes to the functionality of a phone, especially after we have paid hundreds of £/$ or more for.
i like root for Root level Backup, Host File level adblocking see wakelocks, change CPU/GPU underclock/overclock/undervolt.. And to keep upgrading my phone to new versions long after the manufacturer stops providing updates.
I am looking at a S22.. though if no community support then maybe not..
Sage said:
i like root for Root level Backup, Host File level adblocking see wakelocks, change CPU/GPU underclock/overclock/undervolt.. And to keep upgrading my phone to new versions long after the manufacturer stops providing updates.
I am looking at a S22.. though if no community support then maybe not..
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unless u buy an exynos s21, u'll be able to root and do whatever... but if u buy a qualcomm one., u wont be able to root, unless u pay... i suggest to stay away from samsung (qualcomm) if u're into the rooting scene
efebe said:
unless u buy an exynos s21, u'll be able to root and do whatever... but if u buy a qualcomm one., u wont be able to root, unless u pay... i suggest to stay away from samsung (qualcomm) if u're into the rooting scene
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i avoid snapdragon like plague for some years already since the inability to root/titanium backup. as long as the phone can't be rooted, i don't buy it, even exypnos is hotter slower dumber etc but the freedom to block ads and freeze/unfreeze/backup app is totally unmatched. also nowadays there's knoxpatch module so i can pretty much use any samsung secured function (just lack samsung pay/pass)