Database Develop

[Q]Restore Galaxy S4 Active to Stock AT&T Firmware?

Hello! This is my going to be my first post, so please bear with me.
I own a Samsung Galaxy S4 Active (SGH-I537) from AT&T. I've owned the device for about 6 months now and love it. Recently, I encountered a problem with connecting to GApps/Google services and adding a Google Account.
I rooted my S4 Active with this method from geohot I found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2347793
After tooling around with it for a day, I had trouble getting on the Play Store. My screen displayed "No Connection; Retry). After trying various solutions I removed my Google Account from the device.
When I couldn't log back in to my Google Account, I disabled 2-step verification and tried application-specific passwords. No avail.
I performed many factory reset, both from the Settings page and by a hard reset. I've wiped all the user data, so I have no apps or anything.
I keep getting this error message, see attachment below.
TD;LR #1 : I rooted my GS4a and I can't use my Google Account. Period.
My guess is that I need to restore the stock firmware onto my Galaxy S4 Active. I haven't been able to find a safe method of doing this yet. I think that this will "restore" my device as if I was doing this to an iOS device (I'm a convert from the Apple ecosystem )
Does anyone know how to flash the stock TouchWiz firmware onto the Galaxy S4 Active. I'm open to alternative solutions too, such as Cyanogenmod or stock Android 4.4.
TD;LR #2 : I need to flash stock firmware or something on my GS4a!
I appreciate all the help I can get. For now, I'm sitting with the Amazon Appstore and Google Chrome for Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, etc.
-Z3RODay

The method used for rooting shouldn't cause any problems with your phone since it only touches a couple files. I doubt that rooting your phone caused GApps to stop working, I'm guessing that either a root file got deleted or another app is incompatible and causing problems.
You're asking how to return your phone to stock and you're correct in that it will "restore" your device, but in doing so it will completely wipe your device and you will lose everything. It will essentially return your phone to the state of when you first pulled it out of the box. This question has been asked and answered a few times and you could probably find the answer by searching, but I'll post the answer here too. For the i537 below are the only known ways to get stock firmware back on your phone:
Devo7v said:
You can Odin back to a pre-release version and have a fully functioning phone, but you will no longer receive official OTA updates (read more about this option here), or
You can take it to the Samsung Experience Shop at your local Best Buy and have them restore your phone to official stock MF3 (read more about this option here).
Other than that I don't really know what else you can do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Devo7v said:
The method used for rooting shouldn't cause any problems with your phone since it only touches a couple files. I doubt that rooting your phone caused GApps to stop working, I'm guessing that either a root file got deleted or another app is incompatible and causing problems.
You're asking how to return your phone to stock and you're correct in that it will "restore" your device, but in doing so it will completely wipe your device and you will lose everything. It will essentially return your phone to the state of when you first pulled it out of the box. This question has been asked and answered a few times and you could probably find the answer by searching, but I'll post the answer here too. For the i537 below are the only known ways to get stock firmware back on your phone:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much! I'm going to take my phone to Best Buy tonight. I backed up everything on my SD card which is still intact (Thank God!).

[Q] Please help, can't root to get back pictures

Hi guys, thanks for the forum and i hope to become a part of it. I've been under so much stress since yesterday, my galaxy s3 (on EE in the UK) for the first time decided it's data was corrupted yesterday after my battery died, never done this or anything like it before, and it wouldn't let me access the phone itself unless the data was reset.
I had a lot of very precious pictures in my gallery from the weekend, which unfortunately chose not to backup to google+ for the last few days, even though it always has up until recently. All night/day i've been trying to figure out and get software to recover these photos, which i think is possible as i did it a long time ago on a blackberry, but not android yet. I'm just hoping it can be done so the photos aren't forever lost, the other stuff gone doesn't bother me so much.
The guide i'm following (here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...de-internal-memory-data-recovery-yes-t1994705) says it needs to be rooted first, and i can't even get past step 1. I've only ever rooted my old galaxy S1 (which worked back then) but i can't seem to get the S3 to do it. And now my phone also believes there's no sim card in and i get no signal now.
this is the guide i followed: http://www.ibtimes.com/how-root-sam...-jelly-bean-official-firmware-tutorial-975812
though i think i need a newer PDA file to flash my i9305 with. I'm on the EE network running 4.3 jelly. It installed Super SU but root checker says it still isn't rooted.
So have i messed this up? And is there any hope for me getting these pictures back?
Thanks in advance for any help, it's much appreciated.

if you are running on 4.3 then you are not following the right guide to root...
use THIS ONE instead... if it fails to root use the workaround part, i used it and worked....used the workaround to install custom recovery and then flashed chainfire zip from his website and updated SU and worked.
are you still able to boot the phone?

Thanks for the response, tried that guide and still getting no signal on my phone (no mobile connection at all, sim card isn't recognised as being there) and i don't think it's rooted right. Still saying SuperSU has stopped working when i try to open it.
I put the Root_SuperSU.1.02-Busybox.1.21.0.zip on the internal SD and tried that too.
Which is the chainfire zip you're talking about, could you possibly link it? I don't really get what you mean by custom recovery, do you mean it's the same as flashing the Busybox thing from recovery mode?
And yeah it still boots up normally...

use that tutorial to install a custom recovery...then install this SuperSU - http://download.chainfire.eu/396/SuperSU/UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.94.zip?retrieve_file=1 - flash it in custom recovery....after that update app with playstore and should work.
but i suggest you get it to a specialized shop to get your photos back...

[Q] [HELP]Can't Root anymore (GT P1000L)

So, I acquired my GT P1000L quite recently (like, 4 days ago), and I started to look for methods on how to upgrade it from 2.3.6 to kitkat 4.4.4. And after hundreds of forums and threads, I finally found one that worked for me. Managed to install CwM recovery, CF root (A big problem that I'll explain later), and proceeded to install everything.
After a lot of cold sweat, since it was my first time doing this kind of upgrade, finally the Cyanogemod logo showed up, took 2 minutes to load everything, and it asked me to choose the language...And my sadness started when I discovered my touch screen stopped working.
So, after crying on the corner like a little kid, I found a tutorial on how to go "restock", I guess that's what is called, rolling all the way back to 2.3.6, Which didn't take that long, everything good and dandy, when I discovered 2 major reasons why it didn't work for me.
1: The CF Root that I used, only works with P1000, not P1000L (at least is what some people in the cf thread said), and CF was the reason why my touch screen stopped working.
So I decided to go back and see if I missed something, and saw a small warning saying that I should at least have CM 10.2 before upgrading to CW 11 (the one for kitkat 4.4.4). And that led me to my second problem, find a ROOT and instal CWM mod and go to 10.2.
So I searched, and found demonlord V4 (I think that's it), root, and tried it...And boom. The Root failed, and I was like WTF?
And when I decided to check the root's log, it said that some folders were protected, read only files (Something that never happened before). So I decided to try another root, Kingo root, and to my surprise, ROOT Failed again.
Tried ADB, Qatbd, none of them seem to work.
How can I root my device again? Or at least remove the read only protection?

The same happened to me! I still working to make my root work again! Anybody that can help us?????!!!!!!!

Take kingo root app on ur pc and root ur phones
Sent from my SM-J500F using XDA Forums

Ummmmm,,,
I think that i can help u...
i am now rooting gt-p1000l with kingo root and i think it's working...
better try with that though
p.s. it is computer version. i already tried with apk and it didn't work

Unable to enter Custom Recovery, Galaxy Pro 10.1 SM-T520 .Help Please, dead Robot

Hi all,
I have been hammering away at this one, and putting it on the back-burner, but now, it is really getting to me. Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 SM-T520
It has been rooted with ODIN, and shows no problem, (things seem much easier now, as I have re-jigged lots of my old phones using so many more tools, I am not an expert, but can read and search without too much problems) I was very careful to choose the correct file, CF-Auto-Root-picassowifi-picassowifixx-smt520.zip, I have rechecked this step several times, as most of the instructions I found ODIN device ID:COM box should become yellow, when on newer versions it is blue I think, I wondered if I was going mad,
Root Checker Root access granted, all fine. I have Root access. n.
Installed CWM ,latest recovery for a Pro 10.1 wifi, recovery 6.0.3.1 Titanium backup-ed, all ready to go and Reboot and flash a new ROM.. No joy. .. Installed TWRP , same.
When it re-starts it ,shows the galaxy logo, flashes off, then back on, and then fails. Android dead with a red warning , standard recovery KOT49H.T520XXUANAE, all I can do is the usual options:apply update. The only thing I haven't tried is to just wipe all the data. I have a backup of my apps with Titanium Backup on the SD card,I am not that bothered really about much other data if its a pain. I just want control of my device and to try a new ,cleaner ROM(SMT520_GraveD_V3.0)
This has been bothering me for ages, I have read so many posts so am now getting really frustrated I have bought triangle away app. today although I think I sorted that issue early on anyway , but just in case...
Super SU seemed to have vanished so that is back installed
I think I searched and found the Mount/system issue and looked into an issue that lead me to the .system folder, but it is hidden, so I could not find the file it related to. I dont have the specifics to hand as I checked it out at work. I wondered if it is because I have ES file manager, not ASTRO as it said in some of the posts I found.but sure this is a red herring.
I have tried everything..I have a Mac at home and PC at work, I have tried ADB and can see &restart the device etc... so I am connected, first I got the error that it didn't recognise the sideload command. Read up on ADB , looked at the help etc. sideload isn't there as a command, very confusing. But I think I got there one I figured out paths, as of course they are different on a Mac, and possibly more so as I have 2 drives in it, which often confuses me ..grr.
I can of course get into the bootloader, with ON+VOL -, it tells me so far the system is : Official and Knox Warranty Void: 1 which I think is fine, but a chap at work suspected this, but after lots of threads I gather this is normal..
Sorry if long, just thought I should be as clear as possible. I have not really come across such an awkward issue as this , my HTC One was a breeze:crying:
*edit* Just worked out through trial and error, that to use the sideboot command I had to select send via ADB and now with the path /Desktop/SMT520_GraveD_V3.0.zip I was able to send the file but with the following messgae : E:footer is wrong and E:signature verification failed, twice.. So some progress
Thanks !

Just to say after being up waay too long on this, I discovered there is a newer firmware T520XXUANI1_T520BTUANI1_BTU which I may aswell upgrade to first, but of course I cannot do this OTA now As it recognises the device is 'tampered with' *sigh* so gun and games with Odin for Mac tonight, or JODIN3 , just to get the firmware upgrade(which seems to be a jungle of fake download links). before a Rom without bloatware..
I am also not completely clear why, as from another thread about KNOX, as I am basically running stock , without custom recovery.. According to this thread , but I am getting a bit confused now
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...neral/knox-warranty-void1-otas-t2996067/page2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
however this is another story from the ROM install. Apologies

Well. No replies, but I did eventually solve this. Hopefully this can help someone. I am a tinkerer, but I really nearly gave up on this..But this was a cheap second hand tablet ( my first) and I want to see what it can do before I test drive one on my mother who is having nightmares with every Windows laptop I give her!
Once I got to a PC , I had access to Odin3, although it is not available online (apparently to Mac) I could not get it to work due to Java issues (JOdin3 online - brilliant idea but no joy for me so far)
I had the Rom I wanted ( GraveDigger- SMT520_GraveD_V3.0.zip ), the firmware update (T520XXUAOD2_T520BTUAOB1_BTU.zip(i think)) and the unlock file (CF-Auto-Root-picassowifi-picassowifixx-smt520.zip) , non of which I could install in any way , due to being locked out of using a custom Rom bootloader!
At this point I factory reset and cleared the cache( as that is the only options in the basic bootloader!) I also has ADB on the PC so attempted to install the files this way (after messing about using some software to produce the .tar and .md5 files needed for Odin. I tried everything to get this into proper 'bootloader mode' all from scrach again, including trying the adb oem unlockbootloader command, which I would never get to work as I could not get there!
With Odin, I was also again able to flash the firmware update, eventually, and of course had to unlock again. I was curious if I could now use the OTA update, and could not. At some point, in repeating this process( as I think it hung up several times and needed a hard reboot) I had at this point fully wiped the device as I know that is another reason to have glitches and an unstable ROM later.
I think I then tried to check and although T520XXUAOD2 seems to still be the firmware, at some point I managed to get online ( I think some superuser app which I have had to try several may have notified me that KNOX was reset:laugh:When I go to About>Software update it said I had the latest update! Good news!
At this point I had installed both CWM and TWRP again , and thought I would try TWRP.I had tried CWM and the same problem, like a double flash of the Samsung Logo , so I know it had reset !!
THIS TIME I used TWRP ( I thought of trying CWM touch, but its either paid, or I would have to find and ABD the file over I guess) , I managed to re-apply the Root file, Root checker confirmed this , as it had throughout this ordeal!, although apart from ACCESS GRANTED I dont really know what the rest means..Anyway although picassowifi , was still in Device name on TWRP I chose an earlier recovery version to install.- twp-2.7.0.0-picassowifi.img. When I re-booted, I was able to get the TWRP recover image, and install the ROM, I cannot remember if I re-rooted as I was so elated.
I had a few , freezing moments, reinstalling most of my apps through Titanium Backup, I think I just tried to reinstall everything which of was unnecessary, after a hard reset, all seems fine. I checked and the TWRP recovery seems to have stuck. I am not entirely sure how to check about the firmware , but for now I feel this is progress.
Good Luck if anyone found this any use.
Just to add, when you search this ( and probably many other models) you seem to get so many sites, offering exactly the same unlock information, in exactly the same way, many of the downloads seem to take you to many weird and wonderful places. So I tended to look here for downloads if possible. But I had to join SamMobile (which seems a useful site for the firmware upgrade) and trawl all over and assume similarities between other Samsung devices to fully check I was not being an idiot. But this was very odd and I could not find any posts or other workarounds that I did not try. But this new ROM feels lovely and smooth so far, and I now want to look into this tablet further

Note 4 problems after marshmallow and tmobile update, am trying to root/problems

My note 4 was bought used, no warranty. When I bought it, it was rooted, but no custom rom, worked great. Once lollipop came out, I wiped and returned to non-root and was able to get the update through tmobile. Didn't bother rerooting as things were ok. Marshmallow udpate came, and I noticed a lot of screen lag. Less than a week ago, tmobile did some sort of update and now, the phone shuts off and restarts on it's own, has very slow screen response (nothing, and then tries to do the same function 10 times in a row, messaging is very slow, types the same words several times over). I did a factory re-set twice. Once, I reloaded all my favorite apps, etc. still bad, so then I did factory reset but did not add anything or bring in my contacts, etc. I am planning on buying the note 7 in a 3-4 months, but in the meantime, would like to continue to use my note 4. I tried doing the rooting method using odin, it appeared to work ok (got the successful notice), triggered the knox thing, but..when I use a root checker, it says phone is not rooted. I am hoping that by rooting and putting a new rom on there I can fix this thing in the interim. So..suggestions on what to do next? Let me know what additional information you need. Could it be the phone itself and not the software? Suggestions on a cheap interim phone? links to relevant threads also appreciated. Is there a better way to wipe everything and start new that I am did not do? I did a factory reset. I have two batteries, which I changed out intermittently to see if it as a bad battery. Android version 6.0.1, security patch level july 1, 2016 Kernel 3.10.40-7804088
Knox version 2.6

You need to give more information on what you did to root. What version is your phone, what files did you odin, and did you flash SuperSU?

more info
goosa23 said:
You need to give more information on what you did to root. What version is your phone, what files did you odin, and did you flash SuperSU?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No to supersu? it's sm N910t, I think what finally worked what odin 3.9 version and flashed the stock that is meant to go with this particular phone to downgrade it down to lollipop. The first few times, I got fail with Odin, but realized that I had marked the option on the phone to keep it from being wiped/flashed if someone found it, once I got that off, I got a successful message. I used the following link and did all of the things mentioned on a link that I am too newbie to be allowed to post, apparently.
but it goes with 3.7 odin, flash the stock firmware from the phone model, and get to the reset button, if successul and then supersu appears.
I got as far as step 8, with odin showing the green 'reset'. But when I went back to the phone, I did not have supersu.
I've tried to do it again, but I get 'fail'

Try out the toolkit that is in the forum. https://tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=...share_tid=2997946&share_fid=3793&share_type=t
[TOOLKIT] SKIPSOFT ANDROID TOOLKIT - GALAXY NOTE 4 - Drivers, Root, Recovery + MORE
Sent from my SM-N910T3 using XDA-Developers mobile app

The link takes me to a 404 page not found, is part of it missing?

send me the link by private message so i can see what you are doing?