NH3 to OC6 - Galaxy S 4 Active Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I'm still using NH3 but I'm interested in possibly converting over to OC6. The root for that software has been out for quite some time but are all the mods working properly? I haven't changed roms yet bc I like using xposed, call recording, LMT, etc.

Related

New to N3, quick questions regarding ATT and Root

Hey all, so Ive been lurking for a few weeks now about about to order a N3 thru ATT. Im actually coming from a Nexus 5 where things are very easy so bear with me. Just wanted to get clarity before I made a purchase
1. Not so much related to root but Im planning to get the phone, root it, and apply the Xposed modules, to see if I can live with Touchwiz. Im assuming (will need to confirm) that ATT would take back within 14 days if it doesnt go so well, assuming I dont trip warranty flags, etc. Anyone know their policy?
2. From my reading, to root this, I actually need to run a lower firmware. Is this still 4.3 or is it like 4.2.2?
3. The general process is to open device, keep off wifi, oneclick it, odin it, apply root. They to disable OTAs via Titanium Backup. Is this correct?
4. Does doing the above method trip any flags? I believe there are two, a KNOX one and a general Custom one
5. Similarly, if the answer is yes, are there methods to get it back.
6. Limitations of the root method above is that still no access to custom recoverys, so no ROMs, but the xposed framework should work just fine. Also TB cannot do restores? Anything else Im missing?
7. Last one, regarding the older firmware, any idea what is different between the rooted firmware and the 'now current' one? I mean besides probably added security to prevent root. Any actual bug fixes or features?
Sorry if most of these are obvious but appreciate the confirmation!
Thanks
1. You don't need to live with touchwiz - you can hack it up (there are modded versions with minor changes) or just replace it with Nova Launcher. Nova doesn't even need root....
2. No, this is not true. You can root via RDLV on MI9 firmware, or use Kingo root on later versions (however, there has been debate over whether kingo has malware). If you have MJ5 firmware, you cannot root via RDLV, at least not at the moment (and cannot downgrade). You can keep root with RDLV after upgrading by using supersu survival mode, according to others (I haven't tried this myself, since the update checks builtin apks and won't install if you've modified SecLauncher4.apk to customize touchwiz, so i'd have to revert that...)
3. No. See the RDLV thread, it's a bit more complicated. For kingo, I don't know anything about the process.
4. Makes it custom, but does not trigger Knox flag.
5. Custom can be undone by returning to stock. Knox is an e-fuse and can never be reset.
6. XPosed and TB work fine.
7. Was wondering the same thing myself.
Thanks. Regarding Touchwiz, as soon as the device is rooted I plan to put Nova Beta on there as well as Wanom for Xposed to more simulate the stock experience. Plus drop most of the stock Samsung apps in favor of Googles.
It sounds like a need to read up more on the firmware and root method. I suppose the RDLV was for an older firmware which, if Im buying the phone now, may no longer be possible
Is MI9 the default stock firmware the phone had been shipping with, or is it now shipping with MJ5? (or is MJ5 an OTA update only)?
Thanks!

AT&T Software Update V44_1_1402_3_2

I have rooted Kit Kat using the original method, and today while on wifi I saw the dreaded Software Update Downloading in my tasks. I quickly disabled my wifi and have had it off all day and it has kept the software update from downloading, since I'm paranoid to lose root. I have two Galaxy S4 Actives, both running the same exact Kit Kat exploit and they both had the same software update come up today. I've tried to disable the OTA but FOTA.apk isn't on the phone when I used a root file explorer to look in the System/App folder.
I can't seem to find anything on this update, it just came up on 7/2/14 around 1:00pm EST.
Is there a way to block OTA's on Kit Kat? I imagine it's different as no method I've found has worked.
I did find an APK to kill KNOX, which was popping up at least a dozen times a day to tell me about the "new security policies".
The phones work great as they are, I love having Kit Kat & Root, and don't want to lose it. Anyone have any ideas or anyone know anything about this update?
SebringTech said:
I have rooted Kit Kat using the original method, and today while on wifi I saw the dreaded Software Update Downloading in my tasks. I quickly disabled my wifi and have had it off all day and it has kept the software update from downloading, since I'm paranoid to lose root. I have two Galaxy S4 Actives, both running the same exact Kit Kat exploit and they both had the same software update come up today. I've tried to disable the OTA but FOTA.apk isn't on the phone when I used a root file explorer to look in the System/App folder.
I can't seem to find anything on this update, it just came up on 7/2/14 around 1:00pm EST.
Is there a way to block OTA's on Kit Kat? I imagine it's different as no method I've found has worked.
I did find an APK to kill KNOX, which was popping up at least a dozen times a day to tell me about the "new security policies".
The phones work great as they are, I love having Kit Kat & Root, and don't want to lose it. Anyone have any ideas or anyone know anything about this update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What firmware are you on? If you're on NC9, then it's probably the NE3 update which fixes the bugs in NC9. You can root NE3 very easily with towelroot. I suggest trying to take the update with one of your phones. Odds are that the update will fail to install anyways because you're rooted.
If you're already on NE3 and receiving an update, then I have no idea what it is. Either way the update will fail to install because you've modified system files, so you have nothing to worry about.
Okay I am on NC9. Would there be a noticeable benefit to go stock, take the NE3 update, then acquire root with towel root? I don't have any problems with my phone but my wife seems to have some issues with hers. Not sure what all the update addressed.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
SebringTech said:
Okay I am on NC9. Would there be a noticeable benefit to go stock, take the NE3 update, then acquire root with towel root? I don't have any problems with my phone but my wife seems to have some issues with hers. Not sure what all the update addressed.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately you can't just unroot and take the update. You have to go all the way back to stock by flashing the ML2 Odin package and then flash the OTA update. Flashing the Odin package will completely wipe the phone so I suggest backing up anything you want to save with Titanium Backup.
As for benefits, the NE3 update will probably fix some of the issues with your wife's phone and put her on the latest version, but functionally it should be the same as NC9. Samsung didn't add any additional features or functionality to the NE3 update, they just fixed all the bugs they created with the NC9 OTA. Rooting is super simple now with towelroot so you shouldn't consider that a deterrent.
If you want to try to fix some bugs then update to NE3, if you're perfectly happy with the way your phone is running now then you're not missing out on anything.
If you ever have questions about firmware and updates again, check the Firmware Thread first. I try to keep that updated as soon as I hear about new firmware.

[Q] How do you take an OTA after Root?

Ok so many of us have successfully rooted our devices and frozen update and renamed security files to avoid losing our root.
What are the proper steps for Dummies like me to accept the Lollipop OTA in December without losing my data?
Also now 4.4.4 is anounced with Bluetooth fixes that I have noticed while streaming
(My gut tells me keep update frozen until a flashable rooted 5.0.)
It was said in another thread NOT to take the 5.0 update until a root method for it has been established. If you wanna keep root, I'd wait. I'm still running stock rooted AND3 firmware/kernel. I'm looking to get the newest update up to today (I think ANG3 or something of that nature.) I'm just not taking updates yet so I can keep my root. I'm having problems with the phone freezing and restarting though so I'd like an update.
Sent from my "ROOTED" SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
NG3 is smooth
PS4AndroidHacker said:
It was said in another thread NOT to take the 5.0 update until a root method for it has been established. If you wanna keep root, I'd wait. I'm still running stock rooted AND3 firmware/kernel. I'm looking to get the newest update up to today (I think ANG3 or something of that nature.) I'm just not taking updates yet so I can keep my root. I'm having problems with the phone freezing and restarting though so I'd like an update.
Sent from my "ROOTED" SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am stock rooted with ANG3 pre-installed on my purchased S5. It runs smooth as silk if you use the method posted by muniz_ri in general. All I've done is turned off or frozen some bloatware and installed Chainfire SU 2.16.
My question was more geared towards the person who might want to go from rooted to the lastest OTA without losing data etc. I have been diving in pretty deep to the AT&T side of XDA since leaving sprint a week ago and I think the answer might have been posted by shortydoggg with the soft-bricked thread.
I was hoping someone might be able to tell me a non odin 3.09+ way to remove the freeze on my apps in the correct order to take the OTA without tripping KNOX if I wanted to do that knowing I might loose root.
I thought we might be able to follow muniz_ri and odin the one file back towelroot again after.
Basically I like stock always have, but I want root also for AdAway Titanium Backup Etc. and being a truck driver I wanted the 4.4.4 Bluetooth fix for Iheart radio.
UltraCon79 said:
I am stock rooted with ANG3 pre-installed on my purchased S5. It runs smooth as silk if you use the method posted by muniz_ri in general. All I've done is turned off or frozen some bloatware and installed Chainfire SU 2.16.
My question was more geared towards the person who might want to go from rooted to the lastest OTA without losing data etc. I have been diving in pretty deep to the AT&T side of XDA since leaving sprint a week ago and I think the answer might have been posted by shortydoggg with the soft-bricked thread.
I was hoping someone might be able to tell me a non odin 3.09+ way to remove the freeze on my apps in the correct order to take the OTA without tripping KNOX if I wanted to do that knowing I might loose root.
I thought we might be able to follow muniz_ri and odin the one file back towelroot again after.
Basically I like stock always have, but I want root also for AdAway Titanium Backup Etc. and being a truck driver I wanted the 4.4.4 Bluetooth fix for Iheart radio.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's hard to say what the best approach will be until the update arrives. In the case of 4.4.4, I'm rather confident that a somewhat simple method can be developed to take the update while keeping root. As for 5.0, I have some ideas none ideal but we'll see.
Is Android 4.4.4 for the AT&T version of the Galaxy S5 out? I have a Galaxy S5 AT&T phone but I don't have AT&T service. I am running Android 4.4.2 with build version ND3 is there something newer than this?
Updating to NG3
Het guys, so today I got ahold of Odin 3.09 and the NG3 update, I applied it through Odin in the AP slot and it DID NOT update my phone to NG3. My Baseband still says AND3 and kernel is 3.4.0-2178781
Tue Jul 22 13:58:46 KST 2014. Anybody have any options i can use without having to downgrade to NCE just to upgrade? LOL...Im kinda at a loss,Ive tried it in download mode twice now and no fu go.
Plz disregard my message. I'm good now and running rooted NG3.

[Q] S6 active root

Hey has anyone found a root method for the active (g890a) I've tried everything even CF Autoroot I can't find a darn thing anywhere.
no progress at all...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using XDA Free mobile app
So I'm seeing where @designgears has taken the most recent update OF3 and merged it with a previous version that is rooted (I'm way over simplifying because this is so beyond my pay grade).
OF3 is the same update the AT&T Active just received.
So would it be possible to Odin back to that previously rootable version, then apply designgears update? Assuming I don't care about Knox and warrant... Or would I just end up with a brick?
Im willing to try it if someone with more experience can outline the exact steps.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using XDA Free mobile app
A safer option might be to offer your phone to designgears, and have him work his magic. AoN
brobinson2102 said:
So I'm seeing where @designgears has taken the most recent update OF3 and merged it with a previous version that is rooted (I'm way over simplifying because this is so beyond my pay grade).
OF3 is the same update the AT&T Active just received.
So would it be possible to Odin back to that previously rootable version, then apply designgears update? Assuming I don't care about Knox and warrant... Or would I just end up with a brick?
Im willing to try it if someone with more experience can outline the exact steps.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have taken OF3 update I am pretty sure you can't odin back due to them patching the pingpong root expoit. You can try to flash just the OE2 kernel and try pingpong root as well. I am 99% sure that once you update to the OF3 bootloader you are stuck on OF3 without root.
If someone has the OTA of OF3 I can make the same flashable like I did with the S6.
I'm pretty sure the active shipped with an update kernel already regardless of OF3 or earlier. And the kernel patch is what blocked the ping pong root.
I have the active too and even before the update couldn't find anything on a valid root. But I also didn't try.
designgears said:
If you have taken OF3 update I am pretty sure you can't odin back due to them patching the pingpong root expoit. You can try to flash just the OE2 kernel and try pingpong root as well. I am 99% sure that once you update to the OF3 bootloader you are stuck on OF3 without root.
If someone has the OTA of OF3 I can make the same flashable like I did with the S6.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright, I've taken the OF3 OTA update already...it's a done deal. Do I have the OTA files laying around somewhere on my phone still?
And assuming you can make a flashable file from an OF3 OTA file, that would give me a safety net if I attempted to ODIN an early S6 OE2, yes?
So brick or not, I could test this hypothesis and get back to a stock unrooted pro ably with a blown Knox fuse?
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
Cheers.
b.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using XDA Free mobile app
brobinson2102 said:
Alright, I've taken the OF3 OTA update already...it's a done deal. Do I have the OTA files laying around somewhere on my phone still?
And assuming you can make a flashable file from an OF3 OTA file, that would give me a safety net if I attempted to ODIN an early S6 OE2, yes?
So brick or not, I could test this hypothesis and get back to a stock unrooted pro ably with a blown Knox fuse?
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
Cheers.
b.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The build numbers might be the same but there are extra things in the active rom that are not present in the s6 rom and vise versa. Also the s6 active did ship with the ping pong root exploit fixed....

Any chance of root for MM?

Or is the bootloader locked down to the point where that won't be possible?
I was looking in the XstreStoLite thread and asked about running this on the 920A and was told it would work. However, I don't think the person who responded is running the 920A (don't recall, too lazy to confirm).
I know I can disable bloat using PackageDisabler, but I really need some features of XTouchwiz and some of the other Xposed modules. I don't care if I trip Knox or not, although obviously not tripping it would be preferred.

Categories

Resources