[Q] Was rooted - took OTA - hanging at white Verizon logo screen

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scrowdid

New member
Feb 14, 2014
2
0
I was rooted and made the mistake of accepting the latest OTA update, which I assume was the new and devious 4.3. The update process seemed to work fine, but on reboot, phone is now freezing at the white Verizon logo screen.

My boot sequence looks like this: "SAMSUNG ([lock pic] Custom)" -> "SAMSUNG GALAXY S III" on black -> Swirly SAMSUNG logo on black -> Verizon animation on white -> HANG at indefinitely repeating few-frame loop animation of shining Verizon logo on white background.

I can get to Download mode - it looks like this:
ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SCH-I535
CUSTOM BINARY DOWNLOAD: Yes (2 counts)
CURRENT BINARY: Custom
SYSTEM STATUS: Custom
QUALCOMM SECUREBOOT: ENABLE

*NO* mention of Warranty Bit.
Does this mean I am still on 4.1.2 and not dreaded 4.3 Knox? I don't want to screw up and accidentally brick this thing.

Unfortunately I have crappy notes from my original rooting, so I don't know if I had a simple root or custom ROM or custom bootloader or what. I know I have CF-Auto-Root-d2vzw-d2vzw-schi535.tar.md5, VRBMB1_Bootchain.tar.md5, and VRALEC.bootchain.tar.md5 in my work folder, and I was only rooting so I could use SGS3 Easy UMS so I likely did whatever method was needed for that.

How can I get back to functional? Stock or custom, I don't care, but with all the bricking dangers I'm reading about after this new OTA update I just want to proceed extra carefully. Also I'd really like to not have to wipe the phone with a factory reset or anything like that.

Thanks for your help!
 

BadUsername

Senior Member
Mar 20, 2013
1,833
960
I was rooted and made the mistake of accepting the latest OTA update, which I assume was the new and devious 4.3. The update process seemed to work fine, but on reboot, phone is now freezing at the white Verizon logo screen.

My boot sequence looks like this: "SAMSUNG ([lock pic] Custom)" -> "SAMSUNG GALAXY S III" on black -> Swirly SAMSUNG logo on black -> Verizon animation on white -> HANG at indefinitely repeating few-frame loop animation of shining Verizon logo on white background.

I can get to Download mode - it looks like this:
ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SCH-I535
CUSTOM BINARY DOWNLOAD: Yes (2 counts)
CURRENT BINARY: Custom
SYSTEM STATUS: Custom
QUALCOMM SECUREBOOT: ENABLE

*NO* mention of Warranty Bit.
Does this mean I am still on 4.1.2 and not dreaded 4.3 Knox? I don't want to screw up and accidentally brick this thing.

Unfortunately I have crappy notes from my original rooting, so I don't know if I had a simple root or custom ROM or custom bootloader or what. I know I have CF-Auto-Root-d2vzw-d2vzw-schi535.tar.md5, VRBMB1_Bootchain.tar.md5, and VRALEC.bootchain.tar.md5 in my work folder, and I was only rooting so I could use SGS3 Easy UMS so I likely did whatever method was needed for that.

How can I get back to functional? Stock or custom, I don't care, but with all the bricking dangers I'm reading about after this new OTA update I just want to proceed extra carefully. Also I'd really like to not have to wipe the phone with a factory reset or anything like that.

Thanks for your help!

You got lucky. For some reason your boot chain didn't flash so it's still unlockable.

You need to flash this file in Odin:
http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=23134718111254196

Using section 5 of this guide:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1762709

Then root and unlock with casual:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2332825

Then download ez unlock 1.2 and verify it's unlocked.

Then you're good to go again. Install a custom rom and never accept an Ota again.

As far as wiping your phone goes, you can't really do much about that, this is pretty much a last resort.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
 

buhohitr

Senior Member
Nov 30, 2011
5,966
1,821
It's a nice write up Badusername..:good:
I just want to add that if you want to keep stock rooted, just make sure you disabled OTA. Like Badusername mentioned if you decided to flash custom rom then you don't have to worry about OTA.
 

SlimSnoopOS

Senior Member
Jan 29, 2011
8,052
3,348
If that's everything in download mode, then you are still on 4.1.2. If you want to try retaining your /sdcard data, then you could try Odin flashing the no-wipe VRBMB1 image.

If you would like to start clean and wipe away /sdcard, then Odin flash this VRBMF1 4.1.2 stock image. You would need to root and unlock in both cases. DO NOT accept the 4.3 OTA in either case.

Edit: ninja'd lmao...badly
 

scrowdid

New member
Feb 14, 2014
2
0
Thanks! I am operational again with the No-Wipe flash. Whew!

Unfortunately, it looks like I lost all my text messages though. That was one of the main things I had been hoping to preserve, to keep a record of some conversations. Unless there's something I'm missing and they might still be lurking somewhere?

My photos survived and it looks like apart from a few settings it's mostly unwiped. Cool! Glad I didn't ruin it. Now I can try a custom 4.3 or something else if I want, but for now I'm just glad to have it working again.
 

blueblur

Senior Member
Jun 14, 2010
161
14
Washington, D.C.
This happened to me after flashing VZW-I535VRUCML1-20131220083128 instentionally to return back to stock.

after flashing with odin in PDA mode, the samsung 'custom' screen came on then the loop on the white logo.
 

SlimSnoopOS

Senior Member
Jan 29, 2011
8,052
3,348
This happened to me after flashing VZW-I535VRUCML1-20131220083128 instentionally to return back to stock.

after flashing with odin in PDA mode, the samsung 'custom' screen came on then the loop on the white logo.

Did you boot into recovery and do a factory reset?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4
 
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SlimSnoopOS

Senior Member
Jan 29, 2011
8,052
3,348
When? Before flashing stock? No. After? No, but if I can get into recovery, I will.

edit:::

went into recovery after flashing odin image, that did the trick. thank you.

still showing 'custom' when starting up

No problem. Idk why custom would be there unless you tried flashing something pre-4.3 in Odin beforehand? Odin flashing the VRUCML1 tar would wipe everything else off the phone in terms of rom and root. It doesn't affect anything unless you plan on doing a warranty replacement.
 

blueblur

Senior Member
Jun 14, 2010
161
14
Washington, D.C.
No problem. Idk why custom would be there unless you tried flashing something pre-4.3 in Odin beforehand? Odin flashing the VRUCML1 tar would wipe everything else off the phone in terms of rom and root. It doesn't affect anything unless you plan on doing a warranty replacement.

I was trading it in to verizon for the note 3. i'm good to go now. thanks for your help!
 

ShapesBlue

Senior Member
May 9, 2012
7,904
1,718
Thanks! I am operational again with the No-Wipe flash. Whew!

Unfortunately, it looks like I lost all my text messages though. That was one of the main things I had been hoping to preserve, to keep a record of some conversations. Unless there's something I'm missing and they might still be lurking somewhere?

My photos survived and it looks like apart from a few settings it's mostly unwiped. Cool! Glad I didn't ruin it. Now I can try a custom 4.3 or something else if I want, but for now I'm just glad to have it working again.

Just a suggestion. I use an app in the play store called sms backup plus. It backs up your texts to your email.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zegoggles.smssync

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
 

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  • 3
    I was rooted and made the mistake of accepting the latest OTA update, which I assume was the new and devious 4.3. The update process seemed to work fine, but on reboot, phone is now freezing at the white Verizon logo screen.

    My boot sequence looks like this: "SAMSUNG ([lock pic] Custom)" -> "SAMSUNG GALAXY S III" on black -> Swirly SAMSUNG logo on black -> Verizon animation on white -> HANG at indefinitely repeating few-frame loop animation of shining Verizon logo on white background.

    I can get to Download mode - it looks like this:
    ODIN MODE
    PRODUCT NAME: SCH-I535
    CUSTOM BINARY DOWNLOAD: Yes (2 counts)
    CURRENT BINARY: Custom
    SYSTEM STATUS: Custom
    QUALCOMM SECUREBOOT: ENABLE

    *NO* mention of Warranty Bit.
    Does this mean I am still on 4.1.2 and not dreaded 4.3 Knox? I don't want to screw up and accidentally brick this thing.

    Unfortunately I have crappy notes from my original rooting, so I don't know if I had a simple root or custom ROM or custom bootloader or what. I know I have CF-Auto-Root-d2vzw-d2vzw-schi535.tar.md5, VRBMB1_Bootchain.tar.md5, and VRALEC.bootchain.tar.md5 in my work folder, and I was only rooting so I could use SGS3 Easy UMS so I likely did whatever method was needed for that.

    How can I get back to functional? Stock or custom, I don't care, but with all the bricking dangers I'm reading about after this new OTA update I just want to proceed extra carefully. Also I'd really like to not have to wipe the phone with a factory reset or anything like that.

    Thanks for your help!

    You got lucky. For some reason your boot chain didn't flash so it's still unlockable.

    You need to flash this file in Odin:
    http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=23134718111254196

    Using section 5 of this guide:
    http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1762709

    Then root and unlock with casual:
    http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2332825

    Then download ez unlock 1.2 and verify it's unlocked.

    Then you're good to go again. Install a custom rom and never accept an Ota again.

    As far as wiping your phone goes, you can't really do much about that, this is pretty much a last resort.

    Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
    3
    It's a nice write up Badusername..:good:
    I just want to add that if you want to keep stock rooted, just make sure you disabled OTA. Like Badusername mentioned if you decided to flash custom rom then you don't have to worry about OTA.
    2
    If that's everything in download mode, then you are still on 4.1.2. If you want to try retaining your /sdcard data, then you could try Odin flashing the no-wipe VRBMB1 image.

    If you would like to start clean and wipe away /sdcard, then Odin flash this VRBMF1 4.1.2 stock image. You would need to root and unlock in both cases. DO NOT accept the 4.3 OTA in either case.

    Edit: ninja'd lmao...badly
    1
    This happened to me after flashing VZW-I535VRUCML1-20131220083128 instentionally to return back to stock.

    after flashing with odin in PDA mode, the samsung 'custom' screen came on then the loop on the white logo.

    Did you boot into recovery and do a factory reset?

    Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4
    1
    Did you boot into recovery and do a factory reset?

    Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4

    When? Before flashing stock? No. After? No, but if I can get into recovery, I will.



    edit:::


    went into recovery after flashing odin image, that did the trick. thank you.



    still showing 'custom' when starting up