[Q] What are my options with MF3

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ccsoccer23

Member
Sep 20, 2010
26
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I tried to do some searching but couldn't really find what I wanted, so I'm hoping someone can help answer my questions.

1) Is there any point on staying with MF3? Is it recommended I upgrade to another version, as long as SS works with it?

2) What version should I upgrade to? So far, I haven't cared about Roms on my S4, but I like the idea that I can always flash a rom, if wanted.

3) What is the recommended path to upgrading so that I can keep all my data? I saw through some posts that upgrading through update.zip would help secure my data. Are there any concerns with that method?

4) Just expanding on the first question, but will I lose anything from upgrading other than the ability to downgrade or install older roms, or even Google Edition Roms?

What I currently have (that may of concern)
A) Safestrap installed (but only my default rom slot) - So nothing really done with SafeStrap. I did make a Nandroid Backup.
B) Xposed installed with several Xposed Modules (Wanam Xposed being one of them).
C) I have made changes to the Theme colors (mainly notifcation bar) and tweaked some of the Notification bar icons through the Wanam Xposed Module.

Thanks for your help!
 
jd1639

jd1639

Inactive Recognized Contributor
Sep 21, 2012
16,833
5,404
Minnesota
If I were on mf3. I'd upgrade to mk2 , root, and then install safestrap

Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
 
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ccsoccer23

Member
Sep 20, 2010
26
2
jd1639 said:
If I were on mf3. I'd upgrade to mk2 , root, and then install safestrap

Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Thanks for the quick reply. So can you confirm these are the proper steps to upgrade and not lose any data?

1) Un-install Safestrap.
2) Un-install Xposed Modules (is this necessary?)
3) Download and sideload mk2 update.zip from here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2573080
4) Boot in stock recovery and install update.zip
** Phone should now be updated to mk2.
5) See if Root SurvivalMode worked, if not root with Saferoot from here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2565758
6) Re-install safestrap
7) Enjoy updated GS4.

I assume having Safestrap installed and Xposed Modules has not affected any of my system files? Because I read that flashing the Unadultered MF3 first may be necessary. Do you think that would apply to my case based on the information I provided?
 
DeadlySin9

DeadlySin9

Senior Member
Sep 2, 2012
1,475
703
Google Pixel 8 Pro
ccsoccer23 said:
Thanks for the quick reply. So can you confirm these are the proper steps to upgrade and not lose any data?

1) Un-install Safestrap.
2) Un-install Xposed Modules (is this necessary?)
3) Download and sideload mk2 update.zip from here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2573080
4) Boot in stock recovery and install update.zip
** Phone should now be updated to mk2.
5) See if Root SurvivalMode worked, if not root with Saferoot from here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2565758
6) Re-install safestrap
7) Enjoy updated GS4.

I assume having Safestrap installed and Xposed Modules has not affected any of my system files? Because I read that flashing the Unadultered MF3 first may be necessary. Do you think that would apply to my case based on the information I provided?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

If you flash the unadulterated MF3 then you only have to uninstall Safestrap. Otherwise you do need to remove the xposed framework through the installer.

Sent from my SGH-I337 running GPE
 
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jmjoyas

Senior Member
Apr 5, 2013
529
210
ccsoccer23 said:
Thanks for the quick reply. So can you confirm these are the proper steps to upgrade and not lose any data?

1) Un-install Safestrap.
2) Un-install Xposed Modules (is this necessary?)
3) Download and sideload mk2 update.zip from here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2573080
4) Boot in stock recovery and install update.zip
** Phone should now be updated to mk2.
5) See if Root SurvivalMode worked, if not root with Saferoot from here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2565758
6) Re-install safestrap
7) Enjoy updated GS4.

I assume having Safestrap installed and Xposed Modules has not affected any of my system files? Because I read that flashing the Unadultered MF3 first may be necessary. Do you think that would apply to my case based on the information I provided?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

During the update, even files outside of /system are checked. For all the files checked, if it finds anything altered, the update will fail. You can try the update without reverting anything, it will do the validations first and fail if it finds anything modified. You can then start uninstalling stuff and retry.

Typically, its a hassle to undo everything to return back to stock (we might have forgotten all the changes that we did to the phone) and that's why it is recommended to flash stock firmware directly. You would lose data in that case.

If you think you need to flash stock, you can directly flash MK2.
 
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ccsoccer23

Member
Sep 20, 2010
26
2
jmjoyas said:
During the update, even files outside of /system are checked. For all the files checked, if it finds anything altered, the update will fail. You can try the update without reverting anything, it will do the validations first and fail if it finds anything modified. You can then start uninstalling stuff and retry.

Typically, its a hassle to undo everything to return back to stock (we might have forgotten all the changes that we did to the phone) and that's why it is recommended to flash stock firmware directly. You would lose data in that case.

If you think you need to flash stock, you can directly flash MK2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Updating this thread to say that the following steps did not result in me being on MK2:

3) Download and sideload mk2 update.zip from here: http://xdaforums.com/show....php?t=2573080
4) Boot in stock recovery and install update.zip
** Phone should now be updated to mk2.

It ended up keeping me on MF3 and resetting my Phone.. That was no fun. I ended up using ODIN and the MK2 Odin files to flash to MK2. Now I'm on MK2, but lost a lot of my stuff saved on my phone. I guess I didn't backup enough. Lesson learned.
 
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    jd1639
    jd1639
    If I were on mf3. I'd upgrade to mk2 , root, and then install safestrap

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
    View
    1
    DeadlySin9
    DeadlySin9
    ccsoccer23 said:
    Thanks for the quick reply. So can you confirm these are the proper steps to upgrade and not lose any data?

    1) Un-install Safestrap.
    2) Un-install Xposed Modules (is this necessary?)
    3) Download and sideload mk2 update.zip from here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2573080
    4) Boot in stock recovery and install update.zip
    ** Phone should now be updated to mk2.
    5) See if Root SurvivalMode worked, if not root with Saferoot from here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2565758
    6) Re-install safestrap
    7) Enjoy updated GS4.

    I assume having Safestrap installed and Xposed Modules has not affected any of my system files? Because I read that flashing the Unadultered MF3 first may be necessary. Do you think that would apply to my case based on the information I provided?
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    If you flash the unadulterated MF3 then you only have to uninstall Safestrap. Otherwise you do need to remove the xposed framework through the installer.

    Sent from my SGH-I337 running GPE
    View
    1
    J
    jmjoyas
    ccsoccer23 said:
    Thanks for the quick reply. So can you confirm these are the proper steps to upgrade and not lose any data?

    1) Un-install Safestrap.
    2) Un-install Xposed Modules (is this necessary?)
    3) Download and sideload mk2 update.zip from here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2573080
    4) Boot in stock recovery and install update.zip
    ** Phone should now be updated to mk2.
    5) See if Root SurvivalMode worked, if not root with Saferoot from here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2565758
    6) Re-install safestrap
    7) Enjoy updated GS4.

    I assume having Safestrap installed and Xposed Modules has not affected any of my system files? Because I read that flashing the Unadultered MF3 first may be necessary. Do you think that would apply to my case based on the information I provided?
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    During the update, even files outside of /system are checked. For all the files checked, if it finds anything altered, the update will fail. You can try the update without reverting anything, it will do the validations first and fail if it finds anything modified. You can then start uninstalling stuff and retry.

    Typically, its a hassle to undo everything to return back to stock (we might have forgotten all the changes that we did to the phone) and that's why it is recommended to flash stock firmware directly. You would lose data in that case.

    If you think you need to flash stock, you can directly flash MK2.
    View

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