[Q] Please help w/ getting back to stock.

mgftp · Jun 2, 2014

I don't want this post to be too long but I need some help here, let me sum it up.

I purchased a secondhand Note3 off Ebay to replace my Note2. I got it an it appears to me that it's been "modified", I see this SafeStrap thing at startup and a SuperSU App. Once I saw this I decided to hold off on putting my sim card in and have just been using it on wifi. I used the "RootChecker" app to see if it's rooted and it tells me yes. System info tells me the phone is running 4.3. I know not much of this rooting, flashing, roms, kernel scene. So:

- My goal is to get this phone back to stock setting, no SafeStrap or root of any kind if it's there, so the phone operates and is just as it would be if purchased new from Verizon. What is the easiest way to go about doing this?

From there I might actually think of trying my hand at rooting this thing since it's a secondhand device, but I first want to eliminate any modifications made to the phone by the previous owner, and if I do root I want to start from ground zero and do it myself.

I apologize for my ignorance in this but could really use the help and hopefully learn more about this world along the way since it seems everyone who roots swears by it, I must be missing something but for now my objective is a clean slate with this device

Thanks in advance.

airmaxx23 · Jun 2, 2014

mgftp said:
I don't want this post to be too long but I need some help here, let me sum it up.

I purchased a secondhand Note3 off Ebay to replace my Note2. I got it an it appears to me that it's been "modified", I see this SafeStrap thing at startup and a SuperSU App. Once I saw this I decided to hold off on putting my sim card in and have just been using it on wifi. I used the "RootChecker" app to see if it's rooted and it tells me yes. System info tells me the phone is running 4.3. I know not much of this rooting, flashing, roms, kernel scene. So:

- My goal is to get this phone back to stock setting, no SafeStrap or root of any kind if it's there, so the phone operates and is just as it would be if purchased new from Verizon. What is the easiest way to go about doing this?

From there I might actually think of trying my hand at rooting this thing since it's a secondhand device, but I first want to eliminate any modifications made to the phone by the previous owner, and if I do root I want to start from ground zero and do it myself.

I apologize for my ignorance in this but could really use the help and hopefully learn more about this world along the way since it seems everyone who roots swears by it, I must be missing something but for now my objective is a clean slate with this device

Thanks in advance.

You're basically going to use Oding to flash the MJE software. Everything you need for instructions and files can be found HERE.

mgftp · Jun 2, 2014

airmaxx23 said:
You're basically going to use Oding to flash the MJE software. Everything you need for instructions and files can be found HERE.

Thanks so much. Following this will remove safestrap, unroot, and basically undo any changes made to the phone and bring it back to 4.3 out of the box from Verizon status? If so, I'll give this a go tomorrow.

airmaxx23 · Jun 2, 2014

mgftp said:
Thanks so much. Following this will remove safestrap, unroot, and basically undo any changes made to the phone and bring it back to 4.3 out of the box from Verizon status? If so, I'll give this a go tomorrow.

Yes it will.

LeftyGR · Jun 2, 2014

And since you're new to this, even tho it is a straight - forward procedure, read and make sure you understand what you are doing before proceeding. Ask additional questions if necessary. And let us know how it goes!

《 #VerizonLovesYou 》

mgftp · Jun 2, 2014

airmaxx23 said:
Yes it will.

LeftyGR said:
And since you're new to this, even tho it is a straight - forward procedure, read and make sure you understand what you are doing before proceeding. Ask additional questions if necessary. And let us know how it goes!

《 #VerizonLovesYou 》

Thanks guys, hopefully I can find some time tomorrow to tackle this.

One question just reading through the guide quickly, for step 2, downloading the stock image, I assume I want 4.3 for retail? IF so, I see 3 options: Official VRUBMJE 4.3, Official VRUBMJ7 4.3, and Official VRUBMI9 4.3. Does it matter which one? I am assuming they are just different releases of 4.3 but not sure, or if I could pick one that would work better than another.

I'll copy and paste the info below if you don't know off-hand what I am referring to.

Thanks again! :good:

Section 1: How to return to Stock Android 4.3 and recover from a Soft Brick.

Take Note If your Retail Locked N3 took the OTA update, you can not revert back to older firmware. Verizon now has Samsung blacklist the older firmwares bootloader after each update. If you try and flash older firmware the device will softbrick.

Step 1: Download and install Odin to a Windows based PC- http://xdaforums.com/show....php?t=2189539

Step 2: Download a stock Odin image and Pit file to the PC. If Odin does not recognize the file then extract it with a program such as 7zip.

RETAIL Locked N3 Restore Files

Official VRUCNC4 4.4.2- http://samsung-updates.com/details/2...0VVRUCNC4.html(Only use this if you took the OTA or do not mind being stuck on stock...there is currently no root method available yet!)

Official VRUBMJE 4.3- http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=23269279319196106(Retail locked N3 only)

Official VRUBMJ7 4.3- http://d-h.st/IEW(Retail Locked N3 ONLY)

Official VRUBMI9 4.3- https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B26p...LWs/edit?pli=1(Retail Locked N3 ONLY)

Developer Edition N3 Restore Files

DE_VRUBMJE 4.3-http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=23269279319196402

-------------

HLTE_32gb.PitFile- http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=23159073880936457(works for bothe DE and Retail devices)

Step 3: Power device off, hold the volume down/home/power keys until you see a yellow triangle, then press the volume up key to access "odin or download mode".

Step 4: Open Odin and connect the oem usb cable from pc to device. The driver should automatically install( it did for me on windows 7 64bit). There should also be a "comport number" in upper left hand corner of Odin indicating communication between the pc & device.

*If the drivers do not automatically install, then manually install the drivers in link and proceed to the next step. http://xdaforums.com/show....php?t=2038555

Step 5: Click on the Pit function of Odin and select Pit file you downloaded in Step:2.

Step 6: Click on the AP/PDA(depends on Odin version) function of Odin. Select the stock 4.3 image you downloaded in step 2, then select start. This operation should take less than 8 minutes before Odin will say pass/reset.

Step 7: Your device should boot back up into factory stock 4.3 Android! However, these stock Odin files do not wipe data. To wipe data, power the device off, press and hold the volume up/home/power buttons until the samsung logo appears. The device will boot into recovery and from there you will need to wipe data/factory reset, then reboot.

LeftyGR · Jun 2, 2014

The mje should do fime. It's the latest jb stock firmware. Once you boot up into that, your phone should promt you to accept the new kk update.
I know you do not want or care about root, but I'll say this anyways. Once you've accepted the new ota update, there's no way to root and there's no way to get back to jb. Like I said, probably not a concern of yours... just throwing it out there.

《 #VerizonLovesYou 》

mgftp · Jun 3, 2014

Hey guys, in the process to this and stuck at these steps:

Step 5: Click on the Pit function of Odin and select Pit file you downloaded in Step:2.

Step 6: Click on the AP/PDA(depends on Odin version) function of Odin. Select the stock 4.3 image you downloaded in step 2, then select start. This operation should take less than 8 minutes before Odin will say pass/reset.

Following step 2 gave me one file, which I believe is the 4.3 image ( the file is 1.28GB). What exactly is the Pit file I am missing and how do I get it?

Thanks

mike7728 · Jun 3, 2014

u shouldnt need it. I think its a fix for a bootloop. I've returned my note 3 to stock many of times and havent had the use for a pit file

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

mgftp · Jun 3, 2014

mike7728 said:
u shouldnt need it. I think its a fix for a bootloop. I've returned my note 3 to stock many of times and havent had the use for a pit file

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

So essentially I just skip step 5 in that guide and proceed?

Thanks for the response.

LeftyGR · Jun 3, 2014

mgftp said:
So essentially I just skip step 5 in that guide and proceed?

Thanks for the response.

Correct. The pit file is really only needed to fully wipe and reparation the phone.

《 #VerizonLovesYou 》

mgftp · Jun 3, 2014

Thanks guys, giving this a go now... will report back.

mgftp · Jun 4, 2014

Another hangup, clicking on AP in Odin it doesn't seem to recognize the image file I downloaded. It seems to be looking for .tar, .md5, .smd, .gz, and .tgz . The file I got from the guide is .7z

Am I doing something wrong?

ouch1976 · Jun 4, 2014

mgftp said:
Another hangup, clicking on AP in Odin it doesn't seem to recognize the image file I downloaded. It seems to be looking for .tar, .md5, .smd, .gz, and .tgz . The file I got from the guide is .7z

Am I doing something wrong?

You need to download a program called 7zip and use that to extract the md5.

mgftp · Jun 4, 2014

ouch1976 said:
You need to download a program called 7zip and use that to extract the md5.

Thanks!

-

Now how do I know if Odin is working? It doesn't seem to be doing anything that I can tell. Last message is "D:0/004> Odin v.3 engine (ID:4)..

mgftp · Jun 4, 2014

mgftp said:
Thanks!

-

Now how do I know if Odin is working? It doesn't seem to be doing anything that I can tell. Last message is "D:0/004> Odin v.3 engine (ID:4)..

So 30min later no change, I feel as if it's frozen but scared to power down phone or try to exit application :/

ouch1976 · Jun 4, 2014

mgftp said:
Thanks!

-

Now how do I know if Odin is working? It doesn't seem to be doing anything that I can tell. Last message is "D:0/004> Odin v.3 engine (ID:4)..

Sounds like you're all set to go. Just add the md5 to the PDA section and click start.

LeftyGR · Jun 4, 2014

mgftp said:
So 30min later no change, I feel as if it's frozen but scared to power down phone or try to exit application :/

Across the top of odin, there's a series of boxes. Are any not blank?

《 #VerizonLovesYou 》

mgftp · Jun 4, 2014

ouch1976 said:
Sounds like you're all set to go. Just add the md5 to the PDA section and click start.

I clicked start and I am 99% sure it's frozen, I don't see anything that would indicate that it's working and it's nearly 1 hour later.

Is it safe to try and power down the phone and/or exit Odin and try again or could that screw something up?

ouch1976 · Jun 4, 2014

mgftp said:
I clicked start and I am 99% sure it's frozen, I don't see anything that would indicate that it's working and it's nearly 1 hour later.

Is it safe to try and power down the phone and/or exit Odin and try again or could that screw something up?

If you haven't run anything then you're safe to reboot it.

[Q] Please help w/ getting back to stock.

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