[Q] Afraid to flash. Don't want to brick.

Pat E. · Jun 25, 2014

I bought my Verizon GS3 in January of 2013. I rooted it shortly therafter I Think with CWM. When I start the phone it first shows Samsung Custom with an open lock then the Galaxy S III logo. I unrooted using Voodoo OTA rootkeeper to get the 4.3 update and it lost root. I used saferoot to re-establish root access, I also ran some OTA update in April to NC1 using the same procedure and was able to re-root. When 4.4 OTA became available last week, I again temporarily unrooted and ran the update which failed with error 402. I then for some stupid reason unrooted with universal unroot which stated root was gone permanently. I ran the OTA update again and it failed again with error 402. What is wierd is that Titanium backup pro is still performing successful backups while rootchecker is reporting that there is no root access. I've tried running saferoot again but there is no adb access so it doesn't see the phone. I am able to transfer files using a mac or windows but when I try to run saferoot it's reporting the phone is unplugged.

I'd like to just wipe the phone and install a custom, rooted ROM with 4.4 but have the ability to return to stock if I need to. Hopefully I won't be stuck in my present situation running 4.3 with no ability to change. What do I need to do next?

Pat E. · Jun 25, 2014

Update:
I used towelroot to at least regain root access. Will Triangle Away reset then ROM counter and make it possible to accept the OTA 4.4 update?

jcbjoe · Jun 25, 2014

Pat E. said:
Update:
I used towelroot to at least regain root access. Will Triangle Away reset then ROM counter and make it possible to accept the OTA 4.4 update?

Congrats on purchase ..

We need a little bit more info

Go to settings > about phone

1. What is your baseband version

2. What is your build number

3. Turn your device off and hold down power + volume down and home at the same time / Once done press volume up

4. What all does that say

5. Paste all that here and we can tell you what to do

Thanks

Pat E. · Jun 26, 2014

Baseband Version I535VRUCNC1
Build # JSS15J.I535VRUCNC1

In download mode:

Odin Mode:
Product Name SCH-I535
Custom Binary Download: Yes (1 counts)
Current Binary: Custom
System Status: Custom
Qualcomm Secureboot: Enable
Warranty Bit: 0
Bootloader AP SWREV: 1

and below the green android guy
Downloading...
Do not turn off target

jcbjoe · Jun 26, 2014

NC1

Pat E. said:
Baseband Version I535VRUCNC1
Build # JSS15J.I535VRUCNC1

In download mode:

Odin Mode:
Product Name SCH-I535
Custom Binary Download: Yes (1 counts)
Current Binary: Custom
System Status: Custom
Qualcomm Secureboot: Enable
Warranty Bit: 0
Bootloader AP SWREV: 1

and below the green android guy
Downloading...
Do not turn off target

Hello Pat

So your boot loader is locked because of VRUCNC1

Read - http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2639337

You can only use safestrap now to flash custom Touchwiz 4.3 roms now

You need to download the ML1 to flash in odin

ML http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2589314

ODIN - http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2586319

After you flash in odin you have to boot back to your rom then use towelroot to root your device

http://towelroot.com/

After you root then you want to run safestrap

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2605648

Good video on how to use safestrap - Good Video for any one using safestrap a good feel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQbTF7yTJSk

Thanks

Pat E. · Jun 26, 2014

That's what I was afraid of. Oh well. This is still an awesome phone just the way it is. I can put up with it until my next upgrade in January. Maybe somebody will come out with a way of putting 4,42 on this phone.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA Free mobile app

jcbjoe · Jun 26, 2014

Pat E. said:
That's what I was afraid of. Oh well. This is still an awesome phone just the way it is. I can put up with it until my next upgrade in January. Maybe somebody will come out with a way of putting 4,42 on this phone.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA Free mobile app

Hopefully somebody will unlock the boot loader so we can truly load custom roms

Thanks

landshark68 · Jun 26, 2014

jcbjoe said:
Hopefully somebody will unlock the boot loader so we can truly load custom roms

Thanks

Not going to happen

Sent from the Shark Tank using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Wh1t3Rose · Jun 26, 2014

landshark68 said:
Not going to happen

Sent from the Shark Tank using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

I bet Geohot could. That guy is a beast. After what he did with the PS3 I don't doubt him anymore

if you don't know he is the creator of Towelroot

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

landshark68 · Jun 26, 2014

Sandman-007 said:
I bet Geohot could. That guy is a beast. After what he did with the PS3 I don't doubt him anymore if you don't know he is the creator of Towelroot

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

I know about Geohot and towelroot, I follow almost everything in the GS3 and GS5 forums. Not denying his obvious skill. But consider that the GS3, GS4, and GS5 are all locked down in the same way, and the GS4 has been locked down for over a year despite an ongoing bounty thread and several devs trying to unlock it.

Sent from the Shark Tank using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

aarontsuru · Jun 26, 2014

Pat E. said:
I then for some stupid reason unrooted with universal unroot which stated root was gone permanently. I ran the OTA update again and it failed again with error 402. What is wierd is that Titanium backup pro is still performing successful backups while rootchecker is reporting that there is no root access.

I unrooted with Universal Unroot and had the exact same issue. Rootchecker said it was unrooted, but TiBu still had root access and the custom lock still appeared.

I then got the famous 402 failure on the update.

I'm still on 4.1.2, so now I'm wondering if I can unroot with Voodoo OTA rootkeeper and take all the updates?? And just re-root with towelroot once I'm on 4.4?

Pat E. · Jun 26, 2014

aarontsuru said:
I unrooted iwth Universal Unroot and had the exact same issue. Rootchecker said it was unrooted, but TiBu still had root access and the custom lock still appeared.

I then got the famous 402 failure on the update.

I'm still on 4.1.2, so now I'm wondering if I can unroot with Voodoo OTA rootkeeper and take all the updates??

You might be better off installing a custom ROM. I locked my Bootloader with the NC1 Update and no longer have that option. Post your phone's info like my info above and a resident expert will advise you what's best.

Wh1t3Rose · Jun 26, 2014

aarontsuru said:
I unrooted iwth Universal Unroot and had the exact same issue. Rootchecker said it was unrooted, but TiBu still had root access and the custom lock still appeared.

I then got the famous 402 failure on the update.

I'm still on 4.1.2, so now I'm wondering if I can unroot with Voodoo OTA rootkeeper and take all the updates??

Just so you know any root app on your phone will still think it has root access until
you go into your superuser app and tell it to forget your root apps. You really did unroot properly. You can trust Root Checker.

Also the custom lock still appears because you have not reset your custom binary. Use triangle away to rest that and the custom lock icon will go away. You must have root access to use triangle way.

So Reroot. Use triangle away to rest your flash counter. Reboot. Tell SuperUser to forget it's apps. Unroot.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

aarontsuru · Jun 26, 2014

Sandman-007 said:
Just so you know any root app on your phone will still think it has root access until
you go into your superuser app and tell it to forget your root apps. You really did unroot properly. You can trust Root Checker.

Also the custom lock still appears because you have not reset your custom binary. Use triangle away to rest that and the custom lock icon will go away. You must have root access to use triangle way.

So Reroot. Use triangle away to rest your flash counter. Reboot. Tell SuperUser to forget it's apps. Unroot.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Thanks so much, I'll certainly give it a go. I've never flashed though and I've read that triangle away doesn't fix the custom lock button. I'm on the last few months on this phone, don't mind getting locked down.

---------- Post added at 05:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:53 PM ----------

Sandman-007 said:
Just so you know any root app on your phone will still think it has root access until
you go into your superuser app and tell it to forget your root apps. You really did unroot properly. You can trust Root Checker.

Also the custom lock still appears because you have not reset your custom binary. Use triangle away to rest that and the custom lock icon will go away. You must have root access to use triangle way.

So Reroot. Use triangle away to rest your flash counter. Reboot. Tell SuperUser to forget it's apps. Unroot.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Well, triangle away took care of the custom lock icon, but same 402 failure on the update again. Not sure what it is.... I'll try to post some phone info tonight.

---------- Post added at 05:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:27 PM ----------

Pat E. said:
You might be better off installing a custom ROM. I locked my Bootloader with the NC1 Update and no longer have that option. Post your phone's info like my info above and a resident expert will advise you what's best.

Had some time before I leave work:

baseband version
I535VRBMF1

build number
JZO54K.I535VRBMF1

Odin Mode
Product: SCH-I535
Custom Binary Download: No
Current Binary: Samsung Official
System Status: Official
Qualcomm Secureboot: Enable

Wh1t3Rose · Jun 26, 2014

aarontsuru said:
Thanks so much, I'll certainly give it a go. I've never flashed though and I've read that triangle away doesn't fix the custom lock button. I'm on the last few months on this phone, don't mind getting locked down.

---------- Post added at 05:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:53 PM ----------

Well, triangle away took care of the custom lock icon, but same 402 failure on the update again. Not sure what it is.... I'll try to post some phone info tonight.

---------- Post added at 05:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:27 PM ----------

Had some time before I leave work:

baseband version
I535VRBMF1

build number
JZO54K.I535VRBMF1

Odin Mode
Product: SCH-I535
Custom Binary Download: No
Current Binary: Samsung Official
System Status: Official
Qualcomm Secureboot: Enable

Go to /data/fota. The update file and a log should be in that folder. Post the log here

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

aarontsuru · Jun 26, 2014

Sandman-007 said:
Go to /etc/fota. The update file and a log should be in that folder. Post the log here

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Where is /etc/fota?

Wh1t3Rose · Jun 26, 2014

aarontsuru said:
Where is /etc/fota?

Sorry I meant /data/fota. You must use a root file explorer to go to the root of your device
Please do not copy the log in a post. Use pastebin

Like this

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

aarontsuru · Jun 26, 2014

Sandman-007 said:
Sorry I meant /data/fota. You must use a root file explorer to go to the root of your device
Like this

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

it's empty.
no log file.

Wh1t3Rose · Jun 26, 2014

aarontsuru said:
it's empty.
no log file.

The data/fota folder is empty??? Not even an update file?

You do have root access right? Granted the app root?

Run the update again. Wait for it to error out. Check for log again.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

aarontsuru · Jun 26, 2014

Sandman-007 said:
The data/fota folder is empty??? Not even an update file?

You do have root access right? Granted the app root?

Run the update again. Wait for it to error out. Check for log again.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Okay, will do it when I get home...

[Q] Afraid to flash. Don't want to brick.

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