Can I downgrade from 4.3 to 4.2.2?

[thejellydude]

Hi guys. I recently got an S4 active off of craigslist, but it has 4.3 so I can't root and unlock it! Is it possible to downgrade back to 4.2.2? If so, could someone point me to a guide? I'm really worried about accidentally bricking this or something, since there doesn't seem to be much online about the S4 Active. Thanks guys.

 

[thelegendary4801]

Hi guys. I recently got an S4 active off of craigslist, but it has 4.3 so I can't root and unlock it! Is it possible to downgrade back to 4.2.2? If so, could someone point me to a guide? I'm really worried about accidentally bricking this or something, since there doesn't seem to be much online about the S4 Active. Thanks guys.

I wouldn't try it. Pretty much, since you're already on 4.3, you're pretty much stuck there.

 

[thejellydude]

I wouldn't try it. Pretty much, since you're already on 4.3, you're pretty much stuck there.

So I guess I should just wait around, and hope that a new root/unlock comes out? I've used Odin to downgrade my S3, but I don't know if it's as safe on an S4 Active.

 

[popfan]

So I guess I should just wait around, and hope that a new root/unlock comes out? I've used Odin to downgrade my S3, but I don't know if it's as safe on an S4 Active.

If 4.3 upgrade is anything like the previous upgrade experience I had - they locked the phone to the 4.3 version

 

[thelegendary4801]

So I guess I should just wait around, and hope that a new root/unlock comes out? I've used Odin to downgrade my S3, but I don't know if it's as safe on an S4 Active.

If 4.3 upgrade is anything like the previous upgrade experience I had - they locked the phone to the 4.3 version

Yepp, I would just wait, although it's not guaranteed. This phone is so heavily locked down it's ridiculous.

 

[thejellydude]

That's a huge disappointment. I even had the guy I bought it from try and get an unlock code, but AT&T won't give one to him. Hopefully something works out.

 

[Devo7v]

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but what would be the harm in trying to flash the MF1 pre-release? From everything I read if it's not going to work then the installer will just fail to install anything and shouldn't brick your device. If something does go wrong and it messes up your device, we now have the Odin package to get back to ML2. As a last resort you could always go to Best Buy and try to get them to reflash the device to MF3.

I know that people were able to flash between MI2 (4.3) and MF1 (4.2.2) no problem, they were even able to obtain root on MI2 so maybe there's a way to downgrade from ML2 to MI2 to MF1. I have no idea if it would work, and odds are it won't but it seems like it's worth a try.

 

[thelegendary4801]

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but what would be the harm in trying to flash the MF1 pre-release? From everything I read if it's not going to work then the installer will just fail to install anything and shouldn't brick your device. If something does go wrong and it messes up your device, we now have the Odin package to get back to ML2. As a last resort you could always go to Best Buy and try to get them to reflash the device to MF3.

I know that people were able to flash between MI2 (4.3) and MF1 (4.2.2) no problem, they were even able to obtain root on MI2 so maybe there's a way to downgrade from ML2 to MI2 to MF1. I have no idea if it would work, and odds are it won't but it seems like it's worth a try.

It all has to do with the bootloader. I've bricked my note 2 trying to downgrade. Sometimes it would fail, others it would proceed with the flash and fail afterwards. The phone wouldn't boot up, I've tried many things to get it back working with no success. So I then got this phone and I'm not even going to attempt to downgrade. Up to you, though.

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