OTA - Official MDL update zip

[DarqAnshin]

I am a complete noob at this too, although I successfully rooted my phone and got Titanium Backup and all that and thought I was rolling along nicely. Now I also downloaded Odin, which happens to not work for my S4. So how, or what, are you guys using or doing to flash ROMS?

I may be a complete noob but I do know that if you did the Odin Recovery it isn't the easiest thing to step into (Vol Down + Power till blue text then release). The quickest way into Recovery for me was a little app called Quick Boot. Quick Boot gets you right into the Recovery mode really quick. Also try ROMToolbox for Romcontrol

 

[MoHoGalore]

I may be a complete noob but I do know that if you did the Odin Recovery it isn't the easiest thing to step into (Vol Down + Power till blue text then release). The quickest way into Recovery for me was a little app called Quick Boot. Quick Boot gets you right into the Recovery mode really quick. Also try ROMToolbox for Romcontrol

Just a quick correction:

To get to Recovery - (phone is powered off) Hold Vol UP + Power - When you get the Sammy S4 Boot Logo, let go. Then you'll see the blue text that it's booting into recovery. (You can also let go of the power key when you feel the vibration. As long as you hold the Vol UP until the boot logo)

To get to Odin Download mode - (phone is powered off) Hold Vol DOWN + Power..

 

[silvioj]

Still not rooted here, decided to apply the update and it definitely feels smoother. The kernel definitely seems to have been optimized

 

[theralphretort]

Ok, so I downloaded the desktop version of Odin (ran as Admin), as I was trying to use Odin mobile. But I can't flash any roms because none of them are in .tar format, at least the one I've been able to download. ROM Manager said I needed to flash CWM in order to be able to use it's functions, but it's not going so smoothly at the moment due to this issue. I suscessfully got it into downloading mode, where the little green android guy is their warning me not to turn off the target. And it's showing up on Odin (although not in the yellow color it said it should, Says [COM6] with blue hue around it.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[DarqAnshin]

Ok, so I downloaded the desktop version of Odin (ran as Admin), as I was trying to use Odin mobile. But I can't flash any roms because none of them are in .tar format, at least the one I've been able to download. ROM Manager said I needed to flash CWM in order to be able to use it's functions, but it's not going so smoothly at the moment due to this issue. I suscessfully got it into downloading mode, where the little green android guy is their warning me not to turn off the target. And it's showing up on Odin (although not in the yellow color it said it should, Says [COM6] with blue hue around it.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Check out the instructions from here: Shabby deserves a thanks

The files you will need are listed in that link.

I followed these instructions and it worked the first time for me. My only problem right now is that I am showing custom instead of Normal

 

[theralphretort]

Check out the instructions from here: Shabby deserves a thanks

The files you will need are listed in that link.

I followed these instructions and it worked the first time for me. My only problem right now is that I am showing custom instead of Normal

Thanks man, that's really a big help, obviously!! I've been at this for 2 or 3 hours now, so I will try the guide when I let my brain rest for a minute. Again, though, big thanks for your help!!! And thanks to Shabby as well!

 

[theralphretort]

It says something about a Skyfire app not passing verification when I try to flash the Samsung Update with CWM. Maybe I ****ed up somehow and got rid of too much ****? I'll try to get a screenshot.

---------- Post added at 04:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:05 PM ----------

Yep, it was that damn Lumen toolbar I deleted lol.

 

[Snazarian]

It also made it a lot smoother. I don't have to mess with my developer animation settings anymore

Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app

What are some of the other changes/bug fixes you guys are seeing???

 

[DarqAnshin]

Can anyone verify for me that this is the best way to get MDL onto my phone without loosing root or hosing up the system or making a mess of an otherwise pretty awesome phone?

 

[JesseFK]

I tried installing this update but it just fails when it tries to install it through recovery. I am rooted with CWM for the recovery. What do you need to do to get this to install? Thanks.

 

[dbpaddler]

So I"m not rooted and post update. Have Shabby's download on the phone. Should I flash it and root? I'm guessing I'll get that security nag so it's best to just wait it out.

 

[Tahde]

So I"m not rooted and post update. Have Shabby's download on the phone. Should I flash it and root? I'm guessing I'll get that security nag so it's best to just wait it out.

Flash cwm via Odin first, then flash shabbys built kernel and supersu and your good. With the nag, just freeze it with titanium backup or equivalent (I used rom toolbox pro).

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2

 

[dbpaddler]

Flash cwm via Odin first, then flash shabbys built kernel and supersu and your good. With the nag, just freeze it with titanium backup or equivalent (I used rom toolbox pro).

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2

Thanks. Flashed CWM via Odin then Shabby's kernel via CWM then ran Motochopper. Root checker says I have root. Now to wait till Helium finishes backing up my Note 2 and then I'll restore over to the S4.

My ability to give thanks seems to have disappared. I think I have to change a setting of sorts to get it back.

 

[olechevytruck]

Hey I just got this galaxy S4 upgrade from a razr, when I picked it up the guy at sprint had to run the new OTA update before he would let me have it... Now I can't root it. I know I need to flash the other kernel but "I dont know how... I do have a version of CWM on it already but it doesnt look like any version Ive seen in use... no options to flash from memory card or anything... I'm lost, can someone please help me out? I do have the debugging and dev options turned on, and the build number is L720VPUAMDL. Ive tried moto and the other way listed... I've tried with Ubuntu and windows, and every time I get errors during the root process. Signature errors... And the root privilages never unlock. Root checker says sorry and Tit. Backup wont work. i dont remember exactly what they where but I can do the process again and find out if needed... please help someone I need titanium backup to get to a few games from my old phone.... thanks in advance

 

[Marty]

Hey I just got this galaxy S4 upgrade from a razr, when I picked it up the guy at sprint had to run the new OTA update before he would let me have it... Now I can't root it. I know I need to flash the other kernel but "I dont know how... I do have a version of CWM on it already but it doesnt look like any version Ive seen in use... no options to flash from memory card or anything... I'm lost, can someone please help me out? I do have the debugging and dev options turned on, and the build number is L720VPUAMDL. Ive tried moto and the other way listed... I've tried with Ubuntu and windows, and every time I get errors during the root process. Signature errors... And the root privilages never unlock. Root checker says sorry and Tit. Backup wont work. i dont remember exactly what they where but I can do the process again and find out if needed... please help someone I need titanium backup to get to a few games from my old phone.... thanks in advance

The MDL kernel prevents root using the Moto method. However, the kernel is still rootable, you just have to go about it a different way (so no, you don't need a different kernel). There should be an option to flash a zip in CMW from your internal/external SD card (if you still can't find it, try installing this version of CMW: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2254678). Once you locate the option in CMW to flash a zip from from your internal or external SD card, flash the SuperSU zip located here:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1538053

After you flash the zip, you will be rooted. If you still have questions, be sure to read these threads first:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2270065
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2277480

 

[olechevytruck]

"when I run the updated kernel file from this thread I get a "signature verification failed" error before reboot, then if I go ahead and flash the super su zip from the link above I get this:

failed to verify whole file signature
failed to verify whole file signature
signature error

right after the Verifying Update package line... This is the same errors Ive been getting all along...

 

[Marty]

"when I run the updated kernel file from this thread I get a "signature verification failed" error before reboot, then if I go ahead and flash the super su zip from the link above I get this:

failed to verify whole file signature
failed to verify whole file signature
signature error

right after the Verifying Update package line... This is the same errors Ive been getting all along...

Why are you trying to install a kernel? You are already running MDL. The MDL kernel is perfectly rootable, you just need to follow the instructions I stated in my previous post. No offense, but be sure you are actually running CMW and not the stock recovery. If you aren't, then install the CMW-based recovery I provided a link to in the previous post.

If you still can't get it to work, follow the CF-auto root method here:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2292615

 

[olechevytruck]

Why are you trying to install a kernel? You are already running MDL. The MDL kernel is perfectly rootable, you just need to follow the instructions I stated in my previous post. No offense, but be sure you are actually running CMW and not the stock recovery. If you aren't, then install the CMW-based recovery I provided a link to in the previous post.

If you still can't get it to work, follow the CF-auto root method here:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2292615

No offense taken... I am willing to admit my noobness... I might still be in the stock recovery as it looks nothing like the screen shots of CWM Ive seen and I used safestrap and bootstrap before so I dont know... any way when I went step by step in the instructions above I am still getting an error durring the instalation of super user. same error just one this time instead of three. Also I couldnt get the Odin 3.04 to run because it was missing a dll file from the DL, but I used Odin 3V185 from a previous download from an earlier attempt at this, it worked the same, do I need to re download 3.04? I apologize for the noob questions, I've never run into this kind of trouble rooting a phone... and this is my fourth one.


EDIT: I didnt see the link for the auto root above... I'll try that

---------- Post added at 09:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 PM ----------

No offense taken... I am willing to admit my noobness... I might still be in the stock recovery as it looks nothing like the screen shots of CWM Ive seen and I used safestrap and bootstrap before so I dont know... any way when I went step by step in the instructions above I am still getting an error durring the instalation of super user. same error just one this time instead of three. Also I couldnt get the Odin 3.04 to run because it was missing a dll file from the DL, but I used Odin 3V185 from a previous download from an earlier attempt at this, it worked the same, do I need to re download 3.04? I apologize for the noob questions, I've never run into this kind of trouble rooting a phone... and this is my fourth one.


EDIT: I didnt see the link for the auto root above... I'll try that

OK, So, evidently I'm just a tard. I'm sorry, but thank you for all your help. The issue was I wasnt beating the phone to reboot from Odin and getting to recovery mode before it rebooted. Read a line on the auto root thread that said turn off the tick mark in Odin for auto reboot and when it flashes just take the batt out and then boot into recovery mode that way... did that and it installed CWM... once CWM was installed, I follwed the instructions for every root process Ive done today and presto... rooted... fully....

Thanks again everyone... XDA rocks.

 

[lafester]

So I just did this and I'm wondering why people aren't just using cf autoroot?
made the process pretty painless. odin stock, update, cf autoroot, goo im for twrp and done.

 

[MoHoGalore]

So I just did this and I'm wondering why people aren't just using cf autoroot?
made the process pretty painless. odin stock, update, cf autoroot, goo im for twrp and done.

Because when the op was written, CF didn't have autoroot at the point it is now to work with MDL...