[Q] SCH-I435 (Verizon) Anyway to get custom recovery?

[mortsotruk]

Hello everyone, please be patient with me as I am relatively new to modifying phones. However, I have spent a good portion of the past 1-2 weeks looking into this problem on XDA + google, and I am at the end of my rope.
Here is my problem (I'm sure you already know):
I have no current solution to installing a custom recovery on my phone. I really just want custom recovery to restore FULL backups via Nandroid or equivalent.
Here are my questions:
1) In download mode, Odin has no problem flashing an official image/firmware (tar.md5) to the phone. Is it possible to create my own image of my phone into one file and flash it via Odin to my phone when I would like to restore? I have a feeling that something in the phone checks the hash of the image (I'm sure that I'm not saying it right), and that, considering my image would be twice the size of the official, there would be no way to make my image pass using collisions or what not. However, this would probably be my first choice after safestrap (assuming that won't work), so let me know.
2) I have read that certain people with phones similar to mine (not my variant though) have successfully "swapped" the external and internal SD cards. If I remember correctly they just change a couple lines in void.fstab. If this could actually be done, I could easily restore a backup to the now external internal SD, then change the settings to reswap on reboot. I feel like this is too good to be true though, as I have not seen this as a solution to my specific problem online. Is this actually a suitable option?
3) Currently my phone model is not an officially recognized device which Safestrap will work on. However, I have read that it is possible to do on my model using the Safestrap version which corresponds to a close variant of my phone. Can this be done? Please let me know if you have any information on this.
4) I guess this would be the last resort. I'm pretty good at taking things apart, but even better I can put those things back together Is the internal "SD" really just an SD card deep inside the phone? Would it be possible to replace that card for the purpose of backing up?
Here are my phone specs:
-Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini (SCH-I435)
-The carrier is Verizon Wireless
-Android Version 4.4.2 (kitkat)
-Baseband Version I435VRUBOC1
-Kernel Version 3.4.0 [email protected] #1 Fri May 23 2014
-Build Number KOT49H.I435VRUBOC1
-Hardware Version I435.05
-Configuration version B13.SAM.SCHI435.0
-Needless to say, phone is rooted and has busybox + etc correctly installed.

Any help will be greatly, GREATLY appreciated -- even if that help is telling me that it isn't possible. I can't seem to give up on this.
Thanks,
Kurt

 

[mortsotruk]

Help

Does anyone have any advice on this? I would REALLY appreciate it. Thanks again.

-Kurt

 

[hearkenoath]

I'm also interested on this. Thanks for your efforts

 

[Kannz2]

Nope no recovery because the Verizon minis bootloader is locked. It can be rooted with kingroot i think its called and then switched to SuperSU by replacing it.(I used super sume pro to get rid of kr) ****!!After root install a application like "disable application [root]" and disabe all Knox applications and any unused apps.(look for a list of recommended apps to disable)

 

[AgentOrange96]

Nope no recovery because the Verizon minis bootloader is locked. It can be rooted with kingroot i think its called and then switched to SuperSU by replacing it.(I used super sume pro to get rid of kr) ****!!After root install a application like "disable application [root]" and disabe all Knox applications and any unused apps.(look for a list of recommended apps to disable)

How did you switch it over to SuperSU? I tried, but when it tried updating the root binaries it couldn't continue because of KNOX, so I was stuck with Kingoroot's.

 

[Kannz2]

I used this method to replace KINGROOT NewKingrootV4.50_C120_B220_xda_release_2015_07_22_105243 with supersu. most other versions i tried didnt want to cooperate and would make me lose root after one reboot. also i bought the pro version of supersume pro its 4$ off google play.

 

[AgentOrange96]

I used this method to replace KINGROOT NewKingrootV4.50_C120_B220_xda_release_2015_07_22_105243 with supersu. most other versions i tried didnt want to cooperate and would make me lose root after one reboot. also i bought the pro version of supersume pro its 4$ off google play.

I tried it with the free version they linked to and it de-rooted it, so maybe I'll try later when I have enough Opinion Rewards credit to get the pro version. That or it doesn't work on this phone with Kingoroot. (The Google Play description says it should do Kingoroot though.)

 

[Kannz2]

Did you download the correct version? The one off the kingroot site doesn't work for me. It just deroots. I still have root on both of my s4mini Verizon phones. Try this link to get a working one.HERE scroll down a bit and the different versions are there. Try each one starting with 4.5. Also remember to restart after you root with kingroot and install super sume after the restart.

 

[AgentOrange96]

I just had to re-image my phone, so I did it according to your directions. (Though with the free version still of super sume) and it worked, although it won't update to the newest root binaries. It fails when I try. Did you have this issue? Other than that, SuperSU works.

 

[Kannz2]

I updated using "normal" and it worked fine for me. Glad su works at least. also for one phone I did a full unroot factory reset and then I reflashed a tar with Odin. Did the normal root with kingroot 4.5. Restarted tried a few root things like no frills cpu thing then installed super sume pro. Did stage 1. An 2 then supersu started up automatically it asks to update (I think net connection is needed) *do update "normal" because there isnt any recovery. Uninstalled kingroot like supersume says. Did a few root things then restarted. (Checked for superuser after reboot and it stayed)