Questions about Unlocking or Recovering from a Soft Brick? LOOK HERE BEFORE POSTING!!

[wlhnlh]

VZW Galaxy Note 2 Root Not Working on MAC

Hello everyone. Has anyone gotten ANY method to work on a mac with the latest 'LL4' version? I have rooted 4 different phones over the years and have never had as many issues as I have been having with this attempt. I've spent hours researching multiple threads with no luck. My latest attempt has been with Casual with Heimdal installed. I was getting as far as it trying to write the file but then getting the 'end of file could not be written error.' Now I am stuck at the 'Protocol initialisation failed!'
Is there a step by step guide for Mac users with error resolution, or anyone with other suggestions? I really appreciate any input at this point in my attempt to root this Verizon Galaxy Note 2.

Thanks in advance,

 

[JamesCaywood]

Since there are 5 threads on average a day in regards to this topic, I felt the need to create a thread explaining things a bit better. Lets get started shall we!!

1) As most folks know the I605 Galaxy Note 2 shipped with a locked bootloader. This means you Can Not flash any custom roms/kernels/ or recoveries until you unlock the bootloader!! Failure to comply will result in a yellow triangle stating "unsupported software detected"!

2) If you flashed custom software on your device without unlocking, please refer to Section 1B of my GUIDE in development section(*Take note to only use the ALTERNATE RESTORE FILE if your device has or previously had the VRALL4 update applied)!! Reason being the latest update black listed the first VRALJB bootloader, so you can not ever go back to this bootloader version. However you can still use the VRALJB factory image that does not have the bootloader( ALTERNATE RESTORE FILE) that is linked in my guide. This will bring your device back up and running in stock condition!!

3) Now you can proceed to Adams latest "Jailbreak" thread for firmware version VRALL4 found HERE to root, unlock, and flash a custom recovery! DO NOT use Adam's old method unless your device is still on the older VRALJB firmware and never took the OTA.

4) And last of all, folks never accept any OTA's!! There is no reason too!! Now that your device has been rooted, unlocked, and running twrp recovery, you can now download any latest update.zip from the dev section and flash in recovery. Scott aka Scrosler, is always first to package up a OTA into a zip format so we can update via cwm or twrp recovery. There are a couple reasons why I prefer this method,

1. Future OTA updates may relock the device permanently! There is no gurantee a unlock method will be achieved for the next OTA.

2. .Zip roms are normally smaller, so they take less time to download and imo are easier to install.

3. OTA's can sometimes fail and soft brick the device.

So please read through this thread thoroughly and remember research twice, flash once! Hopefully this helps...:good:

I need help I tired this but nothing works Okay I cant turn on phone it stays at Samsung bebuggy is not turn on I have trmw but no backup ???? any ideals ??

 

[droidstyle]

I need help I tired this but nothing works Okay I cant turn on phone it stays at Samsung bebuggy is not turn on I have trmw but no backup ???? any ideals ??

im having a hard time understanding your post...could you be more clear please?

 

[droidstyle]

Hello everyone. Has anyone gotten ANY method to work on a mac with the latest 'LL4' version? I have rooted 4 different phones over the years and have never had as many issues as I have been having with this attempt. I've spent hours researching multiple threads with no luck. My latest attempt has been with Casual with Heimdal installed. I was getting as far as it trying to write the file but then getting the 'end of file could not be written error.' Now I am stuck at the 'Protocol initialisation failed!'
Is there a step by step guide for Mac users with error resolution, or anyone with other suggestions? I really appreciate any input at this point in my attempt to root this Verizon Galaxy Note 2.

Thanks in advance,

mac is not widely supported with android...sorry wish i could be more help. possibly load wubi on your mac so you can use odin.

 

[ssnycshoot]

I am not sure if my phone is bricked. I flashed the CM10.1 but forgot to flash the gapps. I reboot into recovery, couldn't find the gapps zip in internal sd. And now the pc won't establish any kind of connection with the phone. What should I do now?

 

[evltwn72]

Since there are 5 threads on average a day in regards to this topic, I felt the need to create a thread explaining things a bit better. Lets get started shall we!!

1) As most folks know the I605 Galaxy Note 2 shipped with a locked bootloader. This means you Can Not flash any custom roms/kernels/ or recoveries until you unlock the bootloader!! Failure to comply will result in a yellow triangle stating "unsupported software detected"!

2) If you flashed custom software on your device without unlocking, please refer to Section 1B of my GUIDE in development section(*Take note to only use the ALTERNATE RESTORE FILE if your device has or previously had the VRALL4 update applied)!! Reason being the latest update black listed the first VRALJB bootloader, so you can not ever go back to this bootloader version. However you can still use the VRALJB factory image that does not have the bootloader( ALTERNATE RESTORE FILE) that is linked in my guide. This will bring your device back up and running in stock condition!!

3) Now you can proceed to Adams latest "Jailbreak" thread for firmware version VRALL4 found HERE to root, unlock, and flash a custom recovery! DO NOT use Adam's old method unless your device is still on the older VRALJB firmware and never took the OTA.

4) And last of all, folks never accept any OTA's!! There is no reason too!! Now that your device has been rooted, unlocked, and running twrp recovery, you can now download any latest update.zip from the dev section and flash in recovery. Scott aka Scrosler, is always first to package up a OTA into a zip format so we can update via cwm or twrp recovery. There are a couple reasons why I prefer this method,

1. Future OTA updates may relock the device permanently! There is no gurantee a unlock method will be achieved for the next OTA.

2. .Zip roms are normally smaller, so they take less time to download and imo are easier to install.

3. OTA's can sometimes fail and soft brick the device.

So please read through this thread thoroughly and remember research twice, flash once! Hopefully this helps...:good:

Okay, so I bought a Note 2 that was rooted and unlocked. It's running CleanRom 4.8 with TWRP recovery. Its baseband is I605VRALL4. I have downloaded everything I think I need to return it back to stock. I have Odin3 v3.07, Kies, and I have the pit file downloaded. I downloaded the alternate restore for VRALJRB like you said to. My problem is this. Odin does not see this file at all. It will see the pit file, but when I open PDA, it can't find the alternate restore file. I downloaded the original file, and Odin sees it just fine. Here's my question. If I try to flash the original file instead of the alternate restore file, will it brick my device or will it flash it just fine but lock the bootloader? I don't mind having a locked bootloader.


edit....I got it figured out. Thanks for all the files.

 

[S0RAx3]

So, Should i restart my phone to factory settings and get it back on stock using Odin then use Adam's Casual? Or should i leave my phone rooted and go to casual ? Because from looking at his thread and comments it seems that Casual roots the phone for you too (?)

---------- Post added at 10:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:36 AM ----------

Okay, so I bought a Note 2 that was rooted and unlocked. It's running CleanRom 4.8 with TWRP recovery. Its baseband is I605VRALL4. I have downloaded everything I think I need to return it back to stock. I have Odin3 v3.07, Kies, and I have the pit file downloaded. I downloaded the alternate restore for VRALJRB like you said to. My problem is this. Odin does not see this file at all. It will see the pit file, but when I open PDA, it can't find the alternate restore file. I downloaded the original file, and Odin sees it just fine. Here's my question. If I try to flash the original file instead of the alternate restore file, will it brick my device or will it flash it just fine but lock the bootloader? I don't mind having a locked bootloader.


edit....I got it figured out. Thanks for all the files.

Can you by chance tell me how you did this? including rooting it and unlocking it ? like links ?

 

[droidstyle]

So, Should i restart my phone to factory settings and get it back on stock using Odin then use Adam's Casual? Or should i leave my phone rooted and go to casual ? Because from looking at his thread and comments it seems that Casual roots the phone for you too (?)

---------- Post added at 10:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:36 AM ----------



Can you by chance tell me how you did this? including rooting it and unlocking it ? like links ?

the links are in the op ...

 

[heat1]

the links are in the op ...

anyone help need to take phone into verizon. need to unroot phone wont charge. is there a setting im missing. need help

 

[grin20]

really need your help

Please help. I rooted with Casual about a month ago. Saw new ota update from vzw so I unrooted using Odin and stock tar file. Everything was fine until I tried installing the update from vzw and now I am stuck in a loop on the very first boot screen that says Galaxy Note 2. The only thing I can do is get into Odin Mode where the product name is fine, the custom binary download is a no, current binary is samsung official and system status is custom. I have tried using Odin again, but every time it gives me the following:
<ID:0/007> Added!!
<OSM> Enter CS for MD5..
<OSM> Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..
<OSM> Please wait..
<OSM> root66_VZW_stock_system.tar.md5 is valid.
<OSM> Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..
<OSM> Leave CS..
<ID:0/007> Odin v.3 engine (ID:7)..
<ID:0/007> File analysis..
<ID:0/007> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/007> Initialzation..
<ID:0/007> Get PIT for mapping..
<ID:0/007> Firmware update start..
<ID:0/007> system.img
<ID:0/007> NAND Write Start!!
<ID:0/007>
<ID:0/007> Complete(Write) operation failed.
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)

Please Help, thank you

 

[droidstyle]

i guess you missed the part where it says NOT to accept OTA updates?

 

[grin20]

i guess you missed the part where it says NOT to accept OTA updates?

That's why I unrooted first, but maybe I missed something, either way, I still need help if anyone can provide it.

 

[blackshark058]

Hi all,

I am a noob to flashing ROMs and the like. I have a Verizon Galaxy Note 2 running android version 4.1.1 (flashed with root66). I have used CASUAL to unlock bootloader and install custom recovery. I wanted to flash the stock 4.1.2 ROM found on this post and was wondering if I needed to flash the VRAMC3 Modem.

Thanks.

 

[droidstyle]

Hi all,

I am a noob to flashing ROMs and the like. I have a Verizon Galaxy Note 2 running android version 4.1.1 (flashed with root66). I have used CASUAL to unlock bootloader and install custom recovery. I wanted to flash the stock 4.1.2 ROM found on this post and was wondering if I needed to flash the VRAMC3 Modem.

Thanks.

yes only stock odin images contain modems...for zip roms the modem must be flashed seperate.

 

[LG13]

Nice work!!

 

[blackshark058]

yes only stock odin images contain modems...for zip roms the modem must be flashed seperate.

So do I need to install the ROM first with Odin and then flash the modem with Odin and do I use the PDA function for both?
Thanks for the help.

 

[droidstyle]

So do I need to install the ROM first with Odin and then flash the modem with Odin and do I use the PDA function for both?
Thanks for the help.

no...odin images contain the modem. zip roms do not...zip roms must be flashed in a custom recovery after unlocking.

 

[droidstyle]

updated!

 

[evltwn72]

[/COLOR]

Can you by chance tell me how you did this? including rooting it and unlocking it ? like links ?[/QUOTE]

I didn't root the phone, I bought it but wasn't told it was rooted.


Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda app-developers app

 

[betnot]

Ok, I think I can manage the noobest and hopefully simplest question in this and many other threads, here goes:

I followed the instructions here and ran CASUAL:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2272066
and as far as I can tell it worked fine. The PC console said basically "alright, you're done!"

I went through the 20 pages of that thread and the 4 pages of this thread but can't find an answer because I think nobody's as dumb as I am and has asked this yet:

All I wanted was to root the phone. Did I install the wrong thing? I'm on a screen that says Team Win Recovery Project and I have no idea what that is for, or what to press. I feel dumb. I'm a technical person normally, I work with a tech company, program in multiple languages, and use linux with some regularity but I don't know much about phone firmware and just don't want to press a wrong button and stop a $700 piece of hardware from working :\

What do I do from here please.