Verizon Galaxy S4 Soft Bricked - Please help

[pcm1969]

I've spent the past 4 days trying to unroot my phone and I'm hoping someone here can help me because I'm really stuck at the moment! I have a VZ Galaxy S4 (SCH-I545) that is currently on ME7 build, is rooted and had Safestrap installed. I've uninstalled Safestrap and that seemed to be successful, b/c I was able to reboot my phone with no issues and no longer saw the Safestrap screen. However, when I try to flash a stock image via Odin, I can't get anything to work and now I'm stuck with only being able to get into Download/Odin mode...if I try to just restart the phone, I get the Emergency Recovery screen. I've tried quite a few different files in Odin, but all of them fail.

The first one I tried was a No-Wipe Factory Image (I545VRUAME7_I545VZWAME7_I545VRUAME7_HOME.zip) and this is what Odin says:
<ID:0/008> Added!!
<OSM> Enter CS for MD5..
<OSM> Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..
<OSM> Please wait..
<OSM> I545VRUAME7_I545VZWAME7_I545VRUAME7_HOME.tar.md5 is valid.
<OSM> Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..
<OSM> Leave CS..
<ID:0/008> Odin v.3 engine (ID:8)..
<ID:0/008> File analysis..
<ID:0/008> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/008> Initialzation..
<ID:0/008> Get PIT for mapping..
<ID:0/008> Firmware update start..
<ID:0/008> sbl2.mbn
<ID:0/008> NAND Write Start!!
<ID:0/008> Complete(Write) operation failed.
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)
<ID:0/008> Removed!!

I also tried the No Wipe MI1 file and had the same result.

Next, I tried a file that said it was an emergency recovery image, so I had a lot of hope for this one. I used Odin 3.09 per the instructions and got this:

<ID:0/005> Added!!
<OSM> Enter CS for MD5..
<OSM> Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..
<OSM> Please wait..
<OSM> ALL_I545VRUEMJ7_I545VZWEMJ7_1937946_REV06_user_low _ship_MULTI_CERT.tar.md5 is valid.
<OSM> Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..
<OSM> Leave CS..
<ID:0/005> Odin v.3 engine (ID:5)..
<ID:0/005> File analysis..
<ID:0/005> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/005> Initialzation..
<ID:0/005> Set PIT file..
<ID:0/005> DO NOT TURN OFF TARGET!!
<ID:0/005> Get PIT for mapping..
<ID:0/005> Firmware update start..
<ID:0/005> SingleDownload.
<ID:0/005> sbl1.mbn
<ID:0/005> NAND Write Start!!
<ID:0/005> Complete(Write) operation failed.
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)
<ID:0/005> Removed!!
<ID:0/005> Added!!

I've tried both files with Auto Reboot checked and unchecked, as well as different cables and different PC's - all with no luck. I've also tried using Kies' Emergency Recovery and that downloads the files and runs for awhile and then stops, saying that there is an error with my phone.

When in Odin Mode, it says

PRODUCT NAME: SCH-I545
CURRENT BINARY: Samsung Official
SYSTEM STATUS: Official
KNOX KERNEL LOCK: 0xfffffffffc
KNOX WARRANTY VOID: 0xfffffffffc
WRITE PROTECTION: ENABLE
eMMC BURST MODE Enabled

I currently can't reboot my phone or get into recovery, and am only able to get into Odin mode, so I'm hoping there is something that can be done. PLEASE HELP! Thank you!

 

[tech_head]

Try a different USB port.
But now that you have tried a MI1 image an ME7 image may not work.
I had the same issue with ODIN and I had to try a different USB port for some reason.
Look at this thread: [GUIDE] No-Wipe Factory Images (Restore from any soft-brick without wiping data) - xda-developers

Be sure to go to MI1 since you have tried flashing it before.
ME7 will probably no longer work.

 

[pcm1969]

Try a different USB port.
But now that you have tried a MI1 image an ME7 image may not work.
I had the same issue with ODIN and I had to try a different USB port for some reason.
Look at this thread: [GUIDE] No-Wipe Factory Images (Restore from any soft-brick without wiping data) - xda-developers

Be sure to go to MI1 since you have tried flashing it before.
ME7 will probably no longer work.

That makes sense about not trying ME7 anymore, so I tried MI1 again and I've used different ports, different PC's and nothing seems to matter. This is what I get:

<ID:0/005> Added!!
<OSM> Enter CS for MD5..
<OSM> Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..
<OSM> Please wait..
<OSM> I545VRUDMI1_I545VZWDMI1_I545VRUDMI1_HOME.tar.md5 is valid.
<OSM> Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully..
<OSM> Leave CS..
<ID:0/005> Odin v.3 engine (ID:5)..
<ID:0/005> File analysis..
<ID:0/005> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/005> Initialzation..
<ID:0/005> Get PIT for mapping..
<ID:0/005> Firmware update start..
<ID:0/005> sbl1.mbn
<ID:0/005> NAND Write Start!!
<ID:0/005> sbl2.mbn
<ID:0/005> Complete(Write) operation failed.
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)
<ID:0/005> Removed!!
<ID:0/005> Added!!

 

[pcm1969]

So after trying every port on my laptop (and even another laptop) and 2 cables, I found another cable and it worked!! Those that might think it can't just be something as simple as a USB cable - I can tell you that it can be something that simple..I've spent days messing with this and I'm going to be sure that I don't use any other cables in the future!