Downgrading GT-I9505 from 4.3 to 4.2.2 help Please

[firedingo99365]

So since upgrading to 4.3 my phone will randomly turn off and get stuck in a boot loop when I turn it back on. Usually I have to pull the battery out and let it sit for anywhere from 30mins to several hours, Just to get the damn thing to boot. The 4.2.2 version was perfect. I had no problems so I want to downgrade to it but it seems impossible to find clear instructions on how to do this. Can somebody help me please?
I have the GT-I9505 model. I have all the data backed up and I'm not afraid of doing technical stuff either. If it's any help I'm with Optus here in Australia.

Thanks,
Naomi

P.S I wasn't sure if the thread belonged here so forgive me if this is the wrong place for it.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Unfortunately, I don't think you can. Assuming you took the OTA, or updated through KIes, 4.3 installs a new Kernel with Knox. And it seems that any attempt to overwrite the Knox kernel with an earlier version results in a hard-bricked phone.

I think you have a couple of options: back up all the data you can (search on Helium backup in the play store), make sure your contacts and calendar data are synced with Google, and do a factory reset. I suspect that will solve your problems.

Or, root your phone, install a custom recovery (if that's possible with 4.3 on the i9505--I'm not really familiar with that version), and then install an older 4.2.2 ROM but NOT an older kernel.

 

[firedingo99365]

Yeah I did go with the OTA update. I noticed Knox is installed but it seems to not be active from my ferreting around. I'm wondering since the update ended up having trouble installing it's self in the first place if that's why Knox appears inactive. it took like 12 hrs to install because it kept falling, corrupting it's self and setting off recovery booting. not to mention the endless boot loops that seemed to occur fix themselves and occur again.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

I don't think Knox does much by default unless you go in and enable it. But if you have the MK3 Kernel, you almost certainly have the Knox bootloader, and by all accounts trying to use Odin to flash an older Kernel will brick your phone.

 

[firedingo99365]

Wonderful! I guess getting rid of the bootloader would have to be the first priority.

EDIT: I did a factory reset multiple times with no success. Same problems still here.

 

[leesumm]

I am not familiar with the Samsung GS that much but my wife has one and it did the OTA update by itself and went from MDL to the MK2 build. My phone is the HTC and that is the one I mess with regularly. Before her update it was rooted but then went back to factory. Reading the XDA forums AT&T, Canadian Bell, Rogers, Telus, Virgin Samsung Galaxy S 4 - xda-developers I see posts about the MK2 and MK3 and yes it installed the Knox app which can't be downgraded risking a hard brick. I did root her phone using Kingo Android and it did install SuperSU. Using Root Checker from the app store it says its rooted. Further reading at XDA says Safestrap can be used and limited customs can be installed. Kingo Android has been talked about being a Malware and using is risky , so far I have not seen any evidence of it. POINT, MK2 can't be downgraded it will hard brick the phone if done, root can be accomplished now with some other steps but its risky , if accomplished safestrap is the only recovery and no factory image recovery available for MK2 build as of yet.
Don't know if this is what your looking for but seems the GS4 after the OTA is pretty much locked down to factory .