Finally rooted! :)

[UJ95x]

I have the sprint version. Can you walk me through how to root it.

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I'm not sure if the method I tried will work the same for your model but I can give you a basic idea of how to do it.
1. Backup all of your data before anything
2. Download the CF auto root file for your exact model
3. Download Odin v 3.07
4. Unzip all the files with either WinZip or 7zip (I used 7zip)
5. Make sure you have USB debugging enabled on your phone
6. Put your phone into download mode by turning it off, then holding the home button, volume down and power button.
7. Hit volume up when it warns you of the Custom OS
8. Right click on Odin and hit run as administrator
9. Make sure the first box in the bar is blue and says 0:[COM#] The # will vary depending on your model
10. In Odin click PDA and open the CF auto root file and hit start
11. It should now show a blue line in your phone
13. When complete it should say pass in Odin
This is how I did it, not sure how the Sprint version works but it should be similar if not the same.
Download root checker in the Play Store just to be sure. This does not mean you can flash something like CyanogenMod on it. If you want to flash a custom ROM you also have to install a custom recovery on your phone.

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[UJ95x]

Repost

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

Yeah, I didn't like CM as much as I expected. My battery life isn't as good (odd) and it takes up almost 5GB so I only have 4 left. So I would boot into TWRP, restore stock image and then unroot with Odin? I can deal with the occasional Touchwiz hiccups, stock android isn't for me :\

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It's not that odd. CyanogenMod, for the great features it has, can be quite buggy, especially if it's still in an "unofficial" or nightly phase of development for a particular device (which I believe it is for the S4...correct me if I'm wrong). I tend to wait for stable releases of ROMs before I install them...I simply don't have the time to be a beta tester right now

Also, that extra 5GB you're talking about may not have been CM itself, but could have been the backup your made in TWRP (see my post on this above). To verify this, look for a folder called "TWRP" on the root of your internal storage and see if there's anything in the "Backup" folder...that's could be what's eating up your space.


If you want to restore, yes, just boot into TWRP and use the restore option to revert the backup you made prior to installing CM. Whether or not you want to fully "unroot" after that is completely up to you, but you certainly don't have to. Once you've done the restore, you'll simply be back to where you were prior to installing the custom ROM...and you can stay there if you'd like or install another custom ROM, etc...

I do suggest though, that if it is the TWRP backup that using the space in your internal storage, to delete once your done your restore and your satisfied that you won't be needing the backup anymore. In the future, just make sure to write the backups to SD card (they'll still take up a bit of space, but at least it won't be your precious internal storage that's needed for apps).

 

[UJ95x]

It's not that odd. CyanogenMod, for the great features it has, can be quite buggy, especially if it's still in an "unofficial" or nightly phase of development for a particular device (which I believe it is for the S4...correct me if I'm wrong). I tend to wait for stable releases of ROMs before I install them...I simply don't have the time to be a beta tester right now

Also, that extra 5GB you're talking about may not have been CM itself, but could have been the backup your made in TWRP (see my post on this above). To verify this, look for a folder called "TWRP" on the root of your internal storage and see if there's anything in the "Backup" folder...that's could be what's eating up your space.


If you want to restore, yes, just boot into TWRP and use the restore option to revert the backup you made prior to installing CM. Whether or not you want to fully "unroot" after that is completely up to you, but you certainly don't have to. Once you've done the restore, you'll simply be back to where you were prior to installing the custom ROM...and you can stay there if you'd like or install another custom ROM, etc...

I do suggest though, that if it is the TWRP backup that using the space in your internal storage, to delete once your done your restore and your satisfied that you won't be needing the backup anymore. In the future, just make sure to write the backups to SD card (they'll still take up a bit of space, but at least it won't be your precious internal storage that's needed for apps).

1. I downloaded the official 10.1 build because 10.2 still isn't stable
2. Yes, the backup is the one taking up space. I couldn't move it though, it said permission denied I think
3. If I restore the TWRP backup do I need to wipe first? I was told that I do in a thread I made about going to stock firmware

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[paintdrinkingpete]

1. I downloaded the official 10.1 build because 10.2 still isn't stable
2. Yes, the backup is the one taking up space. I couldn't move it though, it said permission denied I think
3. If I restore the TWRP backup do I need to wipe first? I was told that I do in a thread I made about going to stock firmware

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Yeah, you wouldn't want to "move" a TWRP backup once it's been done anyway...too high a risk for corruption. Just know that it is taking up space, and be sure to delete it once you sure your device is good to go and you don't need it anymore.

You don't need to wipe first before restoring the backup...but it won't matter if you do anyway. I saw your other thread, and actually thought that response was misleading. If it were me, I'd just restore the backup and go from there...you'll simply be right back to where you were before CM was installed. *IF* something goes wrong with the restore, THEN it would be a good idea to flash stock firmware, but otherwise I don't see any reason to do that unless you really wanted to go ALL the way back.

 

[UJ95x]

Yeah, you wouldn't want to "move" a TWRP backup once it's been done anyway...too high a risk for corruption. Just know that it is taking up space, and be sure to delete it once you sure your device is good to go and you don't need it anymore.

You don't need to wipe first before restoring the backup...but it won't matter if you do anyway. I saw your other thread, and actually thought that response was misleading. If it were me, I'd just restore the backup and go from there...you'll simply be right back to where you were before CM was installed. *IF* something goes wrong with the restore, THEN it would be a good idea to flash stock firmware, but otherwise I don't see any reason to do that unless you really wanted to go ALL the way back.

Yeah, I'm trying to go back to the way it was when I got it. I didn't like CyanogenMod and I want to be able to do the 4.3 update OTA once it's released.

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[Gianfranco Gargano]

How to root on a mac?

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[paintdrinkingpete]

Yeah, I'm trying to go back to the way it was when I got it. I didn't like CyanogenMod and I want to be able to do the 4.3 update OTA once it's released.

Posted via Android Central App

OK, that's up to you...personally, even when running stock firmware, I prefer to stay rooted, and then simply flash my own updates (I've never installed an OTA in all the years I've owned Android phones). There's almost always a rooted version of the stock OS available as a ROM on XDA within a day or two of updates being available. That's just me though...

If you really want to back all way out to a fully stock device, here's how I approach it...

1. Go to XDA, check forums for my device, look for rooting and unrooting guides. The T-Mobile S4 has a page dedicated to those, which makes it easy:
[How To Guides] Root,Unroot,CWM,Stock,Hotspot, + Tips! - xda-developers

2. From there, I'd go to the unroot guide:
How to Unroot / Unbrick Galaxy S4! - Complete Stock ~ Android Rootz | Source for Android Rooting, ROMS, Tricks and more!

Now, obviously I don't own a T-Mo S4, so I can't comment on the actual process, but that's where I'd start.

*Doing this will probably wipe your entire device, including internal storage...be sure to backup everything you need ahead of time!

 

[UJ95x]

OK, that's up to you...personally, even when running stock firmware, I prefer to stay rooted, and then simply flash my own updates (I've never installed an OTA in all the years I've owned Android phones). There's almost always a rooted version of the stock OS available as a ROM on XDA within a day or two of updates being available. That's just me though...

If you really want to back all way out to a fully stock device, here's how I approach it...

1. Go to XDA, check forums for my device, look for rooting and unrooting guides. The T-Mobile S4 has a page dedicated to those, which makes it easy:
[How To Guides] Root,Unroot,CWM,Stock,Hotspot, + Tips! - xda-developers

2. From there, I'd go to the unroot guide:
How to Unroot / Unbrick Galaxy S4! - Complete Stock ~ Android Rootz | Source for Android Rooting, ROMS, Tricks and more!

Now, obviously I don't own a T-Mo S4, so I can't comment on the actual process, but that's where I'd start.

*Doing this will probably wipe your entire device, including internal storage...be sure to backup everything you need ahead of time!

I have no need for root only apps so I don't see the need of having it rooted unless I was going to flash more custom ROMs but I probably won't be doing it for a while now. The first link is for CWM? I'm on TWRP. Couldn't I just boot into TWRP and restore the backup I made before I flashed CM. And then do the unroot?

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[UJ95x]

Sorry if I'm making it more difficult than it should be, just confusing and since I'm not the one who bought the phone it would probably make for unhappy parents

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[HPferoxCraft]

saw your other thread, and actually thought that response was misleading. .

Didn't mean for it to be, my apologies. My experience has been it's better to fully wipe when switching from AOSP to TW, less chance of leftovers/errors. That's what I've found anyway.
Don't wipe and go through it, maybe you'll be fine, just trying to help you minimize the errors that are possible.
That about wraps it up for me on this one.
Good luck. Peace.

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[paintdrinkingpete]

I have no need for root only apps so I don't see the need of having it rooted unless I was going to flash more custom ROMs but I probably won't be doing it for a while now. The first link is for CWM? I'm on TWRP. Couldn't I just boot into TWRP and restore the backup I made before I flashed CM. And then do the unroot?

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Sorry if I'm making it more difficult than it should be, just confusing and since I'm not the one who bought the phone it would probably make for unhappy parents

Posted via Android Central App

No problem.

The first link is just a collection of how-to guides for reference -- I just put it there because that's how I found the 2nd link. Doesn't matter if you have CWM or TWRP installed, either will work for what you want to do.

You could restore your backup, but you really don't need to because part of unrooting involves having to do a full wipe and flashing the stock image. In other words, no matter if you do the unroot starting from CM or your previous backup, you'll end up at the same place once finished...which is basically the same state the phone would be in out-of-box.

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

Didn't mean for it to be, my apologies. My experience has been it's better to fully wipe when switching from AOSP to TW, less chance of leftovers/errors. That's what I've found anyway.
Don't wipe and go through it, maybe you'll be fine, just trying to help you minimize the errors that are possible.
That about wraps it up for me on this one.
Good luck. Peace.

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That makes sense. Restoring from a nandroid *should* handle all those wipes for you...but I get what you're saying. Kind of a moot point given that the OP wants to unroot and go all the way back to stock anyway.

 

[UJ95x]

No problem.

The first link is just a collection of how-to guides for reference -- I just put it there because that's how I found the 2nd link. Doesn't matter if you have CWM or TWRP installed, either will work for what you want to do.

You could restore your backup, but you really don't need to because part of unrooting involves having to do a full wipe and flashing the stock image. In other words, no matter if you do the unroot starting from CM or your previous backup, you'll end up at the same place once finished...which is basically the same state the phone would be in out-of-box.

Yes but I thought that you had to be on stock rooted firmware to run triangle away. In other words, I would have to restore my backup, reset the flash counter, and then unroot. Is this true?

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[HPferoxCraft]

you'll end up at the same place once finished...

One last thing.... Same place except for the flash counter. I still recommend reseting that if uprooting, that way if you need to send it back you don't need to try to root again and do it, if you can even root after the updates.
Just watch the videos, it's all right there. You're lucky it's easy to do with your phone.

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[paintdrinkingpete]

Yes but I thought that you had to be on stock rooted firmware to run triangle away. In other words, I would have to restore my backup, reset the flash counter, and then unroot. Is this true?

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Ah...OK, then perhaps you would want to do that. Sorry, as I mentioned, I'm not completely familiar with the T-Mo version of this phone, and they're all a bit different. By all means then, yes, do the restore first so you can do that.

 

[UJ95x]

Ah...OK, then perhaps you would want to do that. Sorry, as I mentioned, I'm not completely familiar with the T-Mo version of this phone, and they're all a bit different. By all means then, yes, do the restore first so you can do that.

It's alright, seems like few people have the T-Mobile variant. Wanted to try the hyperdrive ROM but the thread I read on it at XDA wasn't very clear to my noob self. Thanks for the help, I don't think I'll have any other noob questions any time soon

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[UJ95x]

Didn't mean for it to be, my apologies. My experience has been it's better to fully wipe when switching from AOSP to TW, less chance of leftovers/errors. That's what I've found anyway.
Don't wipe and go through it, maybe you'll be fine, just trying to help you minimize the errors that are possible.
That about wraps it up for me on this one.
Good luck. Peace.

Posted via Android Central App

Thanks for the help

Posted via Android Central App

 

[UJ95x]

Ah...OK, then perhaps you would want to do that. Sorry, as I mentioned, I'm not completely familiar with the T-Mo version of this phone, and they're all a bit different. By all means then, yes, do the restore first so you can do that.

ONE more question lol sorry. I restored the stock firmware but I am still rooted. The screen has been on for 10+ minutes with auto-brightness on but the battery has not gone down even 1 percent. Why would that be? It's not hot/overheated.
Edit: Nevermind, it went down to 53%. It's still strange though, it stayed like that for a while and didn't go down until the screen blacked out and I woke the phone again

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

ONE more question lol sorry. I restored the stock firmware but I am still rooted. The screen has been on for 10+ minutes with auto-brightness on but the battery has not gone down even 1 percent. Why would that be? It's not hot/overheated.
Edit: Nevermind, it went down to 53%. It's still strange though, it stayed like that for a while and didn't go down until the screen blacked out and I woke the phone again

Probably had just not had a chance to refresh...