yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
A few of us purchased the Dev Edition and it appears there are some things where clarification is required concerning the three "R's":

1. Rooting: I understand this wonderful rooting exercise is successful: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2290798. I would think since the Dev Edition is unlocked, an owner would only utilize Step 3, and NOT the kernel exchange section. Correct?

2. ROMing: Since the ROMS were created using the Loki enabled system, does this affect ROMing the Dev Edition since it is already unlocked? What does a user need to do? Or, does it not matter? Do the Loki enabled ROMS work on a Dev Edition?

3. Recovery: Again, it appears TWRP and CWM are Loki adjusted, so does this affect recovery on the Dev Edition and restoring? Also, is there a Stock Factory Image which will NOT turn the phone back to a locked bootloader? Or, does the one which exists OK to use?

I only ask these questions since a few of us are somewhat confused.

Thanking you in advance!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] guyd:
I've been thinking about buying the Verizon S4 Dev Edition phone, but have been hesitant due to not knowing how simple it would be to root. Is it as simple as just running MotoChopper? Or is there a better way?

Being that the bootloader on this phone is truly unlocked, can you install the current versions of CWM or TWRP that are LOKI enabled, and will it work on this phone? I haven't seen any compiled versions that were non-loki (standard).

Same question goes for kernels too.

The first batch of Dev phones sold out in less than 24 hours, so I'd expect some of the people that have them would start posting their experience with it here soon. At least, I hope so!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
Root failed when just applying the Motochopper step! It says it installs correctly and then it reboots and SuperSu is installed and then I checked for an upgrade which it took. However, it says it cannot install binary, there is a problem and closes. :(

I uninstalled SuperSu and tried a few times to root again but it doesn't work.

My phone states:

Kernel Version: 3.4.0-562219 dated May 15th

Build Number: JDQ439.I545OYUAMDK

Baseband: I545OYUAMDK

Must be something we can do....
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] guyd:
I wonder if step 2 and 4 are still required? (swapping kernels)

Even though the bootloader is unlocked, the kernel may still have root blocked?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
It sounds like it. But wouldn't swapping kernels render the Dev Edition to a retail version? Kinda defeats the purpose, no? Or, am I missing something?

The question is: Does the Dev Edition have the same kernel as the Retail Edition? If so, then it would make sense to swap kernels. I think we need the devs to weigh in.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] guyd:
From what I've been able to gather, Samsung has put in place a SetUID restriction on the stock release kernel via CONFIG_SEC_RESTRICT_SETUID. Apparently the D2 prerelease kernel doesn't have this restriction in place. That seems to be why flashing that is required prior to using MotoChopper to gain root. What I can't figure out is why you can flash the release DK afterwards and still keep root?

On the T-Mobile and Sprint S4 they've been able to remove the SetUID restriction on their latest DL release kernel by recompiling the kernel source with the SetUID restriction commented out
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
Thanks for the thoughts and analysis. Hopefully someone will find an alternate

root method for the dev edition since it has been available for a week and it sold out in less than twenty four hours, somebody with know how must have purchased it and is tinkering as we speak.

I would hate to render it back to a retail version otherwise.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] guyd:
I think I may have found a solution. With the Developer Edition we have an unlocked bootloader, so there is no need to use loki. I was looking for a non-loki patched (normal) recovery that could be flashed in Odin. I think I found one here http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2322675. Look for the "Latest version can be found here" link, not the "loki patched" link. The filename is : Philz_touch_5.06.6-jfltevzw.tar.md5

If this works like it did in previous unlocked Samsung devices, then we should be able to flash the custom recovery in Odin, and then boot into recovery afterwards to flash SuperUser. From there, we're rooted.

If I had my dev edition S4, I'd test it out myself. But I'm still waiting for them to get back in stock!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
Great..am somewhat game to try. Well report back. Thanks!!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
IT WORKED...somewhat!!! When it boots, I now get Samsung Custom and unlocked symbol and I am in Philz Touch Recovery backing up the image.

As expected, the backup image is 4GB+ (saved on external card of course).

However, I can't update binary for root.

You, sir, are a genius...thanks so much..almost there!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
Not really rooted though. :( Can't update binary and when in Root Explorer I can explore most folders but Root checker says I am not rooted.

Now what do I do? LOL
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] guyd:
Did you flash SuperSU from recovery via the zip file? (from this thread) http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1538053. Look for the UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.41.zip file in the download section.

This should give you root after flashing in recovery! If you can't get root in a root app after flashing this file, then the kernel is blocking root. You can thank Samsung for adding that in the DK kernel.

You can easily work around this by flashing a custom kernel!

Let me know how it goes.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS!!!!

Now we need a thread/tutorial started for the Dev Edition Owners on how to do this!!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] guyd:
Do you now have root with the stock DK kernel, or did you flash a custom kernel?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
Root with stock kernel. :)
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] guyd:
Now I know exactly what I need to do when I get mine!

Thanks for testing it out on your device ;)
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
You are welcome. Now, the next question: Can we flash the ROM's which are Loki adjusted?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] guyd:
Good question. From what I have seen thus far, the recovery is the piece that has to be Loki adjusted to allow it to be flashed on a locked bootloader. I don't think the ROM cares one way or the other. The only thing I still have questions about is the kernel. Is the kernel in the Developer Edition different than the carrier version?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
How do I/we find out? If you have any suggestions, let me know. I have gone this far and sweated.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] guyd:
If we could get an MD5 of the Developer DK kernel (boot.img), and compare it to the MD5 of a completely stock DK kernel (boot.img). Or maybe compare the kernel build numbers? I dunno, just throwing some ideas out.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] equake:
What ROM are you running?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
It's a Dev edition, stock except for Philz and root.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] equake:
Are you waiting for the ODIN OOB image b4 you go further like I am?

Technically, from the threads I've read we can ODIN the Consumer Ed and restore from any brick. Since a person has already tried both the Stock Consumer Ed Recovery and Stock Consumer Ed Kernel on the Dev phone and someone has tried the ME7 radio so the MDK radio shouldn't pose any issue.

Anyone want to provide comments?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Bait-Fish:
I'm leery about putting the regular retail firmware ODIN on my Dev phone. Me? I'll wait and watch, listen and learn as others experiment with that.

I dug a little more into the sextape full wipe, open1your1eyes0 no-wipe, and some of the files I dumped. After unpacking their tar.md5 files, I compared md5s. The only difference between sextape's and open1your1eyes0's md5-wise is the cache.img.ext4 file. It's 115 MB vs 85 MB, respectively. Below is a list of the files in their ODIN tar.md5 images.

aboot.mbn

boot.img

cache.img.ext4

hidden.img.ext4

modem.bin

NON-HLOS.bin

persdata.img.ext4

recovery.img

rpm.mbn

sbl1.mbn

sbl2.mbn

sbl3.mbn

system.img.ext4

tz.mbn

I attempted to rename my Dev Edition dd'd files to match their naming scheme and run a MD5 check against them. All of the files failed to match any MD5, mine to theirs. I didn't have all the files (system, boot, recovery, and I wasn't sure what rpm.mbn is). Those I'm betting won't match either, anyway.

Some thoughts. I am not sure why the naming is as they have. Does ".mbn", ".ext4", and ".bin" have any bearing or difference from the files I dd'd. I still have a retail GS4 in my possession so I could dump its files and compare it to theirs. Otherwise, did they "process" their files, causing the different names?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
Odd. I would have expected some of those files to have the same MD5 as our partition images. I make look at this tomorrow to see if I can't figure out what the difference is. BTW, the RPM file is /dev/block/mmcblk0p7 on our device.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Bait-Fish:
This morning I dd'd the same files listed above from my retail GS4. None of the file's MD5 hashes match either.

Seeing other threads suggest using "bs=4096" at the end of the dd if of command, I dd'd the files in that manner too. That changed nothing. In fact, the MD5 remained the same and matched the non-4096 files.

So, at this point I am thinking that there's a reason their files are named .bin, .mdn, and .img.ext4. *shrug*

Edit:Between my retail and dev edition phones, these partitions match md5s.

backup
carrier
fota
fsg
modemst1
modemst2
pad
persist
ssd

That leaves the non-matching files

aboot
apnhlos
boot
cache
efs
hidden
m9kefs1
m9kefs2
m9kefs3
mdm
param
persdata
recovery
rpm
sbl1
sbl2
sbl3
system
tz
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
I've been trying to study up on this. It looks like every file in the no-wipe is significantly smaller than the files obtained using dd. The mbn files seem to be some type of compressed and signed binary. I'll keep looking.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Bait-Fish:
Good find.

I was half thinking of setting up kitchen and looking through the chef/dev stuff there to see what's available.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
Supposedly there is a utility to decompress mbn files, but I can't get it to run on Linux or Windows.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=901417
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
MBN is a Qualcomm file format. I'm still not finding any specifics. This is looking to be a dead end.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Captain Crypto:
Greetings everyone. Sorry to threadjack but i have a quick question. My S4 Dev arrives on Tuesday. I'm finally ditching the Bionic. IIRC when I bought the Dev the agreement said that once I change the software (I'm assuming root/recovery/ROM), the warranty is void. Did I read that right? I'm rooting it as soon as it's charged anyway but I'm wondering if I'll need to shell out money for a HW issue...

Thanks. I look forward to going back to my ROM'ing ways from my OG Droid days.

Sent from my Bionic on Tapatalk 4

EDIT - Gah! I found the right place to post this question. Sorry. Mods - please move this if appropriate. Thx.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
Concerning dd images and Odin

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=41711680&postcount=3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Bait-Fish:
You're right on that, asharad. When asked whether or not that ODIN image was from a dump or from the manufacturer,

sextape answered,

---------- Post added at 08:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:20 PM ----------

I recall the warranty they state if you don't modify it was only 30 days. No loss, really.

Edit: Welcome to the Dev side :cool:
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] sparky697:
I kept mine stock for a few days just to make sure everything worked. I didn't want to eat $700 just because I rooted before I checked everything out. Plus it showed me the things I did and didn't like about touchwiz.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Captain Crypto:
Thanks. I'm looking at options now.

And thanks for the welcome. I miss my OG Droid days. I hope to rekindle that fun again.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] wtherrell:
I'm on the stock dev edition radios (baseband) & would like to try ME7. How to backup my current radios so I can go back if need be? Only zips I have found are VRUAMDK & VRUAME7. Do not see baseband backup option in Recovery.

Sent from my Hyperdriven Vzw Dev Edition Galaxy S4 with Tapatalk 4
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Bait-Fish:
I haven't fully looked into getting the kernel out of the dd boot.img and zipping it into a flashable zip. Seems doable.

dd'ing the stock boot.img should get you the Dev kernel back.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] wtherrell:
MBW, but I don't think the radios are in the kernel. Totally separate I think. AFAIK they aren't in a Nandroid backup at all, are they?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Captain Crypto:
Finally!

I just got home from the VZW store. Activated my S4 DEV and other than one phone call I've done absolutely nothing with this phone. I'm going to load a custom recovery and nandroid it. From there, who knows?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Captain Crypto:
I've read through a lot but can't find a specific answer to this question... Is there any way of accidentally locking the bootloader on the S4 Dev? Or is it write protected in some way so that it can't be locked? I want to make absolutely sure before I go messing around with this phone. Thanks.

EDIT: Just got the answer from a very smart man. The bootloader is hardware unlocked, so there's no threat of accidentally locking it. Thank God.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
And NEVER take any VZW OTA : it will lock the device. That is what happened to me on my first Dev phone but fortunately I was in the 30 day return window and Samsung sent me another..and I got full credit on the return. I am now happily ROM'ing to my heart's delight and running my new Dev, never going back to stock. :)
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
There hasn't been an OTA for the Dev phone. Just to be sure I understand, how did you get an OTA from VZW?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] equake:
Also curious about the update. There has not been any that we know of. I would like an official ME7 update but then again its a catch 22.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
The ME7 was the update back in July. It was pushed by vzw both as an OTA and a computer software install. My dev phone got hit and it locked the bootloader.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Kaiya_FL:
Did you try installing it via the computer software install or from an OTA update message?

And if it locked the bootloader, I guess that means it's not hardware unlocked but software unlocked?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] equake:
Which smart man told you It's he unlocked.? Can you confirm?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
I think you may be confusing the developer edition with the Verizon store edition. In July the update came out for the store edition. There is no me7 update for the developer edition.

Where did you buy your phone?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] heyazzo:
Picture, or fake.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
No I am far from being confused.

I owned and continue to own the developer edition. Verizon pushed the update. it didn't matter if one had a developer edition or the retail edition but the phone became locked. Fortunately the update occurred during the first 30 days of ownership so Samsung issued an rma number to me to return after I expressed my displeasure and problem. Samsung fully credited my account of the original purchase with the help of American Express and sent me a new phone

I will never allow another Verizon OTA to occur.

There are threads on this from others when it occurred back in the second week of July and one of the reasons the Bounty to unlock/root was initiated.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
Dang that must have sucked. You and I purchased our Dev phones at about the same time (during the 25% coupon fiasco). I've been following this forum since before ME7 came out, and don't recall anyone getting an OTA on the Dev device. My phone was never served an update thankfully. Still stock OYUAMDK.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
Actually, I ordered mine the first hour it appeared online in June (and which sold out instantly) and received it the last week of June and the update occurred @ July 17 thereabouts if memory serves me right. My update occurred via the software installer. I was "multi tasking" with the phone usb tethered and got distracted and never saw it running in the background and well, the rest is history as they say.

Not really a bad outcome as Samsung replaced, etc, so now I am a happy camper and can't complain. :)
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
Oh, I thought it was late July when I ordered mine. Sorry for the confusion.

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=44087280&postcount=90
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] markwebb:
Yes, that reference is to the second phone I ordered as a result of the fiasco. I had to re-order via Samsung when AMEX intervened once the credit went through as I was still in my 30 day return window of the original late June order. :)
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
I apologize sir. Thanks for the explanation.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] rmanaka:
This is still very disappointing. Not only are there the small differences between the developer MDK and the retail MDK (not including the bootloader), no return to stock package, but now we learn that the "unlocked" hardware bootloader can be permanently locked by a software OTA update? I smell a rotten fish!!! :mad:

Perhaps we should demand a refund from Samsung as it seems like a rooted retail MDK phone is a better development phone than this beast.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Captain Crypto:
The thing to remember is that the Dev is the same phone as the consumer with the exception of the bootloader. The carrier releases updates to all phones.

Yes, the bootloader is hardware unlocked but it is possible for it to be locked. I forgot that little tidbit from the OG Droid days. Back then I only ran ROMs. I've disabled OTA by tibu freezing SDM and FWUpgrade.

I am not fully versed on the intricacies of how the bootloader can be re-locked but I will be as soon as I have time to read up on it.

Sent from my SCH-I545 DEV

---------- Post added at 03:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:40 AM ----------

See my post previous to this one with my retraction. Sorry about that.

Sent from my SCH-I545 DEV
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] rmanaka:
Problem is that the Development Edition phone is NOT exactly the same phone as the retail MDK phone. The kernel behavior is different when you apply the ME7 based ROMs to a developer edition phone. In many cases both Wifi and a few other TW features will be broken when using the Development kernel where all will work with the stock MDK kernel!

It's hard to say that this behavior is due to different bootloader partitions?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] wtherrell:
Mine also shows a different baseband version as well. I know that in order to get Vzw custom roms to work at all with wifi I have to reload the dev edition modules that scrosler was kind enough to post. I was paranoid when I 1st got the phone and Odined custom recovery, rooted & blocked updates with Tibu before I even put in the Sim.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] equake:
Are you certain it is H/W unlocked and is there an unlock/relock mechanism?

I received my Dev phone in July and there are no OTA updates and both Kies and VZW S/W updater do not recognized the phone as supported.

I've chatted to both Samsung and VZW support people and they are pretty clueless on any updates or differences. The VZW support rep did seem a little more knowledgeable in that he himself has a Motorola Dev Edition and responded that the updates come very slowly but is from the Motorola web site.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Kaiya_FL:
Mine was stock for a few days but never saw any OTA. Seems stupid and annoying for Verizon to put the software updater on it if it locks what they advertise as an unlocked bootloader. After having my DE a few days, I ended up rooting (the wrong way) and have been on custom ROMs ever since. It's be nice to see one built on the Dev edition so maybe things like BT MAP and other features the DE is supposed to have might work. I've been trying to figure out how to get the missing BT Profiles back into a ROM but it's kind of above my pay grade :D At one point CM 10.1 had incorporated it back in but it seems to be gone in CM 10.2 and the ROM seems very unstable. 10.1 doesn't seem to out there any more either.

Maybe the reason why Samsung doesn't provide the original software file, like they do for the consumer edition, is that they expect actual developers who know how to get it themselves to buy the phone?

This has definitely been a learning experience for me :silly:
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] equake:
Slightly Off topic, does anyone own a GS3 Dev Edition? If so, does S3 Dev Edition have identical versions of FW/Baseband/Kernel as the Consumer Edition?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] rmanaka:
Do you still get the Samsung padlock with the "custom" message when you cold start?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] wtherrell:
Yes. This with unlocked padlock appears initially followed by "Google" and then the rotating array of color 4 color - dots.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] rmanaka:
Thanks! I'm the same here. Triangle Away hasn't helped me so far but I might not be using it correctly.

Which [MENTION=426561]scrosler[/MENTION] files are you using and are you able to use a stock MDK kernel (which one... Retail or Dev?) and get get Wifi with ME7 based ROMs?

I have read the thread on his Developer Edition return to stock ROM based upon the dumps from [MENTION=2549613]markdw[/MENTION]eb but not sure if that's what you are referring to.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] wtherrell:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2352396 2nd post has the dev edition modules that scrosler supplied. I am running Hyperdrive rom 8.1 with Elite kernel. The rom is ME7 based. Kernels are available within mods in tweaks settings the rom adds to menu. None of the kernels worked well until I flashed the modules on top and cleared cache & dalvik.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] rmanaka:
OK, thanks! That makes sense. If I understand what you've done is to flash scrosler's retail modules to our Dev edition phones to make, in effect, an unlocked bootloader consumer MDK? I will have to try this as well and then flash the retail stock kernel to see if I get better battery life.

Thanks again!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] wtherrell:
I am under the impression that the modules were taken from the dev edition sold by Samsung, yes. However I could not get the dev edition kernel itself to work with any of the other roms.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] wtherrell:
Bump
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] asharad:
If you are running Philz recovery, you can backup radio and modem by going into "Custom Backup and Restore"
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] wtherrell:
Hmm... So it does. Thanks. Although I really liked it, I haven't used it much because because it doesn't recognize my external sdcard. So does the zip of VRUAME7 contain both modem & radio? I would guess so but want to be sure
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] Kaiya_FL:
Were you able to get a backup of the stock dev modem/radio? If so would you be willing to post a download link? That's the last piece I need for a 90% back to stock recovery :cowboy:
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4] wtherrell:
Time permitting, I'll give it a try tomorrow.