yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] landshark68:
Have to do them in succession.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ilikedbz:
.

I'm still on stock rooted 4.1 right now. With the lock down of 4.3 and 4.4 what are my best options for updating my phone? Seems like I won't be able to stick with touchwhiz any longer if I update. Should I just take the leap to vanilla android? I've already started having issues with my phone GPS and camera
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] capt730:
If you are going aosp, AICP and Gummy have been very solid, smooth with good battery life and plenty of features.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] astonmartin214:
you can go check out Dirty Unicorns or want a stock feel Gummy ROM
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] woodsticks:
Has anyone seen or heard about a new OTA recently?

Some one on the towelroot thread mentioned there is a new OTA that patches the exploit, preventing towelrooting. Could it be KK 4.4.4 ?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] astonmartin214:
okay well I don't see a reason to update since the bootloader is still locked no ROMS so I don't care & if there is a update nothing will change any way
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] DigitalMD:
There's not even a rumor of another update for the S3. Why would Verizon bother with that? I would say never gonna happen, cost them too much money to do OTAs for old phones.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] joekiv:
No. There was a recent article in Android Police that stated it was a 'Bug Fix' update not a new version of KK. It also stated that it 'fixed' the Towelroot exploit. In short, if you take it you will loose root and will be unable to get it back.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ryanallaire:
As far as i'm concerned, this update is ****ty with or without root..
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Ryezen:
So I'm trying to understand the situation involving my wife's S3. Her phone was given to her by a coworker a while back. He had reset it to -almost- 100% stock, but said that he "hooked her up" with a couple of features. One of the features was a tethering app and I can't recall what the other app was. Anyhow, I noticed right away that when rebooting the phone, the big, white unlock symbol appeared with the word "Custom" on the screen. Fast forward a few months and I had forgotten all about the phone not being 100% stock and the VZW 4.4.2 OTA automatically installed on her phone. As soon as she came into the room and told me her phone got upgraded I immediately thought, "Oh crap! Brick!" To my surprise, the update brought her to 4.4.2 with no issues, and the unlock screen during boot along with the "Custom" text still appears every time she reboots. I thought the 4.4.2 update automatically locked bootloaders? Or does the "Custom" screen not signify an unlocked bootloader? Please enlighten me. Thanks!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Not sure about the custom part but if it's on the 4.4.2 ota the bootloader is locked permanently

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] landshark68:
The custom screen with the unlocked padlock does not signify the bootloader is unlocked. It just something in the system was changed or altered at some point and the person who previously had the phone did not bother to use triangle away to reset it.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ATGkompressor:
Finally got to a computer and ran the VERIZON UTILITY...flawlessly. And I absolutely love kit Kat! The radio in this firmware is remarkable. Fixing to do an ookla speedtest...I love this
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] dvaderx:
Anyone know if the kernel for 4.4 TW is being worked on at all? it looks like surge found a way to unpack it and said the kernel would need to be patched but it seems that is where progress has stopped. do we know if there is any other movement on that?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] jimwick:
............ I did go through the 63 pages but most replies are about the locked bootloader or Towelroot........., I just wanted to ask if this update was good or not? ****ty or remarkable? What added new features does this update give the S3? ............. thks :D ............
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Harb67:
So I had to use an insurance claim to replace my old-school unlocked bootloader GS3 with a new one.

The new one has 4.3 / VRUCNC1. The phone is forcing me to download another update, which I assume is 4.4.2.

I'm assuming that since I'm on 4.3, the bootloader is locked and I pretty much have zero modding ability anyway. Will installing this update lock the phone down any harder than it already is? This stock experience is ****ing frustrating - I very badly want to at the very least flash a rom to get rid of all this Verizon/Samsung bloatware, will taking the new update make it any more difficult/impossible to do that?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] vmancini3:
You can use towelroot to root either the 4.3 or the 4.4 update, locked down is locked down, no difference between the two really! I'd do the OTA update, then immediately do a factory reset, then root using towelroot, then download SuperSU and busybox from the Play Store! Then you can use your choice of TitaniumBackup or a root file explorer to get rid of anything you want to, however there are 1 or 2 4.4 ROMs that you can flash using safestrap IIRC. They're pretty much just stock but debloated!

Edit: the factory reset part isn't entirely necessary, although it will give you the best chance of a bug-free experience! At least if you have any issues and someone says "Did you try doing a factory reset", you can say you did!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] BadUsername:
It's better to stay on 4.3, you have 8 roms to choose from that are all pretty stable. On 4.4 you only have 2 roms that aren't too customizable yet. You're much more limited on 4.4 than on 4.3 even though they both have locked bootloaders.

I personally wouldn't update.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] vmancini3:
Even after what I said.....I agree 100%
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ATGkompressor:
It really depends on the user and what u mostly use your phone for. To me, there's a few subtle changes like the lockscreen, recents panel, and status bar that I really like. But best of all, over all app functionality is much improved, as with any software update on any platform. But everyone will have a different opinion. It just runs so much more smoothly than 4.3...I hated 4.3. That's the version where they introduced Knox and undoubtedly a few bugs to go along with it. All I can tell u is (assuming you're on a locked bootloader already) go for it...what do u have to lose?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] jimwick:
........... actually I am unlocked but really tired of the Wifi connection issues that came with 4.3. I just want to be connected to the web, text & phone calls go smoothly. Its a work phone so I just want to get back to working correctly.......... Thks alot for all your info [MENTION=5646464]ATGkompressor[/MENTION] .......
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ATGkompressor:
It's anybody else experiencing the absence of missed calls and texts not showing up on the lockscreen? I have it enabled in messaging settings. Idk why but it is bugging me to death and I can't figure out why it's not showing. Also, it says that the app is running when I go to running processes in the stock application manager.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
Sorry but could use some help

So I've tried to read through the thread from beginning to end but I'm exhausted. I have an unlocked bootloader and rooted S3 from Verizon. As I understand it, in order to get the update I need to download the ROM or update ZIP and load it directly via Odin. All I'm missing is a download link to get the appropriate file. If anyone could point me to the thread/post where this exists, or just shoot me the link, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance

MB
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] schwinn8:
If you want to give up on the unlocked bootloader, then yes you can get the OTA update and let it apply. No Odin required. Since you're unlocked, you probably have 4.1.2, which means you will need multiple OTAs to reach the latest version.. there's no single Odin that I know of, but it may exist. Note that Odin would erase any existing apps/settings... the OTAs will preserve this, which is why I'd suggest doing that for simplicity.

I'm assuming you prevented the OTA from happening by freezing or deleting "SDM" which is what performs the updates. Unfreeze or restore that and you should get the OTAs from Verizon in short order.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
Giving up unlocked bootloader

I'm honestly fine with giving up the unlocked bootloader. Is there a good link or thread that walks me through doing that?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] schwinn8:
Ok, if you're fine with the locked BL, then like I said, just run the OTAs as they come to you. If you disabled SDM then you need to restore that so the OTAs can arrive and be applied. They will take care of locking your BL and unrooting you...
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
Sorry ..let me back up. I've been under the impression that you can't take an OTA with bootloader unlocked. In any case I get an error each time I try. I'm currently running 4.3 (NC1). I've never stopped SDM...and as a result get forced into downloading the update for OTA daily...only to have it not work. Please advise.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
You can take the OTA but one question is are you rooted?

From my S3 on Wicked 4.3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
Yep I am rooted. I must un-root for the OTA? And if so will I be able to root again once complete?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Yes and you should be, as long as the baseband is before a certain date as noted on towelroots website

From my S3 on Wicked 4.3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
So now I know what the problem is. Thank you very much. I've honestly never unrooted anything so I'll look into that.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Do you have supersu as your superuser app?

From my S3 on Wicked 4.3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
Yes I do
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Not sure if you need supersu pro or not but here is what I'm referring to. Full unroot is an option in supersu, near the bottom within the app itself

From my S3 on Wicked 4.3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
used the unroot button...rebooted and trying to dl the update now...thanks again
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Post here about the outcome and if it did indeed work

From my S3 on Wicked 4.3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
well that didn't work...lol...still gives me an error on trying to install the update. Supersu now shows "app not installed" when I try to click on it..

---------- Post added at 04:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:34 PM ----------

Could safestrap be causing the problem?

I get the custom lock (in unlocked position) icon when I reboot. I've done so much to this phone I don't know what to remove to get the silly OTA...lmao
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
I looked and there doesn't seem to be much but I did see you'd need to remove safestrap, there doesn't seem to be much on xda though

From my S3 on Wicked 4.3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
I'm hoping that's as simple as uninstalling it. Going to try it now
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Alright. I would think it could be done but we shall see how it works out. I did do a search and the only thing I found on xda were others with questions about the same thing

From my S3 on Wicked 4.3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
No workie

---------- Post added at 05:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:59 PM ----------

I suppose I could install the 4.3 rom via Odin again and then take the OTA...just seems like a lot of work for the update
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] BadUsername:
Just install the 4.4 rom directly.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
so far nothing is working
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] BadUsername:
Load this with Odin

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2795659
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
well that's what I kinda started out with asking...or tried to. Where do I get the 4.4. ROM?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] schwinn8:
I think he's looking for a link to the Odin file for 4.4, or something else.

You can find Odin files for 4.3 here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2586319

Alternatively, you can continue to try to unroot and re-lock the bootloader to allow the OTAs to happen. Seems like this isn't easy to do, so maybe it's just better to do 4.3 Odin and then 4.4 OTA.

Note, the guide thread here has plenty of links for you to work with, if you look around there: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2639337
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] BadUsername:
That is the 4.4 rom.

4.4 firmware = 4.4 stock rom
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
OK I see it now...thanks...gonna work on it
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Midknight_Bishop:
Thanks to all. Didn't bother to re-flash 4.3 just went straight to 4.4 using Odin and the provided ROM link. Worked like a champ. All the help is very much appreciated!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Your welcome but the help and thanks should go to BadUsername as he was the big help here, thanks for stepping in and helping him out man, I don't know enough about what you did to help but I appreciate it none the less

From my S3 on Wicked 4.3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ATGkompressor:
You could've downloaded and installed the Verizon utility and it would've given u the update. I did it and didn't have to unroot or anything.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Ryan829:
One m8

I have the m8 now and am loving it. Haven't looked back since.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Droid2drummer:
Had M8..swapped for G3..I miss the feel and speed as we'll as sense 6's fast and beautiful clean interface. My God was it hard to send it back to sprint. But I needed the camera. Not to mention a few other personal reasons.

Sent from rotary technology Phone
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Ryan829:
I was leaning towards the g3 the whole time but changed my mind last second. It came down to the fact that the high res screen scared me because of battery life concerns and the m8 seemed much faster to use
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] wyomingballer:
Hello everyone. I have been interested in custom roms for a while now but I have never put on on my s3. I loved my s3 till I took the latest OTA update. I now have 4.4.2 and the NE1 baseband. And I absolutely hate my s3 now. I have been trying to find a guide to root and install a new rom. most guides I have found are for 4.3 and older, can someone point me in the right direction.

Thanks
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
With the OTA update you have a choice of two roms with safestrap. Custom roms aren't available anymore. Jtag is your only option to revert back to the previously unlocked bootloader running 4.1.2

From my S3 on Wicked 4.3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] MIKEYSAKZ:
Towel root for root method is what you need to search and should be working with the update and as shapes said not much in the way of custom roms. And you could do like he said and do the bootloader rollback but the phone has to be sent out for a number of days. Good luck brother hope it all works out
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] TheBuzzard:
Does that really work? How the **** have they managed to do that, anyways? I'm guessing that nobody really knows...

I've checked in from time to time to look, but I've never seen a lot of corroboration that the service is actually on the level, apart from like one person saying that it works and a whole lot of people that have no idea and don't want to risk it.

My phone is fine, but my Dad ignored my express warnings about not trying to root the phone himself and all of that, and he took the OTA update after rolling back from a previous ROM that I had installed on his phone and of course it hard-locked his bootloader.

If that service actually rolls back the bootloader then I think he'd be one happy camper, and he'd stop routinely bugging me about it.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] n3wt:
It's called JTAG. Basically instead of interacting with the software they are able to do it at the circuit level.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] wyomingballer:
Thanks

Thanks everyone for the info. looks like a new phone might be on its way...
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] npro1464:
I hate to post this but... would anyone be able to recommend the stablest TouchWiz ROM out there right now?

My GS3 is on the fritz. I'm having a hell of a hard time charging my phone. The screen will blink on and off. I'm guessing the hardware is going, since my hodgepodge of chargers worked perfectly fine on this phone until last month.

I'm looking for a new ROM, just in case it is software related. My phone is running CM11 M8 currently. I ran the ROM fine for months with no problems. I'm figuring I'll retry TW before I start shopping for a new phone, which I hope will last me until I get to at least hold a Note 4 in my hands. My go-to TouchWiz ROM (CleanROM) is gone since the dev left. I also haven't kept up on XDA since flashing M8 - should I update to NE1 (On the ML1 baseband right now, BL still unlocked)?

Hopefully I'll be able to get my phone to 100% so I can try fixing it :(. Any other advice is appreciated.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] BadUsername:
Most stable is 100% stock.

Every other suggestion is completely personal experience, you're better off just trying all 4.3 roms available.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] vmancini3:
So for those of you that actually took and are running the 4.4 OTA....was there ever the addition of some sort of flashlight toggle...or is the stupid "light assist" widget the only thing that still exists? Just curious.....I've actually gotten so bored with this phone lately that I'm considering Odin'ing the 4.4 tar.....nothing really left for me to do with this phone and I'll be getting another one in just a couple months, probably the LG G3.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] redusk:
The KitKat update brought us nothing cool (unless you count less battery life and more bugs "cool"), so the only way to turn on the flashlight is with that flashlight widget you speak of. I have made an app that adds a notification to toggle the flashlight, if you're interested. (It's just an ongoing-notification, nothing too fancy)

Link: http://www.mediafire.com/download/6k800bytjb13ftq/LightBro.apk
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] woodsticks:
I use the app "notification toggle" works well and you can add additional buttons.

I'm also running stock, rooted and using the Xposed framework. That helps a bit.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Oh i agree man. Let's just agree to disagree.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] TehFlyingIndian:
Could someone help me out, really quickly? I've been trying to find the right apps to freeze with TiBu so that my wife's phone stops pestering her with the new update. I notice there's no app with "updater" in the name, and it's been awhile since I've used my S3 so I've forgotten that. Could someone let me know what I need to freeze?

Thanks!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] SlimSnoopOS:
Look two pages back for your answer on how to stop getting the update nag. I may or may not have answered this question already.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Answer above

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] droidshadow:
about the kitkat update

so verizon galaxy s3 running 4.3 rooted has been hammering me about installing the 4.4.2 update.

However, my phone is rooted and I don't want to loose the root status on my phone which will most likely happen when taking the update.

Has anyone figured out how to root the Verizon S3 after they have taken the 4.4.2 kitkat update?...

If anyone has figured it out i would really appreciate a link or anything...

Thank you all for your time,

-droidshadow
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] SlimSnoopOS:
Its TouchWiz 4.3. KitKat has only rolled out to the Sprint S3. No root exists for the newest VRUCNC1 OTA.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Don't bother taking that OTA unless you've already taken the 4.3 ML1 ota. Actually don't even take it unless you want to lose root.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] 5ft24:
The update isn't KitKat 4.4.2

It's an update to 4.3 that adds roaming on the Telus Network in canada. it's still 4.3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] AntwonJenkins:
Are you serious?! can someone else verify this please... and if so how can you make the notification to update go away?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] SlimSnoopOS:
OTA PDFs are posted here, you can see for yourself what this update entails (click the "Benefits of Software Upgrade" link). Bookmark it for future reference.

To stop the notification, use an app like Titanium Backup, switch to "System" apps via the filter, then press the specific app. Or use a file explorer, grant it root access, then navigate to /System/Apps and rename the file to "sdm 1.0.bak" or delete it.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] TokedUp:
Intl forums are buzzing with the new 4.4 rom. Hope someone leaks the vzw version soon.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
That rom is ported from the Note 2. The international S3 isn't getting kk

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] _yokolormebadd:
Its true. I have no screenshot since I updated a few days ago but its just a 4.3 update to allow us to roam with Telus in Canada.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] TokedUp:
So? At least they got it.. What do we get? Nothing thats what.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Ah do you really want to be locked down by big red?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] SlimSnoopOS:
Its not such a bad thing if Verizon pushes out the KitKat OTA. I'm all for it honestly, something new for our devs to get their hands on.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Oh i agree Slim but for those that take the OTA they will be locked down for sure

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Concrete B:
Does it effect root? I can't get rid of the dang notification so I might just take it. Or, is there a way to get rid of the update notifications? I tried to force stop. Could I freeze it in Titanium?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] SlimSnoopOS:
Look one page (post #70) back for your answer.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Concrete B:
I appreciate the help. Thanks
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] BROKEN1981:
are you sure about this? verizon told me unlocking the boot or rooting is void. not that it matters any way. when i ran into problems with my droid i called up vzw and sent it in the mail when they gave me a new phone. i think your only caught when you bring it in.

---------- Post added at 06:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:02 AM ----------

su pro will keep root. i can confirm this since i was on ml1 with root and lost it on nc1. i had to reflash ml1 root, then get su pro. i took the ota and it kepted my root.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] 5ft24:
I have tried it quite a few times, and I have super SU pro with survival mode enabled and after applying the NC1 update, it is no longer rooted.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] BROKEN1981:
Are you flashing nc1? If so that would explain it. If you're taking the ota then im not really sure how you are losing root. That should never happen according to how it works. Rather how someone explained how su keeping root works.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ShapesBlue:
Supersu attempts to keep root across otas, Chainfire offers no guarantee it will 100% work for everyone however

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] jcleav:
I feel like my phone is running smoother than ever. KitKat has rejuvenated it enough to hold me over until my upgrade in September.