[Verizon Galaxy Note 4 General] anticloud:
ok, this method does not work - there was an attempt to flash a rooted system.img.ext4 image from a developer edition to a retail, it failed... with the exception of the members of this forum who verified that this method did not / does not work (thanks to all) the following set of instructions does not work...

again, sorry -

Note: I am not responsible for anything that might happen to your device. Please make a backup if possible or please make sure you know how to restore your phone back to factory using the correct stock roms. This Note 4 Developer forum does have resources to do so. Before proceeding below, please ensure you have tried to restore from stock roms via ODIN 3.09 (or correct version), as it may be the only way to recover your device.

The post here suggests (but untested / verified on a retail Verizon Note 4 NJ5) that a system.img.ext4 image, with root (Super SU), can be flashed using ODIN 3.09 to a retail device. I ask more experienced developers to try this first, and post your responses here. I will cite / note the steps which I have done below. I really hope other developers assist in the verification process - let me know if this works or not. I will pull this post if in fact this process fails

Using EFS Professional v2.1.80 Beta and a Verizon Note 4 Developer Edition SM-N910V, on the 4.4.4 version N910VVRU1ANJ5, did the following.

0. Restored the SM-N910V (Developer) to near stock - the only thing different was the recovery partition which had been previously flashed to TWRP

1. Downloaded UPDATE-SuperSU-v2.16.zip from this post (also where TWRP came from), and with my Note 4 connected to a PC, copied the zip file to the phone; rebooted into recovery, flashed Super SU with TWRP. Now it's rooted, right? restarted phone. Installed Busybox (required by EFS Professional), prompted me for root access, permission granted. Busybox ran. Good.

2. - instruction no longer available...

3. Using TWRP, reflashed my phone back to stock before root. Used ODIN 3.09 with my phone in download mode, flashed the SM-N910V_2015130_0116.tar back to my Developer edition, performed a factory reset, rebooted, did a minimal phone setup (bailed out of setup when I could) but Used the busybox.apk (stericson) to test root; installed it using the unknown resources option, ran it, it asked for root, I assume this was a sign that the ODIN flash went well and root held...

So, what remains - asking the developer community to test flashing the SM-N910V_2015130_0116.tar on a retail device using ODIN AP Mode, I do not have one to test...

Here is what I'm hoping for. That the SM-N910V_2015130_0116.tar can be successfully flashed to a retail device, which will then be fortified with root, yes. Maybe that can lead to the "promised land" where a developer, again - more talented than me, can find a weakness in the retail version, from within, to obtain root by other means; unless what I have done, is it!! If it is. Excellent...

If this does work on a retail verizon Note 4 (NJ5), excellent, glad to have helped. If there is a bounty due, ok, I suppose I could accept but not expecting it. I am more excited to give back to the community who has so given their precious time / resources... and so it goes...

Again, please let me know if this worked. I will down this thread immediately if it is detrimental to devices...

Rob