[Verizon Galaxy S 5 General] GeTex:
So I see ALOT OF CONFUSION regarding Safestrap on the Verizon Galaxy S5, I think its about time to explain it to stop this nonsense

THIS IS MEANT FOR 11 eMMC Users, 15 eMMC Users should unlock their bootloader and use TWRP instead

What is safestrap?

Why thank-you for asking, Safestrap is essentially a second recovery written by member [MENTION=4243514]Hashcode[/MENTION] to be used for systems with locked bootloader. Safe strap IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR YOUR STOCK RECOVERY OR A CUSTOM RECOVERY. Safestrap on a locked bootloader cannot flash locked bootloaders, cannot flash TWRP, and cannot flash custom kernels,(well it can but it is gonna brick) all this requires a custom bootloader, in which you could flash those things but at that point, you'd be better using SafeStrap, Flashfire or Odin to flash TWRP first.

So then what can safestrap do? Well safestrap is capable of flashing system partitions, data, cache and taking backups and even restoring them. It also has a built in file manager to give you access to system allowing the deleting, moving, and changing of files

You could run some stock based ROMs with this and in some cases pre-rooted ROMs. If you are on MM and running a pre-rooted rom, you must flash the stock kernel everytime you leave. YOU WILL NOT HAVE ROOT, but it will allow booting.

How do I access or use safestrap

Well I'll tell you this much, you DO NOT use your hard keys to do such. Don't try any button combos it just won't work. Safestrap doesn't exist on your recovery partition, but instead it exisst on the system partition, meaning you have to use the kernel to load safestrap, not hardware recovery.

On Lollipop its very simple, you need root first which can be obtained here http://xdaforums.com/verizon-galaxy-s5/general/root-method-og5-ok3-t3290370 [MENTION=1949695]jrkruse[/MENTION]

In this thread it also includes instructions for installing safestrap

Once safestrap is installed, continue by opening lollipop safestrap and selecting reboot to recovery. To exit, you can simply reboot to system

Now the hardest part comes down to Marshmallow. [MENTION=1949695]jrkruse[/MENTION] has a thread here about it http://xdaforums.com/verizon-galaxy-s5/general/how-to-flash-custom-6-0-1-roms-locked-t3393943

Unlike Lollipop you DO NOT HAVE ROOT. Sorry, just won't happen. But you can still flash some stuff. The worst part is "how do I get into safe strap?"

In the magical folder you downloaded and probably deleted when you rooted your galaxy S5, there was a Kernel file. NI2 or NK2. Either works, what you do is open up Odin on your PC and put your phone into download mode, when it boots into download mode, just flash it and it will reboot. When your phone starts up it will say "safe system not installed" or something. Press recovery. If you wait too long it'll freeze and need a battery pull. Now your in safe strap. to exit just reboot to system(possibly need to flash stock kernel via Odin for MM as safe strap flashes stock LP kernel. Again if you followed the directions in [MENTION=1949695]jrkruse[/MENTION] thread then it will manage to boot without any hassle

So why bother?

That! Is an excellent question.

For lollipop users you can flash prerooted stock based ROMs and such. You can use debloat scripts, Knox removal scripts, even modify system files and build.prop and boot and shutdown animations, change boot sounds, install xposed, use rooted apps, go crazy!!! And you can take system backups and restores. Its just awesome!

However, those on Marshmallow have a more sinister fate. Verizon doesn't like us so you CANNOT ROOT. Which means NO YOU CANNOT USE FLASHFIRE TO BOOT INTO SAFESTRAP, NOR SAESTRAP REBOOT OR SUCH. They all require root. So what can you do? Your in luck, you can flash debloat scripts to debloat some ROMs, Knox removal, take backups and do restores, you can still modify build.prop(I don't recommend it, take a backup), and even use Safestrap built-in file manager to edit the system partition, just remember, don't do anything without a backup. Also YES you can DOWNGRADE back to Lollipop if you read [MENTION=1949695]jrkruse[/MENTION] thread. You can flash custom ish stock based ROMs but you still CANNOT GET ROOT. DO NOT TRY TO FLASH A ROOTED ROM WITHOUT FLASHING A STOCK KERNEL BEFORE REBOOT.

Thanks to changes made by google you no longer can root MM+ without a custom kernel and you cannot get custom kernels without custom recovery which needs unlocked bootloaders. So sorry to those who want it but nothing we can do right now :(

So that's the majority of how to safestrap. Any comments or questions leave them below and I probably will answer them maybe kinda probably not.