[Verizon Galaxy S 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] DeepPurple72:
HOW TO FLASH G900V (KK 4.4.4) on the SM-S903VL, AND ROOT IT!

ODIN will NOT allow FLASHING the BOOT.IMG/ABOOT of the G900V firmware due to the

bootloader being locked down on SM-903VL ( Secure Boot Enabled won't accept G900V kernels! )

But you can downgrade to SM-903VL Factory Test 4.4..2, which allows you to get ROOT!

Once ROOTED & BusyBox is installed, you can "flash" the system/cache IMG's thru the ADB shell as ROOT.

You will end up with SM-903VL 4.4.2 Kernel + G900V KK 4.4.4 System ROM ( Can be rooted with TowelRoot )

KingRoot is only used to Root the Factory Test FW. Once you "flash" the G900V files, you will lose root

(ie. KingRoot is wiped from phone, along with all other data) Simply use TowelRoot to root the G900V FW.

( You will need WIFI or DATA for TR to work though! )

================================================== =================

The Steps I used to go from SM-903VL MM 6.01 to ROOTED G900V KK 4.4.4

( See original posts here: https://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s5/general/downgrade-to-4-4-2-factory-test-t3530449/page8

================================================== =================

download the official stable version of ODIN 3.12.3 here: http://samsungodin.com/

download the SM-903vl 6.01 stock image ( in case you need to recover / de-brick ) https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4...mkyZkNIMVhrOUk

Download & downgrade to the factory test 4.4.2 SM-903vl ( Using ODIN , use "AP" button for the .MD5 file )

link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4...ndnaWN1cGZ2Snc

root using KINGROOT PC version (windows) - INTERNET REQUIRED for KR to work! here: https://kingroot.net/thank-you-for-d...t-for-windows/

*** NOTE: YOU MUST HAVE STABLE INTERNET CONNECTION for KR to work!. Exit & run KR again if no root.

after ROOT successful, manually install stericson version of busybox: here: https://www.apk4fun.com/apk/6139/

( copy apk to internal SD via PC mtp & install it from MY FILES )

*** install phoneinfo.apk if your LTE DATA does not work - BEFORE "flashing" G900V rom!!!!

The STEALTH-LTE does not appear to work in G900V, so if you need to fix APN

do it now!

download the G900V KK 4.4.4 firmware here: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=23991606952607146

or https://samsung-firmware.org/download/Galaxy S5 (Verizon)/858s/VZW/G900VVRU1ANK2/G900VVZW1ANK2/

(Windows use simg2img https://github.com/KinglyWayne/simg2img_win)

(Linux use a package manager to install simg2img)

Unzip the G900V KitKat Files to a folder, and then:

( use the simg2img command to CONVERT the IMG.EXT4 system & cache files to .IMG format )

use simg2img on cache.img.ext4 also ( *** temporarily rename it to system.ext4.img)

put the ext4 files in the same folder as simg2img.exe

open terminal or CMD prompt, then type:

simg2img system.img.ext4 system.img

simg2img cache.img.ext4 cache.img

then copy the system.img & cache.img to your INTERNAL SD card

next run these commands from linux terminal ( or Windows CMD prompt ):

adb shell

su

stop

dd if=/sdcard/cache.img of=/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/cache bs=10485760

dd if=/sdcard/system.img of=/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/system bs=10485760

**** Then exit the adb shell by typing exit (enter) 2 times to get back to command prompt, then

adb reboot recovery

let recovery do its thing, then when it reboots and is on the samsung boot screen

quickly do another

adb reboot recovery

then do a wipe data (Factory reset), then reboot

( I downloaded these APKS manually on PC, & copied to SD. WIFI will work on phone, but not DATA until you fix APN! )

install TR.APK ( Towelroot 3.0 ) and ROOT your phone https://towelroot.com/tr.apk

install stericson busybox-free ( found it here: https://www.apk4fun.com/apk/6139/ )

install the PhoneInfo.apk and FIX the APN for LTE data to work (Link on this page FIX APN SETTINGS post)

install XPOSED INSTALLER 2.6.1 ( KITKAT ) if you want xposed - google it

install SElinuxToggle.apk from XDA to be able to change SElinux to Permissive - google it

install SuperSu from playstore, upgrade binary & disable knox - Normal Mode ( as theres no custom recovery )

install ViperFX & ViperXHifi ( The BEST AUDIO MOD by far! Nothing can touch this! ) - google it

install a file manager with root capabilites: Rename the ContextProvider.apk in /system/priv-app/ folder to ContextProvider.apk.old

you should have ROOTED G900V normal KK 4.4.4 rom with XPOSED & Viper4Android Audio

Everything should work, EXCEPT for the FINGERPRINT SCANNER

MOBILE HOTSPOT works!

=========================================

phoneinfo.apk instructions:

Download Phone Info app to SDcard: http://apk.center/down_Phone-INFO-Sa...apkcenter.html

When it boots sideload phone info.apk from SD Open Phone Info app Click on Secret Codes Click launch STEALTHMODE Click LTE APN SETTINGS Hit the + to add APN

Enter the follow information;

Name=Verizon Internet APN=TRACFONE.VZWENTP Proxy=(LEAVE BLANK) Port=(LEAVE BLANK) Username=(LEAVE BLANK) Password=(LEAVE BLANK) Server=(LEAVE BLANK) MMSC=(LEAVE BLANK) Multimedia message proxy=(LEAVE BLANK) Multimedia message port=(LEAVE BLANK) MCC=311 MNC=480 Authorization type=None Click menu in right hand corner and save Select new APN APN type=default,dun Bearer=Unspecified Mobile virtual network operator type=None

Click menu in right corner save. Select new APN reboot phone.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This info did not come from me. I just copied & pasted it from the URL given above, so I do not take any credit for this.

If this works for someone, post a reply

=====================================================================

*** I DO NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR THIS... I PUT ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES ***

But, did want to share the steps used in more detail to do this! Thanks XDA Members!!!! :o

---------- Post added at 04:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:08 PM ----------

If you are feeling ADVENTUROUS, you could experiment using Lollipop or Marshmallow G900V system/cache IMGs instead,

following the instructions above ( AT YOUR OWN RISK of course )

You would need to GOOGLE to see if the version of G900V can be rooted first, though.

This may or may not work using the S903VL Factory Test KERNEL 4.4.2 ( BOOT.IMG ) with LL/MM - IDK.

IDK if flashing the ORIGINAL STOCK MM 6.01 KERNEL ( BOOT.IMG ) after ROOTING would give better performance,

or end up causing loss of ROOT.

Any Guinea Pigs out there willing to try? lol.

link to G900V stock fimwares: https://samsung-firmware.org/model/SM-G900V/

(I did flash the MODEM.BIN of the Original SM-903VL MM 6.01 by extracting it from the AP-md5 file, making a .TAR of the modem.bin,

and flashing it using ODIN AP mode. It appears the MM modem is faster than the 4.4.2 Factory test version BTW )

---------- Post added at 04:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:42 PM ----------

I have posted a way to get ROOT on SM-S903VL and convert it to G900V KK 4.4.4.

I have been using it for awhile now and it works great. ROOTED, XPOSED, MOBILE HOTSPOT, etc WORKS.

Just the FIngerPrint scannner doesnt work ( due to mismatched KERNEL / SYSTEM ROM versions )

ALL ELSE IS GOOD!