Root [International] Stuck at boot logo after failed ROM install, please help.

[thaawak]

Let me start off with I was an iPhone user for 4 years, just bought an S4 a month ago and have no idea what I'm doing. I should have just left it as it was out of the box

So after attempting to install a custom rom (4.4.2 Play edition)my s4 is stuck at the Samsung I9505 boot screen. I wiped the 'Dalvik cache' 'System' and 'cache' partitions in TWRP as I was following along with a Youtube video (that didn't work). When I tried to flash the custom ROM it automatically said failed. After giving up and turning on the phone I found that I'm stuck at this screen.

Have I bricked the phone? $550 could have gone down the drain just like that. I'm completely stuck and have no idea what to do, also don't want to touch it without any advice and make everything worse. My only hope now is that I've managed to wipe the original software and it has nothing to boot from.

And why did the ROM install fail in the first place? I had it copied on the SD card. It was zip file.

I can still access TWRP just fine and my SD shows up with the custom ROM still there, it's just whenever I hit install it fails in under a second.

Please help, I just want everything to work again. Hopefully this post makes some sense to those who know what they're talking about.

 

[valorian]

What ROM did you try to install? Are you 100% sure this ROM was for the S4? If you can get into recovery you should be able to fix this. Did you do a backup of your stock ROM before attempting to install the custom ROM?

 

[thaawak]

I attempted to install "Pure-Google-pre-rooted-deodexed-4.4.2-v2.2.zip"

Yes, I was following an S4 instruction video and the above ROM was the same one the guy used in the video. That's good news! How do I get into recovery when TWRP is still installed? I've tried but the phones normal recovery is entered with the same button presses as you use to enter TWRP. And I bet this sounds stupid, I didn't backup my original ROM. Thought the entire process would be smooth and simple.

 

[sdrawkcab25]

I attempted to install "Pure-Google-pre-rooted-deodexed-4.4.2-v2.2.zip"

Yes, I was following an S4 instruction video and the above ROM was the same one the guy used in the video. That's good news! How do I get into recovery when TWRP is still installed? I've tried but the phones normal recovery is entered with the same button presses as you use to enter TWRP. And I bet this sounds stupid, I didn't backup my original ROM. Thought the entire process would be smooth and simple.

Recovery=TWRP what error are you getting?
And can you provide a link to where you are downloading the ROM from so that we are all on the same page

 

[thaawak]

Oh haha, clearly I'm new to this stuff. I hit install and in under a second red "Failed" text appears. I can't go any further than that.

ROM: https://mega.co.nz/#!gwgV0CRa!QXX_vCAj04A9C8Vwgz-7e0XRi6FaD9B0Z2yjSJbeB1Y

 

[valorian]

I'm not sure what this site is. One red flag I see is this site does not provide an MD5 check sum. The MD5 is a checker that is used to check if the file downloaded correctly. After you download the file you check the files MD5 and compare it to the MD5 value given. If the two match then your file downloaded successfully.

I'm not saying the file did not download correctly but this could be the cause of the failed install. No backup of the original ROM is a big no no. ALWAYS do a backup of the previous OS installed so you can revert back to it in a case just like this.

My recommendation would be to try a different ROM. Go onto XDA Developers website to find a ROM to try. I personally never install ROMs from unknown websites. Only download from credible websites. You never know what type of nasties might be hidden in a bad ROM.

 

[thaawak]

So is there any way I can copy the new ROM onto the SD card or phone as it is now? Currently my PC won't recognize the phone all the time while sometimes it does but makes failed attempts to install drivers. I can see various USB connection options in TWRP. Only other thing I can think of doing is borrowing someones laptop with an SD card reader and I'll have to wait a day or so for that.

 

[valorian]

The best way would be to use an SD card reader. Download the ROM to your PC then transfer to the SD card using a card reader. You'll need a micro to mini SD card adapter.

You may be able to find a stock ROM to download from the XDA Developers website.

 

[thaawak]

I'm not actually anywhere near shops at the moment, looks like I'll have to wait. Thank you very much for your help, I'll update this in a day or so with my results.

 

[sdrawkcab25]

I'll also recommend only to download ROMs linked from sites such as ours(androidforums), rootzwiki and xda forums. Those are trusted development sites.

Downloading from unknown sources can leave you with a $550 paperweight.

Also who is your mobile carrier? so I can move this thread to the best forum for you to get help

 

[ironass]

Also who is your mobile carrier? so I can move this thread to the best forum for you to get help

From post #1...

So after attempting to install a custom rom (4.4.2 Play edition)my s4 is stuck at the Samsung I9505 boot screen.

We're going to have to stop these Guides drinking on the job I'm afraid.

The i9505 is an International model. See, 23 Galaxy S4 models - know yours?

(International) Galaxy S4 - All Things Root - Android Forums

 

[thaawak]

Managed to get my hands on a card reader, where do I find the correct ROM? I've looked at xdadevelopers but can't find anything.

Edit: Found it on xdadev. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2544474

Downloading now and will update with results.

 

[ironass]

Edit: Found it on xdadev. ►►[AOSP] Official 4.4.2 - S4 Google Edition - Final-R1.2 - Feel the Experience of Nexus◄◄ - xda-developers

Downloading now and will update with results.

Strange... the above is jamal2367's Google Edition ROM, R1.2 which is different from your earlier post #3, which showed janjan's, now abandoned I believe, Pure-Google-pre-rooted-4.4.2-v2.2 deodexed ROM.

I attempted to install "Pure-Google-pre-rooted-deodexed-4.4.2-v2.2.zip"

If you do not have any luck with this latest Google Edition ROM I would suggest switching to the very popular Google Edition, 4.4.2, Echoe v2.2 ROM which I and others on here, have been finding very slick and stable and comes with some very useful additions. See post #1 of the previous link for downloads and detailed flashing instructions. Also the ECHOE Rom on this forum.

 

[thaawak]

Once again it failed, it was trying to flash it for about a minute before giving me the same failed text. Thanks for the link, will download now.

 

[thaawak]

Also sometimes I get a screen in twrp saying Supersu is not installed, do you want to install it now?

Could this be an issue?

 

[ironass]

Also sometimes I get a screen in twrp saying Supersu is not installed, do you want to install it now?

Could this be an issue?

Definitely! How did you root your phone? Give link if possible.

To see if you are correctly rooted, install Root Checker, free from the Play Store.

 

[thaawak]

I believe I followed this video: How to Turn a Galaxy S4 Into a Google Edition Phone - YouTube
I rooted the phone over 3 weeks ago and left the ROM till yesterday so that might not be the right video. How should I go about reinstalling supersu? My phone doesn't show up in the computer so I can't check if it's rooted

Actually I remember now, I did follow that video.

 

[ironass]

I believe I followed this video: How to Turn a Galaxy S4 Into a Google Edition Phone - YouTube
I rooted the phone over 3 weeks ago and left the ROM till yesterday so that might not be the right video. How should I go about reinstalling supersu? My phone doesn't show up in the computer so I can't check if it's rooted

Actually I remember now, I did follow that video.

As per item #8 of those instructions, How to Turn a Galaxy S4 Into a Google Edition Phone, you should have SuperSU in your app drawer. If you do not and Root Checker, (does not require a computer), says that you are indeed rooted, then you can download and install SuperSU from the Play Store.

 

[thaawak]

Sorry I'm really confused here. I can't get passed the boot screen on my phone so I can't see any apps. When I go on the Play Store on my PC it says supersu is installed on the device. When trying to install Root checker the Play Store says it will be installed on my device soon

 

[ironass]

Sorry I'm really confused here. I can't get passed the boot screen on my phone so I can't see any apps. When I go on the Play Store on my PC it says supersu is installed on the device.

Oh, right... only on my first coffee. In that case, boot into Recovery mode and wipe the Cache Partition and Dalvik Cache and see if you can boot up after that.

 

[thaawak]

Yep tried that many times . Echoe has finished downloading, I'm giving it a shot now.

 

[thaawak]

Just got the supersu message again:

Install SuperSU?
Your device does not appear to be rooted
Install supersu now?
This will root your device.

I slid to install but it turned off and started charging the battery instead of rebooting. I'd like to try it with no charger plugged in but the supersu message comes up randomly. Is there any way to install it in twrp without waiting forever for the message again?

 

[thaawak]

Echoe fails automatically as well, beginning to think we've found the problem!

downloading the supersu apk and will copy it to my sd, hopefully I can install it in twrp.

Don't think I can install it in twrp. The message came up again and I slid to install with no charger plugged in, only to find that it doesn't reboot into twrp but gets stuck at the boot screen.....again. I'm about to give up, any ideas?

 

[ironass]

Yep tried that many times . Echoe has finished downloading, I'm giving it a shot now.

I just noticed that the original rooting instructions and ROM that you followed were intended for phones running stock Android 4.2.2, pre Knox Security, firmware and that the ROM itself was for Google Edition 4.3, Jelly Bean, and not the latest, 4.4.2, KitKat. Therefore, if you were originally on stock Android 4.3 firmware with Knox Security and locked bootloader, this could be causing your problems. You will need to flash the stock Samsung firmware for your phone and then re-root it by carefully following the instructions in the Rooting Galaxy S4 - Dummies Guide. Quite how you can do that as you are unable to connect to Odin, I will need to think about unless one of my colleagues can come up with a suggestion or I consume more coffee at work.

 

[thaawak]

You're correct, I was on 4.3. Feeling very stupid now. Thanks for your help though!