• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.
I tried to unlock bootloader on my Verizon Samsung Galaxy S5 using this (linked) guide online. However, when I installed a .zip using Safestrap recovery mode, and rebooted my phone, my phone said it could not start because there was a kernel error. I saw that the developers had been talking about something like that in the main article (linked).

I did the instructions twice until I realized it wasn't an error on my side. Now I did the instructions a third time but this time I didn't install the .zip on my phone, so I can still use my phone.

The reason I wanted to unlock bootloader was so I could root my phone. Is there some kind of ROM I can install that has root? I saw someone say something about using towelroot. However, I'm stuck with this custom ROM I installed using Odin 3B for now.

How should I go about this? Should I reinstall the default, factory ROM I had before I did these steps, then try using towelroot? (If so, I need a link to download the factory ROM.) Or is there some way to get root by installing a custom ROM? Or should I just give up and install the factory ROM and not have root? Idk what to do.
(Also I don't know much about messing with phones, so when I say ROM I might not mean ROM)
Thank you!
Before and after info:
Before I tried unlocking bootloader:
Used default ROM running Android 6.0.1
After (Now):
Custom ROM running Android 4.4.2, has root
Links if hyperlinks don't work:
1.https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...-on-any-version-bootloaders_mm_ll_kk.4009089/
2.https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...ootloader-using-dev-bootloader-kk-mm.3337909/
 
what model do you have?
A Verizon Galaxy S5. Sadly not one I'm familiar with.

The reason I wanted to unlock bootloader was so I could root my phone. Is there some kind of ROM I can install that has root?
Most custom ROMs are pre-rooted, so if you have a custom recovery installed that's capable of flashing a custom ROM then you should be fine (I don't know Samsung's of this era, so don't know whether "Safestrap" is a custom recovery or something else, though the fact that you seem to be using it to install a zip suggests it's a recovery).

To clarify, on most phones the reason you unlock the bootloader is to allow you to install a custom recovery, then you use the recovery to flash a ROM or flash the patch to root the existing ROM. However, as noted I'm not familiar with rooting the s5, even less the quirks of a Verizon s5, and hence don't know if there is anything different about your phone (I'm European, so have never dealt with a Verizon handset, though I gather they have long been the most locked-down, as well as the most bloatware-ridden, that you can find).

I saw someone say something about using towelroot. However, I'm stuck with this custom ROM I installed using Odin 3B for now.
I think towelroot is just a tool for rooting a ROM. Don't know much about it because it's an old tool and hasn't worked on any phone released in the last 6 years
How should I go about this? Should I reinstall the default, factory ROM I had before I did these steps, then try using towelroot? (If so, I need a link to download the factory ROM.) Or is there some way to get root by installing a custom ROM? Or should I just give up and install the factory ROM and not have root? Idk what to do.
(Also I don't know much about messing with phones, so when I say ROM I might not mean ROM)
Thank you!
Before and after info:
Before I tried unlocking bootloader:
Used default ROM running Android 6.0.1
After (Now):
Custom ROM running Android 4.4.2, has root
What is it you want? You have root, but an older Android version. Can you flash another ROM? If so, can you still find a more recent ROM for this device? "For this device" is important as ROMs are device-specific, so you must make sure it's compatible with the Verizon s5 before trying. If there is such a ROM, the download links still work and you have a custom recovery then you can have a go. Maybe use your recovery to back up your current setup first in case it doesn't work.

But when you say you don't know much about it, my advice is usually to try to understand what is involved (and what the terms mean) before trying - much less likely to get into a mess that way.
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones