Root [Verizon] New to Android.

[Croyal]

So I have been an apple user for years now. Last week I decided I've had enough. It was a mix of being unimpressed with ios 7 and very disappointed with the new iphone release. So on Sunday I jumped ship and bought a gs4 from verizon. I love it..except for one thing. All the damn bloatware. I would of bought a 32gig if I new that half of my phone would be taken up with useless apps. But I'm stuck with the 16.

To get to the point. I want this stuff gone. I know I have to root my phone to do this. My concern is I know nothing about this stuff. I've been reading for hours about how to do it. I still don't feel comfortable. I don't even know how to back up the phone like all the forums suggest I do before I root.

So I'm wondering if anyone can help me out. I live in San Diego and would gladly pay someone to root my device for me and give me some advice. I'll also buy you lunch. I also would like to know how to prevent future OTA's once my phone has been rooted.

Its refreshing to know all the things I can do with this phone. But it's also intimidating. I've gotten used to apple holding my hand all these years and telling me what to do.

 

[dibblebill]

Its the simultaneously best and worst thing about Android- that giant cliff you have to fly down to get into it. I'm not in the San Diego area, but I can certainly try to help you out.

One of the first things many guides tell you to do is install Clockworkmod or Team Win Recovery Project. I'm a fan of TWRP. You can get it from: TeamWin Projects - TWRP 2.6 - | TeamWin

I do not know the precise method to put it on a GS4, but I imagine its not dissimilar to the method on the Galaxy Victory- you'll probably need Odin, a free tool. TWRP's site also has installation guides, but they may only work on rooted devices. That being said: once you have a custom recovery, either CWM or TWRP, they can make what is called a 'nandroid' backup of your ENTIRE system that can be restored in the event of a cataclysm (phone bricking). That's where I'd start.

 

[Croyal]

I know with the most recent verizon update the boot loader remains locked even after you root. That's ok I'm having plenty of fun with the stock rom. Even though I really don't like touch wiz. But with nova launcher I have all the customization I need for now.so I don't want to flash any custom roms at the moment. I don't even know how to work Odin. Or what twerp does or what a nandroid is. How do you even restore your stock rom if you happen to brick your phone? Like I said I'm a total noob. Having these questions answered would be great. Having some one show me would be the best though. I'm a visual learner.

 

[Stuntman]

Have you considered getting an SD card?

 

[Croyal]

I have one. Most apps you can't put on an sd card. Another reason I want to root. Once rooted I can get an app that lest me store whatever I want on an sd card.

 

[dibblebill]

TWRP, or Team Win Recovery Project, is a secondary "miniature" operating system on its own partition. So is Clockworkmod. What this means is that should Android fail for any reason ("brick", boot-looping, etc), you can key into your recovery software and restore a backup. Nandroid backups are exact backups of your system's partition tables, where it stores the operating system and such, and can restore a device to the exact state it was when you backed it up.

I'm a visual learner, too. I apologize that I cannot help more, as I don't have a Galaxy S4 so I cannot create video tutorials for you.

 

[chanchan05]

ODIN is pretty easy actually. Just load in on a PC, select the correct file, then click on start and voila the phone is rooted. It's finding the correct root files that's a bit tricky. Have you checked the S4 root section here?

 

[Croyal]

Thanks for all the advice. Ill keep looking online for more tips.

 

[Croyal]

Ok so I have another question. I've been doing alot of research today and I think I might of found a solution to my problem. What is safestrap? In all the forums Ive been visiting they said it works on verizons gs4 me7 firmware model. How do get it? Its not in the play store. Is it not an app? Im sorry if that's a dumb qustion but like I said before Im new.

 

[Slug]

Thread moved. You should find plenty of help here from other VZW GS4 owners.