[wplug] Galaxy S4 Root

Justin Smith justin at adminix.net
Sat May 17 23:26:33 EDT 2014


Alright, Rob, I've got some answers for you. 

You're correct that there are no valid root exploits for 4.4.2 on the Verizon 
Galaxy S4. However, XDA user Surge1223 has devised a way to upgrade to 
4.4.2 while /retaining/ root acquired from an older version. His post also 
includes instructions on how to downgrade back to 4.2 if you've already 
upgraded to 4.4.2, as you have:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2726868[1] 

If those instructions are confusing, here's a thread that includes some 
additional clarifications on the Surge method of downgrading.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2751949[2] 

Regarding what you said about unlocking...to the best of my knowledge, 
the only legal way to unlock your phone is to ask Verizon, and they'll only 
do it after your contract is up. 

See, the Librarian of Congress once made an exemption in the Digital 
Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) that allowed people to unlock their own 
phones, but he didn't renew it in 2013. When that lapse occurred, non-
official unlocking became illegal. 

Earlier this year, a bill that would reinstate people's ability to unlock their 
phones, H.R. 1123, passed the House, but it has yet to clear the Senate 
or be signed by the president. Even if it does, I'm not sure unlocking your 
own phone would actually become legal because H.R. 1123 still criminalizes 
tools used for "bulk unlocking." It legalizes the act of unlocking but not the 
tools...what a sham.

-- 
*Justin Smith*
GNU/Linux System Administrator

/"Any fool can use a computer. Many do."/


> Along the lines of cellphones, I have a moe applicable question.  Does
> anyone have a safe, (sourcecode available) root hack for the Verizon
> version of the Galaxy S4 running the kitkat 4.4.2 android release?
> 
> I got my Galaxy S4 expecting that it would be unlocked and that I could 
swap
> the sim card and use it on competitors networks.  I find that Verizon has
> locked down the bootloader and I'm not able to find any legitimate root
> exploits for the latest android OS release.
> 
> This crap of not being able to have root access on android phones is
> unnacceptable.  I need to be able to selectively manage permissions of
> installed apps, and to rip the guts out of the bloatware that verizon
> installs on the phones.  All owners of these phones SHOULD have that 
right!
> 
> Since android uses the linux kernel it's somewhat on-topic.

--------
[1] http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2726868
[2] http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2751949


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