Bought an S4 on eBay, can't update. Why?

[Sportsmaniac1322]

I recently bought an S4 on eBay, and the phone activated and is working perfectly fine minus one thing: it won't update. The update downloads and starts to install, but about ten seconds into the install the "falling Android" logo appears, indicating that something went wrong. Upon reboot it tells me the software update was unsuccessful.

After messaging the previous owner, he says it was rooted, but he flashed it back to stock before selling it. He suggested wiping the cache, which I tried and failed to do (it errored out on me as well). Going in to recovery mode, it's titled "Android system recovery <3e>", and going into download mode gives me this:

ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SCH-I545
CURRENT BINARY: Samsung Official
SYSTEM STATUS: Official
CSB-OEM_CONFIG_LSB: 0x30
WRITE PROTECTION: Enable

So what's the problem, and how do I fix it?

 

[Sportsmaniac1322]

Also, when I boot into recovery it says "error", then "no command", and then this shows up in the middle of my screen:

# MANUAL MODE #
-- Applying Multi-CSC...
Applied the CSC-code : VZW
Successfully applied multi-CSC.

I don't know if this has anything to do with the issue at hand, but I figured I'd post it anyways.

 

[MotoXGirl]

Sounds like you need to break out Odin, and a factory image. What carrier?

 

[Sportsmaniac1322]

I'm on Verizon. And if this is true, where would I find a factory image to flash to it? And is there a guide to walk me through this? I have experience with rooting Android devices, but nothing within the Galaxy family.

 

[MotoXGirl]

Yes there is... I'll have to find it I'm sorry. Ib had an S4 too and did it. Actually, the Verizon repair assistant is amazing for putting it back stock. It uses kies to flash it. Google verizon update assistant. Once installed it has a "repair" mode.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

 

[z96Cobra]

Go to Settings/More/About phone and see what baseband you have. If you like having root & flashing ROMs, you don't want to take the update anyway. If you happen to have the MDK baseband, you may be able to trade someone that wants the older baseband & get some $ as well. Lots of folks would love to have an MDK phone.

 

[MotoXGirl]

Go to Settings/More/About phone and see what baseband you have. If you like having root & flashing ROMs, you don't want to take the update anyway. If you happen to have the MDK baseband, you may be able to trade someone that wants the older baseband & get some $ as well. Lots of folks would love to have an MDK phone.

All variants of the S4 are currently rootable.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

 

[Sportsmaniac1322]

Yes there is... I'll have to find it I'm sorry. Ib had an S4 too and did it. Actually, the Verizon repair assistant is amazing for putting it back stock. It uses kies to flash it. Google verizon update assistant. Once installed it has a "repair" mode.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

The Verizon Software Upgrade Assistant finally did the trick! After installing the update through this method (I'm assuming it flashed it back to stock), the phone rebooted and notified me of another update that was ready to install. This time everything went smoothly and the phone is now completely up to date.

Go to Settings/More/About phone and see what baseband you have. If you like having root & flashing ROMs, you don't want to take the update anyway. If you happen to have the MDK baseband, you may be able to trade someone that wants the older baseband & get some $ as well. Lots of folks would love to have an MDK phone.

If the phone was for me I'd most likely follow your advice and stick with MDK, but seeing as it's my girlfriend's phone, she doesn't need it rooted. The stock firmware is plenty for her!

 

[MotoXGirl]

http://m-support.verizonwireless.com/mobl/features.kb_80200.tp_2.html. This tool will factory reset and update the phone.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

 

[z96Cobra]

All variants of the S4 are currently rootable.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

You missed the "& flashing ROMs" part. An MDK phone has much more potential than a phone with a newer baseband & Knox.