No-Wipe Factory Images for Verizon Galaxy S4 i545 (Restore from any soft-brick without wiping data)

No-Wipe Factory Image for Verizon Galaxy S4

(Restore from any soft-brick without wiping data)

Description: This is a guide (based similar to my previous guide for the Verizon Galaxy S III) that will help you flash a 99.9% stock factory image for the Verizon Galaxy S4 overwriting every partition on the device back to stock. The ONLY major change I have made is for your convenience I have modified the factory image to keep all your data/apps/settings and internal storage partition intact. This method should help you restore from any soft-brick that you may encounter without having to wipe your data.

Minor Warning: Please note that if you had any special mods that you had to manually flash before or move on the system partition (like Google Wallet, AOSP 4.2 apps like camera and gallery, etc...) they will be lost as you are overwriting your system partition to factory stock. Please make sure to do the needful with your mods before following this guide (for example resetting the Google Wallet app).

Step 1 - Preparation

Quote:

Download and Install Samsung Official USB Drivers - Link Download and extract ODIN v3.07 - Link Download and extract the correct Factory Image below (modified with No-Wipe): For VRUAMDK Build (Look for this) - Link For VRUAME7 Build (Look for this) - Link

Step 2 - Flashing VRUAMDK Factory Image

Quote:

Boot phone into ODIN mode (See here for how-to) Flash the Factory Image using ODIN v3.07 ***in PDA section only*** (See here for guide on flashing) You should now be able to boot back to Android and all your data should be intact exactly as it was

Step 3 - Restoring Root (Optional)

Quote:

Just follow one of the below guides again after you are back up and running: For VRUAMDK Build (Look for this) - Link For VRUAME7 Build (Look for this) - Link

Step 4 - Restoring Custom Recovery (VRUAMDK Build only!)

Quote:

Make sure you are rooted first For official TWRP Recovery follow the steps in this thread (or download from Goomanager): Link Here For official ClockworkMod Recovery just download ROM Manager app and install from there For CWM-based Recovery follow the steps in this thread: Link Here For OUDHS Gesture Touch CWM-based Recovery follow the steps in this thread: Link Here