Install /e/OS on a Samsung Galaxy S4 (SCH-R970, SPH-L720) - “jfltespr”

The instructions in this guide will assist you to install /e/OS on your jfltespr. Please read through the instructions at least once before actually following them, so as to avoid any problems later.

It is important that you know that downgrading Smartphones on OS versions greater than the /e/OS OS version you plan to install, can cause instability or at worst brick some devices. We recommend that you check your current OS version, before attempting the installation.

It is advisable to flash your device only if you know what you are doing and are ok taking the associated risk. All /e/OS builds are provided as best effort, without any guarantee. The /e/OS project and its project members deny any and all responsibility about the consequences of using /e/OS software and or /e/OS services.

Requirements

If required take a backup of all important data from your phone on an external storage device before proceeding.
Do not take a backup on the same device as some of these actions will format the device and delete the backup.
Ensure your phone is charged more than 50%
Check that adb is enabled on your PC. If not you can find the setup instructions here
Download all the files and images mentioned in the download section below before starting the installation
Make sure you have a working data cable to connect your device to the PC. There are cables which are only for charging and do not transfer data.
Enable USB debugging on your device. You can find the instructions here
Make sure that your model is listed in the Smartphone Selector. Check the model supported. Where available, information on the model supported should show as a pop-up when you hover the cursor on the Device name. The model number supported should be the exact same.
Boot your device with the stock OS at least once and check every functionality.

Warning: Make sure that you can send and receive SMS and place and receive calls (also via WiFi and LTE, if available), otherwise it will not work on /e/OS as well. Additionally, some devices require that VoLTE/VoWiFi be utilized once on stock to provision IMS.

Please share your experience , suggest tips or changes to this install guide documentation by visiting the Galaxy S4 (SCH-R970, SPH-L720) specific topic on our community forum.

To report issues in /e/OS please refer this guide

Downloads for jfltespr

/e/OS Recovery for community build
/e/OS build : R community

To understand the difference between /e/OS builds check this guide

Important Information

Caution: The following instructions require a machine running Windows 10 build 17063 or newer..

Samsung devices come with a unique boot mode called “Download mode”, which is very similar to “Fastboot mode” on some devices with unlocked bootloaders. Odin is a Samsung-made tool for interfacing with Download mode on Samsung devices. The preferred method of installing a custom recovery is through Download Mode – rooting the stock firmware is neither necessary nor required.

Tip: If this device’s install instructions already had you download Odin/Enable OEM Unlocking earlier in the installation process, you can skip steps 1, 3, 5, 6, and 7 below.

Installing a custom recovery using `Odin`

Download a custom recovery - you can download . Download the latest recovery file, mentioned in the Downloads for jfltespr section above
Rename the downloaded image to “recovery.img”, Open a Command Prompt in the folder where the file was downloaded, and TAR the file by running

tar --format=ustar -cvf recovery.tar recovery.img

Tip: The path may vary depending on where you download the recovery image.
Power off the device, and boot it into download mode:
- Halte Lautstärke leiser + Startmenü + Ausschalten gedrückt
- Now, click the button that the onscreen instructions coorelate to “Continue”, and insert the USB cable into the device.
Download and install the necessary drivers.
- Download the newest Samsung drivers from here. You will need to create a Samsung account and login to download them.
- Install SAMSUNG_USB_Driver_for_Mobile_Phones.exe.
Download this version of Odin.
Extract “Odin_3.13.1.zip”.
Run Odin3 v3.13.1 found in the newly extracted “Odin_3.13.1” folder.
Check in the top left of the Odin window that you see a valid device, it will show up as something like COM0.

Tip: The COM port, or the number succeeding COM, may be any valid number.
In the left side of the Odin window, you will see an “Options” tab, click it, and then un-check the “Auto Reboot” option.
Check the box labeled next to the button labeled “AP”, and then click the “AP” button.
- In the menu that pops up, select the newly downloaded custom recovery .tar or .tar.md5.
Tip: The filename may very depending on your device, and the version of your custom recovery.
A blue transfer bar will appear on the device showing the recovery image being flashed.

Tip: The device will continue to display Downloading... Do not turn off target!! even after the process is complete. When the status message in the top left of the devices’s display reports that the process is complete, you may proceed.
Unplug the USB cable from your device.
Manually reboot into recovery, this may require pulling the device’s battery out and putting it back in, or if you have a non-removable battery, press the Volume Down + Power buttons for 8~10 seconds until the screen turns black & release the buttons immediately when it does, then boot to recovery:
- Bei ausgeschaltetem Gerät, Halte Startmenü + Lautstärke lauter + Ausschalten gedrückt. Lasse Ausschalten sofort los, wenn das Telefon vibriert, aber halte die anderen beiden Knöpfe gedrückt.

Caution: Be sure to reboot into recovery immediately after installing the custom recovery. If you don’t the custom recovery will be overwritten on boot.

Steps to install /e/OS from recovery

Tip: Use the volume keys to navigate and power key to select

Tip: Use the volume up key to choose the arrow at the top to go back to main screen

Tip: If your PC is unable to detect your device with adb in the /e/OS recovery main screen tap Advanced » Enable adb

Format the device

On /e/OS Recovery main screen:

Select Factory reset
Select Format data / Factory reset option
Next screen will display a warning that this action cannot be undone
Select Format data to proceed or Cancel if you want to go back
If you selected Format data, the format process will complete

Tip: You will see text in small font on the lower left side of the screen mentioning format progress

The small font text would be similar to this
```
 Wiping data
 Formatting/data
 Formatting/cache
 Data wipe complete
```
Display will now return to the Factory Reset screen

Install /e/OS

In /e/OS recovery main screen:

Select Apply Update and in next screen Apply update from adb
In the next screen, the device is now in sideload mode

Note at this point the Cancel option is highlighted that does not mean you have canceled the action. The device is in adb sideload mode.
On your PC type begin adb sideload. Type the below command in a console

adb sideload downloaded_file_name.zip

Replace downloaded_file_name.zip with the name of the /e/OS file you downloaded in the previous section
Press enter key on the keyboard to start the sideloading The screen will show the progress percentage…This might pause at 47%
Give it some time
The PC console will now display Total xfer: 1.00x
The phone screen will now display some text with a message similar to

Script succeeded result was [1.000000]

This means that the install was successful.

Reboot the device