Manually Update Sprint Samsung Galaxy S4 to Official 4.3 VPUEMJA Firmware

Here is Sprint Samsung Galaxy S4 (SPH-L720) official Android 4.3 VPUEMJA stock OTA update firmware file that can be flashed through stock recovery.This update is now live via OTA over the air, the stock OTA firmware is only useful for those who are facing issues updating through OTA or can’t wait to take the update any longer. This is the same file officially released by Sprint and again which can be manually installed by going through the stock recovery.

Download here:  http://android.clients.google.com/pa…Update_FWD.zip (mirror link)

Flashing via Stock recovery:

Make sure your Galaxy S4 battery has been re-charge and then  make a full back-up of your important files stored from the phone. The MJA update comes in a new bootloader, so make sure to have a full back-up. You phone must currently run on stock firmware Android 4.2.2 MF9 and NOT ROOTED. If your phone is rooted you’ll lose root once you take this update, so try to figure out how to update without loosing root. This is not recommended for those rooted Galaxy S4 devices, since this is a official Android 4.3 update from Samsung and Sprint.  You must also be aware that this update includes KNOX security suite, and it can be tripped once you installed any custom recovery, root kernels and any unsigned firmwares. There is a new “KNOX Warranty Void flag” now when you take your device into download mode, and the default official count is 0x0, once tripped it will set to 0x1. How’s it clever? Yeah! So watch out for that.
Okay, download the stock OTA update MJA file, then copy it to your external SD card.  Then reboot your phone into recovery mode, simply press volume up button and the power button until it shows you the recovery mode screen. Scroll to the option that says “update from SD card” then simply browse the MJA file from your SD card, then hit install. Wait until it completely install the  MJA update file. You should then see that your Galaxy S4 will boot into Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.
If you want to learn more deeper, just watch this video from (QbKing77) via Youtube or through his website qbking77.com.

VPUEMJA 4.3 Changelog:

• Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Upgrade
• Galaxy Gear Functionality
• KNOX support

This update now bumped-up your Sprint Galaxy S4 to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. The VPUEMJA  now brings Samsung KNOX security suite, and the new Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch functionality support. You should buy the new Galaxy Gear smartwatch to learn how to use and enjoy this feature. Inside the Android 4.3 stuff, you’ll also noticed some new tweaks, including the stock keyboard which has now equipped with auto correct in its settings. The rest is all up for you to discover.

Update: Stock Firmware L720VPUEMJA Odin Flashable

The Odin flashbale file is the full stock image that can be directly or manually flashed even if the device is fully rooted and no need to restore back to any system images files such as stock recovery, kernel, bootloader and modems. This will automatically upgrade the device to official Android 4.3 MJA in one single shot.

Installation Procedures:

Disclaimer: This guide is for advance users only, if this is your first time and never been heard about this method, make a careful research first before proceeding. We shall not be held responsible if anything happens to your device by using this guide. Proceed at your own risk!

Step 1: Grab the necessary files.
Odin3_v3.09 for flashing 4.3 firmware download
USB driver for 4.2.2 running devices download
USB Driver for 4.3 running devices download
Android 4.3 Stock Firmware SCH-i545  – VZW_L720VPUEMJA link
Step 2: Prepare things  as follows.
– Use a PC or laptop that runs in Windows OS, with a good and perfectly working USB serial port.
– Use the USB cable wire for your Galaxy S4.
– Make sure that your Galaxy S4 battery is fully charge.
– Back up all important files stored from your phone’s internal memory – contacts, messages, etc. Full (Nandroid back-up) for those who runs with custom ROMs.
– Perform Full wipe data/factory reset dalvik cache,  this is useful to gain a smooth flashing. (Just make sure that you already back up all your important files before resetting your device.
Step 3: Extract or unzip the downloaded stock firmware so that you’ll get the Odin flashable .tar.md5 file. Use Winzip, winrar, 7zip or any extracting tool you had in your computer.
Step 4: Run and Configure Odin
Run Odin downloader on your computer’s desktop. Watch out the check-boxes options on the right top of Odin, ensure that the ‘RE-PARTITION’ is unchecked. Leave the ‘AUTO-REBOOT and ‘F.RESET TIME’  remains checked.
Now, click on the AP button, then select and load the tar file that you have previously extracted.  “L720VPUEMJA_L720SPTEMJA_L720VPUEMJA_HOME.tar.md5″

Step 5: Reboot the Galaxy S4 into Download Mode.
To put your Galaxy S4  in download mode, just simply switch it off then gently press and hold the “POWER, VOLUME DOWN and HOME” buttons simultaneously. You’ll be then prompted in a warning screen to continue or cancel.
Step 6: Connect the Phone to the Computer or Laptop
Once the phone screen shows in downloading mode, connect your phone to the PC with the USB cable. You’ll then notice the upper box in Odin that turns in yellow color., it also indicates the COM:ID where the device is being detected and a word “added!!’ on the log box. If somehow those things never showed up, check out the USB cable connection, read again from the top of this post.
Step 7: Flash it!
Once all set and ready, hit he “START” button to begin flashing.
Do not touch anything that might interrupt the process to avoid any fatal errors or failures, it may ruin your device if any interruption occurs while already in flashing status.
It may takes a couple of minutes or longer and it depends of your PC/laptop speeds. A word “PASS” will display in Odin once it finishes. If somehow you will not get the word “PASS” or just stuck in along time. Disconnect the phone, remove battery, re-insert it, check the USB connection, re-install the driver, disable Kies and any anti-virus. Set the phone in Downloadmode again, and repeat the whole procedure.
The phone will just automatically reboots if the firmware flashing successfully completes. Just wait until it boots up on the “Samsung” logo for a while then into an android update screen. If it still shows boot logo try rebooting and if it stays there, you need to wipe your phone.

Fixing possible issues after flashing, including  bootloops or just stuck on a welcome screen logo and can’t further boot normally.

Do this, reboot in recovery mode – Press and hold Volume Up, Home and Power button. Use volume keys to select up and down and power or home key to select the recovery options.
1. Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset
2. Next select the Wipe Cache Partition
3. Lastly select Reboot System Now to reboot your Galaxy S4 in Normal mode.
Confirm your fresh firmware installed by typing *#1234# or
Go to Settings>About Phone>Firmware info.
Source: Samsung