Database Users

[Q] Debranding S4 AND keeping official updates?

Hi there!
My gf wants a S4, but here in Norway these phones are pretty expensive. So,I started searching eBay for cheaper phones.
I've found brand new phones there,but they are branded for AT&T and others.
Is there any way to debrand the phone AND keep getting official updates?
(And,she need the phone to support our langue,but i think that wouldnt be any problem? (Norwegian))

You can flash a stock rom and flash triangle away to keep official status
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium

Thanks for your answer!
A new SG4 at half price it is then!

I have quite the same problem...can you explain what triangle is please?thank you very much
Inviato dal mio GT-I9505 con Tapatalk 2

When you flash anything to your phone it updates the flash counter telling the phone its been modded, then a yellow triangle appears (I think) and that's what stops the updates as it shows as unofficial, triangle away removes it
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium

If you flash an official Samsung firmware (for example, using Odin) it shouldn't update the flash counter, should it? I thought that was only when flashing third-party ROMs and then wanting to go back to an official one.
At least that was the case on my Galaxy S2. Flashed a different official firmware, unbranded and from another region using ODIN, and the phone still shows as "original".

MercuryStar said:
If you flash an official Samsung firmware (for example, using Odin) it shouldn't update the flash counter, should it? I thought that was only when flashing third-party ROMs and then wanting to go back to an official one.
At least that was the case on my Galaxy S2. Flashed a different official firmware, unbranded and from another region using ODIN, and the phone still shows as "original".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could be right, probably are I've not messed around with flashing in ages
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium

MercuryStar said:
If you flash an official Samsung firmware (for example, using Odin) it shouldn't update the flash counter, should it? I thought that was only when flashing third-party ROMs and then wanting to go back to an official one.
At least that was the case on my Galaxy S2. Flashed a different official firmware, unbranded and from another region using ODIN, and the phone still shows as "original".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Official Samsung firmware is signed by samsung itself, so flashing it through odin will not increase the counter and status will stay official.
sent from my GT-I9505..

Lucius1972 said:
Official Samsung firmware is signed by samsung itself, so flashing it through odin will not increase the counter and status will stay official.
sent from my GT-I9505..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So will youstil be able to receive ota updates? I was waiting for the newest update to come ota but didn't want to lose all my data and lose stock official status and update my flash counter... if I flashed it would all that be okay?
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium

calum96 said:
When you flash anything to your phone it updates the flash counter telling the phone its been modded, then a yellow triangle appears (I think) and that's what stops the updates as it shows as unofficial, triangle away removes it
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashin official stock firmware won't require root or trigger the triangle counter, only custom roms or rooting does this

cameracartwright said:
Flashin official stock firmware won't require root or trigger the triangle counter, only custom roms or rooting does this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but to get OTA updates dont you have to change your CSC to the same as your ROM has?
for example, I'm from Brazil and I have ZVV S4, from my career, but if I want to debrand it I have to change the CSC to ZTO and flash ZTO rom later to have OTA updates, right?

[Q][Australian]XSA OTA

Does the latest update activate KNOX? I've blocked my phone from OTAs after seeing the chaos caused by Samsung with the euro S4s.

Are you sure xsa is for galaxy s4 i9505?
I can only find xsa for galaxy s3.
The only Australian 4.3 I can find is for optus which is MK9
http://live.samsung-updates.com/index.php?device=GT-I9505
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

XSA for I9505 is available on Samfirmware (so is the Voda update) and as it's XXUE, yes, it has the 'Knox enabled' bootloader; I.E the one that has gives you this pic in DL mode & at the moment has no way of resetting the Knox warranty if you flash non-stock firmware.

MistahBungle said:
XSA for I9505 is available on Samfirmware (so is the Voda update) and as it's XXUE, yes, it has the 'Knox enabled' bootloader; I.E the one that has gives you this pic in DL mode & at the moment has no way of resetting the Knox warranty if you flash non-stock firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome thank Mistah.
I9505XXUEMK9_I9505VAUEMK1_VAU
Obviously that other website not up to date.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

No worries

Thanks for the confirmation. I'm totally not updating with official stock firmware anymore.

Unless you're happy with always running a completely stock phone, that's a wise choice
Oniyuri said:
Thanks for the confirmation. I'm totally not updating with official stock firmware anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

[Q] ODIN flashing older rom.

Hey guys so i have heard that if i install the old firmware for my s4 from sammobile using Odin one from early 2013 that it will give me access to service menu so that i can unlock my phone. So my question is that is it 100% safe to Odin flash the older 4.2.2 rom when i am on 4.3? Can i flash it unlock my phone then upgrade my phone to a custom rom again? Thank you
Sent from my SGH-M919V using xda app-developers app

Do not do this. This will brick your phone. If I am not mistaken, there is a method to unlock mk2 in the general section.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

zee24 said:
Hey guys so i have heard that if i install the old firmware for my s4 from sammobile using Odin one from early 2013 that it will give me access to service menu so that i can unlock my phone. So my question is that is it 100% safe to Odin flash the older 4.2.2 rom when i am on 4.3? Can i flash it unlock my phone then upgrade my phone to a custom rom again? Thank you
Sent from my SGH-M919V using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should ask this in the t mobile s4 forum. I believe your bootloader is unlocked and you can flash an older firmware version. But check there first. This is the att s4 forum. It can't be done on the at&t s4.

Is the service menu missing on the stock T-mo 4.3 ?

Nooo guys i have an unlocked bootloader i have the s4 that is very similar to the tmobile and it's the same as the Canadian versions. And yes the Canadian version which is 1337m and mine which is m919v don't have access to service menus but i have flashed a lot of custom roms simply by philz recovery so doesn't that mean i have an unlocked bootloader?

zee24 said:
Nooo guys i have an unlocked bootloader i have the s4 that is very similar to the tmobile and it's the same as the Canadian versions. And yes the Canadian version which is 1337m and mine which is m919v don't have access to service menus but i have flashed a lot of custom roms simply by philz recovery so doesn't that mean i have an unlocked bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're on 4.3 I believe you also have Knox, in which case I don't think you'll be able to go back to 4.2.2. Read through this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=40903040

jd1639 said:
If you're on 4.3 I believe you also have Knox, in which case I don't think you'll be able to go back to 4.2.2. Read through this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=40903040
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm actually running a custom rom i shouldve mentioned im on phoenix rom. So i don't have knox at the moment. Does that matter?

zee24 said:
I'm actually running a custom rom i shouldve mentioned im on phoenix rom. So i don't have knox at the moment. Does that matter?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you ever take the ota to 4.3? Do you know what firmware your device is on? A 4.3 custom Rom wouldn't have knox but if you took the official update to 4.3 you would have Knox.

jd1639 said:
Did you ever take the ota to 4.3? Do you know what firmware your device is on? A 4.3 custom Rom wouldn't have knox but if you took the official update to 4.3 you would have Knox.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm i think then yes i might have knox. I think at one point i might have been on stock 4.3 is there any way that i can check to see if i have knox? And if i have knox i cant flash an older stock firmware for my s4?

zee24 said:
Hmm i think then yes i might have knox. I think at one point i might have been on stock 4.3 is there any way that i can check to see if i have knox? And if i have knox i cant flash an older stock firmware for my s4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Idk, I'm not that familiar with your device. From the little bit of reading I've done I would say no, you can't flash an older firmware. But again, I'd post this question in the t mobile forum. They'd be more familiar with your device.

zee24 said:
Hmm i think then yes i might have knox. I think at one point i might have been on stock 4.3 is there any way that i can check to see if i have knox? And if i have knox i cant flash an older stock firmware for my s4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you ever update you device with kies or ever take an over the air update ? It's fine if you were on a stock based 4.3 rom as long as you never took an official update. If so then you can't go back. Just flashing a stock 4.3 rom won't change that status but the 4.3 bootloader would.
You would have know by checking in settings under SE

hednik said:
Did you ever update you device with kies or ever take an over the air update ? It's fine if you were on a stock based 4.3 rom as long as you never took an official update. If so then you can't go back. Just flashing a stock 4.3 rom won't change that status but the 4.3 bootloader would. You would have know by checking in settings under SE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I remember i soft bricked my phone one time and had to flash my firmware but the 4.3 latest one from sammobile and after i did that i got knox but i believe i already tripped the knox counter because in download mode it says 0x1 so i guess i cant?

XSA ROM

Hey guys.
Quick one, is the XSA rom you can get from samobile the stock Samsung rom? As in not telstra or Optus? Like you would get if you bought unbranded from a Samsung store?
Thanks guys. Only reason I ask is that I'm trying to figure out if my Optus firmware is crappy, I'd guess it is but just need to see before I can't take it back.
Thanks again.

Search all the different AU(?) Firmwares and see, its possible XSA is the unbranded one - although saying that, I think sammobile says if its unbranded.
Sent from my CM11 Kitkat powered N9005

XSA is the unbranded one...

Thanks guys.
So I shouldn't have any trouble with that yeah?
It's the same build number as I have now so that should flash fine, without triggering Knox?
Thanks.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Yup no Knox worries
Sent from my CM11 Kitkat powered N9005

Thanks again guys. Might do that in the next day and see if it's this crappy rom.
Help me understand this note 3 Knox business. So, I've had nexuses and other Samsung's and I've never had the thing where I couldn't use a previous version of Android if I updated.
So is it just the bootloader we're talking about? If I updated to 4.4.2, I couldn't use anything older than that? Even just the rom?
So how would I even get a 4.4.2 rom if say the roms didn't include the bootloader? And if I did get a bootloader, is the right one? Haha.
Sorry to ask so much, just things seem different with this particular phone and the current versions of Android.
Maybe it's just the bootloader and you can't go and use an older version of Android if that's been flashed.
Couldn't you flash a stock 4.3 official rom if you wanted to go back?
Thanks in advance.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Lambetts said:
Thanks again guys. Might do that in the next day and see if it's this crappy rom.
Help me understand this note 3 Knox business. So, I've had nexuses and other Samsung's and I've never had the thing where I couldn't use a previous version of Android if I updated.
So is it just the bootloader we're talking about? If I updated to 4.4.2, I couldn't use anything older than that? Even just the rom?
So how would I even get a 4.4.2 rom if say the roms didn't include the bootloader? And if I did get a bootloader, is the right one? Haha.
Sorry to ask so much, just things seem different with this particular phone and the current versions of Android.
Maybe it's just the bootloader and you can't go and use an older version of Android if that's been flashed.
Couldn't you flash a stock 4.3 official rom if you wanted to go back?
Thanks in advance.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you flash a stock KK rom it updates the bootloader. If you get the broken up KK polish rom and don't update the bootloader then KK doesn't load.
Once you update to the latest KK bootloader you CAN'T go back to JB... You will trip Knox warranty void if you try...

Argh I see.
So basically it's the bootloader. But if you root, flash custom recovery and or rom, that's going to trip knox anyway isn't it? So if you did use a earlier version of Android, you still can, it will just trip knox?
Tripping knox doesn't make your phone unusable does it? I'm sure there will be some sort of triangle away or similar that will get rid of it. What if you flash a clean bootloader? Would that clear knox? I wonder where the knox counter info is stored and if it's accessible...
Geez, making myself sound like a noob here haha. I swear I'm an experienced flasher haha.
Just making sure I understand this before I do anything. Seems a little different than normal. Everyone should understand this stuff before they do anything. Haha.
Thanks again.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Last Stock Rom without knox bootloader

CAn someone share with me last Stock Rom without knox bootloader?
The Stock Rom rooted with old bootloader would be great.
I still refuse to upgrade to bootloader with knox

You can grab any 4.2.2 formware from sammobile. Those shouldn't have knox in the bootloader.

memoryeffect said:
You can grab any 4.2.2 formware from sammobile. Those shouldn't have knox in the bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That isn't correct.
Android 4.2.2 MH1 is the first firmware with all the Knox stuff, including the bootloader. 4.2.2 MGA is the latest firmware without Knox
Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk

DarkerTimes said:
That isn't correct.
Android 4.2.2 MH1 is the first firmware with all the Knox stuff, including the bootloader. 4.2.2 MGA is the latest firmware without Knox
Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you reference a source?

Lasik25 said:
Could you reference a source?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, sry it seems that I was a little bit wrong, the MGG build is the first 4.2.2 version with the new knox bootloader, but it is still correct that MGA is the last build with the Knox free one.
On my german sources they told that MH1 build is the first Knox version but however. Take a look at this
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2470635
http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s4/788644-knox-security-locked-bootloader-new-firmwares.html
Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk

tyj82 said:
CAn someone share with me last Stock Rom without knox bootloader?
The Stock Rom rooted with old bootloader would be great.
I still refuse to upgrade to bootloader with knox
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Knox has been introduced in Oct 2013 along with 4.3 bootloader (as far as i can remenber! one year old.....)
So your request is to come back to a 4.2.2 rom version, why? just to avoid Knox? OK I understand
But In my view you have better to flash a recent 4.4 CUSTOM rom that will preserve your legacy bootloader and will offer all the upto date features. They are many available in the dev section.
Custom Roms do not modify the boot section , so no risk to become knox pointed.
Thanks to Darker Times for his links.