[Q] What does Knox change and why does it matter to me? - Galaxy Note 3 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello lovely XDA Note 3 users!
I got my Note 3 a couple of days ago. I live in Denmark, so I have the european version of Note 3 with Snapdragon. I upgraded from my Samsung Galaxy S2, so it was quite a big upgrade for me. Both in terms of features, screen, size, money etc etc.
I've recently read a lot about the Knox and everyone complaining about Samsung pretty much denying all kind of customizing of the Note 3, but yet I read about rooting without triggering Knox and yet I see plenty of Note 3 roms out there already. So my question is, what does Knox prevent other than breaking the warranty (and only IF you used the wrong(or should I say old) root method) and what does it change for me as a rather normal user that just root and install roms and other root-required apps. Worst case scenario is that I void my warranty, right?
I actually bought the Note 3 instead of LG G2, simply because I knew the popular Samsung phones(Note & S-series) are well supported and I never knew if LG G2 would just be another flop as LG's phones has been so far.
Thanks you for your time!
Have a great for the rest of your life!

No comments?

There's no real problem for you unless you won't need your warranty. The knox module registers the changes but won't do anything more. I'm not sure because one of my first actions when turning on the phone the first times was to uninstall the knox Software. But nevertheless I think the modified module wouldn't affect the knox Software in any way, just if you want to use it.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

ehh?
Well KNOX means SELinux on enforcing mode.
This in turn means that even the root user does not have access to everything, at least not in the "old" way.
So you can't access certain directories on the phone (those selinux related ones) and root apps need updates or might not work at all anymore, depending on what files they need to access.
Short example: device reboot is not permitted by apps through the usual way it used to work (not sure if theres a workaround) - this means all reboot buttons in apps do not work, 4-way reboot does not work (when you install wanam xposed), etc because the permission to reboot system is denied by the selinux crap. Only the "stock" reboot button works (the one in the power menu)

Thanks for that explanation! Is hard to find a good place where knox and it's effects is explained in a good way. At least I haven't found one.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

So does it mean that apps like Titanium Backup, ROM Toolbox doesnt work on Note 3 or what does that really mean? Can someone tell me some limitation that Note 3 root currently has compared to other rooted devices?

I know when I tried to load up my S3 apps from titanium backup to my note 3 they install fine with that work around that I used. But the Knox will not let you open or use those apps not downloaded to the device to begin with.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Knox is great if you care about privacy and permissions as it keeps downloaded applications from accessing your personal info like contacts,pictures and emails. Something like Facebook loves to do.

Related

Why I am planning to NOT root my awesome Note 3

I used to root all my devices, my S2, my note 2, but not my note 3, and here's why.
1. I used to hate TouchWiz, but now with all the new features like air gestures, S pen features, smart stay, IR blaster, etc, and the updated more "Realistic" look to it, i will have no need to switch to AOSP, even if it is smoother, i have 3gb RAM anyways (Oh GOD do I LOVE the 3gb of ram!!)
2. Dam KNOX!! Y U DO DIS!! Y U VOID MY WARRANTY!?
3. I own a Rogers note 3, and a mac. No way to root it yet with a rogers note 3 and a mac
4. I will lose features if i switch to AOSP, and if i switch to another TW custom ROM it would most likely have some bugs that the stock one doesn't have.
5. DAT CAMERA.
6. Bricked phone once, softbricked a couple of times, and let me tell you, first time i bricked, i couldn't sleep for 2 whole nights. And always paranoid when rebooting phone that a bootloop would happen or something.
7. No need to overclock or change kernel, i am more than happy with my high-end device right now thank you very much.
8. Worry-free!!! I will never have to worry again!! Sometimes i think to myself why i always root my phone and mess something up, and always have to heimdall back to stock.
9. I own a GALAXY GEAR!! Switching roms may risk making my gear UN-USABLE!! Which SUCKS!! paid 300+ bucks for this thing!!!
10. I am plenty happy with my phone and don't plan to mess it up anytime soon. I love my stock Note 3, and my Galaxy gear too
Smh. Some of these things you have no idea about.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
SkizzMcNizz said:
Smh. Some of these things you have no idea about.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed...i mean half the stuff he mentions has no bearing on root whatsoever...and to keep
Knox when we don't even have the option to run the encrypted dual boot partition makes no sense. Plus i also have a gear, and its also rooted...i take it he either has never rooted or has no clue what rooting actually does. He mistakes romming with rooting, and makes it seem like rooting is somehow capable of breaking functions like bluetooth???
Not trying to be a jerk, but posting this list is irresponsible and counter to the foundation xda is built upon. Your basically posting this as a justification for not rooting, but why, why not just not root...what's the point of this post at all?
Many noobs or first time rooters will see this and be confused thinking your mistakes and errors that caused the brick, or mixing up root and rom are the norm or cause for concern, and neither are true.
strait up...root does nothing more than "root" level access, or basically full access to your device aallow in you the OPTION to remove apps or customize your device. It in no way breaks bluetooth, or affects your launcher (touchwiz) as is being alluded to.
Mega
This phone is pretty damn powerful even with a ton of bloatwares running in the background. I can see that this might be the reason why some don't feel the need to root and modify their note 3. But if you say avoiding root because you want to keep your phone perfectly functional, then I don't understand the reasoning here. Root doesn't render the phone useless, it is what you do after you root it that bricks or damages it. You can root this phone and keep all the S functions you want, add more stuffs to it and the phone will still be perfectly functioning, but of course it is a personal thing.
I personally rooted this phone, modified a lot of things before I even put the new sim card in and activated it. This phone is pretty powerful by stock, but I like to mess with it, and I usually read up a lot of posts before I do anything crazy, and I always have odin next to me when I do it. So far nothing is damaged and the phone is running xnote with all the S functions running smoothly.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
Sounds like someone needs to do a little research that's all.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
One word.
Kingo
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app
You will change your mind
If for nothing else then just to remove all the bloat. After I removed all the bloat my ram usage has been around 1gb out 2.xx gb. And my battery life has been GREAT. I get 7 hours+ with about 24+ standby.
Here is my script http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2587899 (if you change your mind
I've been doing this since finding rsd lite was like warez and you had to do hex edits, and rooted day one. I think my phone is more functional and has enough customization to make it as individual as I am. It's your choice to root or not, but I agree with the post above you might give the newer members the wrong idea.
Not sure what value this thread has now that it has been said...nor what it has towards development.
Thread closed.

Is rooting the S5 recommended this early on?

Samsung is a new device. Running 4.4.2 KikKat and having the best mobile processor in the market meaning that most (if not all) of you will exploit this bad boy in many different ways. The most popular way is obviously gonna be rooting.
Now, im fairly new to rooting. (Having only rooted my v2.1 Galaxy S Vibrant) Meaning I have no idea (or experience for that matter) in rooting new phones.
Most of you know that Sammy implanted new Knox security, and rooting an S5 early on will void it's warranty.
My question is: Is it recommended to root an S5? Aside from the cancelation of the warranty will the phone suffer any other consequences? And lastly, are there any actual mods that will make rooting an S5 beneficial? Or are all the mods just aesthetical?
Difficult question to answer imho. I'm no leet phone user or maybe not the best person to ask, but I rooted because of droidwall, xposed network and xprivacy (basically because I want a access to iptables and decide which items can use which data, etc. I also like to customise and freeze unwanted stuff in titanium backup. But if the positive side supersedes the negative side I don't know. Must be up to you to decide. If you are into to protect your own privacy policy root is must. Cheers
Sent from my SM-G900F using xda app-developers app
Im also not leet phone user or anything but to answer your question about if there is any useful mods...
well firstly if you're rooted you can remove all of the bloatware... this will typically extends your phone battery by 15 - 40% depending on how you use it... but for sure its 15% better (samsung is known for putting a lot of bloatware and some of them runs in the background and you cant turn them off -> the only way is to freeze or delete them)... secondly is that if you have some specific things you want on your phone, rooting and flashing mods/roms will help you achieve them, for example: I like to have my "sound+vibration/vibration" options on the notification but stockrom has "sound/vibration/mute", and so far that I've noticed the "sound" option doesn't force vibration so if you just restarted the phone and put on the "sound" option it won't vibrate until you go to settings and set it to do so... so without rooting I won't ever be able to mod the notification toggles to do what I want.... there will also be mods that makes your phone more responsive (faster)... the lists of things you can do with root is just too much to be listed lol...
now to answer your main question "Is rooting the S5 recommended this early on?", now this is all my opinion so take it with a bit of salt... I would say no...
there isn't much of roms around (not much of choices atm, you can check like s2/s3/s4 to get an idea of how much of choices you can expect once the device has been out for 6 months+), so if you root right now, you pretty much have to do all of the modding by yourself and etc... so why root and lose warranty? just play it cool and wait for a better time XD the decision that you wait 1 - 6 months before root might saves your phone ass, if something happens... and I seriously doubt you gona gain that much if you root now... unless you're uber modder/rom cooker
Don't get me wrong though, I personally recommend every android user to root lol... Android without root is like iPhone... what is the point of the ability to pretty much modify everything but you dont use it? (dont get mad now iphone fans... Im on android just coz of the customization, not of brand or specs)

[Q] Why people root there devices this days

So My question is as simple as that:
Why you rooted your phone ?
I`m an Linux administrator so I know what root account mean back in the days i rooted my phone because my android version was 2.1 and it wasn`t the most supported android version so I needed root in order to change the rom to 2.3 however I find CM really ugly and I know Samsung software is not the best possible but for me it works great.
So why you rooted your phone ? Is there a special reason why you want to skip OTA updates, To wait on Custom Rom developers to finally make your camera work as on the stock rom and your 3G to actually work ? Is CM rom really worth all the efforts in order to root your device ?
So why you rooted your phone ?
bnight said:
So My question is as simple as that:
Why you rooted your phone ?
I`m an Linux administrator so I know what root account mean back in the days i rooted my phone because my android version was 2.1 and it wasn`t the most supported android version so I needed root in order to change the rom to 2.3 however I find CM really ugly and I know Samsung software is not the best possible but for me it works great.
So why you rooted your phone ? Is there a special reason why you want to skip OTA updates, To wait on Custom Rom developers to finally make your camera work as on the stock rom and your 3G to actually work ? Is CM rom really worth all the efforts in order to root your device ?
So why you rooted your phone ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. To be freedom
2. To remove all craps that we don't want and have a complete backup/restore solution
3. To tweak the phone, make it work faster and smoother
4. Add more features that is only done by rooting devices such as Adblocks (both web & apps), underclock...
4. To use CM/AOSP sources that have much longer support than Samsung (Think about 18 months later, Will SamSung still support your devices like Apple or Microsoft?)
bnight said:
So My question is as simple as that:
So why you rooted your phone ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simple answer is I want to control my phone, I don't want it to be controlled by my service provide.
I get my S5 in two weeks and it will be rooted, the o2 rom replace with a generic BTU rom (not bothered about knox), all previous phones I have had have been rooted, current S3, previous S2 and xperia X10.
There is more freedom, ability to customise it your way, replace ugly stock theme with your own theme, unlock features that are locked by Samsung or the service provider, removing unnecessary bloat ware.
Added functionality in root apps such as Titanium Backup, Root Explorer and improve battery life.
Root gives you freedom to do as you like with your device.
I use root for the following: ad blocking, removing camera sounds, Titanium backup, EFS backup (in some rare cases even with stock updates EFS problems arose), move apps to external SD card, mod some UI stuff (like the S Find/Quick Connect bar) and some less important stuff. So, that is a pretty extensive list if you ask me
greenify ..
Ad blocker. And most of the time u can run a newer version of android then what the phone came with.
sent from my thumbs
jaymccoubrey said:
Ad blocker. And most of the time u can run a newer version of android then what the phone came with.
sent from my thumbs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes but not all the functions of your phone work that way.
Ad blocker sounds like a good idea for your data plan however I have 1 GB of data per month and unlimited after that but with lower speed and my actual data usage is like 200-300 MB per month with ads so this is not something that I really need and the apps that I use needs this ads in order to support them self.
About backup when my S4 mini LCD screen goes black I still had the ability to move my data via usb cable and Kies so when I take my S5 I spend probably 30 minutes to download back my backup from the S4 Mini and the only thing that I needed was to install my applications because of the newer android version of the S5.
However I do think that a lot of stuff is not working as it should be on custom roms.
The question should be: Why root a NEW Phone? As phones get older, manufacturer support ceases, one roots the phone to install new custom firmware.
xposed framework.
And with this new root method I don't have to worry about tripping KNOX and losing warranty.
bnight said:
To wait on Custom Rom developers to finally make your camera work as on the stock rom and your 3G to actually work ? Is CM rom really worth all the efforts in order to root your device ?
So why you rooted your phone ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why oh why do people always just talk about cm based rom's. I root my device to provide custom rom's comparable to cm in terms of customisation whilst keeping everything Samsung based working.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Goldie said:
Why oh why do people always just talk about cm based rom's.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because this is the most mainstream custom rom available.
As I say when I buy my phone I spend some time with his UI if I don`t like it I don`t buy the phone.
X-Note team rooted the galaxy s5 to have floating windows and note 3 features, multi dpi and a unique look
here the screenshots eh eh http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2724138
Inviato dal mio SM-G900F utilizzando Tapatalk
bnight said:
Yes but not all the functions of your phone work that way.
Ad blocker sounds like a good idea for your data plan however I have 1 GB of data per month and unlimited after that but with lower speed and my actual data usage is like 200-300 MB per month with ads so this is not something that I really need and the apps that I use needs this ads in order to support them self.
About backup when my S4 mini LCD screen goes black I still had the ability to move my data via usb cable and Kies so when I take my S5 I spend probably 30 minutes to download back my backup from the S4 Mini and the only thing that I needed was to install my applications because of the newer android version of the S5.
However I do think that a lot of stuff is not working as it should be on custom roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are custom roms with everything working, to say otherwise with no experience is untrue.
Sent from my SM-G900F using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
bnight said:
Because this is the most mainstream custom rom available.
As I say when I buy my phone I spend some time with his UI if I don`t like it I don`t buy the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's my point. Maybe I should rephrase. Custom rom's aren't all source built.
As you say you spend a lot of time with its UI. This is why we made you able to change every aspect of that should you desire rather than just one or two preset themes.
All whilst keeping the Sammy S5 stuff and adding some extra cool stuff like hardware key mapping etc...
You should try it... It will give you the freedom to style your UI how you like whilst still keeping touchwiz and without breaking the stuff you mention. You don't even have to install xposed
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
OP has a valid point - these days top tier smartphones are rather well-designed and tested.
I had to exchange 2 Samsung Galaxy Note 3's due to hardware failure. If I have rooted than I would have incurred a major loss due to void warranty. Now I am using an S5 and have no longer have the intention to root.
Having the privilege to exchange/take back your device is critical due to the hundreds of components in your device that could potentially malfunction.
bnight said:
So My question is as simple as that:
Why you rooted your phone ?
I`m an Linux administrator so I know what root account mean back in the days i rooted my phone because my android version was 2.1 and it wasn`t the most supported android version so I needed root in order to change the rom to 2.3 however I find CM really ugly and I know Samsung software is not the best possible but for me it works great.
So why you rooted your phone ? Is there a special reason why you want to skip OTA updates, To wait on Custom Rom developers to finally make your camera work as on the stock rom and your 3G to actually work ? Is CM rom really worth all the efforts in order to root your device ?
So why you rooted your phone ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be honest, I'm a little surprised by this question considering you are a Linux admin. You should know full well the benefits root provides in terms of being able to do anything you need to configure the OS to suit your needs.
I was perfectly happy with the S5 without root, however I am very happy to now have it. It allows me to do simple, yet helpful things such as unlock the tethering features for unlimited users, changing soft key configurations, enabling writing to the SD card by 3rd party apps, and eliminating annoying pop ups such as the headphone volume notification. Among many many more things. Bottom line, as others have stated, it lets you use your phone as you please. Simply a better experience.
ROMs aren't even part of the equation when we are talking specifically about root.
mediumsteak said:
OP has a valid point - these days top tier smartphones are rather well-designed and tested.
I had to exchange 2 Samsung Galaxy Note 3's due to hardware failure. If I have rooted than I would have incurred a major loss due to void warranty. Now I am using an S5 and have no longer have the intention to root.
Having the privilege to exchange/take back your device is critical due to the hundreds of components in your device that could potentially malfunction.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your paying for insurance yes, no reason why the phone couldn't have been lost or stolen. Fixing your voiding warranty issue
Sent from my SM-G900T using XDA Free mobile app
Goldie said:
Why oh why do people always just talk about cm based rom's. I root my device to provide custom rom's comparable to cm in terms of customisation whilst keeping everything Samsung based working.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because they are the most popular type of ROM
1. To restore/backup apps and their saved data when changing new phone or after factory reset. So I dont need to play the games from zero again. I use titanium backup
2. To allow/disallow which app can access internet. I use android firewall.
3. To block annoying adds from app. I use Addaway
4. To see battery statistic, checking which app causing battery drain, wakelock, wakeup. I use betterbatterystats or wakelock detector
5. To modify some xml system parameter or modify theme/look. Example: cannot write to external sd card just modify the xml.
6. Too change minimum cpu frequency or other features.
Maybe there is more. Root is very important to me.
Sent from GT-I9500
dragon135 said:
1. To restore/backup apps and their saved data when changing new phone or after factory reset. So I dont need to play the games from zero again. I use titanium backup
2. To allow/disallow which app can access internet. I use android firewall.
3. To block annoying adds from app. I use Addaway
4. To see battery statistic, checking which app causing battery drain, wakelock, wakeup. I use betterbatterystats or wakelock detector
5. To modify some xml system parameter or modify theme/look. Example: cannot write to external sd card just modify the xml.
6. Too change minimum cpu frequency or other features.
Maybe there is more. Root is very important to me.
Sent from GT-I9500
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For your first point did you try to use KIES for taking backup of your phone or there was a new application in the S5 called smartswitch which I didn`t used just because i migrated from S4 Mini and used my KIES backup.
Blocking adds is good idea if you are on a limited data plan (I`m not) but this brings the other question for what exactly people use more then 1GB of mobile data ?
For me the battery life of the S5 is really good lately I put a software that drain my battery as hell but I usually keep the number of apps to minimum and even with all functions like network access and stuff turned on battery easy last a day or two so no issue there.
Changing some of the system bhaviour like writing to SD Card is actually important as for example my file manager is not working as it should be now but besides that don`t really see the reason to root your device.
I have tethering as a function on my phone but I doubt I will use it ever for more then 2-3 devices at a time and I think the current limitation is 8 devices.

Questions regarding the Note 4

Hello XDA!
I'm about to purchase a note 4 tomorrow from Wind mobile here in Canada. I would have preferred the nexus 6 but its just not available with wind as of yet.
So my questions regarding the note 4 are:
1) The Note 4 variant would be SM-N910W8, will it allow rooting?
2) Does Samsung allow unlocking the bootloader to install custom roms or is just a root sufficient to do that.
3) I've heard of something called knox, and how it will trigger once you root the note 4. Will this have any adverse effects on app functionality such as tap2pay etc..? I know the warranty will be void, but if something goes wrong with the device its a 50/50 chance of getting it repaired replaced.
4) My reason of preference for the N6 was stock android, is there a ROM currently that is AOSP based?
5) Is there a specific thread i can go to find roms for my variant?
5) Is there a way to return back to a virgin note 4 (unrooted, stock ROM)? And even when that is done, will knox still reflect the trigger as 0x1?
6) Lastly, i havent been much of a fan of samsung because i felt they were pushing out "cheap phones" And i must admit, ever since they came with the metal band with their alpha and note 4. Ive taken a great liking to them. So my question (I do only expect general replies) , How are you guys/girls liking your note 4 so far?
Thanks in advanced!
(P.S sorry if some of the questions are stupid, i researched and dug around as much as i can but couldnt find definitive answers)
Rooting restriction is carrier based. Some carriers lock down from rooting, others dont.
Knox is a one way trip. Once tripped it stays that way. It is effectively a fuse.
Had my N4 for two weeks and am loving it. Came from a rooted S4. Not really missing root that much. Wish I could still turn GPS on and off with Tasker and wish I had better access to the SD card. Not big deals though. There is another thread here about non-rooted solutions to many things people want root for.
Might become more an issue in a couple years if Samsung/Verizon fails to do timely updates.
Best advice to new N4 users is learn to use the S Pen. It is what makes the N4 stand out.
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
1. No it doesnt allow rooting. get a 910U - so far it seems the least hassle.
2. no rooting.
3. yes once you try to root your warranty is void. for all purposes assume you will never get root. then again, you dont need root. in fact having no root and knox is much better. you can have a dual personality phone which works very well.
4. irrelevant. if you get the note 4 expect to run factory.
5. no. you cant have root.
6. you need a full case to hold it. its a thin glass panel. ive got an iblason armorbox for it. also would recommend buying the wireless back and wireless chargers. cables are too much of a hassle on this phone.
My recommendation would be little biased towards Samsung given my last four phones were all galaxy. I never had to root Note 3 but I rooted Note 4 in few days of owning it. Google must have thought let's give some punch to Samsung by disabling write access to external SD giving excuse of security as Samsung is the only high end phone manufacturer that still has it. And one of the most used function that was very important to me was copying files off network share to SD which no longer worked. Only for this I rooted.
I buy Note series not for amoled or big screen or good battery life or running AOSPs. I buy for SPen. I snap, print screen, doodle and write catchy text and share, adds that special touch. And that Microsoft One Note supported inking in android, I am loving it even more.
Note 4
Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated!
While it seems most of you use the note 4 for its main purpose of being a multitasking phone. I on the other end just need the good camera, screen and battery. Everything else is gimmicks (for me atleast). However, this opinion of mine could be due to the fact that ive never owned a note before.
I did see some guides of being able to root the SM-N910W8 with CF auto root, as well as a way of bringing devices back to stock as i can see form this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/general/ref-stock-firmware-kernel-modem-recovery-t2920452
Now, is that really the case or is there somehting im not seeing?
you can NEVER bring it back to stock. the efuse blows once you root. Do NOT root a note 4 until youre familiar enough with knox to make the choice
By stock i dont mean resetting the knox fuse. I mean, if I am on a cusotm rom, i can bring it back to stock for warranty purposes (which I know after the knox fuse is blown, is a hit and miss)
So my question still stands, will I be able to root my phone based on the thread i mentioned above and be able to return it to stock afterwards, or is there something im not seeing there.
qwertyman007 said:
Hello XDA!
I'm about to purchase a note 4 tomorrow from Wind mobile here in Canada. I would have preferred the nexus 6 but its just not available with wind as of yet.
So my questions regarding the note 4 are:
1) The Note 4 variant would be SM-N910W8, will it allow rooting?
2) Does Samsung allow unlocking the bootloader to install custom roms or is just a root sufficient to do that.
3) I've heard of something called knox, and how it will trigger once you root the note 4. Will this have any adverse effects on app functionality such as tap2pay etc..? I know the warranty will be void, but if something goes wrong with the device its a 50/50 chance of getting it repaired replaced.
4) My reason of preference for the N6 was stock android, is there a ROM currently that is AOSP based?
5) Is there a specific thread i can go to find roms for my variant?
5) Is there a way to return back to a virgin note 4 (unrooted, stock ROM)? And even when that is done, will knox still reflect the trigger as 0x1?
6) Lastly, i havent been much of a fan of samsung because i felt they were pushing out "cheap phones" And i must admit, ever since they came with the metal band with their alpha and note 4. Ive taken a great liking to them. So my question (I do only expect general replies) , How are you guys/girls liking your note 4 so far?
Thanks in advanced!
(P.S sorry if some of the questions are stupid, i researched and dug around as much as i can but couldnt find definitive answers)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a Note 4 with Bell so to answer your questions:
1) Yes. This is true for all Canadian carriers AFAIK.
2,4) Should be sufficient with just a root. I haven't been around for a week so I haven't caught up on new developments yet. I didn't see much in the way of AOSP last I looked.
3) This I can't answer but I know for example there is an XPosed module that will allow applications like GOOD to continue to work even with KNOX tripped/removed.
5) The W8 is similar to the 910T. I'm actually running DynamicKat with the KTNote4 Kernel. When you install DK part of the install script checks if your phone is a 910T or a 910W8 and installs the correct kernel. I had an issue with my initial flash of it bootlooping but I used the Stockish kernel from twistedumbrella that I had flashed when I still running stock rooted and backed up the boot image so I restored that boot image and it booted, then I flashed KTNote4 myself. Check here http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-tmobile/development and here http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-tmobile/orig-development for roms/kernels.
6) Yes you can just flash a stock rom (should be floating around somewhere) but Knox will still be tripped.
7) Overall I'm absolutely loving it. I came from an S3 that I was running CM11 on with KT's kernel (seriously, his kernels are amazing!) and I liked it for a really long time but it started to get really sluggish and it just can't handle multitasking the way I'd like it. I do still notice slow downs, and the phone does still get pretty hot sometimes, but that's the price you pay for multi-tasking. KTs kernel certainly isn't perfected (granted I'm on a build from 2 weeks ago) and sometimes it will randomly reboot and bootloop at the splash screen but once I clear cache it boots right up. Usually only does this once it's been pretty hot for a while. I love the multitasking windows, that's exactly what I want. The one thing that threw me off the most was the DPI. It's a big phone, I don't need everything on it to be gigantic. So I did end up using the XPosed module App Settings to scale the DPI down to 480 from 640. There are a couple quirks when doing that, like the task switcher is smaller (since it was designed for 640 DPI) and there are a couple apps that you have to set back to 640 as well like the camera but you can always fix those as you find them.
I'm a firm believer that Android is a dev's playground. I could not use this phone happily without root. In fact, I rooted it the same night I got it within a couple hours. I bought the phone outright since I would have had to change my plan if I wanted to early upgrade and my plan is too good to do that. Happy modding!
Just use Autoinput. Can trigger GPS.
Sent from my SM-N910F using XDA Free mobile app

Worth rooting

is it worth rooting S8 SM-G950F?
my warranty is going to start in october.
i'd say no. what do you want with root? the most i need from root is ad-blocking which is provided by knox so i dont really benefit from root anymore
If you have to ask that, then root is not for you.
I rooted, but had issues, got into bootloop first time i restarted phone after rooting, went back to stock and just removed the bloatware with adb, much happier now.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
I've had three 955F and one 950F, two of them not rooted and two rooted, if you are thinking to sell the phone soon, I will say it notes worth it. But if you are planning to stay on the phone until some maybe better device come out like me, I will say root totally worth the price.
I can even imagine to use my daily driver phone without changing kernel or moving to my favourite custom rom.
I would only root for custom ROMs, to get stock rom but as it stands no stock rom so root not worth it for me. Also I don't keep my phone's for long and rooted phones are difficult to sell since you lose warranty.
the best firewalls require root
removing system apps requires root
you can customize your interface after rooting
can modify sound, camera, temporary screen aspect ratio, etc., after rooting
you control your phone after rooting with the exception of bootloader, which is a different matter
ad-blocking can be much better after rooting
unlimited tethering after rooting
the question is rather: why would you not root? warranty is a scare tactic, you could always Odin flash a specific, official carrier ROM to virginize--just download at sammobile.com/firmwares
Thanks
All of you. I think, I'm gonna keep my phone stock.
little things that add up
LOL, I've been pulling my hair out because it's much harder to root the US Snapdragon S8+ than it is the Exynos variants! Every iPhone I had was jailbroken and every Android afterward (lost count) was rooted except the aforementioned; honestly, I can't stand not having a rooted phone. For example, I like the iptables firewall Android Firewall because I can totally lock down every internet aspect/app of the system (e.g., kernel, Samsung, Google, etc.) and control input chains. I also use HDMI out but cannot change aspect ratio to 16:9 for 4k UHDTV without root; Samsung Smartview allows change to 16:9 wirelessly via Miracast, but that's only at 1080p. It's the little things you can't do without root that add up; but, if you aren't used to rooting advantages, you won't know what you're missing.
i dont see real purpose rooting on recent hi end devices. more to lose instead. unless u r incline into software piracy/cracks.
just do a search in Google Play for the word: root
monx® said:
i dont see real purpose rooting on recent hi end devices. more to lose instead. unless u r incline into software piracy/cracks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My last device was a rooted Galaxy Note 5 on Nougat firmware with TWRP recovery. I never knew if Samsung Pay still worked or not, because I never use the app. All the rest of my apps worked fine. I still have the Note 5 collecting dust, but I suppose it could be a good thing to have in case I ever lose my US Snapdragon S8+. I mainly use Linux for a PC OS. Being the administrator user for my PC running Linux is analagous to having a rooted Android phone; it would be unacceptable to me to not be able to gain root access on my Linux OS--as if I were some child restricted by parents or non-administrator on a Linux office PC. You own the phone, so don't let some carrier tell you you don't, basically. I don't even know why someone would have a XDA account if they don't root?
---------- Post added at 08:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:09 AM ----------
My one suggestion for people debating whether to root or not: just do a search in Google Play for the word root. Take a look at all the apps that can be installed by anyone (i.e., no root needed to install, just root needed to either successfully use or to fully use), and ask yourself if any of them look useful.
I root my S8 G950 /AQG5. Why? Now my device is free to change everything i want. Customizing and better battery. And now with Renovate ice ROM. Everything is great. I want to be free. My phone wants to be free ? i love it. And about warranty. Hmm. I dont give a F....... all my Android phones are rooted. You can fix your phone always with the developers on XDA✌
Haven't rooted my S8 yet, not worth it at the moment....
I used to root for:
- Adblocker
- Removing System apps
- Backup/restore (titanium backup, twrp)
But with package disabler, adhell and not tinkering also the need for backups has declined. Also, there is more storage on the S8 (with the S7 and older I could also use the free space).
Would still like to root and use some custom roms, but at the moment I don't want to loose warranty over it. Also wrt possible resell value and all that
Personally I dont want to root my s8, I have rooted my s3, s5 ,s7edge because touchwiz was just bad and I want to use just aosp but now s8 software is just great and so much better than before with nougat and unique features like samsung pass , secure folder and etc are so great and only work fine without rooting as Knox since s7 is so secure and root is permanent. on s7 I was able to use s8 ported roms as I love s8 software but now with my s8 I have all I want and for now no rooting is planned . First time I am satisfied on my phone without any rooting, and I have rooted all my previous devices including tabs and tested every mods and roms for them but now I think on s8 I can't have anything better that stock
robhug said:
Personally I dont want to root my s8, I have rooted my s3, s5 ,s7edge because touchwiz was just bad and I want to use just aosp but now s8 software is just great and so much better than before with nougat and unique features like samsung pass , secure folder and etc are so great and only work fine without rooting as Knox since s7 is so secure and root is permanent. on s7 I was able to use s8 ported roms as I love s8 software but now with my s8 I have all I want and for now no rooting is planned . First time I am satisfied on my phone without any rooting, and I have rooted all my previous devices including tabs and tested every mods and roms for them but now I think on s8 I can't have anything better that stock
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to see you over here :good:
I may totally be wrong as I didn't log any performance on paper. But since I've rooted and removed like more than 30 bloatwares included with stock rom. My batttery life improved a lot.
I went from 90k in Antutu to 16X XXX
I also removed one of the feature I thought I'll like, The small overlay bar you have at the right of the screen. It was totally useless, since when you drag something from this edge, then ALL the screen is covered even if the usefull part is only 20% of the area..
This improved my battery too
I'm itching to root my s8 plus as I've rooted every device apart from the Xperia xz premium
Apart from Samsung pay what else does tripping knox break?
That's what is holding me back not having a full list of what it breaks
Thanks
until an AOSP rom not based on samsung I won't root.
Right now the main benefit could be only:
- viper sound ( but I don't listen so much with in-ear )
- some tasker stuff ( which I don't know yet)
- double tap home to instant sleep phone
- bixby remapped without adb command
on the other side I lose phone warranty ( which I don't give a damn) and encryption which is a very good thing for me...
Because all the other stuff are well done with standard samsung interface, lawnchair home screen/launcher and package disabler...
And don't get me wrong, previous phone were ALL rooted and changed many many roms, at Incredible S times it was one every 10 days...
brockyneo said:
I'm itching to root my s8 plus as I've rooted every device apart from the Xperia xz premium
Apart from Samsung pay what else does tripping knox break?
That's what is holding me back not having a full list of what it breaks
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tripping knox is not a problem, as can be masked, I am more concerned as rooted secure vault can be cracked...
btw I think that tripped knox means that you cannot use anything of samsung knox...
bob8x said:
until an AOSP rom not based on samsung I won't root.
Right now the main benefit could be only:
- viper sound ( but I don't listen so much with in-ear )
- some tasker stuff ( which I don't know yet)
- double tap home to instant sleep phone
- bixby remapped without adb command
on the other side I lose phone warranty ( which I don't give a damn) and encryption which is a very good thing for me...
Because all the other stuff are well done with standard samsung interface, lawnchair home screen/launcher and package disabler...
And don't get me wrong, previous phone were ALL rooted and changed many many roms, at Incredible S times it was one every 10 days...
Tripping knox is not a problem, as can be masked, I am more concerned as rooted secure vault can be cracked...
btw I think that tripped knox means that you cannot use anything of samsung knox...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not too worried about Samsung pay ECT just don't want to brake any apps that might interfier with the use of the phone like retina scanner or image quality (like in the Xperia devices)
And what's the benefits of masking tripping knox?
Thanks
brockyneo said:
I'm not too worried about Samsung pay ECT just don't want to brake any apps that might interfier with the use of the phone like retina scanner or image quality (like in the Xperia devices)
And what's the benefits of masking tripping knox?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For start not all kernel/roms support masking knox..
The benefit is that you can use knox, that otherwise is un-usable...

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