Database Users

restore to KNOX-disabled firmware

i have a galaxy s4 i9500 with android 4.2.2 and i read that if i update to 4.3 i will get a security feature called KNOX which tracks your custon kernel flashes and cannot be reset. and also you can't flash back to 4.2.2. is that true?
if it is so:
1.what will happen if you'll try to flash 4.2.2 with odin?
2.what other disadvantages KNOX have?
3.shoiuld i really care about KNOX if my phone's warranty is already void?
4.can KNOX harm my device by any way?
please answer the question by order!
i am thankful for any help i can get in this forum and appriciate everyone who answers my questions beacause i wanna know if i should update or not.
P.S.:if i have 4.2.2 can i install cyanogenmod 11 (unofficial) or i need to update to 4.3 to do that?

Knox doesn't track custom kernel flashes specifically, it detects if you flash anything non-samsung (whether it's cf-autoroot, custom recovery or whatnot). It just says knox 0x0 or 0x1, if it's 0x1 your warranty is void. There is another counter detecting number of flashes, but that can be reset with TriangleAway. Knox cannot be reset. EDiT: TriangleAway only works on i9505, sorry.
1. If you don't have a knox-enabled bootloader you can flash an older rom version. Boot into recovery mode, if you see a knox counter there you cannot flash older firmwares than the one you already have (on i9505 there was one knox-enabled fw before 4.3). If you don't see anything knox related you can flash what you want, but once you flash a knox enabled rom you cannot downgrade to older official samsung roms.
2. Besides not being able to reset the knox counter there isn't really anything special. Atleast none that I have noticed. SuperSU asks if you want do disable knox-features upon first run.
3. No, then it doesn't really matter. Unless you really want to flash an older firmware from samsung.
4. No, it's a samsung feature.
If I were you I'd flash official 4.3 builds anyway, as they're generally much faster and much more stable, atleast for me on i9505. And the improvements outweigh the downsides of knox. 4.3 feature list: http://www.sammobile.com/2013/10/18...al-android-4-3-update-for-galaxy-s4-gt-i9500/

[Q] can use knox after tripping knox ?

Hello everyone. ive been searching these forums for quite a while and can safely conclude that theres no way for me (ATM) to root my note 3 without tripping knox.
i have a N9005 running the NC2 firmware, on 4.4.2
now i want to know is, if i flash a custom recovery and firmware ONLY, without flashing a custom ROM, can i still use KNOX (the app) ?
all i really want is root access, im quite happy with the ROM and performance ATM.
very sorry if this has been asked already, i couldnt find anything about it
thanks everyone

that0guy said:
Hello everyone. ive been searching these forums for quite a while and can safely conclude that theres no way for me (ATM) to root my note 3 without tripping knox.
i have a N9005 running the NC2 firmware, on 4.4.2
now i want to know is, if i flash a custom recovery and firmware ONLY, without flashing a custom ROM, can i still use KNOX (the app) ?
all i really want is root access, im quite happy with the ROM and performance ATM.
very sorry if this has been asked already, i couldnt find anything about it
thanks everyone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any attempt to modify/temper the phone should render the Knox invalid thus Knox 0x1 as a flag that no Knox security warranty can be established on such devices.
Rooting is considered an attempt to modify the system.

So simple answer is No....
You root you can't use Knox app...

[Q] I9505 rooting !! Serious help needed........!!!!

Hi,
My cousin owns a Galaxy s4 i9505 LTE and he wanted to root it. Since i was using custom rom on my S3 i9300, He asked me to root his phone and i told him that the knox security will mess things up. Anyway i rooted it with CF Autoroot and root was successful but the phone started restaring periodically and he wanted me to restore it back to stock rom (Unroot). He bought it from UAE and the build version was I9505XXUGNH8. Since we didn't find any firmware for UAE from sammy site, he searched the google and found a link (samfirmware) and downloaded the firmware. Then i flashed it via odin. All is good.
Now he want to root it again but the SElinux status says Enforced. Tried towel root,kingoroot and other stuffs.. No hope. The Knox says 0x0 and knox void is 0x1. Android version is 4.4.2. please help me to root this phone.
Thanks in advance...

Use cf auto root. It's the only root method that works.
Afterwards make sure to delete everything knox related. There are plenty of guides out here that tell what to delete.

Thanks for the help.. and if you don't mind, can you please tell me where to find those threads about deleting knoz files and what should i do to get a custom recovery in i9505?????

azharkhalid said:
Thanks for the help.. and if you don't mind, can you please tell me where to find those threads about deleting knoz files and what should i do to get a custom recovery in i9505?????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nex time use SEARCH BUTTON.
- About the Knox files: HERE.
- Custom Recovery (for ex. TWRP): HERE.

Rooting Note 3 need confirmation

Okay so I'm fairly new to the forums but I'm somewhat knowledgeable when it comes to rooting and flashing custom Roms.. At least one the Galaxy S3. So I now have a note 3 and I'd like to root and install a custom recovery and then from there a custom Rom after a little more research.. Because.. Eff touch Wiz. Now I got the note from a friend and it's been fully updated knox hasn't been enabled but has been fully updated and I believe the same thing for the security policies. Now this is where my question comes in I found a method on google (galaxynote3root.com) to root and install the recovery I just wanna know if anyone can confirm this method is safe with the new updates and what not? I'd rather not brick the phone obviously lol anyways the phone model is sm-n9008w unlocked but was a Rogers phone.. Android 5.0 stock firmware and recovery knox 2.3 any help would be appreciated

Which note 3 do you have? Are you sure it's not the sm-n900w8? Depending on the ROM you install, you may need to update to the latest bootloader and modem.
Edit: read your post again. Since stock LP is on the phone, Knox has been installed and the phone would be running the doc4 or doh1 firmware.
The simplest way to root would be to install TWRP and flash supersu from TWRP. You're going to trip the knox counter from 0x0 to 0x1. Also, make sure reactivation lock has not been enabled.

Questions About The Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE SPH-L720T (Sprint version)

OK. I just bought this new thing and am looking for some feedback before I even think about installing custom recoveries, ROMs, APP's, etc.
On GSMArena.com my device is listed as the i9505. Everything matches up except the model version under "About device" where it states it as being the SPH-L720T (Baseband L720TVUJOH2).
Now what I want to know is, is that just carrier branding or is my phone indeed the i9505 and will all of the i9505 stuff work on it? It may seem like a silly question but I just paid $300 for this thing and the last thing I want to do is brick it.
The reason why I am asking all of this is because Samsung seem incapable of releasing a fully functioning or secure ROM (Stage-fright issues, widgets draw crashing on "Touchwiz" UI, etc). The current Android version I am running is "Lollipop" build 5.0.1 (official).
Which brings me to my next question: I noticed that my device has "KNOX" installed. Is there any way to install custom ROMs and/or recoveries without tripping it? I want to try to avoid voiding the warranty if possible.
Also this is an unlocked device so will flashing custom ROMs disable that?
Thanks.

I have an s4 with i9500 on it but i reality its an SPH-720T. You can know for sure in the bootloader
So far I had no problem installing i9505 ROMs like 'Super WizCyan, Albe95 S6, Imperium LL Rom' and i am corrently using Albe95 LolliROM 6.0 and it works fine :good: with the latest SPH-720T carnal (OH1) an the Imperium Karnal works too (v2.6)
It is rooted with CF-Auto-Root for SPH-720 and I have TWRP Recovery instaled

Grumpy Cat said:
OK. I just bought this new thing and am looking for some feedback before I even think about installing custom recoveries, ROMs, APP's, etc.
On GSMArena.com my device is listed as the i9505. Everything matches up except the model version under "About device" where it states it as being the SPH-L720T (Baseband L720TVUJOH2).
Now what I want to know is, is that just carrier branding or is my phone indeed the i9505 and will all of the i9505 stuff work on it? It may seem like a silly question but I just paid $300 for this thing and the last thing I want to do is brick it.
The reason why I am asking all of this is because Samsung seem incapable of releasing a fully functioning or secure ROM (Stage-fright issues, widgets draw crashing on "Touchwiz" UI, etc). The current Android version I am running is "Lollipop" build 5.0.1 (official).
Which brings me to my next question: I noticed that my device has "KNOX" installed. Is there any way to install custom ROMs and/or recoveries without tripping it? I want to try to avoid voiding the warranty if possible.
Also this is an unlocked device so will flashing custom ROMs disable that?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Boot into download mode. What does it say your model is in download mode?

The SPH-L720T is just carrier branding. It should be an I9505.
Installing a custom recovery will trip knox. You will have to stay stock if you don't want to trip knox. But beware, knox doesn't like root. Meaning that you will have random reboots if you root your phone and knox is installed.
I recommend reading your warranty document to see what kind of damages it covers. I read mine and it concluded that my warranty covers excrements. So I tripped knox after the first month.

Lennyz1988 said:
Boot into download mode. What does it say your model is in download mode?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It says SPH-L720T. But according to GDReaper (and the online specs) it is carrier branding.
GDReaper said:
The SPH-L720T is just carrier branding. It should be an I9505.
Installing a custom recovery will trip knox. You will have to stay stock if you don't want to trip knox. But beware, knox doesn't like root. Meaning that you will have random reboots if you root your phone and knox is installed.
I recommend reading your warranty document to see what kind of damages it covers. I read mine and it concluded that my warranty covers excrements. So I tripped knox after the first month.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Crap, I might have already tripped it installing SuperSU (through Play Store, and that's all it took to root it). Under download mode it says "Knox warranty void 0x1". Does that mean I tripped it?
That said, no random reboots the only issue I have is that I can't access the widgets app draw on Touchwiz UI without an FC (but I use a Nova Launcher anyway), and i9505 stuff should work with mine, right? I am thinking about installing EchoeROM, provided it doesn't have the problems the "official" one does.

Knox default status is 0x0
Any modifications done to the bootloader will make it 0x1 which means knox has been triggered.
Since it is already tripped, you might as well flash a custom recovery.
The SPH-L720T has the same specs as the normal GT-I9505 S4. You can compare them yourself.
It is just a rebranded I9505.

I get that it is just a rebranded version of the GT-i9505 but I had to make absolutely sure. In other threads some are saying they have issues. And since I have "screwed the pooch" and tripped KNOX (unless Chainfire's "Triangle Away" can reset the counter), I might as well start flashing then.
I was just reading over this article on how to deal with KNOX and it doesn't seem to cause any issues for me since I am already rooted via Super SU. Will I have to remove it anyway or can I just go ahead and flash TWRP via Odin (can you recommend any version?) without any issues? And is CF-Auto-Root really necessary? I have some experience with all of this from rooting and flashing my old S3 MINI, KNOX and CF-Auto-Root are the only two I'm not sure about.
Oddly enough, while it does say that KNOX (and KNOX II) is installed I can't find the shortcut as described in the article. This is a refurbished phone so god knows what has been done to it.
Thanks.

CF-Auto-Root is only needed for rooting. Since you are already rooted, you don't need it.
As far as I know, Knox status 0x1 is permanent. It can't be changed back to 0x0. The flash counter is a different thing. It shows how many times a firmware has been flashed on the device. I'm not sure if stock roms cout towards your flash counter.
If you have no issues with Knox and root then there is no reason to remove knox.
You can simply flash twrp from their site. The variant you're looking for is for the Qualcomm S4. I used Odin 1.85 and 3.09 with success in the past.