Database Users

Just bought my S4 (I9505)

Hi guys!
Yesterday I've received my new S4 and obviously I'm really happy!
I'm planning to root my S4 after some tests (just to be sure the device has not problems) and I'm thinking to flash the Google Edition ROM.
Now some questions:
- Is there some test,stuffs to check or common warrenty problem to check/wait before root my S4?
- Just rooting the device will invalidate the KNOX? Is there a way to restore the KNOX or may I root my device only when I'm sure I really want invalidate my warrenty?
- After rooting decision/time... I live in Italy but I've bought an EU S4: do you suggest me to change the CSC (I9505OXXBMG3) to ITV and flash Italy sotck/mod ROM or it doesn't matter and I can stay on the actual CSC?
- In your opinion, Is it really worth to flash the Google Edition 4.3 or may I wait for the official 4.3 from Samsung (I saw the leaked ROM so maybe it's time for official!)
Thanks guys!

If your device has the older bootloader you're fine for flashing as it doesn't have KNOX implemented. If it has the new bootloader with KNOX, flashing a custom rom will void your warranty forever. It flags it in download mode and you can't remove it even if you went back to fully stock, so you still wouldn't have any warranty

Someone posted this on one of the BLOG.
chiragnarasimha on 4 October 2013 at 14:52 said:
Incase the above method failed, then i am sad to tell you that there is a long process that is probably going take more than an hour to complete the downgrade process.
First of all, remember that when you upgraded to 4.3, you also upgraded stuff like BL(bootloader), AP(formerly known as pda which can be downloaded from this site), CP (modem of the phone) and finally CSC. So, the trick is to download the BL of 4.2.2, AP(PDA) of your region, CP of your region or your carrier, and the CSC of your region. Trust me, finding these stuff can be hard depending on the popularity of your region and the popularity of your carrier.
Hopefully, you were able to download all the above mentioned stuff. Now go ahead and flash these things with odin. Also note that wiping the device with the stock recovery ( vol up + home Key + Power button) might be necessary. While flashing with odin, DO NOT CHECK ANYTHING APART FROM AUTO REBOOT AND F. RESET TIME.
OR THE EASIEST IS PROBABLY TO WAIT FOR THE OFFICIAL RELEASE AND THEN FLASH IT WITH ODIN. YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL RELEASE WHEN IT IS AVAILABLE IN THIS WEBSITE ANYWAYS
will this work?? splitting the firmware? anyone?

imlgl said:
If your device has the older bootloader you're fine for flashing as it doesn't have KNOX implemented. If it has the new bootloader with KNOX, flashing a custom rom will void your warranty forever. It flags it in download mode and you can't remove it even if you went back to fully stock, so you still wouldn't have any warranty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for response!
I've just reboot in download mode and my S4 printout:
ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: gt-I9505
CURRENT BINARY: Samsung Official
SYSTEM STATUS: Offical
CSB-CONFIG-LSB: 0x30
WRITE PROTECTED: Enabled
Have I the older bootloader? I can't see any knox strings...
If yes, that means that if I want to flash the 4.3 Google Edition ROM it's better to flash it now before Samsung send me the OTA update of the official 4.3 ROM or I didn't understand well?
In which ROMs Samsung has introduces the KNOX.... I'm little bit confused because someone of you has KNOX but my S4 says to me via OTA thet there is no new update...

Markino said:
Thanks for response!
I've just reboot in download mode and my S4 printout:
ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: gt-I9505
CURRENT BINARY: Samsung Official
SYSTEM STATUS: Offical
CSB-CONFIG-LSB: 0x30
WRITE PROTECTED: Enabled
Have I the older bootloader? I can't see any knox strings...
If yes, that means that if I want to flash the 4.3 Google Edition ROM it's better to flash it now before Samsung send me the OTA update of the official 4.3 ROM or I didn't understand well?
In which ROMs Samsung has introduces the KNOX.... I'm little bit confused because someone of you has KNOX but my S4 says to me via OTA thet there is no new update...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup you have older bootloader, it's the same as mine except my says custom instead of official.

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] Returning to stock but keep root and avoiding knox

Hi forums!,
I am currently running paranoid android on my i9500 but am wanting to return to stock,
i downloaded the latest .zip for my region form sammobile which is I9500XXUFNE7.
2 questions i have is,
How am i able to keep my root status after i return to stock.
and how do i avoid knox and anything limiting me from returning to a custom firmware or root,
Thanks guys cheers!

Garethkungfu said:
Hi forums!,
I am currently running paranoid android on my i9500 but am wanting to return to stock,
i downloaded the latest .zip for my region form sammobile which is I9500XXUFNE7.
2 questions i have is,
How am i able to keep my root status after i return to stock.
and how do i avoid knox and anything limiting me from returning to a custom firmware or root,
Thanks guys cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi mate ,
My first question is what bootloader you have old one (4.2.2) or knox bootloader ( >4,3)?
If not sure check in download mode if there is any knox related text if so there is nothing you can do about the warranty bit
FNE7 is a 4.4.2 rom if you flash it for sure you will flash the knox bootloader , if you do and root you will set the warranty bit
You can flash that firmware, you can root BUT you will set knox to 1

Garethkungfu said:
Hi forums!,
I am currently running paranoid android on my i9500 but am wanting to return to stock,
i downloaded the latest .zip for my region form sammobile which is I9500XXUFNE7.
2 questions i have is,
How am i able to keep my root status after i return to stock.
and how do i avoid knox and anything limiting me from returning to a custom firmware or root,
Thanks guys cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After you've put a cwm or philz or another bootloader on your phone, flash this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2365214&d=1383345163
This will remove knox.

Downgrade ROM for TowelRoot

EDIT* SOLVED* - Solution in post #13 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=57050358&postcount=13
Current ROM : KOT49H.G900FXXU1ANG9
Target ROM: G900FXXU1ANE2_G900FOXA1ANE2_BTU.zip
Model: SM-G900F
Reason for doing this:
I want root without tripping the KNOX bit, so I must use TowelRoot, but it's incompatible with my current ROM
I would like a ROM for my region (it's a grey import phone)
Can anyone confirm?
Will this flash trip the KNOX bit?
Will there be any issues arising from the fact the ROMs have different regions (one is Netherlands (I think?) target is UK)?
How can I verify that the kernel in "G900FXXU1ANE2_G900FOXA1ANE2_BTU.zip" is official and signed by Samsung before flashing? I downloaded it from here... http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/download/29315/G900FXXU1ANE2_G900FOXA1ANE2_BTU.zip/
I've looked around the forum and I'm confident it will be ok, but I rarely see people flashing different region ROMs. Any help and advice is much appreciated!
Thank you

1- Flash newest rom for your region with odin
2- flash old kernel with odin and then root your phone using towel
3- flash latest kernel with odin
Check here for roms link
http://samsung-updates.com/device/?id=SM-G900F
And enjoy

iNTER5LOve said:
1- Flash newest rom for your region with odin
2- flash old kernel with odin and then root your phone using towel
3- flash latest kernel with odin
Check here for roms link
http://samsung-updates.com/device/?id=SM-G900F
And enjoy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And the KNOX bit will remain 0x0 (valid warranty)?

Admin0389 said:
And the KNOX bit will remain 0x0 (valid warranty)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes

iNTER5LOve said:
Yes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, ok heres what I'll do
1. Download latest ROM for my region (UK) : BTU G900FXXU1ANG2 Android 4.4.2 03.07.2014 (BTU-G900FXXU1ANE2-20140512140232.zip)
Edit* 1.5. Wait for 600 hours for rapidgator.net's download to finish
2. Flash with odin (version 3.09 from the link on this page http://www.galaxys5update.com/firmware-g900fxxu1ane2-4-4-2-galaxy-s5-sm-g900f/ )
3. Download BTU G900FXXU1ANE2 Android 4.4.2 08.05.2014 (BTU-G900FXXU1ANCE-20140408194209.zip) (pre-June kernel donor ROM)
4. Flash kernel from 4.4.2 08.05.2014
5. TowelRoot
6. Flash kernel from 4.4.2 03.07.2014
7. Report back
I hope this works. I'm very concerned about the KNOX bit
Any good tutorials on only flashing the kernel from a ROM image?

Admin0389 said:
Thank you, ok heres what I'll do
1. Download latest ROM for my region (UK) : BTU G900FXXU1ANG2 Android 4.4.2 03.07.2014 (BTU-G900FXXU1ANE2-20140512140232.zip)
2. Flash with odin (version 3.09 from the link on this page http://www.galaxys5update.com/firmware-g900fxxu1ane2-4-4-2-galaxy-s5-sm-g900f/ )
3. Download BTU G900FXXU1ANE2 Android 4.4.2 08.05.2014 (BTU-G900FXXU1ANCE-20140408194209.zip) (pre-June kernel donor ROM)
4. Flash kernel from 4.4.2 08.05.2014
5. TowelRoot
6. Flash kernel from 4.4.2 03.07.2014
7. Report back
I hope this works. I'm very concerned about the KNOX bit
Any good tutorials on only flashing the kernel from a ROM image?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can open rom image with winrar and then extract kernel file (boot.img) and flash it with odin

Is there any way to make sure all the files are signed prior to flashing?

Not mirrors, but these files have the same descriptions and the download is much faster.
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/download/34794/G900FXXU1ANG2_G900FVIR1ANG2_VIR.zip/
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/download/31537/G900FXXU1ANE2_G900FVIR1AND2_VIR.zip/
I assume there's nothing wrong with using the ones provided on sammobile.com with regards to tripping the KNOX bit?

Hit a snag,
Not sure how to flash 'boot.img'.
Will I get away with just creating a *.tar containing only 'boot.img' using 7zip and then flash with odin?

Anyone?
Finger is on the button

Update: Will gamble and proceed with the technique here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2446269
I read that 7-zip tars are *NOT* compatible with odin (can't confirm).

Ok, everything worked.
But I'm a tool, and as some of you may have noticed I installed the Virgin Mobile ROMs rather than a carrier-free BTU version.
So I'm going to repeat the process and pray that flashing over a rooted OS doesn't trip the KNOX. (Does anyone know if it does or not?)
It's getting late tonight but I'll try and get back tomorrow with a final step-by-step.

Solved! Try at your own risk!
Thanks very much to iNTER5Love for leading me in the right direction!
SM-G900F Only!
As of today I am rooted running a post-June 2014 ROM and my KNOX status is 0x0!
Back story: I live in the UK and I bought a grey import S5 SM-G900F to save some cash (about £150!). It came with a different language and non-UK region specific ROM. I wanted root but my phone had a post-June 2014 ROM so TowelRoot wouldn't work. Keeping KNOX 0x0 was important to me also (this is day 1 and I didn't want to lose the warranty immediately.)
Rant: That said, I refuse to accept rooting voids the warranty. Despite what Samsung say, we are European consumers and we have rights! If root did not directly damage your device and you can prove it (after 6 months) or Sammy can't prove it did (before 6 months) then you have a warranty! Be prepared to fight for it though.
To business:
In my experiments I found that you can feel free to do the following without tripping the KNOX counter:
You can flash a different region ROM as long as it's official (e.g. from SamMobile)
You can root using TowelRoot
You can unroot using SuperSU
You can flash kernels using ODIN (again, as long as they are from official Samsung ROMs)
You can mess up at least once I accidentally flashed a Virgin Mobile ROM instead of a carrier-free ROM. I repeated the steps again and I was fine.
Materials you will need:
Target ROM (the ROM you want to be on when we're done)
Donor ROM (a ROM identical to the target, but with a build date before June 2014)
TowelRoot (for the 0x0 KNOX-safe root) - https://towelroot.com/
tar-Tool_Odin3-v3.07 (for preparing the donor and target kernels for flashing) - http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2446269
ODIN 3.09 - https://mega.co.nz/#!UdRRyCAT!H4FyVxYynNWvXqRNmnpMGQRCP-dG3uykgP2pT4rh8Ek
I've put the steps I took into guide form as follows...
Download the latest version of the ROM you want (Target ROM) AND a version of the target ROM with a build date before June 2014 (Donor ROM). The ROMs MUST be official ROMs released by Samsung (e.g. from SamMobile)
Flash the target ROM. The one I picked was a UK version and I was coming from a Baltic EU ROM.
Factory reset (not essential, but good for clearing residual bloatware)
Copy TowelRoot (https://towelroot.com/) on to your device now! (I found that after the next step the system is very unstable)
Extract 'boot.img' (the kernel) from your donor ROM (using 7-zip)
Create an boot.tar.md5 from the 'boot.img' you just extracted using tar-Tool_Odin3-v3.07 (http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2446269)
Flash the file you just created with ODIN
Install SuperSU (or an SU manager of your choice – Essential to protect you from rogue apps!)
Run TowelRoot
Extract 'boot.img' from your target ROM
Create a boot.tar.md5 (same as before)
Flash the new boot.tar.md5
Finished
You are now effectively running your full Target ROM (we temporarily swapped out the kernel, then swapped it back in). Your system is now fully rooted. Your KNOX counter reads 0x0.
Closing Notes:
I've been researching for at least 6 hours. I've easily missed references, if you think I've used something of yours please PM me!
Please report back so others can benefit from your experience!
There is no guarantee this will work for you! Everything you do is at your own risk. If warranty is essential to you then don't try this.

Is there a problem with flashing the software from different country?

So i have several questions:
1. Will my KNOX be tripped if i flash a stock rom from sammobile with Odin.(Ive read that it wont be but just asking to be sure)
2. What will happen if i flash a rom from a different country than mine, for example i an on LP 5.1.1 Romania and i want to flash MM from Poland or Russia?

1- I am not entirely sure about that! I think KNOX will be tripped if Odin is used, but I am not 100% sure.
2- You can flash any ROM you want.

AndroidFL said:
So i have several questions:
1. Will my KNOX be tripped if i flash a stock rom from sammobile with Odin.(Ive read that it wont be but just asking to be sure)
2. What will happen if i flash a rom from a different country than mine, for example i an on LP 5.1.1 Romania and i want to flash MM from Poland or Russia?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. No, i've done that before. It wont trip if you flash STOCK ROM from Samsung. People done that normally to format their device, or try new updates that have not been roll out in their countries. However, if you root, flash custom recovery and all those stuffs that involved modification, it will probably trip knox counter.
2. It shouldnt have any problem. But bear in mind those roms are normally "localized" based on their country, from my experience.
Hope these help.