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?

Does flashing a different region stock trigger knox flag?

I'll have the aussie model in couple of days and I want to flash a stock ROM from a different region onto it (to bypass some of the dumb lock downs the aussie one has...)
Questions:
Will this trigger the knox warranty e fuse flag?
And
Will i then need worry about regional locks?
Sent from my GT-N7105T using Tapatalk 2

Also keen to know as well. I've seen some people say yes and others say no.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

I *think* its ok, provided the firmware you're loading isn't an older one than what you already have.
Even more sure if you don't have a knox firmware currently...
Sent from my GT-N7105T using Tapatalk now Free

I asked the question in another thread and got two different answers so I wanted to see if anyone tried it.
This one said yes:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=46122037#post46122037
This one said no:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=46247553#post46247553
I've also got an Australian Note 3 and in the past with my previous phones (Note 2 and S4) I flashed the UK stock ROM to get around the restrictions imposed on the Australian ROM. Before I do it again, I want to see if someone has tried it without any negative impact.

I started a previous thread with this question:
"I have a Note 3 n9005 XXUBMI7 firmware with csc N9005XSABMI1 (Australia) - unlocked, no carrier.
Will the Omega ROM V1.0 work on my phone (ie will, it support English(Australia)?)"
I am interested (ultimately) in experimenting with custom roms - as I did in my previous Note 1. This process will require a root and TWRP/CWM and will almost certainly void warranty because Knox Security digit will be set from 0 to 1 - unless someone finds a workaround.
What I am not sure about is the region coding - it seems that Samsung has a firmware version for every region (Australia is XSA)

playdough said:
I started a previous thread with this question:
"I have a Note 3 n9005 XXUBMI7 firmware with csc N9005XSABMI1 (Australia) - unlocked, no carrier.
Will the Omega ROM V1.0 work on my phone (ie will, it support English(Australia)?)"
I am interested (ultimately) in experimenting with custom roms - as I did in my previous Note 1. This process will require a root and TWRP/CWM and will almost certainly void warranty because Knox Security digit will be set from 0 to 1 - unless someone finds a workaround.
What I am not sure about is the region coding - it seems that Samsung has a firmware version for every region (Australia is XSA)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All I know is that after being boot looped, I was able to load the mexican firmware... but then after trying to flash SuperSU, which caused nothing but bugs, I tried to reinstall that same firmware and got another boot loop. I am now unable to install any available n900w8 firmware successfully. Some type of flag has been triggered on my phone that's preventing me from using a stock kernel/firmware... that's all I know.

Apra24 said:
All I know is that after being boot looped, I was able to load the mexican firmware... but then after trying to flash SuperSU, which caused nothing but bugs, I tried to reinstall that same firmware and got another boot loop. I am now unable to install any available n900w8 firmware successfully. Some type of flag has been triggered on my phone that's preventing me from using a stock kernel/firmware... that's all I know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure that Samsung's strategy is to make their devices a Samsung managed (and standardised) product (ala Apple and Microsoft) by locking owners into their firmware and even going beyond with region control. The only options, I believe, are either to stick with them at their behest or void warranty and support for personal freedom of choice. My view is that if software does not physically damage a device then I should be entitled to warranty claim if there is a manufacturing fault.

I was really referring to stock ROMs rather than custom.
Custom ROMs will flip the Knox switch.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Do not try and flash stock firmware from another region. It will not trigger the knox flag but the flash will fail in Odin and then you'll have to flash back the correct stock firmware for your region in order to be able to boot the phone again. The only way around it is to install a custom recovery and flash modified firmware which definitely will trigger the Knox flag.
Sent from my SM-N9005

dr.m0x said:
Do not try and flash stock firmware from another region. It will not trigger the knox flag but the flash will fail in Odin and then you'll have to flash back the correct stock firmware for your region in order to be able to boot the phone again. The only way around it is to install a custom recovery and flash modified firmware which definitely will trigger the Knox flag.
Sent from my SM-N9005
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The mexican stock for sm-n900w8 went through fine as a Bell/Canadian user... but only the first time. I tried it because there are no Bell firmwares available. After trying to flash SuperSU, and having it crash constantly, causing me to re-flash the firmware.. it no longer worked.

Apra24 said:
The mexican stock for sm-n900w8 went through fine as a Bell/Canadian user... but only the first time. I tried it because there are no Bell firmwares available. After trying to flash SuperSU, and having it crash constantly, causing me to re-flash the firmware.. it no longer worked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your Knox flag is already set you may as well try the custom recovery and ROM option since it sounds like your phone is buggered.
Sent from my SM-N9005

Got the same question, I want to switch from the swiss unlocked (AUT) stock rom to either the german (DBT) or UK (BTU) one. I even compared the files of the AUT and DBT tar.md5 and only cache.img.ext4 and hidden.img.ext4 are different, all others a binary identical.
Could I limit Odin to only exchange those two data files and nothing else?

In Android-Hilfe.de an User tried it..
First he had Vodafone Branding, then he flashed the Open Germany Firmware.. Without Problems.. Knox is still 0x0
gesendet von meinem Samsung Galaxy Note II

My EE (UK) SM-N9005 CSC is N9005EVRBMI2 and I've just used Odin v3.09 to flash the KIES ROM with the CSC N9005OXABMI6 (same as SIM-free phones).
Knox warranty is still 0x0

Apra24 said:
All I know is that after being boot looped, I was able to load the mexican firmware... but then after trying to flash SuperSU, which caused nothing but bugs, I tried to reinstall that same firmware and got another boot loop. I am now unable to install any available n900w8 firmware successfully. Some type of flag has been triggered on my phone that's preventing me from using a stock kernel/firmware... that's all I know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You've probably set the reactivation lock enabled, therefore stopping the restore
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk 4

dehaani said:
My EE (UK) SM-N9005 CSC is N9005EVRBMI2 and I've just used Odin v3.09 to flash the KIES ROM with the CSC N9005OXABMI6 (same as SIM-free phones).
Knox warranty is still 0x0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had to do a device wipe from recovery menu to reset the CSC from EVR to BTU.
Then I got the FOTA update to MJ1 so it seemed like my phone is now indistinguishable from a SIM-free device but...
Kies still knows something's up. It reports the CSC as BTU but says "Your device's current firmware version is not supported to update firmware via Kies".
I wonder how Kies knows? Any ideas?

I found a local user that has been able to do this successfully
Used this Firmware:
N9005XXUBMI7_N9005OJVBMI2_XSI.zip
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/1/?model=SM-N9005&pcode=XSI#firmware
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-..._A/E3sK9J9W9L0/w831-h661-no/note3firmware.png

senectus said:
I found a local user that has been able to do this successfully
Used this Firmware:
N9005XXUBMI7_N9005OJVBMI2_XSI.zip
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/1/?model=SM-N9005&pcode=XSI#firmware
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-..._A/E3sK9J9W9L0/w831-h661-no/note3firmware.png
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does he still have HD Voice with that firmware?

Will endeavour to find out... How does one check?
(still waiting on my unit to turn up :-[)
Sent from my GT-N7105T using Tapatalk now Free

senectus said:
Will endeavour to find out... How does one check?
(still waiting on my unit to turn up :-[)
Sent from my GT-N7105T using Tapatalk now Free
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nevermind. I've taken the plunge and trying it. I'll report back.
---------- Post added at 04:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:53 PM ----------
Ok.
I flashed the latest Unknown Country ROM (XSI) from SamMobile which was "N9005XXUBMJ1_N9005OJVBMI2_XSI". Originally, I was running a Vodafone Australia ROM (VAU).
I used ODIN 3.04 and reset the device in recovery after the ROM was updated.
The CSC is now XSI and the KNOX warranty trigger is 0x0 (Woohoo)!
With the new ROM, it also bypassed all the Australian restrictions. These were:
- Unable to change dock applications
- No auto rotate in gallery
- Unable to silence camera shutter
- Shortcuts not available as an option on lock screen
HD Voice is also still working.

[Q] odin flashing problem for note3 N9005

tried to flash australian stock rom from sammobile on hongkong note 3, odin failed and phone bricked
then flashed back hongkong one, it worked again. but revalidation look is off.
1- any way to flash australian rom safely?
2- what revalidation look and should it be on?

ahmekh said:
tried to flash australian stock rom from sammobile on hongkong note 3, odin failed and phone bricked
then flashed back hongkong one, it worked again. but revalidation look is off.
1- any way to flash australian rom safely?
2- what revalidation look and should it be on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try to flash the Telstra rom or the XSA rom?
I found flashing Telstra's rom doesn't seem to work...
Also, what version of firmware were you trying to flash?
You can't flash an MI7 rom on an MJ7 bootloader. Just goes into a bootloop... If by some miracle you get to android then usually wifi and phone WONT work. You need MJ7 (or higher) rom on MJ7 bootloader...
Make sure reactivation lock is OFF... You can end up with a brick otherwise..

thanks
ultramag69 said:
Did you try to flash the Telstra rom or the XSA rom?
I found flashing Telstra's rom doesn't seem to work...
Also, what version of firmware were you trying to flash?
You can't flash an MI7 rom on an MJ7 bootloader. Just goes into a bootloop... If by some miracle you get to android then usually wifi and phone WONT work. You need MJ7 (or higher) rom on MJ7 bootloader...
Make sure reactivation lock is OFF... You can end up with a brick otherwise..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i tried to flash vodafone MJ7 on hongkong MJ9 but failed.

ahmekh said:
i tried to flash vodafone MJ7 on hongkong MJ9 but failed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- 1st, you cannot flash MJ7 over MJ9. Choose a higher firmware (e.g MK1, MK2, ML1, ML2...) to flash over MJ7.
- 2nd, donot flash carrier's firmware (vodafone). Choose unbrand firmware.

reply
vndnguyen said:
- 1st, you cannot flash MJ7 over MJ9. Choose a higher firmware (e.g MK1, MK2, ML1, ML2...) to flash over MJ7.
- 2nd, donot flash carrier's firmware (vodafone). Choose unbrand firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry for this basic Q,
when you say MJ7 / MK1, do you read the PDA, CSC or MODEM
thanks

ahmekh said:
sorry for this basic Q,
when you say MJ7 / MK1, do you read the PDA, CSC or MODEM
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PDA or AP...to find out...dial *#1234# & see the AP(last 3 characters)

linx1287 said:
PDA or AP...to find out...dial *#1234# & see the AP(last 3 characters)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ahmekh said:
sorry for this basic Q,
when you say MJ7 / MK1, do you read the PDA, CSC or MODEM
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not exactly PDA nor CSC nor MODEM... It is the Bootloader version, as you cannot overwrite a bootloader by the older one.
However the firmware usually comes with the "same version" for both the PDA and the bootloader. So in general you can also said it is the PDA version.

MK1. So I need to flash like MK2 and above
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

ahmekh said:
MK1. So I need to flash like MK2 and above
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what is your phone's region? what firmware are you using (region, version)?

The phone is hongkong TGY MK1. I LIVE IN australia
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

So far tried multiple roms but unsuccessful although it said PDA MK1 OR MK2. BUT I noticed that theses roms modems are mainly MJ7 and my current one is MJ9.
That may be the reason?
If any one is lucky and was successful in flashing any rom over the honkong TGY one please help me.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

[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?

Unable to flash stock BTU after XEO 4.4.2

I was one of the impatient ones and flashed the stock Polish 4.4.2 onto my N9005 and rooted with CWM. Everything has been fine but now I wish to flash my regions stock rom BTU unbranded. However every time I do so via Odin 3.09 I am presented with the Polish welcome screen and when you look in the settings it's still the XEO firmware. Even the System Status and Current Binary shows up as Custom still?

It's known problem, u need to flash first single csc firmware e.g Singapore & than BTU multi csc.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app

jdomadia said:
It's known problem, u need to flash first single csc firmware e.g Singapore & than BTU multi csc.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats great thanks. This was the missing link I needed :good: I shall also assume that the Custom/Modified status will always remain due to KNOX being tripped to 0x1

u8er-n3rd said:
Thats great thanks. This was the missing link I needed :good: I shall also assume that the Custom/Modified status will always remain due to KNOX being tripped to 0x1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
U can make it official(FAKE) to receive OTA but knox counter will remain 0x1
P.S. After&Before flash rom from singapore than UK u need to clear data & catch which flashes your Internal meomery.

jdomadia said:
U can make it official(FAKE) to receive OTA but knox counter will remain 0x1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im aware of the Xposed method but that has to be rooted. If there is no other way I shall just go back to being rooted I guess