Database Users

[Q] Knox and Custom Roms

Hi Folks,
Apologies if this is the wrong place to ask...
I would like to Custom ROM my S4 and have been reading through this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2447832 about Knox. It would appear Knox hasn't been activated on my phone yet as there's no mention of it in Download mode, here are the details gained from Settings and Download mode:
Android 4.2.2
Baseband: I9505XXUBMF8
Build: JDQ39.I9505XXUBMF8
SELinux: Permissive
Secure Boot Status: Type: Samsung
Device Status: Custom
Odin Mode:
Product Name: GT-I9505
Current Binary: Samsung Official
System Status: Official
CSB-CONFIG-LSB: 0x30
Write Protection: Enable
I am rooted but have used TriangleAway to set status back to official without any problems, my question is am I safe to install Custom ROMS/Kernels without triggering Knox warranty void? If so and I wanted to install a modded Samsung ROM will this still be safe or will it trip Knox?
Thanks for any suggestions, I'm never normally this cautios about flashing, but I really don't want to screw up my warranty.
Many thanks,
R.

If theres nothing about knox warranty 0/0 in download then u are on old bootloader and safe. Dont know about the custom roms I guess stay away from any mh8 mh5 mgg fw. Im pretty sure they are they fw with new bootloader. But just keep searching round.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

I've just bought a new S4 and it will arrive to my home in this week.... I hope it will arrive without Knox feature so I'd like to understand too what to do and what to not do in order to prevent Knox problems.
I think I'll flash the Google Edition ROM... any suggestions?

Thanks Buddy

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/

Software update i9192 available now..

INU ver. I9192DDU1BML1
OTA 96.79 MB

Was hoping that the compability with Galaxy Gear would mean 4.3 but w/e. If we will be getting 4.4 Kit Kat directly then that's not bad either.

What is changed? Unable to get OTA since phone is rooted. Have to flash stock ROM, install updates & then root which is a pain in the a$$
EDIT: "You cannot downgrade to the old software after this new software upgrade due to the security reason" DAFUQ? Does that mean KNOX is added now? Oh crap!
Could you please boot into Download Mode and write everything what is in the output?

chemicalrage said:
What is changed? Unable to get OTA since phone is rooted. Have to flash stock ROM, install updates & then root which is a pain in the a$$
EDIT: "You cannot downgrade to the old software after this new software upgrade due to the security reason" DAFUQ? Does that mean KNOX is added now? Oh crap!
Could you please boot into Download Mode and write everything what is in the output?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep Knox is there

chemicalrage said:
what is changed? Unable to get ota since phone is rooted. Have to flash stock rom, install updates & then root which is a pain in the a$$
edit: "you cannot downgrade to the old software after this new software upgrade due to the security reason" dafuq? Does that mean knox is added now? Oh crap!
Could you please boot into download mode and write everything what is in the output?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
odin mode
product name : Gt-i9192
current binary : Samsung official
system status : Official
knox kernel lock : 0x0
knox warranty void : 0x0
csb-config-lsb : 0x30
bootloader rp swrev : 1
write protection : Enable

Thanks. Mother [email protected]#kin knox

this update is android 4.3?

Nope... its still 4.2.2

I can confirm compatibility with gear!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Connection symbol changed to H+ from simple H & started facing frequent disconnection.
Any one facing such issue?

what is new with this update ?
i have rooted device so i cant try it out ...and why there is no rooms for our device

kilouhm said:
and why there is no rooms for our device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because there is not enought customer, if you count the number of post about i9192 you will notice that they are rare even though this phone is supposed to have great features.
Be carefull in the case of the new version it's as now impossible to root without setting the knox void warranty flag to 0x1 ==> warranty void

Kiwyxda said:
Because there is not enought customer, if you count the number of post about i9192 you will notice that they are rare even though this phone is supposed to have great features.
Be carefull in the case of the new version it's as now impossible to root without setting the knox void warranty flag to 0x1 ==> warranty void
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
actually i don't care about warranty ...i bought the i9192 cause i don't have the choice to get the other versions in my country....the phone is great i like it so much better then my old xperia sl but the fragmentation from samsung and all these version is get in my mad

[Q] Haven't ever been able to upgrade firmware on Note 3 since purchase - what's up?

Hola,
Got my Note 3 a while back, and I'm getting itchy firmware fingers!
Maybe I'm being stupid - but so far I haven't had any luck in 'automatically' finding updated firmwares - still sitting on the MHN one that was installed when I bought the phone back on November.
Am I doing anything wrong? Do I need to root to be able to update the firmware? KIES says I'm on the latest... Not a network locked phone - have used t-mob, orange and currently a 3 sim.
Halp!

Hup we go!
No updates have ever come through either OTA or KIES... why me!

pipohippo said:
Hup we go!
No updates have ever come through either OTA or KIES... why me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mate why dont you update via pc odin then ? and you dont need root to upgrade via kies
here try this for guide
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3/help/guide-odin-flash-guide-t1671969
get your firmware from here
http://www.samfirmware.com/

pipohippo said:
Hup we go!
No updates have ever come through either OTA or KIES... why me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you should post more details - for instance what version of Note 3 do you have (ideally you want to know the original code, something like N9005ZWE or N9005ZKEBTU, which identifies a N9005 for UK) and what firmware are you right now. And eventually what have you asked when originally asked about the country where you are (for the license agreement). If the combinations above get very weird you also need to know your effective CSC, but that could be a longer shot.

Thanks for the responses guys - I assumed Odin also required rooting, so I will have a proper look! Good questions to ask as well, so just for reference, phone is the following:
Product Code SM-N9005ZKEBTU
Bootloader Version N9005XXUBMHN
Baseband Version N9005XXUBMHN
Android Version 4.3 (whatever came out of the box)

pipohippo said:
Thanks for the responses guys - I assumed Odin also required rooting, so I will have a proper look! Good questions to ask as well, so just for reference, phone is the following:
Product Code SM-N9005ZKEBTU
Bootloader Version N9005XXUBMHN
Baseband Version N9005XXUBMHN
Android Version 4.3 (whatever came out of the box)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No my friend as I said before updating via odi n dsnt require root... great now you can just download 4.4.2 firmware for your note 3 and update
Sent from my SM-N900 using Tapatalk

pipohippo said:
Thanks for the responses guys - I assumed Odin also required rooting, so I will have a proper look! Good questions to ask as well, so just for reference, phone is the following:
Product Code SM-N9005ZKEBTU
Bootloader Version N9005XXUBMHN
Baseband Version N9005XXUBMHN
Android Version 4.3 (whatever came out of the box)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
N9005ZKEBTU seems to be be EU-British unlocked N9005 - I would assume that you also picked UK when asked about the license agreement.
N9005XXUBMHN is a very interesting version of the firmware that is not even listed here:
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/1/?model=SM-N9005&pcode=BTU#firmware
You seem to have a fairly recent firmware and for the moment there is no 4.4.2 version of the BTU sub-region.

I am guessing that the firmware is actually way old, so it's not listed! Assuming the firmwares are in alphabetical order!
MHx < MJx
All UK aye - good to know that the phone is actually unlocked though I'll have a look on SamMobile and grab a nice 4.3 firmware - not ready for KitKat yet!
xclub_101 said:
N9005ZKEBTU seems to be be EU-British unlocked N9005 - I would assume that you also picked UK when asked about the license agreement.
N9005XXUBMHN is a very interesting version of the firmware that is not even listed here:
-
You seem to have a fairly recent firmware and for the moment there is no 4.4.2 version of the BTU sub-region.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

pipohippo said:
I am guessing that the firmware is actually way old, so it's not listed! Assuming the firmwares are in alphabetical order!
MHx < MJx
All UK aye - good to know that the phone is actually unlocked though I'll have a look on SamMobile and grab a nice 4.3 firmware - not ready for KitKat yet!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, for some reason I was thinking MK instead of MH, indeed your firmware is unusual! But please be aware that those old firmware versions are the only ones that can be safely rooted without triggering the knox warranty flag. Which reminds me - if you go to download mode do you see any reference to knox?

Knox Kernal Lock: 0x0
Knox Warranty Void: 0x0
I am guessing that is kind of good right?
final clarification - rooting has the possibility of triggering knox warranty shizzle, but just doing a 'standard' firmware update (even via odin) should keep things fine right?
xclub_101 said:
Hmm, for some reason I was thinking MK instead of MH, indeed your firmware is unusual! But please be aware that those old firmware versions are the only ones that can be safely rooted without triggering the knox warranty flag. Which reminds me - if you go to download mode do you see any reference to knox?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

pipohippo said:
Knox Kernal Lock: 0x0
Knox Warranty Void: 0x0
I am guessing that is kind of good right?
final clarification - rooting has the possibility of triggering knox warranty shizzle, but just doing a 'standard' firmware update (even via odin) should keep things fine right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct, standard Odin update WITH THE RIGHT FIRMWARE will be fine.
IMHO your absolute best path from this point would be something like this:
- save whatever you need to save to the cloud or eventually on the external microSD (just in case)
- disable reactivation lock; disable any updates and security updates in the current ROM; stop mobile data and WiFi; keep all updates off and all network off until the very last step of the entire procedure
- using normal Odin and download mode install oldest BTU firmware you can get - MI7 in the link I provided above; that update should go without any problem; reboot and check everything is OK (and stop again any network or update if re-enabled); this step is only needed in order to get you on the EXACT same path that the huge majority of the people around (including me) have used with URDLV; it might be possible to skip this and still have everything working 100% (and this is quite very likely but I have not tested it);
- using Universal Root de la Vega (URDLV) and the same MI7 from above you will generate a N9005XX____MI7_HOME_VEGA.tar.md5 file which then you will again write with normal Odin and in download mode; this will get you rooted on MI7 with knox 0x0 ; you can read more about this in the URDLV thread
- then using Mobile Odin Pro (NOT normal Odin / download mode) and the most recent 4.3 version available for BTU you can update to MJ7 or MK2 - while keeping root and knox 0x0!
Read for more details on the last step this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2522729
Also note that Mobile Odin Pro will also let you update to 4.4 and keep root and knox 0x0, so it is not a bad investment. Also note that at this point there is no other way to root with knox 0x0 once you got past a certain firmware, nor is it possible to go back before the version of your bootloader (so in other words the above procedure also would guarantee that you can get back to MI7 if for instance you do not like MK2, something you would never otherwise be able to do).
As my signature shows - MJ7 / MK2 are currently very solid versions (and if you are rooted you can get amazing battery life and performance) and I would strongly suggest avoiding any upgrade towards 4.4 in the immediate future.