Database Info

GT-I9500 4.3 Root/Recovery/Flashing Discussion

Hi guys thought id open a new thread for discussion about root issues some are facing on 4.3 with custom kernels and recovery issues.
Seems like you dont have to fash the new bootloader but if you already did then this thread is for you please feel free to post findings and solutions.

Bootloader
Has any one tried downgrading to olderbootloader?

Hey guys...
It seems like its very unclear on updating to 4.3 w/o triggering knox on the i9500
I have been reading that you will be stuck in bootloop simply flashing a 4.3 custom rom via CWM if you are on a 4.2.2 ROM? I have read this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2494509 but I am still unclear on updated to a 4.3 based TW rom without triggering knox 0x1
Can we simply flash a stock 4.3 tar file in odin without triggering knox?

Tried to change bootloader
Hi guys,
Initially I've installed INS-I9500XXUEMJ5 through Odin v3.09 which did not trigger the warranty bit. I had an issue with the notification bar which will get stuck after a call. I had to make an another call / dial a number to view the notification bar again. After 4 days i found an updated version INU-I9500XXUEMJ8 and installed through Odin v3.09. This install did not affected the warranty bit . The same problem with the notification bar existed. I thought of installing a different stock bootloader and it triggered the warranty bit to 1. Also, the device was not booting up. But luckily download mode came and i installed the same firmware which made my device working. But the warranty bit was still 1.

magiconthetire said:
Hey guys...
It seems like its very unclear on updating to 4.3 w/o triggering knox on the i9500
I have been reading that you will be stuck in bootloop simply flashing a 4.3 custom rom via CWM if you are on a 4.2.2 ROM? I have read this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2494509 but I am still unclear on updated to a 4.3 based TW rom without triggering knox 0x1
Can we simply flash a stock 4.3 tar file in odin without triggering knox?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes made it yesterday on I9505
came from nordic NEE 4.2.2 and upgraded to 4.3 DBT Germany
My knox is still 0x0 and knox lock is 0x0
so it's safe

magiconthetire said:
Hey guys...
It seems like its very unclear on updating to 4.3 w/o triggering knox on the i9500
I have been reading that you will be stuck in bootloop simply flashing a 4.3 custom rom via CWM if you are on a 4.2.2 ROM? I have read this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2494509 but I am still unclear on updated to a 4.3 based TW rom without triggering knox 0x1
Can we simply flash a stock 4.3 tar file in odin without triggering knox?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can flash stock through odin and it wont increase warranty bit, if you root then warranty bit will be triggered

[Q] Need help installing custom recovery

So, my phone has 4.3 CML1 on it.
I am running an unlocked bootloader but the stock recovery. And I am UNROOTED.
So, I can't boot into recovery, and I can't flash custom recovery via odin (get auth failed).
Also, I don't think I can ODIN to stock firmware since the download counter > 0.
Any ideas? Ideally I would like it to be unlocked, custom recovery. But if the best I can do is just get it stock firmware that is fine (selling the device on eBay)

RedBullet said:
So, my phone has 4.3 CML1 on it.
I am running an unlocked bootloader but the stock recovery. And I am UNROOTED.
So, I can't boot into recovery, and I can't flash custom recovery via odin (get auth failed).
Also, I don't think I can ODIN to stock firmware since the download counter > 0.
Any ideas? Ideally I would like it to be unlocked, custom recovery. But if the best I can do is just get it stock firmware that is fine (selling the device on eBay)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
U need to be rooted to have custom recovery. But how do u have unlock bootloader on 4.3 and unrooted??? . Reason im asking is cuz wen taken the 4.3 OTA ur on lock bootloader and CANT UNLOCK it. All u can do is root and flash a TW 4.3 ROMS. You CANT flash custom recovery.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

twistedillutions said:
U need to be rooted to have custom recovery. But how do u have unlock bootloader on 4.3 and unrooted??? . Reason im asking is cuz wen taken the 4.3 OTA ur on lock bootloader and CANT UNLOCK it. All u can do is root and flash a TW 4.3 ROMS. You CANT flash custom recovery.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, it is sort of a long story. It was my device, and I unlocked it and ran CyanogenMod ROM on it. When I gave it to my wife she wanted stock. I could only do that by restring stock recovery and locking bootloader. But the locked bootloader never took, it reverted.
So, here I am. 4.3, unlocked bootloader, Unrooted, stock ROM and stock recovery.
Any ideas?

RedBullet said:
Yea, it is sort of a long story. It was my device, and I unlocked it and ran CyanogenMod ROM on it. When I gave it to my wife she wanted stock. I could only do that by restring stock recovery and locking bootloader. But the locked bootloader never took, it reverted.
So, here I am. 4.3, unlocked bootloader, Unrooted, stock ROM and stock recovery.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strange. In order to get custom recovery. U need to be rooted. Now where it gets tricky. Since its still 4.3 idk if the recovery will stick. I dnt want to tell u yes go ahead and then have ur fone brick. Its up to u if u want to take that chance.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 01:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:58 AM ----------
If u have this. I think ur bootloader is lock
Go into download mode
Product Name: SCH-I535
Custom Binary Download: No
Current Binary: Samsung Official
System Status: Custom
QUALCOMM SECUREBOOT: ENABLE
WARRANTY BIT:0
BOOTLOADER RP SWREV: 0
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

twistedillutions said:
Strange. In order to get custom recovery. U need to be rooted. Now where it gets tricky. Since its still 4.3 idk if the recovery will stick. I dnt want to tell u yes go ahead and then have ur fone brick. Its up to u if u want to take that chance.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any reason adb flash of custom recovery wouldn't work? Even if it doesn't stick, might be enough to get rooted, or might just revert?

RedBullet said:
Yea, it is sort of a long story. It was my device, and I unlocked it and ran CyanogenMod ROM on it. When I gave it to my wife she wanted stock. I could only do that by restring stock recovery and locking bootloader. But the locked bootloader never took, it reverted.
So, here I am. 4.3, unlocked bootloader, Unrooted, stock ROM and stock recovery.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can not unlock the bootloader if you are on the VRUCML1 or VRUCNC1 TW 4.3 otas.
You can only use Saferoot to get root access and Safestrap to flash other TW VRUCML1 based roms. You need to be on VRUCML1 to use Saferoot.

twistedillutions said:
Strange. In order to get custom recovery. U need to be rooted. Now where it gets tricky. Since its still 4.3 idk if the recovery will stick. I dnt want to tell u yes go ahead and then have ur fone brick. Its up to u if u want to take that chance.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 01:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:58 AM ----------
If u have this. I think ur bootloader is lock
Go into download mode
Product Name: SCH-I535
Custom Binary Download: No
Current Binary: Samsung Official
System Status: Custom
QUALCOMM SECUREBOOT: ENABLE
WARRANTY BIT:0
BOOTLOADER RP SWREV: 0
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, mine says:
CUSTOM BINARY DOWNLOAD: yes (31 counts)

SlimSnoopOS said:
You can not unlock the bootloader if you are on the VRUCML1 or VRUCNC1 TW 4.3 otas.
You can only use Saferoot to get root access and Safestrap to flash other TW VRUCML1 based roms. You need to be on VRUCML1 to use Saferoot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was unlocked before it was upgraded to NC1 (which I did manually)

RedBullet said:
It was unlocked before it was upgraded to NC1 (which I did manually)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does download mode have the words:
WARRANTY BIT:0
BOOTLOADER RP SWREV: 0

slimsnoopos said:
does download mode have the words:
Warranty bit:0
bootloader rp swrev: 0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
warranty bit:0
bootloader rp swrev: 1

RedBullet said:
warranty bit:0
bootloader rp swrev: 1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok. Your bootloader is not unlockable, as I said previously.
Since you can access download mode are you also able to boot into the stock rom? If not, do these steps to get your phone back into working order. If you're planning on selling the phone, just Odin flash VRUCML1 tar and you should be all good. You can not boot into recovery because of whatever attempts you did to unlock the bootloader, which is not possible on TW 4.3 OTAs. I assure you, you have a locked bootloader.
Basically, there is no and (likely will not be) a bootloader exploit for 4.3+. Here is some general info on the status of 4.3 and root/roms.

SlimSnoopOS said:
Ok. Your bootloader is not unlockable, as I said previously.
Since you can access download mode are you also able to boot into the stock rom? If not, do these steps to get your phone back into working order. If you're planning on selling the phone, just Odin flash VRUCML1 tar and you should be all good. You can not boot into recovery because of whatever attempts you did to unlock the bootloader, which is not possible on TW 4.3 OTAs. I assure you, you have a locked bootloader.
Basically, there is no and (likely will not be) a bootloader exploit for 4.3+. Here is some general info on the status of 4.3 and root/roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It boots into stock just fine. When it boots the first splash screen says SAMSUNG Custom and shows an unlock symbol.

RedBullet said:
It boots into stock just fine. When it boots the first splash screen says SAMSUNG Custom and shows an unlock symbol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aight, everything for obtaining root has been laid out already. The presence of the lock symbol on boot only symbolizes that there was some modification that wasn't reset before the phone was last restored to stock. It's nothing more than that, although it is harmless. It is not an indication of an unlocked bootloader. If it was, you would not receive that error with Odin when flashing a custom recovery (assuming it was meant for Verizon S3 of course). With Safestrap installed, only TouchWiz 4.3 VRUCML1 roms can be flashed. This means no AOSP, at all.
If you just want to see about getting a working stock recovery again, try Odin flashing the VRUCML1 tar. This will wipe the phone again and should restore the stock recovery. It may also get rid of the lock symbol but that's probably beyond the scope of what can be done once on the official 4.3 OTAs.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4

[GUIDE] Root and Unlock Canadian i337M without tripping Knox

Tested on my Canadian i337M S4 (4.4.2 MVLUFNI2 firmware). Knox was not tripped.
This may work on other S4.
Summary of the Steps:
- Downgrade to special Kernel from W0lfdroid
- Root with TowelRoot
- Flash back 4.4.2 Kernel
- Downgrade to 4.2.2 Modem
- Unlock with RegionLock Away v1.3
- Flash back 4.4.2 Modem
Detailed Steps:
-=FILES REQUIRERD=-
Download these ROMs from SamMobile:
4.2.2 rom for your phone
- Use 7zip to extract MODEM.BIN from it
4.4.2 rom for your phone
- Use 7zip to extract MODEM.BIN from it
- Also use 7zip to extract BOOT.IMG (this is the Kernel), and archive it as a tar file.
-=ROOT=-
Follow this method:
http://www.w0lfdroid.com/2014/09/To...4-S5-and-Note3-Android-4.4.2-NF-or-Later.html
Important: for flashing back the Kernel, the 4.4.2 file from that site may not work properly (causes wifi to behave weird). You need to use the boot.img tar you made earlier.
-=UNLOCK=-
1. Put S4 into download mode by holding Volume Down and Home Button on startup, then press Volume Up
2. Attach Phone using USB cable
3. Start Odin
4. under the Files [Download] section 3rd button (Phone) point to the 4.2.2 modem.bin
5. click on start
6. --- After phone reboots, check it installed correctly by verifying the baseband version is the same as the one you just flashed
7. Once successful run RegionLockAway
8. Next you must install proper modem back using Odin
9. Start Odin
10. under the Files [Download] section 3rd button (Phone) point to the 4.4.2 modem.bin
11. click on start
12. --- After phone reboots, check it installed correctly by verifying the baseband is the same as the one you just flashed

Using Heimdall on Linux to flash stock ROM and getting everything back to original tripped KNOX for me.
Everything was done properly and ROM worked perfect. Oh well.
Tip: (lol)
When flashing stock firmware back to device stick to Windows stock ROM flashing methods. (Odin)
Wish I would of found this info a few weeks ago. niCCe!

ngold thanks
I have a phone from a guy at work it is a Rogers phone KNOX is already tripped the phone is rooted and on 4.4.2 MVLUFNI2 firmware can I still use your unlock method?
And if so which 4.2.2 firmware did you use on Sammobile I don't see any Canadian firmware listed for 4.2.2.
Do you have a link to the RegionLockAway is it just the 1.3 version I'm finding for the Note 3?

stdly said:
ngold thanks
I have a phone from a guy at work it is a Rogers phone KNOX is already tripped the phone is rooted and on 4.4.2 MVLUFNI2 firmware can I still use your unlock method?
And if so which 4.2.2 firmware did you use on Sammobile I don't see any Canadian firmware listed for 4.2.2.
Do you have a link to the RegionLockAway is it just the 1.3 version I'm finding for the Note 3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah you can use this method if KNOX is already tripped. (or you can just use CF-Autoroot as it saves some hassle)
To unlock, the firmware I used was VLUAMDJ . On Sammobile, you'll see it if you filter by Canada (Rogers).
For Regionlock Away 1.3, yes you can use the one posted in the Note 3 forum - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2470551

ngold said:
Yeah you can use this method if KNOX is already tripped. (or you can just use CF-Autoroot as it saves some hassle)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks ngold,
Will CF-Autoroot unlock the phone it is already rooted?

stdly said:
Thanks ngold,
Will CF-Autoroot unlock the phone it is already rooted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No CF-Autoroot only roots the phone. It trips the Knox, but it's easier. So if you already tripped Knox, that's the best method to root.

ngold said:
No CF-Autoroot only roots the phone. It trips the Knox, but it's easier. So if you already tripped Knox, that's the best method to root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks dude it worked I was worried because I didn't have a working sim card in it but no problems.

I can't flash the modem, bootloader locked?

download what roms? links?

If the phone has a 4.3 or newer bootloader, the phone can't be rooted without tripping knox as far as I know.

Do you still get OTA if you flash stock FW via Odin?

If my phone have the let`s say swedish stock ROM and I update to Polish stock ROM that is a later build date via Odin... do I still get OTA`s for my phone or how does it work?! no knox tripped and all stock, just flashed another stock ROM via odin.

Hi! No tripped knox with odin: flash with stock rom and you keep ota ! Knox is tripped with flashing ,custom recovery or custom kernel auto cfroot.

darksimo said:
Hi! No tripped knox with odin: flash with stock rom and you keep ota ! Knox is tripped with flashing ,custom recovery or custom kernel auto cfroot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ahh ok thanx! so it is only when Knox is tripped the OTA stops? will I still get the OTA like the swedesh one (kind of late sometimes) or will I get it with the Polish one?

As long as you are stock with no root and stock recovery OTA works - doesn't matter about knox.
I was rooted (with Knox tripped) but flashed the stock Vodafone over the top to get rid of root a twrp and the ota worked fine.
Sent from my SM-G920F using XDA Free mobile app

If I remember correctly when I read the s4 forums a while back you will receive the OTAs for the firmware you downloaded (so you'll get Polish OTA and not the Swedish ones) but I'm not completely sure on that.

Anyone found Tmobile firmware to flash on unlock version ?

Wondering if Anyone found Tmobile firmware to flash on unlock version ? I would like to flash without tripping knox

https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-note-20-ultra/how-to/ota-ota-firmware-n986u-t4143833

gotojanoo said:
Wondering if Anyone found Tmobile firmware to flash on unlock version ? I would like to flash without tripping knox
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you cant trip knox on a locked bootloader.. custom firmware would fail.. i can get any stock firmware