Database Info

Possible backdoor loader?

Using Anycut, select Activity, and in there choose "Device info". This tells you all the build related info, and on the bottom there is a way to check for new builds depending on your "build type". Maybe if using the wifi IP settings forced it through a proxy, where we would sniff the request. Possibly see if there are builds (beta?) we could load, or redirect it to a custom build?

worldestroyer said:
Using Anycut, select Activity, and in there choose "Device info". This tells you all the build related info, and on the bottom there is a way to check for new builds depending on your "build type". Maybe if using the wifi IP settings forced it through a proxy, where we would sniff the request. Possibly see if there are builds (beta?) we could load, or redirect it to a custom build?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great find

We should start a list... I will even keep all the data in a spread sheet if everyone can give me all the info
Build Description
Build ID
Build Date
Build Type
Build User
Build Host
Linux Kernal version
Baseband Version
RIL Impl version
Android ID

G1 back door updater
I have a G1 without the update... I also have adb shell access to it and succesfully ran bash and busybox on it. I know where all the partitions are in the filesystem (mtdblock1-5) and where the kernel resides (boot is mtdblock2).
When the upgrade comes out, I will sniff the packets and let you guys know (and possibly even put the upgrade file up for download somewhere).
Build Description
kila-user 1.0 TC4-RC19 109652
ota-rel-keys, release-keys
Build ID
TC4-RC19
Build Date
Sat Sep 13 00:11:34 PDT 2008
Build Type
user
Build User
android-build
Linux Kernel version
2.6.25-01828-g18ac882
[email protected] #1
Thu Sep 11 23:18:27 PDT 2008
Baseband Version
62.33.20.08H_1.22.12.28
RIL Impl version
HTC-RIL 1.0 (Aug 19 2008, 21"32:33)

damien667 said:
I have a G1 without the update... I also have adb shell access to it and succesfully ran bash and busybox on it. I know where all the partitions are in the filesystem (mtdblock1-5) and where the kernel resides (boot is mtdblock2).
When the upgrade comes out, I will sniff the packets and let you guys know (and possibly even put the upgrade file up for download somewhere).
Build Description
kila-user 1.0 TC4-RC19 109652
ota-rel-keys, release-keys
Build ID
TC4-RC19
Build Date
Sat Sep 13 00:11:34 PDT 2008
Build Type
user
Build User
android-build
Linux Kernel version
2.6.25-01828-g18ac882
[email protected] #1
Thu Sep 11 23:18:27 PDT 2008
Baseband Version
62.33.20.08H_1.22.12.28
RIL Impl version
HTC-RIL 1.0 (Aug 19 2008, 21"32:33)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The upgrade will download at various times... it will ask you to update after it has downloaded.
BTW I added two fields I forgot. Build Host (I am wondering if this is different for some and that is how they get updates) and Android ID (also wondering if this has to do with updates.)
Here is my info
Build Description
kila-user 1.0 TC4-RC19 109652
ota-rel-keys, release-keys
Build ID
TC4-RC19
Build Date
Sat Sep 13 00:11:34 PDT 2008
Build Type
user
Build User
android-build
Build Host
undroid13.corp.google.com
Linux Kernel version
2.6.25-01828-g18ac882
[email protected] #1
Thu Sep 11 23:18:27 PDT 2008
Baseband Version
62.33.20.08H_1.22.12.28
RIL Impl version
HTC-RIL 1.0 (Aug 19 2008, 21"32:33)
Android ID
200145da5528c72d

Important information vs useless information
What is useless information is the serial numbers or which machine built your ROM image.
What IS NOT useless, and VERY important, is the ip address and/or domain name where the update file is downloaded from as well as the location of said file on said server, as well as the file name itself.
With that information, we could technically cook our own updates to the firmware if we figure out how to build one, simulate the updating server on a local network, and spoof the phone into thinking it's receiving a legit update when it's actually putting a cooked update onto itself... no need for root access to update the phone!
I read that you will receive a text message with a "download now" button to proceed with the update... if this is true, I can capture the entire traffic sequence of said update and we can emulate it on a local network.
I've tried some preliminary tests using the AnyCut app to open the page to force a "check for updates" and see what server it connects to but could not sniff packets from my wired LAN to my wireless LAN... I will try to sniff the packets straight on my linux router next time and see if I can tell who the phone talks to to check for updates.
If anyone wants to help, that would be excellent.

damien667 said:
What is useless information is the serial numbers or which machine built your ROM image.
What IS NOT useless, and VERY important, is the ip address and/or domain name where the update file is downloaded from as well as the location of said file on said server, as well as the file name itself.
With that information, we could technically cook our own updates to the firmware if we figure out how to build one, simulate the updating server on a local network, and spoof the phone into thinking it's receiving a legit update when it's actually putting a cooked update onto itself... no need for root access to update the phone!
I read that you will receive a text message with a "download now" button to proceed with the update... if this is true, I can capture the entire traffic sequence of said update and we can emulate it on a local network.
I've tried some preliminary tests using the AnyCut app to open the page to force a "check for updates" and see what server it connects to but could not sniff packets from my wired LAN to my wireless LAN... I will try to sniff the packets straight on my linux router next time and see if I can tell who the phone talks to to check for updates.
If anyone wants to help, that would be excellent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTC is already telling people how to cook your own rom. I want to know how they go about deciding who gets the updates and when... are the build hosts all the same? or do they differ? is our ID sequential? does it mean something? At this point I don't think there is any useless info... we don't know enough about the entire process.
I will see what I can sniff in wireshark but I am not sure. I would really like to get my hands on a prerelease version and find out it's info.

HTC takes the Android SDK with kernel and rootfs, compiles it with the ARM toolchain, adds the proprietary t-mobile stuff, and makes an image to flash onto the phone. All of this information AND sourcecode is available from Google's GIT repository in the android SDK sourcecode. You can find it all here:
http://git.source.android.com/?p=platform/vendor/htc/dream.git;a=tree;h=refs/heads/master;hb=master
Since this phone goes through t-mobile, they are the ones who decide the updating process and order. According to their forums it's random.
http://forums.t-mobile.com/tmbl/board/message?board.id=87&thread.id=8855&view=by_date_ascending&page=1
The point is to get a back door into the root shell account so we can run whatever code we want on the phone as the root user... this will give us the ability to put a home-cooked android compilation on the phone if we so pleased.
Another way to do this is to figure out how the bootloader works on the phone and somehow tell it to boot up from a kernel in the sd card instead of the one in the ROM.

... I read that google was responsible for deploying the updates and that is why it is random. I think it is because they use your android ID not your IMEI or any other number. And I bet all our android ID's have similarities.
BTW... I ran the debug client and the FOTA is cancelled by the server. It then crashes. So I am guessing what we are doing isn't working. There must be something else.

I have my G1 connected over wifi to my network. Using Cain to arp poison and wireshark to sniff.
Sorry to say, but I saw this one coming...the "call home" is encrypted via TLS/SSL.
Mine was contacting Google at 74.125.19.102. I captured the ssl cert. You can get a copy of it here: http://rapidshare.com/files/158237323/74.125.19.102.crt.html
More info to come

I figured it would call google.... but google sends an abort to my device. I know what classes it uses to call home... maybe we can figure it out in there.

Caught something interesting. Apparently when it calls home, its gives google quite a bit of information. I have censored some of it, such as IMEI, serial number, etc
Code:
POST /checkin HTTP/1.1
Content-type: org/x-json
Content-Length: 271
Host: android.clients.google.com
Connection: Keep-Alive
User-Agent: Android-Checkin/1.0
{"imei":"***************","checkin":{"build":{"bootloader":"0.95.0000","serialno":"************","carrier":"tmobile","radio":"62.33.20.08H_1.22.12.28","revision":"128","id":"tmobile/kila/dream/trout:1.0/TC4-RC19/109652:user/ota-rel-keys,release-keys","product":"trout"}}}HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:01:58 GMT
X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff
Expires: Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:01:58 GMT
Cache-Control: private, max-age=0
Content-Length: 102
Content-Type: text/html
Server: GFE/1.3
{"stats_ok":true,"time_msec":1225170118172,"intent":[{"action":"android.server.checkin.FOTA_CANCEL"}]}

I dont think this feature is going to help us. It just looks like a way for the phone to call home. Now if somebody can get a full capture of the update when its transferred, then we might have something useable.

I don't think we even need to sniff it... I just think we need to dump it from the device. My device has a file in its firmware folder... hmmm

neoobs said:
I don't think we even need to sniff it... I just think we need to dump it from the device. My device has a file in its firmware folder... hmmm
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you find that out?

used ADB to browse my files

The checkin mentions keepalive, might this just be a keepalive for push services?
I don't like how it's sending all of the phone's info w/ just ssl. You could conceivably swipe someones IMEI and serial no. and send a keepalive, I wonder what you would start getting if you did that...
I would prefer a session key hashed w/ time w/ a public key from Google. That would do, right?
Whatever... This kind of bothers me.

I have the certs from my phone that I pulled. Wonder if that will help.

The data I got was not encrypted! There was some other information that was encrypted that I havent tried to crack.
Unless wireshark decrypted the data on the fly (which I dont think it did), the data I retrieved was NOT encrypted.

damien667 said:
HTC takes the Android SDK with kernel and rootfs, compiles it with the ARM toolchain, adds the proprietary t-mobile stuff, and makes an image to flash onto the phone. All of this information AND sourcecode is available from Google's GIT repository in the android SDK sourcecode. You can find it all here:
http://git.source.android.com/?p=platform/vendor/htc/dream.git;a=tree;h=refs/heads/master;hb=master
Since this phone goes through t-mobile, they are the ones who decide the updating process and order. According to their forums it's random.
http://forums.t-mobile.com/tmbl/board/message?board.id=87&thread.id=8855&view=by_date_ascending&page=1
The point is to get a back door into the root shell account so we can run whatever code we want on the phone as the root user... this will give us the ability to put a home-cooked android compilation on the phone if we so pleased.
Another way to do this is to figure out how the bootloader works on the phone and somehow tell it to boot up from a kernel in the sd card instead of the one in the ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am no linux guru......but why not write a backdoor into the kernel if we have the source?? I dont think i know C , nor linux system programing enough to do this...but it seems relatively easy.
or we could always wait for an exploit for the 2.6.25 kernel and then compile it for the android.
I would personally love to be able to use the nice andriod ui, but have the ability to pop a root shell and run all of the linux code i have come to love.

[Q] Samsung Galaxy S GT I-9008 in China. No Android market application !

Hello,
just got a Samsung Galaxy S in China (under the name of samsung GT-I9008) and use it with China Telecom as the carrier/operator
Specs as follows
Model Name : GT-I9008
Hardware version : 1.0
Firmware version : Ophone OS 2.0
Kernel : 2.6.29 Zeus 1
To my biggest disappointment, the phone doesnt come with Android market but with the Mobile phone operator own device called MM ( Mobile Market) which is only in Chinese !! and very limited in terms of applications you could download.
Is there any way I could install instead Android Market ?
Many thanks in advance for your reply
Christophe

I have the same problem in middle east.
Any help please.

I helped a friend with the same phone. Basically do the following:
1. Download and install z4root
2. Download the Cyanogenmod Google Apps (EPE54B)
3. Open up the update.zip file and get Vending.apk out of \system\app\ and copy to SD card using UMS mode.
4. Use File Explorer on the phone to copy the file from /sdcard to /data/app
5. Reboot

Any luck installing Google Apps on i9008 (Samsung Galaxy S for TD-SCDMA)?
Guys,
I followed the instructions posted on this thread and other sites, to help a friend who recently bought this phone. Successfully rooted the phone. Installed the Google Apps as instructed, but they all are malfunctioning to the point of being unusable.
- Gmail - only works OK with one account, will not allow extra accounts
- Google Maps - zooming does not function
- YouTube - does not even start
- Market - gets stuck at 0% download point for any downloaded apps
If someone managed to install any (or all of these) Google Apps on their i9008, I would be grateful for instructions on how to properly install.
thanks!!

I installed after updating the official ROM to the latest version. This is 2.1 eclair rather than 2.0 based so may explain why it doesn't work for some people. In that case, using the cyanogenmod 4 gapps files may work.
Another possibility is that not all files were copied from the extracted update.zip to the relevant places under /system (yes, it is /system, not /data as I mentioned in my last post)
These would be /system/app, /system/framework etc.
I daresay that you'll need to copy all files from the folders in update.zip over to the right places. I had to delete some of the Chinese apps to make space for all gapps.
Tell me if it works for you. Cheers.

Hi ,
thanks for your input! As I am not at all an expert on technical stuff and do not want to have my phone no longer working, please let me recap :
- I have downloaded the file z4root.1.3.0.apk --> then i have to install it on my SD card and launch the application?
- Checked to download the "Cyanogenmod Google Apps (EPE54B) and it appears on ur link that there are dozens of different files according to phone models but none for the Samsung GT I-9008. Kindly let me know which one to consider.
Did your friend with the same phone eventually managed to have all google apps including the english android market by doing such installation?
Again, the specs of my phone are :
Model Name : GT-I9008
Hardware version : 1.0
Firmware version : Ophone OS 2.0
Much appreciate your help !
Best
Christophe

Yes, we did manage to get the English market (and many Google apps) running properly.
With zroot, install then run it, choose the permanent root option. It'll reboot the phone to finish the rooting.
The gapps version you need to download is listed in the Cyanogenmod 5 row (android 2.1 or eclair based) and is under the HDPI column (means high dots per inch, or just a high resolution display as the i9008 has). Any of the links in that entry should be fine if they work.
I have realised that in my last post, I mentioned copying to /system/app. This is not possible unless you do the following:
Get http://androidterm.googlecode.com/files/Term.apk install same way as zroot.
Run it then type:
su
mount -o remount,rw /system
Quit out of it then copy the extracted contents of update.zip to the corresponding directories under /system using file explorer.

Same thing happened to me w/
Model Name : GT-I9008
Hardware version : 1.0
Firmware version : Ophone OS 2.0
I had to follow the instructions above

thanks for your input..
Is your phone also operated by China Mobile ? was told that it was not possible to root the GT I-9008 being operated by China Mobile.
Anyhow, will try and follow above process.

Well I have watched an interview for Galaxy S2 and they showed a new technology in it...And told that they are challenging the Android market as Android challenged the Iphone...

How about this? Any news?

Hi, now I need some help...
I playing with my China Mobile I9008 yesterday, and as I trying without sucess to find a way to install the market, I think I installed a wrong version of clockworkmod, now my I9008 is bricked (I think). Its starts but after first screen (where's appears I9008 name and so on) the boot come back to ophone screen and keep in this looping more than 20 times... full wipe and others doesn't work
In my mind if I apply again the update.zip can solve, but my file having problems showing erros, can not read the file, etc...
I tryed to find this file but I have no success...
Someone can help me? have some update.zip to my i9008ZMJI1 firmware version?
Thanks.

Install factory image
Ok, I've been trying to find a way to install CM (and the market app) onto my GT-I9008L and have managed to nearly brick my phone a number of times. The only thing I have succeeded in is rooting my phone (use Z4root) and installing a fresh factory image.
(I apologize for broken links, XDA doesn't trust me to post clickable links yet)
To install a fresh factory image:
a) Get the software from this Chinese thread: bbs.dkdiy.net/thread-12788-1-1.html
--The first message in the thread has a link to a RAR file that contains everything you need. Including all the tools & the image itself
--To see the link you'll have to create an account and post to the thread
--I was able to do it by using a combination of google chrome and google translate to work my through the free registration process.
b) run Odin v1.81 (I've tried other versions of Odin...they don't work)
c) select the files shown in this image: www .dkdiy.net/article.asp?id=633
d) the file versions in the image don't match the RAR file. The key is put the CSC file into the CSC blank, the CP file in the "phone" blank, the "all low" file into the PDA blank and the PIT file into the PIT blank
e) make sure you have selected the checkboxes in the image
f) start your phone by holding volume-down+home+power
g) when you see the yellow android digging plug your phone into your computer (you may need the samsung drivers)
h) wait for odin to detect your phone (the first box under ID:COM will turn yellow and list the com-port that your phone is connected to)
i) hit start, wait about 3 minutes, you will see the progress bar update every 5-10 seconds
j) it will auto reboot and finish the installation
To root your phone I followed the instructions on this chinese thread (use google chrome to get an instant translation):
ibbs.91.com/thread-53590-1-1. html

DUDE!!!
I think i got some good news.
I have the same problem with my new S2 bought in China, no Android market. I've been searching all around the web to try to fix it.
It is still not working for me, but i got a little bit farther though.
I find the hint here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1351283
So what i did and what you can try is:
1) Install GoogleServicesFramework.apk
This seems to be the issue, as when you install it you can see the permissions Google requires, and pretty much says the can access ALL the data in your phone. (It would explain the censorship)
2) Install Android Market with any .apk you can find
3) Launch Android Market
The change for me is i can now input my account login. But it still fails connecting to google to actually login. Maybe because i'm still in china and it blocks the connection.
Could any one try this outside china and tell me if it works?
Cheers
EDIT:
By connecting my APN and Wifi (instead of wifi alone) i managed to finally loggin. I HOW NOW ACCESS TO ANDROID MARKET !!!
But not so fast. I have access to the market, but i get an error when downloading an app. So it is still not working, but getting closer. I sent an e-mail to google see if they can fix this (seems my account and my device are still not linked). Waiting for the reply...

Alright it's working now !!!
After exchanging a couple e-mail with google, i managed to download some apps.
I've been testing it for a couple hours now, works like a charm.

[Q] LG-AS730 -- Instructions to root

This is our first Android device: LG-AS730 – Optimus Select (for carrier Revol)
-
SCR Version: AS73010b_Revol
Software version: AS73011A
Andriod version: 4.0.4
Kernel version: 3.0.8
OUR GOAL:
Root the phone for security reasons in addition to getting rid of all the bloat and/or unwanted apps. We don’t like syncing, or the sharing and storing of our data (cloud). We do however respect open source. That said, we have never rooted, see above, “our first android device”. What is in place, if anything to accomplish our goal –without loosing functionality and/or bricking our device?
-
Our XDA search term “LG-AS730”, and “AS-730” yields no results at this point in time.

Root AS730 / Development
This method will work for the AS730.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1886460
Be aware our phone has a locked bootloader + CRC Check, which means if you remove certain system apps, you will be greeted with a "Security Error" message on system start, resulting in a shiny new brick.
I already bricked mine, and luckily I still has a couple days left on my 15 day warranty with Revol to get a replacement ( I said it was an update gone wrong )
(After which, I found the .cab file on the LG server to hopefully restore (Haven't verified yet))
I'm currently looking into ways to remove the CRC check.
I'll be making a post soon with an attached .cab / other information on our device.
It just sucks our device has almost no documentation or development.
If anyone would like to help with development or anything, PM me.

veris said:
This method will work for the AS730.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1886460
Be aware our phone has a locked bootloader + CRC Check, which means if you remove certain system apps, you will be greeted with a "Security Error" message on system start, resulting in a shiny new brick.
I already bricked mine, and luckily I still has a couple days left on my 15 day warranty with Revol to get a replacement ( I said it was an update gone wrong )
(After which, I found the .cab file on the LG server to hopefully restore (Haven't verified yet))
I'm currently looking into ways to remove the CRC check.
I'll be making a post soon with an attached .cab / other information on our device.
It just sucks our device has almost no documentation or development.
If anyone would like to help with development or anything, PM me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to see that my excuse works in other places xD. I do have a rooted System.img, just no way to flash it to the phone. (At least, I believe I still have the rooted system.img file). With our model, LG Mobile Phone Support Tool doesn't decompress a system.img.ext4 while flashing which is what caused my brick. I tried splicing back together a BIN file and literally ****ed the partitions.

??
AS_730 said:
This is our first Android device: LG-AS730 – Optimus Select (for carrier Revol)
-
SCR Version: AS73010b_Revol
Software version: AS73011A
Andriod version: 4.0.4
Kernel version: 3.0.8
OUR GOAL:
Root the phone for security reasons in addition to getting rid of all the bloat and/or unwanted apps. We don’t like syncing, or the sharing and storing of our data (cloud). We do however respect open source. That said, we have never rooted, see above, “our first android device”. What is in place, if anything to accomplish our goal –without loosing functionality and/or bricking our device?
-
Our XDA search term “LG-AS730”, and “AS-730” yields no results at this point in time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do u have the original rom

Recover deleted files (images) on samsung galaxy s6

Dear Xda members,
I have an big problem since yesterday (22 july 2017). Accidently I deleted an directory on my gallery with 200 images.
It was a big mistake and I need this images back. Is there any way to recover these deleted images?
I have used a program with the name: diskdigger. But this program let me recover pictures with thumbnail format. I want original format or better quality...
You would help me so much if you can help me with this problem!
Using a Samsung Galaxy s6 Edge
Thanks in advance.

masterugur said:
Dear Xda members,
I have an big problem since yesterday (22 july 2017). Accidently I deleted an directory on my gallery with 200 images.
It was a big mistake and I need this images back. Is there any way to recover these deleted images?
I have used a program with the name: diskdigger. But this program let me recover pictures with thumbnail format. I want original format or better quality...
You would help me so much if you can help me with this problem!
Using a Samsung Galaxy s6 Edge
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dont do anything else in fear of overwriting the deleted files
download diskdigger from play store and run that its really good at getting deleted photos back
oh snap i didnt finish reading your post sorry thats about the best way i know without paying
but basicly u need to turn off ure phone as data needs to be written to the disk u run more and more chance of bits and bytes being overwriten
u might try the drfone android but i never had any luck with it but was always trying lgs and its more for sammys and iphones.
and please next time post ?s in ?s thread

Same here.
Whole day searching, PhotoRec, DiskDIgger, Rooting, Knox, ROM, UMS ... getting dizzy..
Boils down to: no root no chance.
I have searched and found for my phone a reasonably simple way to "root it", but it says "Beware, this is risky, know everything before proceeding, knox will be tripped and brick could hit you." just before the download button. (here: desktop.firmware.mobi/device:403/firmware:16678/cfar )
And then if I take this risk, I could still see nothing in PhotoRec, as nothing is certain in this realm.
Is there a guide somewhere for this avail?
=------------ required info below:
baseband version
G920FXXU6ERF6
Kernerl version
3.10.61-13830439
[email protected]#1
wed jun 20 16:32:45 KST 2018sm-
Build number
NRD90M G920FXXU6ERF5
SE for Android status
Enforcing
SEPF_SECMOBILE_7_0_0010
Wed jun 20 16:52:25 2018
Knox version
Knox 2.7.1
Standard SDK 5.7.1
Premium SDK 2.7.1
Customization SDK 2.7.1
Container 2.7.1
CEP 2.1.1
Enterprise billing 1.2.0
OTP 2.6.0
SE for Android 2.4.3
SSO 2.5.0
Shared device 2.6.0
TIMA 3.3.015
VPN 2.3.0
Security software version
MDF v3.0 Release 1
WLAN v1.0 Release 1
VPN v1.4 Release 8.1
ASKS v1.4 Release 180122
SMR Jun 2018 Release 1
Android security patch level
June 1, 2018

xt666m said:
Same here.
Whole day searching, PhotoRec, DiskDIgger, Rooting, Knox, ROM, UMS ... getting dizzy..
Boils down to: no root no chance.
I have searched and found for my phone a reasonably simple way to "root it", but it says "Beware, this is risky, know everything before proceeding, knox will be tripped and brick could hit you." just before the download button. (here: desktop.firmware.mobi/device:403/firmware:16678/cfar )
And then if I take this risk, I could still see nothing in PhotoRec, as nothing is certain in this realm.
Is there a guide somewhere for this avail?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, this does really boil down to "no root = no chance" sadly. The only thing you can do is turn it off like said above to avoid the phone writing 1's and 0's in the spot where the picture data physically resides as the directory manager doesnt know its there anymore since it was "deleted". You have the 920F, so you should be able to root it. Its out of warranty anyways, so IMO, its worth a shot

SM-J337A: Need to Access Certain Permissions and/or Root

Hello. I have been an Android user since 2012, and am new to the XDA-Developers forum.
I am technically inclined to a point, but I am by no means in the Developer category. I have successfully rooted one phone, but that was running Android 5.0 and the process seemed to be A LOT simpler than that which is required for today's more sophisticated operating systems.
I come here tonight seeking assistance with an unlocked Samsung SM-J337A running Android 8.0. I purchased this phone online and not from a carrier. Specifically, I am seeking to gain write permission access to the SD card for all third-party apps. None of the automatic call recording apps available in the Play Store function properly without this permission, and in my work I require a phone running Android 7.0 at minimum. Additionally, I am seeking to install a system-wide ad blocker which doesn't necessitate using a battery-draining VPN.
Here are the stats from this phone:
Baseband: J337AUCU3ARJ1
Kernel: 3.18.14-13465503-QB20325568
Build: R16NW.J337AUCU3ARJ1
Knox: 3.1, API level 25, TIMA 4.0.0
Security: ASKS v1.4 Release 180123; FIPS BoringSSL v1.2; SMR Sep-2018 Release 1
I need to know if what I am seeking to do with this phone is possible. Otherwise, I will have to obtain an Android 7.0 or 8.0 phone with which I can successfully gain these permissions or outright root to accomplish same.
So far, all I have been able to do is access Developer Options. From there, I cannot even determine if this device has an unlocked bootloader as there is no "OEM Unlock" option or anything remotely similar under that menu option.
Please assist me with suggestions on how best to proceed. Thank you.

IPaidIOwn said:
Hello. I have been an Android user since 2012, and am new to the XDA-Developers forum.
I am technically inclined to a point, but I am by no means in the Developer category. I have successfully rooted one phone, but that was running Android 5.0 and the process seemed to be A LOT simpler than that which is required for today's more sophisticated operating systems.
I come here tonight seeking assistance with an unlocked Samsung SM-J337A running Android 8.0. I purchased this phone online and not from a carrier. Specifically, I am seeking to gain write permission access to the SD card for all third-party apps. None of the automatic call recording apps available in the Play Store function properly without this permission, and in my work I require a phone running Android 7.0 at minimum. Additionally, I am seeking to install a system-wide ad blocker which doesn't necessitate using a battery-draining VPN.
Here are the stats from this phone:
Baseband: J337AUCU3ARJ1
Kernel: 3.18.14-13465503-QB20325568
Build: R16NW.J337AUCU3ARJ1
Knox: 3.1, API level 25, TIMA 4.0.0
Security: ASKS v1.4 Release 180123; FIPS BoringSSL v1.2; SMR Sep-2018 Release 1
I need to know if what I am seeking to do with this phone is possible. Otherwise, I will have to obtain an Android 7.0 or 8.0 phone with which I can successfully gain these permissions or outright root to accomplish same.
So far, all I have been able to do is access Developer Options. From there, I cannot even determine if this device has an unlocked bootloader as there is no "OEM Unlock" option or anything remotely similar under that menu option.
Please assist me with suggestions on how best to proceed. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume you are looking for a way to root, so I'd like to share some things with you. I have looked at this phone too, and found it has some very odd booting. There is no fastboot. Instead you have to make due with Download Mode. Power + Home + Volume up (or down) on boot will bring you to download mode. If it brings you to recovery, try the other volume button. Choosing download mode from recovery is only for recovering the current installation. (I think) Once in download mode, you will see some info in the top left corner. In order to unlock the flashing of ROMS (This is required for rooting with Magisk) you need to disable FRP. AKA, sign out of your google account on your phone. You should thus be able to install custom ROMs. In order for Magisk to work, you need a copy of your current firmware. I found some sights with downloads, but they were either untrustworthy, paid for, or the ROM was nonexistent. After searching online, I found another, official, and free way that you can get the official firmware for Samsung devices through Samsung's Smart Switch application. The only problem is that the program will only download the ROM if you have an available update on your sm-j337a. I'm up to date with the first android pie update on my sm-j337a. If you've held off patching, I would:
Install smart switch both mobile and PC.
Set preferences to preload ROMs in PC version (download first, then choose install)
Copy the ROM from user 》 documents》 Samsung
If this works, please share the ROM. My phone is too updated to test it.
You can then use the Magisk guide for rooting.