Hi xda
I have referred to this site many times for help but never became a member until now - I seriously need some help!
I recently bought a second hand S3 LTE which I knew was locked but as I had unlocked a few phones in the past I thought it wouldn't be a problem... until I encountered Android 4.3 and its bodyguard Knox. Searching on forums I found many other people experiencing similar problems but nothing conclusive that didn't involve using a Z3X box which costs about as much as I paid for the phone.
Apologies if this has already been covered in some form in another thread but I have done a lot of searching and a lot of hair pulling before coming to this stage.
So to cut a long story short I managed to successfully root the phone using CF through Odin and installed the version of SuperSU capable of bypassing it (downloaded .apk as opposed to play store which some people had said worked).
Next stage was to remove Knox, I installed NoBloat Free as suggested by someone in another forum and I basically removed anything with the word Knox in it and that seems to have done the job.
Now I just need to unlock the damn thing! While I have had some experience with rooting / unlocking a few android phones etc I really don't have much knowledge on the subject and pretty much forget it all in between phones :silly:
For the record I don't care about warranty, flags etc and am more than happy to downgrade if it means getting the phone working.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
[A] Need help unlocking S3 on 4.3
Hi. The only way I know is via 4.1.1 ROM as explained here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3/help-i9305/sim-card-unlock-samsung-galaxy-s3-gt-t2185866 (no root needed, just install the 4.1.1 using Odin)
I recently unlocked a stock 4.3 I9305 downgrading it to 4.1.1 first. It worked fine and then I restored a Cyanogenmod 4.4.4 ROM I had from another I9305 of mine. And then on CM I "lost" the IMEI (it happens), but I easily recovered it.
bouipoz said:
Hi xda
I have referred to this site many times for help but never became a member until now - I seriously need some help!
I recently bought a second hand S3 LTE which I knew was locked but as I had unlocked a few phones in the past I thought it wouldn't be a problem... until I encountered Android 4.3 and its bodyguard Knox. Searching on forums I found many other people experiencing similar problems but nothing conclusive that didn't involve using a Z3X box which costs about as much as I paid for the phone.
Apologies if this has already been covered in some form in another thread but I have done a lot of searching and a lot of hair pulling before coming to this stage.
So to cut a long story short I managed to successfully root the phone using CF through Odin and installed the version of SuperSU capable of bypassing it (downloaded .apk as opposed to play store which some people had said worked).
Next stage was to remove Knox, I installed NoBloat Free as suggested by someone in another forum and I basically removed anything with the word Knox in it and that seems to have done the job.
Now I just need to unlock the damn thing! While I have had some experience with rooting / unlocking a few android phones etc I really don't have much knowledge on the subject and pretty much forget it all in between phones :silly:
For the record I don't care about warranty, flags etc and am more than happy to downgrade if it means getting the phone working.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Related
Been a long time Android user but never an owner of a Sony device. Currently I am living in Beijing and within crawling distance to my home is a Sony experience store. I've been playing with the Z1 and love the device. The problem in China is that all Google apps are removed due to China's policy. Personally, a device without google apps shouldn't be an Android device but that's a whole other topic. I have not purchased the device for that sole reason. I'm sure there is some chinese online guide to rooting and getting around that but considering I cannot read Mandarin that does me little good. If anyone has any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
jlevy73 said:
Been a long time Android user but never an owner of a Sony device. Currently I am living in Beijing and within crawling distance to my home is a Sony experience store. I've been playing with the Z1 and love the device. The problem in China is that all Google apps are removed due to China's policy. Personally, a device without google apps shouldn't be an Android device but that's a whole other topic. I have not purchased the device for that sole reason. I'm sure there is some chinese online guide to rooting and getting around that but considering I cannot read Mandarin that does me little good. If anyone has any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are trying to find an official way, I don't think you can, because I had the same problem a few days ago apart from that I can read Chinese. You might want to unlock you bootloader and flash a firmware like the Taiwan one which comes with Google apps(Gapps). Apparently, the CN firmware can't really install the Gapps properly (from what I search on the web). But unlocking your bootloader and stuff means you will lose your warranty, so do reconsider carefully before you do so.
If you are planning to do so, there are a lot of information in the android development discussion board, and thats what I used to 'fix' my device. The only hard bit for you might probably be rooting the device, but it's really easy, just one click with the VROOT thing.
One downside is that so far I have seen a few including myself who unlock bootloader on their device resulted in mallfunction camera (camera that doesn't capture photos or record videos) which I now overcame in some sort of trail and error way.
P.S. I don't have any technical background in these areas, so the above are just what I experienced with my phone after searching on the web.
pfong2007 said:
If you are trying to find an official way, I don't think you can, because I had the same problem a few days ago apart from that I can read Chinese. You might want to unlock you bootloader and flash a firmware like the Taiwan one which comes with Google apps(Gapps). Apparently, the CN firmware can't really install the Gapps properly (from what I search on the web). But unlocking your bootloader and stuff means you will lose your warranty, so do reconsider carefully before you do so.
P.S. I don't have any technical background in these areas, so the above are just what I experienced with my phone after searching on the web.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the response, much appreciated. Did you flash the Taiwan version or just keep your device stock with the Chinese FW?
And from what I read about flashing the Taiwan FW is that you will lose your camera. That's a lot to lose just to gain gapps. If this was HTC or Samsung I would be able to figure this out without an a problem but Sony uses a whole bunch of different tools that I am not familiar with.
jlevy73 said:
Thanks for the response, much appreciated. Did you flash the Taiwan version or just keep your device stock with the Chinese FW?
And from what I read about flashing the Taiwan FW is that you will lose your camera. That's a lot to lose just to gain gapps. If this was HTC or Samsung I would be able to figure this out without an a problem but Sony uses a whole bunch of different tools that I am not familiar with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I forgot to mention about that in the previous rely but now I have edited it. In additional, I did flash the TW firmware and the following its how I overcame the camera problem : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=45611382&postcount=6
But I do admit it is not a very reliable way to get your camera function back, so consider carefully again...
Also, if you need help on the VROOT thing I guess I can offer you some help. I didn't use the 360 root, because it keeps on telling me my OS isn't Chinese when I tried to install the thing when I am using Chinese OS
jlevy73 said:
Been a long time Android user but never an owner of a Sony device. Currently I am living in Beijing and within crawling distance to my home is a Sony experience store. I've been playing with the Z1 and love the device. The problem in China is that all Google apps are removed due to China's policy. Personally, a device without google apps shouldn't be an Android device but that's a whole other topic. I have not purchased the device for that sole reason. I'm sure there is some chinese online guide to rooting and getting around that but considering I cannot read Mandarin that does me little good. If anyone has any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Easy. Just flash gapp.zip via recovery.
Flashing STOCK rom???
pfong2007 said:
If you are trying to find an official way, I don't think you can, because I had the same problem a few days ago apart from that I can read Chinese. You might want to unlock you bootloader and flash a firmware like the Taiwan one which comes with Google apps(Gapps). Apparently, the CN firmware can't really install the Gapps properly (from what I search on the web). But unlocking your bootloader and stuff means you will lose your warranty, so do reconsider carefully before you do so.
If you are planning to do so, there are a lot of information in the android development discussion board, and thats what I used to 'fix' my device. The only hard bit for you might probably be rooting the device, but it's really easy, just one click with the VROOT thing.
One downside is that so far I have seen a few including myself who unlock bootloader on their device resulted in mallfunction camera (camera that doesn't capture photos or record videos) which I now overcame in some sort of trail and error way.
P.S. I don't have any technical background in these areas, so the above are just what I experienced with my phone after searching on the web.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dw1llow said:
Easy. Just flash gapp.zip via recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hey guys, I am so wanting to buy Z1 soon (I live in China as well)
I have a question regarding flashing:
IF we have ROOT, cant we just FLASH STOCK firmware (real stock, not custom) from any region on the phone?
That should be WORKABLE right? I want to wait for HK stock firmware FTF, and then flash that over the Chinese one if I got the phone.
This is possibie without unlocking bootloader right? Unlocking BL is mosttly for CUSTOM ROMS, am I right? anyone can confirm?
Thanks guys~~
Note: Relevant device info will be provided below.
Dear techwizards and wannabe,
I've been trying to root my phone for a while, I've done it before: both my S II and S III were international variants, and rooting those devices was very simple. But after getting an S IV from America and consensually downloading a samsung issued update -- I had yet to read up on the disadvantages of knox -- my rooting and android experience took a turn for the worse.
Long story short -- I know developers are a proud bunch who value their time -- I tried rooting my phone yesterday after almost smashing my phone on a coffee table. They say it's a well known side effect of Touchwiz, but I'll leave that to you.
I used a towelroot.com root -- a wonderful tool, if I may say so. After that, I visited the CM website and picked out the compatible CM11. I never got to flashing it though, as my problems arose while installing a recovery.
I had downloaded an app, a something recovery or another. They had an option to flash recoveries on there--it would download your recovery for you and do all the work, which seemed plausible as most video tutorials demonstrated. To my astonishment, doing so bricked my phone.
I tracked back, looked for the samsung stock rom, downloaded all 2.2 gb's of it and flashed it. It worked. My phone was functional but I suspect something within it stinks. My device, apparently for security reasons, wont let my wifi or 4g to establish a connection. It's making it impossible for me to fix this problem as I can't root my device or flash a custom rom.
About Device:
Pre problem I was running a:
SGH-I337UCUFNC1 baseband. Build Number ending with: NC1.
Android version: 4.2.2
Post problem:
Baseband: I337UCUFNC1
Build Number: JSS15J.I337UCUEMK2
Android version 4.3.
If I could find my original stock 4.2.2 NC1 version and get simple instructions on how to re-install it back to stock version, I'd be very grateful.
If you know how I could fix the internet issue on the MK2 one, and provide some simple instructions of how to root it, I'd be grateful too.
If you think neither would work, and have something else in mind, Im open to your suggestions.
Much Regards,
Y
androidshmandroid said:
Note: Relevant device info will be provided below.
Dear techwizards and wannabe,
I've been trying to root my phone for a while, I've done it before: both my S II and S III were international variants, and rooting those devices was very simple. But after getting an S IV from America and consensually downloading a samsung issued update -- I had yet to read up on the disadvantages of knox -- my rooting and android experience took a turn for the worse.
Long story short -- I know developers are a proud bunch who value their time -- I tried rooting my phone yesterday after almost smashing my phone on a coffee table. They say it's a well known side effect of Touchwiz, but I'll leave that to you.
I used a towelroot.com root -- a wonderful tool, if I may say so. After that, I visited the CM website and picked out the compatible CM11. I never got to flashing it though, as my problems arose while installing a recovery.
I had downloaded an app, a something recovery or another. They had an option to flash recoveries on there--it would download your recovery for you and do all the work, which seemed plausible as most video tutorials demonstrated. To my astonishment, doing so bricked my phone.
I tracked back, looked for the samsung stock rom, downloaded all 2.2 gb's of it and flashed it. It worked. My phone was functional but I suspect something within it stinks. My device, apparently for security reasons, wont let my wifi or 4g to establish a connection. It's making it impossible for me to fix this problem as I can't root my device or flash a custom rom.
About Device:
Pre problem I was running a:
SGH-I337UCUFNC1 baseband. Build Number ending with: NC1.
Android version: 4.2.2
Post problem:
Baseband: I337UCUFNC1
Build Number: JSS15J.I337UCUEMK2
Android version 4.3.
If I could find my original stock 4.2.2 NC1 version and get simple instructions on how to re-install it back to stock version, I'd be very grateful.
If you know how I could fix the internet issue on the MK2 one, and provide some simple instructions of how to root it, I'd be grateful too.
If you think neither would work, and have something else in mind, Im open to your suggestions.
Much Regards,
Y
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Two things:
1. You're posting in the wrong forum, this is the forum for the S4 Active i537, a different phone than the regular S4 i337.
2. The i337 had a locked bootloader that cannot be unlocked. Therefore it is impossible to install a custom recovery other than SafeStrap and it is impossible to install ROMs that are not TouchWiz-based ROMs.
Good luck.
Hi all,
sorry if this question has been asked to death, but I've looked at the majority of guides I can find both here and elsewhere, and some of the information seems contradictory and I want to avoid bricking my device.
As of 2015, how can I root the I9305?
The phone is running Android 4.3.
A couple of people have said Knox was an issue, but I've checked on the phone, and when I go into the Knox app from my app drawer, it gives me a screen asking me to install it, and nothing else, so I'm not too sure if that would be a problem, although I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Again, sorry if this has been asked before, and thanks for any help!
Bumping..
Can anyone just confirm whether the Chainfire method still works, or am I better off going with the Unified android toolkit method?
First you should upgrade to 4.4.4.
For me cf-auto-root-m3-m3zh-gti9305.zip rooting method worked well. Uploaded it with Odin3-v3.07.exe.
Update supersu to get past Knox.
I had issues with cwm so use twrp instead.
openrecovery-twrp-2.8.4.0-f2fs-i9305.tar
Zishan01 said:
Bumping..
Can anyone just confirm whether the Chainfire method still works, or am I better off going with the Unified android toolkit method?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...305/index-samsung-galaxy-s3-lte-roms-t2206898 hmm ?
I bought this phone today, and it was on 4.1 or something - some rom. I came back to XDA the wonderful fairy land to make my dreams come true.
Alas, and as always (6th phone in a row) I am lost. I rooted successfully the 4.1 (I forget what it *actually* was) and that was fine. It worked. I used a DooMLoRD special secret package that he made specifically for us Canadians, I don't know how I found it either as it was buried deep in a different thread. As far as I know the 'perf'(..?) exploit has been patched by Sony.
Seeing how I haven't been around here in about 10 to 16 months, I forgot how everything works. I upgraded my device to the official 5.1.1 expecting to retain my root, and then intended on getting my hands a little dirty in the coming weeks (or at least get a Kernel that seeks to improve battery life)
my bootloader is still locked. I will note, however, that Kingroot, the APK succesfully got me rooted. But that app is weird, and I don't know if I trust it... I also don't know what would happen if I tried to flash a new kernel.
ANYWAY THANKS FOR READING THIS
Search tool is a gift, I have been and will continue to be searching probably way too intensely for a fix or some help.
Cheers to all
k.
I'm kinda a noob at this but I'm not completely clueless. .. I've tried a couple one click apps, watched a few videos, and read countless articles without any luck. .. can someone help me? If it's even possible....
From all I've read, no, you can't. You can root NC2 (Android 4.4.2 KitKat) or OC1. You might check this post out.
An old thread, but I just wanted to leave this for others.
There aren't any public tools to directly root the OC3, OC2, or OC1 Lollipop firmwares for the N900A.
However, it is possible to achieve root by wiping the phone, installing the NC2 (KitKat) firmware, and then upgrading the OCx, while preserving root access.
I had followed the threads (at the time back then) using SafeStrap methods, but I couldn't get SafeStrap to work with OC3, so I had to abandon SafeStrap and use FlashFire to install OC3 and maintain root.
After that, I deodexed OC3, install xposed, and was up and running happy.
I'm not sure exactly what Samsung fixed, but OC3 was released a full 18 months after OC2, so I think it's a more secure software release (only 2.5 years old, instead of 4+ years, heh). I recall that on OC2, some of the stagefright CVE's still showed as vulnerable, but I just ran the Zimperium app on OC3 and see it reports that it's not vulnerable to any of the CVEs.
@digitalcandy4me thanks for the helpful info. This is one of the few times I've read this solution. It's the only one I've seen that seems promising.
Like OP I'm newb. But I've never rooted a phone. I've done plenty of other tech but I hate coding. I just want to change the dumb stock rom on this phone. Bloatware haunts me simply on principal.
I have "unlocked" att 5.0 lollipop Samsung n900a 0c3 and info on this phone is crickets. I have no idea how to downgrade to 4.4, I'm not confident it will even work but I'll try it. I paid 70$ so no big deal + it seems like I couldn't even succeed in bricking this stupid vault.
ANYWAY could you possibly give some more detail on how to do this? I know people hate getting vague questions on this board but it seems like there's no where to find answers. I really have looked.
:crying:
FluppingCrud said:
@digitalcandy4me thanks for the helpful info. This is one of the few times I've read this solution. It's the only one I've seen that seems promising.
Like OP I'm newb. But I've never rooted a phone. I've done plenty of other tech but I hate coding. I just want to change the dumb stock rom on this phone. Bloatware haunts me simply on principal.
I have "unlocked" att 5.0 lollipop Samsung n900a 0c3 and info on this phone is crickets. I have no idea how to downgrade to 4.4, I'm not confident it will even work but I'll try it. I paid 70$ so no big deal + it seems like I couldn't even succeed in bricking this stupid vault.
ANYWAY could you possibly give some more detail on how to do this? I know people hate getting vague questions on this board but it seems like there's no where to find answers. I really have looked.
:crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash nc1 firmware, towel root....install busybox and safe strap and flash away.
FluppingCrud said:
@digitalcandy4me thanks for the helpful info. This is one of the few times I've read this solution. It's the only one I've seen that seems promising.
Like OP I'm newb. But I've never rooted a phone. I've done plenty of other tech but I hate coding. I just want to change the dumb stock rom on this phone. Bloatware haunts me simply on principal.
I have "unlocked" att 5.0 lollipop Samsung n900a 0c3 and info on this phone is crickets. I have no idea how to downgrade to 4.4, I'm not confident it will even work but I'll try it. I paid 70$ so no big deal + it seems like I couldn't even succeed in bricking this stupid vault.
ANYWAY could you possibly give some more detail on how to do this? I know people hate getting vague questions on this board but it seems like there's no where to find answers. I really have looked.
:crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read my answer!
chrisnice906 said:
Flash nc1 firmware, towel root....install busybox and safe strap and flash away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe u should not be modifying phones.