Does anyone know where is the service tag ( that 7 character string you get when you purchase the mobile ) stored or any way to change it etc.
Thank you in advance, ...... and yes I did google about it but I couldn't find anything useful , maybe any Joda here might know.
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
It's physically on a black sticker under the battery door and it's in the firmware under: menu/settings/about phone. It's most likely stealthed somewhere else in the firmware as well..... Hope that helps
Sent from my Dell Streak using xda premium
SHildebrandt said:
It's physically on a black sticker under the battery door and it's in the firmware under: menu/settings/about phone. It's most likely stealthed somewhere else in the firmware as well..... Hope that helps
Sent from my Dell Streak using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My question was not how to see that, but where is stored and is there any way to change that, ( not by using a Xerox, lol ).
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
Why do you need to change it in the first place?
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
Why do you need to change it in the first place?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not ?
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
streakOwner said:
Why not ?
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because it sounds fishy - that tag is used to identify the Streak to Dell for warranty issues for one thing.
Also - because there is no benefit, AFAIK, that can be derived from changing it that does not involve fraud of some kind. If there is, enlighten me.
If you have no intent to deceive then you have no reason to keep the reason a secret.
marvin02 said:
Because it sounds fishy...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dell's warranty is quite specific:
This limited hardware warranty does not cover:
Software, including without limitation the operating system and software added to the Dell-branded hardware products through our factory-integration system, third-party software, or the reloading of software
Non-Dell branded products and accessories
Problems that result from:
External causes such as accident, abuse, misuse, or problems with electrical power
Servicing not authorized by Dell
Usage that is not in accordance with product instructions
Failure to follow the product instructions or failure to perform preventive maintenance
Problems caused by using accessories, parts, or components not supplied by Dell
Products with missing or altered Service Tags or serial numbers (emphasis mine)
Products for which Dell has not received payment
Normal wear and tear
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dell would not service such a unit under warranty, and has two ways to deny warranty service. The alteration of the tags is the obvious one. Regardless of whether the tag in the battery compartment is removed or not, Dell can tell if the service tag has been changed. The other option is to declare that the unit has been serviced by someone other than Dell. Frankenstein Streaks cobbled together from different non-functional Streaks fall under this.
What the OP is attempting will not work, and his alterations - if they could be done - would facilitate fraud. Thus illegal, and should not be discussed here.
The service tag can be changed, but not in a predictable way.
And just as much unless you can give us a valid reason as mentioned above it's warrentee fraud and likely illegal.
If you have a good reason it might be possible, regardless it's more work then to buy a new streak/streak mobo unless you already own the equipement to do it already. If you did you likely already know, have a clue on how to do it.
TheManii said:
The service tag can be changed, but not in a predictable way.
And just as much unless you can give us a valid reason as mentioned above it's warrentee fraud and likely illegal.
If you have a good reason it might be possible, regardless it's more work then to buy a new streak/streak mobo unless you already own the equipement to do it already. If you did you likely already know, have a clue on how to do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the info The Manii , I am already on the way, the question arrived when I was trying my best to brick the streak totally and intentionally but in a controllable way , I observed that one time I had lost my service tag, was just empty there, so that wasn't being parsed I guess , why etc I don't know .
As for the other answers from those Dell guards , I can say this, I bought my streak in Aug , this is the first smart phone I own, never been interested in such things before, but this reminds me of the old days when I was active member of Astalavista and was putting my hands on some thing called Linux ( must had been around 1997 I guess ) , very very interesting , carrying this little Linux with me all the time now making me feel like that again. Do not judge next time, if you don't know something you better do like those other people that did read this thread but didn't comment on the legality of my thoughts, walk away peacefully.
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
Just to point this out, had you answered my original question in the first place with the same response you gave Manii, you wouldn't have gotten Dell's warranty and comments about the legality of it all shoved down your throat. Instead you tried to be all coy about it and answer questions with questions. So don't play the "righteous indignation" card, because you have no one to blame but yourself for the responses you got.
Related
If it isn't, just delete this thread... But I was wondering if I could get ahold.of someone who knows more about the streak, as in get their number for texting or something... I have a decent amount of glitches, occasionally, and I have no idea why, and I'd like to talk to someone about it.
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
Or an fb?
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
sure.. here is my number...
Please no Personal No
Krad said:
sure.. here is my number...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was JUST thinking about refinancing my mortgage! Thanks Krad, you rock!
I know it can be intimidating here but if you are having problems just ask. Everyone is friendly and as long as you read the rules and try to look for problems before posting people will help you out. Having said that pretty much no one will send you their number, especially if they really know what they are doing.
Good luck
I wasn't expecting a number, lol. So I shouldn't have even said that, but rather...Some form of decent contact, like an fb, since everyone has one...
Why not post your issues here like everybody else?
Second that.
Asking for personal info is not appreciated.
If people wish to be found they'll put their FB or Twitter in their sig.
Just don't go asking around personal info.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
You could always call Dell Support. They are happy to listen to your problems
Dell support is useless
Streakin said:
You could always call Dell Support. They are happy to listen to your problems
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea... call them.. they'll have you factory reset your phone and then send you a replacement.
They're the same ones who told me that downgrading from the 353 rom that came with my RMAed replacement phone back to the 351 that I was used to was impossible. (in case you don't all know... this is very possible as described in these two places:
Installing a stock rom
Original Instructions here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/wik...lashing_Guide#Entering_fastboot_mode_on_phone
Official ROM thread here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/index.php?title=Dell_Streak#Official
NOTE: Reinstalling a stock rom will wipe all data!
)
Dell sucks. The reason why Dell-computers are so cheap is because they make it of 2nd hand parts. My friend once ordered a pc and he got a 'new' one which didn't even turn on.
That's offtopic, i know. But i just wanted to 'compliment' Dell.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
I find your off topic post rather funny. There are currently six Dell devices in my household (desktop, two laptops, two netbooks, and my Dell Streak) and not a single one of them had a used component in them when purchased. Using two-month old components (based upon date codes) in a system does not equate to "refurbished components in a new computer". Are you sure your friend didn't purchase his Dell from their outlet store?
Dell does use refurbished components and they do sell refurbished computers. The refurbished computers are at the Dell Outlet store. The refurbished components are sent for warranty replacements.
I know that it seems to be fashionable to bash Dell for everything. After all they did screw up in the marketing of the Streak as well as its release. But the "refurbished component in new computer" claims I believe have no basis. If such a thing actually occurred, there would be three things that have not appeared in my search on the Internet: incontravertible proof, an inquiry into Dell's activities, and the accompanying media coverage.
Generally for a large company selling stuff, anything that is sold that isnt brand new usually has to note that it's not new.
someone like dell selling refurbs without listing as such sounds totally implausable and is a quick way to destroy your repupatation as a company.
There's nothing inherently wrong with a qualified refurb, they just arnt labeled as new
Either it was a mistake or your friend was full of it or the most plausable: even the best companies cant stop 100% the chance of a dud making it to a customer. All products have a small (how small depends on the company practices) chance of a DOA.
Saying they use 2nd hand parts is just baseless ranting
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
I find your off topic post rather funny. There are currently six Dell devices in my household (desktop, two laptops, two netbooks, and my Dell Streak) and not a single one of them had a used component in them when purchased. Using two-month old components (based upon date codes) in a system does not equate to "refurbished components in a new computer". Are you sure your friend didn't purchase his Dell from their outlet store?
Dell does use refurbished components and they do sell refurbished computers. The refurbished computers are at the Dell Outlet store. The refurbished components are sent for warranty replacements.
I know that it seems to be fashionable to bash Dell for everything. After all they did screw up in the marketing of the Streak as well as its release. But the "refurbished component in new computer" claims I believe have no basis. If such a thing actually occurred, there would be three things that have not appeared in my search on the Internet: incontravertible proof, an inquiry into Dell's activities, and the accompanying media coverage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's right, I gotta say.
It's been over 5 years now since Dell pulled that trick of. And I actually can't ONLY blame Dell, because the center at which it was bought had a reputation for 'generating profit' that way. Still it carries Dell's name. So indirectly it's their fault. They're supposed to ensure quality of of a franchiser.
TheManii said:
Generally for a large company selling stuff, anything that is sold that isnt brand new usually has to note that it's not new.
someone like dell selling refurbs without listing as such sounds totally implausable and is a quick way to destroy your repupatation as a company.
There's nothing inherently wrong with a qualified refurb, they just arnt labeled as new
Either it was a mistake or your friend was full of it or the most plausable: even the best companies cant stop 100% the chance of a dud making it to a customer. All products have a small (how small depends on the company practices) chance of a DOA.
Saying they use 2nd hand parts is just baseless ranting
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This wasn't a refurb. As you say; it needs to be mentioned somewhere.
Sorry for my rant. In previous post.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Now I know why I haven't found proof of the foul deed, a lack of an inquiry into Dell's activities, and no media coverage: because Dell isn't responsible. You can't hold Dell responsible for a center's activities. But just as it's become fashionable to blame Dell for everything short of global warming, it's also become fashionable to blame shift.
I'm not a programmer. Actually starting school for programming in a month, but what makes it hard for Devs to unlock them selves?
Sent from my ADR6300 using xda premium
128-bit encryption key
Which is quite interesting. I am guessing they did it to prevent people from bricking their systems and returning them when in fact they are probably getting more returns now than they would have had the bootloader not been encrypted.
yup, by now the devs would probably have custom roms fixing all the issues...
fuzzer said:
yup, by now the devs would probably have custom roms fixing all the issues...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1(0 char)
fuzzer said:
128-bit encryption key
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this means there are 128 ^2 possible combinations to test before finding the one for your device. This amount of tries would take years to brute force (trying every single one till you found it) even on today's most powerful super computers.
Paris6906 said:
this means there are 128 ^2 possible combinations to test before finding the one for your device. This amount of tries would take years to brute force (trying every single one till you found it) even on today's most powerful super computers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So close. It's actually 2^128. That's two to the power of one-hundred twenty eight.
Question, when you unlock the bootloader your warranty becomes void. Will there be a way to re-lock for warranty purposes?
hashish16 said:
Question, when you unlock the bootloader your warranty becomes void. Will there be a way to re-lock for warranty purposes?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no one is really going to know how it all works for asus until asus releases their tool with the specifics on everything.
but as far as the law goes, if whatever you need warranty work for has nothing to do with you loading custom roms or messing with the kernel etc, you should have no problem sending it in for warranted repairs.
ie, the power button is broken or the screen dies
Rooting can become illegal soon
But once your unlocked warranty void forever because they track serial
tylermaciaszek said:
Rooting can become illegal soon
But once your unlocked warranty void forever because they track serial
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read that is what apple is doing and they are close to passing the bill. Its ridiculous, rooting is not all about pirating, its mostly for performance.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
Evo_Shift said:
Which is quite interesting. I am guessing they did it to prevent people from bricking their systems and returning them when in fact they are probably getting more returns now than they would have had the bootloader not been encrypted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IIRC Asus did explicitly say that it was nVidia forcing them to lock the bootloader on the Prime. This could of course be BS, but after such a public statement saying this, nVidia would have gone apesh*t if it was not the truth.
It's all to do with the Tegra3 and the Prime being basically a prototype released only for mass beta testing. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. Still love my Prime though.
tylermaciaszek said:
Rooting can become illegal soon
But once your unlocked warranty void forever because they track serial
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't have to be! It is not a bill, but an exemption to the DMCA. If we can show our support by contacting the Copyright office and showing them that jailbreaking/rooting is beneficial, they can extend the exemption. The EFF has more info on how to contact the Copyright office and how to request that other electronics be included (did you know that tablets are NOT covered in the exemption?) like consoles, tablets, and more.
https://www.eff.org/pages/jailbreaking-not-crime-tell-copyright-office-free-your-devices
XDA has 337,000 active members. This effects all of us. Let them know it should not be illegal to use your electronics however you wish!
It does not affect ALL of us by any means, however, I have already shown my support by donating to the EFF. It's disgusting that a device that you have paid your hard earned cash for can be ruled over with an iron fist as though you are simply renting it for the duration of it's life....
.... Oh that business model sounds familiar.
Doktaphex said:
It does not affect ALL of us by any means...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume that if you are on here, you are either a dev or get support from a dev. In either case, making rooting illegal again would give manufacturers cause to turn a deaf ear to us, making it more difficult to impossible to work with these devices and in turn help others. Even if you have never rooted a phone or even heard of jailbreaking, you would still (indirectly, yes) be affected, since fewer will want to put themselves in that position.
Devs will usually find a way around these locks, but the level of support will not be there as they will think twice about breaking the law (in the US at least).
silentheero said:
I assume that if you are on here, you are either a dev or get support from a dev. In either case, making rooting illegal again would give manufacturers cause to turn a deaf ear to us, making it more difficult to impossible to work with these devices and in turn help others. Even if you have never rooted a phone or even heard of jailbreaking, you would still (indirectly, yes) be affected, since fewer will want to put themselves in that position.
Devs will usually find a way around these locks, but the level of support will not be there as they will think twice about breaking the law (in the US at least).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I concede, you make a very good point. I was referring to the fact that I am in the UK and therefore it does not DIRECTLY affect me, but again, you ARE right.
Doktaphex said:
I concede, you make a very good point. I was referring to the fact that I am in the UK and therefore it does not DIRECTLY affect me, but again, you ARE right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for supporting the EFF! All I can do at the moment is to support by getting people motivated.
monkey10120 said:
I read that is what apple is doing and they are close to passing the bill. Its ridiculous, rooting is not all about pirating, its mostly for performance.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting can be considered as illegal as it uses hacking methods, and so break the software that belongs to the company made the device, even if the software is in majority open source, there are always closed parts that are concern by trading laws.
And be precise please, the'illegal' rooting stuff is ONLY concerning USA.
Plenty of places with some very smart devs where rooting will never become illegal. Russia as an example, or China (where the exemption would only apply to US built product). If some countries want to kill off their engineering and software development communities, plenty of other places in the world will be only too happy to step in and take over.
Correct me if I'm wrong but, android is open source. So then there's no copyright infringement unless you hack the apps or something. IOS on the other hand isn't open source so jailbreaking it could be seen as infringing. But I still disagree that rooting/ jailbreaking should be illegal.
Sent from my DROIDX using xda premium
With the right "box" it's possible to repair your IMEI within seconds: Myth or Truth?
Hello guys!
So, I screwed up big time and now I got a i9100 with unknown baseband and no IMEI... practically a media player.
Reading around the net it seems that with the right hardware (called "boxes" I think) it's possible to fix the problem within seconds.
Do you think a Samsung Service Centre, I mean the small ones that you may find in a city, could do it easily? If so what would you think would be a fair price?
As you might have guessed at this point I am indeed a total newbie and I thought such a thread might be useful to others with the same level of "newbiness".
I will report on what they tell me and the price they ask me.
Wish me luck,
f
You may be thinking of a jtag? not sure...
Anyway, this could help:
Recover IMEI in 9 steps
Or...Contact a member on here called Odia by PM. He may be able to recover it for you (for a small donation).
Hi i have the same problem with mi sgs I lost my original imei after a reboot and I've tried all recovery methods with no result I always get a generic imei I even tried to copy and rfs folder of a friend who lives in another country and uses another carrier and still the same
Can a box fix this our anyone here knows how to repair my nv_data.bin file? No matther the donation!
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA
service center will do the job or a repair shop cause they keep diff jtag,box wiv them....goood luck
The legality of IMEI "repair" is tricky and varies from jurisdiction, so I remind you of XDA's rule to "don't get us in trouble".
Thanks
rocky23 said:
service center will do the job or a repair shop cause they keep diff jtag,box wiv them....goood luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been reading about riff box and all I could find is phone unbricking in the case of a i9000 nothing about imei recovery any thoughts about that ?
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA
crachel said:
The legality of IMEI "repair" is tricky and varies from jurisdiction, so I remind you of XDA's rule to "don't get us in trouble".
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the info never the less I think the is a huge difference in imei recovery and imei change ... Imei change is illegal
We are taking about recovering what many of us lost when we didn't know the importance of an efs backup and now we are stuck with a very nice media player and a quarter of a tablet instead of a very nice smart phone hehe
Many of us need a solution even if it cost a donation
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA
magnumve said:
thanks for the info never the less I think the is a huge difference in imei recovery and imei change ... Imei change is illegal
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Someone posted a video clearly demonstrating IMEI change, not "repair", which I reported and crachel deleted, hence the message.
Thank you for your answers guys.
First of all, as for the update: I called my Samsung Service Centre and they told me that Samsung considers a phone with no IMEI as "stolen" ... I protested that I have the original box + proof of purchase + the code is printed under the battery, to which they replied that they just collect the phones for Samsung to repair and that repairing the phone would be "very expensive".
I believe the "expensive part", not so much the "stolen" part of the story he told me, but hey... I didn't buy it phone in this country anyway so... why argue?
I'm very sorry if I posted something that may have got you in trouble, it wasn't my intention. I thought freedom of speech in the US covered also things that *may* be used for illegal purposes (such as weapons)... nonetheless, again, I'm sorry.
I guess what I wanted to ask, really, was: Can an official Samsung Service Centre RESTORE a phone's IMEI? I read in this very forum that some people's efs folder was completely wiped out: what about that case? Would they still be able to "create" (?) a new efs folder?
After speaking with a Samsung Service Centre it seems that the answer is no.
So... can I ask -and I'm not being ironic- if a cellphone repair shop can do it or would it be against the rules?
Thank you again.
Cheers,
f
PS
Just as an anecdote, an authorized HTC centre changed my old Elf's IMEI -without even asking me... or even telling me!- when I had some (motherboard?) problems.
Whether a cellphone repair shop can do it or not is irrelevant so far as 'the rules' are concerned. Because the only way you're going to find out is to contact a local cellphone repair shop I.E. how would anyone on here know if a cellphone shop near you can/will repair it for you ?
Thank you for your answer,
MistahBungle said:
how would anyone on here know if a cellphone shop near you can/will repair it for you ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My question was:
Can I ask if a cellphone repair shop can do it or would it be against the rules?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't read the word "near", do you?
If it can't be done, it can't be done and there would be no point in contacting anyone in the first place.
Also I don't understand how 'the rules' are irrelevant *because* I'll only find out contacting a local repair shop.
I was talking about something perfectly legal in the US in each and every post of mine in this thread, even the one that got deleted, hence the question (perfectly legal i.e. The imei-changing-machine-thingie per se isn't against the law but it might be used against the law. Exactly like a gun.)
Cheers,
f
I made the distinction 'near' because whether a cellphone repair shop can fix it may depend on whether they have the same gear Samsung would use to fix it (I.E. are they also a Samsung authorised repairer - will they do a non-Samsung authorised repair).
And the only way you're going to know is by contacting cellphone repair shops near you. You're wasting your time here & clutching at straws.
Frenko said:
I don't read the word "near", do you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you again,
I've already decided to send my phone back to Samsung (I think I wrote that in the post that got erased), I was just asking if it was possible in part out of curiosity in part because if hadn't the option of sending it back under warranty I would like to find a thread like this.
it may depend on whether they have the same gear Samsung would use to fix it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As per thread's title there are many many imei-changing-machine-thingie around, if they work it's extremely probable that a specialized repair shop have them.
I'm not demanding that you (or anybody else) know if they are common and they work, but maybe somebody does know!
Anyway maybe you're right: I'm wasting my time
Cheers,
f
So finally I when out to find some shop that pointed me in the right direction and today I found a solution
I live in colombia so thought that a box that was ckmpatible with a sgs was mission impossible hehehehe
I found a shop that had a box and anfer 5 minutes and 20 USD my sgs was up and runing with my original imei!!!!!!!
I guess this is the only solution when you loose your efs and have no backup or nv_data.bak
I dont know if it is alowed to publish the name of box and procedure so if you want more info PM
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA
magnumve said:
I found a shop that had a box and anfer 5 minutes and 20 USD my sgs was up and runing with my original imei!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you,
I wasn't wasting my time after all
I hope this thread helped you a little
Cheers,
f
Greetings. My S4 Developer Edition will arrive on Tuesday. When I purchased it online I think I read that once software is installed (I'm assuming recovery/ROM/rooting it, etc.), the warranty is void. Did I read that right? If that's the case and some hardware component dies, that's gonna be one expensive fix.
Yeah, I should have read the whole thing before clicking but all I could think about is ditching this crappy Bionic. So I guess in the end it really doesn't matter, I'm rooting and ROM'ing it no matter what.
EDIT: It appears I will need a new warranty. I'm subscribed to a thread that mentions something about this.
I got a warranty for $99 for 2 years through www.squaretrade.com.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Kaiya_FL said:
I got a warranty for $99 for 2 years through www.squaretrade.com.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. It was your post that clued me in. I'll check into it.
I also got a squaretrade warranty also but realized esquared has a better coverage which includes theft or loss.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 4
[Solved] Can you post a ;link to them? (esquared)
equake said:
I also got a squaretrade warranty also but realized esquared has a better coverage which includes theft or loss.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
google didn't find anything with that name?
the name is ensquared.
http://www.ensquared.com/
You couldn't revert to stock, and have them honor the warranty? I mean, a hardware failure has nothing to do with the software.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4
jova33 said:
You couldn't revert to stock, and have them honor the warranty? I mean, a hardware failure has nothing to do with the software.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The warranty, even for hardware, is only 30 days on the Dev phone.
I just compared Ensquared and SquareTrade. Same price for two-year plan (US$99). What I've learned so far:
Ensquared has theft/loss protection whereas SquareTrade does not.
Each covers three claims per contract.
Ensquared accepts claims on the 31st day after the application has been accepted.
The SquareTrade agreement states: "Damage to computer hardware, software and data caused by, including, but not limited to, viruses, application programs, network drivers, source code, object code or proprietary data, or any support, configuration, installation or reinstallation of any software or data." So, does this mean if I hard brick the phone, I get no replacement? I guess that's fair, but then again, I plan to hack/mod (software) this phone, so this raises a red flag for me.
The Ensquared TOS states, "Error or omission in design, programming, system configuration, faulty construction, or any original defect in any Covered Product, or recall by the manufacturer." Same comment regarding hard bricking.
So I guess the question is, does hard bricking a phone a hardware or software issue, and will it be covered? For everything else hardware related, either of these two should work.
I'll research both and get a feel for what people out there are saying about both and make a decision. I'll post my findings here if y'all are okay with that.
Captain Crypto said:
I just compared Ensquared and SquareTrade. Same price for two-year plan (US$99). What I've learned so far:
Ensquared has theft/loss protection whereas SquareTrade does not.
Each covers three claims per contract.
Ensquared accepts claims on the 31st day after the application has been accepted.
The SquareTrade agreement states: "Damage to computer hardware, software and data caused by, including, but not limited to, viruses, application programs, network drivers, source code, object code or proprietary data, or any support, configuration, installation or reinstallation of any software or data." So, does this mean if I hard brick the phone, I get no replacement? I guess that's fair, but then again, I plan to hack/mod (software) this phone, so this raises a red flag for me.
The Ensquared TOS states, "Error or omission in design, programming, system configuration, faulty construction, or any original defect in any Covered Product, or recall by the manufacturer." Same comment regarding hard bricking.
So I guess the question is, does hard bricking a phone a hardware or software issue, and will it be covered? For everything else hardware related, either of these two should work.
I'll research both and get a feel for what people out there are saying about both and make a decision. I'll post my findings here if y'all are okay with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would guess that hard bricking is caused more of the time by failure to properly flash software or a bad software install and not so much by hardware failure? Makes sense that neither will cover any failure related to software. But if the failure is cause by hardware than it should be covered by either. And both cover accidental damage too.
Kaiya_FL said:
I would guess that hard bricking is caused more of the time by failure to properly flash software or a bad software install and not so much by hardware failure? Makes sense that neither will cover any failure related to software. But if the failure is cause by hardware than it should be covered by either. And both cover accidental damage too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree, it's a software thing. But from a warranty perspective each carrier states that they don't cover damage caused by software issues that, to me, look like modding/hacking/ROMing, etc. I think I'll call each one and ask specifically, just to be clear about it. Either way, both are cheaper than transferring my Asurion insurance from my Bionic to the S4.
I think it's high time that I present myself. I'm not as noob as I can be in the forums. Yes, I don't know Android, since electronics isn't my field of working anymore. I have studied electronics and went for a master in Engineering Physics so I'm not a newbie when it comes to hardware.
Just that I got this (stupid?) 30-year crisis and went for an MD instead.
My foremost field of working has been Unix, but I'm schooled in lower levels and had done both VHDL/Erlang projects and have been really fluent in asm. But that was a LONG time ago when Motorola 68xxx was the ruler (oh, the ****ing best cpu ever made code-wise).
The aversion and stop for asm-coding came with Inter and that was around the 486-time when you had to fiddle with the memory and stuff.
I have kept parts on my knowledge. Did a SOC for a big company with a linux that I pressed in on 128 kb of Rom but I'm not up to date with arm-asm and I can say that the last time I ever coded something was around 1996 since I started with design/capacity planning of hardware and management.
So the time has flown by. I'm a C-coder. Never coded a line of Java in my line. I'm also from Sweden and I don't know where you are from but if you are from USA we have quite some different rules here, especially when it comes to consumer law that can be used for us.
Ok. Enough **** about me.
I called Samsung today and this is a summary of the conversation I had.
I asked them about why the consumers had to use the Knox and how to pass it as a developer.
He could not answer it.
I asked if I trip the flag, why does it forbid me to sideload my own developed applications?
He could not answer it.
I asked how to remove it since as a consumer I had no use for it and this is something that I have not signed up for.
He said that I could send in my phone and have it reflashed to a lower version of the firmware.
I asked for specifications about it and said that knew it's a SE-linux containter (because it is).
That he could confirm.
I asked him what for specifications for the boot loader since it hinders me in my work.
He said that the only thing he could provide was a downgraded one (see above)
I said that I don't want a downgraded one since all use 4.3 and that is the future.
He could not provide that.
I said that maybe this is a deal that Samsung has done with NSA to provide them with information since I don't know what the phone sends out since I'm locked out of the kernel.
He said that he understood that he would feel the same sentiment.
I asked him if consider us who are developing on a low lever as valuable people the brings the phone forward.
He agreed.
I told him that I don't consider tripping the Know-flag to invalidate my warranty since it could be tripped in Kies (as reported here).
He agreed on that and told me that I could then contact the service for a reflash.
I told him that the option left then would be to crack the boot-loader as with the rooting.
He said yes.
Note that this is in Sweden. But the info in any case is interesting since he very well knew about this.
So the info I got. Yes. It's a Se-linux container and it is reflashable. Since it's reflashable we now know that it's not an e-Fuse and can leave that question. Since it's software it's crackable.
Seems high time for me to start to update myself on arm-asm. I got lazy with VHDL/Erlang
Also, this has not been the field of my quite messy life. Going from electronics to computers and Unix towards medicine.
I don't have a J-TAG. What do you guys use? What have you found so far?
Do we have access to the very beginning of the boot strapping?
With that I mean the first asm-lines that the phone do as a start. Is that hardware or is that software?
In this case. Could someone please provide me with that. As I said. I don't know Arm-asm yet, but I'll try to freshen myself. Asm is asm and the last thing I did with Arm was working with a Xlinix that had 2 cores in the die and then a VHDL-part. Really nifty. But that was 10 years ago.
My other problem is time, like you all, since I'm guessing you work full time.
But can someone update me or give me links to white-papers etc on how the phone starts? I guess there is quite little about it. It's not the glorious days where you could get papers on the clock-penalties and how revolutionary it was when you could do an instruction on both the edges of the clock-wave.
Sorry. I type a lot, but I really hate this and yes, people can say what they want. When Ericsson still made phones I had a special firmware that showed a LOT more then what a normal user would get and how chatty the phones are without us knowing. So the option of spreading the "Samsung has made a deal with NSA" WILL scare people whatever you think. I have done "activist" things before and you just have to present it as a theory and get to the point where the rumor will get viral.
I was truly amazed when my complaint against RIIA went viral and the "Govermental institution for internet privacy" got over 5000 complaints in one day. Don't know how that works in other countries but every document that you send here is official and need to be filed. We also have the reverse policy that seems to be a bit unique. Everything is open until it's classified as not public. Not otherwise as it seems in most countries.
Ok, off topic. You have to live with that if you want my help that I'm offering here.
Where are you know in the dissaembly of the boot-loader? SE-linux CAN be cracked but if t's scrabled with hardware it makes it a bit harder.
Ok, enough from me. Want me to start to dig with the Cortex-chip? I know that Qualcom are more then happy to provide white-papers on their chip. Just a matter of cost.
/Paul
Download the open source kernel and build it from source. Use ida for analysis and the qualcomm and Samsung boot procedure documents are around you have to search though.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Surge1223 said:
Download the open source kernel and build it from source. Use ida for analysis and the qualcomm and Samsung boot procedure documents are around you have to search though.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I've seen that some use a modded build-chain for it. Is that just modded for speed or what is modded and where can you get it?
/Paul
Btw, got a i9506 today. Will be interesting. Also got An Note 3 and that has 4.3. Both are "pre-knoxed". Need a good burn-in software before i start to root them. Know any?
I have not noticed this behavior before but although they are connected to a Wifi they still search every 15 s or so for others. I don't recall if my old one did that? My HTC doesn't.
But anyone now how the phone boots-strap? It's too late after having a kernel.
Since it makes it before it loads it, it's not a real SE-kernel because then the custom ones would work without even touching Know, would they. And they trip the flag.
So the check must be done earlier? Besides, are the kernel sources enforcing MAC? I have not set up a build env yet so that's all the questions.
And any good J-Tag that you recommend?
Double post. Don't know how to remove...
You might send it in, if yours is qfused like the ATT model they will have to resign the MDL bootloader with a certificate that has not been invalidated by the qfuse.
If they do that, you can extract it and we will atleast be able to flash back the i9505.
Sent from my i337 MF3 using tapatalk.
TheEgonSpengler said:
You might send it in, if yours is qfused like the ATT model they will have to resign the MDL bootloader with a certificate that has not been invalidated by the qfuse.
If they do that, you can extract it and we will atleast be able to flash back the i9505.
Sent from my i337 MF3 using tapatalk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you still think it's actually an e-fuse? If they can "reflash" it as I got the info yesterday that means that the e-fuse is in the prom because how else could they just change it?
I'm still not sure about the fuse thing? Do we have that black on white that it's the case?
Because I think that they have just a small SE-Linux in the bootloader and then they can enforce all the rules they want. Your phone will behave
basically like a jailed Unix-account and the only success in cracking it is to prevent it to load. There is no other way.
I just sent a long and nice mail to Samsung. Will see if they contact me tomorrow.
I basically asked them why it's enforced on us private citizens and if we should start to openly question the motives on Samsung in different
mobile user forums. Because I will. Would be happy if someone would follow suit and help out.
Bad publicity is something that is hard to get rid off. Also, we never got an opt-in/out.
And if they start to get it it WILL scare them. I've done that before but not on this scale.
If need be I will drag them through our Consumer department. They are not so fun if they bite on the case and it just cost me time to write a letter of complaint to them.
"Freedom loving" Sweden will not accept spy-ware on their phones. That is one of the strong thing here. Consumer power and the equivalent for governmental issues.
Well, I'll report tomorrow. Btw, I got my new phone yesterday and it was a I9506.
They don't sell the I9505 anymore and the prel result with plain kernel is that it's about the same speed as Note 3.
absolon_se said:
Do you still think it's actually an e-fuse? If they can "reflash" it as I got the info yesterday that means that the e-fuse is in the prom because how else could they just change it?
I'm still not sure about the fuse thing? Do we have that black on white that it's the case?
Because I think that they have just a small SE-Linux in the bootloader and then they can enforce all the rules they want. Your phone will behave
basically like a jailed Unix-account and the only success in cracking it is to prevent it to load. There is no other way.
I just sent a long and nice mail to Samsung. Will see if they contact me tomorrow.
I basically asked them why it's enforced on us private citizens and if we should start to openly question the motives on Samsung in different
mobile user forums. Because I will. Would be happy if someone would follow suit and help out.
Bad publicity is something that is hard to get rid off. Also, we never got an opt-in/out.
And if they start to get it it WILL scare them. I've done that before but not on this scale.
If need be I will drag them through our Consumer department. They are not so fun if they bite on the case and it just cost me time to write a letter of complaint to them.
"Freedom loving" Sweden will not accept spy-ware on their phones. That is one of the strong thing here. Consumer power and the equivalent for governmental issues.
Well, I'll report tomorrow. Btw, I got my new phone yesterday and it was a I9506.
They don't sell the I9505 anymore and the prel result with plain kernel is that it's about the same speed as Note 3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This link should shed some light on the qfuse situation.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=30781353
I believe this is specifically for the i9506 as the qualcomm chip in yours is a different prefix (though they are very similar in construction to my novice eye, the boot process is still a bit magical to me though so grain of salt all that.)
Sent from my i337 MF3 using tapatalk.
TheEgonSpengler said:
This link should shed some light on the qfuse situation.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=30781353
I believe this is specifically for the i9506 as the qualcomm chip in yours is a different prefix (though they are very similar in construction to my novice eye, the boot process is still a bit magical to me though so grain of salt all that.)
Sent from my i337 MF3 using tapatalk.
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Click to collapse
Actually they hotted up the phone quite much: http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=5542&idPhone2=5371
Snapdragon 800, Adreno 330, Krait 400 @ 2,3 Mhz. Antutu places it next to Note 3 so it whops quite much.
Hi everyone!
I just want to share with you guys that I rooted my SGS i9505 with CF root and knox flag was tripped to 0x1.
I flashed the custom rom and i got bootloops and i tired of fixing that issiu. I went to Samsung service center in Dubai and they reflashed the MJ5 stock firmware.
Later when I checked in Download mode Knox flag it was 0x0. I guess I am lucky because I have my warranty back. Sorry for my bad English.
Bishkek said:
Hi everyone!
I just want to share with you guys that I rooted my SGS i9505 with CF root and knox flag was tripped to 0x1.
I flashed the custom rom and i got bootloops and i tired of fixing that issiu. I went to Samsung service center in Dubai and they reflashed the MJ5 stock firmware.
Later when I checked in Download mode Knox flag it was 0x0. I guess I am lucky because I have my warranty back. Sorry for my bad English.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is interesting that they reflashed the stock firmware without negating your warrenty coverage for the tripped knox flag.
The question is were they supposed to do that or did they just screw up?
Thanks for sharing that!
Please follow the next thrilling episode in the Samsung-Zone... --> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=48077682&postcount=1350
And about the reflash. They have offered that to me too if I "happen" to trip the Knox. So e-fuse, no e-fuse. Duck. I don't know what to think anymore.
As someone who's mother accepted the update to MI1 a few days ago, would contacting Samsung be a way to possibly downgrade the baseband?
Where in Samsung would I contact for this?
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
kalestew said:
As someone who's mother accepted the update to MI1 a few days ago, would contacting Samsung be a way to possibly downgrade the baseband?
Where in Samsung would I contact for this?
Sent from my SCH-I545 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Goodluck! US Samsung told me to kick rocks. (hence why I am posting from a HTC one now.)
Sent from my One using Tapatalk
Bishkek said:
Hi everyone!
I just want to share with you guys that I rooted my SGS i9505 with CF root and knox flag was tripped to 0x1.
I flashed the custom rom and i got bootloops and i tired of fixing that issiu. I went to Samsung service center in Dubai and they reflashed the MJ5 stock firmware.
Later when I checked in Download mode Knox flag it was 0x0. I guess I am lucky because I have my warranty back. Sorry for my bad English.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just a few quesitons to you sir.
did you wait for some minutes or did it take some hour?
was it repaired or motherboard simply replaced?
if they reflash the firmware it looks to me they have a "restoreable" that will be reversible if you flash it, just to ask why didn't you ask him what he did