[Q] Sending S4 For Warranty, VRUEMJ7 And Flash Counter Question! - Verizon Samsung Galaxy S 4

Hey guys. I was trying to go back to stock everything so I could send my phone back to Verizon for warranty purposes. So I pushed the MDK stock file I found on XDA and then the device alerted me that there was an update from Verizon, the VRUEMJ7 4.3 one. So I let that go through as well. I figured I was in the clear.
However, I later discovered after reading some more that these new Samsungs have a binary flash counter where it tells you how many times someone has tripped the firmware. I wanted to use the TriangleAway file to remove it all but since it requires root and root is not available for the MJ7 at the moment, I have no idea how to clear it.
Is there a way to see how many times I have tripped the counter? Currently my Odin Download Mode reads exactly as following:
ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SCH-1545
CURRENT BINARY Samsung Official
SYSTEM STATUS: Official
KNOX KERNEL LOCK: 0x0
KNOX WARRANTY VOID: 0x0
CSB-CONFIG-LSB: 0x30
WRITE PROTECTION: Enable
eMMC Burst Mode: enabled
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And in the "About" section in settings, it does say Samsung Official there as well. But if they are actively looking at the trip counter, I don't know if my warranty will go through or not. Does anybody have any advice on the issue? Any way to know the the actual number of trips without rooting? All suggestions and tips are more than welcome! Thanks for taking the time, appreciate it!

afxtwn said:
Understood. It just seemed that way to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you see is as stock as it gets.
Sent from my Galaxy S4

Oh really? So I am just being mega paranoid then! Awesome blossom! Thanks so much!

any issues with verizon? i plan on sending my back when the replacement comes in modany. but im going to use the flash counter.

Related

[Q] Am I clean?

I rooted my ME7 Verizon S4 sch-i545 back when I first purchased it. Since then I have had issues with my home button sticking. I reflashed to a stock rom and I wanted to triple verify before returning it to Verizon.
I ran Root Checker and it says I'm no longer rooted.
I booted into download mode and it says
"ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SCH-I545
CURRENT BINARY: SAMSUNG OFFICIAL
SYSTEM STATUS: OFFICIAL
KNOX KERNEL LOCK: 0x0
KNOX WARRANTY VOID: 0x0
CSB-CONFIG-LSB: 0x30"
From my beginner understanding the big thing to worry about is Knox counter being at 0x0 not 0x1. For some reason whatever root method i used didnt move my counter up. i also never did much with it. I gained root access just to use system tweaks like Titanium Backup to uninstall bloatware.
So am I safe to return to Verizon or is there other stuff to verify?
devinsetsfire said:
I rooted my ME7 Verizon S4 sch-i545 back when I first purchased it. Since then I have had issues with my home button sticking. I reflashed to a stock rom and I wanted to triple verify before returning it to Verizon.
I ran Root Checker and it says I'm no longer rooted.
I booted into download mode and it says
"ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SCH-I545
CURRENT BINARY: SAMSUNG OFFICIAL
SYSTEM STATUS: OFFICIAL
KNOX KERNEL LOCK: 0x0
KNOX WARRANTY VOID: 0x0
CSB-CONFIG-LSB: 0x30"
From my beginner understanding the big thing to worry about is Knox counter being at 0x0 not 0x1. For some reason whatever root method i used didnt move my counter up. i also never did much with it. I gained root access just to use system tweaks like Titanium Backup to uninstall bloatware.
So am I safe to return to Verizon or is there other stuff to verify?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks clean.
But you should ask this on the Verizon S4 forums. This is the international version S4 forums.
you shoudl ask in the Verizon section just in case there is some goofy extra thing Verizon put in there that people in the Verizon forums would know about that maybe we wouldn't. (Probably not though)
Skipjacks said:
Looks clean.
But you should ask this on the Verizon S4 forums. This is the international version S4 forums.
you shoudl ask in the Verizon section just in case there is some goofy extra thing Verizon put in there that people in the Verizon forums would know about that maybe we wouldn't. (Probably not though)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh? I thought this was Verizon forums.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
tshelby73 said:
Huh? I thought this was Verizon forums.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is.
Sent from my NCC 1701 using Tapatalk 4

SGH-I527 Question

MOVED
I have been searching since yesterday and need a little help. A friend bought a Samsung Mega from someone on Craigslist and has been a nightmare for him. It seems as if the guy was messing with things he shouldnt have been.
The phone will only boot into Download Mode, but the Stock AT&T image will need Flash. It seems as if the phone was updated to Kit Kat, and now it will not flash the stock rom (because it is 4.2). I have tried Samsung Kies, but Kies will not do Update or Recover the Firmware. The phone is recognized by my PC, but thats about the most I've gotten out of it.
In download mode I get the following:
ODIN MODE
Product Name: SGH-I527
Current Binary: Samsung Official
System Status: Official
Knox Kernel Lock: 0x0
Knox Warranty Void: 0x1
CSB-CONFIG-LSB: 0x30
Bootloader AP SWREV: 4
Write Protection: Enable
Any help would be great. The warranty is voided due to third party screen replacement. Just need any advice. Thanks.
Not sure this post belongs in development.
Have you tried flashing 4.2 with odin, then do ota to kitkat?
Here is the link to the Odin flashable.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2558602
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using XDA Free mobile app

Quick question about rooting my device.

I'm new to rooting devices. If I root my phone and don't flash a custom rom, would that still make the flash counter turn and still void my warranty? I don't want custom roms but there are some apps I need to be rooted to use.
If u will root your phone will lose warranty. ..
s4shoaib4u said:
If u will root your phone will lose warranty. ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you un-root it and still have warranty or is this not possible?
williamguile said:
I'm new to rooting devices. If I root my phone and don't flash a custom rom, would that still make the flash counter turn and still void my warranty? I don't want custom roms but there are some apps I need to be rooted to use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, first what version of Kikat are you running? If you upgraded to 4.4.4 you are out of luck for now. If you are still on 4.4.2 NC5, you can use Towel root. This will give you root access, and will NOT trip KNOX 0x0 !!! However the minute you install a custom recovery like TWRP or CWM that will trip KNOX and void your warranty. REMEMBER Sprint will warranty your device with the KNOX warranty counter tripped 0x1 as long as you unroot the device before you take it in or sent it back to Sprint !!! If the device is hard bricked, there is no way to tell it was rooted and they automatically replace the phone. With rooted access and no recovery you can Debloat the device and run rooted apps. Enjoy !!!
jimzweb1 said:
Ok, first what version of Kikat are you running? If you upgraded to 4.4.4 you are out of luck for now. If you are still on 4.4.2 NC5, you can use Towel root. This will give you root access, and will NOT trip KNOX 0x0 !!! However the minute you install a custom recovery like TWRP or CWM that will trip KNOX and void your warranty. REMEMBER Sprint will warranty your device with the KNOX warranty counter tripped 0x1 as long as you unroot the device before you take it in or sent it back to Sprint !!! If the device is hard bricked, there is no way to tell it was rooted and they automatically replace the phone. With rooted access and no recovery you can Debloat the device and run rooted apps. Enjoy !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
darn I guess i'm boned then. I have 4.4.2 but I used Odin to root my phone :-/
I guess if something does happen to where I need to replace it, there's always the *nuke* method or *it's lost or stolen + nuke* method as i do have Sprint's TEP plan.
williamguile said:
darn I guess i'm boned then. I have 4.4.2 but I used Odin to root my phone :-/
I guess if something does happen to where I need to replace it, there's always the *nuke* method or *it's lost or stolen + nuke* method as i do have Sprint's TEP plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I run a stock rooted 4.4.2 NC5 with Philz custom recovery version 6.12.9 hltespr. The device was rooted and warranty tripped the second day I owned it. I was in a Sprint corporate Store a couple of wks ago. Showed the tech my rooted note 3. He said I can't touch that, I said what if I unrooted the phone. He said no problem, now I can warranty the phone. He didn't care that the KNOX flag was tripped at all 0x1. Just can't be rooted when you bring it in for service. Sprint doesn't care about KNOX only Samsung cares about KNOX. When Samsung paid millions to the NSA to design a security system to track and spy on others than they care !!!

5.1.1 Root Questions

I have found the root directions that was posted on this site for rooting my s5 with 5.1.1. But I have 2 questions I was hoping someone could help me out with here. Please forgive me if these seem like stupid questions, as I have only rooted one phone before some years ago.
1 There is much discussion about rooting the s5 will "trip Knox". What exactly does this mean if you do root your phone? Will you have constant error messages popping up on device about Knox? Can you simply uninstall Knox after root?
2 I currently do not have the Tmobile hotspot feature activated on my s5, but I do plan on adding it on later. If I root now, will I still be able to add the Tmobile hotspot feature on my s5?
Much gratitude and appreciation ahead of time for any and all info.
Thanks,
Dave
Hi nissandave,
1) Knox, in terms of the s5, has two meanings. One in the Android OS, and one deep in the firmware of the device. You'll find in most roms that the Android Knox application has been removed, which most people prefer. "Tripping Knox" refers to modifying the firmware of the phone, where the counter in download mode goes from 0x0 to 0x1, voiding your "knox warranty." Knox is tripped when you flash when you flash a custom recovery. Root AND know can be achieved though ODIN in some cases, but you'll be stuck on a stock rooted rom (no CM, bliss, etc) Tripping this switch has no serious repercussions in terms of your phone being fully operational, but there have been VERY few reports of Samsung not performing warranty exchanges for devices with a tripped knox counter. The counter is also impossible to reset, and once tripped, will always be tripped, no matter what rom, BL, tar, or md5 you install.
2) Yes, and as a matter of fact, some roms have a workaround version installed to where you don't have to activate it through tmobile. It just works. Twisted v7 in the G900T dev sections is once of these roms.
From what I I have found and read about twisted v7, you must be running 5.0. How do I get my phone back to 5.0?

TWRP and root, and back to full stock

Hi,
I have been with AT&T for a long time. AT&T locks boot loader so there were limited options in rooting.
My understanding is that T-Mobile does not lock the boot loader. So the easiest way to root is to install TWRP using Odin and then use TWRP to flash SuperSU.apk. Is this correct? Does it trip KNOX?
Once installed, is there a way to uninstall it and revert back to full stock?
Thanks
redhonker said:
Hi,
I have been with AT&T for a long time. AT&T locks boot loader so there were limited options in rooting.
My understanding is that T-Mobile does not lock the boot loader. So the easiest way to root is to install TWRP using Odin and then use TWRP to flash SuperSU.apk. Is this correct? Does it trip KNOX?
Once installed, is there a way to uninstall it and revert back to full stock?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same AT&T situation here. Yes you can root with twrp and supersu zip. It does trip Knox. If you factory reset and flash a stock Odin firmware that should revert to full stock
Hmm, tripping KNOX would need void warranty right? Is there an alternative to root? Thanks
redhonker said:
Hmm, tripping KNOX would need void warranty right? Is there an alternative to root? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've successfully brought in a device with a tripped Knox flag for warranty. I said Kies caused the problem (the word "lie" has such a negative connotation, but this was patently not true) and they were completely fine with that explanation, in fact they were tripping over themselves to make sure they could fix it for me. I guess that's my long-winded way of saying a tripped Knox flag doesn't prevent you from taking advantage of your warranty. Besides, I could swear I remember reading an article recently saying Samsung will now honor warranties even on devices where the Knox flag is tripped.
TLDR: A tripped Knox flag is no longer the black mark of death that it used to be

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