[Q] Switching to Cyanogenmod on 4.3 Verizon Galaxy S3

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thanewguy

New member
Jan 9, 2014
2
0
Hey guys, new to the whole Android modding stuff so, go easy because my knowledge about all the technical stuff is pretty limited.
So, anyway, I got tired of Touchwiz and I want to switch to Cyanogenmod just because I like the stock Android look and dislike the general slowness of Touchwiz. Problem is, I took the stupid OTA 4.3 update which apparently added the Knox bootloader which is, as far as I have read, impossible to unlock at this point.
I was under the impression that, with the Knox bootloader, its impossible to have a custom ROM since it will brick your device, but these threads :
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2575977
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2541343
Seem to indicate that all the Knox bootloader does is prevent downgrading the bootloader and also voids the warranty if you tamper with your device. Well, my warranty expire a couple months ago so I couldn't care less. But now I'm really confused. Can I, or can I not flash Cyanogenmod on my 4.3 Verizon Galaxy S3 assuming I don't care about the warranty?
 

BadUsername

Senior Member
Mar 20, 2013
1,833
960
Hey guys, new to the whole Android modding stuff so, go easy because my knowledge about all the technical stuff is pretty limited.
So, anyway, I got tired of Touchwiz and I want to switch to Cyanogenmod just because I like the stock Android look and dislike the general slowness of Touchwiz. Problem is, I took the stupid OTA 4.3 update which apparently added the Knox bootloader which is, as far as I have read, impossible to unlock at this point.
I was under the impression that, with the Knox bootloader, its impossible to have a custom ROM since it will brick your device, but these threads :
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2575977
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2541343
Seem to indicate that all the Knox bootloader does is prevent downgrading the bootloader and also voids the warranty if you tamper with your device. Well, my warranty expire a couple months ago so I couldn't care less. But now I'm really confused. Can I, or can I not flash Cyanogenmod on my 4.3 Verizon Galaxy S3 assuming I don't care about the warranty?

Like what was said above, you can't install any custom roms.

Knox is not responsible for locking the bootloader, it's only a flag that is triggered when root is achieved. Think of it like a flash counter that can't be undone. It has nothing to do with this.

The problem is the bootloader that was also updated. Every step in the chain has to be on the VRUCML1 base or the phone will brick itself and terminate the boot. Since our previous unlock method was to modify a step in the bootloader to unlock it, it can't be done the same way on the new base because it isn't able to be modified.

Any attempt to unlock it by any means or flashing a custom rom will change the bootloader. Safestrap is the only hope for the new base, or unless we're lucky enough to get a leaked unlocked bootloader.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
 

Midnightswammi

New member
Apr 30, 2013
2
0
Hey guys, new to the whole Android modding stuff so, go easy because my knowledge about all the technical stuff is pretty limited.
So, anyway, I got tired of Touchwiz and I want to switch to Cyanogenmod just because I like the stock Android look and dislike the general slowness of Touchwiz. Problem is, I took the stupid OTA 4.3 update which apparently added the Knox bootloader which is, as far as I have read, impossible to unlock at this point.
I was under the impression that, with the Knox bootloader, its impossible to have a custom ROM since it will brick your device, but these threads :
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2575977
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2541343
Seem to indicate that all the Knox bootloader does is prevent downgrading the bootloader and also voids the warranty if you tamper with your device. Well, my warranty expire a couple months ago so I couldn't care less. But now I'm really confused. Can I, or can I not flash Cyanogenmod on my 4.3 Verizon Galaxy S3 assuming I don't care about the warranty?

So with all else said, use Safestrap

Sent from my SCH-I605 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
 

thanewguy

New member
Jan 9, 2014
2
0
So there's no way to do it all? No workarounds or anything of the sort? So I'm stuck with Touchwiz until someone cracks the current bootloader?
 

BadUsername

Senior Member
Mar 20, 2013
1,833
960
So there's no way to do it all? No workarounds or anything of the sort? So I'm stuck with Touchwiz until someone cracks the current bootloader?

You can use xposed with modules that allow for a lot of customization, if you haven't used it before take a look at it.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
 

ThePagel

Senior Member
Jul 6, 2012
1,479
839
Minneapolis
Like what was said above, you can't install any custom roms.

Knox is not responsible for locking the bootloader, it's only a flag that is triggered when root is achieved. Think of it like a flash counter that can't be undone. It has nothing to do with this.

The problem is the bootloader that was also updated. Every step in the chain has to be on the VRUCML1 base or the phone will brick itself and terminate the boot. Since our previous unlock method was to modify a step in the bootloader to unlock it, it can't be done the same way on the new base because it isn't able to be modified.

Any attempt to unlock it by any means or flashing a custom rom will change the bootloader. Safestrap is the only hope for the new base, or unless we're lucky enough to get a leaked unlocked bootloader.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

I'm rooted on 4.3 without being flagged. Maybe its because I didn't try to root with anything other than safe root.
 

scarlyowl

New member
Feb 14, 2014
2
0
any progress?

Like the original poster, I am stuck on a touchWiz android 4.3 verizon gs3. I have been able to root it with safe root, but I have not had any luck rolling back to 4.1.2 or to unlock the bootloader. I have seen various "how to" type things that are supposed to work on 4.3, but like I said, no luck so far.

If someone more knowledgeable than myself has heard of a breakthrough in this area that would be awesome.
 

ThePagel

Senior Member
Jul 6, 2012
1,479
839
Minneapolis
Like the original poster, I am stuck on a touchWiz android 4.3 verizon gs3. I have been able to root it with safe root, but I have not had any luck rolling back to 4.1.2 or to unlock the bootloader. I have seen various "how to" type things that are supposed to work on 4.3, but like I said, no luck so far.

If someone more knowledgeable than myself has heard of a breakthrough in this area that would be awesome.

Any how to you have seen was not for the Verizon gs3. But if I am wrong please post the link so I can try!
 

scarlyowl

New member
Feb 14, 2014
2
0
...

Any how to you have seen was not for the Verizon gs3. But if I am wrong please post the link so I can try!

Sure, I tried this out yesterday, ended up soft bricking my phone, I was able to use Kies to get it back to stock though. I am suspicious that the how to may be bunk.

androidpit.com/how-to-downgrade-galaxy-s3
 

landshark68

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2011
1,265
710
Illinois
Sure, I tried this out yesterday, ended up soft bricking my phone, I was able to use Kies to get it back to stock though. I am suspicious that the how to may be bunk.

androidpit.com/how-to-downgrade-galaxy-s3

It's bunk for the Verizon S3. I have seen this link mentioned in another thread and BadUsername checked out the link and found it was for the International version of the S3, not ours.
 

A_Dumas

New member
Apr 19, 2014
2
0
I was running cm11 m3 on my vzw galaxy s3 but used odin to install VRUCML1 not knowing about Knox and all the fun that comes with that. Before I installed VRUCML1, I did a backup. I've since regained root access through saferoot but cant boot into a custom recovery without getting the "you've been naughty. go visit a verizon store" error message. Does anyone know of a way that I can restore my pre-VRUCML1 backup or am I out of luck since my bootloader is still locked?
 

landshark68

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2011
1,265
710
Illinois
I was running cm11 m3 on my vzw galaxy s3 but used odin to install VRUCML1 not knowing about Knox and all the fun that comes with that. Before I installed VRUCML1, I did a backup. I've since regained root access through saferoot but cant boot into a custom recovery without getting the "you've been naughty. go visit a verizon store" error message. Does anyone know of a way that I can restore my pre-VRUCML1 backup or am I out of luck since my bootloader is still locked?

Out of luck. Can only use safestrap to run only 4.3 TW based ROMs

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HubbardWithAndroid

New member
Apr 26, 2014
4
0
Does this work?

No way yet, and it doesn't look promising for that changing anytime soon.

Sent from the Shark Tank using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Okay thanks. Hey i found this do you know of this working? basically you download the 4.1.2 firmware from sammobil and flash is using odin. If i can downgrade then i can flash Cyanogenmod. I found a link but i cant post it being a new member.
 

landshark68

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2011
1,265
710
Illinois
Okay thanks. Hey i found this do you know of this working? basically you download the 4.1.2 firmware from sammobil and flash is using odin. If i can downgrade then i can flash Cyanogenmod. I found a link but i cant post it being a new member.

There was a link for something like that posted some time ago here at XDA, and if it's the same link it is for the international version of the S3 not our Verizon version. The Verizon version cannot be flashed back to a previous firmware.

Sent from the Shark Tank using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
 

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    I just installed cyanogenmod using the installer app on my S3 (SGH-I747) which had 4.3 with Knox, and I had no problems at all. I found the cyanogenmod camera to be pretty buggy, but I fixed it following the instructions here:
    http://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s3/themes-apps/30-nov-fixed-camera-app-cm10-2-cm10-2-t2505973

    Using this file:
    Fixed Cam for CM 10.2_CM11 V2.3.zip

    No issues and very stable after applying the camera fix.

    Completely different phone and not applicable in this scenario. You have the AT&T version of the S3, this thread is only relevant to the Verizon version of the S3. Yes, both have Knox, but Knox is not what is preventing people from flashing Cyanogenmod. Knox is simply a kind of flash counter that lets Samsung know you modified the phone in some way. Unlike the AT&T version, the Verizon version has a locked bootloader, and that is what blocks Verizon S3 users from flashing Cyanogenmod or any AOSP ROMs.
    2
    Sure, I tried this out yesterday, ended up soft bricking my phone, I was able to use Kies to get it back to stock though. I am suspicious that the how to may be bunk.

    androidpit.com/how-to-downgrade-galaxy-s3

    It's bunk for the Verizon S3. I have seen this link mentioned in another thread and BadUsername checked out the link and found it was for the International version of the S3, not ours.
    2
    I was running cm11 m3 on my vzw galaxy s3 but used odin to install VRUCML1 not knowing about Knox and all the fun that comes with that. Before I installed VRUCML1, I did a backup. I've since regained root access through saferoot but cant boot into a custom recovery without getting the "you've been naughty. go visit a verizon store" error message. Does anyone know of a way that I can restore my pre-VRUCML1 backup or am I out of luck since my bootloader is still locked?

    Out of luck. Can only use safestrap to run only 4.3 TW based ROMs

    Sent from the Shark Tank using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
    2
    now that it is 4/26/2014 is this still the case? i have sch-i535 with 4.3 it is rooted but i really want Cyanogenmod. is there any way at all?

    No way yet, and it doesn't look promising for that changing anytime soon.

    Sent from the Shark Tank using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
    2
    Okay thanks. Hey i found this do you know of this working? basically you download the 4.1.2 firmware from sammobil and flash is using odin. If i can downgrade then i can flash Cyanogenmod. I found a link but i cant post it being a new member.

    There was a link for something like that posted some time ago here at XDA, and if it's the same link it is for the international version of the S3 not our Verizon version. The Verizon version cannot be flashed back to a previous firmware.

    Sent from the Shark Tank using XDA Premium 4 mobile app