[Q] New Phone, Device Status: Custom

Juansito · Feb 1, 2014

I purchased the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 III N900 32gb Black Factory Unlocked Android Cell Phone from Amazon. The store was SHOPEBEST. (cant post links yet)

Got it, had the IMEI tag removed from the box for some reason dunno why.

Everything looks brand spanking new, got a new sim from AT&T, setup install some apps then I try to run update got the device is modified message. Wiped cache partition, restarted numerous times, never had an SD card in but i did try to put an old one in and remove it etc.

Still shows up as CUSTOM.

In odin download mode it shows:
ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SM-N900
CURRENT BINARY: Custom
SYSTEM STATUS: Custom
WARRANTY BIT: 1

I'm new to android so i have very little knowledge about android systems, rooting or roms or anything only the stuff i learned from hours of reading.
My question is if this phone is new WHY is it showing custom and the warranty showing 1 meaning void right out of the box? Is there anyway i can go back to stock and get the warranty back to 0?

Thanks for your time and help.

pete4k · Feb 1, 2014

I would hazard an opinion the phone is not brand new or wasn't factory unlocked? I thought I saw something about some shop opening brand new phones, unlocking them and selling as factory unlocked. I guess they tripped flag unlocking it? Strange there was no IMEI on the box, maybe the phone IMEI and box didn't match?

Juansito · Feb 1, 2014

pete4k said:
I would hazard an opinion the phone is not brand new or wasn't factory unlocked? I thought I saw something about some shop opening brand new phones, unlocking them and selling as factory unlocked. I guess they tripped flag unlocking it? Strange there was no IMEI on the box, maybe the phone IMEI and box didn't match?

I didn't even notice at first but the sticker is /was removed from the box. Had the caution sealed package sticker on it though. I contacted them already. There's no way this phone is brand new with the odin mode showing that.

pete4k · Feb 1, 2014

I would return it, just for warranty sake. Also I don't think you can do OTA updates if it's custom. And if it's rooted already, it could have virus or some other stuff on it as well.

Mirage20uk · Feb 1, 2014

Sorry to hear that you got scammed. Though there is no way to reset the warrannty bit counter back to Ero. But you may check if you had a Super SU app in your app drawee. If it there that means your phone is rooted. So yoi can try Triangle away app it might help im not sure if it works then reflash a stock rom and do a fulk factory reset and wipe the cash partition.

Sent from my SM-N900 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

oddbehreif · Feb 1, 2014

Mirage20uk said:
So yoi can try Triangle away app it might help im not sure if it works then reflash a stock rom and do a fulk factory reset and wipe the cash partition.

Don't bother with Triangle-Away. It won't reset Knox back to 0x0.

Skander1998 · Feb 1, 2014

Knox seems tripped.
You def need to return this.

BewareAlbatross · Feb 1, 2014

If it's this obvious that it wasn't unlocked by the manufacturer but instead has been modified by the reseller you might also want to shoot Amazon an email at the reports form hereabouts: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/reports/contact-us

Sometimes it helps to be specific... I find that just returning the item solves my own problem but then leaves the seller free to cause problems for others. And Amazon has from my own experience been really awesome and helpful with this stuff. I reported a seller who sold me a red-screened Kindle Fire 2 and I actually got to speak to a human being. In general I find they have some of the best support imaginable.

Juansito · Feb 2, 2014

pete4k said:
I would return it, just for warranty sake. Also I don't think you can do OTA updates if it's custom. And if it's rooted already, it could have virus or some other stuff on it as well.

Yeah I'm returning it first thing Monday. I find it funny how the seller didn't want any problems. They told me to just return the phone for a full refund even though i used it for 3 days. They charge a restock fee for returns but i told them im not paying any restocking fee and they still said return it. They know what they did.

Mirage20uk said:
Sorry to hear that you got scammed. Though there is no way to reset the warrannty bit counter back to Ero. But you may check if you had a Super SU app in your app drawee. If it there that means your phone is rooted. So yoi can try Triangle away app it might help im not sure if it works then reflash a stock rom and do a fulk factory reset and wipe the cash partition.

Sent from my SM-N900 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Yeah i was wondering what that was its called SuperSU has a yellow shield with a # sign on it. Is that not supposed to be included with android?

oddbehreif said:
Don't bother with Triangle-Away. It won't reset Knox back to 0x0.

Skander1998 said:
Knox seems tripped.
You def need to return this.

Yeah its going back either way. Even if i could revert it back to stock/valid warranty its still being returned because i paid for a NEW phone and someone else used it already. I don't know what they did to it or did with it. Being shady doesn't earn my business or trust.

BewareAlbatross said:
If it's this obvious that it wasn't unlocked by the manufacturer but instead has been modified by the reseller you might also want to shoot Amazon an email at the reports form hereabouts:

Sometimes it helps to be specific... I find that just returning the item solves my own problem but then leaves the seller free to cause problems for others. And Amazon has from my own experience been really awesome and helpful with this stuff. I reported a seller who sold me a red-screened Kindle Fire 2 and I actually got to speak to a human being. In general I find they have some of the best support imaginable.

Oh you bet I'm telling amazon. These guys wasted a lot of my time with this now. I now have to wipe it, return it, go back to ATT get another sim and put my old phone back on my plan and buy another phone. So it is my duty to to warn amazon about this shady seller so other people don't fall victim to what happened to me.

Bright side to all this. I think the note is way 2 big for me so I'm thinking about trying out the nexus 5, cheaper smaller and everyone says its awesome. So thanks to this shady seller i got to test it out for a few days.

BewareAlbatross · Feb 2, 2014

Juansito said:
Bright side to all this. I think the note is way 2 big for me so I'm thinking about trying out the nexus 5, cheaper smaller and everyone says its awesome. So thanks to this shady seller i got to test it out for a few days.

You'll find this amusing but I still prefer my old Galaxy Nexus over the Nexus 5. It may not have ran 4.4.2 perfectly but man... User-replaceable battery, amazing kernel mods, none of the weird bugs I encountered with the Nexus 5, rock solid GPS, and it took SD Cards.

I liked the Nexus 4 just fine, but man the 5 really burnt me on the Nexus line. I had a lot of problems with it. So did my coworker with his. Ended up returning both.

Juansito · Feb 3, 2014

BewareAlbatross said:
You'll find this amusing but I still prefer my old Galaxy Nexus over the Nexus 5. It may not have ran 4.4.2 perfectly but man... User-replaceable battery, amazing kernel mods, none of the weird bugs I encountered with the Nexus 5, rock solid GPS, and it took SD Cards.

I liked the Nexus 4 just fine, but man the 5 really burnt me on the Nexus line. I had a lot of problems with it. So did my coworker with his. Ended up returning both.

I'm new to android what phone do you suggest? I want a new phone latest model. I picked the note 3 because of the screen. Although it is nice and i love using it when im at home or laying down its just not functional for me as a phone everyday.

antiguangenius · Feb 3, 2014

Juansito said:
I'm new to android what phone do you suggest? I want a new phone latest model. I picked the note 3 because of the screen. Although it is nice and i love using it when im at home or laying down its just not functional for me as a phone everyday.

the sold you a repaired phone..... seems like the LCD broke and they bought a LCD from ebay and swap the board.......

the FULL LCD from ebay does not include IMEI sticker....... and some times its difficult to remove the original sticker....

I know this because I Note 3 fell and the screen broke... I bought a Black complete Note 3 without the logic board and I was good again...

My Phone was originally white....... I was able to transfer the IMEI sticker though....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-N90...e_Replacement_Parts_Tools&hash=item4d162a5a50

it would have been better if the the knox was not tripped.... it depend how much you paid if its over 500 return it....

Juansito · Feb 3, 2014

BewareAlbatross said:
You'll find this amusing but I still prefer my old Galaxy Nexus over the Nexus 5. It may not have ran 4.4.2 perfectly but man... User-replaceable battery, amazing kernel mods, none of the weird bugs I encountered with the Nexus 5, rock solid GPS, and it took SD Cards.

I liked the Nexus 4 just fine, but man the 5 really burnt me on the Nexus line. I had a lot of problems with it. So did my coworker with his. Ended up returning both.

antiguangenius said:
the sold you a repaired phone..... seems like the LCD broke and they bought a LCD from ebay and swap the board.......

the FULL LCD from ebay does not include IMEI sticker....... and some times its difficult to remove the original sticker....

I know this because I Note 3 fell and the screen broke... I bought a Black complete Note 3 without the logic board and I was good again...

My Phone was originally white....... I was able to transfer the IMEI sticker though....

it would have been better if the the knox was not tripped.... it depend how much you paid if its over 500 return it....

$693.42 and I'm returning it first thing tomorrow morning.

antiguangenius · Feb 3, 2014

Juansito said:
$693.42 and I'm returning it first thing tomorrow morning.

RETURN THAT FAST!!!! you got scammed......

Juansito · Feb 3, 2014

antiguangenius said:
RETURN THAT FAST!!!! you got scammed......

Already got the box, packing and shipping box. Glad i have amazon a-z to fall back on just in-case these guys try to pull something when i return. Getting signature confirmation and insurance.

antiguangenius · Feb 3, 2014

Juansito said:
Already got the box, packing and shipping box. Glad i have amazon a-z to fall back on just in-case these guys try to pull something when i return. Getting signature confirmation and insurance.

That's crazy though OMG.... make sure you leaave a review warning people and report it to Amazon

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

Juansito · Feb 3, 2014

antiguangenius said:
That's crazy though OMG.... make sure you leaave a review warning people and report it to Amazon

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

Read page 1, I'm reporting them to amazon as soon as i get my money back. A review wont do anything.

BewareAlbatross · Feb 3, 2014

Juansito said:
I'm new to android what phone do you suggest? I want a new phone latest model. I picked the note 3 because of the screen. Although it is nice and i love using it when im at home or laying down its just not functional for me as a phone everyday.

Best thing I could tell you, since asking what's the best phone is like asking what's the best ROM, is go to your local carrier stores like ATT and T-Mobile, Sprint, etc... And just try out phones in your hand. Don't worry too much about specs these days. If it's running at least Android 4.2 with a 1Ghz processor it will make calls, end texts, and play cat videos. Even without, it should still.

If you want the absolute most epic and powerful phone you're already holding it as far as I know. The Note 3 not only has premiere specs but USB 3, support for something ridiculous like another 64 gigs or 128 gigs of CLASS 10 MicroSD goodness...And a stylus, which is something I've genuinely missed ever since the old WinMo 6.5 days when you could either choose the multitouch mod or the overclock mod but not both. :laugh:

Really though, your best is just go to stores and see what feels best especially since you seem to be the kind of person for whom the feel of the phone in your hand and how it carries is important. You can always then walk out of the store, go on someplace like Swappa, and find the phone at a cheaper price and probably unlocked.

[Q] New Phone, Device Status: Custom

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