What's all this Knox stuff about?

re: knox

nickstopo said:

Can anyone tell me what's up with this and why should I be careful about running certain ROMs? Knox counters, etc?

Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app

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Ok, here are the prerequisites for not getting the KNOX POX:

#1: Don't allow the flashing of the M919 MK2 4.3 OTA update
#2: Don't Odin flash the official stock M919 MK2 4.3 TAR firmware. (SamMobile or elsewhere)
#3: Don't Odin flash the M919 MK2 4.3 NON-HLOS.BIN
#4: Don't Odin flash any bootloaders

If you have NOT done either one of those four things you will NOT catch the KNOX.

You can Odin flash the 4.3 M919 MK2 MODEM but it is completely optional.
See which one has the best signal for you.
( or keep the M919 MDL MODEM which is already in your phones.)

The phone will work just fine with either the MK2 modem or the MDL.

You can flash any cwm/twrp flashable M919 MK2 4.3 or MDL 4.2.2 zip file stock or custom roms.

If you follow these rules above you will not loose audio, signal or wifi and you will not catch KNOX POX.

Now that's not too difficult to understand right? LOL

Good luck!

nickstopo said:

Not difficult to understand at all. Thanks. I tried looking for this info on my own, but I couldn't find it.

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In addition to the poster above, another way to look at it if you are simply trying to avoid getting it without messing around much:

SAFE:

1) Any ROM that is flashable THROUGH CWM/TWRP/PhilZ won't include an updated bootloader. You can install 4.3 or 4.4 and still keep your bootloader and/or baseband (i.e, MDL, MDB).


UNSAFE:

1) If you ODIN flash (meaning you plug your cable into your phone, start up Odin, put your phone in download mode, then PDA a stock FW), you WILL get the KNOX bootloader.

2) If you update through KIES.

3) If you update through the OTA (in Settings -> About Device -> Software update) .

Some people believe if you trip knox then you will void your 1 year samsung warranty. I dont think it's been confirmed. And i dont think it would matter to me since it's such a short warranty and it doesnt cover accidental damage

Ok, well I've actually updated my phone through kies (4.3) the same day it was released but I was losing signal way too often so I used my 4. 2 back up and restored it... But my flash counter was 6 so I odined and did a reset on the flash counter and then used infamous (4.3) and I'm still on MDL so how do I know if I have knox?

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re: knox

lagunas11 said:

Ok, well I've actually updated my phone through kies (4.3) the same day it was released but I was losing signal way too often so I used my 4. 2 back up and restored it... But my flash counter was 6 so I odined and did a reset on the flash counter and then used infamous (4.3) and I'm still on MDL so how do I know if I have knox?

Sent from my SGH-M919 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

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If you updated your phone using Kies/OTA or Odin flashed the official 4.3
firmware then you definitely caught the knox pox.

The way to tell if you have knox is to put your phone into download mode and
look at the top left side of the screen where you will see tiny blue writing.
You will see the knox status as either 0x0 or 0x1 if its 1 you have knox.

There is nothing you can do about it at the present time.
A lot of the developers are trying to over come the knox issue but so far no luck.

Even with the KNOX you can use your phone just like if it did not have the knox.

You can download and flash any cwm/twrp flashable custom/stock zip file roms
as well as any of the themes, mods and anything else requiring cwm/twrp flashing.

You can even odin flash the 4.3 official stock M919 rom from SamMobile
and it will work just fine. However you will still have KNOX.

KNOX is just another way for Samsung retailers to know if you have
messed around with your phone and gives them a good enough reason
why not to honor the warranty.

Good luck!

Well I went into download mode and I did not see any blue writing but I did see this in white: 0x30

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