Easy trick to get a new S4 from T Mobile without KNOX bootloader!

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xXchrizhurtyXx

xXchrizhurtyXx

Senior Member
Apr 12, 2012
888
323
Bronx, NY
I received my replacement yesterday and it had 4.2.2. Build was November 21st. It has to do when the phone was manufactured. I didn't wipe data nor cache.

Edit : the phone was brand new Btw. Sealed in the oem box
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
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superbowlmania

Member
Jan 25, 2011
33
19
Columbus, Ohio
Sadly, my initial gs4 was mdl right out of the oem box. However that particular one had a crap gps antenna. Did a warranty exchange through tmobile and got a new s4. Turned it on and waited for the upgrading screen, ready to pull the battery, and it never came.

So now I have a working s4 that was manufactured with 4.3 mk2 preinstalled.

Tl;dr: at this point, it's luck of the draw on the mdl bootloader.

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

Senior Member
May 13, 2011
76
21
Whenever I have a problem with a ROM I'm always wondering if it may be because I've avoided the bootloader update. My intention with 4.4 official is to give in and go Knox 0x1. My guess is others will do the same as it is becoming clear that newer rooms are going to need the new bootloader to avoid being flaky.

I cry reading the forums lately because half the questions are around this whole mess. If Samsung would just offer a signed package to reset the phone back to "out of the box" status and reset all flags...

Sorry to hijack the thread a bit

Sent from my GT-I9505G using Tapatalk
 
The Root

The Root

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2010
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Long Beach, CA
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Series
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
bthurber said:
Whenever I have a problem with a ROM I'm always wondering if it may be because I've avoided the bootloader update. My intention with 4.4 official is to give in and go Knox 0x1. My guess is others will do the same as it is becoming clear that newer rooms are going to need the new bootloader to avoid being flaky.

I cry reading the forums lately because half the questions are around this whole mess. If Samsung would just offer a signed package to reset the phone back to "out of the box" status and reset all flags...

Sorry to hijack the thread a bit

Sent from my GT-I9505G using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I'd have to disagree. On all prior phones, I used to run Odin with the stock firmware regularly just to clean house. Now it's not safe to even do that without care. And the Odin files become harder to find. I think it's just stuff building up flash after flash that can't get fully wiped even through recovery.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
 
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    djcmn
    djcmn
    If you are planning on getting a new one of these at a T Mobile store, DO NOT boot it up normally, even to set up a new SIM. Tell them you want to power it up first without a SIM and then do the following:

    Boot into recovery and choose factory reset, then follow by wiping the cache.

    These phones have been restickered to include Android 4.3 and KNOX, but on first start it will start updating android from the cache because it is still the original stock 4.22 without the KNOX bootloader.

    I just did this yesterday because my previous one dropped and the LCD broke, so I needed a new one. I already had a SIM so instead of having them set it up, I did it myself. On first bootup with the back cover still off, I saw it updating so I immediately pulled the battery to stop it. I then booted into recovery and did the factory reset and cleaned the cache. Happiness followed when I saw it was indeed Android 4.22 with SELinux as permissive. Of course from there I immediately used ODIN to perform the CF Auto Root, update SuperSu pro and install my favorite root apps

    I figured there might be a few people here who might want to know this little trick.
    View
    1
    scooter247
    scooter247
    He said he got a new boxed s4 from the store not a replacement that was sent to him. Also the boxes with stickers may have been left over stock already manufactured with 4.2 but has been sent the ota update wich kicks in when booted up. Eventually Samsung will manufactur the update in house. Any refurbished ones will already be updated in house as well.

    Sent from my SGH-M919 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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    1
    D
    Deleted member 4605205
    gamepr said:
    ....I just did this on a replacement phone and it did not work. Booted straight into recovery, wiped cache and did a factory reset with no luck as to what the OP is claiming here.

    Phone still has 4.3
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    Nope, all the replacement phones sent to you are refurbished units and already updated before they are sent. This trick he's saying only applies to brand new phones that were manufactured before the 4.3 update (which might not be available for much longer).
    View

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