[N900W8] Safely upgrade to Kit Kat without blocking flash back to 4.3 and retain 0x0

[polish_pat]

This is reserved for W8 only! If you have any other model, this will not work​

Whats different from the other other upgrade threads? This one doesn't block you from going back to 4.3, it allows you to retain knox 0x0 and it's safe.

Just tried this, worked perfectly. I came from X-Note 7.0 and did this on my friends Note 3 and he was on stock. I already had knox 0x1 but i was alble to keep his at 0x0.

As of now, this has only been tested on W8 model as it takes the files from the Telcel firmware (mexico). You can use this method on any W8 model, the only thing you will have to change is substitute my modem (CP) by the modem from the latest 4.3 firmware of your carrier. It seems as the MD5 from all modems for all canadian carriers match exactly, so the model for rogers also applies to Bell and Telus

If you are coming from a non-canadian W8, you can extract your modem directly from stock firmware. Here is how:

This is just an example on how to extract a modem from a stock firmware:

Use winrar to:
1- extract firmware downloaded on sammobile.com or other (please use latest firmware), should output an MD5 file.
2- Rename that file from xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.tar.md5 to xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.tar
3- extract .tar firmware and locate modem.bin file
4- compress the modem.bin, it should give you a modem.zip
5- rename that modem.zip to modem.tar
6- You not have your flashable odin modem

Upgrading to Kit Kat and downgrading back to 4.3 does not trip knox, and rooting using my instructions either. Be sure to turn off reactivation lock before flashing this. This method gives you an easy way to official 4.4.2, once you're there, you can flash any 4.4 rom.

Also, and this is an important factor for a lot of people, this doesn't block you from going back to 4.3. If ever you want to go back to Jelly Bean 4.3, just flash back to it via ODIN

Download all the files, PIT, BL, AP. CP and CSC, the flash via ODIN 3.09. Then flash CF-Root and CWM if you wish. I did not check re-partition in ODIN, it worked for both of my Notes, most users didn't check it either, but a small few said the flash failed until they checked re-partition, either way, it should not brick your device.

Here are the links to the files:

PIT: http://pc.cd/K7H (MD5: e2dba603c963443660b369e04b07d574)

BL: http://pc.cd/gXH (MD5: 1bce2f5a137901e2fb206379d3e7ae11)

AP: http://pc.cd/7kH (MD5: 08443eb20702a975fc0be85f7e9c439d)

CSC (this one is for Canada only, if you have any other carrier please download yours): http://www.mediafire.com/download/xn11kh614eag7ir/Canadian+Multi+CSC.tar
(MD5: beae61ca1628b303657c40e14cac3fb6)

CP: http://www.mediafire.com/download/1oias85eoz8ykuh/Rogers+Modem+(CP).tar (MD5: 45522799eb027108fa1c493cbd83abf5)

ODIN: http://uploaded.net/file/hwtdrpll

CF-Root: http://download.chainfire.eu/352/CF-Root1/CF-Auto-Root-hlte-hltexx-smn9005.zip?retrieve_file=1 Don't use included ODIN in CF-Root, use 3.09 and flash via AP

CWM: http://d-h.st/gb3 (MD5: 31e4a86b58837ba87bfa1bf2073371db)

Enjoy!

Thanks to Oogar for a more complete version of this process. This method does break WiFi and NFC so head over to his thread for the patch and a proper thanks

 

[radicalisto]

I can confirm after testing this a few times on the N9005 that it is only working on the N900w8.

 

[polish_pat]

I can confirm after testing this a few times on the N9005 that it is only working on the N900w8.

That's too bad, but at least there are other ways for you guys!

 

[radicalisto]

There will be a way around it I think, especially as the w8 can do it. Shows it's possible somehow

 

[polish_pat]

There will be a way around it I think, especially as the w8 can do it. Shows it's possible somehow

is there any official 9005 firmware? I saw today that besides poland, russia also got the firmware which is exynos based, also deployment in eastern europe is under way, can't we apply this method to the 9005?

 

[radicalisto]

Only the .pl firmware currently, status on sammobile shows AFG (Afghanistan) region is pending apparently, so I expect a wide roll out any time soon.

 

[polish_pat]

Only the .pl firmware currently, status on sammobile shows AFG (Afghanistan) region is pending apparently, so I expect a wide roll out any time soon.

in that case, can we apply this method and substitute the mexican files for the polish ones? It seems technically possible

 

[Canadoc]

Whats different from the other other upgrade threads? This one doesn't block you from going back to 4.3 and it's safe.

Just tried this, worked perfectly. I came from X-Note 7.0 and did this on my friends Note 3 and he was on stock.

As of now, this has only been tested on W8 model as it takes the files from the Telcel firmware (mexico). You can use this method on any W8 model, the only thing you will have to change is substitute my modem (CP) by the modem from the latest 4.3 firmware of your carrier. You can take the official tar file and extract the modem.bin and re-zip it back to a tar file and use that.

This does not trip knox, be sure to turn off reactivation lock before flashing this. This method gives you an easy way to official 4.4.2, once you're there, you can flash any 4.4 rom.

Also, and this is an important factor for a lot of people, this doesn't block you from going back to 4.3. If ever you want to go back to Jelly Bean 4.3, just flash back to it via ODIN

Enjoy!

Rogers user here. Stock. To clarify.
Can I flash these files and well be in 4.4.2? Without tripping Knox? And can go back to 4.3?


Will this reset my phone?or will my data and apps still be intact?


Sent from my SM-N900W8 using Tapatalk

 

[polish_pat]

Rogers user here. Stock. To clarify.
Can I flash these files and well be in 4.4.2? Without tripping Knox? And can go back to 4.3?


Will this reset my phone?or will my data and apps still be intact?


Sent from my SM-N900W8 using Tapatalk

I hope you,re kidding for this "Can I flash these files and well be in 4.4.2? Without tripping Knox? And can go back to 4.3?" If you were not able to confirm this information while reading the OP, i'm not sure anything else but a drawing will help you. No offence

And as for your last question, yes, your phone will be wiped clean

 

[Canadoc]

Well I was under impression that flagging would upgrade the bootloader from which you couldn't go back.
Also wanted to be sure the included files were good for Rogers without me needing to separately including my own modem

Sent from my SM-N900W8 using Tapatalk

 

[polish_pat]

Well I was under impression that flagging would upgrade the bootloader from which you couldn't go back.
Also wanted to be sure the included files were good for Rogers without me needing to separately including my own modem

Sent from my SM-N900W8 using Tapatalk

Yes, you're good to go! Enjoy

EDIT: also for anybody wondering, i was able to revert back to 4.3, i actually screwed up the rooting process, i used the ODIN included in zip from chainfires site instead of ODIN 3.09 and it gave me bootloop, so i tried to revert back to 4.3 using ODIN 3.09 and it worked. I'm going back to kitkat now

 

[Canadoc]

Do you cause a wipe? Cause I am not ripped so have no backup. Unless you know how to root and preserve knox

Sent from my LG-V500 using Tapatalk

 

[polish_pat]

Do you cause a wipe? Cause I am not ripped so have no backup. Unless you know how to root and preserve knox

Sent from my LG-V500 using Tapatalk

I'm not sure i understand what you want, i dont know what causing wipe or being ripped means unless you're talking about muscular mass, but i can tell you there is no way of doing this process, or any other and not wiping the device.

 

[radicalisto]

in that case, can we apply this method and substitute the mexican files for the polish ones? It seems technically possible

I tried, but it just bootlooped for me. Was slightly afraid to force the BL incase I hard bricked it. However I may try again today at some point.

 

[Canadoc]

Normally flashing am update leaves your data intact. All I am asking is whether fleshing this will effectively factory reset my phone.
If so,,if I root before and don't trip knox, will I be able to flash this with mobile Odin and preserve root with tripping knox.

Sent from my LG-V500 using Tapatalk

 

[polish_pat]

Normally flashing am update leaves your data intact. All I am asking is whether fleshing this will effectively factory reset my phone.
If so,,if I root before and don't trip knox, will I be able to flash this with mobile Odin and preserve root with tripping knox.

Sent from my LG-V500 using Tapatalk

This wipes your phone, call ir how you want, factory reset, format, restore, your data, root and everything else is GONE

 

[radicalisto]

in that case, can we apply this method and substitute the mexican files for the polish ones? It seems technically possible

OK so... I just done this again and whatever I done this time around must have differed from last time Because I just Hard Bricked big style :silly: - My advice is no one try this on N9005 -- Now for the fun of restoring life to my device or playing the dopey card with my retailer! :good:

 

[radicalisto]

And fixed. no defeating me!!

Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

 

[FeralFire]

OK so... I just done this again and whatever I done this time around must have differed from last time Because I just Hard Bricked big style :silly: - My advice is no one try this on N9005 -- Now for the fun of restoring life to my device or playing the dopey card with my retailer! :good:

And fixed. no defeating me!!

Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

How did you unbrick a hard brick?
The SDcard image method?
I was under the impression that that one doesn't work on the N9005

 

[polish_pat]

And fixed. no defeating me!!

Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

I doubt you were hard bricked if you got out of it that easily. There are two experiences devs that hard bricked their phone, by hard brick, i mean no power or screen whatsoever, no download mode or recovery, NOTHING. They tried a few methods (micro SD and motherboard shortcut method) and both ended up servicing their phone by samsung.