[Q] Help me! (firmware, modem, etc.)

[skim234]

hey guys,

i recently traded my korean s4 lte-a phone for a galaxy note sm-n9005. i am not certain where it is from originally, as the guy who has the phone isn't very smart about phones.

my main question/concern is how can i upgrade to kit kat while making sure that it is compatible with the SK Telecom network in Korea? I am currently in Korea and would like to root and upgrade the ROM. Would I need to use the SK Telecom stock rom (it is a different model than what I have) and get it to work on my sm-n9005? Or would I need to mess with the settings on ODIN when I run the new stock rom through odin?

Here is some info about my phone. It DOES currently work with the Korean network, although the signal is weaker than my old S4.

basically, can someone tell me which country/network firmware i can use for roms and whatnot? do i have the option of both a korean firmware and foreign one?

thanks in advance!

 

[xclub_101]

hey guys,

i recently traded my korean s4 lte-a phone for a galaxy note sm-n9005. i am not certain where it is from originally, as the guy who has the phone isn't very smart about phones.

my main question/concern is how can i upgrade to kit kat while making sure that it is compatible with the SK Telecom network in Korea? I am currently in Korea and would like to root and upgrade the ROM. Would I need to use the SK Telecom stock rom (it is a different model than what I have) and get it to work on my sm-n9005? Or would I need to mess with the settings on ODIN when I run the new stock rom through odin?

Here is some info about my phone. It DOES currently work with the Korean network, although the signal is weaker than my old S4.

basically, can someone tell me which country/network firmware i can use for roms and whatnot? do i have the option of both a korean firmware and foreign one?

thanks in advance!

A little search would have shown you some apps for that, for instance:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.vndnguyen.phoneinfo

From your pics the main (and most pressing) advice I can give is to stop immediately any updates AND security updates - if you are MI2 you can probably root with URDLV and keep knox 0x0! Read more around about that.

 

[skim234]

A little search would have shown you some apps for that, for instance:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.vndnguyen.phoneinfo

From your pics the main (and most pressing) advice I can give is to stop immediately any updates AND security updates - if you are MI2 you can probably root with URDLV and keep knox 0x0! Read more around about that.

the problem is that i have no idea which versions of roms i can use that will be compatible with my network in korea.

this phone is unique. the corners aren't rounded- they are sharp corners. i got this phone from someone whose uncle is a samsung exec in london. i was told this phone was only given out to higher-ups at samsung.

 

[xclub_101]

the problem is that i have no idea which versions of roms i can use that will be compatible with my network in korea.

this phone is unique. the corners aren't rounded- they are sharp corners. i got this phone from someone whose uncle is a samsung exec in london. i was told this phone was only given out to higher-ups at samsung.

Run the program linked in my post above. You might also want to post a picture of the phone itself just for the curiosity of seeing a rare model on Note 3.

 

[skim234]

Run the program linked in my post above. You might also want to post a picture of the phone itself just for the curiosity of seeing a rare model on Note 3.

It says it's from France. So I can use a french modem (csc) and be ok in Korea?

 

[skim234]

I will post a pic of my actual phone when I have time to do it. It looks like a Sony Bravia because of the sharp edges.

 

[xclub_101]

It says it's from France. So I can use a french modem (csc) and be ok in Korea?

You might want to mask over the IMEI - I doubt it can be easily used but that is the normal way to do things here on XDA.

The results are a little fascinating - it looks like an early build - and the part that the knox warranty was not yet present is even more interesting - DEFINITELY do not upgrade anything for the moment! Also I would bet that you do not have any region lock, so I doubt that you have any major reason to upgrade in a hurry. Even if you DO upgrade at some point you should first save your (rare, non-knox) firmware/bootloader (that version is not listed for instance at http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/1/?model=SM-N9005&pcode=XEF#firmware and without saving it you might never be able to return to it). Also the bootloader might be interesting in the "fight against the knox warranty flag".

From what I know SK Telekom is using a model called here N900S and 2G and 3G should be perfectly compatible with the current modem that you have. For LTE the EU model is listed with 800/850/900/1800/2100/2600 while the N900S has 700/850/1800 - so except the 700MHz band it might still work on LTE with SK!

There is also a local thread for those original models from South Korea:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2484602

If you have some time it might also be interesting to go in 'download mode" and get a picture from there - here is a picture on how it looks with bootloaders that have knox.

 

[skim234]

You might want to mask over the IMEI - I doubt it can be easily used but that is the normal way to do things here on XDA.

The results are a little fascinating - it looks like an early build - and the part that the knox warranty was not yet present is even more interesting - DEFINITELY do not upgrade anything for the moment! Also I would bet that you do not have any region lock, so I doubt that you have any major reason to upgrade in a hurry. Even if you DO upgrade at some point you should first save your (rare, non-knox) firmware/bootloader (that version is not listed for instance at http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/1/?model=SM-N9005&pcode=XEF#firmware and without saving it you might never be able to return to it). Also the bootloader might be interesting in the "fight against the knox warranty flag".

From what I know SK Telekom is using a model called here N900S and 2G and 3G should be perfectly compatible with the current modem that you have. For LTE the EU model is listed with 800/850/900/1800/2100/2600 while the N900S has 700/850/1800 - so except the 700MHz band it might still work on LTE with SK!

There is also a local thread for those original models from South Korea:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2484602

If you have some time it might also be interesting to go in 'download mode" and get a picture from there - here is a picture on how it looks with bootloaders that have knox.

The LTE IS working with SK, as well as the network. I'm just so lost about what kind of custom roms/kernels I can use that are compatible with my phone.

When you say backup my bootloader, how do I do that? EFS backup? Remember, my phone isn't rooted yet. Do you think I could use any N9005 4.3 root?

 

[xclub_101]

The LTE IS working with SK, as well as the network. I'm just so lost about what kind of custom roms/kernels I can use that are compatible with my phone.

When you say backup my bootloader, how do I do that? EFS backup? Remember, my phone isn't rooted yet. Do you think I could use any N9005 4.3 root?

I am glad to hear about LTE! (it means that the 700MHz band is not that essential).

Custom ROMs might be a little further away (N9005 by the way, when done OK it might work with many N9005 ROMs), IMHO there are other things that can be done first that would make your phone better/faster.

If you want to root here is the sequence that I suggest:

- save everything that you have on the phone (if you have a LOT of stuff - to Google, Samsung, Samsung Kies or local with Helium)

- make certain that reactivation lock is OFF

- factory-reset the phone

- disable any update (say that you don't agree with the terms when asked) and disable any security update (that one is a separate setting in Security)

- use Saferoot first to try to root:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2565758

- if it works the very next step after getting root is to save as much as possible from the original firmware (you might also need to install busybox before that):

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=50011586&postcount=26

- if that succeeds and you have a 256MB debrick.bin please compress it (7z is pretty effective but ZIP will also be OK) and please upload it somewhere so that people that are trying to crack knox will have another thing to look at! :good:

 

[xclub_101]

The LTE IS working with SK, as well as the network. I'm just so lost about what kind of custom roms/kernels I can use that are compatible with my phone.

When you say backup my bootloader, how do I do that? EFS backup? Remember, my phone isn't rooted yet. Do you think I could use any N9005 4.3 root?

Have you managed to do anything with the phone? Have you ever managed to enter download mode? How does that one look? (a picture would be great, and that way we would also see the unusual corners).

 

[skim234]

Have you managed to do anything with the phone? Have you ever managed to enter download mode? How does that one look? (a picture would be great, and that way we would also see the unusual corners).

i've screwed with my phone too much and now it doesn't make phone calls consistently. =( do you have any idea how i can connect consistently with sk telecom in korea?

 

[xclub_101]

i've screwed with my phone too much and now it doesn't make phone calls consistently. =( do you have any idea how i can connect consistently with sk telecom in korea?

What do you mean by that? What have you done?

 

[vndnguyen]

i've screwed with my phone too much and now it doesn't make phone calls consistently. =( do you have any idea how i can connect consistently with sk telecom in korea?

Very strange, your phone's Manufacturing date does NOT match with the Serial Number.

 

[Product F(RED)]

Can you post pictures of the phone itself?