[Q] Knox Question

[Draeconix]

I know there are a ton of other threads regarding Knox out there, I have read more than a few, but I am still having trouble. I have a SPH-L900 (Galaxy Note 2 from Sprint). I recently made the move to 4.3. Prior to this I had 4.1.2 and was Rooted but did not have any custom ROM. I did have a custom recovery, TWRP. I took my device back to stock using a toolkit which I had used to root it in the first place. I then used Kies to upgrade to 4.3. I then proceeded to attempt to root my phone again using CF-Autoroot. It worked but of course Knox reared its ugly head. This sent me searching for how to disable it. Almost everything I tried didn't work. In fact, at one point I thought I totally screwed up my device but was able to find a stock ROM that worked with ODIN. So, I am back to stock 4.3. Here comes my question.

I saw many different methods and options for the N7100/N7150 but things seem to be a little light when it comes to the SPH-L900. How can I root my phone and disable or remove Knox? Most of the methods I saw seem to need root access which Knox is blocking, thus you end up in a loop. The app needs access to remove Knox but Knox won't let it have access. There must be a way to do it, I am just tired of reading forum posts, I just don't have that much time. If anyone has some thoughts or can assist me I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.

P.S. Knox is ob-knox-iuos. Like Windows User Account Control.

 

[skye206]

I used the program kingo root, to root the phone and it also installs supersu. Once thats done simply install root explorer and delete knox related files. Use Odin to flash custom recovery done.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app

 

[Draeconix]

I used the program kingo root, to root the phone and it also installs supersu. Once thats done simply install root explorer and delete knox related files. Use Odin to flash custom recovery done.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app

Ok, I will give Kingo Root a try. The problem I find though is that even once my phone is rooted, I try to use Root Explorer or anything else like that and Knox blocks the request for super user authority. Does Kingo Root do something different to allow Root Explorer a chance to do its thing before Knox can block it? I mean I WAS successful in rooting my phone or it seemed I was but Knox kept blocking that super user request. I think it also hides superSU so I couldn't even open SuperSU like the one method said to be able to remove Knox. Knox blocked SuperSU from even opening. I will try your method though and see if I have any luck. Thanks.

 

[Draeconix]

Ok, I will give Kingo Root a try. The problem I find though is that even once my phone is rooted, I try to use Root Explorer or anything else like that and Knox blocks the request for super user authority. Does Kingo Root do something different to allow Root Explorer a chance to do its thing before Knox can block it? I mean I WAS successful in rooting my phone or it seemed I was but Knox kept blocking that super user request. I think it also hides superSU so I couldn't even open SuperSU like the one method said to be able to remove Knox. Knox blocked SuperSU from even opening. I will try your method though and see if I have any luck. Thanks.

Indeed, your method worked. I was able to get rooted and delete all the Knox files. The only weird thing is Kingo Root still says Waiting for Device but it appears everything is done. I pulled the USB cable and it did nothing. It has been like that for several minutes so not sure what to make of that. Maybe just a glitch.

For reference here is a list of where the Knox Files are.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2514703

 

[btvolta]

Indeed, your method worked. I was able to get rooted and delete all the Knox files. The only weird thing is Kingo Root still says Waiting for Device but it appears everything is done. I pulled the USB cable and it did nothing. It has been like that for several minutes so not sure what to make of that. Maybe just a glitch.

For reference here is a list of where the Knox Files are.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2514703

What version of root explorer did you use to delete the knox files? My buddy has this phone ( I'm on S4) and just rooted his phone and has the knox issue. We tried to delete it with root toolbox pro, and it just says deleting and goes on forever without deleting. He tried the free version of root explorer and it says it is a read only file and won't let him delete it. I have been able to avoid the knox issue on my phone, and am loaded on kitkat. We can use TB either because it requires root privilages, and of course knox is blocking supersu.

 

[Draeconix]

What version of root explorer did you use to delete the knox files? My buddy has this phone ( I'm on S4) and just rooted his phone and has the knox issue. We tried to delete it with root toolbox pro, and it just says deleting and goes on forever without deleting. He tried the free version of root explorer and it says it is a read only file and won't let him delete it. I have been able to avoid the knox issue on my phone, and am loaded on kitkat. We can use TB either because it requires root privilages, and of course knox is blocking supersu.

Actually I used ES Explorer. If you use this app you need to turn on Root Explorer. Hit your Menu button which will pop out a side bar on the left. Scroll down to Root Explorer and flip the switch.

I suggest starting from a fresh flash of stock ROM. Then use Kingo Android Root. Let your phone reboot and then go right to ES Explorer and delete files. Reboot if you want and you should be Knox free. If not then I am not sure where to go. As you see from my OP, I did try a lot of different methods. One thing to also make sure of is the exact model of the phone. Some methods don't work for some models. Hope this helps.

 

[btvolta]

Actually I used ES Explorer. If you use this app you need to turn on Root Explorer. Hit your Menu button which will pop out a side bar on the left. Scroll down to Root Explorer and flip the switch.

I suggest starting from a fresh flash of stock ROM. Then use Kingo Android Root. Let your phone reboot and then go right to ES Explorer and delete files. Reboot if you want and you should be Knox free. If not then I am not sure where to go. As you see from my OP, I did try a lot of different methods. One thing to also make sure of is the exact model of the phone. Some methods don't work for some models. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the info, but I just went a head and odin'd twrp and then flashed a custom Rom for him, so all is well now. I am on the S4 and didn't ever accept the 4.3 ota, so never had to deal with knox.

 

[kchannel9]

such confuse

I used the program kingo root, to root the phone and it also installs supersu. Once thats done simply install root explorer and delete knox related files. Use Odin to flash custom recovery done.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app

Actually I used ES Explorer. If you use this app you need to turn on Root Explorer. Hit your Menu button which will pop out a side bar on the left. Scroll down to Root Explorer and flip the switch.

I suggest starting from a fresh flash of stock ROM. Then use Kingo Android Root. Let your phone reboot and then go right to ES Explorer and delete files. Reboot if you want and you should be Knox free. If not then I am not sure where to go. As you see from my OP, I did try a lot of different methods. One thing to also make sure of is the exact model of the phone. Some methods don't work for some models. Hope this helps.

Will this trip the KNOX "voided warranty" counter? I am on fresh 4.3 OTA MK4, and I want to be sure not to trip the setting since it is not already tripped. I have been reading many threads for hours now. Am I mistaken, and I need to go back to MC2 before I can do this? Or can I really just use Kingo Android Root, then ES and delete the KNOX files? Or does it only trip the KNOX counter when you flash a custom recovery, which we are not doing in this particular method?

Thanks for any info/clarification