SM-G930F is actually SM-G930A, But is Boot Loader Unlocked?

[yippeeyo]

Hello All,

I'm in the UK and I recently bought a boxed second hand S7, the box states SM-G930F (64bit Octo Core Processor).

The IMEI on the box is the same as on the phone.

***The serial number printed on the phone case is different to that displayed in the phone (*#06#).

Booting into Odin Download mode shows:
ODIN MODE: (HIGH SPEED)
PRODUCT NAME: SM-G930A
CURRENT BINARY: Samsung Official
SYSTEM STATUS: Official
FRP LOCK: Off
WARRANTY VOID: 0X0
QUALCOMM SECUREBOOT: ENABLE
RP SWREV: B10(2, 1, 1, 1, 1) K10 S10
SECURE DOWNLOAD: ENABLE

****Note-Toggling 'OEM Unlock' in Developer Options toggles FRP Lock: ON/OFF****

*#1234# shows:
AP: G930FXXU7CRH2
CP: G930FXXU7CRH2
CSC: G930FXXU7CRH2

App Phone Info *Samsung* shows:
PDA Version: G930FXXU7CRH2
CSC Version: G9350ZZH3CRH1
Baseband Version: G930AUCUACSF1

PC Samsung Switch Application auto update reports: "Your device software is up to date: RH2(XAA)"

So it looks like the phone was refurbished or repaired by the factory at some point and they put a Snapdragon board (SM-G930A) instead of Exynos (SM-G930F).

There are lots of contradictions in this phone, G930A running Exynos AP/PDA G930FXXU7CRH2, Knox not tripped, FRP (and bootloader?) can be toggled, Hong Kong/ Chinese CSC

Anybody got any questions or would like me try something to shed more light and perhaps get some insights into the G930A?

BTW, the phone works fine, its running stock 8.0.0 (as you may have gathered from the PDA Version).

YYo

Edit: Sooner or later I am going to update this with stock G930U firmware, just so that everything matches, not sure what this would do to the bootloader though...

 

[mcmorariu]

Hmmm, quite the dilemma there...

It has to be a G930A/V/T/P/U motherboard based on download screen, but you've figured that out already.

Just curious, does the camera work? The camera module is different for Qualcomm vs. Exynos.
If it does, the seller/refurbisher/repair shop replaced it along w/ the motherboard.

Similarly, does the headphone jack work?
The audio hardware (DAC/Amp) on the Qualcomm vs Exynos daughter boards (which include the USB charge port & capacitive buttons) is different.

I know this because I've replaced my G930A motherboard w/ a G930W8 and ran through those issues...

I think the AP, CP, CSC etc can be changed if rooted using Xposed Framework, but I wasn't aware one was working for Qualcomm version, need more research...

And the biggest question in my mind is how the IMEI matches a supposed G930F phone. Maybe it was also changed w/ Xposed.

Flashing G930U would likely clean up all the G930F stuff, CSC would change to U, true IMEI would be revealed, and please note bootloader is locked and cannot be unlocked on Qualcomm motherboard.

I'd really like to understand this, very curious, do update once you figure it out.

Good luck w/ it.

 

[EngineManShawn]

I have an S7 SM-930U AT&T. I can only boot into download mode any suggestions?

Sent from my ONEPLUS6

 

[touqeer.tx]

It is G930A but IMEI is changed somehow to a G930F which might be dead or some other misfortune i live in pakistan same shady smartphone are available all across country.

Edit: use CPU-Z to confirm processor.

 

[yippeeyo]

Hi All,

{
@mcmorariu - welcome the mystery - thanks for your questions and interest:
The camera works fine - all modes including burst
The headphone jack also works fine - again all functions with an official pair of headphones (volume up/down & call end)
I thought the same about some xposed trickery, but the phone cannot be rooted because it would trip Knox - which everyone says cannot then be repaired.

The only thing that doesn't match on the case is the serial number, mine begins with a 'W' the Samsung store insist it should be an "R" as displayed in *#06# on the phone.

So I asked Samsung to look up the serial on the case - W2019****** - they found nothing.

They then looked up the IMEI on the phone - and it comes back as:
Model: SM-930V
SKU: G930VZDAVZW
Prod. S/N: RF8H8******
Shipping Date: 2016****
Shipping Country: USA
<Samsung.jpg attached>

What!, the phones engraved case shows:
SM-930F SAMSUNG YATELEY, GU46 6GG. UK
DESIGNED & ENGINEERED BY SAMSUNG
IMEI: 353450/**/******/0 S/N: W2019******
<Case.jpg attached>
}

{
@touqeer.tx - welcome to the mystery, I understand that this could be a shady handset, but why would counterfeiters or repairers go to so much trouble? (see pictures of engraved case + box and phone IMEI). The phone seems to be a legitimate Samsung, so it must cost almost the same to counterfeit?
CPU-Z shows:
SOC
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 2.15 GHz
Cores: 4
big.LITTLE: HMP (2 clusters)
Architecture: Kryo
Revision: r1p2
Process: 14 nm
Clock Speed: 307 MHz - 2.15 GHz
...
GPU Vendor: Qualcomm
GPU Renderer: Adreno (TM) 530 @ 624 Mhz

DEVICE
Samsung Galaxy S7 (SM-930F)
Brand: samsung
Board: MSM8996
Hardware: qcom

SYSTEM
Bootloader: G930AUCUACSF1
Build ID: R16NW.G930FXXU7CRH2
Kernel Version: 3.18.71-15151201 (G930FXXU7CRH2)
}


Edit:
I read the above and its quote complicated - here is the summary:
The phone case has SM-G930F, IMEI and Serial Number beginning with "W" engraved on it (see picture)
Samsung store says the IMEI belongs to SM-G930V, they cannot trace the serial beginning with "W" - they say the serial should begin with an "R"
Ultimately, the IMEI engraved on the case along with SM-G930F, is actually recorded by Samsung as belonging to SM-G930V (see picture).

Thoughts so far:
I thought the phone had been repaired and maybe IMEI changed - but Samsung confirmed the IMEI belongs to SM-G930V - with the same serial number prefix as is on the phone (see pic).
The Firmware has been changed to make the phone look like SM-G930F.
If repaired, what repair shop would go to the effort of re-engraving the case with the new IMEI and re-label the original box? < this seems like an extreme (and expensive) step.


Any questions or tests you would like me to do, please ask. I use this phone everyday and it works as it should.

I would really like to know whats in my pocket and get to the bottom of this... maybe also learn something.

 

[yippeeyo]

More flavour for the mystery:

The phone is running a SM-G930V board (according to Samsung).
Samsung state that SM-G930V does not support frequency 4G LTE B1 (L2100)
The SM-G930A BL and CSC on my phone seem to have enabled this, as I can pickup 4G LTE B1 (L2100) for Vodafone UK!
This is contrary to information that G930A/V/T/P/U frequencies are limited by hardware, looks like frequencies are controlled by firmware.

My research shows SM-G930U has the most bands out of G930A/V/T/P/U variants - only missing LTE B17 (used by North & Central American carriers)

 

[yippeeyo]

Firmware now updated to G930UUESACSF1

*#1234# now shows:
AP : G930UUESACSF1
CP : G930UUESACSF1
CSC : G930UUESACSF1

@touqeer.tx , the IMEI did not change, it is still the same as printed on the phone case and was listed before the update using *#06#

My questions following this:

1. Could someone have accidentally flashed S7 Qualcomm Firmware to an S7 Exynos Handset?

2. What would happen if I flashed G930F firmware to this handset? Would it just fail or brick the handset - has anyone tried? We know G930F PDA & CSC were previously installed and working with G930A AP & BL before I updated to G930UUESACSF1.

3. Could someone have repaired the original Exynos handset using a Qualcomm board and changed the IMEI on the board?, does anyone know if this is possible outside Samsung OEM repair without tripping Knox? Problem is Samsungs own records show this IMEI is a G930V - but the case shows IMEI with model G930F

4. Someone went to the following effort?
a. Changed the rear cover of the original G930V and had it engraved for a G930F using the original IMEI
b. Obtained G930F packaging and faked the stickers with the G930V's IMEI
c. Updated the G930V firmware with mix of G930A and G930F to make it look like a G930F

YYo

 

[Wattsensi]

Unlike S8, S9, S10, S20 or other newer generations, the Exynos S7/Note 7 models are superior to the Snapdragon models in performance and unlike them, they have unlockable bootloaders and the ability to have custom ROMs.

 

[Timbergetter2]

I am looking at an S7 phone that presents with almost identical characteristics to the OP’s phone. I’ll draw from yippeeyo’s posts indicating what’s identical and what’s different:

Identical Characteristics:

• The box states SM-G930F (64 bit Octo Core Processor)
  
• The IMEI is the same on the box, phone back and system info are all the same.
  
• The serial number on the phone case begins with “W” while an IMEI lookup reports a number starting with “R”.
  
• Odin Download opening screen produces identical values.
  
• Toggling OEM Unlock gives identical result.
  
• *#1234# gives identical result.
  
• “Phone Info” gives identical result.
  
• The phone, including camera works fine.
  
• CPU-Z gives the identical results.
  
• The phone is running a SM-G930V board. (confirmed by internal inspection)

Different Characteristics:

• The phone was purchased from a largish ebay supplier as a near new / unused SM-G930F phone.
  
• The phone back is a 3rd party item with no engraved information. A laminated stick-on label displayed SM-G930F, IMEI and S/N.

You may have thought your phone was a one-off concoction but in view of my experience I venture to say that there is someone out there in the dark phone building world that is working to a recipe and marketing deceptive products.

 

[olliebean]

Me too. Very annoyed, I bought it thinking I was getting an Exynos device that I could install a custom ROM on, ended up with an inferior and non-unlockable Snapdragon device.

I've raised a return request with eBay, which has been accepted by the seller almost immediately - I'm guessing he knows what he's selling is dodgy and is relying on most buyers not to know the difference.