Develop Bugs

SIM Unlock

I know its probably a "no no" to post HOW to SIM unlock this phone but I just want to know if there is a way to unlock it for free without calling t-mobile...i'm NOT asking for a how-to, i'm just asking if this information is out there somewhere...a how-to would be GREAT but totally understandable if it can't be posted...i just don't want to be out there on a wild goose chase trying to unlock this thing without having to pay $38 or calling t-mobile...
i saw an application in another subforum on this site but it says it is for PPC only and this is a smartphone so i don't think that'll work...

There's no free unlocker at the moment. My guess is someone will come up with a way to do it but I wouldn't hold my breath for it. If you are going to be using this phone, I suggest you pony up the cash for it.
You can't call T-Mo if you aren't a subscriber. If you are a subscriber, there's no problem in getting the unlock code, I got it within a week.

monakh, can you please provide more info about getting the unlock code from T-Mo? Did you purchase the phone from T-Mo? It surprises me that they would be willing to do this.

hassan-dash said:
I know its probably a "no no" to post HOW to SIM unlock this phone but I just want to know if there is a way to unlock it for free without calling t-mobile...i'm NOT asking for a how-to, i'm just asking if this information is out there somewhere...a how-to would be GREAT but totally understandable if it can't be posted...i just don't want to be out there on a wild goose chase trying to unlock this thing without having to pay $38 or calling t-mobile...
i saw an application in another subforum on this site but it says it is for PPC only and this is a smartphone so i don't think that'll work...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is wrong with paying $38 to get the phone SIM unlocked as well as CID unlocked (T-Mobile won't CID unlock the phone for you). The phone is useless unless you do it. I did mine through IMEI-CHECK and it took 2 minutes and I was up and running. It was well worth the $38

Dan, I think for most people not having the phone CID-unlocked is not a huge deal so I disagree with you that the phone is 'useless' without it. Very few people go through with the tinkering the way you and I do. Frankly, so far I have not come up against this limitation and I have tweaked the phone to my satisfaction.
Someone mentioned that there's a way to downgrade the bootloader to install (at least) the new HTC test ROM that's been mentioned lately in this forum. I am not sure how true that is but if it is, then CID unlock is unnecessary at the moment. I do agree though, that $38 is a small price to pay to be able to have the freedom to do as you like with your phone. I keep wondering how IMEI-check does it. I have a feeling they have someone working with them over at HTC to make this work. It's not technical ability, it may be something else. They had an unlocker within a day or two of the Dash release. Corporate espionage or internal collusion or technical expertise, I am not sure what it is but somehow I don't think this has anything to do with the technology. We saw similar behavior with the Universal unlock application earlier this year.
maddog, it's a well known/enforced T-Mo policy that if you have been a customer in good standing with them for 90 days and have not made a similar request in that period (this is my 7th year with them), they will handily supply you with an unlock code upon request. For most people it's not a problem but if you are switching to T-Mo just to get a phone then you will obviously have to wait. I have had several phones unlocked through them since Y2K and have never had a problem.

monakh said:
Dan, I think for most people not having the phone CID-unlocked is not a huge deal so I disagree with you that the phone is 'useless' without it. Very few people go through with the tinkering the way you and I do. Frankly, so far I have not come up against this limitation and I have tweaked the phone to my satisfaction.
Someone mentioned that there's a way to downgrade the bootloader to install (at least) the new HTC test ROM that's been mentioned lately in this forum. I am not sure how true that is but if it is, then CID unlock is unnecessary at the moment. I do agree though, that $38 is a small price to pay to be able to have the freedom to do as you like with your phone. I keep wondering how IMEI-check does it. I have a feeling they have someone working with them over at HTC to make this work. It's not technical ability, it may be something else. They had an unlocker within a day or two of the Dash release. Corporate espionage or internal collusion or technical expertise, I am not sure what it is but somehow I don't think this has anything to do with the technology. We saw similar behavior with the Universal unlock application earlier this year.
maddog, it's a well known/enforced T-Mo policy that if you have been a customer in good standing with them for 90 days and have not made a similar request in that period (this is my 7th year with them), they will handily supply you with an unlock code upon request. For most people it's not a problem but if you are switching to T-Mo just to get a phone then you will obviously have to wait. I have had several phones unlocked through them since Y2K and have never had a problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are on this forum you are probably interested in changing ROMs and modifying your Excalibur. I'm just dumbfounded that people are willing to buy this phone and then have it just sit there and not work because its not SIM unlocked and they don't want to pay an extra $38 to have it unlocked.
You still need to have your Dash CID unlocked to install the test ROM from HTC.

monakh said:
Someone mentioned that there's a way to downgrade the bootloader to install (at least) the new HTC test ROM that's been mentioned lately in this forum. I am not sure how true that is but if it is, then CID unlock is unnecessary at the moment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's right, if you flash the bootloader (SPL-1.11) published here, you will be able to flash any ROM without CID checking, so you don't need to CID-Unlock your device.
monakh said:
I keep wondering how IMEI-check does it. I have a feeling they have someone working with them over at HTC to make this work. It's not technical ability, it may be something else. They had an unlocker within a day or two of the Dash release. Corporate espionage or internal collusion or technical expertise, I am not sure what it is but somehow I don't think this has anything to do with the technology.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They buy preproduction units to start investigation earlier, disassemble them, take all the flash chips out, read them... and I'm sure they kill several devices before they can release an unlocker.
DanITman said:
You still need to have your Dash CID unlocked to install the test ROM from HTC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you just need to flash the RUU_Excalibur_SPL-1.11_UpgradeOnly.exe first, no need to CID-Unlock, really!

Wow, great info, thanks pof.
Dan, I think one year ago you could have said that 'if you are on this forum, you are tinkering with ROMs and the like' but I daresay this is no longer true. Nowadays (thanks to Google and word of mouth), you will see many a newbie coming here looking for free unlockers and hoping for a silver bullet to solve all their problems. Just look at some of the posts in the newer device forums from people who *just* signed up and you will know what I am talking about. I think it would be fair to say that this site is no longer limited to incredibly hard-core geeks the way it was 12-18 months ago which is a lifetime in Internet time. That's probably a good thing and a bad thing. It's good because it drives traffic to this site and keeps them afloat but it's bad in the same a small mom & pop shop grows to the size of a Walmart losing the focus on the individual.
It's just the nature of the beast.

monakh said:
" I keep wondering how IMEI-check does it. I have a feeling they have someone working with them over at HTC to make this work. It's not technical ability, it may be something else. They had an unlocker within a day or two of the Dash release. Corporate espionage or internal collusion or technical expertise, I am not sure what it is but somehow I don't think this has anything to do with the technology. We saw similar behavior with the Universal unlock application earlier this year."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Almost all of your unlocking software is conducted by using an a pattern matching check sum. If you are a programmer of any sorts and understand how a GUID data type is constructed then the concept of unlocking is similar. A GUID is a data type that is a globally or guaranteed unique identifiable value that can be traced down to the exact machine, date and time the value was created. This is done be cause of an algorithm that uses the date time, machine name and computes a value.
SIM Unlock apps do the same thing, it uses the IMEI number as part of it's alogrithm. There have been documents published on how Motorola does it's sequencing for Locking and Unlocking devices. Once you have that pattern it is just a matter of knowing where in the ROM's flash memory the check sum value is stored, with that the IMEI number and the pattern algorithm you should be able to unlock your phone.
Why do you suppose IMEI-CHECK was able to produce an unlocker only two days after the Excaliburs Release?, and not only for the Excalibur, but simular phones from the same manufacture? like the T-Mobile MDA and SDA?

RazrV3 said:
SIM Unlock apps do the same thing, it uses the IMEI number as part of it's alogrithm. There have been documents published on how Motorola does it's sequencing for Locking and Unlocking devices. Once you have that pattern it is just a matter of knowing where in the ROM's flash memory the check sum value is stored, with that the IMEI number and the pattern algorithm you should be able to unlock your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That might be true for Motorola, but it's completely different in HTC phones.
HTC phones are NetLocked and SimLocked using vendor specific AT command "[email protected]". The MSL code is a 8 digits string and has nothing to do with the phone's IMEI. If your phone is unlocked you can lock it to any MSL using this [email protected] command through the GSM AT command debugger ('rtask 7' or 'rtask b' bootloader command depending on which HTC device you're using).
imei-check only requests your imei to make sure you don't use their unlocker with other devices, but that's it, it is not used for computing the unlock code nor the radio patch.
Read here if you want understand it more deeply:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=280819&p=1046444

This was a great thread. Thanks pof for re-educating those that need it--not even a "thank you" from them. Especially those in denial of spending or "wasting" $38. I got my FREE unlock code from TMO (took about 5 business days) and have no problems with CID checks for at least the current HTC Excalibur ROM. Hopefully, the same will be case with future ROMs.

pof said:
That's right, if you flash the bootloader (SPL-1.11) published here, you will be able to flash any ROM without CID checking, so you don't need to CID-Unlock your device.
They buy preproduction units to start investigation earlier, disassemble them, take all the flash chips out, read them... and I'm sure they kill several devices before they can release an unlocker.
No, you just need to flash the RUU_Excalibur_SPL-1.11_UpgradeOnly.exe first, no need to CID-Unlock, really!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think so. My Dopod c720w is the Excalibur, as you all know, but I still can't downgrade my bootloader. It says : Invalid Model ID.
And by the way, my dopod is not SIM Locked. I don't know if it is CID Locked or not.
Any one have ideas?

Is there any free way to unlock the Dash ?

has the dash been cracked as yet ?
I have a IMEI check website ( apart from T-Mobile) is that the only way ?

Tical if you find it please let me know lol. So far, I've heard of the pay service and imo seems like the right way to go for the outcome...

Are you a t-mobile customer or did you get it from a t-mobile customer? Just call t-mobile and ask them for the unlock code. Worked for me.

jockyw has been designed a way to unlock those phones. But seems like topic has been abandoned

Whats The Fuss, T-Mobile Will Do It For You Free
nolageek said:
Are you a t-mobile customer or did you get it from a t-mobile customer? Just call t-mobile and ask them for the unlock code. Worked for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have two T-Mobile Dashes, which T-Mobile unlocked free of charge. As far as the CID unlock for my Dashes, I took the safe route and paided the $40.00. I have tried all the ROM'S for my device. Outside of the latest T-Mobile update ROM, if I were going to use another ROM on my device, it would be the latest wm6 ROM Rogers. I know that a lot of people are working on ways to SIM and and CID unlock the Dash/Excalibur, but their methods have not been perfected yet, neither are they users friendly. That's why people in the USA will still go across the pond to the UK to have this work done, not taking anything away from the developers on this website like my main jackw2001. I truly believe jackw2001 is working on a user friendly software for all, because that guy is a perfectest, who will never ever give up, until his project is perfect, just like we did with the first YouTube player..................!

Honestly, the instructions for getting around the CID issue as found at the following thread are so easy a caveman could do it:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=329605
My (even more simplified) instructions are:
1) go to that link and download Excalibur USPL- CID BYPASS.zip and SDA_ApplicationUnlock.zip
2) unzip both into the same directory.
3) follow the directions in the readme.txt inside Excalibur USPL- CID BYPASS.zip.
That's it. Super easy. If it was any easier, you'd have people doing drastic things to their phone without doing any research whatsoever. It's not THAT hard to figure this stuff out.

Which leaves outstanding the issue of the SIM lock. Jockeyw2001 posted he had cracked the sim lock and was going to release something for free. Asked for a volunteer. Then said he might or might not write something. Then disappeared and has not indicated whether he is even writing something. Or when. Or how he cracked.
His unexplained silence makes me wonder whether there ever really was a crack, if so whether it was ever going to be free, etc.
Is anybody else working on a free sim-unlock?

seems like he doesnt want to post it for everyone
look at him personal message
accept $$$ for simlock codes

Jackyw2001 Is Not That Kind of Guy
clueless11 said:
Which leaves outstanding the issue of the SIM lock. Jockeyw2001 posted he had cracked the sim lock and was going to release something for free. Asked for a volunteer. Then said he might or might not write something. Then disappeared and has not indicated whether he is even writing something. Or when. Or how he cracked.
His unexplained silence makes me wonder whether there ever really was a crack, if so whether it was ever going to be free, etc.
Is anybody else working on a free sim-unlock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't give on jackyw2001, believe me, he will make a awesome come back, he just wants to make his software perfect and easy for all users.......!

you may be right. you may not be. i don't know. but he was able to post when he was offering a free program and looking for volunteers, and then later posted he might or might not, and then after he got the volunteer stopped responding to posts at all. that invites skepticism, don't you think?

[Q] When can we expect root w/o unlocking bootloader?

How long does it usually take after release for a developer to come up with a way to root without unlocking the bootloader? From my understanding, this would make it easier to claim warranty since your IMEI is not registered with HTC as unlocked, so if your phone were partially softbricked you can send it in and cover any tracks of a root. Feel free to correct me if everything I said is BS
edit:
by usually, I mean in the past with other HTC phones
edit 2:
after some digging I came across a dev who is actively working on this. For anyone else who's wondering, check here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1576844&highlight=one+x&page=10

What your asking cant be answered, its like asking how long is a piece of string. It will take as long as it takes and it is possible that it may never be done.

toastyy said:
edit 2:
after some digging I came across a dev who is actively working on this. For anyone else who's wondering, check here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1576844&highlight=one+x&page=10
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If only you had done that first!

[Q] Unlocking Roger's Galaxy S3 (I747M) Running 4.3

Hey there, currently I am using Roger's Samsung Galaxy S3, I747M. I was using the stock 4.1.1 for a long time and then I rooted my device. Sometime after, I grew bored of 4.1.1 and upgraded to the new 4.3. I currently have Clockwork Recovery installed, though I don't remember which version (If it's relevant, I will get it). That being said, from what I remember, I got a stock version of 4.3 from SamsMobile or something like that. BUT, when I go to Settings > About > Software Update > Update, I get a message saying "Your device has been modified. Software updates are not available". Whether or not that means I have a proper stock ROM or not, I don't know. I'm fairly new at this.
All that being said, I'm looking to unlock my device so that I can use either a T-Mobile SIM while visiting the USA or a Wind SIM. Both companies have significantly better cellphone plans with USA Roaming.
That being said, Rogers charges $50 for a unlock. I've found numerous website that also unlock the phone for an average of $20 to $35. There's a local Kiosk in the mall near my house which also does it for $30 or $35 (I forget which). After extensive Google and XDA searching, I've also found a few different methods, though I don't know their effectiveness.
The first and most obvious one is the disabling of the SHA256. Referring to this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2176719
From what I understand, I'm not able to do this unless I downgrade my Android from 4.3 to 4.0.1 or 4.1.1 . I really don't want to do this as I really like 4.3 . Also, I'm not sure if I'm able to as I am aware that upgrading to 4.3 might have changed my bootloader type, preventing me from downgrading. How to check that, I don't know.
I've also found a tool that can unlock your device for you, though the original thread has been locked:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3/general/17-02-2013-samsung-network-sim-unlock-t1731931
That being said, I've found a wordpress that contains the newer version of the unlocker tool, but whether or not it works and is safe, I haven't the slightest. Having tried downloading the tool, you need a login which comes from a text file, which you have to like something on Facebook for, etc. I did that but the password text wouldn't send so I wasn't able to try. Here's the site:
http://samsungnetworksimunlock.wordpress.com/
Myriad of unlock sites; which are good/trustworthy? I have no idea:
http://samsung-updates.com/
http://www.unlockediphone.me/
http://www.unlockyourphone.me/
http://www.unlocksamsungonline.com/
There are tons more that I've seen and been to that I haven't listed. Don't know which to use, if any.
SO, what it comes down to. What should I do to unlock my device? What is the best method? I would like to do it for free if possible obviously but I'm not sure how to go about it. Has anyone tried any of the above methods with success? Baring in mind my 4.3 circumstances and that I live in Canada on Rogers. Thoughts? Suggestions? Questions?
TL;DR - Need to unlock my phone, there's some complications. Unfortunately i can't condense the whole story, what do?

Isuress said:
Hey there, currently I am using Roger's Samsung Galaxy S3, I747M. I was using the stock 4.1.1 for a long time and then I rooted my device. Sometime after, I grew bored of 4.1.1 and upgraded to the new 4.3. I currently have Clockwork Recovery installed, though I don't remember which version (If it's relevant, I will get it). That being said, from what I remember, I got a stock version of 4.3 from SamsMobile or something like that. BUT, when I go to Settings > About > Software Update > Update, I get a message saying "Your device has been modified. Software updates are not available". Whether or not that means I have a proper stock ROM or not, I don't know. I'm fairly new at this.
All that being said, I'm looking to unlock my device so that I can use either a T-Mobile SIM while visiting the USA or a Wind SIM. Both companies have significantly better cellphone plans with USA Roaming.
That being said, Rogers charges $50 for a unlock. I've found numerous website that also unlock the phone for an average of $20 to $35. There's a local Kiosk in the mall near my house which also does it for $30 or $35 (I forget which). After extensive Google and XDA searching, I've also found a few different methods, though I don't know their effectiveness.
The first and most obvious one is the disabling of the SHA256. Referring to this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2176719
From what I understand, I'm not able to do this unless I downgrade my Android from 4.3 to 4.0.1 or 4.1.1 . I really don't want to do this as I really like 4.3 . Also, I'm not sure if I'm able to as I am aware that upgrading to 4.3 might have changed my bootloader type, preventing me from downgrading. How to check that, I don't know.
I've also found a tool that can unlock your device for you, though the original thread has been locked:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3/general/17-02-2013-samsung-network-sim-unlock-t1731931
That being said, I've found a wordpress that contains the newer version of the unlocker tool, but whether or not it works and is safe, I haven't the slightest. Having tried downloading the tool, you need a login which comes from a text file, which you have to like something on Facebook for, etc. I did that but the password text wouldn't send so I wasn't able to try. Here's the site:
http://samsungnetworksimunlock.wordpress.com/
Myriad of unlock sites; which are good/trustworthy? I have no idea:
http://samsung-updates.com/
http://www.unlockediphone.me/
http://www.unlockyourphone.me/
http://www.unlocksamsungonline.com/
There are tons more that I've seen and been to that I haven't listed. Don't know which to use, if any.
SO, what it comes down to. What should I do to unlock my device? What is the best method? I would like to do it for free if possible obviously but I'm not sure how to go about it. Has anyone tried any of the above methods with success? Baring in mind my 4.3 circumstances and that I live in Canada on Rogers. Thoughts? Suggestions? Questions?
TL;DR - Need to unlock my phone, there's some complications. Unfortunately i can't condense the whole story, what do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my 2 cents, the 2 links for unlock tools (not unlock websites in which you gotta pay) are useless... first one is for international, second is fake since it require surveys
and I've never used any unlock sites to buy unlock keys so I can't tell you
though back to my question, if you were on 4.1.1, why didn't you unlock it then before you update to 4.3..

pcshano said:
my 2 cents, the 2 links for unlock tools (not unlock websites in which you gotta pay) are useless... first one is for international, second is fake since it require surveys
and I've never used any unlock sites to buy unlock keys so I can't tell you
though back to my question, if you were on 4.1.1, why didn't you unlock it then before you update to 4.3..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey there! I think the tools might actually work if I don't find some weird survey version. for example, the unlocker on the SamsungUpdat site is actually one of the earlier release versions that did jellybean. I'd need to find testimonials for that though before I decide to drop a 3 euro donation. And to answer your other question, at the time I wasn't aware I was ever going to be interested in unlocking my phone. Let alone spending this much time to figure it out. That being said, say I did know I'd want to unlock in the future, I still wasn't aware that if I updated I would be able to keep the phone unlocked. As in, keeping the unlock through the update. I only just found out that the unlock involved another partition of the phone other than the one the OS takes place on. So, if I do manage to downgrade, if I were to unlock and the update back to 4.3 it would keep the unlock?

Isuress said:
Hey there! I think the tools might actually work if I don't find some weird survey version. for example, the unlocker on the SamsungUpdat site is actually one of the earlier release versions that did jellybean. I'd need to find testimonials for that though before I decide to drop a 3 euro donation. And to answer your other question, at the time I wasn't aware I was ever going to be interested in unlocking my phone. Let alone spending this much time to figure it out. That being said, say I did know I'd want to unlock in the future, I still wasn't aware that if I updated I would be able to keep the phone unlocked. As in, keeping the unlock through the update. I only just found out that the unlock involved another partition of the phone other than the one the OS takes place on. So, if I do manage to downgrade, if I were to unlock and the update back to 4.3 it would keep the unlock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once you're unlock, it'll stay unlock but if your bootloader is mjb, as of now, there's no possible downgrade yet
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

pcshano said:
Once you're unlock, it'll stay unlock but if your bootloader is mjb, as of now, there's no possible downgrade yet
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do I go about checking what version my bootloader is? Also, if I do end up downgrading, which method is the best for unlocking?

It's in setting->about phone under baseband version
And there's a free unlock method which had been floating around but it required stock 4.1.1 in order to do it
and again if your bootloader is MJB (most likely be the case), I'd advice you not to be foolish and downgrade cuz it'd brick your phone
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

pcshano said:
It's in setting->about phone under baseband version
And there's a free unlock method which has been floating around but it requires stock 4.1.1 in order to do it
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're referring to this:
isuress; said:
The first and most obvious one is the disabling of the SHA256. Referring to this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2176719
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already mentioned that in the original post. That looks to me like a software related unlocked which I would feel would get reset when I upgrade back to 4.3. Is this not true? That being said, what exactly does disabling SHA256 do? From what I understand, it's actually an encryption algorithm. Is my data no longer encrypted once turning this feature off?
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
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"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
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Here's my About. Not sure what I'm looking for.

Isuress said:
If you're referring to this:
I already mentioned that in the original post. That looks to me like a software related unlocked which I would feel would get reset when I upgrade back to 4.3. Is this not true? That being said, what exactly does disabling SHA256 do? From what I understand, it's actually an encryption algorithm. Is my data no longer encrypted once turning this feature off?
Here's my About. Not sure what I'm looking for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry, I forgot your phone is i747M not i747
but in any case MK4 is the same as MJB
if you want free unlock, you have to wait for someone to find a way to remove KNOX so that you can downgrade to 4.1.1 for free unlock
although if you're looking for a way to downgrade the rom to 4.1.1 there is a way, but the bootloader still stay as 4.3 and with the 4.3 bootloader, you won't be able to do the free unlocking method
and to answer your question, no it's not. and I do not know what disabling SHA256 do as I've never used such software to help me unlock, also the link you posted gave me a 404 error
this might be a good read for you
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2625461

pcshano said:
I'm sorry, I forgot your phone is i747M not i747
but in any case MK4 is the same as MJB
if you want free unlock, you have to wait for someone to find a way to remove KNOX so that you can downgrade to 4.1.1 for free unlock
although if you're looking for a way to downgrade the rom to 4.1.1 there is a way, but the bootloader still stay as 4.3 and with the 4.3 bootloader, you won't be able to do the free unlocking method
and to answer your question, no it's not. and I do not know what disabling SHA256 do as I've never used such software to help me unlock, also the link you posted gave me a 404 error
this might be a good read for you
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2625461
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If we're still taking about the "SHA256[OFF]" method, I'm not sure if I feel comfortable doing that one. I also feel like once I downgrade, disable SHA256 and then go back to 4.3, that those settings will not carry over. Are there really no other methods?

Isuress said:
If we're still taking about the "SHA256[OFF]" method, I'm not sure if I feel comfortable doing that one. I also feel like once I downgrade, disable SHA256 and then go back to 4.3, that those settings will not carry over. Are there really no other methods?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and no as long as KNOX is present
the only current working unlock is sadly to say, you have to pay for unlock code and the prices are varies
and as for that, I won't be of help because as I mentioned, I've never pay for any unlock code so I have no say in what will work and what not
Sorry.

pcshano said:
and no as long as KNOX is present
the only current working unlock is sadly to say, you have to pay for unlock code and the prices are varies
and as for that, I won't be of help because as I mentioned, I've never pay for any unlock code so I have no say in what will work and what not
Sorry.
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Click to collapse
I'm assuming KNOX is that little triangle notification thing that shows up on certain pages that says how many times you've messed with your device? I wasn't aware this little counter was a determent to anything?
Well, thanks anyway I suppose. Hopefully more people will start looking at the thread. Unfortunately it seems like this board moves slowly. I'm afraid of paying for an unlock for the most part. I'd need someone with unlocking experience to give me some feedback before anything.

Isuress said:
I'm assuming KNOX is that little triangle notification thing that shows up on certain pages that says how many times you've messed with your device? I wasn't aware this little counter was a determent to anything?
Well, thanks anyway I suppose. Hopefully more people will start looking at the thread. Unfortunately it seems like this board moves slowly. I'm afraid of paying for an unlock for the most part. I'd need someone with unlocking experience to give me some feedback before anything.
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Click to collapse
I'm assuming so myself, I know what knox is but have never actually experience it.. my bootloader is still MJ2 which is the leaked version 4.3 that doesn't come with knox
and with that being said, don't get your hope up, because there hasn't any success in downgrading from 4.3 bootloader without bricking your phone

pcshano said:
I'm assuming so myself, I know what knox is but have never actually experience it.. my bootloader is still MJ2 which is the leaked version 4.3 that doesn't come with knox
and with that being said, don't get your hope up, because there hasn't any success in downgrading from 4.3 bootloader without bricking your phone
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Click to collapse
From what I've read, it's near to impossible to fully brick your Samsung Galaxy S3 phone? I've seen a bunch of threads regarding unbricking it regardless of situation. Here's an example:
http://smartphonerepairsdiy.weebly....r-unbrick-samsung-galaxy-s3-all-versions.html

Isuress said:
From what I've read, it's near to impossible to fully brick your Samsung Galaxy S3 phone? I've seen a bunch of threads regarding unbricking it regardless of situation. Here's an example:
http://smartphonerepairsdiy.weebly....r-unbrick-samsung-galaxy-s3-all-versions.html
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Click to collapse
that might be true, but i'm sure you don't want to risk it, because whether it's soft brick or hard brick, it's still a pain to fix it

pcshano said:
that might be true, but i'm sure you don't want to risk it, because whether it's soft brick or hard brick, it's still a pain to fix it
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Click to collapse
Agreed. I just wish the form was more active.

Isuress said:
I'm assuming KNOX is that little triangle notification thing that shows up on certain pages that says how many times you've messed with your device? I wasn't aware this little counter was a determent to anything?
Well, thanks anyway I suppose. Hopefully more people will start looking at the thread. Unfortunately it seems like this board moves slowly. I'm afraid of paying for an unlock for the most part. I'd need someone with unlocking experience to give me some feedback before anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Knox is really a security system designed mostly with enterprise systems in mind. The problems with free unlocking your phone goes beyond Knox and really underscores the ongoing cycle of 'catch-up' games between Ol' Sam and the development community. The unlock exploit was first discovered in Android 4.1.1. Then Sam tried to close the exploit by removing it in JB 4.1.2. No problem. We simply went round by downgrading to 4.1.1, utilizing the exploit then upgraded back to 4.1.2. Now Sam went further by closing the downgrade loophole. It would appear the unlock exploit is really in the 4.1.1 radio. By linking the 4.3JB modem tightly to the bootloader and making the latter so secure as to be non-modifiable, the exploit appears closed - at least, for now. Please don't risk bricking your phone by trying any methods that may not work. The only sure thing for now is to get unlock code from the carrier or purchase one online.
If you are looking for a reliable service, you can try maingsmserver.com. I am not making any endorsements but I have used them several times with success each time.

Larry2999 said:
Knox is really a security system designed mostly with enterprise systems in mind. The problems with free unlocking your phone goes beyond Knox and really underscores the ongoing cycle of 'catch-up' games between Ol' Sam and the development community. The unlock exploit was first discovered in Android 4.1.1. Then Sam tried to close the exploit by removing it in JB 4.1.2. No problem. We simply went round by downgrading to 4.1.1, utilizing the exploit then upgraded back to 4.1.2. Now Sam went further by closing the downgrade loophole. It would appear the unlock exploit is really in the 4.1.1 radio. By linking the 4.3JB modem tightly to the bootloader and making the latter so secure as to be non-modifiable, the exploit appears closed - at least, for now. Please don't risk bricking your phone by trying any methods that may not work. The only sure thing for now is to get unlock code from the carrier or purchase one online.
If you are looking for a reliable service, you can try maingsmserver.com. I am not making any endorsements but I have used them several times with success each time.
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Click to collapse
This clears up a lot of my curiosity on how the whole process works. I'm still curious as to what disabling SHA256 does. I'm aware it's a form of encryption but does that mean afterwards, my dad is all transferred and synced unencrypted?
Yeah, at this point, I might just have to go with getting a code somewhere but it really comes down to where. I just want something cheap. Less than $20. I'd part with $15 or something from a website. I'd love to go with my carrier but unfortunately Rogers is charging $50 for that. I was on the phone with a rep for a good hour discussing the possibility of it getting waived and all that business. She was very kind and offered other things but she was unable to waive the fee unfortunately. Even after talking with 3 different departments and her supervisor, lol.
There's a Kiosk in my local mall that does it for $30 but that's $10 more than I want to spend, haha. The site you linked is somewhat confusing and from what I'm seeing, it might be a bit too expensive? Also, I think the prices are in USD, not CAD so they'd be more probably.
Out of curiosity, do you know, or anyone reading this thread, know the process these companies, Kiosks or Carriers go through to obtain the unlock code? Is it a program? Do they call someone? The manufacturer maybe? I'd definitely work around this process if I knew how. I'm very interested in how the whole thing works.

Isuress said:
If we're still taking about the "SHA256[OFF]" method, I'm not sure if I feel comfortable doing that one. I also feel like once I downgrade, disable SHA256 and then go back to 4.3, that those settings will not carry over. Are there really no other methods?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once you unlock, it stays unlocked forever. It doesn't matter how you unlock it.

Isuress said:
This clears up a lot of my curiosity on how the whole process works. I'm still curious as to what disabling SHA256 does. I'm aware it's a form of encryption but does that mean afterwards, my dad is all transferred and synced unencrypted?
Yeah, at this point, I might just have to go with getting a code somewhere but it really comes down to where. I just want something cheap. Less than $20. I'd part with $15 or something from a website. I'd love to go with my carrier but unfortunately Rogers is charging $50 for that. I was on the phone with a rep for a good hour discussing the possibility of it getting waived and all that business. She was very kind and offered other things but she was unable to waive the fee unfortunately. Even after talking with 3 different departments and her supervisor, lol.
There's a Kiosk in my local mall that does it for $30 but that's $10 more than I want to spend, haha. The site you linked is somewhat confusing and from what I'm seeing, it might be a bit too expensive? Also, I think the prices are in USD, not CAD so they'd be more probably.
Out of curiosity, do you know, or anyone reading this thread, know the process these companies, Kiosks or Carriers go through to obtain the unlock code? Is it a program? Do they call someone? The manufacturer maybe? I'd definitely work around this process if I knew how. I'm very interested in how the whole thing works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't worry myself too much about the SHA256 protocol. There's a lot we are still learning about the unlock process. The key thing to understand is that, when the unlock is properly done, it survives all firmware changes and is impossible to reverse. For the commercial online services, it's always one of two options - either they have access to the official database or they've been able to figure out the key algorithm for generating the unlock codes. There is nothing random about how IMEIs are generated and there is always a key relationship between all the different parameters (phone model, carrier, country, unlock code, unfreeze code etc.).
The unlock codes for Samsung Canada on maingsmserver.com costs $28. You could try the Canada networks service which is much less but may not be as sure. From what I've seen around though, you should be wary about anything going for less than $20. Plenty of scams out there.

petenatas said:
Once you unlock, it stays unlocked forever. It doesn't matter how you unlock it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does that mean once you've disabled SHA256, which causes the phone to unlock, when you upgrade back to 4.2 or 4.3 that the unlock is retained AND SHA256 is re-enabled? Or does it just retain the unlock and SHA256 stays disabled? If the first situation is the case, then I might consider going through the hassle of downgrading and then re-upgrading?
Larry2999 said:
I wouldn't worry myself too much about the SHA256 protocol. There's a lot we are still learning about the unlock process. The key thing to understand is that, when the unlock is properly done, it survives all firmware changes and is impossible to reverse. For the commercial online services, it's always one of two options - either they have access to the official database or they've been able to figure out the key algorithm for generating the unlock codes. There is nothing random about how IMEIs are generated and there is always a key relationship between all the different parameters (phone model, carrier, country, unlock code, unfreeze code etc.).
The unlock codes for Samsung Canada on maingsmserver.com costs $28. You could try the Canada networks service which is much less but may not be as sure. From what I've seen around though, you should be wary about anything going for less than $20. Plenty of scams out there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was under the impression they probably had some sort of Database or something of that caliber. I can't imagine they have some sort of generator because if that was the case, I'm sure something like that would have leaked by now by some employee, no?
For $28, I might as well go to the local Kiosk in my mall and have it done there. If I could find it for $15 or less, then maybe I'd do it online? Though, the SHA256 option is looking more promising. Though, that's assuming SHA256 re-enables itself while retaining unlock once the phones been updated. The idea of having some sort of data encryption disable bothers me for some reason. Unless you can explain how it's really no different than having it on?

sm-n975u help

hi all im new to all this and I have a sm-n975u and was wanting to see if I can get some help with info.
1. Can I and how to get off sprint
2. Imei repair
3. Is it able to be rooted
I was able to get to download screen, recovery screen, etc. So I flashed all factory files on it using odin just to see if it would work and all worked 100% so I don't see why I can't do the above things. Thanks everyone in advance

https://forum.xda-developers.com/ga...ounty-sm-n975u1-note-10-usa-unlocked-t4006249

Morbidinc said:
1. Can I and how to get off sprint
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as your phone qualifies and is paid off you can just call sprint and ask them to carrier unlock it.
If your phone is not paid off -or- you purchased a used phone that is financed then no one can help you here (forum rules prohibit this)
Morbidinc said:
2. Imei repair
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Click to collapse
If you want a proper answer your going to have to provide what it is your wanting to do with the IMEI. Commonly people are trying to change or recover an IMEI.
If your asking how to change an IMEI then I'm 96% confident forum rules prohibit this too. The IMEI is like a VIN on a car... changing it (same as unlocking a financed phone) is not exactly legal and could land XDA in some legal problems for allowing the discussion. This is where the forum rules come into play.
If you lost your IMEI your pretty much out of luck and will most likely need a new motherboard.
Morbidinc said:
3. Is it able to be rooted
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Click to collapse
Not yet and no time frame for when it will be (if it ever can be). Refer to the bounty thread (the one linked above by raul6) for more info on the subject.

Thank you for the info, my phone is paid off yes and I was given codes but they did nothing, as far as imei repair it but more so on what might fall under prohibited. I wasn't aware that would be against on anyone giving info for so thank you for letting me know that as well .... guess that only leaves root and I'm guessing this is one that can't have that done as well lol. Looking like this is another to just toss in the kitchen drawer ?

Morbidinc said:
Thank you for the info, my phone is paid off yes and I was given codes but they did nothing,
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Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure sprint still uses some sort of OTA carrier/sim unlock method and not a code you enter.
You might want to get a hold of sprint and and make sure they gave you the correct information.

Okay ill do that today since I tried what they gave me and it did nothing, was three codes that really didn't let me change a thing one of course was the MSL the other a PUK code and the other id have to find what I wrote down. I'm guessing they may not have understood what I was asking them for. I was very clear about switching companies so I figured that was enough but apparently not lol. Thanks for the info.