You have a Samsung galaxy tab bound to an operator and you want to unlock it.
I’ve been through a thorough search in the internet and finally I got a solution. My tab is now free. It’s a bit complex, but not impossible.
Below, I’ll give a very clear and detailed description of the whole procedure you have to go through to unlock your tablet.
I you follow all the steps, you will be sure to get the expected result.
Step 1: Root your tab
[ why root the tablet: unlocking the tablet requires access to hidden system files in the root. The root is not normally made accessible to the standard users]
- From the web, search a Root package (easy to find on the web, just google ‘galaxy’ ‘root zip’ you’ll get a small zip file, it may be root.zip, root2.zip, doesn’t matter),
- download the root zip file,
- Copy it to your tab and remember exactly the folder where you paste it.
- Turn off you tab,
- Press simultaneously the volume (-) and power buttons and continue pressing until you got a system screen with two items menu (download, and …),
- Press the volume (-) again to navigate through the two items of the menu, select upgrade,
- In the top of the screen, you’ll get a list menu with 4 items. Scroll to item “install from SDCard” (use volume (-) and (-) to scroll),
- Press power button to select,
- You’ll have to select the root zip folder, navigate through the folder structure using volume (-) (+) buttons,
- Press the power button to execute the zip file,
- Rooting operation will start, you’ll see many progress messages, just wait until the whole process finishes, it takes few seconds.
- Navigate back the menu item “reboot the tab”, press power button.
[ Your tablet will reboot now, you will notice no change, but the change is there, your tablet is now rooted]
Step 2: Preparing to unlock
- From the market, install the free app “super user”,
- Open the newly created shortcut “super user” and validate any message you get, close if necessary, [the SuperUser is an app that will work in the background and grant permissions –when necessary- to other applications to access root. Without it, rooting a tab is meaningless],
- From the market, install “root manager”,[root manager is now your file manager that can go deep through the folder structure and access root folders],
- Launch the “root manager”, the first time you do that, you’ll be prompted to allow “Super User” to grant permissions to “root manager”, allow that,
- Take some time to make yourself familiar with “root manager”, it’s a very simple but powerful file manager,
- Now go back to serious work, locate the folder \efs at the root, [efs folder is very important, it holds all the information to validate your tablet to the GSM/3G operator, it validates the authenticity of your IMEI]
- Just make a copy of the whole folder and save it in a safe place – your PC or a memory stick-. We’ll be back later to this copy, continue now on the tab,
- Open \efs folder, locate the file nv_data.bin,
- Make a copy of nv_data.bin in the same folder \efs and rename the file eg: ORIGINAL_nv_data.bin,
- Delete all the files in the \efs folder except nv.log. Don’t delete the sub folders ( you should normally have the following sub folders .files, imei, gyro….),
- Now leave the tablet powered on (don’t turn off) and move to your PC to continue job,
Step 3: Molding the nv_data.bin file
- In the copy of the \efs folder that you previously made, locate the original file nv_data.bin,
- Make a copy of this file somewhere in your PC. That’s the copy you will be working on,
- Edit nv_data.bin with HexEdit.[ If you are not familiar with depths of binary files, don’t be daunted by the array of codes and bytes],
- Locate the byte 0x181469, it should read 01 value, just edit it to 00 value, do nothing more, just save and exit,
- Now you have created the molded copy of nv_data.bin,
- You need to move this copy of nv_data.bin onto your tablet, either using a memory stick or by USB cable. Paste the file in the \efs folder,
Step 4: tweaking the molded nv_data.bin file
- Now that you pasted the molded nv_data.bin to \efs folder, it needs some minor adjustments before being used,
- In the “root manager”, press and hold on the newly pasted nv_data.bin,
- You’ll get a menu, select properties,
- In the properties box, check all the 9 options (read, write, execute), leave the others,
- Save and exit root manager,
- Go the market and install the free app “terminal emulator”,
- Launch the terminal emulator, accept any message for super user permission,
- In the terminal emulator, execute the following commands [press enter after each line of command]:
o su
o chown 1001:radio \efs\nv_dat.bin
o reboot
- It’s done, your tablet will reboot unlocked.
Verification to make sure everything is OK
- Go to settings, about device, status. Make sure you have a valid IMEI number, the one you have printed on the back of your tablet, not the fake one: 00004**********,
- Insert a valid SIM module, you’ll be promted to enter PIN code if configured so,
- Enter PIN code,
- Enter the APN provided by your operator (necessary to access internet 3G),
ENJOY FREELY
I have rooted AT&T version of tab 8.9, and there is no \efs\nv_dat.bin file on it...
hi
sir can you post an edited nv_data.bin? i cant hex it.. it says it cannot find the bytes you provide TIA
Same for me, /efs folder is completely empty?
no nv-data.bin at all, i tried everything with no luck.
efs folder has some files but no nv_data.bin
I know this is an old post but install from SD card doesn't work in my recovery mode because there is no SD slot. How else can I install the files?
Credits go to the original @EX3cutor for the original solution posted in http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1606474
but for android kitkat / jellybean there's a slight change in the values:
1) install a file manager who can get root access (es file explorer is a nice one)
2) open the file manager and make sure you have root access, then mount /system as r/w
3) go to /system/usr/idc/
4) open sec_e-pen.idc in a text editor and change the value to one of the following:
Remove cursor
touch.deviceType = touchScreen
(for mouse pointer off)
Enable cursor
touch.deviceType = pointer
(for mouse pointer on)
tested it on slimkat just now and it works for me, hope i can make some other people happy here as well
Thanks to help from Drummerjed, for doing more than making this mod, but for teaching me to do it myself.
I leave here the framework-res.apk modified by me (for cm10.2 stable version only) and the guide made by Drummerjed
by Drummerjed:
"Hi, it's very easy to do:
1.Download the latest version of Tickle My Android from here - http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1633333
2. Install it using the instructions in the first post
3. Open Tickle My Android and select Option 2 (Theming Menu)
4.Then select Option 2 (Pull Files From Device)
5. Connect your phone to your PC, make sure you have ADB installed correctly on your PC and 'USB debugging' is enabled on your phone
6. Select Option 1 to pull framework-res.apk from your phone
7. When it asks you if you'd like to decompile the file say yes
8. Then select yes again when it asks you if you'd like to install the file to the PC
9. Go to the '_working' folder in the 'TickleMyAndroid' directory and open the 'framework-res.apk' folder
10. Navigate to 'res/values/dimens.xml' and open 'dimens.xml' with notepad++
11. You should see "navigation_bar_height" "navigation_bar_height_landscape" and "navigation_bar_width" near the top of the list
12. Change the values of these strings to 36.0dip, 36.0dip and 32.0dip in that order
13. Save the file. Close Tickle My Android if it's already open, then launch it again
14. Select Option 2 (Theming Menu) again
15. Then select Option 14 (Recompile Files)
16. Select Option 2 (Recompile App With Original Signature)
17. Select "framework-res.apk" then say yes to recompile it
18. The new "framework-res.apk" file will be in the '_out' folder in the 'TickleMyAndroid' directory
19. Now simply push this file to your phone and move it to /system/framework and overwrite when prompted. Or you can create a flashable zip with Tickle My Android, just select Option 17 from the Theming Menu
Hope this helps. This guide should work with all future versions of Android."
To use my framework-res.apk modified just use some app file manager (eg root explorer) and put in the folder /system/framework. For me to put the apk the device reboots automatically but it works.
Remember to make a backup before, it may give some wrong things ok!
I found a way to make this modification. Later I put here the framework-res.apk changed.
And a little tutorial how to do, and the credits of who showed me how.
Hey,
i just got a new tablet for me and my wife and was shocked, that the android multiuser feature is disabled in EMUI 4 (MM).
So, since i've a rooted device, i just tried something working on other devices:
1. Get rooted - no way around i think (probably adb...?)
2. Get a root file manager with notepad (e.g. ES Explorer)
3. Navigate to /system/build.prop and open it with editor
4. Add the following 2 lines at the end:
Code:
fw.max_users=3
fw.show_multiuserui=1
5. Exit and save, reboot.
6. Check Settings -> User
7. Be Happy.
Hope this helps someone!
Greetings, Chris
.sirhc said:
Hey,
i just got a new tablet for me and my wife and was shocked, that the android multiuser feature is disabled in EMUI 4 (MM).
So, since i've a rooted device, i just tried something working on other devices:
1. Get rooted - no way around i think (probably adb...?)
2. Get a root file manager with notepad (e.g. ES Explorer)
3. Navigate to /system/build.prop and open it with editor
4. Add the following 2 lines at the end:
Code:
fw.max_users=3
fw.show_multiuserui=1
5. Exit and save, reboot.
6. Check Settings -> User
7. Be Happy.
Hope this helps someone!
Greetings, Chris
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this. You should probably move this post to the "Guides" subforum if you can (mods, please help)
All info here: https://gitlab.com/fusionjack/adhell3
"Adhell3 is merely an app that is using the Samsung Knox SDK APIs.
In order to use these APIs, the Knox SDK and a KPE Development license key are needed.
These are Samsung's properties which are not available in this repository and therefore they need to be downloaded and obtained by the developer after accepting the agreement given by Samsung.
The developer is then responsible how this app will be used and I don't take any responsibilities of any damages caused by this app."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Install Notes:
-Generate License Key: You need two keys: KPE key and backwards-compatible key
-Build your app
-Install the app
-Activating
1. Grant the app administrator privileges.
2. Enter your license key.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
For those who lazy, you can try my build attachment
If the app fails to activate, it's usually because of one or more of the three following reasons:
1. The key it should be a 35 character long key that begins with KLM. (eg: KLM06-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX . Do not delete the "-"s. Copy/paste the key as given by Samsung)
2. Your package ID was black listed. (uninstall app > rename apk package ID > install again)
=>Rename your APK package ID as unique of a name as possible:
-use any tool apps for edit apk
eg: Apk Editor Pro_ver_1.8.28(not use newer)
-Open APK Editor Pro
-Choose "Select an APK File" and find the downloaded apk file
-Select "Common Edit"
-Edit the "Package name" field and change it to a unique name.
+It's best to stick to the same package ID length. 3.12.8 characters
+If you use same name each time, you should be able to just install updates over your existing AdHell 3.
+Ensure "Rename the package name in resources.arsc" is checked.
-Press Save.
-Select "Install".
3. Your license key was suspended.
=> Generate a new key and use that.
It's recommended to look at all 3 possibilities before trying again.
If you get an 201 error, try closing and re-opening the app.