yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Galaxy S 4 General] bala_gamer:
Wow, 9500 is coming with 3.4.5 kernel, may be it has something to do with.

《posted from s3》
[Galaxy S 4 General] jutley:
Uk i9005 here write protection enabled damm.
[Galaxy S 4 General] hung2900:
Reconfirm: My I9500 (vietnam version) has an unlocked bootloader.
[Galaxy S 4 General] Ussy:
Let me get this straight...

The I9500 will have limited custom rom support due to Samsung not releasing Exynos source code so they left the bootloader unlocked.

The I9505 would have had good custom rom support due to Qualcomm being developer friendly so Samsung put a stop to that by locking the bootloader?

What a **** move there Samsung...
[Galaxy S 4 General] dondavis007:
Damn, this was really bad news. Ill check my ordered phone and it will go right back if its locked .

Skickat från min Nexus 7 via Tapatalk 2
[Galaxy S 4 General] MaKTaiL:
I'm starting to have second thoughts about buying this phone.

We don't have HTC in Brazil either and I don't like Sony, so I feel like I don't have much choice.
[Galaxy S 4 General] BossNexusS:
WOW damn thats pretty lame.. i got PACman rom on my SGS2 and am loving it!

but i dont know if this locked bootloader will stop me from gettin this powerhouse!.. i absolutely hate HTC and sony is just plain bad so.. i guess theres no other option.....
[Galaxy S 4 General] berz:
SEe if u can buy HTC one from USA and forward it to thru one of mail forwarders like ppobox
[Galaxy S 4 General] MaKTaiL:
With all the talk about locked bootloader on i9505 I wonder if the i9505x has unlock bootloader for developers. :rolleyes:

---------- Post added at 02:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:17 PM ----------

It's not very easy though. I love Samsung but I didn't want to have another Exynos phone anymore so I was definetly getting the Qualcomm version.

But now I feel confused. :eek:
[Galaxy S 4 General] yahyoh:
LOL maybe Samsung trolling people who love Qualcomm :laugh::laugh:

---------- Post added at 08:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:24 PM ----------

if u really want something based on AOSP just get Nexus ;)
[Galaxy S 4 General] Swiftks:
Re-affirms my decision to wait for Nexus 5... Thank you Samsung. :rolleyes:

Sent from my SGS III
[Galaxy S 4 General] yahyoh:
Hmm i asked Adam Outler , i think he have the AT&T version

https://plus.google.com/u/0/104711040110222472212/posts/4aDmR86WjcU

and he answered me
[Galaxy S 4 General] clubtech:
I don't think the "write protection enabled" message means that the bootloader is locked.

People who used the CF-ROOT from Chainfire's thread were using it with the write protection message in their Odin download mode. and Odin did flash it. The CF Root tar flashes a temp recovery and a temp Kernel for rooting and then it reverts back to your original kernel. This means that the bootloader is NOT locked, if it was Odin will not allow you to flash the CF-ROOT tar.
[Galaxy S 4 General] bala_gamer:
Limited custom roms? You have to be clear when making some statement like this. Aosp based Roms will be limited for 9500(this too is subjective as someone will surely work on it) , apart from there will be hell loads of custom roms for both the variants.

《posted from s3》
[Galaxy S 4 General] tuxonhtc:
Yeah well done Samscum. Instead of making it easier for the devs whom you've already jerked around, now it's worse with the ****ty locked bootloaders. FFS.
[Galaxy S 4 General] MultiLockOn:
See it really bugs me when people say things like this because we're not all on gsm carriers. I would love a nexus 4 as much as the next guy but I'm on Sprint so that's not really an option

If I helped you out be sure to hit thanks :)

Swyped from a minimalist S2
[Galaxy S 4 General] Bagbug:
16Gb and no SD card option = no deal.

I need 64Gb
[Galaxy S 4 General] dondavis007:
Well, time will tell. I still have about 3 days untill I have to decide. I will follow this and other threads, not going to buy another Razr...

Skickat från min Nexus 7 via Tapatalk 2
[Galaxy S 4 General] musclehead84:
This is what I said in the root thread. If the bootloader was locked it wouldn't have worked.

We need to wait until a developer can let us know for sure. If auto root worked on sprints than the bootloader is not locked.
[Galaxy S 4 General] jejb:
How do I get into download mode to check if the bootloader is locked or not? About to head into the sprint store and check out an S4 and would like to know how to check before walking out with it. I went through this kind of stuff with my Evo 4G LTE and it is one of the big reasons I'm thinking about going Samsung this time. But if they're throwing up roadblocks now too, I would have to rethink.

Thanks
[Galaxy S 4 General] Bagbug:
Turn off your phone

Press and hold down the Home Key, Volume Down Key, and Power Button at the same time until the Samsung screen shows.
[Galaxy S 4 General] aafaan:
brought mine from Sweden, and it is write protection: enabled
[Galaxy S 4 General] yahyoh:
anyone with I9505 tried to flash custom recovery yet :confused:

edit : i think the bootloader isn't locked . a lot of people already flashed custom recovery ( which seems not working yet ) cuz if its locked the Odin will not let u flash anything

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2238442
[Galaxy S 4 General] djrbliss:
How to actually check if your bootloader is locked

There's a lot of misinformation in this thread about the status of the bootloader on the Galaxy S4. I examined the bootloader on the AT&T model myself to get a sense of what's going on.

First of all, if you're using the international, Exynos-based version (GT-I9500), your bootloader is unlocked. End of story.

If you're using the Qualcomm-based version, the status of your bootloader depends on your carrier. The "Write Protection Enabled" indicator DOES NOT mean you have a locked bootloader. To my knowledge, every Galaxy S4 will display this indicator.

Edit: this was premature. The download mode screen doesn't provide enough information to know whether your device is unlocked or not. The fact that it says "Write Protection Enabled" does not necessarily mean you're locked. Whether or not your bootloader will allow you to boot unsigned kernels and recoveries is dependent on a totally different flag whose status is not printed in the download mode screen.
[Galaxy S 4 General] Bagbug:
you add no information to this thread btw...
[Galaxy S 4 General] yahyoh:
someone already posted pic form download mode

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=40772359&postcount=47

its saying CSB-OEM_CONFIG_LSB: 0x30
[Galaxy S 4 General] jcase:
Be a bit more respectful.
[Galaxy S 4 General] musclehead84:
So the bootloader is NOT LOCKED.
[Galaxy S 4 General] avetny:
Oh finally ! Thank you:good:
[Galaxy S 4 General] :
Buy a One and unlock your bootloader. Happy days. Can't believe Samsung lock the 505 version. There killing themselves there.
[Galaxy S 4 General] Hunt3r.j2:
In which case, does anyone know the CSB config of the ATT S4? If it's 0x30, we aren't out of the woods yet..
[Galaxy S 4 General] Bagbug:
and what was disrespectful ? My honesty ?

---------- Post added at 05:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:11 PM ----------

http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/24/samsung-galaxy-s-4-review/
[Galaxy S 4 General] jcase:
Dan is adding based on what he gather from disassembling the bootloader. He is one a small group here with the background and experience to tackle bootloader projects. You were not trying to be honest, you were attempting to stir the pot. We will not have this here, end of subject.
[Galaxy S 4 General] :
So SIM free are locked too?
[Galaxy S 4 General] jcase:
Right now, AT&T ones are the only confirmed locked ones. GT-i9500 and GT-i9505 both appear to be unlocked, based on what users are posting.
[Galaxy S 4 General] Bagbug:
attempting to stir the pot ??? Forgot your meds this morning ?

"Dan" (a friend of yours ?) started his post with this

And then only repeat what was already post in this thread.

attempt to stir the pot, rofl.

add: I got a warning for my post, lol. The mod is having a powertrip apparently. Cute.
[Galaxy S 4 General] jcase:
This guys, is not how to approach developers.

You didn't get a warning, you got an infraction, based on your past history and replies in general.
[Galaxy S 4 General] pulser_g2:
Cut out the nonsense here.

There is a big difference between user feedback saying things, compared to the results of actual disassembly of the bootloader.

If you don't think posts by some of the best developers, who are the ones that will look into these kinds of things going forward, are important, just go on, post again like that, and enjoy you expenses paid vacation.

This applies to anyone else wanting to troll developers or mods that are doing their jobs.

This thread is about the bootloader and locks... if developers are posting in it, then show a bit of respect.

No more warnings here, someone needs to go calm down and stop arguing with mods, as it's just showing yourself up as someone who doesn't understand the technical intricacies of what's going on.
[Galaxy S 4 General] musclehead84:
At&t is confirmed to be locked?
[Galaxy S 4 General] tietherope:
As far as I know people said the boot loader is locked based on the write protection being enabled.

I don't think anyone has truly seen if the boot loader is locked on the I9505 or any North American version (aside from what Engadget said).
[Galaxy S 4 General] ste1164:
Plus for the AT&T one Koush mentioned something and so did engadget after they got word from samsung.
[Galaxy S 4 General] JB calhoun:
If u can odin and it pass the bootloader is not locked..
[Galaxy S 4 General] crawrj:
OK don't flame me I am just trying to learn. So if you odin something other than the bootloader, system say, and it works you are not locked? I thought it was only when trying to flash a bootloader or kernel that would cause the problem. I ask because the Sprint S4 says write protection enabled but you can Odin the CF Auto root successfully. So I am assuming that means we are not actually locked?
[Galaxy S 4 General] MaKTaiL:
From what I understand this message has nothing to do with bootloader at all. We have no idea what it means. We will only know for sure when someone tries to flash CyanogenMod.
[Galaxy S 4 General] crawrj:
OK good. Because that is what I was thinking from the beginning. That the message was coincidental. Why only when you try to flash CM? So other custom roms would be fine? I read that custom roms wouldn't work on a locked bootloader which didn't make much sense to me.
[Galaxy S 4 General] MaKTaiL:
Hahaha. I meant CM because it was the first one I thought about. Any custom rom will be fine to test.
[Galaxy S 4 General] crawrj:
Ahh OK. Got it. Thanks for the education.

---------- Post added at 07:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:01 PM ----------

So if the cf auto root tar failed on ATT but works on Sprint that tells me they are locked and we aren't. Would that be correct?
[Galaxy S 4 General] k2buckley:
This is my first Samsung device, and I clearly have a lot of reading and learning to do about Odin and tarballs and things of that nature. These are terms that I've never seen used for HTC devices before, so clearly there are some differences. That said, I'm used to phones coming with locked bootloaders, due to having HTC. From my understanding, obtaining root and unlocking a boatloader are two separate things. One can have a rooted device with the bootloader still being locked. That would mean you can use apps that require root and simple things of that nature. You could also flash a rom, providing it's using the stock kernel. With the HTC devices there was a different recovery that was needed, or a different setting in the recovery that was required to make it work with a locked boatloader.

Again, from my understanding, having a locked boatloader means that the hboot will check to verify that the kernel is signed before it boots. If it is not, it won't boot. That also applies to the boot partition. Basically the locked boatloader is like a gatekeeper, and if what you're trying to flash doesn't have the correct "key", it won't boot, or won't let you flash it period. With the Evo 3d, that was a challenge for a while, and there were some work around ways that worked half way decent for sense roms, but aosp was basically a no go without being unlocked.
[Galaxy S 4 General] yahyoh:
correct :good:

as i know only Verizon lock the bootloader ( on GS3 & NOTE 2 )
[Galaxy S 4 General] MoHoGalore:
Thanks for keeping it pain language. Now I have a better understanding of what this thread was intended for.:beer:

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2
[Galaxy S 4 General] crawrj:
Ok one more hang with me. If I Odexed a file on my phone and it works on my phone. I take that and give it to another user on the exact same phone with the exact same stock firmware. It boots on mine but hangs on his. Before the S4 that has never happened. Would that mean the bootloader is locked or there is some other problem?
[Galaxy S 4 General] jcase:
Based on a user flashing a modified boot.img using root, and attempting to via odin, yes it is locked.
[Galaxy S 4 General] crawrj:
Have you verified whether the Sprint S4 is locked? If not, I would be willing to test if you want to tell me what to do.
[Galaxy S 4 General] Tutsumi:
I9500 from the Bahamas: Not locked
[Galaxy S 4 General] cidica:
I'm going to say it is (which I could very well be wrong) but I just went into bootloader mode and Write Protection is Enabled on my new S4.
[Galaxy S 4 General] :
Completely noob question here but....if the bootloader is locked, does that mean you can't put custom ROMs/AOSP on it? You're stuck with what was shipped, but you can still root and use stuff like Titanium Backup Pro?
[Galaxy S 4 General] wavrunrx:
yes
[Galaxy S 4 General] MoHoGalore:
Dear Op,

I swear this thread is a merry-go-round of information.

There have been some great devs and useful information posted to only have the same statements made again.

Would you please update the opening with a current summary so the confusion might be limited?

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2
[Galaxy S 4 General] nemesis93:
Hmm how would I go about checking this. Power button+Vol Up+Home?
[Galaxy S 4 General] MaKTaiL:
Power button+Vol Down+Home
[Galaxy S 4 General] musclehead84:
I agree. The write protection enabled does NOT MEAN A LOCKED BOOTLOADER. also someone was able to flash the cr root successfully so that woukd mean the bootloader IS NOT LOCKED. if it were it would have failed.

---------- Post added at 12:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 AM ----------

Write enabled in download modes means nothing for the bootloader

---------- Post added at 12:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:21 AM ----------

This doesn't refer to bootloader. A very well known developer explained this earlier in the thread.
[Galaxy S 4 General] jcase:
Needs verification, looks like that will be displayed on qualcomm versions no matter the bootloader status
[Galaxy S 4 General] Sp1tfire:
Just bought my I9505 from Samsung Romania yesterday, sim free carrier unlocked. It says: write protection: enable
[Galaxy S 4 General] garwynn:
Sprint S4 was able to flash a recovery without issues.

Good thing too, know there's a TWRP and CWM in testing.
[Galaxy S 4 General] JayceOoi:
Able to boot into recovery and Odin download mode on my I9500. :)
[Galaxy S 4 General] garwynn:
Booting on stock is one thing. Flashing something and then getting the same result is another.
[Galaxy S 4 General] bungadudu:
Bootloader locked for I-9505 bought from Samsung Romania.

I Know cases of Htc refusing the warranty after they discovered the bootloader was unlocked and then locked again. Can't Samsung do the same? (Providing someone will unlock the bootloader...)
[Galaxy S 4 General] mathieulh:
The write protection enable flag only means the bootloader itself is write protected and must be signed before it can be overwritten. It doesn't mean the bootloader will check the kernel's signature during the boot sequence.
[Galaxy S 4 General] suadion:
So people with a 'write protection enabled' i9505 are able to attain root with the CF-auto root method?

hearing positive reports from XXUAMDF
[Galaxy S 4 General] djwilliams100:
Ive got the i9505 version on XXUAMDF and ive rooted with CF Root with no problems even though mine states write protection enabled.
[Galaxy S 4 General] Kremata:
Ha ha This thread is funny, it went from unknown to known to unknown again.

Let's see if this will work

WRITE PROTECTION: ENABLE <--MEANS NOTHING!

AT&T ones are the only confirmed locked ones

Most useful post in this thread -> Here
[Galaxy S 4 General] Caniv:
ok so i just jumped in on this thread, too bad i read everything and not just the end >.<

so this means that... for everyone, EXCLUDING AT&T clients, this phone is just like any else? can root? flash? put other roms and karnels and such?

ty
[Galaxy S 4 General] cybershawngates:
ok, I'm getting my AT&T phone right now. I'm not expecting to root from day 1, but it would be nice to load CM 10 or 11 or whatever some day. From what I'm gathering this is a setback but not the end of the world (i.e. locked bootloaders can be unlocked - either if AT&T releases a program to do this or someone comes up with a tool).
[Galaxy S 4 General] samovog:
I would like to make some thing clear about the "locked" bootloader.

I have a GT-I9505 that says "Flash Lock".

I tested an you CAN flash (using ODIN):

- custom recovery

- custom kernel.

You can also flash using a custom recovery

- a custom rom (testet Omega).

You cannot flash:

- the whole rom using odin

- Modem.bin

- bootloader

- aboot.mbn

- cache.img

- non-hlos.bin

- system.img.ext4

- tz.mbn

When you try to flash those it sais: " nand write fail ".

I bricked my S4, it stil boots to ODIN mode but because i cannot flash a rom using odin i am stuck.

Does anyone have a solution ?
[Galaxy S 4 General] krabman:
You're saying you cannot flash the stock from back on?
[Galaxy S 4 General] opz187:
Where does it say "flash lock"?
[Galaxy S 4 General] buyslake:
Regardless of the bootloader lock. Can I get the phone unlocked to use in other countries?
[Galaxy S 4 General] samovog:
it Says :

CSB-OEM_CONFIG_LSB: 0x30

Phones without the lock are missing this message...
[Galaxy S 4 General] Kremata:
Just re-flash a recovery with ODIN then reboot in recovery then flash a new ROM
[Galaxy S 4 General] ste1164:
He still cant go back to stock though.
[Galaxy S 4 General] bungadudu:
Isn't this the best of both worlds? - I9505 Pre-Rooted Stock Odin Packages [TESTED]
[Galaxy S 4 General] ste1164:
They may want it stock stock for warranty purposes.
[Galaxy S 4 General] bungadudu:
I'm planning to do this as soon as there is a software update available.

Using a prerooted rom, your system remains official, binary count 0 and also you have the ability to software update. So if you need to "return to stock" just update the phone. It will remove the root etc and your phone will not have any trace of it being disgraced.
[Galaxy S 4 General] MoHoGalore:
*Sprint SPH-L720 Users* - This doesn't apply to us in whole. There will be Stock (dump) builds coming later today that have been tested and work. (system.img.ext4, bootloader, etc, flashes just fine which should be your major concern at this point.)

Since we do not have separate sections yet, I wanted to make sure that people don't automatically make the jump with the swirling amount of information.

:edit: I'm going to add this link for the Sprint variant for items flashed successfully with Odin 1.85 for the Stock dump tars which will be available today.: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=40819613&postcount=20
[Galaxy S 4 General] mayday2:
You may consider to remove the bootloader and tz from the rom file and try to flash using odin again.
[Galaxy S 4 General] aaugus:
No matter what i do i got that kind of message in odin.

<ID:0/003> Transmission Complete..

<ID:0/003> Now Writing.. Please wait about 2 minutes

<ID:0/003>

<ID:0/003> Receive Response from boot-loader

<ID:0/003> Complete(Write) operation failed.

<ID:0/003> Added!!

<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)

I can flash back STOCK_REC-i9505.tar with sucess "so ODIN says", but I cannot rebbot to recovery, not stock, not CWM, not TWRP... so at the moment there is a brick on my table. :(
[Galaxy S 4 General] yahyoh:
which version u have ?
[Galaxy S 4 General] -A-P-M-:
AT&T's Galaxy S3 got locked bootloader:

http://androidandme.com/2013/04/smartphones-2/cyanogen-atts-galaxy-s-4-bootloader-locked-down/

So this is same for every SGS4 with "write protection enabled" ?
[Galaxy S 4 General] chenxiaolong:
Only AT&T's S4s are locked right now. No one has figured out what exactly "Write protection enabled" means yet.
[Galaxy S 4 General] kolyan:
So word on the street that T-Mobile S4s are boot loader unlocked ?
[Galaxy S 4 General] yahyoh:
http://www.droid-life.com/2013/05/0...o-have-hacked-the-bootloader-on-the-galaxy-s4

:D:D

---------- Post added at 08:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:37 PM ----------

yep it seems unlocked , Steve Kondik already made CM for it :p

https://plus.google.com/u/0/117962666888533781522/posts/9Y7FxmyyR4Z
[Galaxy S 4 General] damador:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2259743
[Galaxy S 4 General] :
On Twitter someone said they managed to crack the AT&T bootloader lock?
[Galaxy S 4 General] K4L:
Hey guys, what is the simplest and fastest way to see if an S4 i9505 has a locked or unlocked bootloader?

The reason I'm asking is because I wanna go to the store and see if that specific carrier has locked or unlocked bootloaders in their i9505's.
[Galaxy S 4 General] LiFE1688:
For the International version of GT-I9505, Write Protection: Enabled, was introduced later.

Those batches with Firmware on MDM do not have Write Protection: Enabled.

The batches with Firmware on MDM released in May 2013 such as Germany, will have Write Protection: Enabled.

Phones that upgraded using OTA to ME2 will have bootloader updated and will have Write Protection: Enabled.

This feature when enabled has different levels of protection. As long as any level is activated, it will show up as Enabled.

Levels seems to be Bootloader Lock, Boot Partition Lock (Kernel), System Partition Lock (Custom ROM), Modem Lock

It might not be limited to those above.

If you are using International Version of the GT-I9505 (Qualcomm), and you updated via OTA or KIES to ME2 firmware, you will not be able to flash full firmware via ODIN.

You can only flash Boot Partition (Kernel) which allows you to root your phone. You can flash Recovery partition, which allows you to use custom recovery such as TWRP and CWM Recovery. You cannot flash modem, bootloader, and system partition using ODIN.

You are able to flash modem, system partition only if you use Recovery (Please verify).