[Galaxy Note II General] deviluper:
Introduction to the thread

I have the intt. note 2 - n7100 and i had not updated it for a very long time due to laziness of mine and i was still with the stock 4.1.2 stock, rooted , twrp and superSU installed. I recently decided to update my phone to either 4.3/4.4.2 , so i researched a bit and came to know about the bootloader confusion among several note 2 users. i also found out all the information was scattered and consumed a lot of time to grasp all the information . So i decided to make this thread to help other user and save their time.

What is a bootlader?

It is the first piece of code that is excuted and it boots the O.S into the ram.

How to identify ur bootloader version?

One can find bootloader version with this "INFO APP" https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.info , u will find it under the "OPERATING SYSTEM" option.

How does samsung no the bootloader version?

They are named alphabetically . So nd3 is the newest followed by mj 5 and oldest being the lk6 . Also this is only a random order there are many in between version which have been released , but i am giving a general view

NOW COMES THE IMPORATANT STUFF

There are two types of bootloader for note 2

1-Non-knoxed bootlader- these are bootlader earlier to version mj5 including the mj5 version

2 -Knoxed bootlader- these are the one released after mj5 ]

what is knox all about?

It is according to samsung the "latest security feature which protect ur device. basically a normal user should only know that it to keep check on those who modify their device .

the knox has a number counter which gets from default 0*0 to 0*1 if any ony tries to modify their device by either rooting or flashing custom stuff like rom or any custom recovery.

FOR USER UNDER WARRANTY/ OR WHO CARE FOR WARRANTY - should see that they do not upgrade to newer than mj5 otherwise they will have a knoxed bootlader and it will increse the counter if u try to modify it and so ur warranty will be void.

a)Recommended for Touchwis based

- 4.1.2 - whatever stock b.l version u are having is fine

4.3.x - mj5 (to avoid wifi issues plz flash mj5 anything lower than that will cause wifi issues)

4.4.x - mj5 (but u wont be able to charge ur phone will its swithched off){if u want to charge ur phone while its switched off u . have to flash latest nd3 b.l but that will void ur warranty}

b)Recommended for AOKP, CM ,PACMAN , paranoid ..........

4.1.2 , 4.3.x ,4.4.x - mj5 will work with all rom of all verion

FOR USER WHOSE WARRANTY PERIOD IS OVER / OR WHO DO NOT CARE FOR WARRANTY - u can flash any bootloader upto the latest which being the nd3 one.

a)Recommended for touchwis based

- 4.1.2 - whatever stock b.l version u are having is fine

4.3.x - mj5 (to avoid wifi issues plz flash mj5 anything lower than that will cause wifi issues)

4.4.x - nd3(if u upgrade to nd3 u wont be able to downgrade to 4.1.2 rom , but u can still install 4.3 based rom)

b)Recommended for AOKP, CM ,PACMAN, paranoid ..........

4.1.2 , 4.3.x ,4.4.x - mj5 will work with all rom of all version

​

Rcommended recovery - twrp/philz

Always update ur recovery to latest to avoid any issues

plz read all information above carefully i am not in anyway responsible for any damage to ur device. try at ur own risk.

press that thanks button if i helped u with this guide:highfive:​