[Samsung Galaxy Mega] glassponge:
Ok guys come on this is driving me absolutely insane. Beautiful phone, no root all these work arounds because there is no root is driving me insane. Spent many many hours scouring xda and google for a solution. Maybe we need to think outside the box on this one remember Gingerbreak? I realize on a software level we have only standard user access, but its just an OS theres gotta be something we can do. Who needs what to get this going? Im brave enough to do what needs to be done/tested on my i527. Im comftorable using any tools you need me to will provide promptly. My device is ATT Branded but it is unlocked and currently being used on MetroPCS with working lte and usb tethering

Downgrading

What is seriously stopping us from odin'ing or heimdalling this thing back to stock 4.2.2? Never in my life have a seen a device (phone pc etc) that could not be drastically changed by going to the hardware level. Thats the point of download mode right? bypassing the need for a sucessful initialization. This thing is just a Krait 300 cpu with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 soc, seriously nothing new or special about it. (yes i understand the bootloader is locked and encrypted)

Ive been doing alot of thinking about this device and it honestly reminds me of the old days when we ran embedded systems, with alot of those embedded systems theres was no hardware level access what so ever, but there was always a way. Ive done numerous GPS's, Car stereos etc. All running windows embedded with no hardware level access and were able to bypass system software with ease. i realize yes it was windows embedded but the principal is still the same, not much has really changed since then. (yes i know ALOT has changed but not really all the same rules/principals apply) What we are dealing with seems to be software based encryption in the firmware of the device. With a computer I think of a couple things 1. with a bios password you screwed up on what do you do? reset the cmos...this is obiviously out for obvious reasons. 2. update/restore/bypass that bios Got a problem with the bios or screwed up restore it, done. (once again I realize these are not like a standard pc just comparison thinking outside the box remember?) Id really like to see this device flashed back to 4.2.2 then twrp'd or cwm to whatever we want from there.

Whats the real problem here?

Been asking myself what is the REAL problem? I dont mean, root or locked bootloader. What is really stopping us? Answer is super simple yet complicated. User Account Permissions We need rw access to that system folder. Via terminal on the device im able to mount /system as rw but any further changes are useless usually result in a bad mode error. Maybe we need to call in a black hat boy and give us an account exploit for at least software level (os root is better than no root right?)? Ive got some friends in high places in security working for that wonderful DoD, ive been in the game a long time can keep up with most of em but i went networking not security.

Come on people Ive never seen this community give up on something like this before! Yall got me started on all this with my ppc6700, and this bump in the road just makes me wanna lift the civic up a bit so we dont scrape and hit it at 30mph.

In the words of Young Jeezy:

If you grind hard enough

You could stack a few mil' nigga make it out the streets like me

If you grind strong enough

You could be a trap star nigga be on TV and keep it G

If you grind long enough

You could take care of your nephews and your nieces and your moms and your girl

If you grind hard enough

You could stand on top, tell these hatin a** niggas It's Tha World :cool: