[Galaxy S 5 General] hauckk@sfreserves.org:
This turns off reactivation lock for when it is stuck on by flashing lowest firmware for your device with Odin and it stays off through mm

This only is confirmed to work on Verizon s5

Doesn't work on g900p

but should work for a lot of s5 models

the worst that can happen is Odin will give you an authentication/authorization error then you just pull battery and reboot and everything will still be there nothing will be lost.

If you somehow manage to get the flash failed error. Where you are stuck in Odin just flash the firmware tar file you were on in Odin before you flashed the oldest firmware for your device in Odin no data will be lost.

Download Odin to your Pc Google it

Then go to Samsung website and download your phones drivers to your computer

Download Samsung Smart switch to your computer and make a backup of your phone with smartsswitch

you may need to use Samsung kies 3 if smart witch doesn't work

Go to sammobile. Com download the firmware you are currently on to your computer

Then download the oldest firmware for your device to your computer from sammobile. Com

This turns off reactivation lock for when it is stuck on by flashing lowest firmware for your device with Odin and it stays off through mm

This probably doesn't work on at&t models or other security restrictive phone carrier models

How to turn off reactivation lock when it is stuck on for other s5 models

First backup using samsung smart switch or Samsung kies 3 then backup other files you want to keep to somewhere you can retrieve it

after the backup remove SD card sometimes it gets corrupted during flashing roms

Download oldest firmware for your device from sammobile.com

Try to flash it in Odin if it succeeds wait for it to boot if it doesn't flash you can't use this method please tell me what models do and don't work I will update this post

If it flashes completely but doesn't boot then boot to recovery and wipe data factory and cache then reboot

if it gets stuck at Samsung screen flash the boot.img or kernel tar file for the oldest firmware for your device that you downloaded from sammobile. Com

Once it boots go through the setup wizard without signing in to any accounts

Then go directly to settings security and turn off reactivation lock at this step sign into Samsung account

If you dont want root or bootloader unlock then you are done

If you want root or bootloader unlock continue

*Some devices may not be able to get root or get bootloader unlock*

Then root using towelroot or cf auto root whichever applies to you

check xda and cf auto root website for your phone model

After you get root check if your boot loader is unlocked by trying to flash in Odin twrp for your device download from team windows recovery project TWRP website

If it succeeds boot into recovery

And flash away

if it fails with authorization error your boot loader is locked so look up how to unlock boot loader for your phone model on XDA developers

Once the boot loader is unlocked Then flash twrp for your device using Odin and boot into recovery then flash away

Thank you Geohot for towelroot KK

Thank You Hashcode and Jrkruse for safestrap

if flashing oldest firmware using Odin doesn't work you can't use this method please tell me what models do and don't work and I will update this post