yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
Probably, its designed for LCD connectors with lots of tiny contacts. You'd have to get the wires in just the right spot, probably have to use tweezers or somthing. But once you've got that, it should just be a matter of switching around the other ends of the wires till it works.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
Yeah I'll buy some and try it out.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
Yup that's the stuff, though a bit more research says that it may not work.

See: https://tomverbeure.github.io/2019/11/21/Z-tape.html

and: https://hackaday.com/2019/11/26/fail-of-the-week-z-tape-is-no-substitute-for-solder/

the Horizonal spacing should have no problem, but the vertical spacing may be tricky
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
Do you at least think it's worth a try? If it doesn't work I just want to find something that's cheap and works.

Edit: I ordered some Z-Tape and it's coming Wednesday

Edit2: I canceled my Z-Tape order and I'll get something else.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
How about a conductive paint pen if you can find one with a small tip or maybe conductive paint with a fine point paintbrush? If it can be applied without touching any of the other contacts and if it dries well enough to hold the wires in place, it just might work.

Or, a conductive glue something like this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Electrical...808462?hash=item3fe3253e4e:g:5igAAOSwFbFe4XGu

The glue seems to be a product that is often used for contact tracing to identify contact points, which is what you are trying to do.

Research the paint and the glue to see their applications and decide which you think is best.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
But the contacts are so close together and so small.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
The tip is 0.2mm, is that not small enough? That is less than half the size of a 0.5mm lead pencil and less than a third the size of a 0.7mm lead pencil. In other words, it is almost needle-fine at the tip.

Like I said, do some research to see it in use to see its applications.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
Oh sorry, I didn't look at the size of the tip and yes that Is defidently small enough :laugh:

I'll order it and try it.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
.2 mm should be fine, I estimate these pads to be roughly .2 mm, so you'd have to be careful but should be just right. Would definitely reccomend a magnifying glass or microscope working that small though.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
If you can apply it to a small enough area without spilling/spreading to other contacts, this should work, it should provide a secure connection with the contact since the adhesive is conductive all the way through it..

---------- Post added at 11:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:17 AM ----------

I've never used the equipment myself, but I've watched videos of soldering experts, they use a setup that cleanly applies solder to contacts on motherboards in a way that the solder is drawn to only the pads instead of spreading out and contacting across pads. I don't know what they are using to do it with this much control but it seemed pretty faultless with little risk of messing it up.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
When soldering that small surface tension is your friend, the solder likes to join other blobs that are stuck to the tinned pads. When working with ic's, you can just drag a small soldering iron along the line and they all get soldered correctly with little bridging.

My calipers are acting up, but the pad widths seem to be about .2 mm and spaced out .5 mm horizontally, .1 mm vertically. From my understanding of the paste, you have to make sure the paste blobs dont touch. Sounds like the best solution so far without a expensive soldering setup.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Exactly, that was my observation, they were dragging the solder across multiple pads and the solder automatically went to each pad, they used some solution that they surrounded the work area with, to keep out oxygen and impurities I'd assume.

As for the glue, I'd apply a small blob about the size of the pad to the tip of my wire then carefully touch the wire to the pad. Also, after applying, if there is any extraneous glue crossing the pads, I'd carefully scrape it away to separate the pads before I attempted applying power to anything.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
Alright I ordered the glue :)

---------- Post added at 10:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:36 AM ----------

Are you talking about the labeled pads by the battery connector?
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
Yes, the labeled pads. The other pads I found dont seem to be what we are looking for from my testing.

Louis Rossman? The solution they use is a paste flux, I ordered a tube myself, that stuff is awesome! It just helps the solder stay liquid and be generally easier to work with, also good for cleaning the board if there is junk on the area your working with.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Yep, love that guy. Right to repair, screw Apple. Not that I'm an Apple user, just saying.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Those conductive pens that I mentioned are also good for "redrawing" the circuit lanes in a PCB that has been burned, cracked, broken or corroded, between that and a good rig to use for rebuilding pads and replacing/reflowing components, you could just about rebuild any motherboard to full function with a steady hand and patience. Potentially even one that has been broken in half of you can cleanly glue the broken edges back together in perfect alignment then use the pen to jump the gap in the broken lanes .

---------- Post added at 01:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:06 PM ----------

Can you give my detailed photos of every part of the motherboard that has some kind of model or serial number printed on it? Not the Samsung model number. It is no surprise that it is a rebrand 737. That information might even come in handy, the things that have been developed for the 737 "should" be able to be used on the 767 because the chipset hasn't change, it's pretty much only the bootloader and binary versions that we are trying to get around. If they can be bypassed, anything for 737 "should" work.

Anyway, the point is, if I can identify the board itself, I might be able to find schematics. It would not surprise me if that same board has been contracted/used by other manufacturers in other devices with some rearrangement/redesign of the components to fit other case designs and orientation of hardware buttons or external connectors/ports/jacks.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
Oof, that may take awhile, but I'll do my best.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
Yes I'll get those pictures taken today :)

Guys I bought another J7 crown on Amazon and it was on 8.1 Oreo and it wouldn't update to Android 9.0. So, I manually updated it with Odin to Android 9.0 and I booted into download mode and it says

FRP lock: Off

And

KG state: Prenormal

I thought for everyone else it said checking? And FRP lock was on?
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Probably shouldn't have updated, the lower the binary, the better these days, lol.

They probably properly removed their account and disabled "Find my device" before they sold it, this would show FRP off.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
Does that mean anything? That KG state is prenormal and the FRP lock is off? After 7 days will it let me unlock the bootloader?

Also before I updated when I exited download mode it brought me to a maintence boot mode that I haven't seen on this device before. As yes I probably shouldn't of updated lol.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
I don't know about the 7 days.

I'd have to know more about what you saw on that boot screen.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Never seen that mode, I would not have updated, they may have unlocked and modified the device already somehow.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
I had to update because I tried to flash the Magisk patched AP file because I thought that maybe it was unlocked but it failed so then I flashed stock Android 9.0. I guess I could of flashed Android 8.1 stock but I didn't feel like waiting 2 hours for it to download.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Should have flashed the same 8 firmware that it already had, but, ah well, too late now.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
well do you think it's somehow modified or unlocked? If so, how would they do it? Maybe that phone is somehow rootable?
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Whatever "was" there, no longer is, it upgraded the bootloader which wiped everything from before.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
Then why is download mode still different? Why does it show FRP lock off and KG state prenormal?
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
If you mean, why does it not say "checking"?

If there is a combination firmware that has the same binary version as what you updated it with, try flashing that and then toggle the OEM unlock in the combination firmware then boot into download mode again and flash the firmware that you flashed.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
Ok I'll look for a combo firmware with the same bootloader version :)

Edit: I can't find anything all the combo files are old :(

There has to be something because that phone is somehow modified.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
OH! You said Every part of the motherboard *That had a Model Number*, I just read every part which I thought meant every chip number... Well shoot, now what do I do with this? (Also got those model numbers in the same folder)

https://mega.nz/folder/LEcAAIbA#z4PviMfArvRpNwGCKF74xw

Oh, and I doubt the needle size on that syringe is .2mm, I think y'all where seeing .2ml which is how much paste, not needle size. Anyway, the dip method droid described should work fine whatever tip size it is.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Yes, I saw that discrepancy, but the tip still looks like it "might" work.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] retred829:
Bought (unknowingly) a locked Galaxy J7 Crown Model SM-S767VL; Hardware S767VL.04 from Quality One Wireless in Orlando, FL (to use on PagePlusCellular; Verizon Vte/CDMA). PPC said they unlocked but lied. QOW says: "...unlocked or not it is only compatible with Tracfone/Page Plus service. The IMEI of the device is not in Verizon’s ODI database." I don't understand what they are talking about? Someone please explain...(I was using Verizon services w/ PPC....)
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
Generally these phones are locked to prepaid, so you are looking at Straight talk or Tracfone service and it is possible to "Rebrand" one to the other. These Carriers have a deal with the larger carriers to use their towers for service. Your phone, being a VL model, runs on the Verizon towers and should have similar coverage. I have not heard of PPC, I dont know if their service would work with this phone. If you can buy the same model on their website and have a clean esn then your phone should work fine.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] retred829:
I was 'forced' to upgrade to this phone by PPC & Straighttalk: They refused to service my 1-yr.-older Samsung model. PPC provided Verizon coverage for 13 mos. Now I want to (continue) use(-ing Verizon service on) Red Pocket Mobile's SIM (on Verizon) but my (Samsung) PPC seller says that "The IMEI of the device is not in Verizon.s ODI database"....whatever that means (?) The seller locked the IMEI somehow to TracFone only. Red Pocket Mobile is not a TracFone ally but does provide Verizon CDMA service in my area (?) So the phone is 'unlocked' to use with multiple Tracfone mercenaries but NOT UNLOCKED to use providers outside of their gang/club/franchise/mob/fraternity/cancel culture... Thus: I'm trying to find a 'Trump' outside the 'Tracfone swamp'. Are there any?
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
To my knowledge no, but someone more experienced might know better. Currently we are stuck on stock roms with no root, you could try your luck with the hardware unlock chips you put between your phone and the sim and/or activate your sim and plop it in to see what it does.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Tracfone is known for locking their devices to the Tracfone network variants. Yes, exactly, it is "unlocked" as far as the Tracfone network variants and potentially Verizon pre-paid are concerned, but not other networks. I've seen other Tracfone devices activated on the Verizon network with no issue, they just put the SIM in then go to their Verizon account on the Verizon website and enter the device and SIM info to add it to their account.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
How goes the JTAG?
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
I got the glue but am still waiting for a magnifying glass :p

Also the tip of the glue looks like it should work. The hard part is going to be not letting the glue touch because the pins are really close together.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Squeeze the plunger on the glue until a small droplet of glue comes to the tip of the applicator, then, touch the tip of your stripped wire end to the droplet of glue to apply a small amount to the tip of the wire, then touch the tip of the wire to the contact and hold it there using a needle or the tip of a razor blade or anything else very thin until the glue hardens enough to let go.

I suggest you use pieces of wire 3-4 inches long to connect to the pads, then, when you are ready to test, you can connect the JTAG wires to the wires that you glued to the pads, that way, if the connections aren't right, you can just switch them around easier than if you glue the JTAG wires to directly to the pads.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
Score! I just bought a j7 on ebay that was listed as "Modded", they didn't have any more information than that but it is definitely not running stock fw. Is this engineering fw, or a "Factory Binary" as it likes to call its self? Anyway, Its really cool and has an April 1st security patch (no joke, its actually April 1st lol). OEM unlocking was on when I turned it on, as well as USB Debugging. Couldn't get into download mode, but recovery mode and upload mode I can, maybe just wrong key combo.

Pics: https://mega.nz/folder/mJ9HVRbR#5UZb_1NUuwqR6qtEDgfkeg

I'ma start researching if any of these security exploits have poc's I can use, as it currently stands it is not rooted as far as I can tell. Maybe one of the root tools will work with this?
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Yes, that is the factory engineering firmware, I've already tried flashing that to toggle the OEM unlock, this does result in RMM/KG changing to "checking". From there, tried flashing TWRP ported from another J7 variant with the same hardware, the flash did not even attempt to work, always resulted in a fail in Odin, even when using Cosmys Odin and modified Odin. Even tried patching .img files using Magisk then flashing those, no success, it would give a "PASS", but it would give a SW Rev fail when the device tried to boot and then went into a panic mode. Then I had to boot into download mode using a special combination and release of the buttons at just the right moment then flash back to the stock firmware. No matter what approach I tried when patching, mixing, porting, flashing, nothing worked.

If you go back a few pages in this thread, you will see an entire discussion of the whole process when we were trying to get it to work. When I said that tried everything, that literally meant "everything", as in, everything. The only option I haven't tried is to get access to a eng root .img then flashing that but good luck finding one. You would have to pay a shady website to get it and then it would have no guarantee to work.

What I think you have is a device that someone tried a FRP removal trick on but didnt know what they were doing and couldn't get it straightened out so they sold it.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
Can you tell if this is the same version as the one you tried?
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Yes, I already confirmed that, as I said, go back and read the discussion some pages back in this thread, you will see everything discussed down to specific build numbers. Come now, be thorough before asking questions, go back and read so that I don't have to repeat things that are already posted in this thread.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
Thanks! Although I am STILL waiting for a magnifying glass :mad:
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Set up a well lit, dust-free work area. If you have another phone that has a large screen or a tablet, find something that can be used to position the phone or tablet a comfortable distance above the work area without interfering with lighting. Then use the rear facing camera on the phone or tablet to zoom in on the workspace. It's a trick I often use to magnify tiny things to more easily see them.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
Again, Thanks for your help! I will try it tomorrow ;)

Hopefully we can get this thing rooted!
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Obviously, it will require quite a good camera, otherwise, when you zoom in, you will lose resolution/clarity.

You would be surprised what this trick can reveal when viewing old physical photos, depending on the quality of the photo and the materials used to capture/develop/print.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
Yes of course. :p

Edit: Well, I actually found out that my magnifying glass comes tomorrow so i'll just wait
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
I give up

I tried and I don't think it's possible :(

The glue wouldn't stick because it's such a small amount and the glue wouldn't stay apart from the other pins. The only way would be to use a nano probe station which I don't want to buy. :p

I just don't think it's worth it to buy $300+ dollars worth of equipment to root a $50 phone...

I sold my 2 J7 crown's and the JTAG box, I am thinking about getting a Pixel 3 or another device that I can actually unlock the bootloader and root.

I wish you guys luck on getting this thing rooted! ;)
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Well, it may have been worth a try, win some, lose some.

If a root method is ever created for this device, by the time that happens, it will be time to upgrade to a new device anyway....
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
Shucks, I was happy to have a partner in hardware :cowboy:

There is the possibility that easier probe points could be found, that is my current project. Alas, it looks like any hardware root would be just to satisfy my own curiosity at this point.

---------- Post added at 02:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:50 PM ----------

By chance is the password known for the engineering apps to reboot the phone?
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Password? I don't know exactly what you are referring to.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
The one on the engineering firmware, for the apps.

---------- Post added at 11:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:04 PM ----------

Yeah, I couldn't do it, but I hope you can. ;)

I think it will be better for me just to get a different device...

Also, I don't know how you would find out those passwords, maybe it could be stored inside the engineering firmware? :confused:
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
Most of the apps are opening, but when I hit anything that can reboot the phone into whatever mode, it hits me with a password prompt.

I have yet to try the combo you found for download mode, but I did get into it with adb. Alas, it just says "Downloading" nothing about bl status.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] :
I think that is because when you use adb to boot into Download mode it won't show any text in the corner. :p
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
No, I do not know the password, if I did, I would have posted it already.

Yes, that is the download mode that you get when you use reboot bootloader.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] ZafotheNinja:
Oops, there I go asking answered questions again. I just found your method on page 14, same post you mentioned not having the password. :silly:
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Ma77man:
A friend I gave me a J7 Crown model number S767VL That was FRP locked. So I checked IMEI to make sure it wasnt stolen and it came back clean but the information that also came back was telling me it is a J7 Top, not J7 Crown. So after about a month of searching i found a combination file that i successfully flashed and bypassed the FRP. Then in my attempt to unlock verizon bootloader, I made a combination file from the combination file i used to bypass the FRP, and the phones firmware. I flashed the sad excuse of a "combination file" that i made, and in odin i received a "Pass". With my false accomplishment feeling, i powered on the phone. I Learned about "Kernel Panic Upload Mode". Everything i know about android I've learned by researching online and my own trial and error, but with this I need some help. How can i undo my mistake and make this phone usable again? It wont boot into the system and will not boot into download mode. I can boot into recovery, but when i try to get into download mode I'm greated with Kernel panic Upload mode everytime.

Thank you for any assistance
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] Droidriven:
Yes, the 767vl is a rebranded version of the Verizon device, you should have used the 767vl combination firmware but you might be fine.

If you read a few pages back in this thread, you'll see a conversation between myself and [MENTION=6405149]timba123[/MENTION] about our various attempts at rooting this device, in this conversation, we encountered the same issue that you are having. In that conversation, you will see where we discuss the specific method we used to boot into download mode(not the normal method to boot into download mode) to solve this issue. The method involves critical timing and pressing the buttons in the correct sequence. If you time it correctly, it will boot into download mode.
[Samsung Galaxy J7 Questions & Answers] stevenpoland2002:
Could this work

Signing boot images for Android Verified Boot (AVB) [v8]

Various Android devices support Android Verified Boot (AVB). A part of this is more commonly known as dm-verity, which verifies system (and vendor) partition integrity. AVB can however also verify boot images, and stock firmwares generally...

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