[Cobravision]

I recently got my tablet back from depot repair, and I am unable to check for updates because, "Your device has been modified. Software updates are not available." If I go to Settings>General>About Device>Status, the Device Status reads "Custom".

I did not have an SD card installed when I first booted it up. Rebooting has not resolved this.

Anyone know if there's a way to clear this or do I have to send it back in for repair?

No one at Samsung support had any ideas other than a hard reset. The repair center claimed that I could still install updates, but they are clueless.

[SpookDroid]

You should get it back and demand either they get it sorted or they give you a replacement. That's not normal.

[sirtaugs]

That usually means the tablet was rooted and Knox security locked it out of samsung servers (I think) Definitely take it back since that is considered a defected device.

Sent from my SM-P600

[sirtaugs]

Wait I read the post wrong. The repair techs obviously messed it up somewhere. Unless you have indeed rooted it yourself.

Sent from my SM-P600

[Cobravision]

I didn't root it, so I suspect they used a refurb motherboard that had been rooted. They swear the part is brand new, but how else would this happen?

[Golfdriver97]

I didn't root it, so I suspect they used a refurb motherboard that had been rooted. They swear the part is brand new, but how else would this happen?

As far as I know, the short answer to that question is it shouldn't act like its rooted.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

[Cobravision]

This is what I got when I booted into recovery with Power, Home, and Vol Up:



And this when I pressed Power, Home, and Vol Down (which is what tech support told me to do, which I knew was wrong):



Clearly, it's been rooted?

[SpookDroid]

The tech support guys probably left the device in 'service mode' or something like that. With their dongles (no pun intended) they're able to gain root access since they need that to overwrite files and do updates and firmware stuff, so maybe the tablet acts like it's rooted.

[John Woo1]

This is what I got when I booted into recovery with Power, Home, and Vol Up:

And this when I pressed Power, Home, and Vol Down (which is what tech support told me to do, which I knew was wrong):

Clearly, it's been rooted?

Looks like it was a bad flash from tech guy and recovery/bootloader is corrupted. In download mode KNOX isnt listed either. Real bad job, by whoever did it and didnt bother to check before shipped it back to you.
It's not necessary means device is rooted, some OTA does change to custom too or SDcard inserted that contains rooted files.
Mail Samsung support these pictures and ship it back to them is the best thing to do.

Normal, you can "restore" it back to normal status, by download stock ROM and flash it with Odin. That probably Samsung techs guys gonna do, when ship it back to them and since recovery is "corrupted". Best is to ask them first and hear if you can do it u self.


This should show in download mode (ignore Qualcomm secureboot, since I have LTE version):


Recovery Mode:

[Cobravision]

After a few run ins with support, I finally got someone who knew what they were talking about. He suggested I do a firmware recovery via Kies in Odin mode, which is happening right now. There's no counter, so it looks like it was a sloppy job installing the firmware by the repair guys. Whatever they did didn't trip Knox.

BTW, the guy (who sounded like Matthew McConaughey) said any OTA update should install normally after this, but he didn't have an OTA version of kitkat to confirm. When I said, "no *OTA* version", he chuckled and said, "yeah, no *OTA* version" . So it looks like 4.4 is definitely being tested right now.

[Cobravision]

Okay, I'm back in business. The Kies update worked. It's now the Official version, so OTA updates shouldn't be a problem. Thanks for the responses.

[dianehelen]

So glad you were able to get it back. I'd really go nuts on that repair place tho, very sloppy work to cause you such aggravation.What were they fixing there?

[Cobravision]

I dropped it from about 5 or 6 inches above my coffee table. No visible damage, but the screen stopped working. They replaced the motherboard free of charge.

[dianehelen]

Wow, huh, tough to get money back when you did not pay.

[cb23shark]

Help!!! I too had to send my GN 10.1 2014 in for repair. I had a power loop issue. When I got it back it too has a custom rom on it now... Now longer able to receive updates... I sent it in Stock, all I want is it to be Stock again. Samsung says that they can fix it for $50. It was their repair technician that messed it up.

Posted via Android Central App

[Cobravision]

Download Kies 3 from SAMSUNG KIES and install.

Make sure your tablet is fully charged, then power off. Press and hold down Home+Vol Down+Power (it's easier to hold down Vol Down and Home together then press power last).

You will get to the custom firmware screen. Press Vol Up to continue to Odin Mode.

Open Kies 3.

Connect the tablet to the PC. It should connect it Kies after it fully installs the driver.

Go to Tools|Firmware Upgrade and Initialization. The Model name is SM-P600 for wifi version. The model number is listed in Odin Mode if you have a different model. The serial is tricky -- if you still have the box, it's on a little sticker (the same one used to redeem rewards). If you don't have it, call service to get it. I don't think there's a way to get the serial via the tablet software.

Just follow the prompts to kick off the firmware replacement. As you can see from my screenshot above, this did not trip the Knox counter.

[cb23shark]

Awesome, I Thank you a ton... I do still have the box. I have downloaded Kies, I will keep you posted on the recovery.

Posted via Android Central App

[CHIRK2014]

My device SM-P600 is not being seen by Samsung KIES3, I am trying to do the same recovery. I am guessing that it is a windows 8.1 issue, but I really do not know. I guess I will live with sucky custom build until I can try this on another machine. KIES3 loads up, I plug the note in, in Odin mode to the laptop, and blah, nothing happens. I get the blue ring of windows saying that KIES3 is unresponsive.
By the way, I am also cb23shark, I lost my login information, but low and behold here it is.

[John Woo1]

Its not win 8.1, its KIES and its a crap unreilable software to use. But if u still want to use it, turn off all firewall/antivirus first, before open KIES and it might works. If still not and there are others software that interfering with KIES. Reason that I never use KIES for anyhting, execpt install drivers for Samsung devices and Odin is more reliable then KIES for flashing stock firmware.
Same software that Samsung techs use to flash firmwares.

[Dr Law]

I followed the posted Samsung Kies link, and downloaded the tutorial, but won't open, says "You must have Adobe Flash Player 10.1 or above to view the Tutorial Video".
Well I have already installed 10.1, and it shows in my settings application list? Maybe I need to enable the flash plugin, but can't find where?
Any ideas?

[Cobravision]

My device SM-P600 is not being seen by Samsung KIES3, I am trying to do the same recovery. I am guessing that it is a windows 8.1 issue, but I really do not know. I guess I will live with sucky custom build until I can try this on another machine. KIES3 loads up, I plug the note in, in Odin mode to the laptop, and blah, nothing happens. I get the blue ring of windows saying that KIES3 is unresponsive.
By the way, I am also cb23shark, I lost my login information, but low and behold here it is.

Did you try click on Tools|Reinstall Drivers without the tablet plugged in and then plug in the tablet and let the drivers install?

I have read in many forums that Kies is terrible. I actually never used it because of that. But it worked for me in this case. If anyone knows the steps to reinstall the factory firmware using Odin, please post.

[Dale_M]

The KIES access to a winders machine seems to be a problem with a USB driver in winders.... Like everything Microstuff there is always something there to bite you.... After plugging in and unplugging table several times winders finally decides its a valid USB object...

Dale

[Feemy82]

Looks like it was a bad flash from tech guy and recovery/bootloader is corrupted. In download mode KNOX isnt listed either. Real bad job, by whoever did it and didnt bother to check before shipped it back to you.
It's not necessary means device is rooted, some OTA does change to custom too or SDcard inserted that contains rooted files.
Mail Samsung support these pictures and ship it back to them is the best thing to do.

Normal, you can "restore" it back to normal status, by download stock ROM and flash it with Odin. That probably Samsung techs guys gonna do, when ship it back to them and since recovery is "corrupted". Best is to ask them first and hear if you can do it u self.


This should show in download mode (ignore Qualcomm secureboot, since I have LTE version):


Recovery Mode:

I sent my phone to Samsung for repair because it kept rebooting multiple times a day. My Note 4 was in full warranty, no root, nothing, and with %.0.1 insatlled. They replaced the motherboard and gave the phone back 2 days later with 4.4.4 installed. I asked the technician to go update it back to 5.0.1 because he said the motherboard had 4.4.4 installed.
Anyway I went home and the problem still persisted, same rebooting multiple times a day for no reason. I went back to them 4 days later and the suspected one of the apps I had installed from the Google Play Store was causing the issue, So they activated Safe Mode and the phone kept rebooting. So they take the phone back to the repair room and they find the phone has been rooted!?! I'm sat there shocked because: 1. I don't know how to root a phone, 2. I have no intention to root it because I still have 14 months warranty left on it.

So I began to argue with them saying that I did not root it. They're suggesting that one of the apps has caused the phone to root itself?! Seriously?! Is that possible??! I laughed, and I've spoken to other phone technicians, and they said it's not possible. I have a history of all the apps I've ever installed and I can guarantee you, none have the magical power to root the phone. That's ridiculous!

Now they are refusing to fix my phone because it says rooted, but it's not. Having read some of the suggestions in this post, I am even more inclined to think that Samsung have screwed the update process and 1. Either the replacement motherboard was rooted, or 2. during the update process, they installed a corrupt kernel or something. I say that because on one occasion when my phone was rebooting (after the new motherboard was installed), it came up with the message "Kernel is not seandroid enforcing. Set warranty bit: Kernel".

I have phoned customer support who are useless pieces of crap and have now escalated the issue. Samsung repair HAVE to be accountable for voiding the warranty, and they HAVE to replace the handset. Their argument is, they have never seen this before. Well, there is a first time for everything right. Let's face it, how many people go back after they have their motherboard replaced. That would normally solve the problem. Who knows, they may have rooted phones now too and they don't even know about it. This is a serious consumer problem that needs to be faced. Samsung are conning people and their technicians are dishonest, inept, unethical and rude.

I will knock on every door until this is solved.

[Moshe Barash]

I sent my phone to Samsung for repair because it kept rebooting multiple times a day. My Note 4 was in full warranty, no root, nothing, and with %.0.1 insatlled. They replaced the motherboard and gave the phone back 2 days later with 4.4.4 installed. I asked the technician to go update it back to 5.0.1 because he said the motherboard had 4.4.4 installed.
Anyway I went home and the problem still persisted, same rebooting multiple times a day for no reason. I went back to them 4 days later and the suspected one of the apps I had installed from the Google Play Store was causing the issue, So they activated Safe Mode and the phone kept rebooting. So they take the phone back to the repair room and they find the phone has been rooted!?! I'm sat there shocked because: 1. I don't know how to root a phone, 2. I have no intention to root it because I still have 14 months warranty left on it.

So I began to argue with them saying that I did not root it. They're suggesting that one of the apps has caused the phone to root itself?! Seriously?! Is that possible??! I laughed, and I've spoken to other phone technicians, and they said it's not possible. I have a history of all the apps I've ever installed and I can guarantee you, none have the magical power to root the phone. That's ridiculous!

Now they are refusing to fix my phone because it says rooted, but it's not. Having read some of the suggestions in this post, I am even more inclined to think that Samsung have screwed the update process and 1. Either the replacement motherboard was rooted, or 2. during the update process, they installed a corrupt kernel or something. I say that because on one occasion when my phone was rebooting (after the new motherboard was installed), it came up with the message "Kernel is not seandroid enforcing. Set warranty bit: Kernel".

I have phoned customer support who are useless pieces of crap and have now escalated the issue. Samsung repair HAVE to be accountable for voiding the warranty, and they HAVE to replace the handset. Their argument is, they have never seen this before. Well, there is a first time for everything right. Let's face it, how many people go back after they have their motherboard replaced. That would normally solve the problem. Who knows, they may have rooted phones now too and they don't even know about it. This is a serious consumer problem that needs to be faced. Samsung are conning people and their technicians are dishonest, inept, unethical and rude.

I will knock on every door until this is solved.

Actually it is possible for apps to root the device by themselves. You see, developers like the famous chainfire look for vulnerabilities in the firmware that allow root access to be gained. Recently a vulnerability was discovered where an app could be downloaded from the Google play store ave then the app could download other files, then the app could gain root access and do who knows what with your device. However the chance of this occurring is very low and the vulnerability was only recently discovered, and the repair people were probably just trying to weasel out of the repair.

[Feemy82]

Samsung have said that they used a new motherboard which would not have been rooted, and that the update they did from 4.4.4 to 5.0.1 could not have been corrupt.

They suggested that when i restored my device using Samsung Smart Switch, the corruption could have happened then. Is this a possibility? They said a corrupt APK etc could have been installed during the restore process. So they have suggested I factory reset and only add main apps like WhatsApp and Facebook. And if the phone doesn't keep rebooting, then there's a problem with one of the apps or other piece of software. Help?

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk