KNOX FREE ANDROID 4.3 UPDATE FOR NOTE 2

Wanted to upgrade your Note 2 N7100 to the latest leaked firmware but too afraid to do it in fear of losing your warranty in case you decide to root, thanks to KNOX security solution that comes pre-installed with the Android 4.3 update?

Well, we don’t blame you. That’s an expensive rock you got there and losing its warranty pre-maturely would certainly hurt. So, fear not, now there is a KNOX-disabled firmware available for your International Samsung Galaxy Note 2, GT-N7100, which means upgrading to this would let you root without your device’s warranty becoming void.

KNOX is Samsung’s advanced security measure, btw, which can do some good things, but also voids your warranty if you root your device using older methods, or install a custom recovery, and thus it aims to don’t let you install your favorite custom ROMs in CM, AOKP, PA, etc.

Here, we will be covering how to flash Android Jelly Bean 4.3 leaked KNOX-disabled and un-rooted firmware on your the Galaxy Note 2.

WARNING!

Warranty may be void of your device if you follow the procedures given on this page!

You only are responsible for your device. We won’t be liable if any damage occurs to your device and/or its components.

CHECK DEVICE MODEL NO.

To make sure your device is eligible with this, you must first confirm its model no. in ‘About device’ option under Settings. Another way to confirm model no. is by looking for it on the packaging box of your device. It must be GT-N7100!

Please know that this page is meant only for Samsung Galaxy Note 2 International variant, model no. GT-N7100. Please DO NOT try the procedures given here on other variants of the Galaxy Note 2: GT-N7102, GT-N7105 GT-N7108 and AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and other variants who have different model no.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN..

You must do this pre-installation stuff before attempting to install this KNOX-free Android 4.3 update on your Galaxy Note 2 GT-N7100 in order to avoid any complications later, and have a smooth and successful process.

BACK UP YOUR DEVICE

Back up important data and stuff before you start playing around here as there are chances you might lose your apps and app-data (app settings, game progress, etc.), and in rare case, files on sd card, too.

For help on Backup and Restore, check out our exclusive page on that linked right below.

► ANDROID BACK UP AND RESTORE GUIDE: APPS AND TIPS

INSTALL GALAXY NOTE 2 DRIVER

You must have proper and working driver installed on your windows computer to be able to successfully flash KNOX-free Android 4.3 firmware international Samsung Galaxy Note 2 GT-N7100. In case you’re not sure, follow the link below for a definitive guide for installing driver for your Galaxy Note 2 on your computer.

► SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 2 DRIVER INSTALLATION GUIDE

CHARGE YOUR DEVICES

If your android device, or PC, powers off due to lack of battery while the process is underway, it could damage the device. So, make sure both of them are adequately charged and that no power interruption takes place when the process is undergoing — at least 50% battery of the device and laptop is what we would recommend.

OTHER THINGS TO TAKE CARE OF:

└ Use original USB cable to connect your phone to PC.

└ Do not use the procedures given below on Mac (using VMWare) as it works best on proper Windows PC only.

EXAMPLE VIDEO

If you haven’t used Odin software to install a firmware on your device before, we suggest you first watch a video of that, given right below, to get familiar with the process.

Btw, the video below features installation of TWRP recovery on Galaxy S3 (yes, Note S4!). But as the process is exactly same, it doesn’t matter.

FLASH N7100XXUEMJ5 FIRMWARE WITH KNOX-DISABLED ON SAMSUNG GALAXY Note 2

NOTE: Keep in mind that the following procedure will flash just a KNOX-disabled firmware. And it is NOT rooted.

Make sure you’ve backed up you’re device before proceeding.

DOWNLOADS

Download the files given below and save them in a separate folder on your computer (just to keep things tidy, that is).

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

FLASHING KNOX-DISABLED FIRMWARE

Once you’ve finished downloading the file given in downloads section above, follow the instructions below for flashing KNOX-disabled firmware on your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 GT-N7100.

Important Note: Backup important files stored on internal SD card of your device, so that in case a situation arises requiring you to do a factory reset after installing the firmware, which might delete internal sd card too, your files will remain safe on PC.

  1. Extract/Unzip the Odin307.zip file on your computer (using 7-zip free software, preferably) to get this file: Odin3 v3.07.exe
  2. Extract/Unzip KS_N7100XXUEMJ5.zip file on your computer now to get this file: KS_N7100XXUEMJ5.tar
  3. Disconnect the Galaxy Note 2 from PC if it is connected.
  4. Double-click the Odin3 v3.07.exe file to open Odin.
  5. Boot your Galaxy Note 2 GT-N7100 into Download Mode (the image below of the Galaxy Note 2 would help):
    1. Power off your phone first and wait for 6-7 seconds after display is off.
    2. Press and hold these 3 buttons together until you see Warning! screen: Volume Down + Power + Home.
    3. Press Volume Up now to continue to Download Mode.
      Note 2 download mode
  6. Connect Galaxy Note 2 to PC. Odin window will show an Added!! message in bottom left box.
    Odin’s screen would look like this:
    Odin Added!! Message
    └ If you don’t get the Added! message, then make sure you installed driver as given above, if yes, then uninstall and re-install driver again.
    Also, try another USB port on your PC and make sure you use good quality cable, preferably that came with the phone. Reboot phone and PC and try again.
  7. Load the KS_N7100XXUEMJ5.tar file into Odin. Click on the PDA button on Odin and select the KS_N7100XXUEMJ5.tar file.
    Your Odin will look like this (with different filename of course, as this image below belongs to Galaxy S3):
    Files Ready in Odin
  8. Click the Start button to begin flashing KNOX-disabled firmware on your International Galaxy Note 2 GT-n7100, and wait until you see a PASS! message in Odin’s top left box.
  9. When you get PASS! message, your phone will restart automatically. You can then disconnect your phone from PC.
    Samsung Galaxy S3 AT&T Root Success

    If     you see FAIL message instead of the PASS in Odin’s top left box, that a problem. Try this now: disconnect your Note 2 from PC, close Odin, remove phone’s battery and put it back inside in 3-4 seconds, open Odin and then repeat from Step 3 of this guide again.Also, If device is Stuck at setup connection or on any other process, then too, try this: disconnect your Note 2 from PC, close Odin, remove phone’s battery and put it back inside in 3-4 seconds, open Odin and then repeat from Step 3 of this guide again.
  10. Congratulations! You have successfully flashed the KNOX-disabled firmware on your Note 2.

HOW TO ROOT GALAXY NOTE 2

Now, what good an upgraded beast of a device is, if it doesn’t have ROOT privileges.

So, if you want to root your newly upgraded Samsung Galaxy Note 2 GT-N7100, then head over here and follow the procedures from Part II of the step-by-step guide:

► ROOT GALAXY NOTE 2 GT-N7100 WITH KNOX DISABLED BOOTLOADER (Go To PART II there)

That’s all. If you need help regarding this, feel free to ask us in comments below.

Feedback Us!

It was easy, right? Let us know what you plan to do now, with root access gained.

Suggestions are most welcomed!

Via XDA (Kunals.shah)