Installing on a Chinese clone

[138poohbear]

I’m thinking about dipping my toe in the e os water by experimenting with an old Note 3 SM-N9005. The only thing is, the device which I’d buy on eBay is almost certainly a Chinese clone.

Would anyone know from experience whether it would be possible to install the os on such a device?

Many thanks

Andrew

Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/ the unGoogled mobile OS and online services

[Infinity]

That won’t work, because it has a completely different chipset. So you would need /e/ for that specific device.

[138poohbear]

Ah. I didn’t realise that. Thank you so much for replying

[aibd]

@138poohbear

is almost certainly a Chinese clone

What makes you believe that ? Checking ebay in the UK I find devices with 30 day returns with specifics as seen here https://doc.e.foundation/devices/hlte, for instance

• SM-N9005
• Qualcomm MSM8974AB Snapdragon 800

[138poohbear]

I bought one a couple of years ago (looked brand new) and it had a Chinese bootloader. The one I was looking at today had a review saying it was a Chinese knock off - which kind of makes sense given this is now a 10 year old phone and they’re described as open, never used. The specs listed I would think are questionable.

[piero]

Your device has a device code name

@andrelam

. To find it, you can try here . Or you use a command on your computer:

Prerequisites:
Working ADB and Fastboot
Developer options enabled

In a command windows/terminal type this:
adb shell getprop ro.product.device

[138poohbear]

Thanks for that. Can that codename be faked?

[aibd]

If one was to use the app AIDA64 to confirm device codename one would also get confirmation of all the hardware components. This could be done on delivery of the device in a few minutes. These links illustrate that the problem devices would be quite easy to identify. There is another trick mentioned

by going to the dialer app and typing *#0*#. On a genuine Samsung device, you’ll be taken to a debugging menu right after you enter the last #.

• https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/114501/samsung-galaxy-note-3-sm-n9006-chinese-knockoff-clone-or-genuine-phone
• https://forums.androidcentral.com/threads/help-flashing-other-stock-rom-on-chinese-galaxy-note-3-gm-n9005.574071/

Reading these two articles, imo, the problem devices are either N9006 or other variant or else very cheap devices packed to look like Samsung.

However device codename hlte I discover does cover several devices

Retail BrandingName		Device	Model

Samsung	Galaxy Note3	hlte	SM-N9005
Samsung	Galaxy Note3	hlte	SM-N9006
Samsung	Galaxy Note3	hlte	SM-N9007
Samsung	Galaxy Note3	hlte	SM-N9008V
Samsung	Galaxy Note3	hlte	SM-N9009
Samsung	Galaxy Note3	hlte	SM-N900U

Supported Models:

    SM-N9005
    SM-N900P

[138poohbear]

Thank you very much indeed for all that information. It’s very helpful and much appreciated :

[138poohbear]

Just to follow up on my question, I received the phone and it was fake. I used the Samsung update facility which told me that the operating system had been modified in an unauthorised way. Returned and refunded.

[anon29344687]

@138poohbear

Just to follow up on my question, I received the phone and it was fake. I used the Samsung update facility which told me that the operating system had been modified in an unauthorised way. Returned and refunded.

Ignorance quickly leads to prejudice. The pictured screen message is displayed on every N9005 as well as all Samsung Galaxy devices with original stock Android firmware Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean), 4.4.2 (KitKat) and 5.0 (Lollipop) when a custom recovey like TWRP is installed or the device is rooted. It is possible to flash a stock Android firmware again with Odin or Heimdall at a later time, but Samsung refuses any over-the-air updates.