Resetting the Flash Counter on the Galaxy Note: What It Was

Why the counter mattered

Installing custom ROMs or rooted kernels carries the risk of a bricked phone. There is also a warranty concern. If the flash counter is tripped, the yellow triangle marks the device as modified. Someone who knows what to look for could refuse a return or warranty claim. The writer called that understandable, since carriers and manufacturers do not want boxes of bricked phones from people who flash without reading.

What the zip did

It reset the counters for kernels and recoveries flashed through Odin back to stock. It was an update zip for the CWM recovery, flashed from the memory card after booting into recovery.

Facts about the counter

• Samsung can tell how many kernels and recoveries were flashed with Odin.
• Each counter goes up to 255, so a theoretical reset by flashing 256 of each would still leave Samsung aware that something was flashed.
• Samsung also knows the last item flashed.
• Flashing the system partition is not counted.

Supported models

The AT&T i717, Rogers i717R, Telus i717D and Bell i717M.

Risks

Any flash can brick a device, and hiding modifications may not be accepted by the warranty provider. This page does not link to files.