What cellphone do I exactly have?

[UNATCOPres]

Well, hello guys. I have came here because I have no idea what to do right now. I bought what I thought it was a Samsung S4 GT-I9500, but now I'm not sure. For you to know, this is my cellphone's review:

dhgate.com/product/i9500-1-1-quad-core-mtk6589-s4-android-4/163955856.html

All my concern started when I bought a Claro SIM from Argentina. I insterted it once, no sim insterted, tried a couple of time, recognized the Operator Claro AR, but no signal, no conection, only emergency calls. I thought well, SIM must have broken when they cutted it. Due lack of time I didn't do much after that, and 2 weeks passed. Now searching in internet about how to make battery last longer, I found how to root my cellphone and I said HELL YEAH, I want to control it all! I didn't have my cellphone with me, so I just kept reading and watching tutorials, you know, recovery & download mode, CWM, ODIN, much things I wanted to do.
One thing I wanted to do also was to download a ROM for my cellphone, a firmware that was for Claro Argentina.
GT-I9500 Galaxy S 4
PDA: I9500UBUBMG1
CSC: I9500UWABMG1
MODEM: I9500UBUBMG1

Then I got my cellphone back, and here started my worries:

1) Vol Down + Menu + Power don't get me to the Download mode, instead I got to a "Factory mode" in chinese, or some Asian languaje, wich of course I don't understand. So had to change my strategy to root.

2) KIES does not recognice my cellphone, in fact, my device name in the PC is similar to "Android MT65** device". The "SAMSUNG_USB_Driver_for_Mobile_Phones" does not much I can say Had to change it one more time

3) Downloaded SnapPea, cellphone on USB Debug mode, plugged, everything seemed to be fine, and then I should have recieved the RSA key on my android... nothing. I turned ON and OFF the USB debbuging mode at least 100 times, cellphone plugged, unplugged, turned on and off the phone, restarted the computer, uninstaled Samsung drivers, uninstaled "Android MT65** device". NOTHING, never got that ask box. So I couldn't use Impactor

4) Time for some PdaNet, tried version 4.15, 4.01 and 3.00. I tried not reinstalling the drivers, reinstalling the drivers, uninstalling manually every single android driver on my PC, tried with Samsung and Other. All I got what, in version 4.01 and 3.00 "Error trying to handshake the device", and with the lastest version: HTC Sync error = -1. I didn't even have HTC installed, but i downloaded and installed it just to say "hey, I've done it, now what will be your excuse?". from this point on I got no more idea to go, but I kept searching, and I could do nothing.

Now, there are some details i want to share with you about my "Samsung Galaxy S4" if I can call it like that.

1) My boot logo is not Samsung GT-I9500 and whatsoever, it is a green Android and "Android" written below, and then a blue thing flying arround a blue android.

2) My battery last TOO little, in use with Wi-Fi and playing, it can last 3, 4 hours at 100% charge. Sometimes it doesn't charge to 100%, and usually it shuts down (and I don't mean the "shutting down" message, no, it's like it dies from one second to another) between 15% and 13%, never seen less than 12%, and sometimes even before telling me "low battery". But well, that can be a battery problem, at least I can try to download something to regulate battery consumption, or if you can suggest something.

3) This one is funny: My storage settings:

Internal Storage:
Total: 12.98 GB
Aviabable: 89 MB
Applications: 785 MB
Cache: 21 MB

SDCard:
Total: 17.90 GB (Hey, I didn't know my old 2GB SDCard could do that!)
Aviabable: 474 MB
App: 832 MB
Images: 704 KB
Downloads: 1 MB
Cache: 55 MB

Hilarious, isn't it. I thought it was a smartphone.

4) Something I crossed just wondering... my IMEI: 2222222222222222 / 01 (I don't know if I placed the right number of 2s, but you get the idea)... never on my life saw that.

5) All the "Samsung S4" features are not present on this phone. (all those fancy apps that starts with Samsung)

Well, I think thats all what's relevant. What can I do? Can I flash my cellphone, install a CWM, get the Download mode instead that chinese factory mode, get the root access, and install a Claro ROM? What cellphone do I have? D:

And here I list you my cellphone info, as descripted by the android system itself, and Antutu Benchmark.

About devices:

Model number: GT-I9500
Android version: 4.2.9
Baseband version: MOLY.WR8.W1248.MD.MG.MP.VG, 2013/05/08 11:19

Kernel Version:
3.4.5-447903
se.infra@SEP-92 #1
Mon Jul 8 20:14:02 CST 2013

Build number: JDQ39.I9500ZSUAMDF
Custom Build version: I9868.I9868.02.02.A.A-V05.3-0708

Antutu description:

Network: GSM/WCDMA/4G LITE
CPU: Exynos 5410 1.60 GHz
CPU Cores: 4+4
GPU Manufacturer: Imaginatiln Technologies
GPU Model: PowerVR SGX 544MP
System: Android OS 4.2
Weight: 138g
Specification: upright

Phone Model: GT-I9500
Brand: samsung (Yeah, lower case)
CPU hardware: UNIVERSAL5410
CPU model: Quad-Core ARMv7 Processor (VFPv3, NEON)
CPU frequency: 250.0 ~ 1600.0 MHz
Memory Size (Aviabable/total): 89.1 / 13296.3 MB
SDcard Size (Aviabable/total): 474.2 /18329.7 MB
IMEI: 22222222222222222 (or so)
Kernel: Linux version 3.4.5-447903 (se.infra@SEP-92) (gcc version 4.6.x-google 2120106 (prerelease) (GCC) ) #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon Jul 8 20:14:02 CST 2013

Well, thats all guys. Thanks in advance Oh and sorry for my bad english.

 

[MLSS]

Sounds like you got one of those knockoff clones from China.

 

[UNATCOPres]

Sounds like you got one of those knockoff clones from China.

Yup, I'm afraid so, but I don't care if it is a clone, if I can root it it's ok

 

[funkylogik]

To me it sounds like a custom rom on it (maybe CM?).
Have you tried Root Checker app to see if its rooted?
And try recovery mode to see if it already has something like CWM on it (turn it off then hold in Power, HOME, and Volume Up) :thumbup:

 

[funkylogik]

Can you take a screenshot of "about phone" in the settings and post it?

 

[UNATCOPres]

No, it's not rooted. And here they are :3

http://imageshack.com/a/img545/7337/pq9q.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img812/307/5pkj.jpg

 

[BrettCramer]

why you did this ? why did you think that a china made would deliver the due ? as a result, now, you get stuck with it

 

[UNATCOPres]

Because here in argentina a Samsung Galaxy S4 is $8000 Argentine pesos (A thouthand dollars), and that costed $800 Argentine pesos (A hundred dollars). I win $3000 pesos a month... thats why, rooted or not, and sorry for the expression, shitty or not, I'm happy with it

 

[mikedt]

This is definitely a knock off, sold by DHgate of Shenzhen, which is likely some private individual operating from an apartment or cheap hotel bedroom. Any utilities specific to Samsung phones won't work because it's not a Samsung. It's a cheap Chinese copy from an unknown manufacturer, and there's a lot of them around. You're in Argentina right? It's very probably it was never tested for compatibility or has the cellular bands used in the Americas. That's why it's showing no service, emergency calls only etc. Nothing you can do really except RMA it for a refund. The language you're getting in factory reset is Chinese. The funky looking internal memory figures you posted look about right for one of these things.It's basically lying about the 12GB and 18GB, and it really does have very little internal storage available. You'll very likely find that the camera is awful as well.

 

[Hadron]

Yeah, as Mike says, rooting tools, ROMs etc are all specific to the hardware, so you'd need to find stuff for that model of clone. You might manage to root it (it might even be rooted already), but the chances of there being ROMs that will work on it is very small. ROMs intended for the S4 will not work on it.

And I've just checked: Argentina uses GSM 850/1900, UMTS 850/1900. None of these bands is used in China, so it's quite possible that the handset doesn't support any of the frequencies used in your country (a real S4 would be multi-band, but many clones are just 900/1800 GSM, and if they have UMTS at all it's 2100 only). If so, there is nothing you can do to make it work as a phone - no software hack can change the transceiver hardware or the antennae. Just hope that you can get a refund.

 

[mikedt]

Yeah, as Mike says, rooting tools, ROMs etc are all specific to the hardware, so you'd need to find stuff for that model of clone. You might manage to root it (it might even be rooted already), but the chances of there being ROMs that will work on it is very small. ROMs intended for the S4 will not work on it.

And I've just checked: Argentina uses GSM 850/1900, UMTS 850/1900. None of these bands is used in China, so it's quite possible that the handset doesn't support any of the frequencies used in your country (a real S4 would be multi-band, but many clones are just 900/1800 GSM, and if they have UMTS at all it's 2100 only). If so, there is nothing you can do to make it work as a phone - no software hack can change the transceiver hardware or the antennae. Just hope that you can get a refund.

BTW a Chinese friend of mine bought a cheap S4 lookalike when we're in Beijing a few days ago, cost was equivalent of about $80, and it's a very basic phone. It's 900/1800 GSM/EDGE only, no 3G, no GPS, no compass, screen is quite poor, very little internal storage available and the camera is crap. This phone would NOT work in North or South America. Although there isn't actually anything that says "Samsung". Has the brand "Kalee" on the packaging and casing.

 

[mikedt]

No, it's not rooted. And here they are :3

http://imageshack.com/a/img545/7337/pq9q.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img812/307/5pkj.jpg

Was this Antutu pre-installed? Because it looks very much like it's giving completely false information and has been doctored. One thing you don't spell "Imagination Technologies" like that....LOL! ...and the stuff about 4G/LTE is bogus as well. The $80 clone my friend bought in Beijing had a couple of spelling mistakes in the software as well. But this one wasn't deliberately trying to deceive, unlike your "Samsung Galaxy S4". The "CST" in the kernel string is a giveaway, China Standard Time. Genuine Samsungs always have "KST", Korea Standard Time.

 

[funkylogik]

Just as a final test theres an app to check if your samsung is fake and gives you the real specs but cant remember the name. Ill have a look.....
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xihuanat.truth

 

[cjlsiqueira]

Saludos amigos " UNATCOPres " Argentina ! Desde ayer he estado traduciendo sus informes que el Sr. publicadas aqu

 

[UNATCOPres]

Well guys, thanks for your replies, I couldn't figure out nothing, and the app test said my galaxy was false so... not much to do now, I'll use it as a mini-computer with wifi and storage, and games :3
One last thing, the DHGate cell specification says: GSM900 GSM1800 WCDMA GSM1900 GSM850, it can be false, but oh I don't know :3

cjlsiqueira:
Hello pal, I'm not an expert in cellphones, just in PCs But I'll try to answer your questions and share my experience.
The steps you mentioned in the youtube video and in that tutorial were exactly the same I did before, so I can guarantee none of them will work, simply because I can't get cellphone in download mode. I'll try to explain answering your questions.

1) ROM is Read-Only Memory, it is a storage sector where you can only read, but not write (under common circunstances). Every electronic device has a ROM where it stores the firmware. The firmware is a block of instructions of low level that interacts directly with the hardware of each electronic device, so it could be considered the manual for the software to use that device. So, strictly speaking, NO, the Firmware is stored IN the ROM, but generally it has the same common meaning. Example: If you say "I broke my cellphone's ROM by flashing it", what you did change was the firmware for one that was not for that device. The ROM itself it's okay, but its content itself, the firmware, is broken.

2) I don't know for your's, but the "SAMSUNG_USB_Driver_for_Mobile_Phones" are only for Samsung phones, and mine is not samsung, so nope, it will never work for my phone.

3) "KIES" and "SnapPea" are both programs for the PC, and their basic function is to provide a conection bridge between your PC and your cellphone, to manage your cellphone from your PC.

4) The IMEI is the International Mobile Equipment Identity, and it works as the identification number for your cellphone, so if it's broken or invalid or null, you won't be able to connect to your cellphone's service provider (operator).

5) Unfortunatelly, I couldn't do that becouse CWM is cellphone specific. As I don't know my cellphone's firmware, I can't flash it, so I can't access the download mode, and instead I have this annoying factory mode in chinese. And yes, it's the same procedure your video shown, only that instead of downloading a Root in your cellphone, you download a CWM, but you need root access first, and I can't get that.

6) The USB debugging is an option to bring your cellphone to debug mode once you've plugged it to a PC via USB. This is to manage specific sectors of your phone otherwise you can't change.

7) The RSA key is a cryptographic system, but making it easy, once you plug your cellphone in debbug mode to the PC, the PC send a message to your cellphone asking if you wish to accept the incoming connection with a RSA key. I never got to see that on my cellphone.

8) The debugging mode is enabled from the cellphone. Check the internet for that

9) No, that's not an e-mail Or at least I don't think so JAJAJAJAJAJAJA

Well, that's all, hope I could answer your questions :3

 

[Noelani]

Is it possible to root my cellphone? And how?

 

[Noelani]

Is it possible to root my cellphone? And how? I wasn't able to find zte midnight in the listing. My phones internal memory is almost full and nothing else has the option so apps can be switched to my 8g sd card. Absolutely frustrated! & clueless on how to fix my problem. Plz HELP ME

 

[cjlsiqueira]

Aeh! You want to respond to you in English and Spanish, together language? Binds Argentino! I find out a guy in a forum that is seems very conhecimentode devices MTXX (MediaTek and others)! Read and translated, the main conversations with members, "he said," because in this forum, but he responds! And just for some people, around 5 or 6 But are 8 html pages of questions-and post +/- should be about 15 or 20 people, wanting to "help" make such Root, in their respective devices. Your model not seen! But it has some of the same EKINOS

 

[bryan20]

woah..your s4 was fake? i had the same experience and then i opted looking for another inexpensive smartphone so i tried Kata. if you're looking into buying another, maybe you can try Kata Digital Philippines - Making Life Easy their smartphones are affordable and specs are great too.

 

[mikedt]

The blatant fakes are the worst, like the OP's knock-off S4, because naturally nobody wants to own up to making the things, and the quality is frequently awful as well, especially the cameras.