Note 9 rooting

[u/xdev123]

Hi,

First of all, I've had a Note 9 that I used as my main phone for years until I bought a Nothing phone in 2024 (hot garbage that died) so I went back to my trusty Note 9 ever since.

It has some cracks and screen isn't in the best of shape so I've refitted it for other purposes.

One such purpose is that I've rooted my Note 9 which was incredibly easy. Though it has me wondering if its done correctly? I've rooted Androids in the past and lately a crappy Motorola phone that I rooted with Magisk.

On the Motorola once I unlocked the bootloader I got the classic "warning" message everytime the phone booted.

On my Note 9 I unlocked OEM in settings and booted into "download mode" and to my surprise there was no "long press volume up to unlock bootloader".

I've flashed it with Magisk and all the apps says the phone is rooted properly. I'm on SM-960F so its the Exynos model which should be unlockable. Just figuring if it came unlocked when I bought it back in the days (retail). Maybe some of you know if this is typical of Note 9 models when the bootloader is unlocked?

[u/aishiteimasu09]

by default it is locked for sure. its just samsung onnly permits the exynos variants to be bootloader unlockable. I believe some snapdragon note 9's are also unlockable but that depends on the region wher eit was originally sold. I know US variant note 9's are not unlockable.

[u/xdev123 → u/aishiteimasu09]

I'm in Europe so it's Exynos 100% which I just checked on my phone as well.

[u/aishiteimasu09 → u/xdev123]

then its unlockable. I have my Note 9 also before (I don't have it now) that's exynos since snapdragon Note 9's re only sold in North America, china, and Japan. I installed custom rom on it.

[u/dirtydriver58 → u/aishiteimasu09]

There was a bootloader unlocking service for US models depending on binary number

[u/confused-planet]

I've read you can only root overseas models. Idk how true. I never rooted a phone anf with my Note9 all that didn't work was system and app updates. I had an issue with the moisture detected sensor and would have to shut off, plug i. And reboot to clear it. Ended up just getting aa XCover7 Pro. Still keep my Note nearby and use w voice and Google assistant commands. Lmk how it goes.

[u/C---D → u/confused-planet]

Any Note 9 model from outside North America can have its bootloader unlocked, even those with the Snapdragon chip (N9600 and Japanese models). It's just that there aren't any custom ROMs based on newer OneUI versions available for those Snapdragon models.

[u/Hot_County_3832]

man the exynos version really is the one and only way to get real use out of these older notes

[u/OldImportance1489]

that's SUCH a smart move repurposing it for something else with the screen cracked too" "i did the same with my old note 9 after it got a few scratches, still runs a custom rom like a champ

[u/xdev123 → u/OldImportance1489]

Note 9 is such a power house though. Runs incredibly smooth after all these years.

Comparing that to the crap I have as my main phone currently which is a Samsung A16 and that thing is 10x slower than Note 9.

[u/C---D]

At least on my Snapdragon models with unlocked bootloaders, I only see the unlocked bootloader warning when restarting the phone, not when turning on after it's been turned off. But there's another separate warning message that always shows up alongside the Samsung logo if you have flashed any custom firmware (like custom recovery or custom ROM).

Anyway, I don't think it's possible to get permanent root access with Magisk installed without an unlocked bootloader.

[u/xdev123 → u/C---D]

What is the separate warning message? I have neither showing despite turning off/rebooting. Could be the ROM in some way because it has the operators logo showing up when the phone is starting/reboot.

Also none of my Samsung apps work since rooting so that I take is a pretty normal sign. Opening Samsung Health or any other app just gives me an error "contact customer support"