I figured out the MASTER KEY!!

The biggest thing is that it allows you to update the Java database, which will allow you to install any games and apps on your phone using your computer, meaning that you won't have to worry about system permissions, deleting vital phone info just to get an app working, or having to download apps from your phone's internet. If you have a data plan, this is good because it means that by using various methods you won't be asked "is it ok to do this action because you will be accessing the internet?" every time you use a third party app that uses data. And if you don't have a data plan, it's good because you can install anything you want right from your computer and update the Java database with your new apps. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look around the forum and search some. You'll find some awesome info.

so im new to all this and by the looks of it i dont want to brick my phone..but can some one tells me the steps to go about and update the java DB...

hi im a brand new impression owner and i am wondering what is the purpose of these codes?

Just wanted to say THANK YOU! to all of the experienced users here. I have read countless posts and really appreciate all of the information. To the other 'newbies' out there . . . read, read, read, and then read more BEFORE you do anything to your phone.

I have only been a member of this site for about a week or two, but I have learned so much here. The information is here people, just search and read.

And again, thank you to all of the Extremely Patient experienced users here.

so in order to get TKFE to work i changed my Impressions usb settings to qualcomm. I saw the code in a post somewhere after googleing it. i cant remember how to get it back to samsung. does anyone know how?

so, would the firmware info be somewhere in here?
http://wap.samsungmobile.com/uaprof/SGH-A877.xml

I'd like to thank everyone as well. My daughter has an Impression and her phone somehow got locked up last night. She had set a phone lock code, then somehow the SIM lock code and finally the PUK code (which wasn't even close). She kept entering numbers and totally screwed up the phone. When you'd turn on the phone, you enter the phone lock code (which we know) and then it would ask for the SIM password (which we didn't know). So the phone became useless. I took the phone to our local AT&T store. They thought it was at first a faulty SIM card, so they gave us a new one. Same problem. I tried my SIM card, again same problem. They also tried entering the PUK #'s, which didn't work. They told me the phone was defective and that I needed to get a replacement since it's still under warranty.

I called AT&T to start the process for getting the replacement. They couldn't figure it out and got hold of someone from Samsung (most likely in Asia somewhere). Because of the SIM password screen, they kept telling me it was an AT&T issue and that AT&T needed to reflash the phone. End of phone call.

Getting very frustrated, I started searching this site (it's very similar to the forum site for the Mythic - which has come in very handy). So I decided to see if I could find a reset code. Guess what? I did. I used the pre-configure code and that seems to have fixed the password issue and reset the phone back to what it was like the day we got it. I'm now my daughter's favorite geek.

Again, thanks to all for the tips.

Are you talking about the DMCA exeption in the USA? It only applies to jailbreaking and rooting an iPhone or Android device, respectively.

Goatbreaking is not the same as jailbreaking.