[pobs123]

I just received the T-Mobile OTA update this week, and when I tried to root the SGH-T999, I cannot get completely through the instructions. The instructions I am following are:

So, let's root our Sprint Galaxy S3 SPH-L710 or T-Mobile Galaxy S3 SGH-T999, it only takes about 5 minutes, very safe to do.

Step 1. Hold down Volume Down, Home Center, and Power buttons together for about 20 seconds until your phone resets and shows you an option to get into download mode.

Step 2. Next hit Volume Up button to enter download mode.

Step 3. Once in Download mode, you can connect your micro-USB cable from your Galaxy S3 to your computer.

Step 4. Next, download GalaxyS3RootSprint.zip and unzip, you should find all the files you need.
Download GalaxyS3RootSprint.zip

Step 5. Next, make sure you have drivers installed, you should see "Samsung Mobile USB CDC Composite Device" in Device Manager. If you don't, simply download Samsung Kies and install it. (Then unplug, plug the micro-USB cable.)

Step 6. Double-click on odin3 v1.85.exe file to start ODIN. You should see a yellow highlighted box with a COM number. The number doesn't matter just so long as you see a yellow box. If you don't see yellow box, your drivers are not installed correctly OR try killing Kies in Task Manager as sometimes it can interfere.

Step 7. Choose "PDA" and choose "clockworkmod.TAR" file in GalaxyS3RootSprint folder. Then hit "Start".

Step 8. In about 10 seconds, your phone will reboot and give you ClockworkMod Recovery.

Step 9. You will get a "PASS!" if everything went correctly.

Step 10. Once your Galaxy S3 reboots, copy over the file CWM-SuperSU-v0.87.zip from the folder GalaxyS3RootSprint to the internal storage or SD card of your phone.

Step 11. Reboot into ClockworkMod Recovery by holding down Volume Up, Center Home, and Power button together for about 10 seconds.

Step 12. Once in ClockworkMod Recovery, choose “install zip from sdcard”.

Step 13. Next choose “choose zip from sdcard” or “choose zip from internal sdcard” depending on where you put the file in Step 6.

Step 14. Choose CWM-SuperSU-v0.87.zip.

Step 15. Choose “Yes”.

Step 16. Once it’s done flashing the file CWM-SuperSU-v0.87.zip (the Superuser zip file), simply reboot and enjoy a fully rooted Galaxy S3.

Step 17. You will find SuperSU app once rebooted.

Step 18. You can now run rooted apps!

Does step 8 means the system will reboot into "ClockworkMod" mode ? Or simply reboot and ClockworkMod Recovery is installed ? It reboots, but not into recovery mode. Also, step 9 does complete with "PASS!"

After copying the CWM-SuperSU-v0.87.zip to the internal SD card via Windows Explorer, then I boot it into recovery mode I don't get "install zip from sdcard" as an option. (I am guessing that the recovery mode is not the ClockworkMod recovery, but not sure why not)

The screen says:

Android system recovery <3e>

Volume up/down to move highlight:
power button to select.

reboot system now
apply update from external storage
wipe data/factory reset
wipe cache partition
apply update from cache

The phone works fine, but not able to complete the root process. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Android version: 4.0.4
Baseband version: T999UVLJ4
Build Number: IMM76D.T999UVALJ4

[DrKrizzle]

Wish I could help, would like to see the answer myself. I did root before the update came out. Did you see the video from GalaxyS3root.com? It helped me out a lot. Make sure you look for the T-mobile video. Now that I did the root, the newest T-Mobile update will not work, so not sure if I should care or not. I'm waiting for the Stock Jelly Bean update to come out, then I will probably care a little more.

[pobs123]

Thanks for the tip on the video. Watching it showed me the problem. I did not unselected "Auto Reboot", and pull the battery after loading Clockwork Mod Recovery.

Unfortunately within the last week, I found the phone to be defective (will not switch automatically between 4G and Edge). So I need to root it, just so I can run "Triangle Away" to reset my counter - so I can return it for warranty refund/exchange.

It has been rooted and ran "Triangle Away". Now I am in the process of download the stock firmware to my PC. I assume ODIN is the best way to write it.

Thanks again for your assistance.

[pobs123]

Unfortunately within the last week, I found the phone to be defective (will not switch automatically between 4G and Edge).

A strange thing has happened, even though the Stock ROM is the only one that I have ever had on this phone, the problem with switching between 4G and Edge has gone away. So apparently reloading it with T999UVLJ4 fixed the problem with the GSM/WCDMA switching.

Unfortunately, I already received an RMA from the original seller, and bought a replacement phone from a new seller. I think I will cancel the RMA and keep my original phone, and sell the replacement phone - since I only paid $415 for the first one, and $458 for the second one.

If I unlock and root the 2nd one - I should be able to at least re-coup my expense on the 2nd one.

So my lesson learned is ... if you have a defective phone, and bought it online -- try re-loading the latest stock ROM, and see if the problem goes away -- before trying to get a refund or replacement.

[TBolt2011]

I'm in the same boat. CWM will not boot. I can only get into the Android Recovery and have followed the steps before that completely.

[junglejunkie]

You should be able to flash CWM with Odin. After that I just flashed a pre rooted Stock JB ROM.

[pobs123]

The things that I missed, when I could not get it to boot into CWM were these:

1. Make sure you uncheck the "Auto Reboot" -- you don't want it to reboot automatically after writing CWM with ODIN.
2. After you get the "PASS" in ODIN -- remove the battery (without hitting any power buttons).

Then when it powers up (after replacing the battery), you should be able to boot into CWM Recovery Mode.

[TBolt2011]

I will try this now. I actually read this somewhere else (and it may have been this thread for all I can remember right now lol).

The reason I didn't try it already is because I have read/watched about 8 separate rooting guides and none have this included. In fact, most specifically say to leave Auto Reboot on.

But yes, I will try this and hope for the best! Will update!

[TBolt2011]

The things that I missed, when I could not get it to boot into CWM were these:

1. Make sure you uncheck the "Auto Reboot" -- you don't want it to reboot automatically after writing CWM with ODIN.
2. After you get the "PASS" in ODIN -- remove the battery (without hitting any power buttons).

Then when it powers up (after replacing the battery), you should be able to boot into CWM Recovery Mode.

Thank you! Worked like a fricken charm!

[GTWalling]

There are 2 files that need to be renamed. Without renaming these files it will over wright CWM with the stock recovery. It checks for stock recovery every boot.
install-recovery.sh located in the /system/etc folder
recovery-from-boot.p located in the /system folder
I just add a .bak to the file name. Once this is done install CWM again and it will be OK>

[Merilin]

There are 2 files that need to be renamed. Without renaming these files it will over wright CWM with the stock recovery. It checks for stock recovery every boot.
install-recovery.sh located in the /system/etc folder
recovery-from-boot.p located in the /system folder
I just add a .bak to the file name. Once this is done install CWM again and it will be OK>

I have rooted my s3, installed CWM, flashed a custom ROM, but after that it just recovers itself to stock ROM. I tried to find those files mentioned, but they are not in etc folder. Any help, where they could be located?

[GTWalling]

Not the main etc folder. Open the System folder and then the etc folder. The install-recovery.sh should be there. The other file will be the the System folder itself.

[Corey Sheldon]

Just to clarify these are on the root of the tree (need to switch your file browser to allow root access mode (file manager /astro)

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

[Dego Red]

GTWalling, I have found the files that need to be renamed, however it will not let me rename them. Have tried several different programs, all give me the error message, along the lines of "access denied". Tried deleting the files, wont let me delete them either.

[GTWalling]

Your phone has to be Rooted to rename System files. Don't delete Rename you may need them at some time or another.