How to Root Galaxy Sprint Galaxy S3!

[zedomax]

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!

FAQ

Q: Does this root method erase my settings and apps?
A: No, it doesn?t touch a thing, very safe to do.

Q: I ended up in Kernel panic mode, what do I do?
A: Relax, that?s same as ODIN download mode, simply run Heimdall again and flash the files again, it will work.

More questions? ?Please leave in the comment section below for help from author and other users.
<h2>More on this Root Method</h2>
This root method simply installs ClockworkMod Recovery to the recovery partition and installs Superuser zip file, very safe to do. ?With Galaxy S2, recovery partition was part of the kernel and was a bit dangerous but with Galaxy S3, Samsung has made recovery parition separate from the kernel, making it much safer just like how Galaxy Nexus works.

Congratulations! ?You've rooted your Galaxy S3! ?That was easy right?
FAQ
Q: Does this root method erase my settings and apps?
A: No, it doesn't touch a thing, very safe to do.

Q: ODIN does not start on my computer, what do I do?
A: Sometimes various Windows programs and drivers interfere with ODIN, try closing/killing any programs before running the program. ?If that does't work, just use another computer.

Q: I ended up in Kernel panic mode, what do I do?
A: Relax, that's same as ODIN download mode, simply run ODIN again and flash the files again, it will work.

Q: Does rooting break my phone in any way?
A: No, this root method actually does not change your Galaxy S3 except install custom recovery and give you root. ?Everything else on your phone will stay the same.

More questions? ?Please leave in the comment section below for help from author and other users.
More on this Root Method
This root method simply installs ClockworkMod Recovery to the recovery partition and installs Superuser zip file, very safe to do. ?With Galaxy S2, recovery partition was part of the kernel and was a bit dangerous but with Galaxy S3, Samsung has made recovery parition separate from the kernel, making it much safer just like how Galaxy Nexus works.

Credits - NoobNL

For detailed step-by-step instructions with photos, see here:
How to Root Sprint/T-Mobile Galaxy S3 [SPH-L710][SGH-T999]! | GalaxyS3Root.com

 

[Cyber Warrior]

Thanks... nice write up

 

[footballbanker]

I followed the instructions properly. I noticed I can't go into download mode unless the phone is turned off. I followed the instructions properly. I got a PASS and copied CWM-SuperSU-v0.87.zip to my phone just like in the video tutorial. I turned my phone off to go into download mode and it just goes to android system recovery.

 

[Paul627g]

I can't open the ODIN file. It just goes to this small box that is title odin3 and it just says odin3.ini. followed by several square shapes. What am I doing wrong here?

First Odin is designed to be ran on Windows.

Second, if you meet the above requirement it could be a bad download...

Turn off any antivirus/spy ware scanners temporarily while using Odin. Some people in the past have reported problems from over sensitive scanning causing issues.

 

[askewr]

i did everything u said but my phone doesnt go into clockmod recovery it go into android system recovery

 

[EVO28312]

I'm having a similar issue as well. Everything went fine I able to gain root bad had the custom recovery including su ap. I downloaded my first Rom and as I tried to get back into clockwork recovery it failed to. I keep getting into stock recovery! What gives??

 

[storino03]

i'm stuck on Step 7. in the status window of Odin3, it says "Get PIT for mapping..." and never goes until completion *until it says Pass*. Anyone know what's wrong? The USB drivers are installed correctly and it shows the yellow Com4 highlighted.

Win 7 64-bit.

 

[storino03]

okay figured it out.

[Q] Stuck at "Get PIT for Mapping" everytime - Page 2 - xda-developers

 

[Telesis]

When I try to install from external sd card it says that CWM-SuperSU-v0.87.zip has an invalid signature and won't install it. Is there an updated CWM-SuperSU that I should be using? Brand new phone, just got it yesterday.

 

[gollum18]

When I try to install from external sd card it says that CWM-SuperSU-v0.87.zip has an invalid signature and won't install it. Is there an updated CWM-SuperSU that I should be using? Brand new phone, just got it yesterday.

If thats the case try turning Sig verification off. It may help, edit: there's a flashable built by team epic for the s3 it roots from inside recovery I think there's a link to it on the other rooting thread.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

 

[Lolanerd]

Does this still work if we accept any updates? Because I got an update on July 1st which I accepted

 

[AlxCrossover26]

Download an app called ConnectBot and select Local. Then type in "su" without the quotation marks. If you see a $ sign, it means that you lost root. If you see a # sign, though, that means you still have root.

Sent from my SC-02C using Tapatalk

 

[AlxCrossover26]

Oh, I forgot. The first time you type su, you might see the $ symbol. Don't worry about that, and just type su again.

Sent from my SC-02C using Tapatalk

 

[Lolanerd]

I meant before we root, as in this method works for all updates right? I was just wondering if I had to wait until a new method came out before I could root because I updated; that's how it was with my old phone

 

[madcow72]

Agreed with Lolanerd, was wondering the same thing. Tried rooting my device numerous times with slight modifications to the above protocol and, although everything seems to go smoothly and I get the Pass!! from Odin, I only get the Android Recovery that won't install CWM-SuperSU-v0.87.zip I also installed the update after I turned on my S3 for the first time and am now wondering if this is blocking this rooting protocol. Anyone have any insights?

 

[wiimd69]

Thought I lost ability to root after accepting OTA update, due to 30 failures on root process. Finally got a pass on ODIN, but only rebooted to android recovery which gave a signature failure trying to flash zip file. Decided to change usb cable and got a pass from ODIN using CWM recovery v5. POPPED out battery instead of allowing auto reboot, successfully entered CWM and flashed root zip file. Now rooted and wifi tethering . . . finally. Just need to figure out why wifi tether disconnects after awhile of nonuse. Hope this helps someone.

Link from scooba http://www.epiccm.org/2012/06/cwm-recovery-on-all-sgs3-lte-variants.html, tells u why not to auto reboot in ODIN.

 

[madcow72]

Thank you wiimd69! That link allowed me to successfully enter CWM recovery and achieve root. Note that in order to achieve permanent root, you have to also flash the zip file here: CyanogenMod's Team Epic: Team Epic's Root from Recovery .zip in conjunction.
Fully and permanently rooted on my Sprint SGS3!

 

[Capt.Cha]

i can't seem to get this working. im following the instructions but when i try and boot into CWM, i just get the standard android bootloader for some reason. does anyone know what would be causing this?

 

[Clocks]

i can't seem to get this working. im following the instructions but when i try and boot into CWM, i just get the standard android bootloader for some reason. does anyone know what would be causing this?

I'm not entirely sure about the method in the OP, I went a slightly different route.

Try this step by step method:
http://www.epiccm.org/2012/06/cwm-recovery-on-all-sgs3-lte-variants.html and follow "INSTALL METHOD 1 - Using Odin"

Follow the instructions very closely including (but not limited to):
-uncheck "auto reboot" in Odin
-pull the battery when it says to
-and after you pull the battery and turn your phone on go STRAIGHT into CWM to flash the "root from recovery" file (you can actually turn your phone on while holding vol up/home/power to ensure you immediately boot into CWM).

 

[Capt.Cha]

thanks, i got that far and was able access cwm one time but i can't access it again for some reason. it seems odd and super user is installed so im pretty sure i have root but now im trying to flash the nowiz rom but cant get back into cwm, has anyone ever heard of this?