[GUIDE] UPDATED: How to Root Your Sprint Galaxy S3

[Pink Panther08]

Actually, I do not know if I have ics or what? What I can tell you is after rooting, and after loading the experimental wifi tether you put up and getting the proper settings from the WiFi Support.....it appears to be working will now....
Thank you very much....

 

[abhilashsp]

How to change SPC to 000000 on sprint galaxy S3?

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Adding my deep gratitude for Skunkape's contributions to the forum. Thanks to you I'm now rooted, my custom binary count is set to zero, and I've got WiFi tether running. Also Titanium Backup, an Ad Blocker, and SetCPU.

I have to agree that this root process is easier than anything I've seen except, perhaps, unrEVOked on the EVO 4G. Thanks again.

 

[msoprano13]

I did all this and am rooted but I didn't seem to see how the twrp piece works. Does that matter? I confirmed I'm rooted and was able to get tethering to work

Thanks

 

[Aleksandr2598]

Perfect procedure. Couldn't be easier. It literally took 6 minutes start to finish to root my Sprint SIII using your process (I do have some experience with rooting and custom ROMs on the old Galaxy S).

I think I'm going to stick with stock for now, but needed root for Titanium.

Thanks for your contributions!

 

[mrfoo84]

Wow!!! That was EASY! This is my first Android device and coming from WebOS, I was a bit worried about rooting. I simply read the directions over a few times, followed them exactly and the root worked flawlessly in only a matter of minutes. I do have a question though that I may have overlooked in the thread. I do have my warranty through Sprint, do I need to go ahead and use Triangle Away now or just before I send it back to Sprint? I have about a million more questions but I am going to fire up the forum search for that. Thanks again for this tutorial!

 

[meyerweb#CB]

I did all this and am rooted but I didn't seem to see how the twrp piece works. Does that matter? I confirmed I'm rooted and was able to get tethering to work

I'm not the expert here, but since no one else has jumped in, I will. If I get something wrong, I'm sure someone will correct me. You'll only need to use TWRP (or CWM) if you want to flash different ROMs than the stock one. Right now you're rooted, and can run apps that require root access, but you're still on the stock ROM. There are a great many modified ROMs available if you want to play with them. TWRP will let you back up your current one, and load a new one in it's place. And, importantly, recover the stock one from the backup you created, if desired.

Wow!!! That was EASY! This is my first Android device and coming from WebOS, I was a bit worried about rooting. I simply read the directions over a few times, followed them exactly and the root worked flawlessly in only a matter of minutes. I do have a question though that I may have overlooked in the thread. I do have my warranty through Sprint, do I need to go ahead and use Triangle Away now or just before I send it back to Sprint? I have about a million more questions but I am going to fire up the forum search for that. Thanks again for this tutorial!

Your only need to do it if you're going to return the phone to Sprint or Samsung. But what if you're returning the phone because something has locked up, and you can no longer access it to run Triangle Away? I don't know how likely that scenario is, but it's so easy to do it now, I didn't see any reason to wait.

 

[Skunkape60]

I did all this and am rooted but I didn't seem to see how the twrp piece works. Does that matter? I confirmed I'm rooted and was able to get tethering to work

Thanks

I'm not the expert here, but since no one else has jumped in, I will. If I get something wrong, I'm sure someone will correct me. You'll only need to use TWRP (or CWM) if you want to flash different ROMs than the stock one. Right now you're rooted, and can run apps that require root access, but you're still on the stock ROM. There are a great many modified ROMs available if you want to play with them. TWRP will let you back up your current one, and load a new one in it's place. And, importantly, recover the stock one from the backup you created, if desired.

This is 100% Correct. Thanks

Wow!!! That was EASY! This is my first Android device and coming from WebOS, I was a bit worried about rooting. I simply read the directions over a few times, followed them exactly and the root worked flawlessly in only a matter of minutes. I do have a question though that I may have overlooked in the thread. I do have my warranty through Sprint, do I need to go ahead and use Triangle Away now or just before I send it back to Sprint? I have about a million more questions but I am going to fire up the forum search for that. Thanks again for this tutorial!

Your only need to do it if you're going to return the phone to Sprint or Samsung. But what if you're returning the phone because something has locked up, and you can no longer access it to run Triangle Away? I don't know how likely that scenario is, but it's so easy to do it now, I didn't see any reason to wait.

This is partially correct. You don't reset the count until you are ready to return to stock. On the gs3, the phone looks for a modified phone on every boot. This means if you are rooted you will always have at least 1 count. It is not possible to completely clear the counts until you return to stock. So you have to do triangle away, shut your phone off, boot into download mode and return to stock. If you reboot between zeroing your counts and returning to stock, you will not clear it.

 

[mrfoo84]

This is partially correct. You don't reset the count until you are ready to return to stock. On the gs3, the phone looks for a modified phone on every boot. This means if you are rooted you will always have at least 1 count. It is not possible to completely clear the counts until you return to stock. So you have to do triangle away, shut your phone off, boot into download mode and return to stock. If you reboot between zeroing your counts and returning to stock, you will not clear it.

Since I plan on keeping root on my phone, the only time I need to use Triangle away is right before I boot into download mode, return to stock, and go straight to the Sprint store. That way the count will show 0 if I understand correctly.

 

[Skunkape60]

Since I plan on keeping root on my phone, the only time I need to use Triangle away is right before I boot into download mode, return to stock, and go straight to the Sprint store. That way the count will show 0 if I understand correctly.

Yes. It does no good to reset your counts unless your intention is to return the phone. Since your phone must be rooted to use triangle away, you will use it just prior to returning to stock. Then turn your phone off and boot into download mode and flash the return to stock tar. Instructions are found here.

 

[dmolavi]

Not sure if this is related to this particular root method, or something else is going on, but...I get the prompt from superuser that "system" is requesting root access. This occurs about a dozen times in rapid succession, and regardless of whether I permit or deny, the phone promptly reboots. The only other app on the phone that I have that requires root is Titanium, and it's backup schedules are for the middle of the night, not during the day when I'm seeing this. Any ideas of where to start looking? Superuser doesn't show who is causing system to request root, just that root is being requested by system.

 

[Skunkape60]

Not sure if this is related to this particular root method, or something else is going on, but...I get the prompt from superuser that "system" is requesting root access. This occurs about a dozen times in rapid succession, and regardless of whether I permit or deny, the phone promptly reboots. The only other app on the phone that I have that requires root is Titanium, and it's backup schedules are for the middle of the night, not during the day when I'm seeing this. Any ideas of where to start looking? Superuser doesn't show who is causing system to request root, just that root is being requested by system.

Try installing SuperSU from the play store. Then go into system/app folder and delete the superuser app with a root file explorer such as esfile explorer or root explorer.

You can also try opening your superuser app and try updating the binaries.

 

[Super Dave426]

I just rooted, it was so easy. I wanted to be able to use NFC Task Launcher to create a switch to open some apps then touch again and close them and it states you need root access to do it. Unfortunately the apps don't close on second touch, oh well, at least rooting is done and thank you for the easy instructions.

 

[Keith Patrick]

I have been so afraid to root because of the horror stories. I did exactly as instructed in addition to a little bit of inference and now I am officially rooted! I'm very happy, but now I need to find out how to tether. To be continued... Thanks Skunk!!!!!! You are awesome and you do so much for us!!!

 

[HondaPixi]

Root has nothing to do with your pc not recognizing your phone. Let's try fixing it first. Here's what I want you to try...


1. Right click on my computer.
2. Choose Properties
3. Choose advanced advanced system settings
4. from the hardware tab click "device installation settings"
5. select "no,... Never install driver software from windows update.
Close

Now do the following

1. go to your computers control panel / add and remove software (win xp) or programs and features windows 7.
2. Uninstall Kies and Samsung drivers.
3. When complete, restart computer and phone.

Download these Drivers

4. Install the drivers on your computer but do not plug in your phone until it has completed.
5. plug in your phone that is already started. It should now recognize your phone and at the bottom right corner say it is installing the software for your phone. click on view details. Several drivers should load and as it progresses green checks will appear when successful.

Thank You so much!

 

[HondaPixi]

I have been so afraid to root because of the horror stories. I did exactly as instructed in addition to a little bit of inference and now I am officially rooted! I'm very happy, but now I need to find out how to tether. To be continued... Thanks Skunk!!!!!! You are awesome and you do so much for us!!!

Hi. In order to Tether on the Sprint Galaxy S3 you need to download this app: https://www.dropbox.com/s/95ikh52m3n43526/wifi_tether_v3_3-pre1.apk

Very Simple to use.
Enjoy

 

[kaledreamz]

the procedure always gets stuck on get PIT for mapping. i bricked my last phone and I am currently typing this message while its stuck on the get PIT for mapping in the message box, any suggestions? i dont want to brick my phone again

 

[HondaPixi]

Yup. It really doesn't get much easier than this. The Gs3 is among the easiest phones to root. Probably rooted and unrooted this close to 50 times since I got it on launch day.

I had an easier time rooting with my LG Ally. one press of a button to root/unroot

 

[Skunkape60]

the procedure always gets stuck on get PIT for mapping. i bricked my last phone and I am currently typing this message while its stuck on the get PIT for mapping in the message box, any suggestions? i dont want to brick my phone again

Are you in pda?

 

[kaledreamz]

Are you in pda?

yessir, i did all the instructions correctly and carefully, i even swaped out the USB cord and changed ports as well. no luck what so ever!