[HOWTO] [ROOT] No Tripping Flash Counter [Tmobile / Wind / Mobilicity / Videotron]

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This is a completely stock ODIN flashable ROM with root injected into the system image.
This is a fairly easy way to get root WITHOUT tripping the flash counter that will void the warranty. If you don't care about tripping the counter then you can get root other ways.

You can get ODIN here
and the drivers for the SGH-T999 so ODIN can detect your phone can be found at Samsung's site. Click on the Manuals & Downloads tab at the bottom and then on Software for the latest driver.

First download the stock odin tar that has a rooted system image injected into it:
Note: Always check the MD5 sums before using any of these! Thanks
MCT: Mobilicity
GLW: Wind
VTR: Videotron


T-Mobile Image
April 2013 - 4.1.2 JellyBean - New!
Note: This is based off of the stock image TMO T999UVDMD5
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_TMO_T999UVDMD5.7z

January 2013 - 4.1.1 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image TMO T999UVDLJC
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_TMO_T999UVDLJC.7z

Note: This is based off of the stock image TMO T999UVDLJA (October 2012 - 4.1.1 Jelly Bean
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_TMO_T999UVDLJA.7z

Note: This is based off of the stock image TMO T999UVALJ4 (October 4.0.4 ICS)
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_TMO_T999UVALJ4.7z

Old Image
Note: This is based off of the stock image TMO T999UVALH2 (August 4.0.4 ICS)
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_TMO_T999UVALH2.7z

WIND Image
December 2012 - 4.1.1 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image GLW T999VVLDLL1
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_GLW_T999VVLDLL1.7z

Note: This is based off of WIND T999VVLALH2 (August 4.0.4 ICS).
Perm Mirror: root66_GLW_T999VVLALH2.7z

Mobilicity Image
December 2012 - 4.1.1 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image MCT T999VVLDLL1
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_MCT_T999VVLDLL1.7z

Note: This is based off of Mobilicity T999VVLALH2 (August 4.0.4 ICS).
Perm Mirror: root66_MCT_T999VVLALH2.7z

Videotron Image
December 2012 - 4.1.1 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image VTR T999VVLDLL1
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_VTR_T999VVLDLL1.7z

Note: This is based off of Videotron T999VVLALH2 (August 4.0.4 ICS).
Perm Mirror: root66_VTR_T999VVLALH2.7z


Second,
Extract the root66 tar file from the .7z file you downloaded.
Put phone into download mode [ with phone off, hold vol. down + home + power ], connect to computer and open Odin.
once in odin click the PDA field and select the root66 tar you downloaded.
Leave Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time checked.
click start and
when done let phone reboot.
If you have issues flashing with Odin please ensure you are using the microusb cable that came with the phone, users have had issues using other cables.
If you just want a stock, rooted phone with no custom recovery, no plans to flash custom roms, etc. then you can stop HERE.

If you are coming from a different rom base (non-stock) you will want to factory wipe/reset in recovery after flashing this.

OTA Updates:
Stock Recovery: Once rooted with above method, if you receive a notification for an OTA update, it has been verified you can use OTA RootKeeper to retain root through the update process.

Non-Stock Recovery: If you have loaded a non-stock recovery (per below) you can simply use it to flash the OTA update flashable zip I've created. This is the stock OTA just modified to be flashable in CWM and TWRP and not lose root in the process. As such it still does all the checks so if you have deviated from the rooted stock image above by modifying system files this will fail.
Download: OTA Update UVALJ4 to UVDLJA
Download: OTA Update UVDLJA to UVDLJC

Third, (optional)
Note: On Jelly Bean releases it is possible and I'd say probable based on my experience with the Note II that loading a non-stock recovery will trip the counter no matter how you install it.
If you want to get clockworkmod recovery loaded so you can flash whatever you want, nandroid, etc then continue on....
Once rebooted you can essentially follow this thread to load the clockworkmod recovery. As long as you flash the recovery using the dd method with adb (or use terminal emulator from the play store) then you will NOT trip the flash counter. If you use ODIN to flash a custom recovery you will trip the counter.

Third, alternate if unfamiliar with adb commands and uncomfortable using any command line
Decide if you want to use TWRP or CWM.
If you would like to install ClockworkMod recovery then grab Rom Manager from the Play store and in the menu select to install ClockworkMod Recovery.
If you would like to install TeamWin Recovery Project then grab GooManager from the Play store and select the option to "Install OpenRecovery Script".

De-Bloater

If you've made it this far with a stock, rooted phone with cwm and you don't want to flash a custom rom (which will do its own de-bloating) you can check out my Aroma installer based De-bloater to easily get rid of bloat system apps you no longer want to see. Simply flash in CWM like anything else and you will be presented with a menu system to choose what to remove. If you are unsure it is safe to pick Recommended and still get a decent de-bloat.

[Note: Flashing this with ODIN will not wipe /sdcard or /data. Keep that in mind depending on your usage.]

Bonus Downloads
Odin Flashable Stock TMO UVDMD5 Recovery - This is an Odin Flashable STOCK Recovery for TMO from UVDMD5 release - TMO_recovery_T999UVDMD5.tar.md5
Odin Flashable TWRP Recovery - openrecovery-twrp-2.3.1.0-d2tmo.tar.md5

Thanks
To get the injected root system image I followed pieces of
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...04&postcount=1
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...8&postcount=32

so thanks to those guys. Neither of those worked out of the box needed a bit of tweaking.

Nice

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium

I'm confused about this counter... Is the purpose really just so samsung can say no to a warranty claim? Is there a limit to the number of times the recovery can be flashed? I want to flash the new touch CWM but am afraid to do so if I only have so many times to flash a recovery.

Originally Posted by silverton

I'm confused about this counter... Is the purpose really just so samsung can say no to a warranty claim? Is there a limit to the number of times the recovery can be flashed? I want to flash the new touch CWM but am afraid to do so if I only have so many times to flash a recovery.

Yes, the purpose of the counter is so that the manufacturer can reject service warranty if they see it tripped. I don't believe there is a limit of how many times you can flash. I might be wrong.

I just hope we can get a working Triangle Away on our devices.

cockwork

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Originally Posted by chadster214

I just hope we can get a working Triangle Away on our devices.

Does using clockwork trip the counter?

Originally Posted by Lawful123

Does using clockwork trip the counter?

no, it does not.

Originally Posted by mrRobinson

This is a completely stock ODIN flashable ROM with root injected into the system image. It is based off of T999UVALEM_T999TMBALEM_T999UVALEM_HOME.tar.md5
This is a fairly easy way to get root WITHOUT tripping the flash counter that will void the warranty. If you don't care about tripping the counter then you can get root other ways.


First download the stock odin tar that has a rooted system image injected into it:
TMO Image
Note: This is based off of TMO T999UVALEM that was posted in this thread, thanks to AdamLange.

Brilliant! Thanks!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium

Awesome!
Just to make sure I have this right then.
We can Root, install CWM, and then install custom roms without triping the counter?!?!
And then if needed I assume you can flash stock odin!
All with no trip of the counter?

If we use this, can we use the Galaxy S3 toolkit to install CWM? Or for that matter, can we just use the Rom Manager app from the app store and use it?