Rooting the Verizon GS3 - Questions

---

I am preparing to root my Verizon GS3. The process looks pretty simple, but I still have a few questions I would like to have cleared up first just to make sure everything goes to plan.

I have downloaded the following files as instructed to in one of the threads on how to ROOT the GS3:

- USB Drivers
- Odin (unzipped with Winzip)
- Stock rooted system image (mirror link)
- CWM

My first question is whether or not I am supposed to unzip the stock rooted system image. The post says I should have a file named "rooted.system.img.tar" to select in the PDA section of ODIN, but the name of the file I have is just "rooted.system.img."

The second question I have is which custom recovery should I choose? I downloaded both, but don't know if one is better than the other or if it just comes down to personal preference. Also, do I need to unzip either one of those files? And if I choose not to push a recovery now, can I push it later if needed to flash a new ROM that I like. I ask this because the only real reason I want to root right now is to disable the ridiculous wifi notification in the notification bar and the pop up that you get when opening a "high data usage application."

Another concern I have is returning to stock. On my DROID X2, all I had to do was use RSD Lite and flash back to stock. I have downloaded the stock kernel and stock ROM off of one of the threads on here (I can't find it for some reason), but was just wondering how I would go about using that to get back to the way it was out of the box.

Thanks for the help!

Edit: As far as the first question goes, I selected the rooted.system.img in ODIN and it shows it as rooted.system.image.tar at the end, so I'm guessing no unzipping for that file is necessary, correct?

Don't unzip that tar you are good with that system image. Install the usb drivers and put your phone into download mode. Start Odin then set that to pda plug in your phone and wait for the drivers to install correctly. Remember you should have a full battery before flashing. Browse to your image then flash the system image, it might take a while to flash so be patient and don't move the computer or phone.

Just pick the recovery you like they are really up to personal preference. I like cwm because I used it in my og droid and dinc. You can always change recoveries in the future if you find a different one you like more.

You don't need to install cwm in the old way, just download it from the play store after you are rooted. When you install the recovery from the app choose Verizon galaxy s3 from the list. It will ask for root before trying to install cwm recovery. When you install cwn it will make your phone say custom when you boot up so if you don't want that skip the recovery for now.

I have never returned a phone to stock but I think to return to stock flash the stock Verizon image with Odin.

Down with Verizon for locking my bootloader

Originally Posted by manchild83

Don't unzip that tar you are good with that system image. Install the usb drivers and put your phone into download mode. Start Odin then set that to pda plug in your phone and wait for the drivers to install correctly. Remember you should have a full battery before flashing. Browse to your image then flash the system image, it might take a while to flash so be patient and don't move the computer or phone.

Just pick the recovery you like they are really up to personal preference. I like cwm because I used it in my og droid and dinc. You can always change recoveries in the future if you find a different one you like more.

You don't need to install cwm in the old way, just download it from the play store after you are rooted. When you install the recovery from the app choose Verizon galaxy s3 from the list. It will ask for root before trying to install cwm recovery. When you install cwn it will make your phone say custom when you boot up so if you don't want that skip the recovery for now.

I have never returned a phone to stock but I think to return to stock flash the stock Verizon image with Odin.

Down with Verizon for locking my bootloader

Sorry for the late reply. I went out to eat with the fam.

Thanks for clearing that stuff up for me! Can't wait to root my GS3 in 7 days after my return policy is used up!

Thanks again!

You're welcome good luck with the phone.

Down with Verizon for locking my bootloader

So I am officially getting ready to ROOT my GS3. Is there anything I need to do to prepare for the process? I have seen people say you need to enable any of the bloat you have disabled and I have also seen wiping the cache thrown around a few times, so I would just like to know if there is anything along those lines that I need to do before I start.

Originally Posted by DROIDLOVERX2

So I am officially getting ready to ROOT my GS3. Is there anything I need to do to prepare for the process? I have seen people say you need to enable any of the bloat you have disabled and I have also seen wiping the cache thrown around a few times, so I would just like to know if there is anything along those lines that I need to do before I start.

I'd follow this to root. Don't need to do anything else but what it says there.