[Q] How To Root the Straight Talk SCH-S968C Samsung Galaxy S III

[Droidriven]

Hey, I'm sorry mate. I'm not looking to wear out my welcome. I've been consulting your works and this thread and there is a LOT of conflicting information. I'd rather rush in, break a lot, learn on the recovery and be better for it. I ain't worried. The phone is worth next to nothing. If it bricks, it bricks. This is a fun project. You've been an incredibly helpful resource. Know that I have been crawling everything you've posted for the past three days since your unbrick saved this phone. It's just rough to sort out the good from the bad since I have to reference against really outdated information to sort out the why's and how's.

The information has had no change in two years other than the rooting method being different, and the recoveries and ROMs are newer, everything else about the process has remained the same.

Where do you see conflicts? If you can tell me what they are I will correct it to save confusion.

You're fine, I'm just trying to slow you down a little so that you're more careful, that's all. I know I've got a lot of information posted about this device all over Google, not just here but I've tried keeping it all consistent. I'm sorry if it confuses you.

 

[Sanprofe]

Where do you see conflicts?

Naw, it's mostly just other posters throwing me off. Even after all this I still have no idea what baseband my phone was, whether that was a hardware distinction or a software one, or the differences in d2vzw and d2lte roms as it stands now, knowing they unified at one point and then split again.

 

[Droidriven]

Naw, it's mostly just other posters throwing me off. Even after all this I still have no idea what baseband my phone was, whether that was a hardware distinction or a software one, or the differences in d2vzw and d2lte roms as it stands now, knowing they unified at one point and then split again.

OK, you had either the H1 or the H2, this had no effect on anything other than how they used to be rooted, H2 had to flash H1 then root, that has changed, now H2 can root without downgrading to H1. It has no other effect than that, it doesn't change anything about what works and what doesn't or how to do it. There is both a software difference and a hardware difference, H1 is Exynos chipset with 1GB RAM and H2 is Qualcomm chipset with 2GB RAM.

The unified ROMs were all d2lte, the Verizon are d2vzw, some of the Verizon ROMs are still labeled d2lte even though they aren't unified builds anymore. Its only different "branches" so to speak but they are for the same tree. OctOS is actually labeled d2ltevzw on their download page. Just know that d2lte and d2vzw both work and that's about it.

 

[herbson]

Hey guys I have a well tested fix for the stock MMS not working on CM11 d2vzw @least let me know if interested!!

can you send on to me? I know it is late, but just ran into needing the 4.4.2 kitkat on my phone.

 

[Droidriven]

can you send on to me? I know it is late, but just ran into needing the 4.4.2 kitkat on my phone.

If you are looking for the Verizon S3 4.4.2 stock firmware then you should go to Sammobile .com or samsung-updates .com and use your model number to find your firmware.

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[cnickroot]

Ive got drivers installed on computer, debug selected on phone. Impactor is recognising the phone, goes through some tests then gives me this message:
I keep getting
Jailbreak.cpp:671
did not find working exploit for this device.

It looks to me like this worked for lots of people. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Droidriven]

Ive got drivers installed on computer, debug selected on phone. Impactor is recognising the phone, goes through some tests then gives me this message:
I keep getting
Jailbreak.cpp:671
did not find working exploit for this device.

It looks to me like this worked for lots of people. What am I doing wrong?

Using Cydia Impactor is old information.

You need to flash the latest TWRP for d2vzw(the recovery file must be in .tar format), then flash SuperSU.zip in TWRP and you're rooted.

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[cnickroot]

Using Cydia Impactor is old information.
You need to flash the latest TWRP for d2vzw(the recovery file must be in .tar format), then flash SuperSU.zip in TWRP and you're rooted.

Using Odin?

 

[Droidriven]

Using Odin?

Yes

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[virginwidow]

Will any of these lock the boot loader?

If you are looking for the Verizon S3 4.4.2 stock firmware then you should go to Sammobile .com or samsung-updates .com and use your model number to find your firmware.

So far I can't find a STOCK kitkat firmware for the S968c phone.

Would like to keep with stock on account of the Camera -- possibly the modem, more will be revealed :cyclops:

I have found (for the Verizon i535) but suspect it will very likely break the s968c phone
I535VRUDNE1-Stock-Root-Deodex.zip

Thinking the trouble will like with the "Boot.img" file as there is a significant difference with the JB based stock "COMBINATION_S968CUDUAMH1" tar download... I'd just roll with that, except it's 4.1..2 and there's alot of stuff that just doesn't work right in jellybean (Contacts, for starters)

Any Thoughts?

Thanks

VW

 

[Droidriven]

So far I can't find a STOCK kitkat firmware for the S968c phone.

Would like to keep with stock on account of the Camera -- possibly the modem, more will be revealed :cyclops:

I have found (for the Verizon i535) but suspect it will very likely break the s968c phone
I535VRUDNE1-Stock-Root-Deodex.zip

Thinking the trouble will like with the "Boot.img" file as there is a significant difference with the JB based stock "COMBINATION_S968CUDUAMH1" tar download... I'd just roll with that, except it's 4.1..2 and there's alot of stuff that just doesn't work right in jellybean (Contacts, for starters)

Any Thoughts?

Thanks

VW

There is no stock kit kat for S968C, there is only 4.1.2, that's all it ever got, this model never had anything newer, the only update it ever got was the baseband ending in H2 and it was 4.1.2 also, only the modem and kernel were updated, other than that, it's exactly the same thing as H1.

If you want kit kit or lollipop then you need to flash TWRP for d2vzw, then flash SuperSU.zip to root the device, then flash any of the d2vzw Kit Kat or d2vzw Lollipop ROMs, you'll need the CDMA SIM to get data working.

Here is a detailed guide for flashing S968C and understanding how to set it up and why, including troubleshooting steps after flashing.

You can't flash anything stock or stock based or any parts of its firmware or bootloader or modem from the i535, there are d2vzw custom ROMS for the i535 that can be flashed on the S968C but they can't share anything stock, that's a guaranteed brick.

https://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s3-verizon/development/guide-to-flashsetup-sim-apn-cm-cm-based-t3351290

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[jturner29018]

I have a straight talk samsung s3 s968c. And I can't get it rooted

 

[Droidriven]

I have a straight talk samsung s3 s968c. And I can't get it rooted

All you need to do is flash any version of TWRP for d2vzw via Odin then flash SuperSU.zip in TWRP then wipe cache and dalvik, reboot, open SuperSU, let it update binaries, when asks you to reboot and choose the method of updating binaries, choose "normal". You're rooted.

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[saucyredhead]

The bootloader being unlocked to begin with is what bricks this device when you run the unlock command, from what I've seen in what I've read about it.

bytepointer.com/ articles/how_to_root_samsung_galaxy_s3_sch-s968c.htm[/url]
this is how i rooted. Now where to get a good download for os update for this phone, very new at all this. Any help would be amazing, thank you! wont let me post link, I'm to new on here...

 

[ShapesBlue]

bytepointer.com/ articles/how_to_root_samsung_galaxy_s3_sch-s968c.htm[/url]
this is how i rooted. Now where to get a good download for os update for this phone, very new at all this. Any help would be amazing, thank you! wont let me post link, I'm to new on here...

There is no OS update unless you go custom. Rooting is an option however just because you can root does not mean you can unlock the bootloader. I'd be weary of random links to root also. Some methods only make things worse

Sent from my OnePlus 3T

 

[Droidriven]

There is no OS update unless you go custom. Rooting is an option however just because you can root does not mean you can unlock the bootloader. I'd be weary of random links to root also. Some methods only make things worse

Sent from my OnePlus 3T

That guide they used was based off of everything we all posted in this thread. I remember that guy that chose to write that guide somewhere else and pooled most of the information for rooting and flashing from here in one place.

The funny thing is, they came to this thread, gathered the info and links then wrote that guide off site then came back to link that guide in this thread. Kinda redundant, lol.

I DO NOT PROVIDE HELP IN PM, KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE

 

[ShapesBlue]

That guide they used was based off of everything we all posted in this thread. I remember that guy that chose to write that guide somewhere else and pooled most of the information for rooting and flashing from here in one place.

The funny thing is, they came to this thread, gathered the info and links then wrote that guide off site then came back to link that guide in this thread. Kinda redundant, lol.

I DO NOT PROVIDE HELP IN PM, KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE

Yea links where they are posted on random sites always makes me question the validity of it. Even if it is taken from a legitimate source

Sent from my OnePlus 3T

 

[Droidriven]

Just a quick question. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I use the TWRP file from the bytepointer link, I won't have to use a SIM card? As I understand it, the file is customized specifically for the SCH-S968C, and I most likely won't lose data/MMS.

And as a little extra question if you don't mind. Are there any safe OS builds that I can put on this device. Is it safe to put lineageOS on, when they don't have builds specifically for the tracfone variant? Thanks a bunch and much appreciated! Your work/help in this thread was super valuable!

TWRP has nothing to do with the SIM, if you use a ROM higher than 4.4, you'll need the SIM because the ROMs are built for 4G devices, 4G requires a SIM so that is built into the ROM. Then again, maybe the newer ROMs might work without a SIM, it's worth trying.

It only needs to be any kind of CDMA SIM, not a GSM SIM, it can even be a 3G SIM, doesn't have to be a 4G/LTE SIM.

You can use any of the d2vzw(Verizon S3) versions of TWRP, in fact, to flash the newer ROMs, you need the newest version of TWRP available for d2vzw.

You can flash any of the d2vzw(Verizon) and d2lte(Unified) ROMs.

Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk

 

[AndroidUserB]

You'll have to wait until my account isn't suspended from high traffic and download it

Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA Free mobile app

Hi Kenny, sorry to bother you but is it possible that you might have that unbrick.img from all those years ago. I bricked my S3 SCH-S968C with EZ-Unlocker. Please if you still have it. Thanks anyways if you don't.