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

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.

4.3 Image Notes: With 4.3 images, KNOX is removed in order for root to stick. This will flag the Knox counter. Once you flash one of these 4.3 images you now have the latest factory stock bootloader, radio, etc. Flashing a prior bootloader can hard/soft brick your device. Please read and understand what you are doing.

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
March 2014 - 4.3 JellyBean - New!
Note: This is based off of the stock image TMO T999UVUENC2
Do not flash a prior release after flashing this, it has been reported to cause bricks, read the thread for more information.
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_TMO_T999UVUENC2.7z

November 2013 - 4.3 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image TMO T999UVUEMJC
Do not flash a prior release after flashing this, it has been reported to cause bricks, read the thread for more information.
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_TMO_T999UVUEMJC_2.7z

April 2013 - 4.1.2 JellyBean
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


T-Mobile LTE Image
March 2014 - 4.3 JellyBean - New!
Note: This is based off of the stock image TMO T999LUVUBNC1
Download :: Download - root66_TMO-L_T999LUVUBNC1.7z

December 2013 - 4.3 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image TMO T999LUVUBMK4
Download :: Download - root66_TMO-L_T999LUVUBMK4.7z


WIND Image
December 2013 - 4.3 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image GLW T999VVLUEMK5
Download :: Download - root66_GLW_T999VVLUEMK5.7z

June 2013 - 4.1.2 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image GLW T999VVLDMF2
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_GLW_T999VVLDMF2.7z

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


Mobilicity Image
December 2013 - 4.3 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image MCT T999VVLUEMK5
Download :: Download - root66_MCT_T999VVLUEMK5.7z

June 2013 - 4.1.2 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image MCT T999VVLDMF2
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_MCT_T999VVLDMF2.7z

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


Videotron Image
December 2013 - 4.3 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image VTR T999VVLUEMK5
Download :: Download - root66_VTR_T999VVLUEMK5.7z

June 2013 - 4.1.2 JellyBean
Note: This is based off of the stock image VTR T999VVLDMF2
Perm Mirror: Download - root66_VTR_T999VVLDMF2.7z

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


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

[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://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=27801304&postcount=1
http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=22798858&postcount=32

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

M9x3mos said:

Awesome!
Just to make sure I have this right then.
We can Root, install CWM, and then install custom roms without triping the counter?!?!

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

yes

M9x3mos said:

And then if needed I assume you can flash stock odin!
All with no trip of the counter?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

yes. Once there is a way to reset the counter people won't care as much about not tripping it. Unless the reset method is difficult or dangerous but for now as long as you never initially trip the counter you can simply flash back to stock and your phone is still covered under warranty.

stevessvt said:

OK, I used this, and everything appears to have gone fine. I have root now. Curious though, when it booted back up, nothing appears to have changed, except superuser is there now. I thought it would have reset the whole phone back to factory new.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Nope. it'll overwrite anything in /system you may have done. but doesn't touch sdcard or /data.
So that means if you had a cm9 or aokp loaded and used this you'd boot into a bunch of errors more than likely and would want to manually factory reset.

Edit: also i had no way to test this so you are confirmation it is working. prob should have put that in the first post but was late last night and forgot. So sorry and thanks!
(you weren't at risk of tripping counter, i've done this before, worst case was system image wouldn't flash and you'd have to load the stock one via odin)

Edit2: plus you are like 20 min from me so if I broke your phone I'd have come and fixed it

stevessvt said:

Speaking of if I ever need to odin back to stock, I have the stock T999 rom from samsung, and it has 2 files in the zip, a .dll and a .tar. How do I use these to revert back to stock? I guess the .tar goes under pda, where does the .dll go? Or does it?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

.dll goes in recycle bin.
.tar in pda.