[HOWTO] [ROOT] No Tripping Flash Counter - [ATT / Bell / Telus / Rogers / Sasktel]

[mrRobinson]

Please make sure you download the correct image for your phone. ATT / Bell / Telus / Rogers / Sasktel
This method uses Odin to flash a factory stock image to your phone that simply has root injected into it. These are FULL stock and as such will flash the stock bootloader, recovery, modem, kernel and system image.

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.

Video posted of this and other options for root. Good to watch before starting if you are new!
And a great new user FAQ compiled by our Member of the Month winner, ikjadoon!

You can get ODIN here
and the drivers for the SGH-I747 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:
ATT Image
Current I747UCDLK3 (JB 4.1.1)
Mirror 1: Download root66_ATT_I747UCDLK3.7z
Mirror 2: Download root66_ATT_I747UCDLK3.7z


Bell Image (This works with Canadian Virgin Mobile SGH-I747M)
Current I747MVLUEMK5 (JB 4.3) - New!
Mirror 1: Download root66_BMC_I747MVLUEMK5.7z

I747MVLDMF1 (JB 4.1.2)
Mirror 1: Download root66_BMC_I747MVLDMF1.7z

I747MVLDLK4 (JB 4.1.1)
Mirror 1: Download root66_BMC_I747MVLDLK4.7z


Rogers Image
Current I747MVLUEMK5 (JB 4.3) - New!
Mirror 1: Download root66_RWC_I747MVLUEMK5_2.7z

I747MVLDMF1 (JB 4.1.2)
Mirror 1: Download root66_RWC_I747MVLDMF1.7z

I747MVLDLK4 (JB 4.1.1)
Mirror 1: Download root66_RWC_I747MVLDLK4.7z


Telus Image
Current I747MVLUEMK5 (JB 4.3) - New!
Mirror 1: Download root66_TLS_I747MVLUEMK5.7z

I747MVLDMF1 (JB 4.1.2)
Mirror 1: Download root66_TLS_I747MVLDMF1.7z

I747MVLDLK4 (JB 4.1.1)
Mirror 1: Download root66_TLS_I747MVLDLK4.7z

I747MVLALH1 (ICS 4.0.4)
Perm Mirror 1: Telus I747MVLALH1 Download
Perm Mirror 2: Thanks to zaghy2zy!: Telus I747MVLALH1 Download


Sasktel Image
Current I747MVLUEMK5 (JB 4.3) - New!
Mirror 1: Download root66_BWA_I747MVLUEMK5.7z

I747MVLDMF1 (JB 4.1.2)
Mirror 1: Download root66_BWA_I747MVLDMF1.7z

I747MVLDLK4 (JB 4.1.1)
Mirror 1: Download root66_BWA_I747MVLDLK4.7z

I747MVLALH1 (ICS 4.0.4)
Perm Mirror 1: Sasktel I747MVLALH1 Download
Perm Mirror 2: Thanks to zaghy2zy!: Sasktel I747MVLALH1 Download

Fido Image
Current I747MVLDMF1 (JB 4.1.2)
Mirror 1: Download root66_FMC_I747MVLDMF1.7z

I747MVLDLK4 (JB 4.1.1)
Mirror 1: Download root66_FMC_I747MVLDLK4.7z

Puerto Rico Image
Current I747MUMBLL1 (JB 4.1.1)
Mirror 1: Download root66_PCT_I747MUMBLL1.7z

Koodoo Mobile Image
Current I747MVLDMF1 (JB 4.1.2)
Mirror 1: Download root66_KDO_I747MVLDMF1.7z

I747MVLDLK4 (JB 4.1.1)
Mirror 1: Download root66_KDO_I747MVLDLK4.7z

Second,
Extract the root66_xxx_.tar.md5 from the .7z file you downloaded.
Use Odin, 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_xxx_.tar.md5 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.

Third, (optional) On JellyBean versions, flashing a custom recovery will trip your counter no matter the method used.
To get clockworkmod recovery loaded so you can flash whatever you want, nandroid, etc then continue on....
Once rebooted you can grab a universal recovery that works on all sgs3 LTE variants from here: http://www.epiccm.org/2012/06/cwm-recovery-on-all-sgs3-lte-variants.html
if you download this recovery you will need to extract this file (if you have issues extracting try removing the .md5 extension first) to get a recovery.img file and copy to your phone's internal /sdcard

However if you have the ATT model (not sure if this will work on Bell, Telus, Rogers, etc.), this recovery will see the extSdCard and seems better for our devices:
For ATT models use either this recovery or this touch recovery.

connect your phone to computer and use adb
type adb shell
once in the shell run su
then
dd if=/sdcard/recovery.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p18

Third, alternate if unfamiliar with adb commands
Grab android terminal emulator from the play store and run the same commands starting with su in the box below.

Here is output of what I did (using the att non-touch recovery file):

[email protected]:/ $ su
[email protected]:/ # dd if=/sdcard/recovery-clockwork-5.8.4.5-d2att.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p18
14004+0 records in
14004+0 records out
7170048 bytes transferred in 1.430 secs (5014019 bytes/sec)
[email protected]:/ # 

[email protected]:/ # reboot recovery

Third, alternate #3 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".


Using the method's above, at least in my two tests, wiped nothing off my phone. everything in sdcard remained etc.

ADB Install/Setup info found in post #3 of tomween1's [DIRECTORY] AT&T SGS lll I747 thread

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.​

Miscellaneous Files
Odin Flashable TWRP Recovery - This is an Odin Flashable Team Win Recovery Project Recovery - openrecovery-twrp-2.3.1.0-d2att.tar.md5
Odin Flashable Stock ATT UCDLK3 Recovery - This is an Odin Flashable STOCK Recovery for ATT from UCDLK3 release - ATT_recovery_I747UCDLK3.tar.md5
CWM Flashable ATT UCDLK3 Modem - modem_CWM_I747UCDLK3.zip

Thanks
To get the injected root system image I followed pieces of
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=27801304&postcount=1
http://forum.xda-developers.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.

Thanks to pinoymutt for this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=28018181&postcount=26
which is the method above to getting recovery in without tripping counter.

 

[pinoymutt]

This one definitely deserves a sticky!

 

[altitude909]

Nice. Subscribed..

 

[linuxchan6]

Great job.

 

[wraithdu]

Does this wipe /data, /sdcard, or /extSdCard or anything like a factory reset? Either way, that bit of info should be added to the description.

You'll probably also wanna find better hosting than dropbox... that's gonna go over quota reeeaaaaalllll fast

 

[pinoymutt]

You'll probably also wanna find better hosting than dropbox... that's gonna go over quota reeeaaaaalllll fast

Would one of the nice devs with access to a better hosting solution be willing to donate some space to the OP for this one?

 

[nakedninja42]

Thanks!!! Now I hope someone is able to figure out how to reset the counter for those of us who didn't wait

 

[drwx]

awesome.. i'm sure lots of people have been waiting on this.

 

[pinoymutt]

Thanks!!! Now I hope someone is able to figure out how to reset the counter for those of us who didn't wait

I think that one is going to be more complicated... on the Note it involved some tweaking and flashing on one of the bootloader files, but it appears that the counter is in a different location on our phones.

Probably going to need some folks to really investigate at a code level to figure out where the counter is hidden - which apparently is the trickiest part.

 

[altitude909]

So once this method is complete CWM and SU will be installed? I've been reading through the threads and I'm not sure (coming from a Sony phone, new to samsung). Also flashing things (not roms) in recovery wont trip the counter?

 

[pinoymutt]

So once this method is complete CWM and SU will be installed? I've been reading through the threads and I'm not sure (coming from a Sony phone, new to samsung)

Yep , or if you just want root on stock you can just flash the package and not mess with the command line flashing part for CWM.

 

[lensgrabber]

Has anyone verified that the device says "Normal" after rooting or CWM with this method? Settings -> About Device -> Status -> Device Status

 

[mrRobinson]

Has anyone verified that the device says "Normal" after rooting or CWM with this method? Settings -> About Device -> Status -> Device Status

Confirmed. my flash counter is at 3 due to the first method and then my failed testing attempts but after going back to stock and doing this method this field does say Normal. Download mode says "samsung official" and my flash counter didn't increase past the 3 flashing the tar in the OP or dd'ing the recovery image.

 

[nakedninja42]

I think that one is going to be more complicated... on the Note it involved some tweaking and flashing on one of the bootloader files, but it appears that the counter is in a different location on our phones.

Probably going to need some folks to really investigate at a code level to figure out where the counter is hidden - which apparently is the trickiest part.

I'm in no rush, I know someone one day will figure it out.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

 

[snotyak]

Just wondering....how does one view the flash counter?

 

[nakedninja42]

Just wondering....how does one view the flash counter?

You see it in Download mode.

 

[altitude909]

Yep , or if you just want root on stock you can just flash the package and not mess with the command line flashing part for CWM.

Gotcha, first tarball is just for root on stock, second one via ADB adds the CWM recovery.. Very cool.

Will a rooted/CWM'd device using this method be able to flash roms/code (i.e. the thether fix) without tripping the counter?

Thanks for the great work, sorry about all the questions

 

[nakedninja42]

Need a mirror, the dropbox link in OP already hit its limit

 

[pinoymutt]

Need a mirror, the dropbox link in OP already hit its limit

Any good recommendations on hosts? I was trying to find a mirror to upload to that's free and takes large files.

 

[Joe777G]

Gotcha, first tarball is just for root on stock, second one via ADB adds the CWM recovery.. Very cool.

Will a rooted/CWM'd device using this method be able to flash roms/code (i.e. the thether fix) without tripping the counter?

Thanks for the great work, sorry about all the questions

Yes, once rooted and CWM is installed you can flash anything from CWM without tripping the counter. Odin the only thing that trips the counter.

It would be great if the SGS III LTE got Mobile ODIN support! Making the ODIN root one click and then using Mobile ODIN to apply the CWM recovery image would be awesome, but I'm just really happy that I can root and get CWM without tripping the counter. It is go time.