Rooting a new phone stock jellybean - T-Mobile, Samsung Galaxy SIII

Hi all, just switched to this phone from Sprints epic 4g touch. I have a couple of questions:
1. Is there a way to root my phone and have a custom recovery and custom rom without tripping my flash counter and voiding my warranty?
2. Is it possible to completely remove root and go back to stock everything without tripping the flash counter?
Those are my main concerns since I use this phone for personal and business purposes. On a side note, what is everyone's opinion of the best rom when it comes to battery and smoothness? I am totally new to this phone, carrier and jelly bean.
Thanks a lot for your time, its a pleasure to meet everyone!
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

toobz said:
Hi all, just switched to this phone from Sprints epic 4g touch. I have a couple of questions:
1. Is there a way to root my phone and have a custom recovery and custom rom without tripping my flash counter and voiding my warranty?
2. Is it possible to completely remove root and go back to stock everything without tripping the flash counter?
Those are my main concerns since I use this phone for personal and business purposes. On a side note, what is everyone's opinion of the best rom when it comes to battery and smoothness? I am totally new to this phone, carrier and jelly bean.
Thanks a lot for your time, its a pleasure to meet everyone!
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I've done ty myself. The new jelly bean update makes things a bit tricky though.
You cannot have a custom recovery without tripping flash counter. With jelly bean, tripping the flash counter happens when booting to recovery.
To remove flash counter, use triangle away or the manual method to restore flash counter to zero. Then using Odin flash the jelly bean stock ROM.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for the quick response. Doesn't odin trip the flash counter? So using triangle away completely resets the counter and I get my warranty back?
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toobz said:
Thanks for the quick response. Doesn't odin trip the flash counter? So using triangle away completely resets the counter and I get my warranty back?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
Nothing is guaranteed. There is a chance triangle away will brick your phone and you end up with no warranty and no phone. Be warned Generally odin does not trip the flash counter if you odin stock firmware.
I personally have used Triangle away on multiple devices, chainfire is a genius but makes absolutely no promises about the software.

Do many people brick using it? As long as I don't brick I will have my warranty restored?
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toobz said:
Do many people brick using it? As long as I don't brick I will have my warranty restored?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
Yes that is the thought at least. Again, I would be extremely hesistant to guarantee anything. As soon as you flash a custom mod your warranty is genuinely void, it is not just something all the devs put on for fun.
I see stories infrequently on these forums of people bricking their phones or claiming at least triangle away bricked their phone. It is impossible for me to say if its "many" people or not. Like I said I use it but I know if the phone bricks its my fault.

I'm ready glad questions that have never been asked before are being asked.
Odin cf auto root, triangle away reset, Odin stock jeebs, warranty.

Another option is rooting with something like root66 (root injected stock - I believe it won't trip the flash counter, but I'd check the thread) and using a launcher if you don't like TouchWiz.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda app-developers app

psykhotic said:
I'm ready glad questions that have never been asked before are being asked.
Odin cf auto root, triangle away reset, Odin stock jeebs, warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Too funny as I was thinking the same thing too while trying to catch up on all things SG3 before mine arrives tomorrow. Guess peeps in these threads are too lazy to read as well Cheers!
Sent from my HTC Sensation using Tapatalk 2

Thank you for the help, I will try one of those options.
Is there a custom rom out there that has a stock look but improves battery life and performance? I am getting decent life stock unrooted but I think it could be better. Is wiked pretty much the top rom right now for battery life stability and performance?
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toobz said:
Thank you for the help, I will try one of those options.
Is there a custom rom out there that has a stock look but improves battery life and performance? I am getting decent life stock unrooted but I think it could be better. Is wiked pretty much the top rom right now for battery life stability and performance?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although development has recently stopped, frosty is by far the best TouchWiz rom I tried. Incredible battery life and rock solid stability.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1874063

Give the correct information about flash counters, please.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.triangleaway&hl=en
"TriangleAway was built to disable the triangle (if a visual warning is present) and reset the custom ROM flash counter to 0. This app requires root !"

Related

Noob Question: What is a flash counter?

What is a flash counter and how can it effect me? I have a Sprint SGS II. TIA
Edit: i have the SGS III
The flash counter is a binary counter built in Samsung phones that is used by Samsung to basically help identify if you have been tampering with your firmware and flashing unofficial software.
Each time you flash unofficial firmware via Odin, your binary flash counter goes up by 1. Good news is this can be reset using triangle away.
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ergibson83 said:
The flash counter is a binary counter built in Samsung phones that is used by Samsung to basically help identify if you have been tampering with your firmware and flashing unofficial software.
Each time you flash unofficial firmware via Odin, your binary flash counter goes up by 1. Good news is this can be reset using triangle away.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I'm a noob too. Triangle? I wanna return my s3 from att to Verizon s3 because of coverage. I wanna reset it just in case. Please help
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adlzian said:
Sorry I'm a noob too. Triangle? I wanna return my s3 from att to Verizon s3 because of coverage. I wanna reset it just in case. Please help
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do a Google search for "Triangle Away". It's an app that will reset your counter back to zero
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Just a heads up. Im not sure if you want to use triangle away. I think its only been tested om the s 3. But a flash counter is a counter that increases every time you use odin to push/flash a file to your phone. I dont really recommend using triangle away on ur s 2. Good luck. Im sure there is something in the s 2 forums to reset it back to 0. Ur warranty is void if its 1 or more
EDIT: i read that it will work for your sgs2 but only uf it is on ics.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using XDA App

Flash counter?

I need to send my phone back to T-Mobile because Im trading it for an s3 to my friend. Nothing is wrong with the phone he just wants a refurbished one. Now im wondering where is the flash counter located if any. I put it in download mode and it didn't say anything mmaybe I am looking at the wrong place?
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seedofchaos said:
I need to send my phone back to T-Mobile because Im trading it for an s3 to my friend. Nothing is wrong with the phone he just wants a refurbished one. Now im wondering where is the flash counter located if any. I put it in download mode and it didn't say anything mmaybe I am looking at the wrong place?
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1578184
Flash the file in that thread. Then boot to download mode and check to see if you get a "NO" for custom binary
I didn't install it because im worried about brick, but it does say "no" where it needs to. Kind if wierd correct me if im mistaking but I rooted through Odin shouldn't it be at least one? Or am I fine to send it in.
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seedofchaos said:
I didn't install it because im worried about brick, but it does say "no" where it needs to. Kind if wierd correct me if im mistaking but I rooted through Odin shouldn't it be at least one? Or am I fine to send it in.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
There's no risk of brick, no one has had an issue because of this. But in any case, you're fine with a no. The counter is only tripped when you flash a custom kernel through Odin (rom and recovery is fine). When you first went through the root process, all you did was flash a recovery through Odin, thus you didn't trip the counter. So to go back to stock you should do this in order if your counter hasn't tripped:
1)flash stock kernel through cwm/twrp
2)flash stock rom/recovery through Odin
That way you don't trip the counter.
seedofchaos said:
I didn't install it because im worried about brick, but it does say "no" where it needs to. Kind if wierd correct me if im mistaking but I rooted through Odin shouldn't it be at least one? Or am I fine to send it in.
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you didn't technically root through odin, you just flash a recovery through odin and that doesn't trigger the flash counter for some reason.
Do not flash that flash counter, it's been reported that its been causing bricks
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bmakk2055 said:
Do not flash that flash counter, it's been reported that its been causing bricks
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2
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2 people bricked out of countless that didn't brick, including myself and mrx. Those two people either had a bad download, or, more than likely did something stupid. In the case of a bad download, mrx switched file hosts so that shouldn't be an issue.
The saying in favor of gun rights applies here too: zips don't brick phones, people brick phones.
yoft1 said:
There's no risk of brick, no one has had an issue because of this. But in any case, you're fine with a no. The counter is only tripped when you flash a custom kernel through Odin (rom and recovery is fine). When you first went through the root process, all you did was flash a recovery through Odin, thus you didn't trip the counter. So to go back to stock you should do this in order if your counter hasn't tripped:
1)flash stock kernel through cwm/twrp
2)flash stock rom/recovery through Odin
That way you don't trip the counter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will it matter if I have ics if I flash stock kernal? And if so would it be a problem if I flashed the Rom directly after through Odin?
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To root or not to root

That is the question
I wasnt going to root my phone but while playing with phone and seeing Ads come up and cant install adfree worth rooting for this alone .Ok back to the pc hope I find a good roooting method
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
I have decided to hold back on root at the moment due to the flash counter and OTA break issue.
Its killing me though to have to live with such high lcd density atm
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i'm holding off as well...
waiting to see what sort of custom roms appear in the coming weeks before i decide what to do with it...
aside from Titanium Backup, i don't really use a lot of root packages... changing the DPI would be nice, but i can live with it for the moment until the devs get coding
M
I'm holding off for now too, I really like having this phone stock at the moment but if Google wallet comes out for root then I will.
One idea if you afraid from raising flash counter.
Flash pre rooted rom
Use mobile odin to flash stock rom.
This won't raise flash counter.
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dr.ketan said:
One idea if you afraid from raising flash counter.
Flash pre rooted rom
Use mobile odin to flash stock rom.
This won't raise flash counter.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
What happens when the flash counter rises?
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2
Warranty will be voids.
Though soon triangle away application will get support for note2, then it can be reset.
Edit
Just looked your sign
PS : any special reason for asking? As you have already used sgs3,note and difficult to believe you don't know it.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
dr.ketan said:
Warranty will be voids.
Though soon triangle away application will get support for note2, then it can be reset.
Edit
Just looked your sign
PS : any special reason for asking? As you have already used sgs3,note and difficult to believe you don't know it.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
I really do not. I buy unlocked phone and import it in the US where the warranty isnt valid anyway.....
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2
Ok.
Then you have never need to worry about that. I can say you are lucky, flash anything with pc odin.
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dr.ketan said:
Warranty will be voids.
Though soon triangle away application will get support for note2, then it can be reset.
Edit
Just looked your sign
PS : any special reason for asking? As you have already used sgs3,note and difficult to believe you don't know it.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any ideas if the break OTA problems can be fixed that comes with rooting?
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I don't think it can be fixed as recovery is custom.
But let's hope it can get fixed.
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dr.ketan said:
Ok.
Then you have never need to worry about that. I can say you are lucky, flash anything with pc odin.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Awesome thanks for the info!
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2
DMax99 said:
Any ideas if the break OTA problems can be fixed that comes with rooting?
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Click to collapse
You need to choose what you want:
1. Have root and forget about OTA`s and Kies and use CWM and PC/Mobile Odin or
2. Stay on stock firmware and forget about root all together.
You can`t have it both ways mate
You will never be able to install OTA`s if you are rooted as you have a custom recovery.
ok still some what a new bee im looking to get note 2 unlock and run it on att..i have a gs3 on att..
i like rooting to get rid of my crap ware on att..but unlock is nice pure TW and i like it..so if i root and theres a update do i just flash the new update ? coming from a rooted stock TW?
thanks
ROOT!
Then u can clean bloatware, like gmaps, g+, ChatOn etc.
Hi Ketan, i have a question for you, i want to install the rooted rom but before doing that i would want to take the nandroid backup of the stock rom. Can you please give me step by step guide as to how i should go ahead wih it . Thanks and await your reply.
Without root you can't do nandroid backup.
Is there still away to root or install custo m rom without raising counter and without doing full wipe as I have good set up now thx Dr
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stesteste said:
Is there still away to root or install custo m rom without raising counter and without doing full wipe as I have good set up now thx Dr
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Click to collapse
Here you can download a pre-rooted stock rom`s without raising the binary counter http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1915386. Read the OP well as there are different rom`s to download.
Will it do full wipe or not thx
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[Q] can triangle away set your device to be returned for warranty?

I am at a loss as Triangle away can set your counter back to zero and remove the triangle icon. My question is how would I use it to return the device for warranty or is it more just to get rid of the triangle icon? I am asking because its a Root app and doesn't just rooting your phone period void the warranty? if their is a way to use this app so i can do a warranty return I would LOVE TO KNOW. Since this is a root app I am thinking i would have to somehow use one of the non trip counter rooters to root to a stock rom. Please bear with me as this is my first root.
Double check with someone who's done it before but I think u use the app to reset the counter and then use Odin to flash a stock rom. The stock rom should take away root and official roms don't trip counter in Odin so u don't need triangle away a second time
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otariq said:
Double check with someone who's done it before but I think u use the app to reset the counter and then use Odin to flash a stock rom. The stock rom should take away root and official roms don't trip counter in Odin so u don't need triangle away a second time
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
Yes sir... If you are going to return it use triangle away then flash stock firmware in Dev section thru Odin. That will give you stock recovery, rom. A member theexel has a nice thread given you step by step. All set after that!
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

Warrant Voided at Flash Counter = 1 ?

After flashing twrp, rooting, and flashing a rom my counter is at 1 even though i used the guide that said it would not trip the counter.
The counter stays at 1 even when flashing more things through recovery.
I read somewhere that if the flash counter is at 1 the warranty is not voided, and only if it is more than 1 it is voided. is this true?
Ive called samsung but they were giving me some weird answers and they had no idea what they were talking about.
Use triangle away app.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
Won't matter on new firmware. Stop worrying about the flash counter.
Aerowinder said:
Won't matter on new firmware. Stop worrying about the flash counter.
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Click to collapse
what?
Stop worrying about flash counter.
Aerowinder said:
Stop worrying about flash counter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But doesnt it affect the status of the warranty?
Yes but it can be easily reset with triangle away.
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DocHoliday77 said:
Yes but it can be easily reset with triangle away.
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yes i understand this, but i was asking if the warranty is voided when the flash counter is >1 or >0 ?
Since we got updated to jb, the way the counter works changed. If I remember right, it will always show 1 if you have a custom recovery or kernel installed.
I keep stock recovery and use Mobile Odin for my flashing needs.
If you need to, just reset with triangle away and reflash stock firmware.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
DocHoliday77 said:
Since we got updated to jb, the way the counter works changed. If I remember right, it will always show 1 if you have a custom recovery or kernel installed.
I keep stock recovery and use Mobile Odin for my flashing needs.
If you need to, just reset with triangle away and reflash stock firmware.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Alright thanks for the clarification. It all makes sense now.
chromium96 said:
yes i understand this, but i was asking if the warranty is voided when the flash counter is >1 or >0 ?
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Click to collapse
Technically, yes it voids your warranty. But if you're worried about that you may not want to root to begin with as that also voids it.
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