Develop Bugs

[Q] BEST method for restoring FULL FACTORY STOCK?

I attempted to restore my fiance's S3 to full factory stock about a month ago now, after I received a prompt for the ~82MB OTA update, and she didn't... She was tired of me taking her phone and keeping it out of her hot little hands whilst I made nandroids and flashed the latest updates to BlazerROM, and she didn't have a problem with stock ROM, so I figured I'd put it back for her.
Well, I did, and I KNOW I left CWRecovery in, and not sure if I left root or not, but she STILL has not received the OTA update which still bugs me... So I need to know what is the BEST method for FULL STOCK RECOVERY? I don't want her missing out when the Jelly Bean official drops, and I may flash mine back when it hits just to test it out...
I found this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1935973
Which directed me to QBKing's site, but also warned that the video was now somewhat dated...
Am I assume that by saving her text messages and contacts, and flashing the ODIN .tar listed on this page: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1919919 and just letting her re-install her apps, is an effective way to return to FULL and UNMODIFIED stock? Should I run Triangle-Away before proceeding? Will this return the device status to Unmodified (or whatever it says) as opposed to "Custom" in the Status page, as it currently shows for her, in case of warranty needs?
Sorry to be "That Guy", but some of the other topics where a bit vague and lacked details, so I figure if we can get something Semi-Detailed and answering most of the big/general questions, perhaps this could serve as a Go-To thread for others who wish to do this...

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1904099
Thread youve mentioned above also works fine. If using odin method, run triangle away beforehand. Neither method will wipe data. Depending on the rom you're coming from, it may not be necessary. If you flash without wiping and the rom fails to boot(hangs on glowing samsung logo), go back to recovery and factory reset. Itll boot right up

billard412 said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1904099
Thread youve mentioned above also works fine. If using odin method, run triangle away beforehand. Neither method will wipe data. Depending on the rom you're coming from, it may not be necessary. If you flash without wiping and the rom fails to boot(hangs on glowing samsung logo), go back to recovery and factory reset. Itll boot right up
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i cant thumbs-up you hard enough.... thanks for that awesome pile of resources
JUST TO CLARIFY!
On your thread you updated just this morning with the flash-counter reset included, just run in CWR, and all is good, if not, then factory reset, and all is good? Or factory reset, reflash, all is good?
EDIT: FLashed
In download mode;
ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SPH-L710
CUSTOM BINARY DOWNLOAD: NO
CURRENT BINARY: Samsung Official
SYSTEM STATUS: Custom
QUALCOMM SECUREBOOT: ENABLE (not sure what that one is haven't done more than root with oden and flash)
System status troubles me... ODEN flash, or let it full reboot? I went into download to check before first initial boot after flash. will allow full boot and see what happens...
EDIT 2: Well, android system status shows Normal... Girl woke up and took her phone back, so will check oden later.

Yup the one updated today is just that. Flash and reboot. Youll be 100% stock
The system status in odin will probably fix itself after booting. If not a factory reset should do it

billard412 said:
Yup the one updated today is just that. Flash and reboot. Youll be 100% stock
The system status in odin will probably fix itself after booting. If not a factory reset should do it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems to have worked. I wish I had money to donate to your wonderful work. Hopefully she'll be receiving prompts for OTA updates for JellyBean shortly... Thanks for also having it up to date. At least I gather it DOES include the ~82MB update she's been missing... Keep up the wonderful work friend!

Glad to hear it. Much appriciated. Now if only the damn thing would be stickied...XD

billard412 said:
Yup the one updated today is just that. Flash and reboot. Youll be 100% stock
The system status in odin will probably fix itself after booting. If not a factory reset should do it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
billard412 said:
Glad to hear it. Much appriciated. Now if only the damn thing would be stickied...XD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoever I need to tell, I support sticky'ing the thread.

[Root] [CWM] Samsung Galaxy Discover (SGH-730G) Tracfone Variant ONLY

THIS THREAD IS ONLY FOR THE SGH-730G VARIANT OF THE SAMSUNG DISCOVER. USE OF ANY OF THESE GUIDES AND METHODS FOR ANY OTHER VARIANT OF THE PHONE IS AT THE RISK OF THE USER
This thread is a guide on how to root and install CWM recovery on the Samsung Galaxy Discover (SGH-730G) which is the Tracfone (Net10, Straight Talk) variant of the device. These instructions are for Windows users only. If someone knows how to do it through Linux distro or Mac, please let me know and we will add those instructions to this post.
IMPORTANT: THIS GUIDE ASSUMES THAT YOU HAVE A PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE TOOLS AND TERMS USED. ROOTING YOUR DEVICE WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY! STOP NOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT! IF YOU PROCEED, FOLLOW ALL THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY. USE OF THIS GUIDE AND THESE TOOLS IS AT THE RISK OF THE USER! I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE OR NEGATIVE OUTCOMES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SOFT BRICK, HARD BRICK, EXPLODING BATTERIES, NUCLEAR WAR, GIANT SQUID PEOPLE, OR SPONTANEOUS JUSTIN BIEBER CONCERTS IN YOUR LIVING ROOM
***First let's get all the tools and files you will need to complete this process***
Samsung USB Drivers: Click HERE to download the USB drivers for the SGH-730G.
UnlockRoot Pro (Free Download) - Click HERE and scroll down to "UnlockRoot Pro" and click the "Free Download" button. *Note*: Your computer may tell you that this program is malicious. You may have to disable antivirus in order to download.
Odin3 v3.07 - Click HERE to download Odin. This program will be used to flash CWM recovery to your phone.
CWM Recovery (thanks to JohnnyGalto) - Click HERE to download CWM recovery for your phone.
***Now that you have all the tools downloaded let's get them installed and ready for use.***
1) Install the USB drivers (should be self-explanatory).
2) Click on UnlockRoot_downloader_by_UnlockRoot.exe to start the installation. You may have to grant it administrator privileges. I DO NOT RECOMMEND INSTALLING ANY OF THE SPECIAL OFFERS THAT FIRST COME UP WHEN YOU OPEN THE FILE. CLICK SKIP until the automatic download begins. This is the download for the program itself. Once that is finished, follow the instructions to install the program on your computer.
3) Extract Odin Files: I recommend creating a folder on the desktop named "Odin" simply for easy access. However, feel free to choose whatever directory you want. Simply extract all the files to a designated folder.
4) CWM Revovery Tar: Move this file into the same folder where you extracted Odin. This will make it easier to access in a little while.
***If you have followed all the instructions correctly, you are now ready to install CWM recovery and root your device! You will periodically see a yellow triangle on the Samsung boot logo screen throughout this process. But have no fear, we will take care of this later on.***
1) Put your phone into download mode by holding VOLUME DOWN + POWER. A warning screen about custom OS will appear. Press VOLUME UP to confirm this is what you want to do. You should then be showing a screen with the Android logo and the "Downloading... Do not turn off target!!" text.
2) Now connect your phone to the computer using the USB cable, and open Odin from the folder you extracted it to. If your phone is connected properly you should see something similar to "0:[COM10]" in the box under ID:COM in the upper left of the window.
**VERY IMPORTANT** MAKE SURE THE ONLY TWO BOXES CHECKED UNDER "OPTIONS" ARE AUTO REBOOT AND F. RESET TIME!! NO OTHER BOXES SHOULD BE CHECKED
3) Under "Files [Download]" click the PDA button. Navigate to where you placed the CWM tar file and click okay.It is important that you ONLY click "PDA" for this. If you have followed the directions carefully, Odin should check the MD5 sum of the file to verify validity. If the file comes back invalid or you get any errors, STOP, and report them in the thread.
4) Click "Start". DO NOT TURN OFF OR DISCONNECT YOUR PHONE DURING THIS PROCESS. If everything goes well, your phone will reboot automatically after install. To check if your install worked properly, follow the next instructions to boot into recovery and make a stock backup.
OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED SAFETY STEP BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ROOT (REQUIRES AN EXTERNAL MICRO SD CARD) - CWM recovery works without root permission. It is HIGHLY recommended that you make a complete backup of your stock image before proceeding. This will make it easier to recover from a soft brick, or to return your phone to stock in the future should you choose to do so. A)Power off your phone. To boot into recovery, hold VOLUME UP+POWER until the Samsung logo is displayed. After the logo displays, release the POWER button. Keep holding the VOLUME UP button until your phone boots into the CWM recovery screen. B) Using the volume keys to navigate the menu, scroll down to "backup and restore". Use the power button to select. C) Select backup using the power button. D) After your backup is complete, go back to the main menu and select "reboot system now".
5) Before using UnlockRoot Pro, go to your Settings menu and scroll down to "Developer Options". Be sure to select "USB debugging", "Allow mock locations", and just to avoid potential disaster, choose "Stay awake". After this is all done, you can go back and unselect these.
6) With USB debugging enabled on your phone, launch UnlockRoot (not the UnlockRoot PRO shortcut the program installs on the desktop). Click the big green "Root" button. **NOTE** During the process it will ask you if you want to install other apps. DO NOT INSTALL THEM. Once the program is finished, if all went well, you now have a rooted SGH-730G!
7) There are a number of apps available in the Play Store that check to see if you are rooted. Alternatively, this is how I check my devices. A) Download and install "Terminal Emulator" from the Play Store. This app is like using ADB on your phone. B) Once it is installed, open the app. Type in the command "su" (without the quotes) and hit enter. If rooting was successful, your phone should show a pop-up message asking you to grant it root privileges. Go ahead and say yes and rejoice in the fact you were successful. If you receive the error "permission denied", then the root was unsuccessful.
**Dealing with the pesky yellow triangle on the Samsung boot screen**
The yellow triangle on the Samsung boot screen is a visual warning that you are running custom software. To get rid of it, click the following thread link. "Triangle Away" is a paid app in the Play Store, but the awesome Chainfire has made it available in the forums. Read the thread carefully and follow all the instructions for using the app. Neither I, nor him, nor your pet are responsible for the misuse of the app. - http://forum.xda-developers.com/member.php?u=631273
THAT'S IT!!! If you followed all the directions carefully, you now have a rooted SGH-730G and the sky is the limit now. Currently there is no known custom roms for this device. However I am working on building a Stock+Root Deodexed version of the factory firmware, and will upload it when I can verify it is stable to be released. Following that, I will be developing a custom rom based on the stock firmware. But of course, if you have the experience and know-how, feel free to start developing your own roms for this phone. The more the merrier.
And as always, if you were successful using this guide, or it helped you in any way, please inflate my ego by clicking that thanks button.
I will try to answer as many questions as possible if you run into problems during the process, or if you have other questions about what you can do with this device now that it is rooted.
I CURRENTLY DO NOT KNOW OF A WAY TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE PHONE. IT'S A LITTLE BIT BEYOND MY SKILLS. I HAVE HOWEVER SEEN PEOPLE IN OTHER FORUMS GETTING PEOPLE TO DO IT USING REMOTE ACCESS TO THEIR COMPUTERS WITH THE PHONE PLUGGED IN TO IT. I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS ABOUT HOW IT WORKS, BUT COMMON SENSE TELLS ME THIS ISN'T A VERY TRUSTWORTHY THING TO BE DOING. IT'S TOTALLY UP TO YOU IF YOU REALLY TRUST A COMPLETE STRANGER TO HAVE VIRTUAL ACCESS TO YOUR COMPUTER AND YOUR PHONE. BE I'D BE WEARY.
:good: Thanks (in no particular order) to andronald for the original thread about the 730M variant of this device, Without that thread, this thread would not be possible. FitAmp for his contributions to the project over there, JohnnyGalto for the CWM recovery image, cshmitt for his help in getting me started working on a custom rom for this device. :good:

Soft Brick Recovery
SOFT BRICK RECOVERY FOR SGH-730G
Right now, I am working on a tar Odin flashable system image to make it easier to recover from a soft brick of the device. Once it is completed and tested, I will update this post to include a download of it.
***This post will help you recover from a soft brick or bootloop error on your SGH-730G after rooting. This quick guide assumes that you still have access to CWM recovery and/or are able to boot into download mode. (See OP for instructions on how to boot into recovery and download mode.)***
If you followed the instructions and recommendations in the previous post, then you should have made a backup of the stock image using CWM recovery. This is what you will use to help recover your phone so you can start the process again, or not, depending on how gutsy you feel.
IF YOU ARE STILL ABLE TO BOOT INTO CWM RECOVERY
1) Power off your device. You may have to pull the battery to do this if you are stuck with a bootloop or other booting issues.
2) Boot into CWM recovery (see OP for instructions)
3) Scroll down to "backup and restore"
4) Select restore
5) You should then see a restore point to select. The format is usually "YYYY-MM-DD.HOUR". The hour is usually in 24h format.
6) Select the file then select "Yes".
7) If everything works correctly, your stock backup should be restored and you should be able to boot your phone again.
**Note** If you lose root while restoring your stock backup, just use the guide in the OP to try again.
**If you cannot boot into CWM recovery after installation and making a backup.**
Try to reinstall the CWM recovery image using the instructions in the OP.
Again, as soon as it is ready, I will upload a tar that can be flashed through Odin to restore the factory image to your phone, and instructions on recovering and returning to stock will be posted here.
As always, if this helps you in any way, inflate my ego by clicking that thanks button.

Fun with the SGH-730G
So far there are a few fun things I have found work for this phone so far.
For those who may want overclock features, check out this thread. The reason I didn't include it in the OP is because I didn't have success in changing the max value for CPU speed. It stayed constant at 1000 and produced a little too much battery drain for my taste.
SetCPU - This app only works to change the minimum allowed CPU speed of the stock kernel. I run the "ondemand" settings with a minimum of 600MHz and max of 800Mhz. This has helped to reduce some lag from the stock speeds the kernel likes to run and doesn't produce a noticeable battery drain.
Seeder - The seeder lag reduction app makes a huge difference in smoothness of the device.
Xposed Framework: If you don't know what this is, search the XDA forums and you will be able to learn just about everything you want about it. So far I have tested features of the XBlast module and Xposed Additions. Center clock and clock color change, 4-way reboot menu with screenshot, Volume button tweaks, all from Xblast. Xposed Additions can be used to remap the buttons for different functions. I was able to remap the back key to kill the foreground app on long-press. Very useful to limit the amount of running apps in the background.
Notification Toggle - This nifty little app allows you to place toggles for wifi, mobile data, brightness, etc, in the notification dropdown screen. Saves a little time from having to navigate through the settings on the phone, and saves home screen space by not having to use the power widget.
Rom Toolbox - Some features may work, but it is better to have the rom deodexed to take full advantage. (A deodexed version of the stock rom will be available soon).
Auto Killer Memory Optimizer: This is a personal favorite of mine. I own the pro version which is well worth the money. It allows custom settings to optimize RAM usage and free up memory. Makes the phone so much smoother.
If you find any other fun mods that work with this phone, pleas share!

Thank you very much. Been waiting for this for a while. Again thanks.

Nomad692000 said:
Thank you very much. Been waiting for this for a while. Again thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My pleasure. I felt it was necessary to separate this phone version from the other versions to avoid confusion. I'll be (hopefully) updating the soft brick recovery in just a moment. Currently testing a new method. Glad you liked the thread. Stick around, things may start to get interesting soon

So far I haven't had any luck creating an Odin package of the factory system image. I have written to Tracfone to see if they could provide me with the factory image but I'm not going to have high hopes it will happen.
Hopefully this week I will be able to provide a deodexed and debloated version of the stock rom that will run a little faster and take up a little less space on the device.
A custom kernel is in the works for those interested in overclocking, though I think anything past the stock max speed will cause a good amount of battery drain.
Sent from my SGH-S730G

So you building a custom rom for the tracfone version (730G)?

(Dominix) said:
So you building a custom rom for the tracfone version (730G)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Slowly but surely yes. Haven't gotten as much done this week as I had hoped but it is in the works.
Sent from my SGH-S730G

i need stock rom please
TheGeekyNimrod said:
Slowly but surely yes. Haven't gotten as much done this week as I had hoped but it is in the works.
Sent from my SGH-S730G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i mistakingly picked up the wrong phone..the discover and the centura are very similar....i accidently installed custom rom for the centura onto the discover...it is the 730g. i did not make a back up...do you have the stock rom and can you post or email it to me?? [email protected]
:crying:

j.nunez123 said:
i mistakingly picked up the wrong phone..the discover and the centura are very similar....i accidently installed custom rom for the centura onto the discover...it is the 730g. i did not make a back up...do you have the stock rom and can you post or email it to me?? [email protected]
:crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right now I do not have a copy of the stock rom. I'm still trying to create an Odin flashable of the basic system partition files, recovery, and boot. Wish I could help you. This is why it's always important to make a backup. You might can try one of the 730M Discover threads and see if someone can send you a back up of theirs, but keep in mind that is the Canadian version of the phone. I'm not quite sure what all of the differences in them are.

Based on what I have been able to find out, other than the tracfone custom boot screen and sound, the android on this phone is just stock android 4. No touchwiz (thank God and all that it holy) no bloatware extras, no nothing. So you could probably take the stock Android 4.0.4 I think it is and work from that.
Sent from my SGH-S730G using xda app-developers app

little trouble
Ive downloaded everyting just fine, but when I try and install the unlockroot it keeps telling me Better installer host has stopped working. Is that something on my end or something on theirs? because i cant seem to figure anything out about better installer and have never seen it before downloading this. You have any suggestions on what is causing this problem?

[sgh-s730g] Discover Straight talk PR Rooted
I will reccomend you to start over as it is in [Root] [CWM] Samgsung Galaxy Discover (SGH-730G) Tracfone Variant ONLYthread, which is in the first page. Do a factory reset if it can be done, and wipe all the catches. format your sd card and be patient, because i followed all the instructions and mine works fine. the only thing i haven't done is get rid of the yellow triangle but I'll doit later on because I'm Working to find the unlocking code for mine. Wish you luck and do be afraid. Just be Patient :good:

Cristiandando said:
I will reccomend you to start over as it is in [Root] [CWM] Samgsung Galaxy Discover (SGH-730G) Tracfone Variant ONLYthread, which is in the first page. Do a factory reset if it can be done, and wipe all the catches. format your sd card and be patient, because i followed all the instructions and mine works fine. the only thing i haven't done is get rid of the yellow triangle but I'll doit later on because I'm Working to find the unlocking code for mine. Wish you luck and do be afraid. Just be Patient :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am getting this error on my computer not on my cell phone, My cell is a discover from straight talk. when i downloaded unlockroot from their website onto my computer and go to run it it wont even install. just keeps saying better installer stopped working. Again this is on my computer not on my cell phone.

Uninstall then re-download UnlockRoot .. I had that problem first time I tried to run it. Also, there is the actual free program, amd another program file that pulls up an order and download program for the pro version. Maybe you clicked that one instead?
Sent from my SGH-S730G

I have a debloated, deodexed, zip aligned, rooted version of the stock rom completed. Working on the updater script which is being a pain in my ass. Soon as it is done and tested I'll post it.
I've been behind on it as my volunteer work and family obligations have been my primary focus. But it is something I still try to work on to give this phone a little boost.
Sent from my SGH-S730G

Here it's what you're looking for my Friend
pokesmot88 said:
I am getting this error on my computer not on my cell phone, My cell is a discover from straight talk. when i downloaded unlockroot from their website onto my computer and go to run it it wont even install. just keeps saying better installer stopped working. Again this is on my computer not on my cell phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Il' PM you the unlock root pro with the serial because I can't post it until I make 10 or more post. Download both items, install the software and then copy > paste the serial and start rooting your phone. Don't forguet to make a back up of your original not rooted rom and save it in your computer and sd card in case something goes wrong just restore it to it's original state.

TheGeekyNimrod said:
I have a debloated, deodexed, zip aligned, rooted version of the stock rom completed. Working on the updater script which is being a pain in my ass. Soon as it is done and tested I'll post it.
I've been behind on it as my volunteer work and family obligations have been my primary focus. But it is something I still try to work on to give this phone a little boost.
Sent from my SGH-S730G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a SGH-S730M that I bought unlocked off of ebay, and wound up giving it to my wife. After looking at the specs for the SGH-S730G it sounds like they are identical other than one being sold by Telus and the other being sold by net10. Is the SGH-730G unlocked by default? I'm interested in getting one to try my hand at modifying. One of my few key complaints about the SGH-S730M was that even though it didn't have the touchwiz launcher it still had the samsung style lock screen instead of the stock ICS lock screen. Would xposed or any of the other stuff you mentioned allow me to change that back to stock?
Also the battery issue you mentioned also seems to affect the S730M as well, it is more than a little annoying.

doctor_evil said:
I have a SGH-S730M that I bought unlocked off of ebay, and wound up giving it to my wife. After looking at the specs for the SGH-S730G it sounds like they are identical other than one being sold by Telus and the other being sold by net10. Is the SGH-730G unlocked by default? I'm interested in getting one to try my hand at modifying. One of my few key complaints about the SGH-S730M was that even though it didn't have the touchwiz launcher it still had the samsung style lock screen instead of the stock ICS lock screen. Would xposed or any of the other stuff you mentioned allow me to change that back to stock?
Also the battery issue you mentioned also seems to affect the S730M as well, it is more than a little annoying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are pretty much the same device yes. The 730G I bought was through StraightTalk so it wasn't unlocked. I'm sure you could find one unlocked on Ebay or maybe Swappa or something similar. I do hate the Samsung stock lockscreen too. Stock, Xposed won't do the AOSP lockscreen style. Once I have the deodexed working and ready it should. There is another way to bring it up, but it's a little beyond my experience, but also requires a deodexed system.

TheGeekyNimrod said:
They are pretty much the same device yes. The 730G I bought was through StraightTalk so it wasn't unlocked. I'm sure you could find one unlocked on Ebay or maybe Swappa or something similar. I do hate the Samsung stock lockscreen too. Stock, Xposed won't do the AOSP lockscreen style. Once I have the deodexed working and ready it should. There is another way to bring it up, but it's a little beyond my experience, but also requires a deodexed system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool I will be watching this thread for updates. I just bought a used SGH-730G that I am willing to do test flashes on the rom if you need a tester. I got it for a super super cheap price so I won't get upset if it gets bricked.

How to Root from Stock 4.3?

Just picked up a Note II and was shocked to see how difficult it seems to be to root from stock 4.3. Many posts from users who say the stated methods aren't working for them ...
What is the current status on the best way to root from stock 4.3? The Tmobile bloatware is killing me ...
Forgot to say that I don't care about tripping the counter for knox or ota or any of that. Just want to root, get rid of bloatware, be able to use custom rom, etc.

Just use cf auto root

Haints said:
Just picked up a Note II and was shocked to see how difficult it seems to be to root from stock 4.3. Many posts from users who say the stated methods aren't working for them ...
What is the current status on the best way to root from stock 4.3? The Tmobile bloatware is killing me ...
Forgot to say that I don't care about tripping the counter for knox or ota or any of that. Just want to root, get rid of bloatware, be able to use custom rom, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not difficult. I put this together today for installing note 3 features on T-Mobile Note 2. It's easiest way to do it. You need to learn basics first. So read about what recovery mode is, download mode and what Odin is and how to use it. It's all very easy and if you have TeamSpeak I wouldn't have a problem helping you with it, but you void your warranty and if you brick your phone - oh well, that's the chance you take. I've been doing it for about a month and its fun. Here's my guide. ezKAT rom is fun as hell! Enjoy!
Simplified procedure for installing ezKat custom rom on T-Mobile Note 2 (SGH-T889) ONLY
WHY THIS GUIDE?
#1 – For first time rooters, this is the easiest way to root your phone, period!
#2 - When I followed the original ezKat instructions, things didn’t go smoothly. After some trial and error and quite a bit of searching, this method worked easier, was repeatable, and also added some additional functionality – primarily stability and the ability to install games etc. to external SD Card.
I just put this together to save people time so they don’t have to go through what I did – namely fumbling around and being frustrated. Most of the solutions to problems turned out to be simple if I’d only known where to look the first time around. Unfortunately, it seems information on T-Mobile stuff is always harder to find compared to AT&T or International Note 2’s.
FILES: See the XDA forums ezKat Developer page for links to files and to acknowledge their awesome work. This is the best rom I’ve ever worked with and was well worth a little extra effort to unleash its full potential on my Note 2.
Problems others have reported that this method either avoids or solved for me:
1) No keyboard working
2) “no Sim card inserted” error after install
3) “code 7” error message during rom flashing that “ezKat 2.0 has error” and failed installation, as well as general instability reported by
others in the XDA forums.
4) Inability to install programs to External Micro SD Card
5) No sleep/coma problems
6) Stock browser is included and fully functional.
Last time I’m going to say this – these instructions pertain to the T-MOBILE NOTE 2 SGH-T889 ONLY!! I assume they probably work on the Canadian version too, but I don’t know. Regardless, whatever you choose to do with your phone is your responsibility. Your warranty is void the first time you root your phone regardless – we’re all adults here. Also, this assumes you know what flashing and Odin are… otherwise run away now!! Go read about download mode, recovery mode, and flashing, then come back if you’re not scared away by the prospect of possibly bricking your phone. Still here? Ok then…
Preparation step ONE OF THREE – freshly format your micro sd card (yep, get over it – this solves two major problems up front*)
Preparation step TWO OF THREE – copy these files linked from the ezKat PAGE to your external micro sd card:
-eZKAT_v2.0_n3feat (rom .zip)
-eZKAT_2.0_S5Keyboard (keyboard fix .zip) (do NOT try the “NEW2.0” keyboard file it does not work)
-T889UVUCMK7_Modem-Dec_9_13 (t-mobile modem fix .zip)
-UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.99
Preparation step THREE of THREE: Make sure these are installed to your PC:
-Odin v1.85
-Samsung USB drivers (duh!)
-**Mr. Robinson’s Pre-Rooted Stock 4.3 Rom “root66_TMO_T889UVUCMK7_2.tar” (for flashing with Odin)
-Philz Touchwiz Recovery “philz_touch_6.00.8-t0ltetmo” (Do Not Use TWRP for these steps – I love TWRP, but for some reason – ezKat doesn’t like it)
OK – here we go! Do these in order and you can’t go wrong. Do not skip any steps!!!
1) FLASH MR. ROBINSON’s PRE-ROOTED 4.3 ROM with Odin 1.85 – phone will auto-reboot.
2) Setup Wifi-Settings and shut off phone.
3) Power on phone in Download Mode
4) Flash Philz Touchwiz 6.00.8 with Odin - phone will auto-reboot.
5) Shut off phone and restart in recovery mode.
6) Flash eZKAT_v2.0_n3feat rom in recovery mode (do not reboot yet)
7) Flash Keyboard fix and Modem fix. Reboot phone.
8) Phone should be working – you’re going to be amazed and want to play around – STOP gawking and shut the
phone down!!
9) Boot back into recovery mode – Flash SuperSU 1.99
10) Clear Cache, Clear Dalvik Cache – Reboot phone
11) Download and install BusyBox from Google Playstore
12) Reboot Phone and ENJOY!!
Congratulations. If you don’t care about installing apps etc. to SD CARD, you’re done!! Enjoy your new Note 3 and S5 features on your Note 2.
Make sure to thank the ezKat team for their amazing work on this rom.
If you do want to install apps to External SD Card, then go to Google Play Store and install “NextApp SD Fix” and “FolderMount Premium” (the free version limits you to a very small number of moveable folders) NextApp SD Fix works automatically with two clicks after installation and there is a simple Youtube video showing how to use FolderMount. Again, it is a VERY simple utility to use. Simple click through – it does everything automatically.
NOTE: Contrary to some posts I’ve seen around stating that you can no longer move programs with FolderMount, I tested it again today while editing this guide and it works perfectly with this ROM. I will not attest to any other roms.
*If you didn’t format your Micro SD Card at the beginning of this process then you may have received the “error 7” code during the flashing of the rom. If so, start over.
**Some experienced rooters will choose not to flash over Mr. Robinson’s rom because they normally prefer to flash over a “clean” install base. If you go this route and experience stability or other issues, then I strongly recommend starting from the top with Mr. Robinson’s as a base. I’ve had a lot less issues since going this route.
Good luck everyone! I hope this helped you out.

Thanks to both of you for responding! I'll check out both of the methods you suggested.

Haints said:
Thanks to both of you for responding! I'll check out both of the methods you suggested.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're well welcome. Good luck.

towelroot works on 4.3 for sgs3 so it should work for note 2 also. no pc required

mattlowry said:
towelroot works on 4.3 for sgs3 so it should work for note 2 also. no pc required
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried won't work

terpin32 said:
I tried won't work
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What error did you get?

It reboots the phone

Just rooted mine finally. Used the autoroot which didn't work and caused the supersu to just close out with knox errors. Then flashed twrp latest 2.7.2 and used it to fix permissions then flash superuser. Booted and it gave knox error, tried opening supersu and it asked if I wanted to try to disable knox. Choose yes, it said successful and Finally im rooted.

Towel Root(TR) and Rooting in not one click but 2 Clicks

First of all I want to thank all the developers on this and all forums, I hope that you prosper in your endeavers...
I have been at this since the sprint mogul came out. Playing around with PPC kitchen and technology keeps getting more 'interesting'...During the s3 root procedure I was fascinated with the Knox and how it was dealt with automatically with Supersu, and how cwm took control of keeping itself as the recovery as well as offering to keep root(such manners!)...
Check your Version # this how to is meant for 4.2.2 ONLY
I believe there was just an update(cause my phone downloaded it and wanted to install) I knew it was time to root again.
This summer I finally upgraded from my beloved Galaxy s1... After many a rom it was victim of a glass of water
spill...Bought a s3 sph-d710 for cheap and have been loving the phone but missing my wifi teather(and text to speech
prowess, why does the s3 stock suck worse than s1 cyanogen 10.2?) so I know I must root.
OOps my volume UP button is
broken! How to I get to downoad mode? to use ODIN! Gueess I gotta Root on the Phone...
ABD? Tried finding the tiny version of abd but after failed downloads and searching for links for the tiny version were
broken so...instead I Installed towel root and followed the guide here
http://gs3.wonderhowto.com/how-to/easiest-one-click-root-method-for-your-samsung-galaxy-s3-0155625/
It was so amazingly easy(you download towelR touch the red Icon or one of the donate links in TR), wait 20 second click make it rain, wait 20 seconds then check with saferoot...(after installing it @ goo.im)! After TR immediately without rebooting install #saferoot(do not attempt to get root with this just install), and install CWM recovery which I did thru rom manager(via google play, I attempted to install from their site but it was a zip and it did not jive with my unpackaging skillsEDIT Drr it was prolly for cwm?). Safe root does something for SuperSU so that it will not hang while removing knox( wait 5 min if it seems to hang then force quit and u prolly did not install saferoot yet so do that and try again)
(EDIT: be sure and install safe root (FROM GOO.IM)after you make it rain with TR and then you install supersu & rom manager.Also Install towelroot and Supersu from their perspective verified real web page not other sources/googleplay) I was freezing at chainfires supersu install after making it rain)but once saferoot is installed it will disable knox(noted above)
I then took out Knox with Supersu simply by opening the program(it will ask you if you want to kill Knox) also it will ask to
update everytime.
Then I Installed the 4g and hotspot fix via CWM recovery via Rom Manager reboot into recovery and I was fully functioning..done! ND8Oxed 4.4.2..
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2224083
I Used this post below as a general guide Hope this helps some, click thanks if I did..thanks all!
Happy Camper (rooted, tethered sprint galaxy s3)
Finally, I got my Sprint S3 tether working.
Many thanks to both bilgerryan and jdsingle76.
So just to help out other noob out there, what I did was:
1. root the S3. www idigitaltimes com/samsung-galaxy-s3-android-442-kitkat-update-how-root-sprint-sph-l710-variant-and-install-custom-roms
(Sorry I am not allowed to post links yet)
2. Install a custom recovery. I did not use Philz. I am sure it must be very good. However, I am not very good at using
Odin yet. I used CWM. Installed it directly from play store. There are lots of youtube videos on how to do it.
3. copy the Hotspot ROM zip file to the SD card in the phone. In my case, the ROM is the ND8 odexing version
4. Back up my stock rom (rooted) with the CWM recovery, in case something goes wrong. Lots of youtube videos too.
5. install rom from the zip file using CWM recovery. (again, lots of youtube videos available)
6. factory reset and wipe the cache
7. reboot and setup the phone from scratch.
There you go.

vizionforever said:
First of all I want to thank all the developers on this and all forums, I hope that you prosper in your endeavers...
I have been at this since the sprint mogul came out. Playing around with PPC kitchen and technology keeps getting more 'interesting'...During the s3 root procedure I was fascinated with the Knox and how it was dealt with automatically with Supersu, and how cwm took control of keeping itself as the recovery as well as offering to keep root(such manners!)...
This summer I finally upgraded from my beloved Galaxy s1... After many a rom it was victim of a glass of water
spill...Bought a s3 sph-d710 for cheap and have been loving the phone but missing my wifi teather(and text to speech
prowess, why does the s3 stock suck worse than s1 cyanogen 10.2?) so I know I must root.
OOps my volume UP button is
broken! How to I get to downoad mode?
ABD? Tried finding the tiny version of abd but after failed downloads and searching for links for the tiny version were
broken so...instead I Installed towel root and followed the guide here
http://gs3.wonderhowto.com/how-to/easiest-one-click-root-method-for-your-samsung-galaxy-s3-0155625/
It was so amazingly easy(you touch the red Icon or one of the donate links in TR), wait 20 second click make it rain, wait 20 seconds then check with saferoot as root checker will tell you that you are not rooted?! After TR immediately without rebooting install #root checker, and supersu and CWM which I did thru rom manager.
Strangely #Root checker(upon my request) kept reporting that I did not have root. Curious if root checker was wrong I
nstalled safe root (noted above)and Obviously there is some whole new route to root cause It said I was indeed still rooted, weird!
I then tookout Knox with Supersu simply by opening the program(it will ask you if you want to kill Knox) also it will ask to
update everytime.
Finally I Installed, then opened Rom manager and Installed (VIA ROM MANAGER)!)CWM. Treves wifi tether did not work for me in 4.4.2 so I knew I must install fix via zip in CWM.
Then I Installed the 4g and hotspot fix and I was fully functioning..done! ND8Oxed 4.4.2..
I Used this post below as a general guide Hope this helps some, click thanks if I did..thanks all!
Happy Camper (rooted, tethered sprint galaxy s3)
Finally, I got my Sprint S3 tether working.
Many thanks to both bilgerryan and jdsingle76.
So just to help out other noob out there, what I did was:
1. root the S3. www idigitaltimes com/samsung-galaxy-s3-android-442-kitkat-update-how-root-sprint-sph-l710-variant-and-install-custom-roms
(Sorry I am not allowed to post links yet)
2. Install a custom recovery. I did not use Philz. I am sure it must be very good. However, I am not very good at using
Odin yet. I used CWM. Installed it directly from play store. There are lots of youtube videos on how to do it.
3. copy the Hotspot ROM zip file to the SD card in the phone. In my case, the ROM is the ND8 odexing version
4. Back up my stock rom (rooted) with the CWM recovery, in case something goes wrong. Lots of youtube videos too.
5. install rom from the zip file using CWM recovery. (again, lots of youtube videos available)
6. factory reset and wipe the cache
7. reboot and setup the phone from scratch.
There you go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TowelRoot seems to be broken when it comes to the latest S3 model called the Sph-L710T and i have a guide in this question thread with root info for the Sph-L710 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2787771 if you want to take a look at it but thanks for the info

[Q] I have a sem-complicated soft bricking problem

So I wanted to root this tablet, and I used a video online to help me do so.
I installed the USB drivers, got Odin 3, and loaded in CF_AutoRoot_Port_T700_BeansTown106.tar
It rooted my tablet and I was pretty happy about that. I then had update supersu, by getting the SU binaries.
So I came to this site and downloaded the recommended Supersu, and flashed it. It fixed that.
Well, then I wanted to get a custom ROM, so I flashed the Cyanogenmod 12, along with the component with it.
I found I didn't like it compared to my 5.0.2 Lolipop, and so I tried finding the stock ROM.
The gator download site everyone was showing refused to let me download anything, and just about all the ROMS seemed like they were from countries other than the U.S.
I searched for awhile, found nothing, then found a ROM called the Ironman Lolipop ROM, it was close enough to stock, so I flashed it.
Suddenly everything was normal, but then supersu needed binaries again, and after I flashed it again, it just stopped asking if it should grant permission, making the root useless.
Frustrated, I looked online again for ROMS, found a Canada one, decided to download, it would take two hours.
Well I'm not from Canada so I doubted it would work, and didn't want to wait two hours.
I decided to Flash back the Cyanogen.
Well unfortunately I went in and found out that I had deleted it earlier, whoops. And so my data wipe brought me back to Ironman ROM.
So, thinking that flashing to Iron Man screwed up my root I tried to re-root with Odin, the same way as the first.
It then had trouble booting, and when it did, it hung at the Samsung logo.
Now I've been stuck on this logo for about an hour, I can't turn it off. I'm assuming the only way to is to wait for it to run out of power.
I have been using TWRP this whole time.
I twice have backed up, and wiped data.
When I hit restore I saw no backups though, I'm not sure if they were for the ROM?
I don't know, I only have a year of experience.
Edit: I have an 8.1" T700 from Amazon.

pennylessz said:
So I wanted to root this tablet, and I used a video online to help me do so.
I installed the USB drivers, got Odin 3, and loaded in CF_AutoRoot_Port_T700_BeansTown106.tar
It rooted my tablet and I was pretty happy about that. I then had update supersu, by getting the SU binaries.
So I came to this site and downloaded the recommended Supersu, and flashed it. It fixed that.
Bla bla ......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi! To force reboot while in a soft brick, press and hold power+home button+ both volume buttons all at the same time.
Then when the screen goes black, quickly press the odin\download mode button combo or recovery comba if you wish.
Luckily, I have mirrored the latest firmware for the T700 to a faster hosting site. This is an UK firmware and is the latest one. It should flash fine as I have flashed different firmwares from different countries many times.
Download Firmware (fast download): https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=24052804347761130
Now, ironrom has problems with root sometimes. When I make roms I don't preroot them as they cause problems of binaries if you preroot them. Anyway feel free to flash the firmware with odin or load an custom ROM to your sd card and flash it.
Hope this helps!

DUHAsianSKILLZ said:
Hi! To force reboot while in a soft brick, press and hold power+home button+ both volume buttons all at the same time.
Then when the screen goes black, quickly press the odin\download mode button combo or recovery comba if you wish.
Luckily, I have mirrored the latest firmware for the T700 to a faster hosting site. This is an UK firmware and is the latest one. It should flash fine as I have flashed different firmwares from different countries many times.
Download Firmware (fast download):
Now, ironrom has problems with root sometimes. When I make roms I don't preroot them as they cause problems of binaries if you preroot them. Anyway feel free to flash the firmware with odin or load an custom ROM to your sd card and flash it.
Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for getting me out of the brick and back to stock.
However going into Supersu it says.
"There is no SU binary installed, and SuperSu cannot install it. This is a problem!
If you just upgraded to Android 5.0, you need to manually re-root- consult the relevant forums for your device!"
My question is, can I properly re-root it the way I had been?
I'm assuming if it soft bricks again I can just reinstall a stock ROM again.
Also all these ROMS and backups take up a lot of space, how would I go about deleting those when I'm done?

pennylessz said:
Thank you for getting me out of the brick and back to stock.
However going into Supersu it says.
"There is no SU binary installed, and SuperSu cannot install it. This is a problem!
If you just upgraded to Android 5.0, you need to manually re-root- consult the relevant forums for your device!"
My question is, can I properly re-root it the way I had been?
I'm assuming if it soft bricks again I can just reinstall a stock ROM again.
Also all these ROMS and backups take up a lot of space, how would I go about deleting those when I'm done?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my files app, look for an folder called TWRP. Your backups are in there. To root simply install twrp and follow the twrp method to root. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=59638836

You can delete your backups from within twrp. Just select restore, then the backup, then delete.