Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Method 3: How to Root/Recovery/Bootloader Unlock using ODIN/Heimdall (Windows) & Return to Stock

Complete at your own risk!

Important information:

- If you get to a point where you don't want to go any further, or things don't work, you can always flash the stock ROM (extract the .tar.md5 from the zip) using Odin in your bootloader. Get that here: http://forum.xda-dev...d.php?t=1755386

IMPORTANT
I noticed this boot chain would not allow me to flash the stock kernel from the VRALG1 stock rom via odin. I had to upgrade my boot chain back to the stock one.
Running this boot chain may cause issues later so I do recommend flashing back to the stock one once you have your custom recovery . (details below)

INTRO
I want to give a quick intro into what we are going to do here. Hopefully it will help out with questions that people have while attempting this process. As we all know, Verizon thought it to be a good idea to have Samsung lock the bootloader on this device. (see my message for Verizon at the top of this post)
What the locked bootloader prevents us from doing is flashing, via odin, a custom recovery or kernel. What we can do however, is revert to an older (semi-insecure) bootchain which we have acquired, flash our custom recovery, and then continue on from our freshly flashed custom recovery by flashing an unlocked bootloader and anything else we want.
Kernels from the newer OTA's prevent us from doing this process. We'll need to flash a kernel too. See below...

Downloads
1. Root.zip: Download - Mirror
2. Samsung SGS3 Drivers: http://downloadcente...er_v1_4_6_0.exe
3. Odin 3.0.7: http://samsung-updates.com/Odin307.zip
4. VRALEC bootchain: Download - Mirror
5. VRALF2 kernel: Download - Mirror
6. Recovery (choose one): TWRP 2.2.2.1 (unofficial): Download - Mirroror CWM 6 Touch: Download -Mirror
7. VRALF2 bootchain: Download - Mirror
8. VRALE6 bootloader: Download - Mirror

ROOT AND RECOVERY
1. Copy Root.zip and VRALE6.bootloader.zip to your sdcard, for use later. (downloads 1 and 8)

2. Install the Samsung drivers (download 2)


3. Boot into Odin mode on your device. (Power off the device, hold Vol- Home and Power until you get the warning message, then press Vol+)


4. Flash VRALEC.bootchain.tar.md5 (download 4) via odin (download 3) in the
PDA slot. Your phone will reboot.

5. Flash VRALF2 kernel (download 5) via odin (same as previous step, just use the file from download 5)


6. Boot back into Odin mode and flash a custom recovery (download 6) (also in the
PDA slot) such as cwm touch or twrp:

7. Flash back to the VRALF2 bootchain (download 7) via odin (same as step 4)


8. Boot into your new recovery mode
by turning off your device and holding Vol+, Home and Power

9. Flash root.zip and VRALE6.bootloader.zip from step 1 in recovery mode


10. Profit!


This does increment your flash counter. But there is a remedy! See here: http://forum.xda-dev...d.php?t=1494114


BACK TO STOCK
Reset flash counter first using Triangle Away: http://forum.xda-dev...d.php?t=1494114
Flash the stock bootchain VRALF2 via PDA in Odin: Download - Mirror
Flash the stock rom VRALF2 via PDA in Odin: Unzip first!


*Credit goes to Adam Outler, Noxious Ninja, H3llsdr0id, mmmeff, and all others involved!!!

No comments:

Post a Comment