Android Crew: Who wants to help me root my phone?

[SirHustlerEsq]

I have a Sprint GS3 and I'm trying to getCM9 running but I'm having problems rooting. I've attempted to install CWM several times using ODIN v3, each time after I pull the battery it reboots into CWM, but will only do it once. My device shows root access through the factory ROM, Super User shows and behaves like I have root access, and ROM Manager behaves like I have root access, yet I cannot load another ROM.

WTF is going on?

[tailchaser]

To load a ROM, root isn't enough... you also have to unlock.

[SirHustlerEsq]

To load a ROM, root isn't enough... you also have to unlock.

My Sprint phone is supposedly unlocked, is this correct?

[Nexus Flux]

Don't think so, if I recall correctly the EU version of the phone comes unlocked since they aren't as restrictive with the whole carrier+phone bundle in Europe.

On a side note, I have been debating just keeping my now-month-to-month (since my contract ended) really unlimited data plan and just getting one my relatives in Europe to get the EU version of this phone. (Hint: the EU version comes with a quad-core CPU and a better GPU than its US counterpart.)

[SirHustlerEsq]

Don't think so, if I recall correctly the EU version of the phone comes unlocked since they aren't as restrictive with the whole carrier+phone bundle in Europe.

On a side note, I have been debating just keeping my now-month-to-month (since my contract ended) really unlimited data plan and just getting one my relatives in Europe to get the EU version of this phone. (Hint: the EU version comes with a quad-core CPU and a better GPU than its US counterpart.)

...but half the RAM.

Thanks for the advice, I'll look into this again when I get home. I hate hate hate hate TouchWiz but I'm about to go back to stock with my frustration.

[S2K_MoZo]

Did you try looking in this thread:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1746680

Are you sure you have proper drivers installed?
I helped goofygrin once with his phone and since then he hasn't had a stock phone and loves Android...maybe I can help you out too :)

[SirHustlerEsq]

Did you try looking in this thread:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1746680

Are you sure you have proper drivers installed?
I helped goofygrin once with his phone and since then he hasn't had a stock phone and loves Android...maybe I can help you out too :)

I did not use the SDK root, but I'll try it when I get home.

I believe the right drivers are installed because the ODIN and Kies both see the phone and appear to work properly. What ROM do you run and why? I'm only doing this to get rid of TouchWiz, which is awful, so I can run pure ICS or JB when JB is ready (CM10). I don't care to jack with a nightly for DD duty.

I'm still halfway tempted to return to stock and reset the flash counter to keep the warranty active for it's full year though.

HTC Sense > TW

[goofygrin]

Don't think so, if I recall correctly the EU version of the phone comes unlocked since they aren't as restrictive with the whole carrier+phone bundle in Europe.

On a side note, I have been debating just keeping my now-month-to-month (since my contract ended) really unlimited data plan and just getting one my relatives in Europe to get the EU version of this phone. (Hint: the EU version comes with a quad-core CPU and a better GPU than its US counterpart.)

Unless they've changed something, you don't need to do this with the S3. My S2 was pretty simple. Odin to get root, then reboot holding down the volume down to get into cwm, then select the rom to load... then voila you've got your rom loaded.

I've done 3 S2's and it's all the same (even did two through the internet controlling their PC). I'm not sure how it works with the S3, but I can't imagine it's much different.

[SirHustlerEsq]

Unless they've changed something, you don't need to do this with the S3. My S2 was pretty simple. Odin to get root, then reboot holding down the volume down to get into cwm, then select the rom to load... then voila you've got your rom loaded.

I've done 3 S2's and it's all the same (even did two through the internet controlling their PC). I'm not sure how it works with the S3, but I can't imagine it's much different.

It's the same aside from the batter pull, but my phone will never enter CWM a second time to load the ROM.

[goofygrin]

Here's the guide I would use: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...2#post27751112

[S2K_MoZo]

I did not use the SDK root, but I'll try it when I get home.

I believe the right drivers are installed because the ODIN and Kies both see the phone and appear to work properly. What ROM do you run and why? I'm only doing this to get rid of TouchWiz, which is awful, so I can run pure ICS or JB when JB is ready (CM10). I don't care to jack with a nightly for DD duty.

I'm still halfway tempted to return to stock and reset the flash counter to keep the warranty active for it's full year though.

HTC Sense > TW

I have claimed warranty on a few phones and they don't even turn it on most of the time.
If something happens, you can just restore it back to stock and then take it in. If it won't boot up, I have the jig to reset counter too.

I've had CM9 and CM10 on phones, I'd never go back to stock.

HTC Sense is better because it is integrated more than any other UI out there. I'd still rock CM9/10 over any Sense/UI/Blur any day.

Touchwiz makes phone super slow but if you don't want CM9 or deal with issues till it's stable then just install a launcher like LauncherPro or Nova and call it a day.

[S2K_MoZo]

It's the same aside from the batter pull, but my phone will never enter CWM a second time to load the ROM.

I can email you basic adb files and you can enter recovery by simply typing in adb boot recovery through command prompt? :)

[SirHustlerEsq]

Thanks for offering to email, but I can search for this crap myself. Maybe I'll just try Nova Launcher. Can you please explain what the launcher does? I don't understand if it's a UI like TW, it disables GUIs like TW, or something else that I don't understand.

[SirHustlerEsq]

Woo hoo, CM9 installed. Hopefully I'll like this. Why does it feel slower than TW?

[goofygrin]

initially it's going to be slow as it builds your caches.

guess my last response was missing too. I always immediately install novalauncher and swiftkey. Must have apps IMO. I set the grid to 7x7 and load my calendar widget (simple calendar IIRC) on my home screen, turn off the other screens (I only use like 7 apps, so with only one home screen they're all right there).

[SirHustlerEsq]

I swear by Swiftkey, no need for Novalauncher yet.

[SirHustlerEsq]

Can I go from one back-up to another with ROMmanager?

[SirHustlerEsq]

Okay, does anyone know of a "final" CM9 build for the Sprint i9300/GS3? I can't find it anywhere and CM10 is still a little buggy and a battery eater. I can live with it, but I should not be a beta tester for this stuff because I'm functionally retarded.

[deano]

I came from a VZW Galaxy Nexus running Jellybean and got a GS3, thinking that I wouldn't be able to live with it if it didn't have a custom Rom flashed within the first week. I put Apex launcher on it to hide the TW, and then put a JB theme over it, which also let me change out some of the ugly TW icons. Set up my home screens like usual... And realized I forgot about rooting it. Battery life is pretty decent, camera is nice and quick, minimal lag. TW even has a few things that I like, like the dialer and calendar. This is the first phone I've had where I could live with it (for the most part) without rooting and fishing... Still going to, but not in a hurry this time. Waiting for an AOKP milestone to get released in a month or two...

[SirHustlerEsq]

Update:
I'm now running BlazerROM with Jellybomb and Nova...and loving it.