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Root Galaxy Tab S 10.5"

Featherstone

Featherstone

Lurker
Interested in Tab S 10.5" discussions, especially re: rooting this splendid machine. I've found some very brief instructions elsewhere, which I will partially quote below, borrowed from one of the good XDA folks' forums, but they're a tad too obscure for me -- obviously not posted for newbies or for the admittedly cautious tinkerer. For example, step 2 of the 5 steps reads as follows:
"Flash CF_AutoRoot_Port_T800_BeansTown106.tar.md5 with Odin v3.09 (put in AP slot, don't change any other settings, click start)"
Good stuff, no doubt, for experts at rooting, but gosh, I confess that before I muck around in the guts of a shiny new $500 device, I'd like to consult a more thorough, more explicit, step-by-step guide.
Any help forthcoming out there?
 
First, for the "admittedly cautious" tinkerer, this may not be the root method for your. In the post it states that it WILL trip the Knox warranty bit. However, if that is not a concern for you further details on the use of Odin are:

** AS ALWAYS USE AT YOUR OWN RISK**

1. Ensure all of your device drivers are installed.
2. Open Odin
3. Boot your device into download mode (Power on while holding Vol down)
4. In Odin, check the selected options to ensure only "Auto Reboot" and "F. Reset Time" are selected. Click on the "AP" Button and browse to the "CF_AutoRoot_Port_T800_BeansTown106.tar.md5" file.
5. Odin will take a little while to verify the file and will say "Please wait.." in the Message section until it is done processing. Then it should say "Checking MD5 finished Sucessfully.." and "Leave CS.."
6. Press Start and wait until device is done updating and has booted up to disconnect it from the computer.
7. Enjoy all the power from having full control of such a great device :)
 
Ask and you shall receive, huh? Gosh! Wow! Thanks very much! I don't think I'm too cautious a tinkerer to have a go at the rooting procedure you have so graciously outlined. I've downloaded and installed the latest Odin version, and I've got the appropriate *.tar.md5 file waiting in the wings, and I've checked to see that the correct Samsung drivers are installed on my PC. (Told you I'm cautious.) Now I feel like I'm just sort of hemming and hawing at the starting gate. Perhaps I should mention that about two years ago I successfully followed an almost identical Odin-based procedure (as opposed to one of the newer one-click methods) to root an old Samsung Epic 4G phone; and it went without a hitch, and soon thereafter I became something of a flashaholic, albeit a rather cautious one. But wait -- before I do the deed, can someone tell me what it means, exactly, that the Knox warranty bit will be tripped? And, second, ICanFly, have you rooted your own Tab S 10.5, and did it go well, and is it now even more of a hoot than it was before? Oh, and thanks again.
 
The Knox warranty bit is a security feature that Samsung has released in there latest devices (I think starting with Android 4.2). The specifics about it's implementation are not clear, but it is most likely an eFuse. Essentially, any attempt to change the secure boot loader will cause this bit to trip and it is not resettable. What are the consequences? The primary consequence is that you void the Samsung warranty on the device. So if you want to protect your warranty this is not the root method for you. Secondarily, you will be unable to use any of the Knox security container features Samsung has implemented. I have not used the Knox security features myself and I don't intend to, but the idea of voiding the warranty on a brand new device gives me pause. I have not rooted this device yet and am trying to decide if it is worth my time to try to develop another root method for this device that is not based on tampering with the bootloader. That would allow me the freedom to modify this device and also keep the warranty. That being said most of the things that would accidentally damage this device (dropping it, getting it wet, etc.) are not covered by the warranty anyways so I am not too worried about voiding my warranty. If I use this root method I will let you know. I will also let you know if I get anywhere on another root method. I hope this helps.
 
Thanks again, ICanFly. Your response is extremely helpful, and I sure do appreciate your candor and thoughtfulness regarding this batch of related issues. I've been researching the KNOX folderol (as I shdv done before pestering you with my ignorance), and as of even date, it seems that despite a great deal of earnest inquiry and anecdote from all around the world, there are still no clear and definitive answers. So Samsung end users, like you, like me, remain unsure whether tripping that little i/o bit will void the warranty, and/or whether the tripped unit can be somehow reset, and/or whether there might be a way -- as you imply -- to root a Tab S, for instance, and still retain a virgin Knox bit. You also bring up a good question as to whether the company's warranty is worth preserving in the first place. Despite the annoying, self-replenishing bloatware that comes installed on the Tab S, it is such a beautiful machine in so many other ways that it is only a small inconvenience, in my opinion, to leave it in its stock state. So I can wait for further clarification; and again, I very much appreciate your helpfulness, and your offer to keep me posted about safe rooting possibilities. :shakehands:
 
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