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Root Is android 5 not rootable?

A

andfo

Member
Hi Happy New Year.

My phone is:

Galaxy note 3
Phone Model number = SM-N900V,
Android version = 5.0,
Kernel version =3.4.0,
Baseband version=N900VVRUEOF1

1. Can I root this phone?

2. If no, is it true that I can't root any version of android 5?

3. I will buy another phone if I can't root this phone. Which phone is recommended if I want a super-cheap and easy-to-root phone? (either android or iOS)
 
that 'V' means you are using Verizon, and god love 'em, they and AT&T have locked the bootloader and they are NOT at this time, able to be rooted....

It is NOT the phone, it is ANY phone that has 5.x loaded on it, and is on Verizon.

I bought a Note 4 and when I got it, it was still on 4.4.4
I whooped for joy!!!
and then stupidly, in the middle of a late night, stuck my SIM into the thing and turned it on.

Verizon converted it to 5.crapola before it would even register.
I was soooo pissed, at not remembering that was going to happen...

I wanted to root it first, so it would stay 4.4.4 forever

.
____________________________________
Verizon: 2 ea. Galaxy S5, Note 4, HTC One M9, VZW MiFi $212/month :(
 
Thank you very much!

1. Then are all phones sold by verison stores non-rootable?

2.

If answer to 1 is yes, then perhaps I need to cancel verizon (though I have 2 years contract) and choose another one.

What provider and which phone should I choose if I want easy-to-root and cheap alternative?
 
Not all devices that have been sold by Verizon are un-rootable (but most are), it's just that they make it very difficult for you to do so.

It's difficult to advise you on which device to get since you really need to consider several criteria.

Here would be my short list:

1. What is the service like for the carrier (i.e., can I get a good signal from where I use the device the most)?
2. Cost, obviously
3. Features of the device that you want (i.e., don't get a device with features you don't care about and don't get a device that is missing features that you do care about)
4. Is this a "mainstream", popular, developer-supported device? I.e., check around the forums to see if a candidate device has a forum here (and at places like http://forum.xda-developers.com/) with an active and robust area (i.e., lots of threads, posts, users, etc.)
5. Can you easily find information about rooting this new candidate device?

All that being said, a Nexus device (such as the Nexus 5X) would probably fit the bill nicely for you. But do your own research and homework first.

Cheers!
 
Thank you AZgl1500, kate, scary alien and Jfalls63!

I went to Verizon today to ask about it.

They told me it should be 1) post-paid phone and should be 2) compatible with CDMA, i.e. Verizon.

They said I can keep my contract if I buy such a phone.

I went to nearby Motorola store to find such phone.

But the cheapest one was $400.

Where (online or not), if any, can I get a cheaper one which is post-paid and compatible with Verizon?
 
take a look at www.swappa.com

I found my very nice Samsung Note 4 there.
It was exactly as advertised, and Swappa does a bit of preliminary investigation with the sellers before they allow it to be posted. Quite unlike eBay where it is a pig in a poke that it is what is advertised.
 
andfo said:
Does this mean if it's not Google phone, I can't root my phone?
Click to expand...
For Nexus phones I think they are all rootable, but not positive.

andfo said:
And it's so confusing how do I know if the phone is post-paid one in Swappa?
Click to expand...
Nexus 5x and 6p are only sold by Google, no carrier sells them so they should all work on Verizon. The Nexus 6 was sold by carriers and Google, you can ask a seller where they bought it.
 
Thank you everyone!

I found something called "Galaxy Nexus" is mysteriously cheap (and says it works with Verizon)

https://swappa.com/buy/samsung-galaxy-nexus-verizon/us
http://bit.ly/1R1KfVY

1. Is "Galaxy Nexus" also part of Nexus series which kate and scary_alien said are all rootable?

Since it's "Galaxy Nexus" rather than just "Nexus" I am wondering if it's rootable or not.


2. The Swappa pages says

"Unlocked and rooted running Cyanogenmod 10.2.1"

Sounds great! But my purpose of rooting is to edit the "hosts" file, so that I can completely block the access to useless websites like facebook.com

If it says "Unlocked and rooted running Cyanogenmod 10.2.1", does it mean I can edit the hosts file?

3. Why is 'Galaxy Nexus' so cheap in everywhere (Swappa, eBay, and everywhere) ?
 
Last edited:
Yes, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will indeed work on Verizon-at least the "toro" version will--you need to make sure you've got the one that was made for VZW.

I still have my VZW GNex that I used before my Nexus 5.

The reason it's so cheap is that there were many sold and it's an older device just so you're aware (4 years ago in November of 2011).

Yes, running CyanogenMod means that it's already rooted and running a custom ROM, but you could indeed flash it back to stock/factory and root that stock setup.
 
Reading Lamp said:
Every Android device can be rooted in some way.
Click to expand...

I'm sure that's true in the "is it possible" sense, but the question is really mostly only relevant and useful to folks on a per-device / model sense--i.e., is there an existing root for Android 5.x that can be used on a given device?

Its often takes a lot of time and research to find and actually exploit the vulnerabilities in Linux/Android for a given / specific version and it's not a given that can or will be done.

:)
 
Please forgive my frustration in advance. Am I understanding correctly that I am still in 2016 and with android 5.0 unable to root my Verizon galaxy note 3? *throws phone in trash*why why why. I've been waiting like 2 years now to root this dang phone. Ugh. I do think I may have to give up on this phone...
 
Sorry for your frustrations, @summer_dawn :(.

Yeah, unfortunately the path of least resistance to rooting, unlocking the bootloader, is tightly guarded by Verizon and many of the carriers who do not want folks to modify their phones.

There is some merit to this since this undoubtedly would increase their support and device costs (i.e., calls from folks with non-working phones, attempted returns of phones that were non-functional because of bad rooting choices, etc.).

I see you have posted in our SG Note 3 root area already--that's really your best hope for finding or hearing news about rooting this particular device.

Cheers!
 
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