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Root Rooting T-Mobile Galaxy S3 SGH T999L doesn't work

ATT version is sgh i747. Can get new unlocked on Amazon for about 180, used cheaper, Ebay I haven't looked. I bought my current phone, S5 Active,new unlocked on Amazon. Happy with it and activated on Straight Talk.
 
Sunday 10 am ...

I have the OH1 firmware loaded now.
Called T-Mobile support.
Long story short they said Samsung is responsible for FW.

Called Samsung Support guy #1.
He said just take it to BestBuy and Samsung expert there can load
I747... FW on that model phone. Simple.

At BestBuy guy said while that may work, the SW on my WIN PC
will see the mismatch and REFUSE to continue.

Called Samsung Support guy #2.
He got ATT support lady #1 into conference call.
ATT support said we have special store here
in Colorado Springs staffed with nerds and
our database says they can do it.

At the ATT store the guy (nerd) said AINT NO
WAY I'M GONNA TRY THAT.

Said that phone will run fine ASIS on ATT net.

As I am gonna swap put the unit in 6 weeks, I
went to another ATT store where I know a guy
and he activated it. I had been using 5yr old
ATT flip phone.

Now this phone sometimes sends calls straight
to VMAIL, and there was a time when I was on a
call when a previous VMAIL call came back anna
the two calls got mixed together,

Called ATT tech support lady #2 who said ATT
doesn't work well with T-Mobile BYOD phones.
Heres what to do:

1. You say you are computer geek, so
2. Just go onna Internet and find how to ROOT that phone.
3. Install CYANOGENMOD or something. CM works fine with ATT.

I sent her here \to read this thread.

SB
 
If testing failure under OH1 recovery time is 1hour via KIES.
If testing failure under NF4 recovery time is 5minutes via REBOOT.
Either will tell you when there is a problem.

Test using NF4. Bump to OH1 only when NF4 testing
is successful.

SB
 
ATT replacement for S-III T999L is I747.
If I should get an ATT S4 on EBAY what
would be a recommended model. Must be
known to be ROOTABLE considering all
the attempts of the last 2weeks on T999L.

Less than $200 used on EBAY. I checked
and this seems reasonable.

SB
 
I think I have a working method I can talk you through using TWRP if you still have phone and willing to try. I updated my i747 to latest firmware and it works. I should have your model by Saturday to know for certain.
 
you will be doing the first process you tried. It works but the issue you had was locating the Supersu zip on your phone once you booted into custom recovery. I think I can walk you through it. Download the Supersu zip from this link. You want the CWM /TWRP/Mobil Odin zip. Download to pc and copy to card on phone. Card will be the ext sd in your phone. You can practice locating it using the stock file browser on your phone, MY FILES. Click on my files -all files - SD memory card. You should be able to locate the Supersu zip.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1538053&nocache=1
 
Next, download TWRP md5 tar file from this link.

https://dl.twrp.me/d2tmo/

Second from the top,2.8.6.0.
This is what you want to flash with Odin to your phone in download mode. Make sure Auto Reboot is not checked. Once the flash is complete and you get green PASS, unplug phone and remove battery. Wait a few and replace battery. Boot into recovery, volume up+home+power. Should boot into TWRP recovery . Click on install. From the list,click "up a level". Select ext sd. Locate the Supersu zip and select it. Follow the rest of the prompts to complete the install. When install finishes, select reboot system. If all goes well you should get a message about system optimizing or something similar.

Locate Supersu in app drawer and click on it. Should either get message to update binary Or option to disable Knox.
 
Remember to copy the Supersu zip intact to phone. Do not unzip the file. If for some reason you have to reboot phone before you install the Supersu zip, you will have to flash TWRP Recovery again with Odin. Stock recovery will write over it unless Supersu install is successful. If all goes well TWRP Recovery will stick and you can boot into it with button combo when needed.
 
I never was able to use any custom recovery successfully.

Both CWM and TWRP generate UMABLE TO MOUNT PARTITIONS and
UNABLE TO MOUNT FILES ERROR MESSAGES which I thought was causing
the other problems. I can execute the procedure again and report
back step by step until I get to where I think it is having problems
and report back.

SB
 
You will be doing the first process you tried. It works but the issue you had was locating the Supersu zip on your phone once you booted into custom recovery.

At this point TWRP was in more trouble than this, with the 8 error messages to begin with.

Lets try again .

SB
 
my t999l is somewhere between Georgia and my home, nephew sent it snail mail. I have the latest OH1 firmware to Flash on it when I get it. Should be getting SCH i535, Verizon version about Tuesday. Did you upgrade to OH1 or still on NF4?
 
Mine was waiting on me when I got home today. I let it take 2 OTA updates and I'm at 4.3 OH 1. Making NV backups now and when finished will try everything I know.
 
Success on second attempt. Couldn't get Supersu zip to install with TWRP. Installed Philz Touch then flashed Supersu zip. As soon as Busy box finishes installing I will take screen shot and try to post.
 
Since I have the OH1 firmware I plan to flash bsck to stock and try every method I know and post what else works.
 

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