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

My next question in advance.

When I touch ANY of the directories/folders to attempt
to mount it, NOTHING imi NOTHING happens. The
directory display lights up blue for 100ms but the box
remains unchecked.

??

SB
 
I lost a post somehow.

My next question in advanced is HOW TO MOUNT
a PARTITION (correct terminology now) in TWRP.

Touching any of the partitions highlites it for 100ms
but the box remains unchecked.

The online TWRP help page shows a PIX with
two mounted and two un-mounted partitions.
But there are absolutely no instructions as to
how to get an un-mounted partition mounted.

Sorry, but I'm getting a little frustrated now,
and my writing shows it.

SB
 
russell stephen broshears said:
Sorry but I need more handholding.

First, I verified that SUPERSU.ZIP is in both the
PHONE and CARD directories from Windows.
I didn't know which to choose.

I am in TWRP on the phone.

I press INSTALL.

It says SELECT ZIP TO INSTALL.

How or where do I select the ZIP?
There is a /SUPERSU folder I can see.

I looked at an on-line TWRP help site at the
INSTALL SELECT function but it was not
much help.

Sorry to need so much help.

Steve ...
Click to expand...
Real quick question here, you left the SuperSu zip file zipped up correct?
And you said you put it on the phone memory correct?
I ask because you mentioned that you see a /SuperSu folder... you shouldn't have a folder unless you manually created one, or you unzipped the file.

As LV mentioned, once you press INSTALL, you should be presented with the file system of the device, or sd card or whatever.
Not sure if this may help: (it kinda outlines the process of installing .zip files via TWRP)
Granted it's not your device, but it's the same premise.
See at approx 1:56 where he selects the INSTALL option.
 
Win7 along with the SAMSUNG driver see the phone through the USB cable.
Win7 sees a CARD and PHONE directory or partition or whatever.

I copied SUPERSU,ZIP to both PHONE and CARD at the very top directory level.
I didn't know which so I copied to both.

I think it would be ROOT in UNIX terminology.

SUPERSU is still ZIPPED. I did not UNZIP it.

Because Win7 sees the phone hardware and files just fine, I think this aspect
of everything is working fine.

When the phone is booted in normal mode, ANDROID runs just fine.
So this aspect I think is also running fine.

And yes there shows to be a /supersu directory, but how could that be
if no partitions show to be mounted.

Does TWRP have a debug mode. Somehow I think we need to have
TWRP tell us why it is acting the way it is.

Is there a TWRP Super-Expert somewhere?

"Another step, another problem" Quoting myself.
"Why do these problems always come and find me" Quoting myself. This is true.

SB
 
russell stephen broshears said:
Win7 along with the SAMSUNG driver see the phone through the USB cable.
Win7 sees a CARD and PHONE directory or partition or whatever.
Click to expand...
That's good there.

russell stephen broshears said:
I copied SUPERSU,ZIP to both PHONE and CARD at the very top directory level.
I didn't know which so I copied to both.
Click to expand...
That's fine.

russell stephen broshears said:
I think it would be ROOT in UNIX terminology.
Click to expand...
Yup :)
russell stephen broshears said:
SUPERSU is still ZIPPED. I did not UNZIP it.
Click to expand...
ok cool! ;)

russell stephen broshears said:
Because Win7 sees the phone hardware and files just fine, I think this aspect
of everything is working fine.
Click to expand...
Agreed.

russell stephen broshears said:
When the phone is booted in normal mode, ANDROID runs just fine.
So this aspect I think is also running fine.
Click to expand...
Agreed again.

russell stephen broshears said:
And yes there shows to be a /supersu directory, but how could that be
if no partitions show to be mounted.
Click to expand...
You see that in TWRP?
If so, what is the full filepath?

russell stephen broshears said:
Does TWRP have a debug mode. Somehow I think we need to have
TWRP tell us why it is acting the way it is.
Click to expand...
Sorry, not sure :(

russell stephen broshears said:
Is there a TWRP Super-Expert somewhere?
Click to expand...
There probably is, but he's a busy man :)

russell stephen broshears said:
"Another step, another problem" Quoting myself.
"Why do these problems always come and find me" Quoting myself. This is true.

SB
Click to expand...
You're not alone my friend :)

russell stephen broshears said:
I have a step by step bullet list of the steps so far.
Can I upload it somewhere?

SB
Click to expand...
dropbox, or drive, or attach a pdf file.
 
Try reformatting the SDHC card, and making sure it is in NTFS, the fact that the TWRP will not allow you to mount it in the "Mount" screen makes me wonder. Another reason is sometimes TWRP has issues with Fat32 formatted cards. Then just make sure the only file what so ever is that SuperSu.zip
 
I just removed the SD card and booted into TWRP.
The SD card is out of the picture.

The problem remains.
None of the listed partitions are mounted and I cannot mount them.

I guess logically there are two possibilities.

Something is wrong.
I am doing something that is causing the issue.

Thank you all.

Suggestions now?

SB
 
This is puzzling to me, and correct me if I'm wrong.
You have the Su .zip file on the device memory.
You boot into TWRP.
You press INSTALL.
Then what happens???????????

....there should be no need at all to mount anything in TWRP....
After pressing INSTALL, you should be presented with a file tree of the device and all you need to do is navigate to the SuperSU .zip file. :eek:

Edit: oh shit, nevermind....I just saw your TXT file, sorry...stand by...
 
Then what happens???????????

I cannot locate SUPERSU.ZIP.
You guys said to check what was mounted.
I did and several partitions were listed but
NOTHING was mounted, consistant with
the problem.

Navigate to the SuperSU .zip file.

SUPERSU.ZIP cannot be found.

TWRP should automatically mount the system directories and MicroSD Card.

It DOES NOT.

I will try the older TWRP from your link

=====

And as for this guy MAX's videos, I watched all three of them
and wrote down all the bullets. Then I put them in a more
proper and logical order, which is what I am executing.

For example in one of them he waits until the phone is in
DOWNLOAD and connected before he begins discussing
how to install SAMSUNG drivers.

I moved this one to the second level.

And you have to watch the VIDEO part of his procedures.
You will see that he uses 3 different ways to POWER DOWN
the device calling it POWER DOWN each time.

1. The POWER DOWN ICON.
2. Pulling the battery.

3. And once while the APP menu was showing on
the screen he just SIMELTANEOUSLY pushed
UP+CTR+PWR without powering down first.


I am fairly sure the three modes are not 100%
exactly the same.

I use his videos only as a skeleton.
And I talk to you guys.

SB
 
yeah, the video was just to clarify (to me anyway) what you were, or were not seeing when clicking the INSTALL button in TWRP.

And also yeah, about you not finding the .zip file while in TWRP...something is odd about that.
Perhaps the other recovery file will help. :)
 
If all the above steps don't work for whatever reason. Do this, put the SuperSU zip in your folder where you have adb,fastboot etc. For simplicity sake rename it "root" leave it as a zip. Then boot Twrp either using the buttons or adb reboot recovery. Choose the advanced tab, select adb sideload. Type adb devices in cmd. If it still detects the device type adb sideload root.zip Once it shows 100% Twrp should report that it has successfully flashed the "root.zip" and ask to reboot.

In my experience sometimes Twrp or Cwm can have issues, different devices seem to work better with one or the other.
If i were to use Cwm, i would have to say Philz Cwm if available is just as good as Twrp. If i missed something my fault, skimming through posts as i work.
 
The older TWRP didn't make any difference.
No partitions mounted.

Please consider that the problem may actually be
in the OS load and not TWRP.

What is in use right now is 4.3
kernel 3.031-2106417.

If I want to install another ROM (proper terminology?)
how would I do it if TWRP has problems.

I have reorganized my BULLETS which I will now attach.
 

Attachments

russell stephen broshears said:
Please consider that the problem may actually be
in the OS load and not TWRP.
Click to expand...
That's actually not possible. Recovery operates outside the os. You can actually wipe the entire os and recovery will be unaffected. (This is actually one of the steps that occurs as part of most rom installations)
 
Ok from what your txt file said you have the stock android recovery and not Cwm or Twrp and that will not flash SuperSU.
If you want to root, Towel root should work or i'm thinking saferoot would work as well.

Oh i have a question. When your looking at mounted or unmounted partitions... When you had Twrp etc. Was the phone connected to the PC?
 
Last edited:
James L said:
Ok from what your txt file said you have the stock android recovery and not Cwm or Twrp and that will not flash SuperSU.
If you want to root, Towel root should work or i'm thinking saferoot would work as well. Once you have root you could use an app like Flashify to flash a custom recovery and then boot into it, if need be.

Oh i have a question. When your looking at mounted or unmounted partitions... When you had Twrp etc. Was the phone connected to the PC?
Click to expand...
 
Man I'm out of ideas short of ODIN'ing (is that a word? lol) back to stock 4.3 and trying to re-do the root/install recovery bit again.
I honestly don't know why any custom recovery is giving you issues. :(
 
This is a T-Mobile phone.
I dropped T-Mobile because of poor data coverage.
I had T-Mobile unlock the phone.
This phone has no carrier at the moment.

I have ATT on a very old phone.
I talked with an ATT store.
What I planned with ATT's ok is to move this phone to ATT.
They said FINE.

The phone is unlocked.
I want to root it so I can upgrade the ROM.
I want to install a good CUSTOM ROM.
Then go to ATT.

As there is no carrier a procedure using a PC seems best.
Is there a way to install SW without carrier support, just asking.
Is there still a way to accomplish this.
That SAFEROOT procedure looks interesting.

SB
 
I am now researching SAFEROOT.

I have simple questions.

There is a video.

It shows a picture of a SAFEROOT forum.
But there is no URL which I will need and GOOGLE is no help.

How do I find SAFEROOT.ZIP for my SGH-T999L and GOOGLE is no help.

Thanks in advance, and I will report back results.

SB
 
The SAFEROOT that is listed for the S3 doesn't appear
to be exactly for the SGH-T99L or possibly I just don't
understand. I get the following message:

If this script appears to be stuck at "Waiting for your phone to appear",
then you should tap on the USB icon in the notifications that says
connected as a media device on the USB computer connection page,
switch between "Camera" and "Media Device" to see if the device
appears.

What does this mean? Does it apply to my phone?

The connection is fine as verified by my PC, but I am stuck here.

I have no idea where the proper forum is to ask this question.

A GOOGLE search for "USB computer connection page" doesn't help.
A GOOGLE search for the proper FORUM doesn't help.

SB
 
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