How to root your Samsung Galaxy S3

How to root your Samsung Galaxy S3





So you've just bagged yourself a gleaming new Samsung
Galaxy S3 and you already want to root around in Android's murky depths?
Step this way chum, and let me take you through the process.
If you think of
your phone as a computer, rooting
is being given administrator rights -- you can edit and mess around with things
that normally would be restricted, including the operating system and start-up
animations, and clearing out any software pre-installed by your operator that
they don't want you to get rid of. You effectively have complete control over
everything on your phone.
Android fans like rooting as it lets them use fancy
things like custom ROMs -- home-made operating systems -- and use powerful
applications that aren't available in the Google Play store. Of course, getting
rid of all the restrictions on your phone also gets rid of all the safety
features too, so it's important to bear in mind the risks.
Using custom ROMs
and unapproved apps can sometimes have diverse effects on your phone -- if
someone sinister has built a malicious app that you install without any of the
usual barriers in place, it could wreak havoc, as it will have access to all the
system files that apps on unrooted phones wouldn't have.
As the core
architecture of the firmware is exposed, you could also end up totally
destroying crucial bits of software, resulting in your phone being completely
unusable -- known as 'bricking' a device. It's therefore important that you
don't attempt anything you're unsure about and always check what other people in
forums such as XDA-Developers have
said about the software you're trying to use.
I'll take this opportunity to
point out that CNET takes no responsibility for any damage done to your phone as
a result of following these steps. Got it? Good.

Step 1: Gather everything you need

First things first -- download the Samsung
Kies software and make sure all the drivers for your phone on your PC are up
to date. Back up all your contacts, photos and so on if you've already been
using it, then disconnect your phone.
Then grab Odin
3 and the rooting software CF-Root-SGS3-v6.4.

Step 2: Extraction

Extract Odin 3 using WinRar or similar and run the
install executable file to install it to your computer. Then extract the CF-Root
archive file. The crucial file in here is a .TAR file which my computer
confusingly showed with the same compressed file icon, causing me to try to
extract it, which showed two files -- Cache.img and Recovery.img.

If
you see those, start again and extract the original archive just once. If you
then open control panel > Folder Options and uncheck the 'Hide extensions for
known file types' in the View tab and click apply, you'll be able to see that
the file masquerading as an archive folder has the .TAR file extension. Perhaps
put that file on your desktop so you know where to find it.

Step 3: Loading Odin

Open Odin. You should see that all the boxes and
windows in the program are blank. Click on the PDA button in the Files
[Download] box in the bottom right-hand quadrant.

That
will open a folder browser window, letting you navigate to the CF-Root-SGS3-v6.4
.TAR file you extracted previously. Double click on that and it will load in the
field next to the PDA button.

Step 4: Put your phone into download mode

You'll need to set your phone
to go into 'download mode', which allows for files to be, er, downloaded and run
on your phone -- it's a developer thing. Turn your phone off and wait for it to
completely shut down. Press and hold the volume down key, the home button and
the power button all at once and wait for a few seconds.

It
will then load and ask you if you want to enter download mode by pressing the
volume up button -- which you should do.

Step 5: Connect and run

When your phone's in download mode, connect it
back to your PC and you should see the word 'Added' in the message box in the
bottom left quadrant of Odin.

You
should have the 'Auto Reboot' and 'Reset Time' boxes already checked. Take a
deep breath and click Start.
Odin will then go through the steps to root your
phone and will show a green box saying 'Pass' in the program when it's
completed. Your phone should then show a black screen with scrolling text
(that's the rooting process) before it reboots back into the standard operating
system you know and love.
The first time I ran it, it didn't load into the
root process, but instead rebooted straight into the Android OS. I simply ran
step 4 again and it all worked fine.

Step 6: Congratulate yourself

When it reboots the final time it should
all be done, letting you enter the wonderful world of the rooted Android phone
owner. There's a whole load of stuff you can do with a rooted phone and
thankfully, numerous forums around the Internet where modders get together and
share tips and software, so have a scout around and see what others are up
to.
If your phone is locked to a network and you want to swap to someone else
-- if you want to take advantage of O2's Priority
Moments rewards on its tariffs, for example -- you can now use unapproved
apps to strip out the existing network limitations and use any SIM card you
want.





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