How To Root Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 On Android 4.2.2
Galaxy S4 rooted! No, this one actually works! Earlier, news hit the internet that the Samsung Galaxy S4 had been rooted, and I was almost tempted to break the news too when I saw the forum thread at XDA-Developers. However, news as it was, it was always going to be a risk asking our readers to hop onto the root bandwagon, owing to the fact that the developer had no device to test the method on. That’s when recognized Android developer and XDA forum member ‘Chainfire’ stepped in to save the day and confirm root access!
The rooting method for the Galaxy series has always been the same, till the release of the S4. Apparently, this time around, repacking Samsung’s firmware package with su to flash it via ODIN is causing the device to reboot every time the su binary is executed. This is because of the new Samsung Knox security feature that makes phones eligible for workplaces that use the ’Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) policy for their employees.
The working method, the one we’ll be discussing here, is none other than the famous CF-Auto-Root process by Chainfire, that still seems to be working for the GT-I9505 (Qualcomm LTE) version of the S4, but not the Exynos 5 variant. Be sure that your GT-I9505 is running the XXUAMD2 firmware. It’s the firmware this method was tested on, but as Chainfire points out, it might not be the one that is shipped with the final release.
Not sure if you should root your device? See our article detailing the top 10 reasons to root your Android device to make an informed decision.
Disclaimer: Follow this guide at your own risk. AddictiveTips won’t be responsible in case your device gets damaged in any other way during the process.
Requirements
- Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-19505 running XXUAMD2 firmware
- Kies installed for USB drivers.
- (https://download.chainfire.eu/316/CF-Root/CF-Auto-Root/CF-Auto-Root-jflte-jfltexx-gti9505.zip) Root package.
- (https://dl.xda-developers.com/attachdl/9df0ad0f87d24b856aefe9378e43efff/515ddfc7/1/1/6/8/4/2/1/Odin307.zip) ODIN multi flasher tool.
Instructions
- To begin, download the root package and unzip its contents.
- Run ODIN and and hit the ‘PDA’ button to select the file with the ‘.tar.md5’ extension within the package you just unzipped. Make sure ‘Repartition’ is unchecked.
- Enter Download mode. To do so, turn the phone off, then hold down the Volume Down, Home and Power buttons together to boot it back up. As soon as the phone boots, release the power button and follow any on-screen instructions that might appear.
- Connect the phone to the PC, and once ODIN successfully detects the device, hit the ‘Start’ button to begin the flashing process.
That is it! Once the package is flashed, you should see a red Android on the screen when booting up. If you don’t see the red Android, you will have to enter recovery mode once to trigger it manually. To enter recovery mode, replicate the actions of Step 3, but this time, hold down the Volume Up button instead of Volume Down.
For updates, further info and queries, visit the forum thread at XDA-Developers linked below.
[via XDA-Developers]
Own the I9500 International Exynos 5 Octa-Core variant? Check out our Samsung Galaxy S4 I9500 root guide.
Which option do you pick in the ODIN main screen for the md5 file? It is totally unclear in the instructions.
Samsung s4 I9505 mine comes up with Write Protection Enabled on screen , Can’t get into Odin at all
Is XXUAMD2 the same as XXUAME2? Just a typo or a whole different type of firmware?
How do i Root Icecream sandwhich Android Version 4.0.3 device.