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Root [AT&T] AT&T N3 rooted at last!

WARNING
Make sure you read everything before you root. Rooting the phone may trip the knox warranty sensor (this is not confirmed but a possibility), it will (this is not a maybe) increase your flash counter. As of right now, you cannot reset/undo this. So unless the devs find a way to fix this, once your root your AT&T Note 3, you cannot return to 100% stock and your warranty is out the window.
 
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Can someone please explain what rooting is? I am new to the Note 3 and Android phones. I have never heard of this.

I strongly recommend you stay away from rooting until you fully understand more and have a really good reason to root your phone. Like my warning says, at this time, once you root, you cannot return your phone to 100% stock and you will lose your warranty.

Now with that out of the way, and I can get off the stupid soap box :D

What is root? Well... Long story short, the system files and the data files for your applications are under lock key. You cannot change, edit or replace these files since your do not have access to the "root" of your device.

By rooting a device, you basically unlock it and gain access to all the internal files. The reason most people root is to be able to backup their app data, or install a rom (replace the AT&T stock firmware/OS with a custom made one) or do other hacks to the phone to change the way it works. The danger is the system files are no longer protected and if you delete the wrong file, you could "brick" your phone (make an $800 paperweight/brick) and it will no longer work. But as long as you are careful and read everything, it is very hard to brick your phone, and 60% of the time, you can recover from a brick.

There are other reasons people brick and everyone has their own.

I have personally bricked 4-5 devices and was unable to recover them, so ask yourself, is the reason I want to root, worth the chance of bricking my phone or killing my warranty?
 
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Thank you

If there way a way to reset the flash counter and 100% that it would not pop the KNOX eFuse, I would be all over it.

James- Be sure to read over the thread as it seems that designgears root method is not triggering the Knox counter. He will be updating the content as this method was rushed out to help us root now. Even if it was to trip the counter, I'm confident the community will find a way to reset it. When I get my N3, I'll indeed root immediately.
 
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James- Be sure to read over the thread as it seems that designgears root method is not triggering the Knox counter. He will be updating the content as this method was rushed out to help us root now. Even if it was to trip the counter, I'm confident the community will find a way to reset it. When I get my N3, I'll indeed root immediately.

I'm not talking about the KNOX security sensors, a flash counter is different. Since the N1, samsung added an eFuse called a flash counter, you fixed it by using an app called triangle away; it increases by 1 every time you flash a non official kernel, rom or recovery. For now triangle away does not work on the N3. I'm sure Samsung fixed that exploit so it would not work on the N3

This information is not really correct, see my post below
 
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I'm not talking about the KNOX security sensors, a flash counter is different. Since the N1, samsung added an eFuse called a flash counter, you fixed it by using an app called triangle away; it increases by 1 every time you flash a non official kernel, rom or recovery. For now triangle away does not work on the N3. I'm sure Samsung fixed that exploit so it would not work on the N3

Got it. We both know if there is a will, there's a way. Keep us posted if you find a solution.
 
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I can't say it is 100% sure to keep your warranty in tact, but this note in the FAQ

Will rooting or downgrading or flashing stock trip the Knox flags?
No, KNOX flags will not be tripped!

Will root survive a factory reset?
Yes, it does.

Does Xposed Framework work on a rooted AT&T Note 3?
Yes, it has been updated to work fully with the Note 3.

Will rooting report system as custom and display an unlocked lock on the initial boot screen?
Yes. It can be removed by installing Xposed Framework with Wanam Xposed and enabling Security hacks > Fake system status.

I'm interested speicifically in that the KNOX sensor will not be tripped and using Xposed Framework with Wanam Xposed to clear the custom system status. In theory, this will make your phone look 100% stock. I'll advise though, if you send it to Samsung, there is always a chance they will know you flashed your phone and try and charge you for a new one.
 
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I can't say it is 100% sure to keep your warranty in tact, but this note in the FAQ



I'm interested speicifically in that the KNOX sensor will not be tripped and using Xposed Framework with Wanam Xposed to clear the custom system status. In theory, this will make your phone look 100% stock. I'll advise though, if you send it to Samsung, there is always a chance they will know you flashed your phone and try and charge you for a new one.

James- Good to see you are doing your homework. Just wondering, did you try asking the XDA community on the thread about your concerns? Also, I would inbox designgears, and or chainfire to see what they think. I guess it comes down to risk vs reward whether you choose to root. Just give the dev's a shout and go from there. Let us know the outcome.
 
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After reading and going back and forth with a few devs, here is what I have found.

#1, when you flash the files, the system still shows the Baseband versioin is on N900AUCUBMI9 (this is good because it was not this was originally the case)

#2 Flashing root this way is different than the original method and does not trip the Knox Flash Counter. (Originally I thought the knox eFuse and the flash counter were different, but they are not) So your flash counter will still show 0x0. This is really good because once an eFuse is "blown" is cannot normally be reset.

#3 Rooting will show a custom system status and unlock logo that AT&T is told to look for. But...

#4. The custom system can be reset/faked/removed by installing Xposed Framework with Wanam Xposed and enabling Security hacks > Fake system status.

I still have issues with #4, this may or may not be true but I want to point it out.

History, I don't remember which phone (I think it was my Atrix), but when the OTA update came out, as it was installing, it did an MD5 file check as it did the install (including the framework and system files). If the MD5 failed, the update failed at that point and bricked the phone.

To install Xposed, it replaces a file in the /system/bin folder (this is a system file), this is important as it modifies the system files it make it work; and even if you remove root and Xposed, your system is not 100% back to normal. Plus to get rid of the custom system and unlocked lock, you have to install the Wanam Xposed apo from the play store. If you flash back to stock (which the AT&T warranty center does and what AT&T does when you send in your phone for repair), does the fake system status get undone and you are busted, or does this stay?... I'm waiting on this answer

More issues with this that will be unknown until an update comes out: Since AT&T has not released any OTA updates yet, the devs do not know how the update will work when in installs. There is a chance, that either you will not be able to install the update OR if it tries (most likely with AT&T), it may find/see the modified files and fail, bricking the device.

Ok so what does this mean? Well it means if you do root, you may not be able to update to when it comes out and have to wait until the devs modify the update to work with a rooted phone. It also means even with the tricks to make your phone look like it is stock, it may not be the case... I'll repost as soon as I hear on this part


UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
Well I can't get an official answer but everything I reading, as soon as you flash a rom (which we can't do on AT&T) or reflassh back to stock, you lose the fake system status. That means if you root your phone and try and get it replaced under warranty, if they reflash stock (which they always do) the custom system status will show and your warranty is out the window. So for now, if you root, expect that you DO NOT HAVE A WARRANTY!
 
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I have always rooted my phones.. Within the first few days with the new phone.

This is my first att phone..
And fist time I have not rooted.

I hope there is a solution soon

It sure is dead in here

it is definitely not as active as the og evo days that is for sure.

maybe because the specs for this phone far outweighs the advantages of gaining root for some folks.

for me i have a less urgent need to root it.

will i root it? hell yes!!!!! i'm just too busy and lazy to do it at the moment:eek:

the phone runs great almost as is to me so the need to urgently root it is not there.

i have a mini vacation coming up so i expect to do it at some point then....LOL
 
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true.. like you.. I am not feeling the push to root it fast... because it is an awesome phone. I can wait till all the issues are ironed out with root.

I also purchased a 3rd party insurance.. and they do not care about rooting.
the deductible is only $25.

but one of main reasons that I want root.. to get new versions of android after Sammy drops support. I think I can live with this phone past the 2 yrs. :)
 
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I gut the same company.. SquareTrade.
but at the time I got the phone... a month ago.
the price was $100 and $25 deductible. 2 yrs.. I can only claim it 4 times.
they don't care about rooting. I must have the phone so it does not cover lost/stolen.

2 weeks later.. the sales guy at Costco.. I was back there shopping.
said I was lucky.. the next day.. squaretrade raised the deductible to $50...$100 warranty

you say it is $75 deductible...
I guess they raised the deductible.. because you lowered the warranty purchase price warranty to $90.
 
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