Root Lost root with 4.4.2 update; question about re-rooting...

[WaxPaper]

Hey guys, about 6 months ago I was finally able to figure out how to root my Sprint S3 (SPH-L710) with the recovery method, using Philz Touch. However, I lost root back in August when I updated that patch that was pushed out. My software/baseband version right now is L710VPUDOH1, hardware version L710.14 and technically I think my OS version here is 4.4.2_0028.

Can I re-root using the same method I did the first time, with Philz Touch recovery via Odin? Or is there anything different that needs to be done when you're re-rooting? I did check and make sure I didn't still have Philz installed; the update wiped the recovery to default.

Also, if the process just needs to be repeated like the first time I did it, will this guide work with my phone? Only reason I ask is because I forgot exactly how I did it originally, and back then I was using instructions from someone at Reddit. So I just wanted to make sure that the links in that guide and everything are all the right ones for my Sprint G3.

Oh and one more quick question; is there a way to get the recovery -- or root, at least -- to persist even after OTA updates like the last one? Or does this have to be done each time?

Thanks...

 

[Jfalls63]

To my knowledge the only S3 with locked bootloader is the Verizon version so flashing Philz Touch with Odin and SuperSu zip in recovery should still work. Newer version of both are available but what you have links to will work.

Never take OTA update while rooted, always flash back to stock first or find and flash a rooted stock version of the update.

 

[svim]

I have the same model of S3 and I've re-rooted my phone a few times now after Samsung released an OTA update. You might also want to read through this site:
http://galaxys3root.com/galaxy-s3-root/how-to-root-galaxy-s3-on-android-4-34-4-2-new/
and adjust it accordingly. (Same steps but alter it accordingly to whatever version # of Odin and PhilZ Recovery you prefer.) And don't forget the bottom Q&A about pulling the battery if necessary.

As for keeping your phone staying rooted after an OTA update, as far as I know Samsung will continue to return it back to its previous pre-root state. That most recent one, a (only partially effective) patch for a Stagefright exploit I believe, was a relatively minor update and but still required rooting again. There is one silver lining about our now really dated S3 phones, you probably don't have to worry too often about OTA updates that often -- even with their revamped 'frequent update' schedule Samsung has issues keeping up with their current model lines much less our three year old S3s.

 

[waitingtogetskyrim2]

To make your rooted phone persist over the air updates youd need a copy of your downloaded over the air update on your sd card then flash it through flashfire apk with ever root enabled and it will root your over the air update. Or flash a modified boot image to root then to take new over the air updates you can flash stock boot image without ever touching the system.

 

[Madbat]

To make your rooted phone persist over the air updates youd need a copy of your downloaded over the air update on your sd card then flash it through flashfire apk with ever root enabled and it will root your over the air update. Or flash a modified boot image to root then to take new over the air updates you can flash stock boot image without ever touching the system.

There are no "modified boot images" for this device. Sepolicy mods are not necessary. This is KitKat. Those mods are for lollipop and marshmallow. There is no one making modified (sepolicy modded) boot images for these older devices.

 

[mydian]

No one should be taking an OTA on a rooted device, EVER. While some people may get it to work occasionally it's a very bad idea and a good way to end up with a screwed up device.

If someone is worried about OTA updates they have no business rooting in the first place. That's not how you update a rooted device. The best way is to wipe the device, flash the updated rom through Odin or recovery, root it again (if not a pre-rooted rom) and enjoy having no problems.

 

[waitingtogetskyrim2]

I plan on making my own boot image im sure others will as well especially with my data done right phone id rather have more than one root option. Just cause its a root method for marshmallow doesn't mean you cant just use a insecure boot image on kitkat. And it doesn't hurt to take a over the air update on a rooted phone thats what flashfires flash over the air update option is for.

As long as you just have a rooted phone and left the system alone you can take a over the air update just fine.

http://m.androidcentral.com/android-forums-getting-ota-after-rooting

 

[Madbat]

I plan on making my own boot image im sure others will as well especially with my data done right phone id rather have more than one root option. Just cause its a root method for marshmallow doesn't mean you cant just use a insecure boot image on kitkat. And it doesn't hurt to take a over the air update on a rooted phone thats what flashfires flash over the air update option is for.

As long as you just have a rooted phone and left the system alone you can take a over the air update just fine.

http://m.androidcentral.com/android-forums-getting-ota-after-rooting

No my friend. I am afraid mydian is 100% correct. Advising users to use an extremely experimental app that is in early beta is a sure way to get them to brick their device. Since lollipop, ota will not even work on a rooted device. Ota checks every part of system, and will fail.
Again, you should not attempt ota update on a rooted device, and advising otherwise is irresponsible and careless. If you want to modify boot images, do it. Hopefully you have the tools and knowledge to do it. It's not simple. For those of us that have been building roms and kernels for a while, it still presents challenges.
So telling someone "just flash a modified boot image", is not helpful. Building one and giving a link, or just finding one and giving a link is helpful. But there are easy root methods for this phone with odin, and simple update methods that are much safer.

 

[waitingtogetskyrim2]

Everytime i have a system update and iam rooted i take the over the air update and it goes through. All i lose is root. And ive used flashfire to flash alot of stuff on my other galaxy s3 its just like mobile odin. Building a boot image is not hard and there are tools you can use to make one.

 

[mydian]

Many S3's have been bricked by using Mobile Odin. It's not advisable to use that app with any S3 that has been updated to anything after Android 4.3 which contains Knox. (Just in case someone stumbles across some of the bad information found in this thread.)

As far as updating a rooted phone OTA and only losing root that means you're sticking with the stock recovery. This is also inadvisable, a big risk, and a no no because if you modify any system files or install any root apps without a nandroid backup you'll have a big headache fixing the phone if something should go wrong. You'll have to use Odin and start over. So you might as well flash a custom recovery to be safe and not take OTAs.

Edit: Flashing the stock rom on a 100% stock phone with Odin doesn't trip Knox. Just to clarify that my post made it sound like it did so i edited it a bit. Sorry about that.

 

[waitingtogetskyrim2]

Says it supports Samsung devices which means it must support knox and things of that nature. I never had any problems with using it on my galaxy s3. Have you tried the app or you just thinking its the same thing as mobile odin.

http://www.androidauthority.com/chainfire-flashfire-beta-600001/

 

[mydian]

No I haven't tried it. I was just pointing out mobile Odin doesn't work well with the S3. I'm glad to hear this works for you.

 

[waitingtogetskyrim2]

This here says flashfire can flash roms without tripping knox.

http://gs6.wonderhowto.com/how-to/c...without-tripping-knox-your-galaxy-s6-0162153/

One person said they was able to downgrade then update and inject root without tripping knox with a stock rom.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s6-edge/help/to-flash-twrp-flashfire-tripping-knox-t3116088

 

[mydian]

Yeah but that's for the S6 not the S3. Someone would have to try it. Flashify tripped the Knox warranty bit on my S3 since I was lazy and that's how I installed Philz after upgrading to 4.4 and using Towell Root.

 

[svim]

I think this thread has been drifting away from the original post that specified Sprint's S3 (model SPH-L710). While I tend to believe mydian completely that there are compatibility conflicts with Knox and Odin and his S3, all I was saying was that for my S3, the exact same Sprint model SPH-L710, each time I've rooted my phone after OTA updates going 4.1.x to 4.3.x to its current 4.4.2 state and however many minor supplemental updates in between, using Odin has worked out OK each time.