Database Info

[Q] Samsung Galaxy S 4g SGH-T959V... impossible.

Is it just me or is it plain impossible to simple root this device.
If flashed with odin, everything in the forum looks like its bricked.
If using a mac, is it simply impossible to supply and updatable zip and flash th firmware?
What the hell is the deal?
I will happily offer a free website (I develop wordpress templates),
to the first person who can successfully guide me through the rooting of this phone. I will also be happy to host your site on my server, which is freakin massive.
It would be my pleasure to work with you and we could advocate the rooting of this phone sufficiently.
You also have the pleasure of delivering a wonderful contribution to this forum.
Thank you
on tmobile
version 2.2.1
kernel 2.6.32.9
build is the kd1, aka froyo.vuvkd1
If you have any suggestions, feel from to pm me. I'm new to think forum and have a thing or two to learn about rooting on samsung devices, but i have been reading for weeks and still can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I would flash with odin but I can't on mac and my virtual pc wont recognize the phone. Bloatware is better than a brick i guess.
-Christos

Simple rooting
Christos,
If you are only looking for simple rooting, the 'superOneClick' at shortfuse-dot-org works just fine. I just used it on my GS4G (same kernel & build that you have) this past weekend, and I'm a total newby. But now can use Superuser apps (and 'su' from adb), and been cleaning out my bloatware.
Now... if you're wanting to flash a new ROM using Odin, don't think I can help you there
Good Luck,
Glenn

If your trying to root the phone via mac osx, I have yet to find a solution, currently only superoneclick works on windows. What I would love to find is a way to use odin on mac, as I can't get heimdale to work on my computer. Anybody know of a guide to help me get heimdale to run on my mac?

Thanks
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA App

Superoneclick
pungent said:
Christos,
I just used it on my GS4G (same kernel & build that you have) this past weekend, and I'm a total newby.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Went to get superoneclick but no link to download it...

[Q] Need app to backup game data

Hello. I have been searching and searching for an app to backup my woman's game saves and data. She is on a stock Nexus S 4G and we want to root and try some roms and themes. Problem is she is so into this game ( Tap Fish) she does not want to lose her fish tanks lol.. I know titanium backup only works on rooted phones. So i am looking for some help on how to accomplish this.
Basically: I want to unlock and root Nexus S 4G.
Need an app to backup game data (Tap Fish)
If i lose her game data i will be in the doghouse
Please help me!

What version of Android is on the phone?

Woops forgot that detail.. it is on stock 4.0.4
Sent from my CM9 ICS Epic, with a twist of Blue Mist boyyyy..

There is a thread on the galaxy nexus forums where this exact problem is solved, I'll come back when I get to a computer to post a link if you've not found it.
Edit
http://thesuperusersguide.weebly.com/adb-backup--restore.html
I would test this before using it on your SO's phone
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Use this website to unlock bootloader, root your phone and save your data. Oh btw get rom manager aswell. Make sure you create a backup of your system, sd....etc using an application in rom manager. Once you have rooted your phone, install your custom roms kernels, themes.. etc. If you know how to use command prompt, it should be within 10 minutes to finish rooting your phone. If not, just google up how to use command prompt and there are good websites to tell you how to. Goodluck!
http://nexusshacks.com/nexus-s-root/how-to-root-nexus-s-or-nexus-s-4g-on-ics-or-gingerbread/
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1399035

Mybackup
Sent from my Nexus S

Accidentally hit thanks above (oops ). None of these options will work, there's no access to the /data partition. They all need root to work which, clearly, is not an option. At the moment there is no publicized way to root 4.0.4 without unlocking the bootloader, mainly because the phones running 4.0.4 are few and far between (and part of the Nexus line). Might be out of luck, for now at least.

Its alright
Sent from my Nexus S

Well looks like she's gonna have to run stock for now. Thanks for all the help everyone.

[Q] Need help with ICS

Hi everyone, I have a Nexus S from Best Buy on ATT. Right now I'm stuck with 2.3.4 (build gtj61). I'm very new at this but am trying to research how to upgrade to ICS. From what I can figure I can either Flash the full rom to 2.3.6 and wait for the update to hit, or I can fastboot an image to 2.3.6 or 4.0.4.
What I need to know is which option would be easier for a noob and can you help me find a guide to complete the process. So far the best thing I have found is the guide on android addicted.
Even though it may seem pretty comprehensive to some of you, to a complete noob like myself it is very confusing. For example when it says to download the Android usb / adb driver it doesn't really say what to do with it. And the very next step it shows 2 files that it didn't tell me to dl and basically loses me.
Can anyone tell me what is the easiest way to go about this and what exactly I need to do.
Thanks
Dan

No need to keep repeating the four letter word (noob). We've all been there before. My suggestion to you is of course the safest route for any beginner: find the OTA update.zip for 2.3.6 and wait for the phone to prompt you for the ICS update. And while you're enjoying your stock ICS experience, start reading up on bootloader unlocking, rooting and using custom kernel and ROMs so you can make full use of your Google phone.
Hope this helps! Cheers!
Sent from my Nexus S

I got mine back from repair today, and of course, they replaced the perfectly working 4.0.4 with a 2.3.6. The phone automatically started downloading the update a mere minute after booting, so what I'm stumped on is why yours didn't automagically update itself right away.
Maybe you could force an update check by typing *#*#2432546#*#* into the dialer, then checking the System Updates point inside About Phone.
Unlocking and flashing custom ROMs can be fraught with problems, and are not exactly for the faint of heart, given that there is no one-click executable to flash new ROMs like there was for Windows Mobile (my old phone was/is an HTC Universal, running Windows Mobile 6.5. A real fossil...). There are many guides on the forum, most of them stickied, be sure to chew through them, make backups, and pray to your chosen deity when you start typing in ADB

drivers are a HUGE pain. If you do this while running a linux distro (I run ubuntu) you don't need drivers. they are native with linux.
Anyways Linux is great and you should stop using winblows.
welcome!
Sent from my LS670 using XDA

DC80X said:
Hi everyone, I have a Nexus S from Best Buy on ATT. Right now I'm stuck with 2.3.4 (build gtj61). I'm very new at this but am trying to research how to upgrade to ICS. From what I can figure I can either Flash the full rom to 2.3.6 and wait for the update to hit, or I can fastboot an image to 2.3.6 or 4.0.4.
What I need to know is which option would be easier for a noob and can you help me find a guide to complete the process. So far the best thing I have found is the guide on android addicted.
Even though it may seem pretty comprehensive to some of you, to a complete noob like myself it is very confusing. For example when it says to download the Android usb / adb driver it doesn't really say what to do with it. And the very next step it shows 2 files that it didn't tell me to dl and basically loses me.
Can anyone tell me what is the easiest way to go about this and what exactly I need to do.
Thanks
Dan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could always follow the steps in this thread;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1445621
I used the same Method for My GT-I9020T (T-Mobile)
I was on 2.3.6. A month after my wifes phone got the OTA to 4.0.4 I still was on 2.3.6.
I followed the steps in the thread above and did the Up-Grade Myself.
No rooting, No Boot loader un-locking, From stock recovery.
Worked perfectly for me.
Read through that thread above to see what other AT&T users said about this.
Also his XDA threads are no longer being updated so after reading through the posts, go to his new place here:
http://www.randomphantasmagoria.com/firmware/nexus-s/
to see the latest info and files.
good luck.

[Q] Noob ? Before Root + Mac

I have a GS3 on verizon running 4.1.1 with a model number of SCH-1535. My home computer is a Mac. The ability to replace SVoice completely with Google Now on a rooted phone has me very interested in rooting. I have been doing some reading around here and still have a few questions.
1. Before rooting, I plan on doing a complete back up using my back up pro. I will have to do it to my sd card as I haven't purchased upgraded storage space online. Is there a way to move that backup and save it to my Mac Laptop or Google Drive incase later down the road I want to go back to it? Or is there a better way to back up prior to root?
2. If for some reason I epically fail, how easy is it to reset to factory?
3. Like I stated previously I am running a Mac at home and from what I have found the root guide for a mac was written before 4.1.1, will those steps still work or is there a different way to root on a mac now?
I really appreciate any help and look forward to learning more and more about this stuff. Thanks!

JRoddious said:
I have a GS3 on verizon running 4.1.1 with a model number of SCH-1535. My home computer is a Mac. The ability to replace SVoice completely with Google Now on a rooted phone has me very interested in rooting. I have been doing some reading around here and still have a few questions.
1. Before rooting, I plan on doing a complete back up using my back up pro. I will have to do it to my sd card as I haven't purchased upgraded storage space online. Is there a way to move that backup and save it to my Mac Laptop or Google Drive incase later down the road I want to go back to it? Or is there a better way to back up prior to root?
2. If for some reason I epically fail, how easy is it to reset to factory?
3. Like I stated previously I am running a Mac at home and from what I have found the root guide for a mac was written before 4.1.1, will those steps still work or is there a different way to root on a mac now?
I really appreciate any help and look forward to learning more and more about this stuff. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the first question I'm not too sure since I'm fairly new and a noob to this too, but if you want a guide here's a good one and if you scroll down there is a rooting section for Mac/Linux users. Just read the guide and hopefully you shouldn't have any problems.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1762709&nocache=1

MAC users unite

I have a Mac A Samsung galaxy s 3 i had root bricked my phone and did the OTA update 4.1.2 now i cant get root back. I know you guys are smarter than me i need real help.

VMware or VirtualBox or BootCamp, android has very little to no mac support you need to install windows
i just sold my macbook because I got tired or it and plus I have to many pc's

trinniboy68 said:
I have a Mac A Samsung galaxy s 3 i had root bricked my phone and did the OTA update 4.1.2 now i cant get root back. I know you guys are smarter than me i need real help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea man.. powercamg4 is almost right (except for getting tired of a Macbook.. boo!) I was literally on these threads two nights ago with a very similar issue. I was never bricked or rooted to begin with but was trying to overcome rooting my phone already updated to 4.1. After hours of research and being stuck halfway through, it turns out the only way to get past the Jellybean bs is to either find a Windows-based computer to use, or use any one of those pieces of software powercamg4 suggests (or Parallels) to run Windows on. I know it sounds like a project, but unfortunately it's definitely the easiest option, and may even be the only at the moment. When you do that, head over to this thread in the dev section: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2046439 and follow those directions. It works like a charm.
~animal

Linux is also a free and easy solution. Very easy to dual boot as well.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

Vmware Fusion works great
I rooted my phone last night, unlocked the boot loader, and installed CM10. Everything worked fine in Windows 7 x64 virtual machine. The only problem I had was every once in awhile the usb driver would fail the install. I think that was my own fault not uninstalling the usb driver for my Samsung Droid Charge first before I started. Other then that it was a piece of cake.