# What is this counter thing?



## Austin

After reading all these root methods every is talking about triggering a counter. What are they talking about?

Sent from my DROIDX using RootzWiki


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## junjlo

I don't know but I'm interested in this my self I've heard it couple times now

Sent from my HTC ThunderBolt using RootzWiki


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## Jirv311

Samsung built in a "Flash Counter" so if you were to flash a non-Samsung signed kernel through Odin or Heimdall it would increment a counter. Its not a great thing to send in your phone for warranty with an incremented flash counter.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using RootzWiki


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## mapatton82

junjlo said:


> After reading all these root methods every is talking about triggering a counter. What are they talking about?
> 
> Sent from my DROIDX using RootzWiki


When ever you root or flash something on the phone the counter increments showing that the phone has been modified. So if you broke something and brought it in to the carrier they could see that you did something with it. I know for the international version they are able to reset the counter back to 0, I'm not sure if we have that functionality on the US variants yet but I would assume it wouldn't take long before someone figured out how to do it.

Edit: ninj'ed


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## Jirv311

mapatton82 said:


> When ever you root or flash something on the phone the counter increments showing that the phone has been modified.


That's not entirely accurate. You can root and flash ROMs without incrementing the flash counter. But mostly, flashing a modified kernel through Odin or Heimdall with increment it.


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## mapatton82

Jirv311 said:


> That's not entirely accurate. You can root and flash ROMs without incrementing the flash counter. But mostly, flashing a modified kernel through Odin or Heimdall with increment it.


That not true, check this thread. Someone tested it, rooting does increment the counter.

http://rootzwiki.com/topic/28956-how-to-root-sgs3-t999-more/


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## PhantomGamers

mapatton82 said:


> That not true, check this thread. Someone tested it, rooting does increment the counter.
> 
> http://rootzwiki.com...sgs3-t999-more/


There's more than one method... certain methods do NOT increment flash counter.
See: http://rootzwiki.com/topic/29122-root/#entry783508


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## mapatton82

PhantomGamers said:


> There's more than one method... certain methods do NOT increment flash counter.
> See: http://rootzwiki.com...ot/#entry783508


So is there a confirmed method for Verizon that does not increment the counter?


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## PhantomGamers

mapatton82 said:


> So is there a confirmed method for Verizon that does not increment the counter?


It's not "confirmed" for Verizon, but I see absolutely no reason why it wouldn't be exactly the same on VZW.
If I'm feeling ballsy I'll try it myself when I get my phone, but hopefully someone else is willing to take the risk first.
Just in case.. :V


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## Jirv311

Over on xda they have a root-injected system.img that gets flashed through Odin that does not increment the flash counter. It is for AT&T devices only I believe though so I can't say if it works for Verizon or not. Once rooted, you can copy a recovery.img to your internal sd card then use adb to get shell access and dd it to the recovery partition to get you CWM. Then you don't have to trip the counter.


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## Austin

Thanks guys.So basically no flashing before we fix this.. And is this the RIL?

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## dansan

just spit balling ideas here...

obviously this is bad, especially if you try to send your phone to samsung for warranty repairs but what does it matter if i bring it to verizon and i need a replacement? Say my home button stopped working and i flashed the phone to stock ROM, I highly doubt the guy is going to check for a counter. Yet alone know there is one...

everytime i got a warranty replaced phone they literally looked at it for like 5 seconds, noted any physical damage if any, checked the water mark dots and thats it. I know it sucks that it counts, but i dont really see it being that big of a deal. unless i am missing something here..


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## mapatton82

dansan said:


> just spit balling ideas here...
> 
> obviously this is bad, especially if you try to send your phone to samsung for warranty repairs but what does it matter if i bring it to verizon and i need a replacement? Say my home button stopped working and i flashed the phone to stock ROM, I highly doubt the guy is going to check for a counter. Yet alone know there is one...
> 
> everytime i got a warranty replaced phone they literally looked at it for like 5 seconds, noted any physical damage if any, checked the water mark dots and thats it. I know it sucks that it counts, but i dont really see it being that big of a deal. unless i am missing something here..


It's not a big deal. But remember that rooting and flashing custom roms does void your warranty. Now if something breaks maybe you will be lucky and they will not look at the flash counter but maybe you won't be lucky and they will see the flash counter incrementd and refuse to replace your device. They would also probably flag your account showing that your warranty is now void.

The main point here is that you will be rooting and flashing at your own risk, it all depends if that risk is acceptable to you or not!!


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## dansan

mapatton82 said:


> It's not a big deal. But remember that rooting and flashing custom roms does void your warranty. Now if something breaks maybe you will be lucky and they will not look at the flash counter but maybe you won't be lucky and they will see the flash counter incrementd and refuse to replace your device. They would also probably flag your account showing that your warranty is now void.
> 
> The main point here is that you will be rooting and flashing at your own risk, it all depends if that risk is acceptable to you or not!!


n

no i totally get it but my question is WHO is looking at the counter. Like i said, I doubt the guy at the store even knows there is a counter. if you come in with a broken headphone jack or the phone wont charge or something they look at it for a few seconds and just order you a new one.

Unless you're worried about when the phones gets back to verizons refurb center? maybe they check it out then and can back check that phone and see whom it came from? but at that point you already have a replacement phone in hand..


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## mapatton82

dansan said:


> n
> 
> no i totally get it but my question is WHO is looking at the counter. Like i said, I doubt the guy at the store even knows there is a counter. if you come in with a broken headphone jack or the phone wont charge or something they look at it for a few seconds and just order you a new one.
> 
> Unless you're worried about when the phones gets back to verizons refurb center? maybe they check it out then and can back check that phone and see whom it came from? but at that point you already have a replacement phone in hand..


Thats true, but I wouldn't put it past them to charge you after the fact for the new phone!!


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## dansan

mapatton82 said:


> Thats true, but I wouldn't put it past them to charge you after the fact for the new phone!!


Lol with verizon you never know...but i doubt they even do it.. probably just zero the phones out, reimage them, make sure they pass basic diagnostic tests and then just replace the parts that are defective.

I preordered an S3 for my brother and i told him about this counter when i first about it.. we were both a little worried but honestly i doubt you have anything to worry about. unless you send the phone directly to samsung but really who does that.


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## djd338

I read a thread on this subject last week. Previous phones have had a counter also. An app called Triangle Away supposedly can reset it to zero. Hopefully he'll adapt it to Verizon phones too.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## ncscrnwrtr

mapatton82 said:


> The main point here is that you will be rooting and flashing at your own risk, it all depends if that risk is acceptable to you or not!!


Haven't we been rooting and flashing at our own risk, ever since we started... rooting and flashing? ;-)

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## Jirv311

Exactly, most times you'll be returning the phone to the carrier who probably has no idea how to even check the flash counter.


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## mapatton82

Basically we are all talking about something that will probably be fixed in the very near future!!

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2


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## Jubakuba

Those if you with this phone...try a Jig.
They reset flash counters on previous Samsung phones.


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## Jirv311

Jubakuba said:


> Those if you with this phone...try a Jig.
> They reset flash counters on previous Samsung phones.


I think its been confirmed that no longer works on the S3. Not 100% sure though.

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## roothead

So sorry for the bump but I bricked my S3 today and am wondering something. I literally bricked it in the first step flashing the VRELC bootchain.. The screen went black and it said reset on Odin so I pulled out the USB cable only to quickly remember that I was supposed to wait until it said pass.. Anyway my question is will that trip the flash counter or show any signs that I tried to root ?? I know I hard bricked it just wondering


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## razorloves

roothead said:


> So sorry for the bump but I bricked my S3 today and am wondering something. I literally bricked it in the first step flashing the VRELC bootchain.. The screen went black and it said reset on Odin so I pulled out the USB cable only to quickly remember that I was supposed to wait until it said pass.. Anyway my question is will that trip the flash counter or show any signs that I tried to root ?? I know I hard bricked it just wondering


you're probably fine. the screen is suppose to go black. just disconnect usb cable and pull the battery for a minute and put it in odin mode and continue with the next step in the guide.


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## roothead

razorloves said:


> you're probably fine. the screen is suppose to go black. just disconnect usb cable and pull the battery for a minute and put it in odin mode and continue with the next step in the guide.


I already tried everything my phone is done unless I get a jig, if that even still works. My question is if I send it in will they know I tried to root the phone ? like if i send it in under warranty will be able to tell?


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## mentose457

roothead said:


> I already tried everything my phone is done unless I get a jig, if that even still works. My question is if I send it in will they know I tried to root the phone ? like if i send it in under warranty will be able to tell?


If you dont want to risk it, this guy will fix your phone.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271164166372?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
My friend had it done by him. Took less than a week.


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## Andy32790

I have triangle away I can confirm its working on at least the T-Mobile version of the s3 for everyone who might still be wondering


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## roothead

mentose457 said:


> I have triangle away I can confirm its working on at least the T-Mobile version of the s3 for everyone who might still be wondering


I'm just going to buy a jig and do the right thing. Thanks guys !!!


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## coldconfession13

Triangle away took fixed mine on my vzw s3

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## Droidx316

Triangle away will reset the counter.

[©Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3 Verizon 4G LTE Powered by ZeroLemon 7000mah Extended Battery!!©]


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