How To Root the Samsung Galaxy S II (All Versions)
December 1, 2011 in Android How To's, Featured, How To's, Samsung Galaxy S II How To's, Video
Want to root your Samsung Galaxy S II? Sick of having to search for a rooting procedure for your specific version of the Galaxy S II? Here’s how to root all of them and flash a custom recovery image as well.I. Before You Begin
1. This SHOULDN’T erase content on your device, but with that being said, please backup all your pictures, contacts, etc. before beginning this procedure. Just in case.
II. Flash a Custom Recovery onto the Device
1. Download Samsung Kies and install it on your computer.
2. Turn off your phone.
3. While the phone is off, hold down the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons at the same time and plug in your phone via USB cable after you have installed Kies in order to have it install the correct drivers for your device and the device should automatically boot into download mode.
4. Once the drivers are installed and your device can be recognized properly by your computer, make sure to CLOSE KIES completely. If it is running during the next steps, even in the background, it can cause issues.
5. Download Odin and open it.
6. Download the Recovery file for your specific device and save that to your computer.
Galaxy S II i9100 Recovery (Read the developer’s post to decide which file in the third post to download)
7. With the device plugged in and Odin open, click on the PDA button in Odin and select the Recovery file you just downloaded.
8. Select Start and this should flash the recovery to the device and reboot it.
III. Root the Device
1. Once the device reboots, mount the USB storage so we can transfer files to it.
2. Download the Superuser zip file and save it to your computer.
3. Copy the Superuser .zip file to the root of your device’s sd card (Not in any folders, just on the sd card itself. Do NOT extract the file, leave it as a .zip)
4. Once it is copied to the device, unplug the device from the computer and turn it off.
5. Turn the device back on by holding down the volume down, volume up button, and the power button. Let go of the power button once the device vibrates but continue to hold the volume buttons until the recovery screen comes up.
6. Once the recovery screen comes up, use the volume buttons to scroll down to install zip from sd and then select the superuser .zip file we downloaded earlier.
7. Once it flashes, select go back, then reboot system now.
8. You should now see the superuser icon in your device’s app drawer. If so, you are all set!
IV. Load a Custom ROM (Optional)
1. Head to our How To Load a Custom ROM procedure
Liclemack said on December 2, 2011
which recovery file would work for the regular s2
Mike Melendez said on December 2, 2011
Wondering the same thing, is it safe to assume the AT&T version sine they share the same internals?
Benjamindavidvine said on December 2, 2011
mines a UK version witch is unlocked…like the others said what back up file do i use
K-Wow said on December 4, 2011
I got issue by rooting. So went back to stock.
Ronnie Kira Rodriguez said on December 4, 2011
i need help wen i press the volume up and down key + the power i get nothing =( and wen i press just the up and power together i get the system recovery but it only gives me the option of reboot whip the hol thing clean update form sd and whip partitions, i have the sprint galaxy s2 one
Jorgelo1996 said on January 26, 2012
Is power button and volume down on sprint galaxy S2.
Brandonearly12 said on December 5, 2011
Kies wont work with my AT&T galaxy S 2
p_usarg said on December 8, 2011
This guide is incomplete… What should i do for my Galaxy S 2 i9100????
David Cogen said on December 8, 2011
@p_usarg just added it to the procedure. Same process, but when downloading the recovery kernel make sure to read the developers post about how to decide which one for your i9100 and then go to the third post down and download the one you need then continue our procedure.
Bartlett_compnay said on December 13, 2011
If I have stright talk , will I useSprint Galaxy S II Recovery?
Edgar_0017 said on December 21, 2011
How Long Does The Downloading Screen Take??
Edgar_0017 said on December 21, 2011
The kies program tells me to reboot the device.. what does that mean?
Phillyphill84 said on December 25, 2011
on sprint its volume down and power button once plugged into computer via usb
Roan876 said on January 3, 2012
ok so what happens when odin fails???????????????? you forgot about these people??? it didnt work for my skyrocket sgs2 and now i can’t pass this damn screen and you don’t mention what to do if it your method don’t work!!!!!!!! so please help!!!!!!!
Latosita said on January 4, 2012
Well dude, do some research, you shouldnt be here wasting your time complaining XD
Latosita said on January 4, 2012
Well dude, do some research, you shouldnt be here wasting your time complaining XD
Roan876 said on January 3, 2012
this is the screen that i am stucked on and i can’t get pass it!!!!!!!!!!!
austin said on January 5, 2012
im using the sprint sgs2 and when i go into recovery mode it does not show the zip option. When i dont do this, it gives me root acces but not wifi. I understand that this is most likely from not installing the zip file.
Jjlong2693 said on January 8, 2012
For the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S@b6f8371a6266cfd11d77c77ac2224d8e:disqus the recovery su-2.3.6.3 fails everytime. Even though I passed the odin3 test for downloading the kernel straight from the video it still fails, I retired and its doesn’t work. So how do I remove that kernel from my phone.
Bracrist said on January 13, 2012
I tried, but in the step III, when i turn on the phone and show me the recovery screen, say instalation aborted ” install the 2 packege” somthing like that.
Bracrist said on January 13, 2012
ok now i know why, i because my device does not support the software upgrading via Kies.
why this happening?
Tracer1USMC said on January 14, 2012
Has anyone had trouble turning their wifi on after rooting?
ThisSux said on January 25, 2012
I’m having the same issue..
Jorgelortizone said on January 26, 2012
same issue,no WiFi.
Swruss974 said on January 28, 2012
Same issue, has anyone resolved this?
Jorgelo1996 said on January 26, 2012
same issue,no WiFi.
marcus said on April 26, 2012
same issue anyone can help Sprint Galaxy SII
Wcndave said on January 21, 2012
After holding volume up/down and plugging in USB cable, nothing seemed to happen. I then turned on my phone using the power button, and was asked for my PUK to unlock SIM card, and told that I have 1 attempt at this.
So I have no idea why I manage to deviate from the above guide so soon, however also now not sure how I can use my phone… Can someone help as I am phoneless until I can move past this.
Thanks
Swruss974 said on January 28, 2012
MULTIPLE problems with this process. I personally would not use until it is better debugged.
1. I had the same issue as previous posts - WiFi does not work following these steps.
2. After installing the correct recovery file, my AT&T SGH-i777 now indicates “i9100″ at the boot-up screen (along with an ominous “!” inside a yellow warning triangle). I do not have an i9100, I have an SGH-i777.
3. Odin worked the first time but I could not get to the Superuser.zip file. I could get the recovery screen but when selecting “installing zip from sd card”, the next screen freezes at a circle with a hat on it. Frozen, never moves.
4. Worst of all, now the backup I made, specifically due to the suggestion David makes at the beginning of this process, will now not restore thru Kies.
BAD BAD PROCESS. I see no choice now but to go to AT&T and have them repair my phone. Thanks for killing my phone David!
Steve Russell
FA said on February 5, 2012
the superuser did not work for me, it aborted the installation. Not sure if it is bad or not.
FA said on February 5, 2012
I was able to get my problem fixed with the root. I ran the su-3.0.5-efgh-signed.zip 3 times in row and reboot. When I got back in I saw the Superuser. I installed Titanium Backup to test it and everything works.
Djgmog said on February 11, 2012
I loaded the recovery image using odin, is there anyway for me to remove that?
damnit steve said on March 5, 2012
DO NOT USE!! horrible horrible horrible guide. bricked my i777 the day I bought it. now my boot screen reads i9100 now I have to try to fix it. DO NOT USE ONCE AGAIN
victor said on May 5, 2012
THANK YOU. I have tried so many other ways to root my sprint galaxy ii 4g touch and this one was the only and EASIEST one!!!
Kevin said on May 7, 2012
Wondering what recovery image to use or get for my us cellular version of the galaxy sII?
willian said on May 12, 2012
WHERE IS THE SUPERUSER.ZIP FILEEEEEEEEEE?