How to Flash a Custom Recovery on the WiFi Only Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

The much bigger brother of the Galaxy Tab is a great option if you want a well-rounded Android device that can double as a media player on the go, but rooting it will make using it that much more easier, we say.  This guide will show you how to flash ClockworkMod Recovery on this big slate so you can enjoy all the custom ROMs that this device has, after which you can root the device using our guide here.

I.  Before You Begin

1.  This is a Windows-based procedure, so make sure you have a Windows PC to use.

2.  As always, back up all the data you feel is important before proceeding.

3.  Make sure you have the correct drivers installed for the procedure to work.  If you haven’t done so already, download them from the next section and install them before you proceed.

II.  Necessary Files

1.  ODIN3_v1.85.

2.  ClockworkMod Recovery 5.5.0.4.

3.  Windows Galaxy Tab Drivers.

III.  Flashing the ClockworkMod Recovery

1.  Power down and put your device into Download Mode.  To do this, press Volume Down + Power simultaneously when the device is powered off until you see the Samsung logo.  Once you see the logo, let go of the Power button and only hold down the Volume Down button until you get the screen where you can choose either Download Mode or Recovery Mode.  Use the Volume Down button to highlight the green Android logo and select it by pressing the Volume Up button.  Press Volume Up again to bypass the Warning screen.

2.  Extract CWM5.5.0.4.zip to a folder on your desktop.  The folder should now contain a file named recovery.tar.md5.

3.  Extract ODIN3_v1.85.zip to a folder on your desktop.

4.  From the extracted folder, double-click on Odin3_v1.85.exe to open the application.

5.  Click on the PDA button, locate the recovery.tar.md5 file that you extracted above and then select it to load it into the PDA section of Odin.

6.  Connect your device to the PC in Download Mode.  If you haven’t installed the proper drivers, Windows 7 should do so now and if successful, the COM:ID button will turn yellow.

7.  Make sure that only the Auto Reboot tickbox is checked.  Do not check the Re-Partition box, this will most likely brick your device!!

8.  Make sure your Odin screen looks like below (click on the picture to enlarge) and then press Start.

9.  Once the process is complete, the first box on the Odin screen will turn green and your device will reboot automatically.

You have now successfully flashed ClockworkMod Recovery on your Galaxy Tab!!  To confirm:

  1. Power down the device.
  2. Press Volume Down + Power simultaneously with the device is powered off until you see the Samsung logo.  Once you see the logo, let go of the Power button and only hold down the Volume Down button until you get the screen where you can choose either Download Mode or Recovery Mode.  Use the Volume Down button to highlight the Android Install icon (not the big Android logo) and select it by pressing the Volume Up button.
  3. You should now enter ClockworkMod Recovery.

All thanks go to S0ckM0nk3y for tailoring the CWM Recovery to suit the Galaxy Tab 10.1!!  Head over to his thread on AC Syndicate to thank or even donate to him if you liked his work!!

This is part of our Android How To’s. We have how to’s on rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and tricks for your specific device or for Android devices in general! For all of our Android How To’s, head here.

1 thought on “How to Flash a Custom Recovery on the WiFi Only Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1”

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.