How To: Root the Samsung Galaxy (Updated 04/05/10)

I. Before You Begin

1. Make sure your device is in USB Debugging mode (goto Settings > Applications > Development and turn it on)

2. If you are looking for the Samsung Behold 2 procedure it has been moved here.

How To Root the Samsung Behold 2

II. Setup ADB and Drivers

Follow this procedure to get ADB setup on your Galaxy.
How To Setup ADB/Install USB Drivers

III. Flash the Recovery Image

1. Download the recovery image package and extract all the contents to your AndroidSDK\tools folder (same folder as the adb program).

Recovery Image (THIS FILE AS BEEN REMOVED THANKS TO MEGAUPLOAD AND THE FEDS, IF SOMEONE CAN FIND IT’S REPLACEMENT PLEASE CONTACT US SO WE CAN ADD IT FOR OTHERS TO USE, THANKS!)

2. Open the command prompt by typing cmd into the search box in your Start Menu.

3. In the command prompt, type the following (hitting enter at the end of every line):

cd\
cd AndroidSDK\Tools\
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img

It should say waiting for device.

4. Now, plug in the phone via USB and then turn it off. Turn it back on by holding down End, Send, and OK and keep holding them until it says fastboot on the phone’s screen.

5. The command prompt on the computer should continue and then the phone should boot into normal mode.

6. Now turn the phone off, then back on by holding down Volume Down, Send, and End until the recovery screen comes up.

7. The phone will boot into recovery mode and should show the custom recovery screen. If so, then continue typing the following:

adb push RECTOOLS.tar.gz /sdcard/
adb shell sync
adb shell reboot recovery

The phone should again reboot into recovery mode but this time with a lot more options.

8. In the recovery menu, select Enable Root (SU), then select Reboot Device.

The phone should reboot at this point back into normal mode. You are all set, you now have root access and a custom recovery image.

If you want to load a Custom ROM now, head over to our How To Load a Custom ROM on the Samsung Galaxy procedure.

87 thoughts on “How To: Root the Samsung Galaxy (Updated 04/05/10)”

  1. This doesn’t work on the behold2. After a restart the root goes away. Also flashing a custom recovery image does not work on the behold2.

  2. Oops I copied and pasted the wrong thing, please delete that.

    So i’m trying to root my Behold 2, been following the instructions on THE UNLOCKER, and want to connect it to ADB. I have the Android SDK on my C drive, and where I get stuck is when I put in the code to find the serial it gives me “LIST OF DEVICES:” and the serial is never there.

    I have downloaded the Behold 2 drivers, and it installs every one except the Samsung ADB Interface which it fails on. I use the USBDEVIEW software to uninstall and try again but everytime it’s the same failure, and yes the phone is set to USB debugged, and Samsung Studio.

    I’m running Windows Premium 64bit, I don’t know if running a 64 bit system has anything to do with this. Any help would be great! I thought I was a tech junkie until I ran into this.

  3. I am having trouble getting ADB to see my Galaxy using windows 7 x64 – adb devices doesn’t return anything. I have tried updatng the driver, also used USBDeview to remove drivers first but nothing works.

    In device manager I can see ADB Interface and Samsung Composite ADB Interface and have tried updating the drivers many times and though it seems to update the drivers, it is to no avail. I previously had ADB working under windows XP but now I’m on Win 7 – nada!

    I had a look at the 2 links in point 1 above but the instructions and drivers there are for the HTC Hero not the Galaxy so won’t work!

    Any help appreciated!

    1. DanDroidOS,

      Hmm, I’m looking into it but already a few people have told me that this procedure worked fine for them… wonder what is messing it up.

      Wait, does Samsung have their own Driver installer (like Motorola has)? Maybe you need to use that to install the ADB drivers first?

  4. ok since maxisma and i got this working and origionally posted it on alldroid.org i will chime in and give you some help accessing device via abd
    first make sure that usb debug is turned in in application settings
    second make sure that usb mode is set to pc studio
    the drivers are available via alldroid.org i posted them for the behold2 and the moment

    1. Sammydroid,

      Do you have a link for where you posted it (or just a page you want me to link to)? Someone sent this in so I posted it, have no problem giving credit where it is due but the person that sent it in just copy and pasted it I assume.

      Thanks for the update, I will be glad to add it to the post.

    1. Sammydroid,

      Let me know when you post a ROM and I’ll link to it in the ROMs section.
      Happy developing! And tell Maxisma to post his new ROM up on here 🙂 He’ll know what Im talking about.

  5. I have mine rooted, there is something very interesting about the way Samsung did this. This phone has like 20 different partitions, however I think I know how the phone is able to restore root and the recovery after boot. These 20 partitions include copies of each other. For example if you do su on terminal emulator and then you type “cat /proc/partitions” it will list all the partitions. Notice how some partitions have different labels but are the same size. These are the respective back ups. The only partition that I know is “stl9” or “st9” is the system. I tried flash_image recovery and said it wasn’t a recognized partition as the BH2 also does not have mtd. cat /proc/mtd produces nothing. Hope this helps. Oh 1 last thing it seems I may have found an exploit with the device management.apk. It has the option to run a bootloader/bootstrap test, could this be exploited to install customer recovery? Its just a thought…

  6. $m4rtPh0n€r

    Hi David from “The Unlockr”!!!

    First of all thanks for your endless effort to make mobile phones much smarter!!!

    I would like to try out your nice HowTo, BUT I am a little bit too nervous of getting an error or a brick!!!

    I have seen that you are working on a Video!!! It would be so helpfull to watch how you are going to flash the Samsung Galaxy!!!

    SO PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE A VIDEO OF THIS TUTORIAL!!!! I would appreciate it if you would post a new GALAXY VIDEO!!!!

    Thx David

    1. SammyDroid,

      Thanks man! Updated the procedure for everyone!
      Let me know if anyone comes up with a recovery image and some custom ROMs. Happy to host them here on the site if anyone needs us to.

    1. Rey,

      If there is a Wifi tether app for the Behold 2 then yes. The Wifi tether app that is floating around the internet is for HTC devices not Samsung. If you find the one for Samsung, post a link here to it and I’ll be happy to confirm if it will work or not.

  7. Still no ADB and I’ve been through 3 Behold2’s and 3 different OS’s Ubuntu, XP, and Vista! I have no idea why this is such a pain I have rooted every other Android device!

  8. DanDroidOS,

    This might help.
    1. Download DRIVE SIGNATURE ENFORCEMENT OVERRIDER 1.3B
    OR
    do this stepStart>Run> type cmd click Ok
    Bcdedit.exe /set nointegritychecks ON

  9. DanDroidOS,

    *Download USBDEVIEW and run. Uninstall everything that has SAMSUNG in it.

    *Download http://alldroid.org/viewtopic.php?f=214&t=445
    and unzip.

    *Connect with usb cable
    Set USB Mode as Samsung PC Studio. Windows will start to search for drivers. If not found. browse behold2 drivers folder that you unzipped above.

    *Go to control panel> System > Device Manager
    you should see Android Phone – Android Composite ADB Interface.

    Assuming you already have android sdk.
    type adb devices. you should see SGH-T939 device. if it says offline. unplug usb cable and plug it back again.

  10. I have been installing all my apps by putting them in sd card folder, then using androzip to view them, then install them

  11. mac@510,

    Thank you sir! you have been very helpful and I’ve tried everything in this thread but it still won’t work for me:( I have a 50$ bounty to whoever helps me get this rooted! Thanx all! dandroidos@gmail

    1. DanDroidOS,

      Were trying to get our hands on a Behold 2 to borrow to do the procedure (this way we can do the video and work out all the kinks in the procedure), instead of the $50 bounty would you be willing to let us borrow the Behold 2 for a weekend? lol Figured Id ask.

  12. Do you still need that Behold2? It’s actually my only device right now but if you have something I could use while you do that then yeah no prob just let me know;)

  13. If I were to root it, is it possible to put stock Android on the Behold 2? Because I love the hardware, but Touchwiz is horrible. I want Android 2.1 on this! 😀

    1. Ricky,

      As soon as someone comes out with a custom ROM for the Behold2 then it is possible (and if anyone finds a ROM please let us know so we can put it in the downloads section for easy access!)

  14. I keep running into a problem with ADB drivers. When I try to install drivers for my Behold 2, the ADB driver is the only one that fails. When I try to manually install the driver via Device Manager, I get a message telling me that my drivers are already up to date. I can see the driver listed in USBDeview, and can remove it successfully. However, when I plug my device back in to the USB port, ADB driver fails to install again but is once again shown in USBDeview as an installed driver. the ‘adb devices’ command gives me ‘List of devices attached’, but no devices listed. I haven’t been able to find this issue anywhere else, so any help here would be awesome.

  15. Unlockr,

    There is a Galaxy ROM flashed onto a Behold 2. DroidDeveloper did it. That is the only ROM I’ve seen work on the Behold 2, the only issues is that there is no speaker-phone for incoming calls.

  16. hey the unlocker i run into a problem..i did every step you put up.. and i rooted my phone because i am able to download quick root… but what am seeing is that it is very very slow.. my phone becomes unresponsive.. i don’t know if its from me or not so please help me unroot my phone…

    1. Sticho, or ANYONE WITH A BEHOLD2

      Plan too! Soon as I get a Behold 2 to play with… anyone want to let me borrow their Behold 2? I’ll root it for you and send it back, I’ll even pay shipping to and from 🙂
      Email me using the contact us and let me know!

  17. hey unlockr, how long would you need the behold 2 for? Im willing to send you mine, but you gotta delete some crap off it for me too and get it back asap

  18. Hey, i’ve followed all the directions but i don’t think i have rooted, could this be because i updated the phone with T-mobile’s update??

  19. It worked GREAT!!! and it was easy to do. The only problem I had was getting my serial number to show up at first, Here’s a tip for anyone using the Behold 2 and having problems getting your serial number to show up, go to settings-about phone-additional settings-Mass storage only . MAKE SURE MASS STORAGE ONLY IS UN-checked and your serial number should show up fine after that. Now I’m on to how to flash a recovery image,, wish me luck!!!! Thanks Unlockr, I use this site soooo much, your tutorials are just the best!

    1. Jeevone,

      Until we get a video up (which means I have a phone in hand) it’s all based on others words. I should be getting a phone this week and will do this procedure and make sure it works correctly then put up the video if you’d rather wait.

    1. I also had this problem. To fix, I unplugged the usb and plugged it back in. That’s it! Everything else went smoothly! 🙂 Good luck!

  20. The Android SDK site specifically says that you cannot use the Samsung behold 2 drivers on a 64 bit system…. so we’re all SOL I guess.

    1. Mark,

      The Behold 2 won’t work (we say that in the before you begin of the procedure). BUT this is the Galaxy, not the Behold 2. I did this procedure fine on my x64 computer.

  21. I’m trying to root my Galaxy, and am following your procedure.
    Finding the phone with the ‘adb devices’ command goes well and gives me the serial.
    I’m following all the steps, until step 4 all goes well but then on step 5 it stops. The cmd prompt on my computer doesn’t go any further then waiting for device…
    Do you have any idea why? Something i did wrong?

  22. this was 10x shorter and easier than rooting the g1. Those stuck touchwiz icons pissed me off. i’m happy to say i’m now running the tweeked 1.5 version and the phone is way more responsive to typing n naving. great job. however, there’s this kernel issue i’m trying to resolve to let me use tetherwifi. other than that everythings purrfecto.

  23. When I boot my phone in Fastboot mode it only lasts about 15 seconds before it continues booting the phone regularly which doesn’t give me enough time to install the fastboot drivers. As I’m in the process of selecting the fastboot driver it continues to boot and it says on my computer “device disconnected”. Any idea why this is happening?

  24. I’m assuming the above guide is for the “i7500” only? If so, how close to 7/21 do you think you will have a guide for the i9000 (T Mobile Vibrrant)? Or, is the above guide for any Samsung Galaxy? Thanks, Paul

  25. I got the same problem as LeonTH.

    Then the idea came up to keep the device manager open while doing different steps.
    When I plug it in while my phone is on, the device manager lists it under ‘ADB interface’ (and the command ‘adb devices’ lists it as ‘ device’).
    When I plug it in while it’s in fastboot mode, the device manager lists it under ‘ohter devices’ as ‘android 1.0’.
    (The same happens when I keep it plugged in while entering fastboot mode.)

    And if I keep it plugged in after it’s rebooted, it’s listed as ‘ADB interface’ again after android is started.
    (Another thing: after it’s rebooted, if I use the command ‘adb devices’ it’s listed as ‘ offline’. It goes back to ‘ device’ after it’s plugged out and plugged back in.)

    (during all of this cmd is still ”)

    I think the problem is that, during fastboot mode, it’s listed as ‘android 1.0’.

    Don’t you think? And does any of you have a solution for this?

    Gtz,
    Sanjii

  26. I have rooted and tethered my att galaxy s capitvate but when i try to connect my win 7 laptop via wireless, my laptop doesnot connect. please help. also, can i connect to my ps3 and how? i would appreciate all comments. again i only rooted my phone and downloaded astro and barnacle. they seem to be working fine and seen but not connecting?

  27. I also got the problem that when doing a fast reboot my desktop shows : Waiting for device

    I do not read any resolutuion here yet.

    I have Android 1.6 on my I7500

  28. I also got the problem that when doing a fast reboot my desktop shows : Waiting for device

    I do not read any resolutuion here yet.

    I have Android 1.6 on my I7500

  29. I lost the CD that had been given within the box for the galaxy i7500. and so my adb doesnt show any serial numbers when i enter “adb devices” in cmd. Could you please upload it on the net? Me and many others with driver problems will be ever so thankful to you…..plzzzz upload the CD onto the internet.

  30. cant get it to work!!!!
    got as far as III.3. but then says ” ‘fastboot’ is not recognised as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.”
    Help pls!

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