The Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE variation GT-i9505 has been given the latest firmware update to KitKat 4.4.2. This means that anyone who has updated their Samsung Galaxy S4 to the firmware I9505XXUFNA1 are now able to root their handset and install a custom ROM if they want.
Chainfire, an Android hacker came up with the Auto-Root package that comes with SuperSU fix and deals with the issues that some owners have reported when KitKat leaked for the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Owners choose to root their handsets so that they can gain complete access to the hardware and push beyond the limits of stock firmware. Of course when you root the Samsung Galaxy S4 it does void the warranty of the handset. But this can be got around by re-installing the official firmware update if anything happens to the phone.
Bear in mind that the following tutorial will only work with the Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-i9505, this is the handset with the Qualcomm Snapdragon quad core CPU which comes with LTE.
Before going ahead owners of the handset should back-up their handset. The device will need around 80% battery left and the USB drivers will have to be installed on the computer. Owners should also check to make sure that USB debugging is enabled so that files can be transferred between PC and phone.
To go ahead and root the handset follow the steps below.
Step 1: Download both CF-Auto-Root Android 4.4.2 Package and ODIN3, and extract the files to the computer.
Step 2: Power off the handset and put it in Download mode by pressing and holding down the Volume Down, Home and Power buttons together. After a warning screen appears, press the Volume Up button to enter Download mode.
Step 3: Run Odin3 v3.09.exe as an Administrator while the phone is Download mode, and connect the Galaxy S4 to the PC via USB cable. If connected successfully, a message showing “Added!!” will appear in Odin’s message box.
Step 4: Now, click on the AP button, and select the CF-Auto-Root file that was extracted in Step 1.
Step 5: In Odin, check the “Auto Reboot” and “F. Reset Time” options.
Step 6: Click on the Start button in Odin to begin the flashing process.
Step 7: Once the process is complete, the Galaxy S4 will restart and a PASS message with green background will appear in the left-most box at the top of Odin.
You can now unplug the USB cable to disconnect the handset from the PC.
