How to root Galaxy SL (i9003) Gingerbread 2.3.6 XXKPU

I have updated my firmware to Gingerbread 2.3.6 XXKPU and I did not find an easy way to root this firmware.  I had searched enough on web and did not find anything which I thought would work. Tried few promising methods but they did not work.

Lastly I was seeing too many places mentioning about the CF-Root and was wondering what is this. I happen to see a video which shows the PDA to be replaced with the CF-Root corresponding to the XXKPU binary, which can be downloaded form the links in the post here.

Here you can download the CF root for many of the i9003 firmwares. Infact, what ever is your phone (Samsung) you can almost follow the same procedure, and you need to find the right CF-root file. Then the flashing procedure can be found on this you tube video here. Hope this helps everyone.

Update i9003 with Galaxy S-II Dock Icons

Bored of the same dock bar at the home screen, and you think the Galaxy S-II one looks much better. Its not difficult to update it to that. All that you need it root permissions.

I could not get this full information in one place on net, so if you are reading my blog you are lucky to have all the information in one place. You do not need to install a custom TouchWiz, you can modify what you have right now. I am running TouchWiz 4.0 for your information. (Galaxy SL - Gingerbread 2.3.4 XXKPH) 

First have copy Contact.apk, Email.apk, Mms.apk and TouchWiz30Launcher.apk & DialerTabActivity from system/app to PC, then Open it with any tools such as Winrar or 7Zip, do not extract.

check the icons in the path - res/drawable-hdbi.

-Contakt.apk: ic_launcher_contacts.png

-DialerTabActivity - ic_launcher_phone.png

-Mms.apk: ic_launcher_smsmms.png

-Email.apk: icon.png

-TouchWiz30Launcher.apk: mainmenu_icon_application.png and mainmenu_icon_home.png.

Replace all these icons with new Icons and drag and drop into the 7Zip explorer.

Copy the .apk fils back to system/app and restart the launcher or the phone.

It should look something like this, after you have updated everything that is mentioned here.

That goes with many stock apps. I hope its useful.

The Samsung Galaxy S-II icons can be downloaded from here.

http://www.multiupload.com/M37PRRW18J. More info can be found here

Root Samsung Galaxy SL (i9003) Gingerbread 2.3.4 (XXKPH)

I had hard time finding how to root the Samsung Galaxy SL, 2.3.4, XXPKH. There were many blogs and website talking about rooting, but because XXKPH was the latest version and it was 2.3.4, most of the methods mentioned in there does not work. 

The most basic method is to use the SOC (Super One Click) and it does not work with XXKPH, because the kernel exploit cannot be done by Ginger break, and it seems they have closed the loophole which ginger break was using. The original Ginger break method was mentioned in this website, and he has clearly mentioned that it has to be using the usb debugging mode on adb. SOC also uses the same method, and it should be the only way to do it.

Now how do we proceed, I read in a Spanish website for i9000 that the kernel must be replaced with a kernel which can be exploited and then exploit using SOC and replace back the original kernel after installing SU (super user app). I found it something convincing and then tried the method on XDA developer where he talks about flashing the fixed binary and then normal boot again. I was scared to try this before as I do not want to use any modified binary as the XXKPH is very stable, and battery life and GPS are working awesome for me. Any change would only deteriorate the performance, as these people may have done somethign which they are not very sure of.

Here goes the method for XXKPH

• After Flashing to new Firmware , Go to Downloading Mode By pressing volume down + menu button + power button and Flash the Phone Using the PDA file GT-I9003_PDA_XXKPE-fixed.tar
• GT-I9003_PDA-XXKPE-fixed.tar
  
  
• Root USing SOC (Latest version of SOC can be downloaded from here)
• While rooting, you may find that it it stuck at step #6, may be you can disconnect the cable and connect back, and it should do the trick !! (happened with me)
  
  
• Flash PDA with the normalboot.img.tar attached below
• http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...&postcount=146

Note: With the absolutely beautiful ADB exploit I use, titled rageagainstthecage (ratc), absolute ALL devices can be rooted. This is because it exploit is ADB which all devices use. There is an issue though. Some devices have a NAND lock which does not allow you to write to the /system mount. Because of this, you can't copy su, sqlite or busybox to /system/bin. This creates some issues but there is a work around. For things that don't need access to /system (like enabling non-market apps) I can use the ratc exploit to make those changes. If your device cannot use su in /system/bin then you can simple select a checkbox (as of v1.5) that says to use ratc. 

There are 3 levels of "root" we can define:

Level 1: Shell Root (with ratc rooting the adb shell but no /system write access)

Level 2: Temporary Root (/system/bin/su installed but lost on reboot)

Level 3: Full Root (/system/bin/su installed and sticks)

Some devices have a NAND lock. SuperOneClick will only give a Shell root until you remove this lock.

Gingerbreak uses rageagainstthecage,  is a root exploit via a fork bomb. Some antivirus program may raise alert for malicious content while unzipping, and here is the explanation for it. 

It IS a potentially malicious payload, BUT it is being used with owner's consent to root the phone. The DreamDroid malware use exactly same payload - they are trojans, but this is a helpful tool. It IS a dangerous tool in the wrong hands, but this is a root exploit, so you should exercise common sense and a little understanding of what it does and how it works.

Update Galaxy SL (i9003) to Gingerbread 2.3.4

I followed the procedure from here. Out of all the guides out there, which are most confusing this is the best one I have ever come across. He is clear and straight forward of what you have to do, and small guide, not to get confused with lengthy ones.

I am copy pasting it here for your reference, may be for my reference later, as I am not interested with all of it.

Note: XXKPH can only be flashed with help from it's supporting predecessor XXKPE, So make sure you have XXKPE downloaded. User flashing version varies with this, but this is my successful 100% assured boot.

1. Firstly, Download the link from spacebar's XXKPH Feedback thread.
2. Run Odin3 v1.83
3. Set your phone to download mode : Press Volume down + OK first, then hold Power button.
4. Connect your phone, you should see Odin shows your phone is Added with COM number.
5. Click PIT button and select this file: latona_20110114.pit
6. You should see Re-Partition, Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time checked.
7. Click PDA button and select this file: CODE_I9003XXKPE_CL409735_REV08_user_low_ship.tar
8. Click PHONE button and select this file: MODEM_I9003XXKPE_REV_00_CL1041909.tar
9. Click BOOTLOADER button and select this file: APBOOT_I9003XXKPE_CL409735_REV08_user_low_ship.tar
10. Click CSC button and select this file: GT-I9003-CSC-MULTI-OXAKPE.tar
11. Click Start button to flash these files to phone.
12. Do not touch anything till you see PASS on the program window.
13. Turn off the phone and set it back into download mode once you get an initial first boot to homescreen. Do not set up anything, Just power off and set to download mode. 
    Note: You only need to flash once to XXKPE before proceeding to XXKPH
14. In Odin, press Reset button. Re-partition should be unchecked automatically.
15. Select file I9003XXKPH_I9003XXKPH_I9003SERKPH_HOME.tar as PDA
16. Click on Start to flash XXKPH PDA to phone
17. Once you have flashed, after the phone started up, press *#1234# and check your PDA,Phone and CSC, everything should ended with KPH
18. Factory reset and enjoy

Feedback: These is my experience and it may differ.

I had updated for KB2 Indian version. I flashed first XXKPE as suggested by the guide, and then XXKPH. 

1. Now the battery life seem to have increased, I am not very sure about it, but feels like, my phone use to always crib low battery, and not it does not happen. I hardly put on charging these days :)
2. No overheating etc, as some might have wrongly mentioned, but as far as I know this is official release for Russia so such issues can't be there
3. All peripherals and system functions such as wifi, camera everything works fine.
4. The GPS works like charm, and it has been fixed, it locks within 5 seconds and you are connected. 
5. There are three new apps
• Samsung Navigation Route 66 - which seems promising, it has information about the city, so easy to search and navigate.
• Publication Reader - You can put your paper/magazine subscriptions and can be read offline.
• There is a short cut to downloads which was much needed and was missing in previous version
6. Not many cosmetic changes compared to 2.2 Froyo, it's all the same look and feel. The boot animation music has changed, I felt previous one was better.
7. Performance has not changed much, it's almost same, may be little better I could say. 
8. Last, but not the least Gmail video chat is something which is expected in 2.3.4 and it does not present in this, and for this you need to root and install the apk from outside, but as of now no good rooting available for 2.3.4, and whatever present seem to be not working.
9. So if you have problem with battery life, then only update, else no need, and don't wait for gmail video chat support to come, I don't think it would ever come on SL

Note: All the binaries needed can be downloaded from here

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=12310841#post12310841