Root Galaxy S8 S8 Snapdragon USA variants ATT Sprint T Mobile Verizon

Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ being the latest and very successful smartphone of 2017, has gained quite some followers and users in a short period of time. As the phone is new, the advanced development like unlocking the bootloader, custom TWRP recovery, and root took a while for it to achieve. There are several variants of the S8 device lie global, USA, carrier, Snapdragon, Exynos processors and much more. Root has already been achieved on the international variants of S8 running on Exynos processors. Galaxy S8/S8+ can be rooted using two methods, viz, the CFAR (CF Auto Root) and the usual TWRP and SuperSU or Magisk method.

Now as per the regulations in the United States, Samsung cannot fit its own Exynos processor into USA carrier variants. Hence the carrier bound S8 phones like AT&T, T-Mobile, etc. run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor instead. Moreover, with the absence of the Snapdragon Kernel sources, achieving root access became even more tedious.

However, thanks to contributorย SamPWND, the root has now been achieved on the Snapdragon S8/S8+ processors on the USA carrier networks like AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.ย These variants include model numbers SM-G950U, SM-G9550, SM-G950U1, SM-G955U1.ย Now this procedure does not include the usual flashing the SuperSU package using the custom TWRP recovery. Neither does it come with CFAR binaries. It involves flashing a modified stock firmware and manually pushing Superuser files accessing the ADB shell.

We have already listed the root procedure for the Snapdragon processors of S8 earlier, but that was purely for the Chinese models. Even TWRP is available for these variants. The USA variants still needed some tinkering in order to root, until today, the root has been achieved. See the procedure below.

Download files to root Samsung S8 and S8+ on USA variants

Following are some of the files you will need to root your S8 device. It consists of 4 file firmware package, a super user package, a system root script, and 2 versions of Odin tool.

Galaxy S8 root filesย SM-G950U/G9550

Galaxy S8+ root filesย SM-G955U1/G955U1

Full stock firmware files

In case you need the stock firmware, here it is.

See: How to flash stock firmware onto Samsung S8?

Read: Restore S8/S8+ to stock

Part 1: How to root Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ on USA variants Snapdragon?

  • Download all the files for your specific device from above such as theย SamPWND_S8_4File_Firm, theย SamPWND_S8.zip,ย and theย systemroot.zip,ย Odin Prince Comsyย andย the regular Odin files to your PC.
  • Make sure your PC has ADB and Fastboot environment setup. Also enable USB debugging on your phone along with OEM unlock.
  • Now, extract theย SamPWND_S8 Firmware package and SystemRoot to your desired destination or were the ย ADB is setup. You will find 4 files in the firmware package.
  • Now extract and run the Odin Prince Comsyย tool as administrator.
  • Now add the S8 firmware files in their respective slots (BL goes in BL, AP in AP, CP in CP and CSC in CSC)
  • In Odin options select โ€“ Auto Reboot, Re-Partition, F. Reset Time, Nand Erase All, and Phone Bootloader Update (This will wipe the device).
  • Now reboot Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ into Download mode. To do so, turn off your phone and press and hold the keys โ€“ Power + Volume Down + Bixby. When you see the warning screen, hit Volume Up.
  • Now connect S8 to PC via USB cable and check for connection in Odin tool.
  • Hit Start in Odin to begin flashing the firmware.
  • Once the installation completes, reboot device into recovery mode. Now select reboot system now.
  • You can choose to complete the setup wizard at first boot and accept device RSA Keys, to authorize ADB. (If you loose the popup, then disconnect and reconnect the phone.)
  • Open the SystemRoot.zip downloaded in step one, and extract it to your ADB folder. you have setup the quick installer, then you can place it anywhere on PC.
  • Open a command prompt or terminal window on PC in the root folder. Simply type cmd in address bar and hit enter.
  • Itโ€™s time to flash the system root script. Check ADB connection by issuing the follwoing command:

adb devices

  • Later puch the system root file into device root. Issue the follwoing command in terminal:

adb push systemroot /data/local/tmp/systemroot

  • Once complete enter adb shell, type:

adb shell

  • Once in the shell type:

chmod -R 0777 /data/local/tmp

  • The next step could be a little tricky.ย Type:

setsid su

Note:ย The output will look like this: dreamqltesq:/ $ /system/bin/sh: No controlling tty: open /dev/tty: No such device or address
/system/bin/sh: warning: wonโ€™t have full job control), you will then be in a very unstable root shell

  • To make the shell stable, you must type exit. This will drop you into a stable root shell. However, this may take a few tries as most commands sent to the unstable shell are returned as gibberish.

The shell itself will continue to change from standard user to root user once you press the enter key. This will continue until exit command runs successfully and you are dropped into the stable shell.

Note: Since the shell is changing from user to root after each command, the exit command must be executed while the shell is root. Otherwise, instead of dropping to a root shell, you will drop to a user shell and have to begin with setsid su again)

  • Once the stable root shell is achieved, type the following:

echo /data/local/tmp/systemroot/remount2.sh > /sys/kernel/uevent_helper

Note:ย This will remount system and rootfs as r/w

  • Wait 10 sec and type: mount (confirm that system is mounted as r/w)
  • Now we will execute the script, type:

sh /data/local/tmp/systemroot/root.sh

Note: There will be some errors displayed back to you in adb, donโ€™t worry about them everything is going accordingly.

  • Once the script has finished its work, your device will reboot.

You will now achieve root access.

However, at this point, the root wonโ€™t be stable. To make the most out of the root, see part two.

Part 2:ย Root Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ on USA variants Snapdragon

Although, the part 2 of this procedure is optional, it is highly recommended that you go through this for more stability. However, if you choose to skip, thatโ€™s ok. By now you should already have root access.

  • Now, downloadย a stock firmware of your choice from above and extract the system.img.ext4 from it.
  • Transfer the SuperSUย file from download section. For the Samsung Galaxy S8, you will already find the SamPWND_S8.zip. For S8 Plus, you will find the SuperSU zip.
  • Now connect your device to PC and transfer the two files into your deviceโ€™s inter storage or sdcard.
  • Install Flashfire from the Play Store.
  • Open flashfire and grant root permissions. You must do it in airplane mode enabled. Exit flashfire
  • Open SuperSU, go to settings, scroll to the bottom, and enable pro features. Reopen SuperSU, select Flashfire, and force user ROOT.
  • Open flashfire again, and select flash firmware package. Choose the file system.img.ext4.ย When you select it a window pops up.Only select mount as R/W then click the check mark in top right.
  • Press the + sign again and select Flash Zip or OTA. Selectย SamPWND_G950U.zip for S8 and supersu.zip for S8+.
  • Select WIPE option. Make sure the top 3 options are selected, press the check in the right hand corner.
  • In the next step, the order is very important. There is a specific order for flashing. From top to bottom select- WIPE first, then Flash Firmware Package, and at the end Flash ZIP or OTA. If you donโ€™t see this order, hold down on wipe like it is an app and drag it to the top of the list. Be sure of the order before pressing the flash button.
  • Press the Flash button.
  • Select EverRoot from main screen and under options disable inject SuperSU.
  • Press the lightning bolt to begin flashing, and wait for your device to reboot

Thatโ€™s it. You are now on a stable root. The down side is you won;t be able to update your phone because then you will have to go through the procedure again.

When the phone reboots into system, if you see any issues with the CSC file, just take a CSC file from the stock firmware such as a Home CSC from a U1 firmware and and flash it through the CSC slot in ODIN tool.

Source: S8, S8 Plus


Sarang Avatar

One response


  1. tbonepl Avatar
    tbonepl

    Your directions call for “OEM Unlock” the US S8 Samsung phone. This is impossible as the manufacture does not offer this option in their bootloader. So, either you did this on an international phone or the reader needs to know this will not work on the US model as you stated. Sorry!

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