Root Galaxy Note 2 N7100 on Android 4.4.2 KitKat and Install Philz Recovery

Samsung recently rolled out the much-awaited Android 4.4.2 KitKat update for the international variant of Galaxy Note 2 (GT-N7100) with a handful of improvements including faster UI performance, graphical enhancements and updated apps alongside a bunch of new features including Samsung's KNOX security.

Those who have already installed the latest official firmware from Samsung and want to restore root access on their device can follow our step-by-step guide given below.

Note: Rooting is essential to install third-party root apps, latest custom ROMs and system tweaks for optimum system performance.

IBTimes UK reminds its readers that it will not be held liable for any damage to device during or after root installation. Users are advised to proceed at their own risk.

Pre-requisites

1. Install necessary USB Drivers for Galaxy Note 2 N7100 on the computer.

2. USB Debugging Mode should be enabled on the phone by navigating to Settings >> Developer Options.

3. Back up your important data to avoid potential data loss during root installation.

4. Ensure the phone is factory unlocked (not locked to any specific carrier).

5. Verify Galaxy Note 2 has at least 80 percent battery charge.

6. The rooting tool provided in this guide is only compatible with Galaxy Note 2 (GT-N7100). Do not attempt installing it on incorrect variants as it may brick the device. Verify the model number of the Galaxy Note 2 by navigating to Settings >> About Phone.

Downloads Required

Odin v3.09

SuperSU update

Philz Touch Recovery for Note 2 N7100

Steps to Root Galaxy Note 2 N7100 Running on Android 4.4.2 KitKat Stock Firmware and Install Philz Touch Recovery

Copy the SuperSU update.zip file to your Galaxy Note 2.
Now power off your phone and boot it into the Download Mode by pressing and holding Volume Down, Home and Power buttons together. Hold the buttons until the screen powers on and the warning screen appears. Then tap Volume Up key to enter Download Mode.
Open the Odin folder and launch SuperSU.
Now connect your device to the computer via USB cable.
Wait until the "Added!" message appears in Odin and the ID:COM box turns light blue.
Click the AP button and choose philz_touch_6.26.6-n7100.tar.md5 file.
Uncheck the Auto Reboot option on Odin.
Now hit the Start button to begin root installation.
Wait until the installation completes and soon a PASS message with green background should appear in Odin. PhilZ CWM recovery has now been flashed to your phone.
Now unplug the USB cable, remove the back cover and take out the battery.
Wait for about 30 seconds before reinserting the battery.
Now boot the device into recovery mode. Press and hold Volume Up, Home and Power keys together until the display turns on and the Samsung logo flickers and disappears. Now release the Power button but continue holding other keys till your Note 2 boots into PhilZ recovery mode.
Browse to Install zip from sdcard option, navigate to UPDATE-SuperSU-vx.xx.zip and select it.
Confirm the installation and when the file is flashed to the device, return to the main menu in recovery.
Hit Reboot system button once the root installation is complete.

Your Galaxy Note 2 will reboot. Wait till it boots to the home screen and then go to the app drawer. Check for SuperUser app there and launch it. As Note 2 comes preinstalled with KNOX on it, you might see the following message:

"Samsung Knox has been detected. This might limit root capabilities and cause annoying popups. Try to disable KNOX."

Hit OK. You will now see the message KNOX has been successfully disabled. To further verify root access, download and install Root Checker app from Google Play store and run it.

Troubleshooting (courtesy XDA Developers)

Problem#1: If you keep getting SuperSu has stopped notifications constantly then follow these steps to fix:

Uninstall SuperSu (Dont worry you won't lose root access)
Now download SuperSu again from playstore
Doing this installs SuperSu on /data/app partition where it won't get stopped by KNOX

Problem#2: If Fix no1 doesn't work for you then try this out:

Download Terminal Emulator from the playstore.
Launch it and type the following code:

su
pm disable com.sec.knox.seandroid

Note: This will disable the Knox apps which prevent SuperSu from running

Problem#3: If none of the above steps work to disable Knox. Then try the following:

Using any Root Explorer go to /system / app & / system / priv-app and delete all the apps having the word Knox in it. Also delete their corresponding odex files.
This should work without fail. But doing this modifies your system partition and you may lose OTA functionality temporarily.

[Source: Droid Views]