[Q] Which is it I9300 or T999 - Galaxy S III Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I really hope someone can help. I have been reading XDA for a few years and had 1 thread and always read before asking. I recently purchased a Samsung Galaxy S3 I9300 from Amazon. I never had any problems with there service. I am from the US and am overseas for the next year. I had someone bring the phone to me. I decided to root my phone thinking it was an i9300 because that whats written on the back and also what it said inside the phone (settings-about phone).
GT-I9300
Android v 4.1.1
Firmware Build ID JRO03L
Firmware Build PDA I9300ZSEMC
Firmware Region TGY
When I first plugged in the usb to my laptop I noticed that it was trying to install T999 drivers I was confused for a moment until it installed I9300 drivers. I then used CF-auto root , which to my surprise didn't work. So I tried Cf auto Root for T999 and again I was surprised...it worked. I then installed a app called CPU-identifier from google play store. I started it up and again to my surprise it said that my phone had S4 snapdragon 1.5 dual core, 2GB RAM inside - this was 3 days ago. Last night I had the S3 plugged in and was pasting Hyperdrive Rom to my SD card and I was about to flash. I rebooted my phone to TWRP 2.5( I had installed that one ) I was in and out of there multiple time for the past few days with no FC's. My phone just cut off... I retried to boot it and nothing. Tried download mode(volume down,menu and power) tried recovery (volume up, menu and power). When I plug it in without battery the red light comes on for a couple of minutes. Also when I plug it to my laptop it makes the reading noise but does not actually read anything. I tried reinstalling the drivers a few times.
I just don't understand why and also I can't figure out why it says it is an i9300 but has the S4 snapdragon processor. By the way even An-Tu-Tu say that it has S4 snapdragon inside. My 2 questions are 1) Is it possible to fix this? 2) Is it possible to have an I9300 with the S4 processor inside? Being that I'm 8000 miles from America I have no way of taking it back. Any help would be appreciated. I've also read about "sudden death" is this a possibility? Sorry for the long thread, just wanted to give all information.

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http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1757755
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S_III
What GPU does it have ??that may identify as above links show models .

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ggsnyder0318 said:
I really hope someone can help. I have been reading XDA for a few years and had 1 thread and always read before asking. I recently purchased a Samsung Galaxy S3 I9300 from Amazon. I never had any problems with there service. I am from the US and am overseas for the next year. I had someone bring the phone to me. I decided to root my phone thinking it was an i9300 because that whats written on the back and also what it said inside the phone (settings-about phone).
GT-I9300
Android v 4.1.1
Firmware Build ID JRO03L
Firmware Build PDA I9300ZSEMC
Firmware Region TGY
When I first plugged in the usb to my laptop I noticed that it was trying to install T999 drivers I was confused for a moment until it installed I9300 drivers. I then used CF-auto root , which to my surprise didn't work. So I tried Cf auto Root for T999 and again I was surprised...it worked. I then installed a app called CPU-identifier from google play store. I started it up and again to my surprise it said that my phone had S4 snapdragon 1.5 dual core, 2GB RAM inside - this was 3 days ago. Last night I had the S3 plugged in and was pasting Hyperdrive Rom to my SD card and I was about to flash. I rebooted my phone to TWRP 2.5( I had installed that one ) I was in and out of there multiple time for the past few days with no FC's. My phone just cut off... I retried to boot it and nothing. Tried download mode(volume down,menu and power) tried recovery (volume up, menu and power). When I plug it in without battery the red light comes on for a couple of minutes. Also when I plug it to my laptop it makes the reading noise but does not actually read anything. I tried reinstalling the drivers a few times.
I just don't understand why and also I can't figure out why it says it is an i9300 but has the S4 snapdragon processor. By the way even An-Tu-Tu say that it has S4 snapdragon inside. My 2 questions are 1) Is it possible to fix this? 2) Is it possible to have an I9300 with the S4 processor inside? Being that I'm 8000 miles from America I have no way of taking it back. Any help would be appreciated. I've also read about "sudden death" is this a possibility? Sorry for the long thread, just wanted to give all information.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By the description you are giving that ur s3 has a snapdragon s4 processor ,a 2 gb ram it has to be a north american version(as u specified T999) because the int s3(i9300) has an 1.4ghz quad core processor with 1gb of ram so basically you cannot have an i9300 with a snapdragon s4 processor. i think it is the software as u say it shows i9300 in the settings but the CF-Auto root worked for T999. This is a very strange case! But if it is the hardware then u definitely cannot fix it (That is you cannot change the processor or the ram).But anyways it has to be the software ...ill try finding for similar cases and then leave some links for u to check .

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SkywalkerZ said:
By the description you are giving that ur s3 has a snapdragon s4 processor ,a 2 gb ram it has to be a north american version(as u specified T999) because the int s3(i9300) has an 1.4ghz quad core processor with 1gb of ram so basically you cannot have an i9300 with a snapdragon s4 processor. i think it is the software as u say it shows i9300 in the settings but the CF-Auto root worked for T999. This is a very strange case! But if it is the hardware then u definitely cannot fix it (That is you cannot change the processor or the ram).But anyways it has to be the software ...ill try finding for similar cases and then leave some links for u to check .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your quick response and any help would be great. I forgot to mention that in both cases where I tried to boot into download mode and recovery didn't work. I now think my phone may be bricked because when i plug it into PC it tries to install (QHSUSB_DLOAD). I googled it and they stated that when it does this it is bricked. I have no way to send to America to fix it. I just don't understand how that it is possible to get European phone with SGH T999 hardware-software.... very strange.
Another thing...if I can get odin to recognize it which firmware do I install, I9300 or T999? I believe that I need T999 because both An-Tu-Tu and CPU Identifier Id both came back with Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 Adreno 225. Thank for your time

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Another quick question if I just successfully unbricked my fully bricked phone using debicked SGH t999 img file does that mean my firmware should be t999? Look at the following screen shots 2 were taken before the brick and 2 were taken a few minutes age. Any other answers for the confused Galaxy I own? Is this a normal thing a European I9300 with a T999 hardware and I9300 software? Someone please explain what to do now in Odin. Do I need to flash what my setting say? And if I do flash for I9300 won't it brick because of the CPU being Qualcomm Snapdragon S4? HELP ME! This has been driving me nuts....

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JJEgan said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1757755
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S_III
What GPU does it have ??that may identify as above links show models .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Adreno 225

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Does it have a pull out aerial .

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JJEgan said:
Does it have a pull out aerial .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What in the world is that? Antenna?

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ggsnyder0318 said:
What in the world is that? Antenna?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

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rootSU said:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I spent the last 18 hrs reading XDA and they have nothing to answer my question. That's why I'm asking on this thread. I rooted all my phones using XDA and have never bricked anything until now. Had one other thread til now. If you can't answer my question...you don't need to respond. I have read almost everything on I9300 and T999 didn't find no answers. If you can help I would love it if you can answer my question about what hardware to use now. Sense this thead I unbricked my phone. I hope you can help

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ggsnyder0318 said:
I spent the last 18 hrs reading XDA and they have nothing to answer my question. That's why I'm asking on this thread. I rooted all my phones using XDA and have never bricked anything until now. Had one other thread til now. If you can't answer my question...you don't need to respond. I have read almost everything on I9300 and T999 didn't find no answers. If you can help I would love it if you can answer my question about what hardware to use now. Sense this thead I unbricked my phone. I hope you can help
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Click to collapse
You asked what is that and where shown a picture of what it is . What the f wrong with that .
I did ask the question for a very significant reason re the actual phone model and a previous similar post .
But after your post forget it you can go on the ignore list .

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ggsnyder0318 said:
I spent the last 18 hrs reading XDA and they have nothing to answer my question. That's why I'm asking on this thread. I rooted all my phones using XDA and have never bricked anything until now. Had one other thread til now. If you can't answer my question...you don't need to respond. I have read almost everything on I9300 and T999 didn't find no answers. If you can help I would love it if you can answer my question about what hardware to use now. Sense this thead I unbricked my phone. I hope you can help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You asked what a pull out aerial is. The picture shows what a pull out aerial is. Ask a question, get an answer. That's how it works. Don't start getting cheeky now.
You have NOT got an i9300 as your hardware differs, ergo we cannot help.

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JJEgan said:
You asked what is that and where shown a picture of what it is . What the f wrong with that .
I did ask the question for a very significant reason re the actual phone model and a previous similar post .
But after your post forget it you can go on the ignore list .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
put me on you ignore list ...you didn't help anyway. All you had to say was yes use the I9300 firmware or yes use the T999 firmware. Instead you wasted around 60 words and didn't help at all.

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rootSU said:
You asked what a pull out aerial is. The picture shows what a pull out aerial is. Ask a question, get an answer. That's how it works. Don't start getting cheeky now.
You have NOT got an i9300 as your hardware differs, ergo we cannot help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't getting cheeky, I'm frustrated... but i guess you finally answered me in the end. This whole thing could have been resolved 3 or 4 posts back. Thanks

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ggsnyder0318 said:
I wasn't getting cheeky, I'm frustrated... but i guess you finally answered me in the end. This whole thing could have been resolved 3 or 4 posts back. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jje wanted to give you the answer "it's not an i9300, its xxxxxxx" but as he didn't get an answer about the aerial, he gave up on getting you the full answer. So it's been left as a half answer.
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Pls Help
I'm facing the same problem i.e. settings>about device> says GT-I9300 while I go into download mode it says SGH-T999. All I want to confirm now is this:-
1) Can I root it using methods mentioned in xda forums of Galaxy S3 T-mobile i.e. here : http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3-t-mobile ?
2)Can I install this ROM : http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2176768 ?
EDIT : I rooted the phone using link 1, Now should I go for the roms mentioned in T-mobile S3 forum? Should I install the modem also?