[Galaxy Note 3 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Dardwizzle:
Hi Guys,

First, I beg of you not to say RTFM on similar questions here regarding this. I have read them, and read them in their entirety. The problem I have is that none of them list how to get me though my issues on my Galaxy Note 3 SM-N900A.

My problem is that I (as many others) really want to upgrade to the Kit Kat OTA released from AT&T a week or so ago. The thing is, I did root my device and as everyone know's this fails any OTA updates.

My question is two fold, but first I would like to explain that I rooted my device NOT for being able to install any custom ROM's. In fact I never had an interest in doing so as I actually like the stock OS's which right now I am still running 4.3. I rooted it specifically to be able to run network / packet sniffers on my own home network as a method to learn a little more about how things go over a network, seeing what I can learn and see if I can find any vulnerabilities. I also used it to try and clean bloat ware and other programs that with out root I can not uninstall or use, such as certain fast reboot apps. So, I really had no intention of using the Root to get me a custom ROM, as I wouldn't even know where to begin.

So my questions are this. Is there anyway that I can "un do" the root in order to let the device act as if it were never rooted? Or, is there anyway to force the OTA regardless of the device being rooted. My biggest fear is losing all the apps and files that I have on my device and I have never been able to get any kind of back up app to work, especially to restore anything from them.

I had read that one can use ODIN to flash the Kit Kat ROM, but while I have installed ODIN on my laptop, I am clueless on how to use it. I tried everything, but even with the USB drivers installed and working (I know this because plugged into the USB port, I am able to browse all the files on my device, yet ODIN continues to tell me that no device has been found.

Can someone please help me to understand what I need to do? Again, I don't care if I lose Root, I care that I don't lose all the stuff I spent months installing and getting my device where I want it. I really need someone to explain somethings to me as if I were a two year old, with out scalding me and making me feel like a complete idiot. I came here because everyone I have talked to told me that you guys would be the ones that could help me, and if you can't, then I am screwed and will have to just wipe the entire device and I just can't do that. I may wind up having to buy a new device and just transfer over what ever I can, however, in the mean time that is not an option.

To this end, I come begging for some serious help since I know you guys are the literal gods of Androids. If I must take some kind of custom ROM in order to get Kit Kat, I am somewhat willing, but I do not fully understand or know what ROM I would want to install as I have never in my life seen a custom ROM and what the benefits of having one are which is kind of why I really want to stick with the stock ROM and just keep getting the updates via OTA.

I have all the faith in the world you guys can help, I just don't know if anyone is willing to help since I know similar questions have been asked, but I do not know how to use what I learned for my particular device.

Thanks very much.

EU