[Galaxy Note 3 General] kaliyaakakallu1:
Note: There are a lot of guides all over XDA-Fourm for the things that i am going to share in this thread, I am just trying to get all the things at one place and in easy manner, so i request you to please don't ask why another thread :). I have mirrored all the files in this thread to my own Drive links so that it would be available till i die ;) , you can find the original links in References at the end.

I am just a normal user, been through all of the things mentioned below just like many of you, but there are still users who are new to all these stuff. So i thought of getting all the things at one place and write the steps in a layman's language.If there is something wrong and needs to be changed, do mention that.

This guide is for the Exynos version of Samsung Galaxy Note 3 only which includes:

How to Root

How to Install recovery

How to Flash a new ROM

How to install Xposed on TouchWiz based ROMs (5.0 and 5.0.2)

How to Reset KNOX & Revert to Stock (to claim warranty)

Downloads:

1. Odin v3.07(odin application- needed to flash stuff)

2. USB Drivers(drivers for windows)

3. 'CF-Auto-Root' file by [MENTION=631273]Chainfire[/MENTION](to root)

4. Bootloader to Reset KNOX counter

5. TWRP Recovery (Use this when you have to flash CM based ROMS)

6. CWM 6.0.7.0 OR Philz Touch 6.47.7 (use these when you have to flash TouchWiz based ROMs)

7. Stock Firmware - from Sammobile Mirror for N900XXUEBOE3_N900ODDEBOB2_INS.zip (Indian Version)

8. XposedInstaller_3.0_alpha4 (Tried and tested)

9. xposed-v65-sdk21-arm-arter97-V5-generic OR xposed-v75-sdk21-arm-arter97-exynos.zip (Works with the latest N900ZSUEBOK3 firmware)

Step 0. Backup

Take backup of your contents (contacts, messages, images, videos, etc.)

Step 1. Getting things ready

Download & Extract and Install USB Drivers 1.5.20.

Download & Extract Odin v3.07.

Download CF-Auto-Root-ha3g-ha3gxx-smn900.tar.md5 (make sure you get a file with .md5 extension).

Step 2. Connection

Run Odin on your PC (as administrator).

Turn off your phone.

Keeping the volume down and home button pressed, turn on your phone.

Get into download mode by pressing volume up after you are asked on the phone screen.

After all the above, connect phone with USB cable to PC.

One of the box will turn yellow and confirm that the phone is connected

Step 3. Root (KNOX will show change in counter, but you can always reset that when you need to claim warranty)

Choose PDA in Odin and select the .md5 file extracted in step 1 (don't change anything else in odin)

Press “Start”, the process will complete in few seconds and phone will automatically restart.

Congrats!! You rooted your phone, you will get a SuperSu app in the app drawer.

Step 4. Custom Recovery

In Odin choose PDA and select any of the two recovery as per your need:

twrp-2.8.7.0-ha3g.tar

OR

n900-cwm6.0.7.0.tar (philz zip file is not odin compatible, you can flash it within the recovery)

the press “Start”

Step 4.1 Full Backup (Similar to Restore Point - only after flashed a custom recovery)

Turn off the phone

Keeping the volume up and home button pressed, turn on the phone, you will get to recovery.

Go to Backup & Restore and choose backup to sdcard or backup to extSdCard (will take about 10-15 minutes)

Now you have a restore point, you can go back to this state whenever you want.

Step 5. Flashing a new ROM (if you want to)

Although you must always refer the individual ROM thread as they may have some different steps, but this is a general way to flash a ROM

Download the ROM (zip file) and copy to internal/external storage on your phone.

Turn off the phone

Keeping the volume up and home button pressed, turn on the phone, you will get to recovery.

Follow as per your choice of clean or dirty flash (in the Note)

Then choose install zip, select your ROM, then “yes”

reboot the phone.

Done. You have a new ROM

Note: Clean install/flash means - wipe data/factory reset, wipe cache, wipe dalvik cache (sometimes wipe system too) then install ROM.

Dirty install/flash means – direct install without wiping any partition

Step 6. Install Xposed -only for 5.0 or 5.0.2 ROMS (if you want to, you will need a deodexed rom, won't work on stock odexed roms)

Download the XposedInstaller_3.0_alpha4 & xposed-v65-sdk21-arm-arter97-V5-generic and copy both the files to your phone (internal or sd-card).

Install the XposedInstaller_3.0_alpha4.apk but don't run the app.

Restart your phone into Recovery Mode. (turn off then pressing volume up + home and turn on)

choose install a zip, select the xposed-v65-sdk21-arm-arter97-V5-generic.zip or xposed-v75-sdk21-arm-arter97-exynos.zip

reboot your phone. (you will get android is upgrading which will take a while)

Step 7. Revert to stock with KNOX counter as 0x0 and system state as Official (you can claim warranty comfortably)

a. Download and Extract the bootloader.zip

b. Run Odin

c. Turn off your phone.

d. Keeping the volume down and home button pressed, turn on your phone.

e. Get into download mode by pressing volume up after you are asked on the phone screen.

f. Connect phone with USB cable to PC.

g. Choose PDA in Odin and select the Bootloader.tar file. (don't change anything else on odin)

h. Press “Start”, the process will complete in few seconds and phone will automatically restart.

i. Go to download mode and check if the Knox has turned back to 0.

j. Now choose PDA on odin and select the official firmware (download from the above provided link) and press Start

k. After completion of the process let the device start but don't setup the device, just turn it off.

l. Reboot to stock recovery by pressing vol up + home + power and wipe data/cache and flash the firmware again, once flashing the firmware is completed enter download mode and check if current binary and system status has turned to official. If not repeat the process from step j.

Credits & References:

1. Reference Guide to Reset KNOX thanks to [MENTION=5374564]RuchRha[/MENTION]

2. Reference to all the three recoveries thanks to [MENTION=6130775]uzairabdulmajeed[/MENTION]

3. SamMobile for stock firmware links

4. OdinDownloads for odin and drivers

5. Working Xposed for 5.0 & 5.0.2 based roms thanks to [MENTION=4898097]arter97[/MENTION] (i have not tried newer versions)

6. Thanks to the whole XDA Community, we all are connected because of it.