[Galaxy Tab 4 General] mac231us:
The following is an outcome of an initial post I put up in Q&A regarding achieving root on the SM-T235 for the 5.1.1 Stock Rom (and subsequent questions and dialog with other forum members on issues) I have tried to clean up the posts here but am retaining most of them as it shows the issues other users went through (and feedback perhaps useful to some) The TWRP version is key here and it is what was seen as enabling correct flashing of the SU zip to achieve root. So hope this helps!

I used the following firmware today as a demonstration (have tried now all available 5.1.1 firmwares (successfully) except the DBT which does not flash fully for some reason)

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=24269982087020611

which is AUT-T235XXU1BOH7-20151217085736.zip

ROMs are available here

http://xdaforums.com/tab-4/general/links-galaxy-tab-4-official-lollipop-5-t3102844

I took out external sd (so NO EXTERNAL SD..no linkstosd nothing of the sort)

(TO NOTE-I simply took out the external SD and worked with just the internal storage for THIS demonstration to weed out the issue as other members posting on my original thread were not able to achieve the root I was able to get-it is not absolutely necessary and you could have your SU zip and any other files on the external SD however it is a good idea to keep it simple initially)

SO...I went to TWRP

TWRP is the one attached here in this post (from the thread below but may be different as the OP got updated-however the one I have attached works!)

http://xdaforums.com/tab-...a1-sm-t3027059

You will see in this post that has a picture of the previous OP, the file name is what I have

http://xdaforums.com/show...1&postcount=52

anyway, not sure if there are any differences but am using what works for me (the attached file)

So i did the following which may contain extra or unnecessary steps-no harm though in doing them-as I was trying to demonstrate the rooting process relative to issues other forum posters were having

(EDIT-VERIFIED-you could simply start at step 4 below where you go into download mode to flash the rom (but have the SU zip on external SD card unless it is already in the internal sdcard) and also uncheck autoreboot in Odin (do NOT check repartition!) so that once the rom has been flashed you do not have to boot up the rom, but then reset odin, again go to download mode, again uncheck autoreboot, flash TWRP, then go to recovery (do not boot rom), and flash SU zip and then only boot up-thanks frenkie9999999)

Otherwise this is what I did

1) complete wipe data, cache, system, dalvik all 2 times just for good measure

2) format internal sd (note NO external sd card) (no SIM either but that is because I need my phone working during this process and my SIM is on the T705)

3) reboot to download (do NOT install SU by twrp)

4) Used odin 1.85

5) flash the rom above (or the country firmware of your choice)

6) once device boots up do not connect to anything NO google, no wireless nothing

7) just go to settings, enable development and usb debugging (just what I do normally and mock locations) and in security allow for unknown sources, in google settings I uncheck ALL options

8) do not set up anything else

9) connect device to the laptop

10) copied over the beta 2.65 latest chainfire and root explorer apk that I have (to internal storage...see pictures...I do not have anything else in the internal card, and do not have any external card)

Chainfire's SU zip is from (credits to him for his awesome work for many many years now)

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=64161125&postcount=3

credit goes to K94U for this post that helped me achieve root on the T235 (not my original work as such but just listing the steps here as there were no explicit instructions for the T235)

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=64182938&postcount=15

11) disconnected device from the laptop

12) went to download mode

13) odin 1.85 again and this time the TWRP recovery I have attached

14) did not let it boot up.,,,forced it to recovery by first pressing power, vol down and home to get to the choice of download or continue to reboot...

15) chose continue to reboot

16) immediately switched to power, vol up and home to get to TWRP

17) flashed the SU zip

18) do not install SU as prompted by TWRP

19) let it reboot

20) found SU in the installed apps in launcher

21) opened up SU and checked the options I want

that was it...opened root explorer and sure enough have root

Google may prompt accept. decline check apps...I always decline and then go to google settings and uncheck those pesky secuirty options as well (if not done already)

the TWRP version is important as the one I have attached works for the purpose of flashing the SU zip to get root correctly

here are the screenshots and the TWRP tar