[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Questions & Answers] flushback666:
So here are my experiences with rooting the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) with S Pen (SM-P205)

First of all i am not responsible for any damages or data loss of your devices. So be aware that you could brick your device!

I tested this on a Samsung Galaxy Tab A with SPEN LTE SM-205. The procedure should be the same for the SM-P200 as this procedure is a general Samsug procedure for 2019 Devices.

But since i dont have one. I cant test this.

As no twrp recovery exists for this device be very carefull!

Before you begin make a backup of your internal storage as it gets deleted several times during this procedure!!!!

Therefore it could be handy to also use a sdcard(wont get deleted) for copying files to/from the device.

But it can also be done without. This howto is based on the magisk manual from topjohnwu.

https://topjohnwu.github.io/Magisk/install.html (Samsung System-as-root Section)

Tools needed:

Firmware of your device

Odin3_v3.13.1 Link thanks to Life Companion

Magisk Manager Link thanks to topjohnwu

Samfirm (deprecated but works) Link thanks to zxz0O0

1. Do a software update to the newest version of the firmware.

At the time writing this is P205DXU2ASH2 for my Samsung Galaxy Tab A with SPen LTE (SM-P205)

2. Find out what firmware your device is using and also what's is the region / CSC of your device.

To do that go to settings/About Tablet/Software Information/

Baseband version:

e.g. P205DXU2ASH2

Next Step scroll down to "Service providewr SW ver." and look at your CSC in the last line:

eg. XME/XME/XME -> CSC is XME (Malaysia)

3. Now its time to download the correspondending firnmware for your device. Use SamFirm Tool to download your firmware (Check "Auto". Type in your Model (SM-P205 and your CSC) and download or download it

from the usual Samsung Firmware Download Pages

(eg. SamMobile.com etc)

4. Unzip the downloaded Firwmare with 7zip

5. You will now have 5 Files beginning with their names: AP,BL,CP,CSC and HOME_CSC

These are ODIN flashable files.

6. Download and install the current magisk manager to our device. Also copy the AP File to your devices internal memory or sdcard. Best method for copying is using adb.

Start magisk and click on install. Press a second time install and choose "Select and Patch a File" Choose your copied AP file. Magisk will now patch the image and inject itself.

The patched file can now be found in your Download directory of your internal memory. Its name is magisk_patched.tar. Copy it over to your PC. Again best method is using adb for copying.

7. Bootloader Unlocking:

Quote from the magisk documentation from topjohnwu:

Download Mode Key Combo: Vol + and Vol -

8. Next step will be flashing the patched image to your device. We will use 3 of the files from the original stock firmware files you downloaded except for the AP File.

But first click on Options and disable Auto Reboot! After that click on BL and choose correspondending File beginning with BL from the unziped original stock firmwarefiles you downloaded.

For the AP file we will choose the patched magisk image magisk_patched.tar we copied over from our device. For CP and CSC choose the CP and HOME_CSC files. USERDATA will not be used.

9. So now its time to flash your device. First connect the device to the PC. Without connection it will not get into download mode. Boot your device in download mode by first turning it off.

Turn it on by pressing the power button and if it turns on immediately press Vol + and Vol - after relasing the power button and hold it until you see the Download Mode Screen.

If you dont't get it try the fellowing: Turn on the device with power button. Hold Vol - and Power and wait about 7 secs until the display turn black. Imidiantly press Vol Vol + and Vol - and hold until you see the download mode

screen. Press Vol+ to activate Download Mode.

Back in Odin its now time to flash your device.

Press all finger and begin flashing by pressing "Start".

The flash process is finshed as you see the a green "Pass" in the left upper corner.

10. As of now you have to boot into recovery everytime to start your device into a rooted system. Be aware of this and avoid booting the device without pressing the key combination for the recovery. This must be

done everytime you turn it on or after every reboot of the device. If you forget this the device will boot into a non rooted system and samsungs security could make your device unusuable and you

have to flash the device again and losing all data.

So now press Vol - and Power for about 7 secs to reboot the device. Immediately press Vol + and Power. Hold it and wait until you see the stock recovery. It will

possibly show Ereasing data and reboot after that. Press again Vol + and Power and hold it until you will now see the recovery menu. Select Wipe data/factory reset with the Vol + and Vol - Buttons and confirm

with the power button.

After that reboot the device and press the recovery key combo again but now release it shortly after you see the Samsung Logo a second time. Wait until it is booted and do the initial

setup. Install Magisk Manager again.

When you start it it should show a message that it should have to do some further setups and will reboot the device.

Confirm that and wait until it reboots as you now have to press the key combo for booting

into recovery again. Release it as the Samsung Logo comes up a second time. So you see. This is a important step pressing this key combo.

11. So after the reboot your device should now be rooted. Check that by starting magisk manager.

Again this tutorial is based on the magisk documentation. So all credits go to topjohnwu.

flushb