Root [ROOT] Virgin Mobile Security Update Now Rooted!!! Thanks jcase!!

[JerryScript]

Great news everyone!
An incredible developer at xda, handle = jcase, has helped me to root the security udpate from Virgin Mobile​

Instructions for manual installation of the root exploit for the security update are here:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/op...date-now-rooted-thanks-jcase.html#post1671696
and here:
forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=23984842

Please thank jcase at xda for this exploit, and for putting in the time to root a phone he doesn't even own!!! Might consider a small donation too.

To everyone who helped by offering their phone, time, and knowledge, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Take that VM!

 

[JerryScript]

*reserved for second set of instructions*

 

[cammykool]

woo hoo! but wait wont it not affect anyone on a custom ROm anyways? or does the radio help or something

 

[ron scubadiver]

woo hoo! but wait wont it not affect anyone on a custom ROm anyways? or does the radio help or something

The radio update can be flashed separately to a phone running IHO. There are other threads on this topic because if not done right the phone will be bricked.

 

[JerryScript]

Instructions for manual installation of the root exploit are up!

I will be making this into a one-click solution over the next few days, will post details when it's ready.

 

[DonMiguel]

Just curious, what exactly does this update do?

 

[markzombie82]

People on sdx developers in the intercept 2.2 are having the same problem. Do you think that this would help them. Their update is quite similar.

 

[JerryScript]

People on sdx developers in the intercept 2.2 are having the same problem. Do you think that this would help them. Their update is quite similar.

Probably. The exploit is generic enough, it will probably work on most devices.

 

[markzombie82]

Awesome I will let them know

 

[nightspd]

Just curious, what exactly does this update do?

I'd like to know too

 

[JerryScript]

Read the Virgin Mobile FAQ for the Optimus V.

It installs a newer version of our phones stock firmware (ROM), a basic version of Android recovery, and an updated radio (ZV9).

The reason it was hard to root is because the normal exploits were patched by VM, so you can't use Gingerbreak or SuperOneClick to root this update. They also included a method of re-writing the recovery from the boot.img file each time the phone reboots. So if you did manage to root it, it would overwrite the recovery once you rebooted (and rebooting is usually necessary for most root exploits).

What we have done is use an exploit that takes advantage of a flaw in the booting process itself (init). We symlink the recovery partition to a folder that is given read/write permissions by the boot process. Once we reboot, the magick works for long enough to flash a new recovery. We then install a modified version of the SuperUser flashable zip file, that re-writes the file that was used by VM to re-write the recovery. Ta-Da, Root!

 

[markzombie82]

How long will it take them to learn? Don't mess with you guys there is always a way. Seriously when are we going to buy a device and not have to crack it to make it ours. Just for conversations sake

 

[nightspd]

I'm assuming it doesn't affect phones already rooted?

 

[nijel]

Of course it does. You are replacing rooted rom with not rooted and patched against rooting rom.

 

[MacFett]

I'm assuming it doesn't affect phones already rooted?

Only if you apply the new update from Virgin. Otherwise, no it won't have an effect upon your mobile.

 

[ron scubadiver]

IMO it is bizarre that the stock recovery now rewrites itself. If anything goes wrong there, it is brick time.

 

[chuckconnors]

I'm pretty dense. Do I need to do this if I've already have IHO on my phone? Does the update provide any benefits as far as the phone's performance goes? Would I only experience a problem if I restored the stock os and then I might not be able to get root access again?

 

[AndyOpie150]

chuckconners. This fix is for those that are rooted who got curious and installed the security update and lost root. It will also work for non rooted users that installed it and later decide they want to root their phone.

If you did not install the security update (the stock Froyo OS is a security nightmare) and are rooted with a custom Gingerbread ROM, don't.

Leslie Ann pulled the radio image from the update and turned it into a flashable zip. That you can do.

 

[jage]

How do you NOT install the security update? ...I mean, is there a setting for not updating or will there be a request screen at some point, or do you have to go out and specifically get the security update?

Just so I don't fubar my BACKside cyanogen...

 

[JerryScript]

Don't worry, you have to download it from VirginMobile's website and manually install it.

If you do nothing, you will be fine.

 

[ron scubadiver]

How do you NOT install the security update? ...I mean, is there a setting for not updating or will there be a request screen at some point, or do you have to go out and specifically get the security update?

Just so I don't fubar my BACKside cyanogen...

You don't have to do anything. Don't download the zip from VM.