[GUIDE][BASIC][WIP] Rooting and ROMs for Newbies!

TheBritton · Feb 24, 2013

ROOTING AND ROMS FOR NEWBIES (work in progress)

If you are still on stock you are on build FJ12, FL26, or GB28. Check under settings and phone information to see your build number.

First, make sure you have the Samsung USB drivers installed on your computer.
You may find those here: Samsung_USB_Driver_for_Mobile_Phones_v1.5.14.0.exe

If you want a rooted stock ROM experience, the ABSOLUTE EASIEST method is to use what is called the “One Click” methods. This is basically just like using Odin to flash a kernel, recovery, or modem but it is packaged into an easy to use Odin application. Another method is using "FramaRoot" which will be mentioned later.

ROOTING WITH ONE CLICKS:

BUILD GB28: In progress (3-29-13)
If you are on build GB28, you can install this ROOTED stock GB28 ROM. It has two options. Full data restore and no data restore. Full data restore will wipe all of your data and you will have to install applications, etc again unless you have backed up your information in some way. No Data restore will retain your data while installing the ROM. If you run into issues with the No Data restore, then you will want to do a full data restore and start from scratch.
[ROM][ODIN][TAR]SPH-D710VMUB GB28 (GB28 Modem/Kernel/ROM - Root/Stock)

Alternatively, you could install the GB28 Sprint repack found here and then use the recovery to flash SuperSU or Superuser. If you run into issues with the GB28 Agats repack after using it to flash SuperSU or Superuser, you can revert to the stock kernel/recovery found here. You will not lose root by reverting back to stock kernel/recovery. For instructions on how to install the GB28 repack kernel and other kernels follow the instructions in the third post.

BUILD FJ12:
If you are on build FJ12, you can install this ROOTED stock FJ12 ROM. It has two options. Full data restore and no data restore. Full data restore will wipe all of your data and you will have to install applications, etc again unless you have backed up your information in some way. No Data restore will retain your data while installing the ROM. If you run into issues with the No Data restore, then you will want to do a full data restore and start from scratch.
http://www.sxtpdevelopers.com/showthread.php?t=63

BUILD FL26:
If you are on build FL26, you have a few options. You can install the repack FL26 kernel with Agats found here:
http://www.sxtpdevelopers.com/showthread.php?t=120

For instructions how to install the above Agats FL26 or GB27 Repack Kernel (or any other kernel for that matter) visit the third post found here:
http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-...sic-wip-rooting-roms-noobies.html#post5572753

After installing the kernel, use that kernel to flash Superuser.zip which can be found here:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?iv8ru6bb0whui92

You will want to place the Superuser.zip file on your SD card and after installing the FL26 repack kernel, you will want to boot into recovery by holding the Volume Up while pressing power to boot the phone. Hold both buttons until Agats recovery is displayed and then follow the menu to install zip from SD card and then install the Superuser.zip file. Reboot the phone and you should have gained root access.

An alternative method of rooting which I have not tried, but others have claimed to work and may actually be an easier method than the OneClicks is something called FramaRoot. You can follow the thread on it here on AndroidForums at this link:
http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-4g-all-things-root/691514-one-button-root.html
And the link to the actual FramaRoot application on XDA as well as further information and direction can be found at this link:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2130276

ROMS

Okay, so you’re rooted and you want another ROM? Well, first everyone need to understand that unlike previous Virgin Mobile phones like the Optimus and Triumph, the kernel and recovery are INTERTWINED.. which basically means that if you install a ROM and then you decide you want an overclocking kernel, if you install that kernel you will install with it the recovery that it is packaged with! You cannot install the kernel and recovery independently. For example: if you are using ClockworkMod recovery but want a kernel that says it is an “Agats repack” it will in fact revert to Agats recovery and you will no longer have ClockworkMod!

Now.. The instructions for modifying Sprint ROMs to work on this phone seem to be all over the place. That is because unlike the Triumph, this phone has so much previous developer work from other carriers so most of the previously known customizations are for Sprint or T-Mobile which requires taking steps to modify the ROM to work which has proved to be VERY confusing for noobies.

So, I am going to start with ROMs that work “out of the box” on our device with full MMS, 3G, 4G, etc working completely.

LEAKED FL14 STOCK JELLYBEAN:

The FL14 rom is basically obsolete since the official Jellybean update GB28 has been released.

For a stock Jellybean experience, the guys over at SXTP developers have brought to us a leaked Jellybean 4.1 stock ROM which is just like the ROM which came on your phone (FJ12 or FL26) but it is Jellybean instead of ICS. There are a few known issues. One being that the LED notification light does not turn off after it is initiated by an incoming notification, so I had to turn mine off completely in settings. Second issue is that the custom recovery that comes with the repack kernel for this phone (installed seperately) has some issues with not letting paid apps update from Market. You will want to download the "alternate root method" FL14 OneClick which is listed in the second post of the thread or you will experience freezing issues with this ROM.

You can find the leaked FL14 Jellybean ROM here:
http://www.sxtpdevelopers.com/showthread.php?t=88

As with the FJ12 OneClick stock ROM, this leaked FL14 Jellybean ROM One Click also has two options. Full data restore and no data restore. Full data restore will wipe all of your data and you will have to install applications, etc again unless you have backed up your information in some way. No Data restore will retain your data while installing the ROM. If you run into issues with the No Data restore, then you will want to do a full data restore and start from scratch.
There is a custom kernel with Agats recovery for FL14 (this has known issues, mainly preventing paid apps from updating from Market, use at your own risk): http://www.sxtpdevelopers.com/showthread.php?t=117

CM10.1 Android 4.2.1 by b_randon14:
For those wanting to use CyanogenMod, b_randon14 has ported over CM10 for us! It has fully functional Visual Voicemail which the modified Sprint ROMs cannot offer us at this time as well as fully functional MMS that doesn’t require modification to work. Some very minor issues have been reported but it is a work in progress and I myself have not experienced any of the issues. It is easy to install. You will want to first get SOME kind of custom recovery on your phone. If you have FJ12 or FL26 on your phone right now you will want to install one of the repack kernels which comes with Agats recovery and then use that recovery to flash the CM10 zip.

Here are the OneClick repacks:
If you are on FJ12: http://www.sxtpdevelopers.com/showthread.php?t=110
If you are on FL26: http://www.sxtpdevelopers.com/showthread.php?t=120
If you are on GB28: http://www.sxtpdevelopers.com/showthread.php?t=191
Install the OneClick repack kernels.

For instructions on how to install these repack kernels visit the third post found here:
http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-...sic-wip-rooting-roms-noobies.html#post5572753

Then go to b_randon14’s CM10 thread found here:
http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-4g-all-things-root/687328-rom-4-2-1-jop40g-02-11-13-cm10-1-sph-d710vmub.html
Download his ZIP file and install with Agats recovery.

I will not cover ParanoidAndroid or other Sprint ROMs that people have managed to install on their phones at this time. I may at a later date. I just wanted to get this out there for people who have just got this phone and don’t know where to start. The All Things Root section for this phone is rather scattered. The Motorola Triumph had an advantage of all of its work being solely independent of itself and no other previous work on other carriers so the work started there and was found on no other previous carriers threads. The Galaxy S2 being previously on other carriers seems to have created some confusion since all of the known past development work has not been solely for Virgin Mobile but for other users so previous development has been modified which requires some extra knowledge for users new to Android.

This is a work in progress and please feel free to PM me any additional informations etc to add to this guide for “noobies”

TheBritton · Feb 24, 2013

TheBritton · Feb 24, 2013

The following is a Guide on how to install a custom kernel/recovery such as the Agats Repack Kernel mentioned above. The kernels can be found in the above previous post under "Library" and are also mentioned in the How-To Guides in the very first post.

HOW TO FLASH KERNELS USING ODIN:

First, make sure you have installed the Samsung USB drivers onto your computer that are found here: Samsung_E4GT_USB_Driver_v1_3_2360_0.exe
Odin3_v3.04 can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2133496

Download a custom kernel for your SGS2 in .tar format.
Turn off your smartphone
On your PC, launch the ODIN.exe file you unzipped from the prerequisites.
On ODIN, click the PDA section and select the .tar kernel you downloaded from step 1. Don't click anything else.
Place phone in download mode by pressing Volume Down + Power. Hold until confirmation screen appears. Confirm by pressing Volume +.
Connect your phone to the PC via USB cable
Check ODIN. A small box on the upper left should turn blue and the dialog box must display "Added!!"
Select "Start" and wait for it to finish. After it is complete, your SGS2 will reboot on its own. You now have a custom kernel flashed on your phone!

How To Check For A Successful Custom Kernel Installation

Go to Settings > About Phone > Kernel Version. It should coincide with the kernel you just flashed. Enjoy!

The following is a guide on how to flash modems using Odin. This can be helpful if you are installing CM10 or other ROMs and you have a modem that doesn't work and need to revert to a FJ12 or FL26 modem. The modems can be found in the above previous post under "Resources"

HOW TO FLASH MODEMS USING ODIN:

First, make sure you have installed the Samsung USB drivers onto your computer that are found here: Samsung_E4GT_USB_Driver_v1_3_2360_0.exe
Odin3_v3.04 can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2133496

Download a modem for your SGS2 in .tar format.
Turn off your smartphone
On your PC, launch the ODIN.exe file you unzipped from the prerequisites.
On ODIN, click the Phone section and select the .tar kernel you downloaded from step 1. Don't click anything else.
Place phone in download mode by pressing Volume Down + Power. Hold until confirmation screen appears. Confirm by pressing Volume +.
Connect your phone to the PC via USB cable
Check ODIN. A small box on the upper left should turn blue and the dialog box must display "Added!!"
Select "Start" and wait for it to finish. After it is complete, your SGS2 will reboot on its own. You now have a custom modem flashed on your phone!

How To Check For A Successful Custom Modem Installation

Go to Settings > About Phone > Baseband Version. It should coincide with the modem you just flashed. Enjoy!

HOW TO RETURN PHONE TO STOCK:

In case you find it necessary to return your phone to a retail store or send it back to Virgin Mobile, this will turn your phone back into COMPLETE STOCK JELLYEAN (Build GB28). To do this, we will going the way of the easy OneClick to accommodate newbies.

1. Go to http://www.rwilco12.com/downloads.p...S2 (Virgin) (SPH-D710VMUB)/Stock ROMs/JB/GB28

2. The link will give you two download options:
No Data Restore (RESETS user data)
Full Restore (KEEPS user data

(It will then give you the option of Rooted or Unrooted. Obviously, we want the Unrooted.)

3. After selecting your download and saving it to your computer, Double-click on the self-extractor file (.exe file), specify the directory to extract to (instructions assume C:\)

4. Start the Odin One-Click. This will be in the newly created Odin-OC folder and have the same name as the file you downloaded.

5. Place phone in download mode by pressing Volume Down + Power. Hold until confirmation screen appears. Confirm by pressing Volume +.

6. Connect USB cable to PC if not already connected. Odin should show Yellow COM port in second column. If you do not see a yellow COM port, you may need to run the ODIN One-Click as Administrator and/or unplug/plugin the USB cable after starting ODIN One-Click.

7. Start the Odin flash process by selecting START.

8. When complete, phone will automatically reboot
Status should change to green PASS!

notebooko · Feb 24, 2013

Very nice! Everything was all over the place, this really tidies things up. Looking forward to updates!

TheBritton · Feb 24, 2013

Feel free to post suggestions and additions

oosel · Feb 24, 2013

For those of us new to this could u explain how exactly to install these. For example when I go to http://www.sxtpdevelopers.com/showthread.php?t=120 and I want to install Virgin FL26 + Agat's tREC_v0.2.2 I don't see any instructions on how to do so. When I click on this link https://github.com/garwynn/D710VMUB_FL26_Kernel to get the kernel. I get a big list of files. Documentation arch block and so on. Do I need to download all them files? And then how do I install them I know we use odin but that's it. I don't see instructions explaining the steps. And I don't want to make a simple mistake and brick my phone. A walkthrough would be great! And to this day I have not found one.

TheBritton · Feb 24, 2013

oosel said:
For those of us new to this could u explain how exactly to install these. For example when I go to http://www.sxtpdevelopers.com/showthread.php?t=120 and I want to install Virgin FL26 + Agat's tREC_v0.2.2 I don't see any instructions on how to do so. When I click on this link https://github.com/garwynn/D710VMUB_FL26_Kernel to get the kernel. I get a big list of files. Documentation arch block and so on. Do I need to download all them files? And then how do I install them I know we use odin but that's it. I don't see instructions explaining the steps. And I don't want to make a simple mistake and brick my phone. A walkthrough would be great! And to this day I have not found one.

Great idea. I'm working all day today and expecting a blizzard to hit tonight. I'll add to this Monday afternoon.

mhlsilverdale · Feb 24, 2013

Nice work...

You might want to add a paragraph explaining what to do to get back to the stock OS if something goes wrong during a modification, you don't like the change (or if you need to return your phone to the vendor).

DragonSlayer95 · Feb 24, 2013

Good work man :thumbup:

TheBritton · Feb 24, 2013

Thanks. I need to add an Odin HowTo but no time until tomorrow. Expecting big blizzard and being in the radio business, this demands my full attention. Sorry guys!

Velisha · Feb 24, 2013

mhlsilverdale said:
Nice work...

You might want to add a paragraph explaining what to do to get back to the stock OS if something goes wrong during a modification, you don't like the change (or if you need to return your phone to the vendor).

Agree, like right now I'm using the FL14 and want to get back to stock so I can install CM10.1 rom.

Love what you did, defiantly wish this was here when I installed FL14 in the first place!!

TheBritton · Feb 24, 2013

Thanks for the suggestions! I appreciate it!

During preparation of a blizzard in my area, I'll hopefully have time to add a "Odin How-To" and "Return To Stock Guide" in the third post either late tonight or Monday afternoon. In the meantime, please post anything else that may come to mind.

NathanC31 · Feb 24, 2013

I installed FL14 last night using Mobile Odin method and the only problem I have so far is that it won't pair with my bluetooth headset (Plantronics Voyager Pro+)...... never mind after a reboot it works now

TheBritton · Feb 24, 2013

Updated third post with instructions on how to install Agats repack as well as modems using Odin.
Added instructions on how to return to stock using the OneClick.

I did this VERY fast as the blizzard is just beginning to shape up here. It may be somewhat sloppy, so if there needs to be any edits just post here and I'll make the necessary changes tomorrow. Thanks.

notebooko · Feb 25, 2013

Velisha said:
Agree, like right now I'm using the FL14 and want to get back to stock so I can install CM10.1 rom.

Love what you did, defiantly wish this was here when I installed FL14 in the first place!!

I don't think you have to return to stock to install cm10.1? I could be wrong though.

TheBritton · Feb 25, 2013

notebooko said:
I don't think you have to return to stock to install cm10.1? I could be wrong though.

Right. You don't. According to CM10 instructions you must have the ICS modem like FJ12 or FL26 but some have used EG30 successfully

mhlsilverdale · Feb 25, 2013

Apparently, a bad checksum on the stock restore file is still an issue (see post on Garwyn's thread below) it happened to me last night; I ended up using the stock-rooted; then went to stock-nodata to get back to the original OS, it promptly updated to FL26 from there.

When I run the SPH-D710VMUB_FJ12_CL1135978_Stock_Restore.exe
I get:

<ID:0/008> Added!!
<OSM> Enter CS for MD5..
<OSM> Check MD5.. Do not unplug the cable..
<OSM> Please wait..
<OSM> MD5 hash value is invalid
<OSM> End...

No matter If 1 use Mirror 1 or Mirror 2
Looks like a bad checksum? I think the rom is damaged!
I tried downloading numerous times.

Can you please fix rwilco12 or garwynn?
Thanks

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Side note; CM10.1 never crashed on me, but it still ran like beta; slow wireless speeds, long initial GPS lock, low volume, battery intensive, many of my apps wouldn't run correctly or not at all.
I've been running 4.2.2 on a tablet and it is flawless, so I didn't have much patience for CM10.1 in its current state. I'm sure it will get better.
I liked the tether, being able to use rooted apps and make nandroid backups, but the negatives seemed to outweigh the positives when compared to a fairly solid ICS that comes with the phone.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Velisha · Feb 25, 2013

TheBritton said:
Right. You don't. According to CM10 instructions you must have the ICS modem like FJ12 or FL26 but some have used EG30 successfully

Really, I thought there was a problem going from FJ14 to going to CM10?

TheBritton · Feb 25, 2013

Velisha said:
Really, I thought there was a problem going from FJ14 to going to CM10?

There isn't a problem going from FL14 to CM10, just an extra step is needed. Coming from FJ12 and FL26 to CM10 is fine. If you come from FL14 you just need to flash a FJ12 or FL26 modem after flashing CM10 so you don't necessarily have to return to stock before flashing CM10 if you just flash the stock modem afterwards. (Either way is fine as long as the end result is having the FJ12 or FL26 modem of course)

NathanC31 · Feb 26, 2013

so what seems like the best ROM right now I seem to be finding a lot of bugs with FL14 crashing and such maybe it's because I flashed it using Mobile Odin. I like having Jellybean but don't like all the bugs any advice?

TheBritton · Feb 27, 2013

NathanC31 said:
so what seems like the best ROM right now I seem to be finding a lot of bugs with FL14 crashing and such maybe it's because I flashed it using Mobile Odin. I like having Jellybean but don't like all the bugs any advice?

Been using CM10 for weeks now and loving it.

blh6393 · Feb 28, 2013

Thank's so much for all this info, It has answered so many of my questions!
I'm new to this stuff, so I'm on a learning curve, once again thank you.

NathanC31 · Feb 28, 2013

Ok in the morning I am going to try switching from FL14 to CM10. I think that (by the great instructions here) I will be able to do it without any problems. If I do I know where the best help in the world is (right here). Thanks to everyone that has contributed to this thread.

oosel · Mar 3, 2013

TheBritton that is a great job! I actually know a heck of a lot more now. And feel comfortable flashing my phone.

NathanC31 · Mar 4, 2013

I would like to publicly thank TheBritton for all of his help getting me from FL14 to CM10 not that it should have been that difficult I just made some silly mistakes and have a suggestion for another link in the library for this page for gapps download I'm sure TheBritton knows of a good one to link there :beerglass:

[GUIDE][BASIC][WIP] Rooting and ROMs for Newbies!

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