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Rooting boost galaxy s2 4.1.2

dizzle16

Android Enthusiast
Hello. I purchased a Samsung galaxy s2 from boost mobile last weeek and am interested in rooting it. This is my first samsung device as ive only used HTC and LG. ive read through this guide 2x but seeing as i just spen $300 i want to be sure im doing it correctly. i did update to JB through Kies the day i got this phone and It seems this guide was released for ICS. ive downloaded Odin and already have kies. My concern is this kernel repack GB27. im not sure what that is. i know what a kernel is as it relates to android as ive rooted every android device ive ever had. Ive read that the link in the OP is a ICS kernel. im gonna post a screenshot showing my info and just would like to ask somebody to please help me in showing me a link or explaining what Agat kernel or updated JB kernel do i need to add to not brick my phone. thanks to any and all who help
 
Thanks for your reply by No that link didn't help lol. I think the lingo is throwing me. I understand kies and have Odin installed but what is the GB27 kernel? It says that should be my software version but I'm GC01. I assume that's for the sprint device and I know there's and the boost version are pretty much twins but will that kernel (assuming it is a kernel) work on a boost phone. I think what I need is to know what is that GB27 file? What do I need besides odin and kies specifically, on the root instructional page The Agat kernel, what is that it said to make sure I have Kies installed, odin installed (which I do on both) and AGATs kernel. Now in that same thread I read a post where someone flashed that kernel and phone wouldn't reboot because it was a ICS kernel. So I guess my final question is what kernel do i need along with odin, kies and superuser to complete the process. Again thanks for your help. If you need more info or if I'm confusing anyone with my jumping a over the place let me know and I apologize. I have heard it is a simple process but I just want to make sure I know what I'm doing
 
Okay I'm not doing something right. I downloaded the kernel: SXTP_Agat_GC01-v0.4.1.zip from this link [KERNEL][JB][SOURCE][BST] GC01 + Agat's Recovery and i chose the one that says 4.1. And I put it in the pda box in odin and hit start I get a message that says

"<OSM>All threads completed(succeed 0/failed 0")

So I'm gonna assume it didn't take lol. Do I need to install drivers? My pc recognizes phone and I have Kies downloaded. Did I chose the
Wrong kernel?
 
make sure your in recovery mode (pwr + volume Down

once your phone is connected then try if this fails
try connecting to a different USB port
or reinstall everything from start
I didn't need lies for my root methodal I needed was the drivers which I got off a site for our phones and then Odin I haven't done rooting this way as my phone was on ICS and I used abuse to root then repack fl04 to upgrade slowly after that I mobile odined and got twrp and cm10.1 on my phone.

manly my problem with the PC was the driver issues what os are you running g (I.e windows 7,8 Linux. max).
 
I think the issue is with the drivers. By installing kies did I install them are us it separate? If it's separate does anyone know where I can locate them. I did have the device in download mode (volume - +power)
 
I think the issue is with the drivers. By installing kies did I install them are us it separate? If it's separate does anyone know where I can locate them. I did have the device in download mode (volume - +power)

Download mode is power plus volume down. the phone will display a warning about the "evils" of installing a custom ROM. When you see that warning display hit volume up. You should then see the phone displaying downloading. Yes, Kies installs the Samsung drivers.
 
Download mode is power plus volume down. the phone will display a warning about the "evils" of installing a custom ROM. When you see that warning display hit volume up. You should then see the phone displaying downloading. Yes, Kies installs the Samsung drivers.

Yes, I did that and it did say it was in download mode with the Android symbol and I saw the screen telling of the evils of custom software. Let me ask could it be because the kernel file I had in the pda box in odin was a .zip file instead of the .tar file I've heard mentioned? Any way someone could tell me or link me to the exact kernel+recovery file needs to go in the pda box in odin. I thought recoveries were .zip files so I chose that. Does it have to be the .tar file. i downloaded my kernel from this link

http://www.sxtpdevelopers.com/showthread.php?t=188

I chose the 4.1 ZIP file. Should i have chosen the .TAR File?
 
Ok when i get off work i will try using the .tar file. would like to do a backup at some point lol
 
Yes, I did that and it did say it was in download mode with the Android symbol and I saw the screen telling of the evils of custom software. Let me ask could it be because the kernel file I had in the pda box in odin was a .zip file instead of the .tar file I've heard mentioned? Any way someone could tell me or link me to the exact kernel+recovery file needs to go in the pda box in odin. I thought recoveries were .zip files so I chose that. Does it have to be the .tar file. i downloaded my kernel from this link

[KERNEL][JB][SOURCE][BST] GC01 + Agat's Recovery

I chose the 4.1 ZIP file. Should i have chosen the .TAR File?

Yes, that would be why it didn't work. The zip format is for the custom CWM type recovery which you will have once you have the new kernel. To initially get the recovery kernel you need to use Odin and flash the tar file. Once you have the kernel, then you can boot into recovery and flash superuser and also make a backup. To make it easier to boot into recovery there is a nice little free app on the play store you can use (no holding power and volume needed when using this app to do it).

http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-boost-mobile-all-things-root/715677-reboot-menu.html
 
Yes, that would be why it didn't work. The zip format is for the custom CWM type recovery which you will have once you have the new kernel. To initially get the recovery kernel you need to use Odin and flash the tar file. Once you have the kernel, then you can boot into recovery and flash superuser and also make a backup. To make it easier to boot into recovery there is a nice little free app on the play store you can use (no holding power and volume needed when using this app to do it).

http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-boost-mobile-all-things-root/715677-reboot-menu.html

Okay. then that should be all i need. I get off work at 5 est, ill try again within a few hours of getting off work. does that zip not include the stock rom? do i need to choose a rom, wanna weigh in on my options? I was thinking CM 10.1
 
Yes, that would be why it didn't work. The zip format is for the custom CWM type recovery which you will have once you have the new kernel. To initially get the recovery kernel you need to use Odin and flash the tar file. Once you have the kernel, then you can boot into recovery and flash superuser and also make a backup. To make it easier to boot into recovery there is a nice little free app on the play store you can use (no holding power and volume needed when using this app to do it).

http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-boost-mobile-all-things-root/715677-reboot-menu.html

Okay. then that should be all i need. I get off work at 5 est, ill try again within a few hours of getting off work. does that zip not include the stock rom? do i need to choose a rom, wanna weigh in on my options? I was thinking CM 10.1
 
You would like Wild for the Night, the echo issue people were having has been resolved. I love it, I've tried others, but I keep going back within a day or two.
 
Okay. then that should be all i need. I get off work at 5 est, ill try again within a few hours of getting off work. does that zip not include the stock rom? do i need to choose a rom, wanna weigh in on my options? I was thinking CM 10.1

No, the files are just of the kernel packaged with recovery. They are meant to work with the ROM you have. The tar and zip are just different formats for the different methods of flashing them in. Flashing the kernel does not change your ROM, and as such you have to flash a kernel that is compatible with the ROM you have. Once you have rooted and make a nandroid backup, you can then consider trying other ROMs. Keep a copy of that recovery kernel you made this backup with for restore if you change to a different ROM.
 
So I will need the rooting process will remove the stock ROM? Will I need to have a ROM already downloaded and ready to flash before I start the process? Or can I root it, install su and remain stock using this root method? Or do I need to flash one?
 
First, excuse my language, but HOLY S#!+ THAT WAS EASY. process is easy. About to pass out thanks. I'm still stock. Are there any limitations on ROMS? I've used clockworkmod before. Am I okay to flash cm 10.1 or any of the galaxy s2 or s3 ROMS. Not a flash-a-holic but if I see something I like I just want to know my limitations. Thank you guys for the help. I got into a android vs. iPhony debate at work today and this is why android is pissing on them.
uha3a9as.jpg
 
Congrats and welcome to the Root club. Our phone is the exact same thing as the Epic 4g Touch so you can use any ROM for that phone.
 
Congrats and welcome to the Root club. Our phone is the exact same thing as the Epic 4g Touch so you can use any ROM for that phone.


Thank you again. Im gonna check out roms again. i did a look before rooting but that was like shopping for a stereo without purchasing the car yet lol. The very first android i had was a LG Optimus S and I rooted it and put CM7 on it. for some reason ive been nostalgic about Cyanogenmod. How is 10.1?
 
First, excuse my language, but HOLY S#!+ THAT WAS EASY. process is easy. About to pass out thanks. I'm still stock. Are there any limitations on ROMS? I've used clockworkmod before. Am I okay to flash cm 10.1 or any of the galaxy s2 or s3 ROMS. Not a flash-a-holic but if I see something I like I just want to know my limitations. Thank you guys for the help. I got into a android vs. iPhony debate at work today and this is why android is pissing on them.
uha3a9as.jpg

Hey Dizzle....Did you have any problems doing a backup? I am getting an error half way through the 'system' backup
 
Hey Dizzle....Did you have any problems doing a backup? I am getting an error half way through the 'system' backup

Honestly I didn't have any problems doing a nandroid backup. After your earlier post I was expecting to get a error message. Did the backup while I was cooking dinner and just kept checking out about every 2 minutes. It made it through without issue. It said "checking md5 sum" longer than I'm used to but it said backup completed successfully. There is a backup file in my clockworkmod folder in my file Explorer. It has a weird date but I believe that's my backup. Unfortunately I don't know enough about this device to recommend any solutions. Have you maybe tried using another recovery? I'm coming from a crappy ZTE blade, before that I had a HTC evo 3d abs used 4ext recovery.
 
I tried again and it completed the /system folder but failed on the /preload folder....re-downloaded and re-flashed the gco1 recovery in odin and now it has completed a nandroid backup.

This is all new to me coming from the Warp and Evo Design.
 
i can now confirm from experience that i didnt have any problem doing a backup as i tried to flash a ripple effect lockscreen mod and got stuck bootlooping at the boost symbol. did a restore and im back to normal
 
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