Root [Virgin Mobile] Completely fresh.

[Slathers]

I will just start by saying I have ZERO time with smart phones, I think I had one 5 years ago but never did anything with it. Other then that I never really needed/wanted a smartphone. I love modding my PC instead.

Due to career shifts, I am buying a phone. I just ordered the Victory because the spec were awesome(despite being older) and it was only 60 dollars out of the box.

That all being said I need tips, tricks and everything in between. Rooting seems to be a fairly simple process. Scouring these boards I found a post by 'The Victorian' sharing an incredibly easy way to root the Victory. Will this work just as well as the more in depth way?

Also I have realised, much to my chagrin. That the Victory literally has no ROMs for it. So my main question I guess is what is the point of
Rooting the phone? Aside from being able to rid the device of developer 'bloatware'. What other sorts of things can I do on just a simply rooted device?

Any words of advice/encouragment that I didn't make a bad choice will be appreciated. This will be a wonderful starting point as I wish to continue on with this exciting world. I plan on getting a much more capable phone sometime next year!

 

[Madbat]

First, Welcome to Android and Android forums!
Its a great phone, despite its age. With rooting you can run root apps, root file explorers. You can mod the system any way you like. A great place to start modding is to get xposed framework. You just get the xposed installer app and run it and install the framework. Then the amazing modules you can do pretty much anything. And yes the towelroot method by The_Victorian works just as well as the Odin method.

 

[the_Victorian]

I will just start by saying I have ZERO time with smart phones, I think I had one 5 years ago but never did anything with it. Other then that I never really needed/wanted a smartphone. I love modding my PC instead.

Due to career shifts, I am buying a phone. I just ordered the Victory because the spec were awesome(despite being older) and it was only 60 dollars out of the box.

That all being said I need tips, tricks and everything in between. Rooting seems to be a fairly simple process. Scouring these boards I found a post by 'The Victorian' sharing an incredibly easy way to root the Victory. Will this work just as well as the more in depth way?

Also I have realised, much to my chagrin. That the Victory literally has no ROMs for it. So my main question I guess is what is the point of
Rooting the phone? Aside from being able to rid the device of developer 'bloatware'. What other sorts of things can I do on just a simply rooted device?

Any words of advice/encouragment that I didn't make a bad choice will be appreciated. This will be a wonderful starting point as I wish to continue on with this exciting world. I plan on getting a much more capable phone sometime next year!

Good choice of phones! I'm glad I am helping people! It is an older phone, but still has plenty of development going on. (as well as maybe an unofficial 4.4 kitkat coming?) This is probably the second most Developed VM phone after the HTC evo 4g i believe. My Method should work, but if it glitches out for some reason, try the original method.

Good luck,

the_Victorian

 

[Slathers]

Thank you for the quick responses! I can tell this will be a great community to be integrated into as I start learning all of this.

My new phone arrives tomorrow and I am excited to get into the little bugger finally. That being said I just have another quick question.

I do want to delve into this land of modding Android phones. So I understand this 'towelroot' method is a lot simpler of a process(not saying the original doesn't seem to bad either'. Should I do the original process just to become acquinted with the whole procedure? Or will the towelroot method be enough of a headstart?

Also where can I find learning guides/tutorials to start slowly learning how to do some of my own ROM designs, maybe help out eventually with the process of fine tuning these things, beta tests etc.

Again thank you so much for the great community, I will be sure to keep on asking things and letting everyone know how my progress is!

 

[Madbat]

Thank you for the quick responses! I can tell this will be a great community to be integrated into as I start learning all of this.

My new phone arrives tomorrow and I am excited to get into the little bugger finally. That being said I just have another quick question.

I do want to delve into this land of modding Android phones. So I understand this 'towelroot' method is a lot simpler of a process(not saying the original doesn't seem to bad either'. Should I do the original process just to become acquinted with the whole procedure? Or will the towelroot method be enough of a headstart?

Also where can I find learning guides/tutorials to start slowly learning how to do some of my own ROM designs, maybe help out eventually with the process of fine tuning these things, beta tests etc.

Again thank you so much for the great community, I will be sure to keep on asking things and letting everyone know how my progress is!

I would say to use the Odin method. It is (in my opinion) just as easy as towelroot but, as you said, it will familiarize you with your phone and Odin. Which is essential for any Samsung phone. Wise words indeed young padawan. (OK I have a little bit of dork in me).
I think you'll do just fine.

 

[Slathers]

Well the root was successful(I think?) No known glitches, I can boot into TWRP freely and all apps download/run smoothly.

Just a couple things. I feel like my 4G is not running at full capacity. I am planning on putting Victorious on this puppy when I am more comfortable with just the root. Also this phone has the known issue of bloatware and not being able to transfer apps from the phone to an sd card.

Is there any certain trick to make apps2sd work, can I use TWRP to accomplish this?

 

[the_Victorian]

Well the root was successful(I think?) No known glitches, I can boot into TWRP freely and all apps download/run smoothly.

Just a couple things. I feel like my 4G is not running at full capacity. I am planning on putting Victorious on this puppy when I am more comfortable with just the root. Also this phone has the known issue of bloatware and not being able to transfer apps from the phone to an sd card.

Is there any certain trick to make apps2sd work, can I use TWRP to accomplish this?

First off, what baseband are you? This will make a difference. I you are still on mg5. If you are in ND4, try nick_73's ROM, insanelycool's special kernel, or both. As for apps2sd, there is a guide for this phone if you google it.

Happy to help,

The_Victorian

 

[Madbat]

Well the root was successful(I think?) No known glitches, I can boot into TWRP freely and all apps download/run smoothly.

Just a couple things. I feel like my 4G is not running at full capacity. I am planning on putting Victorious on this puppy when I am more comfortable with just the root. Also this phone has the known issue of bloatware and not being able to transfer apps from the phone to an sd card.

Is there any certain trick to make apps2sd work, can I use TWRP to accomplish this?

Here is Teachme's guide for link2sd http://androidforums.com/showthread.php?p=6245226
Don't worry about the swap part, it will just cause problems down the road. Basically you need a 2nd ext4 partition on your sdcard then the app link2sd.
I hope you let your phone update system before you rooted. Look in settings/about phone/build and check the last 3 numbers. Mc1, mg5, or nd4? Nd4 is latest. I only ask because its a little harder to update after root, but not impossible.
Also you can use teach's guide ( computer method) to create the 2nd partition on your SD, or you can use twrp. I made a quick guide for twrp method, but I need to find it.

Edit: 1 more thing, if your build and baseband are not mg5; DO NOT use Victorious. It hasn't been updated, the developer stopped developing on it.

 

[Slathers]

First off, what baseband are you? This will make a difference. I you are still on mg5. If you are in ND4, try nick_73's ROM, insanelycool's special kernel, or both. As for apps2sd, there is a guide for this phone if you google it.

Happy to help,

The_Victorian

My baseband reads as "L300VPAMC1"

 

[Slathers]

Here is Teachme's guide for link2sd Updated swap and links2sd guide. - Android Forums
Don't worry about the swap part, it will just cause problems down the road. Basically you need a 2nd ext4 partition on your sdcard then the app link2sd.
I hope you let your phone update system before you rooted. Look in settings/about phone/build and check the last 3 numbers. Mc1, mg5, or nd4? Nd4 is latest. I only ask because its a little harder to update after root, but not impossible.
Also you can use teach's guide ( computer method) to create the 2nd partition on your SD, or you can use twrp. I made a quick guide for twrp method, but I need to find it.

Edit: 1 more thing, if your build and baseband are not mg5; DO NOT use Victorious. It hasn't been updated, the developer stopped developing on it.

I thought I made sure and completed all updates on my phone. But unfortunatly I guess I did not as my build is 'VPAMC1'.

Also I was scouring the forums and found a flash that swaps the internal memory/external memory. It has caused issues with where things are being saved (I cannot view pictures and things like that).

Where can I find this in TWRP and switch them back? Is this possible? I will have to wait until my class10 32 GB sd comes in before I can work on app2sd. Currently my only SD card won't even partition

Thanks for the help!

 

[Madbat]

I thought I made sure and completed all updates on my phone. But unfortunatly I guess I did not as my build is 'VPAMC1'.

Also I was scouring the forums and found a flash that swaps the internal memory/external memory. It has caused issues with where things are being saved (I cannot view pictures and things like that).

Where can I find this in TWRP and switch them back? Is this possible? I will have to wait until my class10 32 GB sd comes in before I can work on app2sd. Currently my only SD card won't even partition

Thanks for the help!

Unfortunately you are 2 updates behind. I can get you the updates that will flash in twrp. To get rid of the swap, use a good file explorer, like es file explorer with root privileges. Look in system/etc/init.d and delete the file internal2externalsd or 11internal2extsd or both if they're there, and the swap will be gone. That's why I said ignore the swap.

Update: here is the guide to update from mc1 to mg5 http://androidforums.com/showthread.php?p=6054761
Don't delete any system apps yet, you need to pretty much be stock rooted for updates. I'll find the update for mg5 to nd4 for you.
You don't have to flash the kernel in the instructions. After you install the update boot up your phone and make sure it all works, then if you want to update to nd4 flash this one in twrp http://link.tapatalk.com/api/click?...RP.zip&subId=50907a3f9889b7ea9ce755f67a05fb37

 

[Slathers]

Unfortunately you are 2 updates behind. I can get you the updates that will flash in twrp. To get rid of the swap, use a good file explorer, like es file explorer with root privileges. Look in system/etc/init.d and delete the file internal2externalsd or 11internal2extsd or both if they're there, and the swap will be gone. That's why I said ignore the swap.

Update: here is the guide to update from mc1 to mg5 [New Update] Patience Please - Android Forums
Don't delete any system apps yet, you need to pretty much be stock rooted for updates. I'll find the update for mg5 to nd4 for you.
You don't have to flash the kernel in the instructions. After you install the update boot up your phone and make sure it all works, then if you want to update to nd4 flash this one in twrp  

It looks like the link to the update is out of date, it is up for sale. I have done some looking for it myself to no avail. I hate to ask since you guys do a lot already for noobies. But is there another link to said update? I am sure you guys have a few more resources then myself.

 

[Madbat]

It looks like the link to the update is out of date, it is up for sale. I have done some looking for it myself to no avail. I hate to ask since you guys do a lot already for noobies. But is there another link to said update? I am sure you guys have a few more resources then myself.

Sorry about that bro. I have a mc1 to mg5 update in my Dropbox here https://www.dropbox.com/s/uu08z9h9usr4ijb/update_SPH-L300_MC1_to_MG5-no-props.zip?dl=0
Follow the same instructions.

 

[Slathers]

Thank you very much.

Just a few more quick questions. I need titanium backup to save to my sd card, if i still have the script running that swaps internal/external, will it be backup up on my sd card?
I haven't gotten rid of it as everything as been running fine, I even had a system update today that was very small, but went off without a hitch.

I really just want to get everything to the point where I am able to instal Victorious ROM to speed everything up, get a solid backup of everything. Get my link2sd card worked out (I am buying a class10 32gb, should be here soon.) And I really want to start messing around with Frameworks.

This all just is just waiting on getting my new SD card. I am loving the phone, it has been fun getting into the backend of a smart phone. It runs quickly, picture quality is okay for the price I paid.

Thanks again for all the help. I am sure it gets old to help the newbs, specially on an old phone. But you cats are awesome for helping me through.

 

[Madbat]

Thank you very much.

Just a few more quick questions. I need titanium backup to save to my sd card, if i still have the script running that swaps internal/external, will it be backup up on my sd card?
I haven't gotten rid of it as everything as been running fine, I even had a system update today that was very small, but went off without a hitch.

I really just want to get everything to the point where I am able to instal Victorious ROM to speed everything up, get a solid backup of everything. Get my link2sd card worked out (I am buying a class10 32gb, should be here soon.) And I really want to start messing around with Frameworks.

This all just is just waiting on getting my new SD card. I am loving the phone, it has been fun getting into the backend of a smart phone. It runs quickly, picture quality is okay for the price I paid.

Thanks again for all the help. I am sure it gets old to help the newbs, specially on an old phone. But you cats are awesome for helping me through.

If you have titanium saving to card, with swap it will reverse. That swap helps nothing. It doesn't swap where apps are stored. It only helps with large games that have obb or data files. I would get rid of it before it causes memory leaks. Remember now apps that normally store on external are eating up internal.
Also with naming storage in titanium (without swap) internal memory is named sdcard and external is named storage/ext/
Also victorious is waaaay outdated. Its just stock, debloated basically. You can do more with xposed framework. Its as easy as installing an app.

 

[Slathers]

Hello! Just need some quick advice.

My SD card after WEEKS finally has arrived, there was issues with shipping.

But now I can finally get my phone to where I want it.

I don't have anything to important on it right now, and I really want to start fresh. I found the directions to put my phone back to as factory as it can get. I understand with TWRP you can never go back to 'factory' but that is okay.

After flashing stock recovery onto the phone. Would my next step to be partition the SD card and set the limits to use minitool partition wizard to allow my phone access to the card.

Is there a tutorial to point me in the right direction to clear all of the bloatware? I am just really nervous about deleting something critical. (always be backed up so it shouldn't matter anyways.)


I am so sorry for how cloudy this is, I have been working a lot and just arrived home after 5 days away. Feel free to ask me to clarify.

Thank you guys so much.

 

[Madbat]

Hello! Just need some quick advice.

My SD card after WEEKS finally has arrived, there was issues with shipping.

But now I can finally get my phone to where I want it.

I don't have anything to important on it right now, and I really want to start fresh. I found the directions to put my phone back to as factory as it can get. I understand with TWRP you can never go back to 'factory' but that is okay.

After flashing stock recovery onto the phone. Would my next step to be partition the SD card and set the limits to use minitool partition wizard to allow my phone access to the card.

Is there a tutorial to point me in the right direction to clear all of the bloatware? I am just really nervous about deleting something critical. (always be backed up so it shouldn't matter anyways.)


I am so sorry for how cloudy this is, I have been working a lot and just arrived home after 5 days away. Feel free to ask me to clarify.

Thank you guys so much.

Are you partitioning the sdcard for link2sd (to put apps on SD)? If yes, you can create a 2nd ext4 partition with minitool or just use twrp. But if you're just using sdcard to have an sdcard, no need to partition. Your phone will read it just fine, just pop it in. For bloatware removal, use titanium backup or ROM toolbox to freeze them first to see if it effects negatively. If after a few days its OK, then you can remove. But just freezing works fine, deleting them doesn't really give you any extra storage. Its system rom space; i,.e; not user accessible.

 

[Slathers]

I did the updates all the way to ND4. And it went flawlessly, thank you for your help.


I started to follow the instructions for link2sd. But towards the end I encountered this:
"2. boot into twrp and flash this https://db.tt/FPwQ7zzS"
But the link was dead. In your deep coffers of files, you wouldn't happen to have this one?

Thanks again!

 

[Madbat]

I did the updates all the way to ND4. And it went flawlessly, thank you for your help.


I started to follow the instructions for link2sd. But towards the end I encountered this:
"2. boot into twrp and flash this https://db.tt/FPwQ7zzS"
But the link was dead. In your deep coffers of files, you wouldn't happen to have this one?

Thanks again!

You don't need that. Its for memory "swap". Swaps internal and external SD. Essentially useless since it doesn't effect the partition that apps are stored on. If you already created the 2nd ext4 partition on SD card, you're done. Just get link2sd and start linking apps. If you haven't created your partition yet, I made an easier guide that uses twrp. http://androidforums.com/showthread.php?p=6723639

 

[Slathers]

I tried to partition the sd card via TWRP. I got an error that said. "Unable to find sd/ext"

Or something along those Lines. Any idea?

 

[Madbat]

I tried to partition the sd card via TWRP. I got an error that said. "Unable to find sd/ext"

Or something along those Lines. Any idea?

Don't worry if it says error. Twrp is unable to mount the 2nd partition, so it thinks that it errored

 

[Slathers]

Fantastic!

I have linked all non system apps. But as I went to 'move to SD' I got the error saying:

"Apps2SD is not supported by your device. Because your devbice has a primary external storage which is emulated from the internal storage. You can link the app in order to move its files to your SD card."

As far as I know I have everything linked and setup the way I need to. Was the minipartition tool just to partition the SD card, or is there another aspect to this I am missing?

 

[Madbat]

Fantastic!

I have linked all non system apps. But as I went to 'move to SD' I got the error saying:

"Apps2SD is not supported by your device. Because your devbice has a primary external storage which is emulated from the internal storage. You can link the app in order to move its files to your SD card."

As far as I know I have everything linked and setup the way I need to. Was the minipartition tool just to partition the SD card, or is there another aspect to this I am missing?

The tool was just to partition sdcard. But do not try to move apps, just link them. Linking creates the symlink and moves it automatically. Again, do not try to move apps, LINK THEM. Linking does move them. So when you linked, it already moved them. You're all done.
Make sure you check all boxes when linking. Go back and check them after to make sure you linked all files. Also if you get the paid version it let's you link apps data files! Its worth it.

 

[Slathers]

Okay. I upgraded to get the data files, since that seems like the bulk of the space.

I am not seeing any space freed up internally, nor any space taken up on the SD card. I have reset my phone etc.

 

[Madbat]

You won't see any space taken on sdcard. Its a separate partition. How big did you make the second partition? You want it at least 2 GB. It depends on how many apps you have, how much space you save. When I linked all user apps, I ended up with about .99 GB free on internal. No matter how many apps you get your space should not decrease from apps now. In link2sd settings you can see internal, external and second partition space. Not many apps will show you second partition.