• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Root [Virgin Mobile/Sprint] Unbrick VM/Sprint F3

Well that's interesting. I put the phone into download mode and tried to run the unbrick tool. It said it was 'ready' but didn't do anything. I rebooted the phone and tried to put it back into download mode but instead it went into s/w upgrade mode. The unbrick tool ran the same as it would if the phone was in download mode without error. Phone booted fresh:) so basicly download mode, or s/w upgrade does the same thing for our phone.
 
something has gone wrong on my f3

basically, my phone keeps booting to the cwm


i figured i had to use the unbricking method mentioned in the first post. but i couldn't figure out what the "tot" file was i was supposed to download. so i tried the v7.zip file, that didn't work. so i gave up. someone mentioned a bin file, but i couldn't figure out where to get that from.


then i saw the post about using adb, and tried that. no luck.


then i figured, i would try the cwm to try and reflash the phone with the v7.zip file.
it worked!


but!
my phone still boots to cwm.


so i tried using the keys to get past it, like vol up and power or vol down and power and using no keys at all, just like i had turned it on.


still boots to cwm.


am i done for? is it really a brick now?


any ideas ????


thanks!
 
i'm sorry to be a pain in the (|) but the o.p. said

6.Select Add, choose the tot file you downloaded.

i'm just not getting what a tot file is, and exactly what file am i looking for?

the only bin file i have is modem.bin when i extract the odexedv7.zip file i downloaded.

thanks.
 
harold95 said:
i'm sorry to be a pain in the (|) but the o.p. said

6.Select Add, choose the tot file you downloaded.

i'm just not getting what a tot file is, and exactly what file am i looking for?

the only bin file i have is modem.bin when i extract the odexedv7.zip file i downloaded.

thanks.
Click to expand...

The .tot reference is a misprint. It should say .bin file instead. The .bin file that you use with the LG Flash Tool is found inside the LS720ZV7_05.zip. The last link from the "LG F3 Firmware and DLL" download page in the OP. Be sure and get the .dll as well. The first two links on the same download page I mentioned. One is Sprint the other VM but I found both work the same. :)
 
gherkaul said:
The .tot reference is a misprint. It should say .bin file instead. The .bin file that you use with the LG Flash Tool is found inside the LS720ZV7_05.zip. The last link from the "LG F3 Firmware and DLL" download page in the OP. Be sure and get the .dll as well. The first two links on the same download page I mentioned. One is Sprint the other VM but I found both work the same. :)
Click to expand...

thank you for that information. i was able to unbrick my phone, now that you clarified that. the op should be changed to reflect the proper information.


thanks again!
 
I carefully read all 10 pages, downloaded all the files, and easily unbricked my Korean F3.
It made my heart skip a bit when it paused on 3%, but then it chugged on through.
It rebooted the phone at 85% and by ~95% it was updating it's own PRL and Profile, then began updating to Android LS720ZV8 all by itself, as if I'd hit a "go-b***h-go" button!
I used the 181 program with the 7_5 bin/VM dll.

I hadn't messed with the phone at all until today. It truly was Virgin. I just had a couple apps installed (months ago) and that's it.
The "com.android.contacts" had stopped, and that totally hosed the phone "app".
*as a side note: aren't phones required by law to be able to call emergency services?...you'd think they'd be a tad more proactive in fixing these issues...if only to avoid a suit.

Anyway, tons of thanks guys! Donation is complete. ;)
 
Hi All, just wanted to report my experience un'soft bricking' my Virgin Mobile F3. I 'fixed' my phone so that I can sell it as fully functional. It worked for me and my F3 is now updated to V8 software. ..I had previously saferooted the phone many times to get Link2SD set up and working.

I noticed the following differences from the instructions:
- I had to hold UP + POWER to get my phone into 'download mode'
- I had to use the [LGFLASHv151]LGLS720_20130509_Download.zip file for the DLL and the LS720ZV6_03.zip for the binary.
- Instructions were correct about the flash software settings; you have to manually set port 41. I did not get a warning about the port already being in use.
- After unplugging the USB and plugging it back in to start the actual flash everything proceeded fine until the last step of 'reboot'. Then it just hung and eventually said it failed. .. But my phone worked fine after that.

Thank you for your help!
 
Thank you for the detailed instructions on the unbricking of the Optimus F3. I am currently running into an issue where when i click the yellow arrow it just says Failed PreviousLoad(). Is anyone having this issue or have a fix. Currently have a bricked phone after updating SU binary last night. Thanks
 
npolite said:
Here is what I found on another board. Please let me know if this looks correct. My question also is do I need to rename the actual image bin file to something else?

Go ahead and put phone in Download mode by VolUp + plug in USB to PC. At this time your computer should install the device, if it hadnt already. Open device manager to check if un der "Ports (Com and LPT)" it shows up as LGE AndroidNet for VZW USB Serial Port (COM##) IF the COM number is anything other than 41, which it probably will be. Right click it in device manager and choose peroperties, then go to port settings tab and click advanced. On the bottom choose COM41 and hit OK. (if you get an error about it being in use I'll write more about that later)hit ok and all that and close out the properties.
2) Open LG Flash Tool
You may get a menu asking ??? Korean labor camp or something like that choose that one hit OK.
Now in here you have to choose "Select Manual Mode" checkbox on top then on the top DLL box choose the "LGVS980_20130902_LGFLASHv151.dll" we saved earlier, then in the S/W box click add and choose your TOT file. MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE ITS THE RIGHT ONE
Then hit OK.
3) Now click the yellow arrow in the top left of the main window. It will prepare and maybe give a milky way error (seriously) ignore it until it says finished, or ready.
4) Now unplug your phone, power off and then go back into download mode again, volUp+USB. It should immediately connect and start flashing.
It will restart around 83% and then you are done!
if you red light is flashing on phone just unplug and hold middle power until it either boots or turns off so you can turn it back on.
Done!


Update: Problem solved. I had to read a few times that I had to leave the Flash tool on, disconnect and then go back into download mode to actually start the flashing.
Click to expand...
Man i dearly love you and i thankyou.......you saved my phone!!!!!! what can i do for you?????
 
to android forum and all the brains behind you...Your the best!!!!! thankyou..sincerely. steve....how can i contribute to your cause????
 
xclusive36 said:
For future possible unbrick method
Click to expand...

If I may ask,
Official Unloved Device Hitsquad (OUDHS)

Where do these guys get the firmware if I don't mind asking you? Wouldn't it be better to get it from

http://www.mylgphones.com/latest-lg-phones-firmware-update-model-version-date
http://lg-firmware-rom.com/

Is that where they get it from? And those website takes old versions down? I do want V6, I'm just asking if these guys are trustworthy and were they got their sources.


update: I figured out how they do it. They get it straight from the LG servers.

Question is now, is it possible for them to modify it or change it and repack it?

Can someone extract the firmware, modify and repack it. Thus making it potentially dangerous to use? Is that possible? And when you try to flash that modified firmware will it know it's been modified and not work? I'm just making sure I can trust this firmware.
 
Last edited:
serealnewbie said:
If I may ask,
Official Unloved Device Hitsquad (OUDHS)

Where do these guys get the firmware if I don't mind asking you? Wouldn't it be better to get it from

http://www.mylgphones.com/latest-lg-phones-firmware-update-model-version-date
http://lg-firmware-rom.com/

Is that where they get it from? And those website takes old versions down? I do want V6, I'm just asking if these guys are trustworthy and were they got their sources.


update: I figured out how they do it. They get it straight from the LG servers.

Question is now, is it possible for them to modify it or change it and repack it?

Can someone extract the firmware, modify and repack it. Thus making it potentially dangerous to use? Is that possible? And when you try to flash that modified firmware will it know it's been modified and not work? I'm just making sure I can trust this firmware.
Click to expand...

Yoiu should be fine with the OUDHS files. Never had a problem with them. I used the V7 BIN from that site to fully reset my F3. That other site's files are fine, too. I always scan my files with a couple of virus and malware scanners if I feel a bit antsy about using them.
 
serealnewbie said:
If I may ask,
Official Unloved Device Hitsquad (OUDHS)

Where do these guys get the firmware if I don't mind asking you? Wouldn't it be better to get it from

http://www.mylgphones.com/latest-lg-phones-firmware-update-model-version-date
http://lg-firmware-rom.com/

Is that where they get it from? And those website takes old versions down? I do want V6, I'm just asking if these guys are trustworthy and were they got their sources.


update: I figured out how they do it. They get it straight from the LG servers.

Question is now, is it possible for them to modify it or change it and repack it?

Can someone extract the firmware, modify and repack it. Thus making it potentially dangerous to use? Is that possible? And when you try to flash that modified firmware will it know it's been modified and not work? I'm just making sure I can trust this firmware.
Click to expand...
These guys are OK and work hard to help.

Your question is not out of line, you need to protect yourself.

Anything is possible but I've yet to see what you describe.

What you want to watch for is a package error, so don't be the first to try anything.

Those sort of errors are found and fixed quickly but best left for more experienced rooters to try first.

This team tests stuff before putting it out there.

I'd trust them - in fact, in the past, I have. :)
 
EarlyMon said:
These guys are OK and work hard to help.

Your question is not out of line, you need to protect yourself.

Anything is possible but I've yet to see what you describe.

What you want to watch for is a package error, so don't be the first to try anything.

Those sort of errors are found and fixed quickly but best left for more experienced rooters to try first.

This team tests stuff before putting it out there.

I'd trust them - in fact, in the past, I have. :)
Click to expand...


Yeah, I did some looking into it. You can't even extract the .bin without a special program made. Don't know if it has been done with this particular phone, but it's called LG bin extractor. Let alone, I think modifying it and repacking it would be reverse engineering. And the group even claimed themselves they wouldn't know how to do it.

So yeah, there is no way they would do that, let alone even care to have the intent to. Yeah, I'm being overly cautious.

I usually download firmware from the source. But I doubt LG would keep version 6 on there. Maybe version 8.

And I think what you mean is that since it's LG's own flashing tool. And if they check the bin has been modified, you get package error right?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom