Galaxy s2 gt-i9100 rooting etc

[18Jack12]

Hi guys, I am completely new here and new to all of this.. I apologise I can imagine you guys have probably seen these questions time and time again. I just haven't managed to navigate through the relevant threads yet.
Also if I have posted this in the wrong place again I apologise and would be greatfull if it was moved to the correct place.

Ok, so I have recently been told and had someone show me their rooted gs2, and thought I'd look into doing it to mine.. I basically want to know the dangers, pros, cons, can I go back to standard if I don't like it, and then finally how to do it, what is best to use, and advice for a first timer to get me started with a few things worth changing & doing etc..

I don't know if you need this info from my device.. Maybe it's helpful I'm not sure but here goes..

PDA, i9100XWLP3
CSC, I9100O2ULP4
ANDROID VERSION, 4.0.3
BASEBAND VERSION, I9100XXLPR
KERNEL VERSION, 3.0.15-I9100XWLP3-CL287862
BUILD NUMBER, IML74K.XWLP3

Cheers guys.

 

[Russell Ng]

Play around with the phone before you go do all those rooting stuff. Its not like IPhone where its restricted without jailbreak. You can do a lot of things without rooting. Play with launchers, alternative keyboards, alternative sms... anything and everything. Then if you want more than that, then you could try rooting.

 

[18Jack12]

I've had the device for about 14 months already, I've used different keyboards & launchers ended up with spb shell 3d. Just now looking for more things to do with it, I'm due for an upgrade soon however if I can further personalise this device I may just keep hold of it for longer..

 

[ironass]

If you would like to know more about rooting or have any rooting questions, the, "All Things Root", section of the forum is definitely the place to go.

For a detailed explanation of rooting plus a step-by-step guide with video instructions, see the, "Rooting Galaxy S2 - A Dummies Guide". Please read posts #1 and #2, thoroughly and carefully.

I notice that you are on O2 UK with ICS, LP3 kernel. Therefore, to give you a head start in rooting, you will need this LP3 root kernel.

 

[Shotgun84]

Moved to all things root

 

[18Jack12]

Ok thanks guys I will have a look, & will no doubt ask more questions hahaha so please be a little patient with me!

 

[18Jack12]

Ok, so if i do this & i don't like the results can i revert back to normal ?

Cheers.

 

[18Jack12]

I'm now officially in the 'root' club, however after reading a few things I came across something about a 'brick bug' ' downloaded, the app to check and my device is a known danger. What does this mean for me and what should I now avoid doing?

Cheers.

 

[ironass]

I'm now officially in the 'root' club, however after reading a few things I came across something about a 'brick bug' ' downloaded, the app to check and my device is a known danger. What does this mean for me and what should I now avoid doing?

Cheers.

Has your GS2 got the "Brick Bug"?

http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-international-all-things-root/578800-what-emmc-brickbug.html

 

[18Jack12]

Ok, so I'm still not fully understanding everything that's going on around this brick bug issue, probably due to being a complete noob, however I'm sure in time it will sink in and something in my head will "click".

Just for now if someone advise me on the CF root kernel that I have used.. (the one ironass directly linked me to)

Should I avoid using Cwm if I need to wipe etc, or is this version one with a supposed 'patch'

I apologise for my ignorance I'm trying learn as much as I can on my own, but I'll be the first to admit I'm not the sharpest tool in the box!

 

[ironass]

Ok, so I'm still not fully understanding everything that's going on around this brick bug issue, probably due to being a complete noob, however I'm sure in time it will sink in and something in my head will "click".

Just for now if someone advise me on the CF root kernel that I have used.. (the one ironass directly linked me to)

Should I avoid using Cwm if I need to wipe etc, or is this version one with a supposed 'patch'

I apologise for my ignorance I'm trying learn as much as I can on my own, but I'll be the first to admit I'm not the sharpest tool in the box!

In a nutshell... It's safe!

If you would like to now change kernels, as you are rooted, stick to Siyah, here, as it contains an anti-brick bug patch for Android 4.0.3.

Also, don't flash the latest stock, Android 4.0.4, ROM's, (LQ5 or LPM), at the moment.

New ironass motto that follows on from... "Flash in haste... repent at leisure"...

"If in doubt... leave it out!"

 

[18Jack12]

Fantastic! , i didn't want to jump to conclusions & fear the worst. So far until I "get" / understand things more I'm not going to do anything major without consulting someone with more experience first.

So if I now take the next step & want to flash to siyah, do I need to remove the CF kernel that I used to root, or do I follow the same method I used to root, but using siyah in place of the CF file...

Also, should i get the latest siyah or would you recommend an older version ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ironass]

Fantastic! , i didn't want to jump to conclusions & fear the worst. So far until I "get" / understand things more I'm not going to do anything major without consulting someone with more experience first.

Damn! I knew you were going to say that! :ahhhhh:

So if I now take the next step & want to flash to siyah, do I need to remove the CF kernel that I used to root, or do I follow the same method I used to root, but using siyah in place of the CF file...

Before doing anything do a nandroid and Titanium backup and make sure they are saved to your external sd card for safety. Also you should install Root Explorer, or a similar file manager, and use it to navigate to the, "/efs", file in the root directory of the phone and make a copy of this and put it on both your external SD card and PC as its loss or corruption in future could render your phone unusable and require a Samsung repair. These are your, "Get out of jail FREE" cards in case anything goes wrong, now or in the future.

You could download the .tar version of Siyah and flash it via Odin, over the top of the existing CF-Root kernel or, the preferred method, you download the .zip version of the Siyah kernel and Hawker's, GS2Wiper and place them on your external SD card, safest place, and then go into CWM Recovery and select, "install zip from sdcard", followed by, "choose .zip from sdcard", and then navigate down the menu until you get to "GS2Wiper" and install it. It is a small script that wipes any crud from your previous kernel and takes about 2 seconds to complete. You then navigate to "Siyah-v3.?.?", and install it and then reboot your phone.

Also, should i get the latest siyah or would you recommend an older version ?

The latest version for the GS2 on ICS is fine. Currently Siyah S2-v3.4.1.

You may also want to consider installing, from the Play Store, ExTweaks and ExTweaks Plus which offer you greater control of the Siyah kernel functions.

Hawker's GS2Wiper v1.91 download.

Siyah kernel downloads.

This video may help to show you what to expect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge42ibUOvaQ


ironass motto... "Flash in haste... repent at leisure"

 

[18Jack12]

Thanks Ironass

Creating a backup from the recovery screen using cwm is creating a ''nandriod'' backup?
& when you perform this backup, it does not ask me where to save the backup to, so im assuming it backs up to external sdcard?

I did carry out the 3 backups right after i rooted the device last night. I understand the importance of making copies & backups before modifying things as it comes hand in hand with my job, but still not clear where the Titanium & Nandroid backups are actually saved to. I know where the /efs files are as i chose to put one on the sdcard and one on my laptop.

Again i apologise, i do realise this must be like the equivalent of baby sitting.. i applaud anyone who has the patients to deal with me

P.S I Have just noticed what you have done with the thread for flashing siyah, Thankyou !!

 

[18Jack12]

Damn! I knew you were going to say that! :ahhhhh:

Sorry!! better to be safe than sorry ??

 

[ironass]

Thanks Ironass

Creating a backup from the recovery screen using cwm is creating a ''nandriod'' backup?
& when you perform this backup, it does not ask me where to save the backup to, so im assuming it backs up to external sdcard?

I cannot remember if the CF-Root version of CWM allows you to specify your location. You could always copy it from Internal SD card to external SD card or, just this once, leave it on the internal SD card.. On later versions of CWM it is...

Apps Drawer > CWM Manager v3.15 > Backup > Enter backup name > OK > Select backup location

I did carry out the 3 backups right after i rooted the device last night. I understand the importance of making copies & backups before modifying things as it comes hand in hand with my job, but still not clear where the Titanium & Nandroid backups are actually saved to. I know where the /efs files are as i chose to put one on the sdcard and one on my laptop.

The nandroid (CWM) backup will be saved in a folder called... clockworkmod/backup

The Titanium backup is saved in a folder called TitaniumBackup unless you have called it something else in Titanium > Preferences > Backup folder location. You can use Root explorer to create a TitaniumBackup folder on your external SD card and direct all backups to be saved there.

Again i apologise, i do realise this must be like the equivalent of baby sitting.. i applaud anyone who has the patients to deal with me

Patience... who's got patience? You're just lucky you caught me after my 7th, double strength, black coffee and before my first alcoholic drink... usually a very small gap!

 

[18Jack12]

Patience... who's got patience? You're just lucky you caught me after my 7th, double strength, black coffee and before my first alcoholic drink... usually a very small gap!

Well thank you for your time and help so far, i do appreciate it. If ever your up in manchester area i will sort you out some of those double strength black coffee & Alcohol beverages :smokingsomb:

 

[ironass]

Well thank you for your time and help so far, i do appreciate it. If ever your up in manchester area i will sort you out some of those double strength black coffee & Alcohol beverages :smokingsomb:

Stuff the coffee's! :cheers:

 

[18Jack12]

Totally off subject!! while my device is backing upto external sd haha

What do you do for a living ??

 

[ironass]

Totally off subject!! while my device is backing upto external sd haha

What do you do for a living ??

You don't work for the Inland Revenue do you? :ahhhhh:

(On second thoughts, if you do, could you speed up my tax refund )

As they say in the best Jane Austin novels, "I'm a man of independent means".

 

[18Jack12]

Noooo i'm not haha, and if i was id probably come have you do all these mods for me paid for by expenses !

Just curious, making friendly conversation

I work as a maintenance engineer in a factory. Do mess around with programming of robots and plc's and various other things, but this mobile phone world here has only just opened itself up to me haha

 

[18Jack12]

I have successfully moved to Siyah, Thanks for your help and time again... Whats next??? **

Maybe to flash a new ROM ?? Whats safe for me to use, i know you mentioned not to go for LQ5 or LPM stock roms, i think maybe NEAT ROM, and is there any dummies guides for doing this also ?

Thanks in Advance !

 

[ironass]

I have successfully moved to Siyah, Thanks for your help and time again... Whats next??? **

Maybe to flash a new ROM ?? Whats safe for me to use, i know you mentioned not to go for LQ5 or LPM stock roms, i think maybe NEAT ROM, and is there any dummies guides for doing this also ?

Thanks in Advance !

The abridged version...

1. Download Hawker's GS2ROMNuke to external SD card

2. Download NEAT ROM of your choice from here and place on exteral SD card.

3. Flash GS2ROMNuke using CWM Recovery

4. Flash NEAT ROM whilst still in CWM Recovery

5. Re-boot (do not attempt to re-boot between 3 and 4)

Depending on which version of NEAT you install, you may have to re-install the latest Siyah kernel again. See descriptions of each NEAT ROM and the NEAT ROM thread here on AF.

I'm off to the pub! :beerglass:


Just remember my motto!!!

 

[18Jack12]

I'm off to the pub! :beerglass:


Just remember my motto!!!

Haha, Enjoy! & Thankyou!

 

[18Jack12]

Right been looking and reading and looking and reading

The conclusion is yes I definitely want to give NEAT ROM a go.. but "your gonna get used to my 'buts'".. Im struggling to get to grips with what version I need?

All these numbers & letters confuse the frigg out of me.. I get they have meanings etc..

I know to stay away from LQ5 and LPM

What are the differences in XWLPI and UHLPS also DXLPB

Cheers.