Root [Virgin Mobile] [OUTDATED][GUIDE][MD7][MG2] Rooting & Recovery for Galaxy S3(VM)

westman995 · Oct 31, 2013

Well I messed my phone up or somethin. I followed the guide n all was goin good until I tried installing from sd card. Everytime I click install from sd it jus stayed there, wouldn't go into the next thing....

So then I read through it all and try to run that recovery.tar.md5 thing through odin like someone said to do for someone else. . Well now sometimes my pc won't recognize the phone and when it does I can't do anything with odin.. it fails every time... so yup think I'm screwed now

I've reinstalled the drivers n reset phone n pc it didnt help anything

ron scubadiver · Nov 1, 2013

Does Motochopper work on new phones, I just got mine yesterday and it is updated to I believe what is called MG2 around here. It seems a lot of folks are having problems.

Froycas · Nov 3, 2013

I followed all the steps and when i get the option instal from internal sd card it tells me to update sd card should i update?

askdjhf · Nov 4, 2013

1. It did not take 10 seconds before saying PASS. It took about 2 minutes where in ODIN it said "RESET!" and I left it alone for those two minutes and eventually it then said "PASS!"

DON'T, I said DON'T UNPLUG until it says PASS! with a green background!!

2. You don't need to take out the battery. After ODIN says "PASS!" then just hold the power button and it will reboot.

3. You can use the newer version of ODIN which is version 3.07 DIRECT LINK (SOURCE)

4. Use the latest version of clockworkmod, version 6.0.2.3 DIRECT LINK (SOURCE)

askdjhf · Nov 4, 2013

Froycas said:
I followed all the steps and when i get the option instal from internal sd card it tells me to update sd card should i update?

Take out your SD card just to minimize confusion.

Copy the zip to your internal memory when you plug the phone to your PC.

Go to "install zip from SD card", then on next screen "choose zip from SD card", then on next screen scroll down and find the zip and select it, and on the next screen choose "YES install zip from SD card".

sanmadjack · Nov 8, 2013

xthedakmanx said:
Push this file through ODIN using the PDA option and it'll fix it all for ya

goo.im/devs/xthedakmanx/MidnightRomGS3/recovery.tar.md5

This link is dead, and I'm having the same "can't mound anything" issue. Is there a reliable mirror somewhere?

MrWareWolf · Nov 8, 2013

can't backup if it won't mount the sdcard or ext-sdcard

kimberlyinmn · Nov 17, 2013

Ditto, not mounting the EMMC or the external SD card.

Edited: See post #142 for a fix.

kimberlyinmn · Nov 17, 2013

xthedakmanx said:
Push this file through ODIN using the PDA option and it'll fix it all for ya

Goo.im Downloads - Downloading recovery.tar.md5

Rats, I tried this and I get a message in ODIN:

<OSM>MD5 hash value is invalid
<OSM>recovery.tar.md5 is invalid

Is there another version out there that is valid??

l train · Nov 27, 2013

I cannot get cwm to stick after updating to 4.3. I flash the zip from this thread throwugh odin 3.07, and when i boot into recovery the 1st time it goes into cwm recovery.

Nexxt time its bak to stock androd recovery.

floydster12 · Dec 4, 2013

I just got this phone today. I had an lg revolution rooted with custom roms so im not new to rooting. I am however new to samsung. So I followed this method and finally got cwm installed. I tried to flash the r4oot folder and When i turned he phone back on superuser wouldnt open. It said that a program was trying to gain unauthorized access. After some research i realized it was thanks to samsungs knox security. I then tried Degrate shadows knox remover script and it failed when trying to flash. I then restored a back up i had made and now my phone is stuck. Please help. I have virgin mobiles samsung galaxy s3 with android 4.3 mk5. Lve searched everywhere for a solution to no avail.

TheBritton · Dec 4, 2013

floydster12 said:
I just got this phone today. I had an lg revolution rooted with custom roms so im not new to rooting. I am however new to samsung. So I followed this method and finally got cwm installed. I tried to flash the r4oot folder and When i turned he phone back on superuser wouldnt open. It said that a program was trying to gain unauthorized access. After some research i realized it was thanks to samsungs knox security. I then tried Degrate shadows knox remover script and it failed when trying to flash. I then restored a back up i had made and now my phone is stuck. Please help. I have virgin mobiles samsung galaxy s3 with android 4.3 mk5. Lve searched everywhere for a solution to no avail.

I would place this knox free stock rom and your sd card and flash with custom recovery

http://androidforums.com/showthread.php?t=800776

You may have a hard time getting a custom recovery to stick but you should be able to at least boot into it once to install this rom. Once you install the knox free rom, custom recoveries will stick nicely.

PS: I recommend this recovery. It works great with our device!

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2446393

floydster12 · Dec 4, 2013

Ok TheBritton thank you so much for your timely response and I did hit the thanks button as well. My only concern is when reading the post with the Rooted Stock mk5 4.3 Rom I see that it says if you have NOT already gotten the 4.3 update with the knox bootloader. Unfortunately, I have gotten that update so knox is already on my phone. The only other concern I have is it says if your rooted which im not so sure i am. I flashed the root files supplied on this thread but superuser would not open up. Now im just stuck in the second samsung screen. I can however get into my custom recovery and download mode as well just nothing else. Do you still suggest I try the Stock Rooted Rom. Sorry im really new to the samsung and I think i have a soft brick now. The last thing I wanna do is hard brick it. Just got it yesterday.

TheBritton · Dec 4, 2013

Don't worry! You're not bricked. You are probably rooted but the Knox security is preventing SuperSU from opening and doing it's job.

On a side note, remember if you can get into download mode or custom recovery you are still good. That means you're not hard bricked.

As for the Knox bootloader question, don't worry about that either. I had initially taken the OTA update and received the Knox bootloader. All that means is you cannot downgrade to a non-Knox bootloader. You will still be able to flash roms, just not another bootloader (until someone comes up with a workaround). I fiddled around with some system settings and long story short I had to reinstall the stock rom using the link I provided you. If you have already taken the OTA with the Knox bootloader you can still use the rom. They were only referring to the bootloader to let people know that haven't taken the OTA that there is a way to update without getting Knox.

If you can get into custom recovery and you have placed the rom zip on your sd card you will want to perform a factory reset with the custom revovery and also format "system" "data" and "cache".. and under the advanced menu "wipe dalvik cache" and then install the stock rom zip followed by the SuperSU zip. Then reboot...

I can assure you from experience that once you do this you will then reboot into a nice, smooth, Knox security free, rooted stock rom!

FLASH THIS STOCK ROM: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2546505
(I personally suggest the Odexed version unless you're planning on customizing the framework)

FLASH THIS TO ROOT: http://download.chainfire.eu/supersu

floydster12 · Dec 4, 2013

TheBritton said:
I would place this knox free stock rom and your sd card and flash with custom recovery

[LINK][ROM][MK5][STOCK] Stock 4.3 MK5 ROM [ROOTED] - Android Forums

You may have a hard time getting a custom recovery to stick but you should be able to at least boot into it once to install this rom. Once you install the knox free rom, custom recoveries will stick nicely.

PS: I recommend this recovery. It works great with our device!

[d2spr][CWM ADV.] OFFICIAL PhilZ-Touch Recovery 6.0 [11.24.13] - xda-developers

TheBritton said:
Don't worry! You're not bricked. You are probably rooted but the Knox security is preventing SuperSU from opening and doing it's job.

On a side note, remember if you can get into download mode or custom recovery you are still good. That means you're not hard bricked.

As for the Knox bootloader question, don't worry about that either. I had initially taken the OTA update and received the Knox bootloader. All that means is you cannot downgrade to a non-Knox bootloader. You will still be able to flash roms, just not another bootloader (until someone comes up with a workaround). I fiddled around with some system settings and long story short I had to reinstall the stock rom using the link I provided you. If you have already taken the OTA with the Knox bootloader you can still use the rom. They were only referring to the bootloader to let people know that haven't taken the OTA that there is a way to update without getting Knox.

If you can get into custom recovery and you have placed the rom zip on your sd card you will want to perform a factory reset with the custom revovery and also format "system" "data" and "cache".. and under the advanced menu "wipe dalvik cache" and then install the stock rom zip followed by the SuperSU zip. Then reboot...

I can assure you from experience that once you do this you will then reboot into a nice, smooth, Knox security free, rooted stock rom!

FLASH THIS STOCK ROM: [ROM][MK5][STOCK][ODEXED/DEODEXED]- Virgin Mobile/Boost Mobile - xda-developers
(I personally suggest the Odexed version unless you're planning on customizing the framework)

FLASH THIS TO ROOT: SuperSU Download

I cannot even express to you How grateful I am. Thank you so much I just got this phone and thought I was SOL. Once again thank you and I will be following this thread.

TheBritton · Dec 4, 2013

floydster12 said:
I cannot even express to you How grateful I am. Thank you so much I just got this phone and thought I was SOL. Once again thank you and I will be following this thread.

Believe me, I've been in your position and it feels so sickening to think you might have ruined your device

threethumbed · Dec 4, 2013

here's my issue.

I got this phone is october and attempted to root using that site galaxy s3 root dot etc (it wont let me post links as first poster)

which caused nothing but a bunch of reboots. didnt brick the phone but just nothing. could not boot into dowload, only reboots the phone. I read the post 142 and intended to do that but then personal life went to hell and now, today, I got the 4.3 update and thought okay, let's have some root. so this time I did this one: cf auto root.

same thing as before, not rooted according to root checker (which I then went to play store and installed superSU as it was not present and it cannot run, it says no files present or something similar, no superuser installed so cannot run) post 142 is now obsolete. I can get into recovery mode but not download mode, and I am sort of lost as to what to do. now, I have backed up my apps and files today so I guess flashing the rom being talked about in post 214 could work but I am so lost and confused as to how do that exactly, because I never used a custom rom, just that root s3 dot com site and I dont know what flashing consists of (running through odin?) and also says I need root to install a new rom but that is my problem, I cannot root.

if anyone could be so kind as to explain slowly, as if to an idiot, how I could get myself out of this situation and into root even if that means I have to flash another rom (which I also need explained slowly as if to an idiot...) I would be infinitely grateful. *&^% this knox junk.

AwakenedWithin · Dec 4, 2013

TheBritton said:
MG2 Kies recovery file Virgin Mobile - Android Forums

Flashing this file through Odin will update your device to the latest build and stop the update notification. You will have to root again after installing the update. The update will not affect your apps or data but you might wanna back up just in case.

When you say root again, as in flash the SuperSu zip file in the custom recovery or use Odin to install a custom recovery, then reflash? I see my phone has MD7 and I am a bit tired of that update notification, so yeah. Also, is M2 any better? I come from HTC EVO V and I think we were told not to update SuperSu from Play Store..I think, anyway is it okay to update it from Play Store for this phone? Thanks!

TheBritton · Dec 4, 2013

AwakenedWithin said:
When you say root again, as in flash the SuperSu zip file in the custom recovery or use Odin to install a custom recovery, then reflash? I see my phone has MD7 and I am a bit tired of that update notification, so yeah. Also, is M2 any better? I come from HTC EVO V and I think we were told not to update SuperSu from Play Store..I think, anyway is it okay to update it from Play Store for this phone? Thanks!

The update to MG2 will revert the custom recovery to stock so yes you will have to reinstall custom recovery and flash SuperSU.. However the latest update is not MG2 it is MK5 which you probably just want to flash the pre-rooted MK5 build found here in the all things root forum as it doesn't have the dreaded knox bootloader and apps.

TheBritton · Dec 4, 2013

This guide needs to be updated...

AwakenedWithin · Dec 4, 2013

TheBritton said:
The update to MG2 will revert the custom recovery to stock so yes you will have to reinstall custom recovery and flash SuperSU.. However the latest update is not MG2 it is MK5 which you probably just want to flash the pre-rooted MK5 build found here in the all things root forum as it doesn't have the dreaded knox bootloader and apps.

Yeah, I've read of that MK5. Thank you, I may give that a try.

TheBritton · Dec 4, 2013

AwakenedWithin said:
Yeah, I've read of that MK5. Thank you, I may give that a try.

Okay. Just thought I would I mention that since you are updating to get rid of the notification. Because once you update to MG2 you will see the update for MK5 haha

AwakenedWithin · Dec 4, 2013

TheBritton said:
Okay. Just thought I would I mention that since you are updating to get rid of the notification. Because once you update to MG2 you will see the update for MK5 haha

...darn, ahah.

ccortez831 · Dec 4, 2013

So I followed the steps down to a T and when I went into recovery mode. It doesn't give me an option to install from SD card. Only from external storage, so I tried that and nothing happened. Then I tried step 20 and it just says "end" and nothing else. What can I do? I don't plan on installing any custom ROMS or anything. I just want to root so that I can use Titanium back and adblocker.

TheBritton · Dec 4, 2013

ccortez831 said:
So I followed the steps down to a T and when I went into recovery mode. It doesn't give me an option to install from SD card. Only from external storage, so I tried that and nothing happened. Then I tried step 20 and it just says "end" and nothing else. What can I do? I don't plan on installing any custom ROMS or anything. I just want to root so that I can use Titanium back and adblocker.

Are you sure you are using a custom recovery? If so, try a different recovery.

I now recommend Philz CWM Touch based recovery. It is amazing!! There is a tar file (to install with Odin) and a flashable zip.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2446393

This should have no trouble flashing SuperSU or superuser. This is the recovery I now use for this device

Root [Virgin Mobile] [OUTDATED][GUIDE][MD7][MG2] Rooting & Recovery for Galaxy S3(VM)

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