Root [Virgin Mobile/Sprint] Just Rooted my Virgin Optimus F3 & need to know how to install recovery without a computer.

mjhealy1978 said:

I know with previous handsets in the past that im pretty sure as long as your rooted you can flash a recovery via a apk. But im not sure if its possible I noticed the recovery post a few back please can someone help me see the light!

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Read the steps so that you are comfortable.

The flashable recovery is located in the OP of the following:

http://androidforums.com/virgin-mob...very-zv6-cwm-6-0-4-8-touch-lg-optimus-f3.html

Info for the 2nd-init is here:

http://androidforums.com/virgin-mob...imus-f3-root-lg720zv6-update.html#post6388353

You can totally install CWM touch recovery on the Virgin Mobile LG Optimus F3 without using a computer. Here's how I did it:

First of all make sure your Optimus F3 is rooted. I rooted mine (on ZV6) without a computer using the SafeRoot app found here: [APP][ROOT] Saferoot app

Once you are rooted, download ES File Explorer and Terminal Emulator from the Play Store. Then download the Windows installer version of the CWM Touch Recovery from here: [Recovery][ZV6]CWM 6.0.4.8 Touch for the LG Optimus F3

Put this zip on your phone's internal storage. Of course, if you downloaded it using the phone's browser it should already be there. Now open ES File Explorer and navigate to the folder where CWMT_Recovery_Windows-Installer.zip is located (for me it was in the root directory) and long press its icon to select it. Press More on the bottom menu bar and then press Extract to and press OK. This will extract the files inside to their own folder named CWMT_Recovery_Windows-Installer.

Now press the home key and open Terminal Emulator. Type "su" (without the quotes) and press enter. When the superuser request dialog pops up just press grant to give Terminal Emulator superuser permissions. Now you want to change directory to the folder where you extracted CWMT_Recovery_Windows-Installer.zip to using a series of cd commands. For example, I downloaded the zip to the root of the internal storage and extracted it to the folder named CWMT_Recovery_Windows-Installer, so I would type in the following, pressing enter after each line:

cd storage
cd sdcard0
CD CWMT_Recovery_Windows-Installer
cd files

Now you are where the two recovery files are located. These files are called aboot.img and recovery.lok. To copy the files to the data partition for flashing using the cp command, type in the following, again pressing enter after each line:

cp aboot.img /data/local/tmp/aboot.img
cp recovery.lok /data/local/tmp/recovery.lok

Next you must set the correct permissions on these two files using the chmod command. Type in the following, again pressing enter after each line:

chmod 0777 /data/local/tmp/aboot.img
chmod 0777 /data/local/tmp/recovery.lok

We're almost done! The next step is to actually flash these two files to the boot and recovery partitions using the dd command. Type in the following, being very careful to enter these commands EXACTLY as they are written here (and as usual, press enter after each line):

dd if=/data/local/tmp/aboot.img of=/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/aboot
dd if=/data/local/tmp/recovery.lok of=/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/recovery

The final step is to remove the temporary files you copied to the data partition using the rm command:

rm /data/local/tmp/aboot.img
rm /data/local/tmp/recovery.lok

With that, you have completed installation of CWM Touch Recovery 6.0.4.8 on your Virgin Mobile Optimus F3 without a computer. I strongly recommend you take this opportunity to power off the phone and boot into recovery to make a nandroid backup. To boot into recovery, start with the phone powered off and hold down the volume down key and the power key until you see the text telling you to release them. Then simply tap Backup/Restore followed by Backup to Internal or External SD card to begin making your backup.

One final note: it says in the CWM thread to only attempt to boot into recovery mode using the hardware keys and never from an app or a reboot-recovery command or it will trigger a factory reset of the device which will wipe all user data including your contacts, call logs, apps and settings. Just thought I'd mention that.

If you run into problems please feel free to post here or send me a private message and I will do what I can to help you out. Just stick to this guide, and enter all commands accurately. If one command gives an error, double check your typing and enter it again. Enjoy your Optimus F3 with CWM Touch recovery installed!

mjhealy1978 said:

When I get to cp aboot.img command it says cp: missing destination files try cp --help' for more information, which totally messed me up! Please help again.

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Standard Disclaimer: Your results may vary and not responsible for data loss or phone damage.

Possible alternative:

Here is the 2ndinit link

2nd init link
http://androidforums.com/metropcs-t...-lte2-recovery-app-now-touch.html#post6120072

Here is the link to the zip recovery:

http://androidforums.com/virgin-mob...very-zv6-cwm-6-0-4-8-touch-lg-optimus-f3.html

The 2nd init is bascially an app that will provide a simulated recovery. It will work for our puposes.

Download and install the 2nd Init app (LTE2 Recovery)

1. Open LTE2 recovery
2. Think it has two buttons. Press top button and select yes to SU prompt.
3. After receiving OK prompt then select recovery
4. boot to recovery (from app)
5. Once in recovery select install zip
6. select CWM recovery zip file

Shutdown phone
After phone boot you can uninstall lte2 recovery

To test CWM shut phone off. Then volume down while holding power. release both when recovery prompt shows.

Hope this helps.

Does this work for V5 or v6?

Kasenomateru said:

Does this work for V5 or v6?

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Yes. It works for either version.

Ima try this method cuz the computer one makes it so my phone factory resets each time I enter recovery witht the button combo

Kasenomateru said:

Ima try this method cuz the computer one makes it so my phone factory resets each time I enter recovery witht the button combo

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Let use know how it goes. If this issue keeps coming up I'll have to try and find a solution and update the installer.

gherkaul said:

Let use know how it goes. If this issue keeps coming up I'll have to try and find a solution and update the installer.

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Still not working...for me at least. I even factory reset my phone with the unbrick method and rerooted using the saferoot app and tried the LTE 2 Recovery to flash the recovery and I got an error and it didn't install.

Kasenomateru said:

Still not working...for me at least. I even factory reset my phone with the unbrick method and rerooted using the saferoot app and tried the LTE 2 Recovery to flash the recovery and I got an error and it didn't install.

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This is exactly what the term; not all droids are created equal, means.
This is going to be a special case,send me a pm and I'll try and see if I can't get the recovery on you F3 another way.

bkttk2 said:

Standard Disclaimer: Your results may vary and not responsible for data loss or phone damage.

Possible alternative:

Here is the 2ndinit link

2nd init link
http://androidforums.com/metropcs-t...-lte2-recovery-app-now-touch.html#post6120072

Here is the link to the zip recovery:

http://androidforums.com/virgin-mob...very-zv6-cwm-6-0-4-8-touch-lg-optimus-f3.html

The 2nd init is bascially an app that will provide a simulated recovery. It will work for our puposes.

Download and install the 2nd Init app (LTE2 Recovery)

1. Open LTE2 recovery
2. Think it has two buttons. Press top button and select yes to SU prompt.
3. After receiving OK prompt then select recovery
4. boot to recovery (from app)
5. Once in recovery select install zip
6. select CWM recovery zip file

Shutdown phone
After phone boot you can uninstall lte2 recovery

To test CWM shut phone off. Then volume down while holding power. release both when recovery prompt shows.

Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

i gotthe phone rooted and can get all the way through step 6 of your instructions but then i get an "installation aborted" and the little android dude on his back with a big red !

any idea what i might be doing wrong? thanks.

Kasenomateru said:

Still not working...for me at least. I even factory reset my phone with the unbrick method and rerooted using the saferoot app and tried the LTE 2 Recovery to flash the recovery and I got an error and it didn't install.

Click to expand...

having the same problem. tried both methods to install and keep failing. on lte2 recover i get "installation aborted"

and when using the longer method i keep getting

cp: cannot stat 'aboot.img'

and since i can't get past that point i never get to the 2nd line

zuul said:

having the same problem. tried both methods to install and keep failing. on lte2 recover i get "installation aborted"

and when using the longer method i keep getting

cp: cannot stat 'aboot.img'

and since i can't get past that point i never get to the 2nd line

Click to expand...

The CWM 6.0.4.8 Recovery thread has been updated to include zv7 firmware update. The LTE 2nd-Init doesn't work with v7 so I've changed that method to manually copying the files to the device with a root file manager on your phone. If you are using zv6 you can still use the new 2nd method to install the cwm recovery if the Windows-Installer doesn't work for you.

gherkaul said:

The CWM 6.0.4.8 Recovery thread has been updated to include zv7 firmware update. The LTE 2nd-Init doesn't work with v7 so I've changed that method to manually copying the files to the device with a root file manager on your phone. If you are using zv6 you can still use the new 2nd method to install the cwm recovery if the Windows-Installer doesn't work for you.

Click to expand...

thanks for the heads up and pointing me in the right direction... i should have noticed the zv7 discrepancy but i appreciate you pointing it out. your "bull by the horns" method worked great for me...

oddly... total commander... which i've been using for years... gave me a a "can not write to target!" error... despite su giving it access... so i took your advice from the cwm thread and used es file manger and it worked like a charm... so i broke up with total commander...

thanks again for your help...

No problem, glad I could help.

You can get an app from the play store called flashify. I use it all the time. It will install any recovery.img. if the recovery you want to install is on a zip, extract it first. You need to have the recovery.img and flashify will install it. For some devices it will even attempt to find a recovery for you.

Madbat said:

You can get an app from the play store called flashify. I use it all the time. It will install any recovery.img. if the recovery you want to install is on a zip, extract it first. You need to have the recovery.img and flashify will install it. For some devices it will even attempt to find a recovery for you.

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The problem with that method is the aboot image needed for the loki patch to work would not be installed. The recovery won't work without it.

gherkaul said:

The problem with that method is the aboot image needed for the loki patch to work would not be installed. The recovery won't work without it.

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Yeah that changes things a bit.

Madbat said:

Yeah that changes things a bit.

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I love this phone but it can be a pain in the butt to develop.