Root Best ROM for Epic 4g Touch (D710)

[paroots]

I recently acquired a used Epic 4g Touch on Craigslist and am anxious to upgrade it to a ROM based on Android 4.2 or above (to be more consistent with my wife's 4.3 Galaxy Nexus and 4.2 tablet). My stock ROM is currently Android 4.1.2. I experimented with several, but have not been able to connect to WiFi or access 3g with any of them. I would love to here from other Epic 4g Touch owners who are running custom ROMs with WiFi and mobile data capability. In the meantime, I've rooted my stock ROM and added the Agat Recovery. BTW, I'm on RingPlus's free plan which is great!

 

[Thom]

For best exposure ... moved from Android Lounge to sub-forum for root-related questions on this phone.

... Thom

 

[paroots]

For best exposure ... moved from Android Lounge to sub-forum for root-related questions on this phone.

... Thom

Thanks.

Any other owners of the Epic 4g Touch (D710) who have had good luck installing custom ROMs to Android 4.2 and above?

 

[Gendo420]

Sure, I've had plenty of success installing cm10, project X, Slimbean, as well as Dirty Unicorn. They all work great just follow what the OP tells you to do since the recovery and the ROM are tied together. There are plenty of 4.1.2, 4.2.2, 4.3, and even 4.4 ROMs floating around

 

[paroots]

Sure, I've had plenty of success installing cm10, project X, Slimbean, as well as Dirty Unicorn. They all work great just follow what the OP tells you to do since the recovery and the ROM are tied together. There are plenty of 4.1.2, 4.2.2, 4.3, and even 4.4 ROMs floating around

Thanks. It's great to hear from someone who's actually done it successfully. I have two questions:

1. Did mobile data work with all the ROMs mentioned? I have tried cm10.1, cm10.2, cm11.0, slimbean, supernexus2.0, and supernexus3.0. In no case was I able to get mobile data working and in most cases I was not able to connect to WiFi.
2. If starting from GB27 (as I am) what are the steps? Most things I've read say you must first go back to an ICS modem. Would it be sufficient to simply flash the FL24.zip file to accomplish that or have you done something else?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Gendo420]

Use mobile Odin to flash the EL29 direct boot kernel,
If you are flashing an ASOP ROM ie. CM SlimBean etc. After you reboot into the EL29 recovery just flash the ROM and have it reboot back into recovery. EL29 doesn't like to flash modems. Now that you are in your new ROM 's recovery flash the correct version of gapps for you version of Android and then flash your modem(FL24). Wipe your cache and delvik cache, reboot into your ASOP ROM.
If it's a Touchwiz ROM, when you are in the EL29 recovery flash the JB format all zip so it will correctly setup the preload partition. Then flash your ROM, reboot recovery, flash a JB modem if you aren't already on on(GB27) no need for gapps on Touchwiz ROMs. Wipe cache and delvik cache and reboot into your new Touchwiz ROM.

 

[paroots]

Use mobile Odin to flash the EL29 direct boot kernel,
If you are flashing an ASOP ROM ie. CM SlimBean etc. After you reboot into the EL29 recovery just flash the ROM and have it reboot back into recovery. EL29 doesn't like to flash modems. Now that you are in your new ROM 's recovery flash the correct version of gapps for you version of Android and then flash your modem(FL24). Wipe your cache and delvik cache, reboot into your ASOP ROM.
If it's a Touchwiz ROM, when you are in the EL29 recovery flash the JB format all zip so it will correctly setup the preload partition. Then flash your ROM, reboot recovery, flash a JB modem if you aren't already on on(GB27) no need for gapps on Touchwiz ROMs. Wipe cache and delvik cache and reboot into your new Touchwiz ROM.

Thanks a lot. I've tried to decipher your instructions best I can. Since you specifically mentioned Slimbean, I'll start with that. Here is my interpretation of your instruction for Slimbean (starting from GB27 rooted stock ROM):

1. Start mobileODIN
2. Flash EL29 direct boot kernel
3. Flash Slimbean *
4. Reboot to Slimbean Recovery
5. Flash gapps **
6. Flash FL24 modem
7. Wipe cache and Dalvik cache
8. Reboot to Slimbean

* Slim-d710-4.3.build.beta.1-UNOFFICIAL-20130820-0826.zip
** Slim_AIO_gapps.4.3.build.2.zip

After completing the above steps, it got stuck on the Slimbean boot logo? I re-entered Recovery and rebooted and again it got stuck. Did I miss a step or two somewhere? I've now restored from my stock ROM nandroid and have repeated the above steps again (just in case I missed something). Same result and this time I waited a full 15 minutes to be sure it wasn't just slow in booting up! Thanks again for the help.

 

[Gendo420]

I had the exact same problem with SlimBean4.3, but not 4.2.2. But yes you did everything right. If you want 4.3 the CM10.2 nightlies are working great. That is what I am currently running. Same instructions as before just different ROM
Now that you are on an ICS modem you won't need to flash it again unless you go to a TW ROM

 

[paroots]

I had the exact same problem with SlimBean4.3, but not 4.2.2. But yes you did everything right. If you want 4.3 the CM10.2 nightlies are working great. That is what I am currently running. Same instructions as before just different ROM
Now that you are on an ICS modem you won't need to flash it again unless you go to a TW ROM

Thanks again. I restored my nandroid backup and did the following with CM10.2:

1. Copy ROM and gapps to sdcard
2. Start mobileODIN
3. Flash EL29 direct boot kernel
4. Flash CM10.2
5. Reboot to CM10.2 Recovery
6. Flash gapps
7. Flash FL24 modem
8. Wipe cache and Dalvik cache
9. Reboot to CM10.2

XDA Ref: [ROM][SPH-D710][JB][4.3.1] CyanogenMod 10.2 Official Nightly Builds - xda-developers
ROM: cm-10.2-20131217-NIGHTLY-d710.zip
gapps: gapps-jb-20130813-signed.zip

Unfortunately, it got stuck again; this time on CM boot screen. I waited 10 minutes to no avail. As before, I started from GB27 rooted stock ROM. I must be doing something wrong, but it escapes me?

 

[paroots]

I noticed that post #1 of:

[ROM][SPH-D710][JB][4.3.1] CyanogenMod 10.2 Official Nightly Builds - xda-developers
​

had the following statement in the Installation section:

DO A DATA WIPE / FACTORY RESET (otherwise your device will be stuck at boot)

With this in mind I modified the steps as follows:

1. Copy ROM and gapps to sdcard
2. Start mobileODIN
3. Flash EL29 direct boot kernel
4. Flash CM10.2
5. Reboot to CM10.2 Recovery
6. Flash gapps
7. Flash FL24 modem
8. Data wipe/Factory reset
9. Wipe cache and Dalvik cache
10. Reboot to CM10.2
11. Booted up in 1-2 minutes
12. Verified Baseband = FL24

Unfortunately, I could not connect to WiFi which has been my ongoing problem with all custom ROMs tested so far. However, I have no problem connecting to WiFi with the rooted stock GB27 ROM. What could I be doing wrong? Any ideas much appreciated.

 

[Gendo420]

I've never had wifi not work, did you verify that your md5s check out?

 

[paroots]

I've never had wifi not work, did you verify that your md5s check out?

Thanks. I've installed at least 6 different ROMs and in each case I've had trouble connecting to WiFi even though my rooted stock GB27 ROM connects without problems. I can't believe they would all be corrupted. I would say there's something wrong with my phone except for the fact that the stock ROM works great!? Which modem are you installing? I'm using FL24.zip and my stock ROM is using the same without problems.

Update: I realized that I've been using the same copy of FL24.zip for all ROM installations. I re-downloaded it and installed CM10.1 with the same results. I then tried the installation with FI27 with the same results. I guess I'm really stumped as to what the problem is. Any more ideas? Thanks.

 

[Gendo420]

I've installed at least 6 different ROMs and in each case I've had trouble connecting to WiFi even though my rooted stock GB27 ROM connects without problems.

Have you tried TW ROM other than stock, or have they been all AOSP?

Which modem are you installing?

I'm using FL24.zip

 

[paroots]

Have you tried TW ROM other than stock, or have they been all AOSP?


I'm using FL24.zip

I discovered the problem! It was the router. I had a dhcp reservation for the stock ROM which must have upset the custom ROM!

Now mobile data not working. Does it work for you? I'm now running cm10.2.

 

[Gendo420]

On ROMs that are JB 4.3 data isn't perfect yet. I'm on CM10.2 nightlies if I have data issues I toggle airplane mode on and off. But for the most part I have no problems with data. If you want rock solid data go with a 4.2.2 ROM

 

[paroots]

On ROMs that are JB 4.3 data isn't perfect yet. I'm on CM10.2 nightlies if I have data issues I toggle airplane mode on and off. But for the most part I have no problems with data. If you want rock solid data go with a 4.2.2 ROM

Thanks. I want rock solid data so I'll take your advice and go with 4.2.2.

As an aside, I just acquired the Sprint version of the Galaxy Nexus so hope to transfer my plan with RingPlus over to it. The incentive is to have something almost identical to my wife's gsm Galaxy Nexus with Straight Talk.

Thanks for all your help. I think I'm on the home stretch, finally

 

[bilgerryan]

If you want rock solid days I would go b with a custom TouchWiz ROM like Project X

 

[mxman420]

Does anyone know which ROM, if any, will open my Virgin Mobile SPH-D710 WiFi up to the 4.0 standard? I really want to take advantage of all the new workout stuff like heartrate monitors but they all seem to use Bluetooth 4.0. Many many threads say the GS2 actually can support this it's just turned on in anything lower than 4.3.
Thanks.