Root attempt failed - can't use phone normally

[radaronse]

Hi all,

I attempted to root my Samsung Galaxy S2 (on O2), but it seems to have gone wrong. I wondered if anyone could help please.

I followed a guide on "How to root your Samsung Galaxy S2" on CNET, but after i put the phone in download mode, uploaded the insecure kernal using Odin3 (got the green "PASS!" notification), the phone didn't turn back on. I just got the charging icon. The guide said if this happens you should just manually switch the phone on. When I did this the charging icon disappeared but the screen remained blank. Now I am not sure what to do. The next step said to use S2 Root (the program file you get from the download is called "Samsung Quick Root") but it just kept waiting to connect and nothing else happened.

The model of my Samsung Galaxy S2 is gt-i9100p, and the kernal I used was called "CF-Root-SGS2_XW_XEN_LP7-v5.4-CWM5.tar". From reading articles and forums since my root attempt, I believe this may have been an incorrect kernal for my phone, but I am not certain.

Now my phone just has a blank screen and I am not sure what to do correct this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I believe my version on Android is 2.3.something. I am sorry I don't have the exact number.

Thank you.

 

[GuitarG20]

Hi there and welcome to the forums! I am gonna go ahead and move this thread into the GS2 root sub-forum - hopefully someone can help you out there. I don't know much about rooting so I can't be of much help

 

[radaronse]

Thanks GuitarG20

 

[ironass]

Hi all,

I attempted to root my Samsung Galaxy S2 (on O2), but it seems to have gone wrong. I wondered if anyone could help please.

I followed a guide on "How to root your Samsung Galaxy S2" on CNET, but after i put the phone in download mode, uploaded the insecure kernal using Odin3 (got the green "PASS!" notification), the phone didn't turn back on. I just got the charging icon. The guide said if this happens you should just manually switch the phone on. When I did this the charging icon disappeared but the screen remained blank. Now I am not sure what to do. The next step said to use S2 Root (the program file you get from the download is called "Samsung Quick Root") but it just kept waiting to connect and nothing else happened.

The model of my Samsung Galaxy S2 is gt-i9100p, and the kernal I used was called "CF-Root-SGS2_XW_XEN_LP7-v5.4-CWM5.tar". From reading articles and forums since my root attempt, I believe this may have been an incorrect kernal for my phone, but I am not certain.

Now my phone just has a blank screen and I am not sure what to do correct this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I believe my version on Android is 2.3.something. I am sorry I don't have the exact number.

Thank you.

Hello and welcome to Android Forums radaronse!

From what you describe, it seem that you have indeed tried to root using the wrong kernel.

I would guess that you do not know the full details of your original firmware for the GT-i9100P variant. Furthermore I'm guessing that you are on the Orange UK network. If not, I will have to revise the firmware download mentioned next.

Therefore, I suggest flashing the complete, stock, Samsung firmware, Android 2.3.6, Gingerbread, I9100PBVKI3, for Orange UK, using Odin and following the instructions in post #1, here, under the heading, "My firmware is not eligible for ICS yet but I want it now!". Ignore the references to ICS. The flashing procedure is the same for GB.

This will put you back to the unrooted Orange firmware after which you can root using the step-by-step guide, with video's, for beginners, Rooting Galaxy S2 - Dummies Guide.

 

[radaronse]

Hi ironass,

Thank you very much for your reply. I am on O2 UK, not Orange, but as you quite correctly guessed I do not have the full details of my original firmware (I wish I had written them down now).

If you could get the O2 UK version so I can proceed with your instructions above that'd be great.

 

[ironass]

Hi ironass,

Thank you very much for your reply. I am on O2 UK, not Orange, but as you quite correctly guessed I do not have the full details of my original firmware (I wish I had written them down now).

If you could get the O2 UK version so I can proceed with your instructions above that'd be great.

How odd! The reason I went for Orange was that they released the, "P" variant on Gingerbread, Android 2.3.

I believe my version on Android is 2.3.something. I am sorry I don't have the exact number.

Whilst the earliest stock, Samsung, firmware I can find for O2 is ICS, Android 4.0.4, i9100PXXLPH.

If you are indeed on ICS, Android 4.0.4, you could just flash the Siyah kernel mentioned in the Rooting Galaxy S2 - Dummies Guide without installing the stock, O2, firmware. This would not work if you are on Gingerbread, Android 2.3.x, however.

 

[radaronse]

As I was definitely still on Gingerbread (not ICS Android 4.0.4, although I would like to be), is there any way of fixing my phone?

 

[ironass]

As I was definitely still on Gingerbread (not ICS Android 4.0.4, although I would like to be), is there any way of fixing my phone?

Since I cannot find any Gingerbread, Android 2.3.x, stock firmware for a, "P", variant on branded O2, you will have to flash the ICS, O2, firmware to get you back up and running and then take it from there for rooting.

 

[radaronse]

If you are indeed on ICS, Android 4.0.4, you could just flash the Siyah kernel mentioned in the Rooting Galaxy S2 - Dummies Guide without installing the stock, O2, firmware. This would not work if you are on Gingerbread, Android 2.3.x, however.

Since I cannot find any Gingerbread, Android 2.3.x, stock firmware for a, "P", variant on branded O2, you will have to flash the ICS, O2, firmware to get you back up and running and then take it from there for rooting.

This sounds good, especially as my initial motive for rooting the phone was ultimately to upgrade to ICS (rooting it first to allow me to make a manual backup of SMS messages etc before flashing with ICS). However, didn't you just say that "this would not work if you are on Gingerbread, Android 2.3.x"?

I think I may have misunderstood you. Are you saying that it would not work if I am on Gingerbread, end of story? Or are you saying that it will not work on Gingerbread and therefore the only way out is to use your linked ICS file and upgrade to ICS? If you are saying the latter, then that is perfect for me as I want to upgrade to ICS anyway.

 

[ironass]

I said that you cannot use the Siyah kernel method of rooting if you are on Gingerbread.

You need to flash a firmware first, ICS in this case as I cannot locate an O2 Gingerbread firmware for your model of phone, to get you up and running. Then you can set about rooting it if you want.

 

[radaronse]

I think I may be confusing common terms such as kernal, firmware, etc. I am going to read some of the guides/stickys to go over some basics, and then I will re-read and follow your instructions.

I'll post back with any progress.

 

[ironass]

I think I may be confusing common terms such as kernal, firmware, etc. I am going to read some of the guides/stickys to go over some basics, and then I will re-read and follow your instructions.

I'll post back with any progress.

See Slug's post, here, under, "Common Terms/Acronyms you may encounter:"

 

[radaronse]

Thanks. Sorry, I've only just seen the edit on your second to most recent post. Very useful, thanks

 

[radaronse]

Big thanks to ironass! I now have my phone working again, and ICS 4.0.3 is now installed.

Really appreciate all your help.