Root [Virgin Mobile] Can install custom roms? my phone came with 4.3

[syrupinmycup]

I bought this phone last week and it came with 4.3 , cn i flash cwm and start flashing custom roms?

 

[ajnycguy]

I bought this phone last week and it came with 4.3 , cn i flash cwm and start flashing custom roms?

YES!

Use this guide in order to root your phone: LINK -by TheBritton

Roms that have been tested to work on 4.3 are here: LINK -By struckn

Hope this helps!

REMEMBER!
On 4.3 with Knox Bootloader, flashing anything under 4.3 will brick your phone and make it a brand new paper weight ​

 

[struckn]

YES!

Use this guide in order to root your phone: LINK -by TheBritton

Roms that have been tested to work on 4.3 are here: LINK -By struckn

Hope this helps!

REMEMBER!
On 4.3 with Knox Bootloader, flashing anything under 4.3 will brick your phone and make it a brand new paper weight ​

And don't forget, Philz Touch recovery is currently recommended by 4 out of 5 dentists, I mean by almost every user on this forum! JD created a nice thread just so people could have the link readily available.
http://androidforums.com/boost-mobile-galaxy-s3-all-things-root/805519-sph-l710-cwm-adv-official-philz-touch-recovery-6-0-11-24-13-a.html

 

[ajnycguy]

And don't forget, Philz Touch recovery is currently recommended by 4 out of 5 dentists

HAHA, best way to introduce Philz recovery!

 

[syrupinmycup]

thanks

 

[ajnycguy]

thanks

No problem, if you have any other questions feel free to ask!

 

[TheBritton]

REMEMBER!
On 4.3 with Knox Bootloader, flashing anything under 4.3 will brick your phone and make it a brand new paper weight ​

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe you can flash roms based on earlier versions of Android but only if they do not contain a bootloader.

The Knox bootloader is there to stay and it is the actual attempt of changing it that triggers the hard brick. Basically stay away from Odin tars of previous Android versions because they DO have previous bootloaders which Knox will unleash it's wrath at Flashable zips of previous Android versions that don't contain bootloaders (most zips don't) should be okay.

 

[struckn]

Britton, 100% correct as always. This distinction is a big part of the thread I started on XDA today for their benefit. It is always important to know the difference between:
1. Bootloader
2. Modem
3. Android build number
4. Using Odin and .tar files and which files are usually in this format
5. Flashing .zip files in recovery

 

[TheBritton]

Okay. Not trying to correct anyone or undermine what they say, just trying to bring to light the correct information for the benefit of us all.

Thanks for everyone's help here! I appreciate the way everyone jumps in and contributes their time and work. That's what makes this forum so great. I've always thought this was there friendliest forum out there

Keep up the good work everyone!

 

[struckn]

Okay. Not trying to correct anyone or undermine what they say, just trying to bring to light the correct information for the benefit of us all.

Thanks for everyone's help here! I appreciate the way everyone jumps in and contributes their time and work. That's what makes this forum so great. I've always thought this was there friendliest forum out there

Keep up the good work everyone!

Yeah, Knox and some of the terminology has definitely caused a headache, whether or not you even have Knox installed! Like I told you earlier though, you wouldn't believe the confusion and misinformation floating around over at XDA, I couldn't take it anymore and had to start a thread just to ease my mind, as I am tired of posting some of the same responses over and over on that forum. Don't really mind doing it here, though, I consider AF more of my "home base."

 

[ajnycguy]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe you can flash roms based on earlier versions of Android but only if they do not contain a bootloader.

The Knox bootloader is there to stay and it is the actual attempt of changing it that triggers the hard brick. Basically stay away from Odin tars of previous Android versions because they DO have previous bootloaders which Knox will unleash it's wrath at Flashable zips of previous Android versions that don't contain bootloaders (most zips don't) should be okay.

I didn't know that... cool.
How does one make sure that a rom doesn't contain a bootloader?

 

[struckn]

I didn't know that... cool.
How does one make sure that a rom doesn't contain a bootloader?

Virtually no custom ROM will contain a bootloader. Those are almost exclusively in .tar files designed for "return to stock" and will list which bootloader they are associated with. Very rarely will a ROM come in any package other than a flashable .zip file.

Remember:

Push a .tar file with Odin, and this will almost never be a custom ROM, but rather a custom recovery or a "return to stock"

Flash a .zip file in recovery, pretty much everything you do once rooted will be in this fashion and will almost never have associations with a bootloader

The much larger concern when it comes to custom ROM's being used by the VM/Boost community is to always make sure it is designated for d2spr (Sprint). If you choose d2att (AT&T), d2tmo (T-Mobile), or any of the international variants, you will be in a world of hurt.

 

[ajnycguy]

Virtually no custom ROM will contain a bootloader. Those are almost exclusively in .tar files designed for "return to stock" and will list which bootloader they are associated with. Very rarely will a ROM come in any package other than a flashable .zip file.

Remember:

Push a .tar file with Odin, and this will almost never be a custom ROM, but rather a custom recovery or a "return to stock"

Flash a .zip file in recovery, pretty much everything you do once rooted will be in this fashion and will almost never have associations with a bootloader

Good to know, thanks!

Must have been in all the Knox hype that I heard that you cannot flash anything except 4.3 and up once you have the bootloader installed.

 

[struckn]

Good to know, thanks!

Must have been in all the Knox hype that I heard that you cannot flash anything except 4.3 and up once you have the bootloader installed.

Definitely one of the most frustrating misconceptions involving Knox that I have seen posted. Knox only cares about bootloader, it doesn't give a crap about Android build number or modem for that matter. You can flash whatever Android build number you want, you can't push any bootloader that is pre-Knox. Remember also, modems and bootloaders are referred to by the same nomenclature but are really much more independent of each other than it would seem when they use the same names. So therefore, you can flash any .zip file containing a Sprint or VM/Boost modem.