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Root [Virgin Mobile] [OUTDATED][GUIDE] Return VM Galaxy S3 to Stock MD7/MG2

TheBritton

TheBritton

Resident Galaxy Cat
MD7 and MG2 ONLY!

ATTEMPTING THIS METHOD ON MK5 MAY BRICK YOUR DEVICE!!

IF YOU ARE ON MK5 AND YOU FLASH ANY OF THE ODIN FIRMWARE LISTED IN THIS GUIDE IT WILL TURN YOUR DEVICE INTO A FANCY PAPERWEIGHT!

CHECK YOUR BUILD NUMBER FIRST!
DO NOT PROCEED IF ON MK5 WITH KNOX BOOTLOADER!
​


This is a step-by step guide to returning your Virgin Mobile USA Samsung Galaxy S3 to complete stock. This guide will work for both the older MD7 build as well as the newer MG2 build. (This guide may also be helpful in updating your MD7 build to the newer MG2 build.)

PRE-REQUISITES:
This guide assumes that your device is already rooted with a custom recovery installed. If it is not, you may do so here: http://androidforums.com/virgin-mob...9490-guide-rooting-recovery-galaxy-s3-vm.html

First, make sure you have the Samsung USB drivers installed on your computer.
You may find those here: Samsung_USB_Driver_for_Mobile_Phones_v1.5.14.0.exe

Make sure you already have Odin installed on your PC.
You may find it here:
[ tool ] Odin 3.04 - xda-developers



STEP 1:
You will want to return to the original MD7 build by downloading this ZIP to your SD card and installing through recovery: JZO54K.L710VPAMD7_d2vmu_signed.zip

(Note! If you are having data connectivity issues such as 4G loss you will want to install the MD7 stock modem before proceeding to step two! If you are not having data connectivity please disregard: Download file, place phone in download mode by pressing volume down, home while powering up. Start Odin as administrator, connect phone, click Phone tab, select the modem file, click Start)

STEP 2:
You will then want to update your MD7 build to MG2 by downloading the MG2 Kies Recovery (courtesy of lordmage) and installing it to your phone through Odin. This is done by putting your phone into download mode by holding the VOLUME DOWN and HOME button while powering up the device. It will prompt your to press VOLUME UP to confirm initiation of download mode. Once phone is in download mode, start Odin. If using Windows 7, right click and start Odin as administrator. Once Odin has started and your phone is in download mode, connect your phone to the PC via USB. You should see a COM port light up on the Odin interface. Click the PDA tab and select the Kies Recovery file. Make sure autoreboot is checked. Click Start. The process should take a few minutes and once completed, Odin will say "PASS" and reboot the phone. You now have updated to stock MG2!

STEP 3:
Since step two has now left you with a stock unrooted MG2 build with stock recovery, you will now need to root the device again. If you don't want to root the device then stop here! Congratulations: Your phone is now complete stock and ready to return for warranty or gift to a friend. If you desire to root your MG2 build then proceed:

STEP 4: If your goal is to achieve a rooted MG2 build, there is a guide to do so.. but I will go ahead and step you through it here and get you on the best custom recovery for our device. First let's download http://k0nane.info/rom/ecm/CWM-Recovery-LTE-SGS3-v5.tar.md5 which is the custom recovery that will allow you to root. Also download and place on your SD card the following files: SuperSU flashable zip along with ClockworkMod 6.0.2.8 made by g60madman for this device.

STEP 5:
By this step you should be familiar with Odin so let's fire it up again. Put your phone in download mode by holding the VOLUME DOWN and HOME button while powering up the device. It will prompt your to press VOLUME UP to confirm initiation of download mode. Once phone is in download mode, start Odin. If using Windows 7, right click and start Odin as administrator. Once Odin has started and your phone is in download mode, connect your phone to the PC via USB. You should see a COM port light up on the Odin interface. Click the PDA tab and select the recovery you download in step 4. MAKE SURE AUTO-REBOOT is NOT checked and click Start. Once the file passes, pull the battery! This ensures that the device will not attempt to reinstall the stock recovery when we boot up in the next step.

STEP 6: Replace the battery and boot into recovery by holding VOLUME UP, HOME while powering up the device. As soon as you see the blue lettering that says "recovery booting" let go of the buttons. Once recovery is booted up navigate to install zip from SD card and install the SuperSU zip and then install the CWM 6.0.2.8 zip that you downloaded in step 4. Reboot the system and you are now rooted MG2 with custom recovery!

Note: Other recoveries will work with this device, but I have recommended CWM 6.0.2.8 made by g60madman simply because this recovery is made specifically from source for this device and there have been reports of other recoveries not flashing certain zips correctly. If there is any steps I have missed please let me know and feel free to discuss, help, recommend, give tips etc in this thread for returning to stock. Thank you!


 
The following is a Guide on how to install a custom recovery such as the one mentioned about in STEP FOUR of the above guide.

HOW TO FLASH RECOVERIES USING ODIN:

First, make sure you have installed the Samsung USB drivers onto your computer that are found here: Samsung_E4GT_USB_Driver_v1_3_2360_0.exe
Odin3_v3.04 can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2133496
  1. Download a custom recovery for your SGS3 in .tar format.
  2. Turn off your smartphone
  3. On your PC, launch the ODIN.exe file you unzipped from the prerequisites.
  4. On ODIN, click the PDA section and select the .tar recovery you downloaded from step 1. Don't click anything else.
  5. Place phone in download mode by pressing Volume Down + Home + Power. Hold until confirmation screen appears. Confirm by pressing Volume +.
  6. Connect your phone to the PC via USB cable
  7. Check ODIN. A small box on the upper left should turn blue and the dialog box must display "Added!!"
  8. Select "Start" and wait for it to finish. After it is complete, your SGS3 will reboot on its own. You now have a custom recovery flashed on your phone!

    How To Check For A Successful Custom Kernel Installation

    Go to Settings > About Phone > Kernel Version. It should coincide with the kernel you just flashed. Enjoy!



The following is a guide on how to flash modems using Odin. This can be helpful if you are installing the stock MD7 Modem which is mentioned between STEPS ONE and STEPS TWO in the above guide to return to stock

HOW TO FLASH MODEMS USING ODIN:

First, make sure you have installed the Samsung USB drivers onto your computer that are found here: Samsung_E4GT_USB_Driver_v1_3_2360_0.exe
Odin3_v3.04 can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2133496
  1. Download a modem for your SGS3 in .tar format.
  2. Turn off your smartphone
  3. On your PC, launch the ODIN.exe file you unzipped from the prerequisites.
  4. On ODIN, click the Phone section and select the .tar kernel you downloaded from step 1. Don't click anything else.
  5. Place phone in download mode by pressing Volume Down + Home + Power. Hold until confirmation screen appears. Confirm by pressing Volume +.
  6. Connect your phone to the PC via USB cable
  7. Check ODIN. A small box on the upper left should turn blue and the dialog box must display "Added!!"
  8. Select "Start" and wait for it to finish. After it is complete, your SGS3 will reboot on its own. You now have a custom modem flashed on your phone!

    How To Check For A Successful Custom Modem Installation

    Go to Settings > About Phone > Baseband Version. It should coincide with the modem you just flashed. Enjoy!
 
I don't understand what's happening at step 2 and 3 of the OP.

does simply installing an MG2 recovery make your ROM MG2? I was hoping this was going to give me the MD7 recovery so I can take the OTA, but it seems that this skips that step and gives me the MG2 recovery (but what about the MG2 ROM?)


Can you also take me through step 4? I am confused by downloading two recoveries. Or maybe I am not confused...

Is the first recovery needed to root, and the g60 recovery is just there to be the recovery moving forward? Do we start with the first recovery, and then change to the second one? Why can't the g60 recovery be the first one we install, and why can't it allow us to achieve root?
 
Palmetto Fellow said:
I don't understand what's happening at step 2 and 3 of the OP.

does simply installing an MG2 recovery make your ROM MG2? I was hoping this was going to give me the MD7 recovery so I can take the OTA, but it seems that this skips that step and gives me the MG2 recovery (but what about the MG2 ROM?)


Can you also take me through step 4? I am confused by downloading two recoveries. Or maybe I am not confused...

Is the first recovery needed to root, and the g60 recovery is just there to be the recovery moving forward? Do we start with the first recovery, and then change to the second one? Why can't the g60 recovery be the first one we install, and why can't it allow us to achieve root?
Click to expand...

The g60 recovery can't be installed first because it's not an Odin file. G60 is recommended because I believe it to be more compatible with the phone.

The Kies file is just an update I believe and doesn't include the entire rom. I could be wrong. The recovery should be the same for MD7 and MG2.
 
TheBritton said:
The g60 recovery can't be installed first because it's not an Odin file. G60 is recommended because I believe it to be more compatible with the phone.

The Kies file is just an update I believe and doesn't include the entire rom. I could be wrong. The recovery should be the same for MD7 and MG2.
Click to expand...


OK thanks for the clarification. When you called it the "Kies Recovery" did you mean to call it that? It's really the MG2 update itself then right?

I am finally tired of telling my phone to install the update later, and will hopefully have some time this week to revert back to stock, and upgrade to MG2.
 
Palmetto Fellow said:
OK thanks for the clarification. When you called it the "Kies Recovery" did you mean to call it that? It's really the MG2 update itself then right?

I am finally tired of telling my phone to install the update later, and will hopefully have some time this week to revert back to stock, and upgrade to MG2.
Click to expand...

the MG2 Kies file is to be used in odin to update to MG2 from an MD7 rom. you loose root and the custom rom at least i did. (all the file does/is) is what the kies application on the pc would download to update you to MG2 From MD7.

going to attempt to pull a complete MG2 recovery file when i can.
 
What happens to the flash counter after you're done with the return-to-stock process? As I'd imagine most people who are interested in having a very stock-looking phone are interested in knowing ;)
 
primetech said:
What happens to the flash counter after you're done with the return-to-stock process? As I'd imagine most people who are interested in having a very stock-looking phone are interested in knowing ;)
Click to expand...

officially the counter is still there but it can be made to reset to zero, seeing how that has been hit and miss for some i wont suggest using the reset zip.
 
Did the MG2 upgrade change the modem or can I use the MD7 modem on MG2 roms without problems? I just haven't seen a MD7 modem posted and am curious if this is why i'm not getting 4G on custom roms.
 
MG2 update will update the whole phone to MG2. with custom roms you would need to replace the modem file with are File and be in a good 4g area. even my phone has spotty 4g coverage in my area on stock.
 
Hey there, I am getting ready to follow the step by step instructions here, but the link to the signed stock ROM from google drive does not appear to work. I keep getting network errors downloading from chrome. Going to try a different browser. Any other links out there?
 
Well, I was able to download the file and follow the instructions to return to MG2 Stock, Rooted, custom recovery and happy as can be! The issue apparently has something to do with my companies file transfer policy from the web. When at home, it downloaded immediately and I had zero issues. Its a shame we are so "3rd" world sprint though. ahhaha
 
The starting Recovery from step 4 has a bad MD5 sum or something. I've downloaded it twice and Odin refuses to install it telling me there's a problem wiht it:

First let's download http://k0nane.info/rom/ecm/CWM-Recovery-LTE-SGS3-v5.tar.md5 which is the custom recovery that will allow you to root.

So I went with the recovery file I downloaded when I originally rooted.


EDIT:

Would the file name changing cause the MD5 to fail? I realized that this is the exact same file I downloaded back in June when I rooted. Windows probably renamed it with a "1" at the end or something as it saved into the same download folder the first one did months ago.

If not, then I dunno.
 
wolfdemon268 said:
can i just use kies to update once i revert to md7?
Click to expand...

Not sure if a custom recovery would halt that process. The first step is unrooting and going to a stock MD7. The second step is going to both an MG2 firmware and the MG2 recovery.

I could be mistaken, the first step could also replace your recovery, but I didn't get that impression.
 
Palmetto Fellow said:
The starting Recovery from step 4 has a bad MD5 sum or something. I've downloaded it twice and Odin refuses to install it telling me there's a problem wiht it:

First let's download http://k0nane.info/rom/ecm/CWM-Recovery-LTE-SGS3-v5.tar.md5 which is the custom recovery that will allow you to root.

So I went with the recovery file I downloaded when I originally rooted.


EDIT:

Would the file name changing cause the MD5 to fail? I realized that this is the exact same file I downloaded back in June when I rooted. Windows probably renamed it with a "1" at the end or something as it saved into the same download folder the first one did months ago.

If not, then I dunno.
Click to expand...

Changing the filename will cause the md5 to fail.
 
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