1st post here so hope this is the right place to ask this and please be gentle
I have a Virgin Mobile UK Samsung Galaxy S3 i9300, running stock 4.3, I9300XXUGMK6
I want to install a custom OS on my S3. The phone is almost out of contract, 3 years old and is running really slowly on the stock rom with awful battery life (I have tried a new battery). I previously rooted and installed custom roms (cyanogenmod, slimkat) on an old i9000 and was blown away by the massive improvement in speed and battery life. If I get the same benefits with the i9300 then I will keep this phone and go sim-only rather than getting a new phone. The i9000 was unlocked...I guess I need to check the i9300 is too?
As far as I can tell I need to root using Odin 1.07 and Philz Touch recovery. However, I am confused about what version of S3 Virgin UK provide- I have found guides on how to root and install custom roms on Virgin S3's but they refer to models such as Sprint or SPH-L710- I'm not sure what I have, how to check or how this differs US to UK. I have searched on here and more widely and cannot find an answer to this.
Recommendations on what custom OS to install also welcomed
If it says i9300 under the battery then it it's the standard international model, you can flash anything from this forum. Carrier firmware usually add bloat and modem, you won't miss anything from it.
Unlock is by paid for code, don't try to do it free as that usually ends up with a brick, unless virgin supply unlocked handsets.
Follow the guide in general forum, sticky thread on how to flash custom recovery then custom rom. Root isn't needed if you are going to custom rom, they all come rooted.
Related
Hi,
I have just purchased a Galaxy Note with LTE. Its a relatively new model here an it carries the model no. Samsung GT-N7005.
My Million $$ question is, I have read from the N7000 thread that this is the same as I717 in terms of rooting and flashing of roms..
Anyone can confirm? Thanks lots in advance.
From Singapore.
scpion said:
I have read from the N7000 thread that this is the same as I717 in terms of rooting and flashing of roms..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, they are similar but don't dare flash a ROM for the international note N7000 on the i717
Well.. I read it here.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1876490&page=2
Use caution ....
And you may have baseband issues that cannot be corrected later ...
Root and flash at own risk, as there is no current support from the I717 side of the house ....g
Yeah.. thats why I asked first..
Initially I was reading up on the N7000 and then at the shop I saw this "newer" model and heck it comes with LTE. So, bam! I bought it, and it was cheaper...
Then the thought of rooting and flashing came to me.. <facepalm>
My shop doesnt come with a refund policy either..
Dare to try out a N7005 stock rom in i717. Not rooted. Able to flash all the way to the modem, where it fails. Reboot and reset, and now I have a functioning Hong Kong version of i717 with baseband still a I717UCLF6. Everything seems to work except update, and seems like HK version doesn't have NFC.
Put pta back to APN and it registered as "4G". Checked with status and it says "LTE: 14". Phone seems to be much faster and tethering seems to work too (at least I can turn on, but haven't tried other things).
My girlfriend is selling her old Tmobile Samsung Galaxy S2 sgh-t989 that had Android 4.02 on it asked me to clean it up so she could sell it because it ran very slow so I installed Cyanogenmod because its lightweight and also assuming it would unlock it for the carriers. After a bit of reading, on this forum I discovered my assumptions we're wrong. Now my question is this, the person who she sold it to is on AT&T. With Cyanogenmod on it, if she calls up AT&T will they still be able to unlock it or should I flash it with a stock rom?
bump
Better flash stock rom...
I really dont know about carrier locked phones (no such trend in india) but still it would be better or else one may say that the phone has been tempered(correct word??) wid
You can not unlock it on custom ROMs with apps, only from pc at a service store(perhaps), on stock 4.1.2 it is possible with various apps like GalaxSim( I recommend it, altho it's paid nowadays) and Chainfire's app(I don't think it works anymore though)
It's possible, I used the old version of galaxsim to unlock my Telstra locked i9100t and it worked like a charm. I'm pretty sure you can get it free as an apk.
Hello. Very quick question I'm hoping someone might be able to answer definitively. I picked up a Galaxy Note 3 Neo today (model SM-N507) which is the Taiwanese version. It has only been updated to 4.3 whereas some other territories are on 4.4.X. My question is, would it be possible to flash one of the Official Firmware builds from Sammobile and NOT risk bricking the phone?
For example, in the event that the flashed build has different LTE bands, would a problem like this actually brick the phone, or would I (theoretically) be able to use it, just without LTE? I am willing to experiment so to speak, so long as it doesn't actually prevent me from using the device.
In the past I had purchased a Hong Kong Galaxy Tab 7.7 that wasn't updated to JellyBean and flashed a Malaysian Firmware without a hitch, but in said case the model numbers were the same. With this, I would be flashing SM-N505 or such.
Any help would be appreciated, thanks.
Hello everyone,
I have tried to look for an answer to my question with no luck. I have an unlocked t-mobile galaxy S5 unrooted with stock ROM and I am with At&t. I need to use wifi calling and therefore I was wondering if I can root then flash a stock AT&T ROM on my device, and what tools I should use. I mean are ROMs cross compatible. I would really appreciate your advice on this.
Thanks
It's a shame no one has an answer for this.
I'm looking for information on this, as well.
I have a SM-G900T (bootloader unlocked). I'm wondering if I can get it to be "stock" (without the yellow Knox warning on boot) and not have the T-Mobile startup animation or apps.
Hi, i'm new to this forum and I have a question regarding my old Galaxy S2. The phone is running on Android 2.3.4 (Carrier branded - Swisscom, the logo appears while turning the phone on), SIM unlocked. I was wondering could I install LineageOS or any newer custom rom immediately, or do I need to install different firmware before that? By the way, I'm new when it comes to rooting/custom roms etc, so I'm scared that i might brick it.
Thanks in advance
b0onk said:
Hi, i'm new to this forum and I have a question regarding my old Galaxy S2. The phone is running on Android 2.3.4 (Carrier branded - Swisscom, the logo appears while turning the phone on), SIM unlocked. I was wondering could I install LineageOS or any newer custom rom immediately, or do I need to install different firmware before that? By the way, I'm new when it comes to rooting/custom roms etc, so I'm scared that i might brick it.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi and welcome to XDA.
Please have a look at this thread https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s2/help/guide-tutorial-samsung-galaxy-s2-i9100-t3538601
I used this guide a couple of years ago to move from 2.3.6 to 7.1.2. You now have more choice for the Android version, you can update to 7, 8 or 9 if you like. The guide will get you to the point of ROM installation, from there you can use the install instructions for the one you choose.
Good luck, happy flashing and let us know how you go.