[ROOT][CWM][GUIDE][GINGERBREAD] Rooting the Samsung Epic 4g

[Paul627g]

[NOTE]
Rooting the Epic 4g for Gingerbread

Post 2 : FAQ about Rooting
Post 3 : Required downloads/files
Post 4 : Step by Step Instructions
Post 5 : Credits
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[Paul627g]

FAQ about Rooting

[INFO]FAQ about Rooting the Epic 4g
[NOTE]First I want to let it be known this is a gathering of information from various sources. I claim no credit to any of this nor does Android Central. We are just putting together a helpful guide to rooting your Samsung Epic 4g using the resources and information from those who make it all possible.. The developers.
[/NOTE]

Q. Is this the same method as EI22 Gingerbread?
A. Yes its the same method used currently to root EL30. Once done you can move onward to any new EL30 kernels or flash to custom EL30 based ROMs.

Q. What is rooting going to do for me?
A. In short, if you have come this far you probably have a general idea of what it will do. It will allow you to unlock areas of your device otherwise locked by default from Google/manufacture & carriers. Once it is applied you can flash custom ROMs (stock OS modified), kernels, themes and other modifications. Other well known options are free wireless tethering using your device and also bloatware removal.

Q. Does it void my warranty?
A. Yes, Samsung & Sprint's stance on this is still unchanged. If you bring in a device for warranty/service/repair to your local Sprint store or authorized Sprint retailer they have the option to refuse warranty/service/repair of the device. Best option is to return to factory stock form before attempting.

Q. Can I return to factory stock?
A. Yes. We have another thread for this. It will leave your device looking as if it was never rooted and it can be warrantied/repaired/services/sold with no signs of rooting. [How to] Factory Restore (or Fix a Bricked Phone)

Q. I hear about bricking your device during the rooting process, does this happen often?
A. No, if you follow the directions and are ever unsure of something before proceeding forward stop, read, post, ask & wait for an answer before continuing. The program used to get you rooted is called Odin. Odin has been known from time to time to cause a brick here and there but 99% of the time it is of user fault and not Odin. The other 1% of the time something unforeseen does happen and has caused a true brick. This is why you must understand, as stated above this is voiding your warranty and you do this at your own risk.

Q. What programs are used in rooting?
A. Odin & ClockWorkMod (CWM). Odin is a program leaked out long ago by Samsung to my understanding and is used to "flash" the OS or ROMs, kernels & radio (modem) to the device. CWM, is a custom built recovery that is used to flash/install ROMs/kernels/themes/mods. It also has other options like making a Nandroid Backup (Backup of your system in the event of ROM failure or you want to return to a previous setup).

Q. I hear there used to be a "OneClickRoot" is this still available?
A. Not for Gingerbread. Google has gone in and since patched the various exploits used in previous Eclair & Froyo OS's to allow use of these simple, OneClickRoot applications. They will not return as Google has done a very good job of closing up all the exploits. Only known way now is using Odin to flash the custom CWM recovery to your device and then flashing a custom kernel along with flashing a Superuser (Root Access) zip file in CWM.
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[Paul627g]

Required downloads/files

[INFO][NOTE]First I want to let it be known this is a gathering of information from various sources. I claim no credit to any of this nor does Android Central. We are just putting together a helpful guide to rooting your Samsung Epic 4g using the resources and information from those who make it all possible.. The developers.[/NOTE]

:: Required downloads/files ::

Odin

ClockWorkMod 5.0.2.7 Recovery TAR file for Odin

ClockWorkMod 5.0.2.7 Recovery ZIP file for upgrading from existing CWM (This will upgrade your current CWM to 5.0.2.7)

kernel-GB-3.tar.md5 (See bottom of first post in this thread for kernel download)

su-3.0-efgh-signed.zip (Place this on your sdcard of your device)

Before starting here is a handy video to aid you in installation, by qbking77
How to root the Samsung Epic 4G on Froyo and Gingerbread - YouTube


Use of 7zip or WinRAR is also needed for opening/extracting contents of certain files (Google to download)




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[Paul627g]

Step by Step Instructions

[INFO]Step by Step Instructions[NOTE]First I want to let it be known this is a gathering of information from various sources. I claim no credit to any of this nor does Android Central. We are just putting together a helpful guide to rooting your Samsung Epic 4g using the resources and information from those who make it all possible.. The developers.[/NOTE]
[TIP]:: Trouble shooting/ Preventative Tips ::

Make sure you have the Samsung drivers installed. 32-bit drivers | 64-bit drivers
Download them and install the drivers on your computer first, then once that is complete place your device into debug mod (Settings/Applications/Development/Select USB Debugging) then plug your device in via USB cable and allow the drivers to finish installing.

*** Trouble Shoot for all Odin Packages... Read below... ***

Make sure your battery is fully charged before attempting anything in this thread. *** NEVER PULL YOUR CABLE WHILE ODIN IS FLASHING ***
​

If your phone is not being recognized by Odin, try the following.

- Use a different USB computer port

- Use a different USB cable

If for some reason Odin does ever give you a FAIL or the process hangs up for more than 5 minutes in one spot then do the following.

- Pull your battery out of your device and leave it out.

- Plug in your device via USB cable and connect it to your computer.

- Then boot into Download Mode (hold 1 on physical keyboard and press power).

- Run the Odin package.

- When completed and you get the Green PASS, you can pop your battery back in and then reboot the phone and you should be good to go.

Note: Some devices have given some trouble and you have to attempt this twice to get it to work. Also make sure all anti virus software is off/disabled. One last option is remove your sdcard if everything else fails.

I have even recommended to disable antivirus scanners during the process, in the event of port blocking or monitoring causing issues.[/TIP]

[INFO]:: Step by Step Procedure Part 1 (custom kernel needed to make CWM stick perminately) ::

1. Open Odin 1.85
2. Check only Auto Reboot as show in the screenshot below.
3. Goto the PDA box on the right side. Click the PDA button and navigate to kernel-GB-3.tar.md5 file on your hard drive and select it. Check the PDA box (check box) (Shown below)

4. Power off your Epic 4g, once it is completely off open your physical keyboard and press and hold the " 1 " key and continue to hold while pressing POWER. This will boot you into Download Mode within a few seconds. Black screen with yellow graphics/print of Android guy shoveling...

5. Now take your USB cable and connect it to your computer and then plug it into your device.
6. You should see a YELLOW box light up on the upper left hand side of Odin that says COM:XXX. Ignore the number it varies, this signals you have made a connection to Odin and are ready to go. Problems connecting see trouble shooting at end of this tutorial.
7. Double check in Odin you have only Auto Reboot checked, and the kernel-GB-3.tar.md5 file in the PDA SLOT.
8. Press START.
9. This will flash a custom kernel to your device and should only take about 10 seconds or so... Your device will automatically reboot when finished.
[/INFO]
[INFO]:: Step by Step Procedure Part 2 (Flashing CWM "ClockWorkMod" Recovery) ::

This will install ClockWorkMod 5.0.2.7 which does have ROM Manager support.

1. Power off your device, and boot into Download Mode as we did in Part 1, step 4.
2. Open Odin and make sure only Auto Reboot is checked/selected.
3.Goto the PDA box on the right side. Click the PDA button and navigate to cwm-5.0.2.7-epic4g.tar.md5 file in the PDA SLOT and check PDA box next to it.
4. Connect your device once again via USB cable and verify your connected to Odin by looking for the YELLOW COM box lite up.

5. Everything above is good then press START
6. This will take less than a minute to complete and automatically reboot. This will place CWM (ClockWorkMod) recovery on your device in place of the stock recovery.[/INFO]
[INFO]:: Step by Step Procedure Part #3 (Flashing SU "SuperUser or Root" access in CWM) ::

1. Power off your device.
2. Press and hold Volume Down+Camera+Power all together for about 5 seconds or until you boot into CWM recovery.
3. You navigate CWM recovery with your Volume Up/Down buttons and make selections with the Camera button.
4. Scroll down to Install Zip from SDCARD and select
5. Navigate on your sdcard to the su-3.0.-efgh-signed.zip and press select
6. Then again select YES to install the file
7. This will take a few seconds to install the SU access file.
8. When complete hit your BACK button on the bottom of your phone this will take you back to the main CWM menu
9. Press AUTO REBOOT.
10. Your device will reboot and you will boot up into official GB, rooted with CWM. You can verify this by going to your app list and finding the SU icon/app. You can double check this by downloading any root access required app from the Market like Titanium Backup and starting the application and it will ask you to allow root access the first time you use it.[/INFO]
[NOTE]:: Optional Step EL30 Kernel ::

After you have confirmed that your rooted you can boot back into CWM and flash the following file to update your kernel to EL30 Kernel. This is a new release so this is basically a stock kernel with root.

Stock EL30 Kernel

[/NOTE]

[/INFO]

 

[Paul627g]

Credits

[INFO]Credits[NOTE]First I want to let it be known this is a gathering of information from various sources. I claim no credit to any of this nor does Android Central. We are just putting together a helpful guide to rooting your Samsung Epic 4g using the resources and information from those who make it all possible.. The developers.[/NOTE]


The developers that have hung in there for the Epic 4g community.

DKRockstar
chris41g
koush
mkasick
qbking77 (thanks for the videos and explanation once again. )
Anyone else associated with the development of CWM 5.0.2.7, and the rooting process of Gingerbread.



[/INFO]

 

[Paul627g]

Reserved....

 

[adlebo]

quick question. What benefit do i get from the EL30 kernel?

 

[Paul627g]

quick question. What benefit do i get from the EL30 kernel?

None really at this time. I believe its stock with root.

Give it a few days and i'm sure there will be a few kernels to play with.

 

[rando991]

After you have reformatted your phones back to EC05 and then EI22 and then EL30, here is the best way to restore your apps and data, rather than just reinstalling. Assuming you are rooted before updating, use Titanium Backup pro for Root and back up all system and user apps. Then make an update.zip of TitBu, but choose the Titanium Backup name option so as not to confuse with your update.zips of EI22 and EL30. Once you are done with all updating and have ROOTED. Restore your Titanium Backup.zip FIRST (don't redownload it or install it from an apk). This brings back the original TitBu with the data of the backups you made. Now open TitBu and go thru the Restore App + data of all your apps. Don't forget to do Internet Bookmarks to get back all your browser bookmarks. This is the easiest and quickest way I think of getting everything back. I haven't tried doing a nandroid backup from CWM though as I have heard of issues with that method.

 

[jimmarako]

OK, so I'm really confused now. I've read a bunch of stuff and know enough to be dangerous, but not enough to get my self out of trouble (if I get there).

Over the summer I ran the "one click root" on Froyo to get root. In November I followed instructions here, that were very similar to the above ones to Root EI22 onto my phone. At that time it was made very clear that I would need to go back to a "stock" EC05 build, then update to EI22, then root. So thats where I am today. I have a stock EI22 build (BML, no custom ROMS) that I rooted. I have some version of CWM on my phone, I think 3.xx (a reboot to recovery says ACS V1.0.0.5 CWM 4).

So how do I get to the latest EI30 kernel? I see posts that say go all the way back to EC05 and start over. I've seen people say "just flash a new kernel". One of the above linked files is for a CWM upgrade zip to 5.0.2.7 but there is no mention what to do with that file. Also the link to the su-3.0 zip file above is missing.

Thanks for the help.

Oh one more question. When someone says "oh just flash the ABC_ROM" or "just flash that zip file" what does that mean? Is that going into CWM and doing a "flash from SD card"?

Thanks
JM

 

[Paul627g]

OK, so I'm really confused now. I've read a bunch of stuff and know enough to be dangerous, but not enough to get my self out of trouble (if I get there).

Over the summer I ran the "one click root" on Froyo to get root. In November I followed instructions here, that were very similar to the above ones to Root EI22 onto my phone. At that time it was made very clear that I would need to go back to a "stock" EC05 build, then update to EI22, then root. So thats where I am today. I have a stock EI22 build (BML, no custom ROMS) that I rooted. I have some version of CWM on my phone, I think 3.xx (a reboot to recovery says ACS V1.0.0.5 CWM 4).

So how do I get to the latest EI30 kernel? I see posts that say go all the way back to EC05 and start over. I've seen people say "just flash a new kernel". One of the above linked files is for a CWM upgrade zip to 5.0.2.7 but there is no mention what to do with that file. Also the link to the su-3.0 zip file above is missing.

Thanks for the help.

Oh one more question. When someone says "oh just flash the ABC_ROM" or "just flash that zip file" what does that mean? Is that going into CWM and doing a "flash from SD card"?

Thanks
JM

First, I apologize for the missing SU file.. Can't believe I missed that. I will fix that immediately.

Second, the 5.0.2.7 CWM Flashable when applied by flashing in your current CWM will update it to official CWM 5.0.2.7.

Third. Yes when it says to flash the ABCROM.zip file that means exactly that, to boot into CWM and select Install from SDCARD.

As far as updating to the EL30 kernel that is provided its really of no use at this moment other than to obtain root access on official Gingerbread EL30.

 

[jimmarako]

first off thank you for your quick response and overall thanks for all your hard work putting this together and helpings us noobs. Your instructions for the EI22 root were spot on and easy to follow.

So I can just move the CWM.zip to the SD card and use CWM to update itself. (sounds weird).
Same for the kernel, copy the zip over and use CWM.

As to moving to the new Kernel I thought it would be good the be on the latest update. The no-CIQ and GPS fix would be welcome features. Of course I'm thinking of jumping to a custom ROM like CleanGb which already has GPS and no-CIQ baked in.

whats the opinon? Update to EL30 or just go with a custom ROM?

JM

 

[Paul627g]

first off thank you for your quick response and overall thanks for all your hard work putting this together and helpings us noobs. Your instructions for the EI22 root were spot on and easy to follow.

So I can just move the CWM.zip to the SD card and use CWM to update itself. (sounds weird).
Same for the kernel, copy the zip over and use CWM.

As to moving to the new Kernel I thought it would be good the be on the latest update. The no-CIQ and GPS fix would be welcome features. Of course I'm thinking of jumping to a custom ROM like CleanGb which already has GPS and no-CIQ baked in.

whats the opinon? Update to EL30 or just go with a custom ROM?

JM

My personal opinion, your already rooted and going to update your CWM. Might as well just jump on a custom ROM. If you prefer wait a few days and grab the EL30 versions of your favorite ROMs as they will all be updated very soon.

 

[nyctek10]

Okay, I think I might have "bricked" my phone. I followed all the instructions and I tried transferring the kernel. It failed so I just tried rebooting the phone. Now the only thing it will do is show a picture with a cell phone, then 2 dots, then a triangle with exclamation point, then 2 dots, then a computer. This is obviously just a black and white little icon/picture. I am trying to take a picture, but am VERY unsuccessful at this point. Should I be scared?

 

[Paul627g]

Okay, I think I might have "bricked" my phone. I followed all the instructions and I tried transferring the kernel. It failed so I just tried rebooting the phone. Now the only thing it will do is show a picture with a cell phone, then 2 dots, then a triangle with exclamation point, then 2 dots, then a computer. This is obviously just a black and white little icon/picture. I am trying to take a picture, but am VERY unsuccessful at this point. Should I be scared?

Pull your battery first.

Next was this when you were using Odin that you got a fail?

 

[demopedro]

Hey guys....the:
su-3.0-efgh-signed.zip (Place this on your sdcard of your device)
link is dead...Looks llike it was mentioned a few days ago.....not sure if it was fixed and down again...
:'(

 

[rundown87]

Yes, I can't get that .zip file. How necessary is that?

NVM, I found the file here, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1339478

 

[stcloud99]

Re: Required downloads/files

the link to the su-3.0-efgh-signed.zip file is gone. is there any way i can still download that file?...

nevermind, i found the new link. thanks for making this so easy for a newb like me!

 

[Paul627g]

Re: Required downloads/files

Yes, I can't get that .zip file. How necessary is that?

NVM, I found the file here, Rooting EI22 after OTA or Google update [11/10] - xda-developers

Thank you for the link update.

the link to the su-3.0-efgh-signed.zip file is gone. is there any way i can still download that file?...

nevermind, i found the new link. thanks for making this so easy for a newb like me!

Updated the OP with the new link information on SU ...

 

[venbab]

Thank you paul, for the files and step by step instructions.