[UPDATED 12/30/2012][Sprint Only]UnRoot and Return to stock

[Christopher Wallace]

i need help i tryed taking it to stock another method doin everything on the phone itself using odin mobile n odin kernal and triangle away n stock rom idk what happen it got stovk on start samsung galaxy s 3 screen i dont what to do now i went to recovery to try factory reset and it does nothing is there anything i can do besides take it to sprint n hope the manufacturer warranty covers it thank you

 

[meyerweb#CB]

If you can still boot into download mode, the method described in this thread will still work.

 

[Matt Hale]

You sir, have provided me (albeit nearly a year ago..) with the only straightforward tutorial to unroot the siii I just recently started playing with.
o7

Much appreciation

 

[jzilla80]

Hi Skunk and all,

I'm a complete rookie, I've yet to ever root a device but I'm about to to my S3 (SPH-L710 and Note 10.1 (G8013). I realize this thread is related to unrooting and resetting the S3 custom rom flash count, but I wanted to download all the proper files so after I root, and later, maybe I'll need to get some warranty service, I'll already be equipped to do so.

The reason I bother you guys now is because when I go to download the stock rom tar file I get bombarded by ads and "required downloads/plug ins" and I've tried sneaking around all the BS but I cant. I'm wondering if I missed something or if all those "required downloads/plug-ins" are actually required. THEY ALL SEEM LIKE BLOATWARE OR WHATEVER WORTHLESS MEMORY HOGGING PC APPS ARE CALLED...

Any help getting passed all this crap and finding that one file I need for SPH-L710 on 4.1.2 Android Stock ROM would be great. I've read nothing but praise about this processes success so I suspect I'm doing something wrong...

Thank a bunch fella's. I do hope to reach some level of intelligence in this area soon but its hard when your projects hit your wallet so hard if you fail.

JD

 

[jzilla80]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

I thought I posted a message right before this one??? I got a message saying that the moderator needed to approve, but then I posted this message and it posted immediately, so I'm thinking I must've posted the first message in a wrong thread, so forgive me for this long long message as it has two parts...

VIRGIN MOBILE S3
SPH-L710
4.1.2 (ANDROID)
L710VPAMG2 (BASEBAND)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Im a complete rookie. I've never undertaken a root yet, but I have been researching it for a while now. Before I root my S3 I want to have all the unroot files I need first, in case I ever need warranty service...

My first issue was when trying to download the tar.md5 zip file you indicate in your instructions. When I go to download, I get bombarded with multiple "required downloads/plugins" that I cant seem to get around. I tried downloading one of them and it seemed like complete BS Bloatware or whatever those useless apps that come as ads are called... It slid in several crap applications that seemed to slow my PC down and immediately increasing the memory and CPU usage, so I uninstalled all of them and gave up that route.

Am I missing something or are those downloads actually required in order to download the tar.md5 zip file I need?

Thanks for any help you can give...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After a bit more research on stock roms, firmware, etc, I realized that these instructions MIGHT not even apply to my S3...

My S3 is actually a Virgin Mobile SPH-L710 and I'm noticing a different baseband version (Mine is: L710VPAMG2).

I've been going off of the model number for research and I assumed that the VirginM model was the same as the Sprint model since VM uses sprints network. Am I wrong in that assumption? Is the VM S3 a whole different beast?

I wanted to ask you guys if flashing a stock rom other than the exact one that is used by virgin mobile will matter as far the phone working normally and acquiring geeksquad warranty service, if it ever needs it. Will they be able to tell and possibly deny me service?

(I know I'm looking way too far into the future as my S3 is only 3 mo's old)


Thanks a lot for the help.

I've been trying to figure out all this stuff strictly on my own because I didn't want to bother you more advanced folk with this beginner stuff, but I'm at a point where I must reach out. Hope that's cool!!!

I hope to reach some level of higher intelligence in this area soon but its tough to teach yourself as fast as you might wish when your failed projects are so expensive...

JD

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

I'm not sure about the Virgin Mobile question. But as far as the download, you only need one file. Click on the small, black button that says Download, and ignore all the others. These download sites provide free service by accepting what amount to paid downloads for bloatware. And I'm not sure some of them won't install malware.

When you go to download from any of these file sharing sites, make sure the file that Windows says it's going to download is the one you actually want.

 

[jzilla80]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

OK, thanks mate...

JD

 

[TheOriginalTyson]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

I did all this and the stock rom seemed to install fine, but I get stuck on the samsung screen when trying to start the phone
When I got into recover mode by holding power+home+volume up I get a whole bunch of errors, here's what it says:

E: failed to mount /data (No such file or directory)
E: Can't mount /data/fota/ipth-muc.prob
E: failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)
E: failed to mount /efs (No such file or directory)

# MANUAL MODE #
-- Applying Multi-CSC...
E: failed to mount /system (No such file or directory)
can't mount '/system' (No such file or directory)
E: failed to mount /system (No such file or directory)
E: failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)
E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/log
E: Can't open /cache/recovery/log
E: failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)
E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_log
E: Can't open /cache/recovery/last_log
E: failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)
E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_install
E: Can't open /cache/recovery/last_install
E: failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)

and when I got select "wipe data/factory reset" it says this:

-- Wiping data...
Formatting /data...
E: format_volume: make_extf4fs failed on /dev/block/mmcb1k0p15
Formatting /cache...
E: format_volume: make_extf4fs failed on /dev/block/mmcb1k0p17
Data wipe complete.
E: failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)
E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/log
E: Can't open /cache/recovery/log
E: failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)
E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_log
E: Can't open /cache/recovery/last_log
E: failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)
E: Can't mount /cache/recovery/last_install
E: Can't open /cache/recovery/last_install
E: failed to mount /cache (No such file or directory)

I've tried installing the stock rom again and it still has the same problem
please help I'm getting so tired of this

EDIT: downloaded and installed a more recent stock rom and everything is working fine now, disregard post

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

I can't update the original post, unfortunately, but this process should NOT be used to try to downgrade from the stock 4.3 ROM to an earlier version. Once the stock 4.3 bootloader has been installed, any attempt to downgrade to an earlier version will brick your phone.

 

[myerchinize]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

I can't update the original post, unfortunately, but this process should NOT be used to try to downgrade from the stock 4.3 ROM to an earlier version. Once the stock 4.3 bootloader has been installed, any attempt to downgrade to an earlier version will brick your phone.

I am rooted with stock recovery and ROm (just plain rooted is all). Do I need to unroot to get the new 4.3 OTA Update that just came out?? I haven't gotten the notification yet but need to know what to do before it comes. Thanks much!!

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

I am rooted with stock recovery and ROm (just plain rooted is all). Do I need to unroot to get the new 4.3 OTA Update that just came out?? I haven't gotten the notification yet but need to know what to do before it comes. Thanks much!!

The OTA will probably work if you're completely stock. That means you haven't deleted any bloatware, replaced any stock apps with themed ones, etc. But be aware that after the OTA you'll be unrooted, with no sure way to root again (current methods don't work), and possibly no way to EVER flasH a custom ROM. And no way to go back to 4.1.2 or 4.2 ROMS if you don't like 4.3.

My suggestion is to not accept the OTA, wait a few days to make sure the rooted 4.3 from XDA is stable, and than flash a custom recovery and the rooted 4.3 ROM.

 

[myerchinize]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

The OTA will probably work if you're completely stock. That means you haven't deleted any bloatware, replaced any stock apps with themed ones, etc. But be aware that after the OTA you'll be unrooted, with no sure way to root again (current methods don't work), and possibly no way to EVER flasH a custom ROM. And no way to go back to 4.1.2 or 4.2 ROMS if you don't like 4.3.

My suggestion is to not accept the OTA, wait a few days to make sure the rooted 4.3 from XDA is stable, and than flash a custom recovery and the rooted 4.3 ROM.

Ok! Thanks for the info!! Suggest everyone do the same for now.....

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Dr4g0n]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me with a little issue I am having? I rooted my phone (Sprint Sam-GS3 SPH-L710 4.1.2) a long time ago. I cant recall the rom exactly nor the recovery. I know its not clockwork. If anyone could remind me how to find this info I'd appreciate that as well. My real issue is I used an app called root uninstaller. I'm sure many know/use this app. Well I removed some stock apps and now my phone is lacking in some areas. Example I removed the default messenger app and a few others. Now I cannot send nor receive MMS (pictures etc). I no longer have a hotspot app. So my question is. If I follow this tut. Will it give me all those stock apps I removed? Or if I install a new rom will that get me back to stock and still stay rooted? If this tut wont work, can anyone direct me to a tut that will work. And yes I did google this hence why I am posting here. lol
Thanks,
Dragon

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

To (maybe) figure out what ROM you have installed go to Settings / About device and see what it says there.

If you follow the process in this thread it will put you back to a completely stock, unrooted state. Including all the stock apps. It will put you on an earlier ROM version (not 4.1.2), but will prompt you pretty quickly to do a couple of OTAs to get back to 4.1.2.

 

[Dr4g0n]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

I'm guessing the ROM I have is close to stock because I don't see a unique name. Like on my EVO it says DigitalKarmaV9. What I install a jellybomb ROM? I remember one of my S3s that ran jellybomb it had all "stock" apps but they were jellymoded. Really I don't want to unroot if I don't have to.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

You could try doing a factory reset. That should put you back to the ROM as you originally flashed it.

 

[Dr4g0n]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

In recovery or just in system settings?

 

[Dr4g0n]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

Factory reset as normal didn't fix anything. I started this guide. After my phone restarted (now stock). I constantly get android.process.media has stopped also tochwiz, acore &, gapps errors occur. Now I cant do much on my phone with the constant error pop ups.

 

[bonedaddy]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

same here, should I try to re-root?

Factory reset as normal didn't fix anything. I started this guide. After my phone restarted (now stock). I constantly get android.process.media has stopped also tochwiz, acore &, gapps errors occur. Now I cant do much on my phone with the constant error pop ups.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Re: UnRoot and Return to stock

bonedaddy, tell us a little more about your specific problem, and what you did before it happened. I hate to try to give advice without understanding what needs to be done.

Rooted? What recovery? What ROM and Android version and Kernel? Did the problems start right after you updated / flashed / rooted or any other action?