Back to Samsung Firmware - part 2

It's time to get the root access. This operation can be accomplished in two steps.

1. Install a CWM (ClockWordMod) recovery
2. Install a zip file that allows to gain root access

The first step is needed because there's no way to install a zipped program into the phone without having a CWM recovery installed. Specifically, we will install the PhilZ kernel (for more info check this out).

Ok. Let's start.

1. Download PhilZ kernel.
2. Be sure the phone is switched off. 
3. Start it and press simultaneously VOLUME UP + HOME + POWER keys
4. Follow the instructions on the phone
5. Start Odin
6. Connect the phone to PC via USB cable
7. Click on the AP button in Odin window and load PhilZ kernel
8. Click on Start button. The transfer begins.

When the procedure terminates, the phone restarts. Now you will notice a yellow triangle just under the phone name. It indicates the phone kernel has been altered someway. Don't worry about it: it's possible to get rid of it. We will do it later, For the moment just forget about it.

Back to Samsung Firmware

Oops I did it. I mean, I installed CyanogenMod on my Samsung Galaxy S2.

After a week spent with it, I can say for sure that the only thing I really appreciated is the new version of Android OS (Kitkat, so Android 4.4.4, instead of Samsung's 4.1.2) . All the rest sucks (sorry!).

This is my list of major compliances:

1. Not energy efficient. A battery charge last at maximum half a day
2. Unstable. It reboots at least once a day
3. Ther's not an FM radio and I cannot live without http://www.modenaradiocity.it/

That's enough for me. Time to come back to Samsung Firmware: yes I will reinstall Samsung Firmware, obtain root access and remove all the unnecessary Samsung apps that only last memory.

It's 12:00 AM. Let's start.

As a first step let's do a Nandroid backup. It's easy to do it starting with an already installed CyanogenMod ROM. In fact CyanogenMod comes with a CWM-based Recovery that makes it easy to do a full, Nandroid backup.

1. Turn off the phone
2. Enter recovery mode: with the phone still off, press simultaneously VOLUME UP + HOME + POWER keys
3. The device will start in recovery mode
4. Select backup and restore (use VOLUME UP / VOLUME DOWN keys for moving through the menu items and use POWER key for selecting an item)
5. Choose either backup to /storage/sdcard0 or /storage/sdcard1
6. After about 15 mins, the procedure finished. My God! I started with a 65% of battery charge and now it's about 10%!!! Anyway, I chose to backup onto sdcard0, therefore the procedure created some subdirs for me, specifically: clockworkmod/backup and another directory labeled with today's datetime. Inside that directory the procedure saved all the stuff. 

It's 12:20 AM. My phone is charging now. I need to reach about the 60% of the full charge for completing the next step. So, let's pause for a while and have some rest/fun with other activities. 

It's 01:05 AM now. Phone charge is about 68%. Time to install Samsung Firmware back. We will use a PC with Odin already installed and Samsung firmware file already in there.

1. Connect the phone (still swiched off) to PC using a USB cable
2. Start Odin and load the original Samsung Firmware by clicking on AP button and selecting the corresponding firmware file
3. Start the phone keeping VOLUME UP + HOME + POWER keys pressed
4. Follow the instruction on the phone
5. Click Start button from Odin window
6. At the end of procedure the phone will install the Samsung Firmware and will boot.
7. If the phone keep restarting again and again without finishing the boot procedure, a hard reset is needed. In order to do this, switch off the phone. Then press VOLUME UP + HOME + POWER keys. The device will start in recovery mode. Select the item wipe data / factory reset and reboot.

It's 02:50 AM now. Samsung Firmware is working, but I haven't finished yet. I want to get rid of all the junk Samsung app that are pre-installed by the vendor. Ok. Time to root the phone.