[Galaxy S I9000 General] jdrissel:
Update Epic 4G to Gingerbread w/o a computer

This is going to take some serious downloading (about 2GB), so do it where it is fast and cheap.

Start with a full battery. Things can get really ugly if some updates are interrupted. I would keep the power plugged in while downloading. When making actual changes stop and recharge if the battery goes below 20%.

Prerequisites:​

ClockWorkMod or something like it is installed. I used ACSRecovery 1.0.0.5 public beta. I had an earlier version of CW Mod, and was not successful in flashing the recovery image. I got mine here: http://chris41g.devphone.org/ACSRecovery1.0.0.5.zip

If you have a computer but not admin rights, check out this live cd, it may be enough to allow you to install ACSRecovery: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=7449486&postcount=1

A method of downloading arbitrary files to your sd card. The stock android browser may have carrier-based restrictions and/or was not intended for this use. I used Opera Mobile (free from the android market). You can just cut and paste the URL for the download from here to the address line and if opera can not display it, it will offer to download it.

A method to extract zip and rar files. I used AndroZip (free version from android market). Some of the files ask for passwords, but if you just extract part of the archive it may not need the password.

The wisdom to perform a backup and sync everything before proceeding. You brick it, you bought it:eek:, and any new contacts or new photos may not survive the process if things do not go well.

Note that I was not running a modified kernel, so I did not have to revert the file system. Others have covered gotorfs quite well. The only modification I would make is to use Opera to download the zip directly to the phone instead of using a PC.

I would have a way to go back to stock. If things go so badly that you can not access the network at all, it would be nice to be able to get back to where you started. In theory the backup you just made should be good enough, but I am assuming that you may not have a PC that you can install drivers and other software needed for other recovery methods. To make this possible, go to http://xdaforums.com/wiki/index.php?title=Samsung_Galaxy_S/SPH-D700#Odin_Stock_Flashing and download the latest stock image. This will quite likely be way down the list, but you want a way to restore the phone to a configuration that the provider will accept as valid. You want an image that is CWM flashable.

Ok, now on to the good stuff:​

Get the image file. This file is almost 2 gigs, so it may take a while. I got it & the su zip file that you may need later here: http://forums.acs-developers.com/sh...IN-ACSRecovery-1.0.0.5-CWM4-Based-Public-Beta. Download gingerbreadei22.zip and su-3.0-efgh-signed.zip from the links there.

Extract the actual gingerbread image from the zip file. Inside gingerbreadei22.zip is a folder/directory named gingerbreadei22. Extract that folder to /sdcard/clockworkmod/backup. There should be a folder with today’s date along with the gingerbreadei22 folder. If you do not see the folder with today’s date, see Prerequisites #5.

Unplug any USB cables (a charger for an old phone that had the right connector seems to work fine for charging the phone, but for some reason the phone will not stay powered off when that charger is connected and this kept me from getting to the recovery boot...)

Power off the phone (all the way, wait for the buzz and wait about 10 seconds more...)

Three finger boot. (Hold volume down and camera buttons down, then press power. Release the buttons when the soft keys at the bottom of the screen light up.)

Select backup and restore via the volume keys. Press the camera button to select. Select Restore. Select gingerbreadie22. Select Yes - Restore. This may take a while. When it finishes, press the back key and select reboot. It may take quite a bit longer than usual to boot this time.

Check the build number (Menu -> Settings -> About phone).

If it says GINGERBREAD.EI22 then congratulations, you have Gingerbread.

Now you have a big decision to make, to root or not to root. If you have any doubts, stop now and research it. You can pick up at this point later on.

Get Root:

Make another backup using CWM et al

Do a three-finger boot.

Select Install zip from SD card, chose the zip from sd card.

Select the SU zip file that you downloaded in step 1.

Select Yes – Install

Wait for it to finish and press the back button

Select reboot.

Now you have Gingerbread and root and you never needed a PC…​