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Upgrade your Bell/Virgin Galaxy S to Gingerbread!

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Derek Kingston — 34 Comments ↓

NEW 06/17/2011 – Now based on XXJVP (Android 2.3.4)

Want to update you Bell or Virgin Samsung Galaxy S (I9000M) to the latest and greatest version of Android – 2.3 aka Gingerbread?

I’ve created a custom ROM for your upgrading pleasure that makes it as easy as possible to get the update and keep full compatibility with the Canadian cell phone networks.

 

Here are the features:

  • Based on the latest Android 2.3.4 (XXJVP)
  • Latest CF-Root kernel (3.7), with ext4 (lagfix) support
  • Includes the latest Bell modem driver (KC1), so it’s fully compatible with the Canadian networks like Bell/Virgin/Rogers/Fido/Telus (1900/850 3G bands)
  • Visuals from the stock Android OS – AOSP lock screen, overscroll glow, CRT off animation and Gingerbread theme (credit to ock)
  • Extended power menu for easy reboots
  • NEW! GPS fix for faster lock times, better accuracy (credit to RJLM)

What’s added:

What’s removed from stock Samsung firmware:

  • TouchWiz launcher
  • Samsung Apps
  • Swype keyboard (optional – use add-on)
  • Media Player (optional – use add-on)
  • Default live wallpapers
  • Some other non-important widgets, apps
  • Click here for complete list of removed apps (advanced user)

Basically the idea was to make the ROM as “light” as possible by removing the included Samsung apps that are best replaced by apps from the market anyway. This ROM should give you excellent speed and battery life right out of the box.

 

Download the ROM here!

Download Swype + Music Player Add-On (flash with CWM)

 

Installation Instructions

  1. Make sure you’ve backed up any apps / data you need to keep
    I would recommend using Titanium Backup. Also, it is best when upgrading to a new version of Android to only backup your user apps and not to include any system data.
  2. Copy the XXJVP_Deodexed_I9000M.zip ROM file to your phone.
  3. Upgrade to the Gingerbread bootloader
    You need to do this only if you’re currently running the original ROM (or any Android 2.2 ROM). Read and follow the instructions here carefully.
  4. Flash the XXJVP_Deodexed_I9000M.zip update using CWM.
  5. Enjoy!
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Posted in How-to
  • Patrick Mahon

    No swype/media player? I liked those :(
    Thanks though.

    • http://derek.rule88.com Derek

      I’ve added an add-on update.zip that you can flash with CWM to get Swype and the stock Music Player installed again :)

  • virusdunil

    HI…french or english?…I’m from Quebec

    have you tried your Rom with Damians kernel?

  • Wilian Damin

    Hi, great work! So, is it a rooted rom?
    Any bugs to report?
    I am from Brazil and have a i9000m, unlocked… This work with any carrier?
    Thanks

  • Shooper

    My phone is an I9000M that has Build JVH based Darky’s 10.1 EE, ficetos Dark Core 2.6 Kernal, and UGKC1 Modem, my voodoo lagfix is on. I’m with Bell Mobility. What I’m wondering is do you know if I can still just flash your XXJVP zip file and if so do I turn off lagfix before hand?

  • Luke

    I did this and the only problem I am having is that bluetooth won’t turn on. Can you please advise?

  • Glenn

    Hey works great but I am also having trouble with the bluetooth. It trys to turn on but never fully activates. Other then that the rom works great. If you could fix that it would be prefect. THANKS!!!!

  • Glenn

    Hey got the bluetooth working flashed a voodoo kernel for 2.3.4 after installing rom and bluetooth works great. So far the rom has worked great with out any errors if any except for an issue with trying to add a custom bootimage. Just thought everyone would like to know how to fix the bluetooth issue. Thanks again for the great rom.

    • Willian Damin

      Hey Glenn, can you post the link for voodoo kernel?? I want install too…
      Thanks

  • Jason

    Will this rom be able to understand the difference between “local” packet data and ‘roaming” packet data? Darky’s 10.1 thinks it should keep using data when I go to the US even though roaming is turned off. Seems liek these custom roms loose sight of what is considered their ‘home’ network

    • http://derek.rule88.com Derek

      Yes, roaming works 100%. Packet data turns off if you disable the “Data roaming” option and leave your home network.

  • Willian Damin

    Great work Derek!!! Again!!! Very fast ever, rooted!!!
    There are the link of Voodoo Kernel (fix the bluetooth) – http://tinyurl.com/3bptgrz – just download, put it on the sd card, then run CWM and click “kernels” “Flash Kernel”…select the file and done!!!! 6 minutes of reboot, don’t worry about the robotic voice…and the bluetooth is on!
    Simple way…everything is fine…

  • Will

    Thought my phones internal sd card was corrupted. I had flashed an early Bell (Canada) 2.2 ROM, and it was causing me all sorts of problems recently. Restarted itself last week and wiped all my apps. Was really not looking forward to taking it in to see if they’d fix/replace it, with a custom ROM installed.
    Thought I’d try flashing a new 2.3 ROM but the phone wouldn’t even stay connected via mass storage mode to copy the ROM over. After like 10 tries it finally copied over, and I was able to update it.
    So just wanted to say thanks for posting this, and thanks to the author. Phone is working amazing now. Loving Gingerbread. Cheers

  • Dustin

    Is there any way to change the theme or green status bar?

    • http://derek.rule88.com Derek

      You can install any theme you want, since this is a de-odexed ROM.

  • howard

    My back key sometimes if i press it too much the light goes off and i press the home button and it takes a picture of the screen

  • Pewmaster

    This worked PHENOMENALLY well. Thanks! I upgraded to gingerbread because of a flaw in the talk application pertaining to group chats. I was scared $hitl3ss to upgrade, having heard about people bricking their phones and such, but this worked really well.

    Running 2.3.4 now, in process of restoring all apps with titaniumbackup! Tx!

  • tiriliri

    Are all the Samsung apps removed? Any way to install Samsung Email app?

    I need the convenience of Samsung Email app that allows the use of Yahoo Mail, without having a Yahoo premium service

  • brisk5181

    Hi, I have a bootloop I9000M, I am trying to save it by swapping the mounting point of the internal sd and external sd. I have modified the kernel but have some problem to repack the kernel, can you please help?

    this is my post:

    http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=16045880

  • Tim

    Thanks a bunch for putting all of this together. I was wondering how long it would take until the official update would happen, not I don’t have to wait. Everything is nice and quick and works perfectly.

  • tiriliri

    I have noticed that Titanium Backup cannot be removed or upgraded to the PRO version. Only to the free one.

    Is there any way to remove the Titanium Backup that is installed as a system app?

  • tiriliri

    Also, Kies takes a loooong time to connect to the phone but is unable to fetch phone data “No response from the device. Reboot and reconnect the device…”

  • Cullan

    Um hey… I want to get this, but is there a chance this will send my Galaxy S into a boot loop? cuz it happened to me once already a couple of days after installing darky’s firmware. I am from BELL and I have the GT-i9000M!

  • tiriliri

    Other than the Kies issue, this is a very good ROM.
    Verry good battery life – even if in the first day it scared me…not even a day on stand by …. it gives at least 3 days in stand by with light phone usage.

    Personal opinion – visuals with green glow (instead of default GB yellow) are nicer…

  • Scott

    Worked like a charm. Very glad I upgraded! Thanks for the information.

  • Jamie

    I tried following your steps but get a e: signature verification failed. I just downloaded that latest official update via kies from Bell (Gingerbread.GKG3)

    How can I get a 2e kernal for this build?

  • Jamie

    Having trouble installing Swype from your addon, how do I go about it in CWM, I get a fail everytime I try under APK install (CWM)

    • http://derek.rule88.com Derek

      You might want to try just rebooting into recovery mode, and then choosing to install the update zip from there (as opposed to using the CWM app).

  • Jereme

    Is this ROM rooted once installed? I see it comes with Titanium Backup which requires the phone to be rooted to work correct?

    • http://derek.rule88.com Derek

      Yes it is rooted.

  • John

    In order to get CWM working (I have Froyo 2.2, and 3e recovery) I had to install Super Optimized Kernel, this downgrades me to 2e recovery and allows me to boot into CWM recovery mode. But when I install the GingerBread bootloader in your instructions, it changes me back to 3e reovery, which doesnt allow me to boot to CWM recovery mode. Can I still install this ROM while using the Super Optimized Kernel?

    • http://derek.rule88.com Derek

      Yes you can install this ROM from any CWM recovery kernel.

  • John

    Got it working, thanks Derek. So much faster than I expected. Question for you, is there a way to keep auto rotation on, but have it not affect the home screen or app list? I’m not sure if it’s just me, but the auto rotation on the app list doesn’t seem to work, and if you switch the rotation all the icons get jammed up into the top left corner?

    I was also wondering if you might know why my booting screen changes part way through from I9000M to I9000?

    Really liking the ROM so far, great work.

  • phil

    Very nice .. i had loaded 2.3.4 but was suffering from very poor signal strength .. this flash seems to help out !

    one question, how can i add additional blank home screens?