Develop Bugs

New to Samsung Epic and just have a question or 2

I am coming from WinMo to the Epic. I am noticing a lot of bloatware on this phone and am wondering if rooting it and installing a custom rom the only way to remove these programs? I mean there is a lot of literal crap on this device from Sprint. Any help would be appreciated, I read through all the forums I could think of and even went to the wiki and read.

You can use "one click root",then get a program called "sdx app remover".
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA Premium App

thank you very much

jonny4 said:
I am coming from WinMo to the Epic. I am noticing a lot of bloatware on this phone and am wondering if rooting it and installing a custom rom the only way to remove these programs? I mean there is a lot of literal crap on this device from Sprint. Any help would be appreciated, I read through all the forums I could think of and even went to the wiki and read.
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Click to collapse
SDX app remover will work, but another option is to root, then download titanium backup from the market. I use the free version and it's great. Using this app, you can make backups of you apps and app data (1 at a time, in a batch, or even set overnight schedules). This comes in handy whether flashing roms, if a program gets corrupted, or even if you download an update to a program that doesn't work and want to restore the prior one. Also, if you go to the backup/restore tab, you can see all apps on the phone. If you press on the app, it brings up options, one of which is uninstall. If rooted, you can uninstall anything (just be careful).
Welcome to the epic.

I had the same thought with my heroc long ago. But the stock rom minus bloat still is garbage compared to even the worst custom rom. With this epic was never a question...custom rom 30 mins after I got it.
You can always Odin back to stock...but you never will
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

I guess I am worried about messing something up, I only started putting custome rom's on My touch Diamond after I knew I was looking for a new phone in the last 3 months. Is there just a bsaic Android 2.2 rom for the Epic, so I could start from scratch with my apps?

I would recommend Bonsai, but they seem to be busy screwing themselves over. Let's just say its a great rom, but they are making some pretty dumb moves in the PR category.
BTW, if there was
literal crap on this device from Sprint
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then you should have contacted the health department.

so i am noticing some of these roms will root for me. I am looking at the bonsai thread, is it an all in one package. i am new to android rooting. i know on winmo i had to first unlock then run a ruu from my desktop.

You can use odin too load pre rooted roms. Which will give u cwm. Then u can change roms at your own discretion with out a pc. Look at the ratings and read the posts before u load a rom. Id also suggest bonsai 4.0 seems to the the most stable. And I have tried all of them.

Unless you do not care about pic msging and gps in which case definately check out cm7 aplha 3. Its androi 2.3 gingerbread .

one more question, if i don't like this how do i go back to stock rom, with winmo i just reflash old one.

maghig said:
BTW, if there was literal crap on this device from sprint then you should have contacted the health department.
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Click to collapse
Thank you for this. My keyboard thanks you for the mountain dew bath.

I have decided I actually like the Samsung ui but I can;t stand how many apps there are, I have 2 freakin Facebook apps because I can't remove the original and the newer one doesn't update the old one. So best thing to do is root and try and remove the stock apps I guess.

I already said this and no one answered. if something goes wrong, how do I go back to stock sprint rom? with winmo i just re run the rom package on my pc.

Just use ODIN. It's always right at the top of the Dev section.

thx, wanted to make sure that is the right thing, like i said i am a nOOb

I was in your shoes a month or so ago.
When I finally had enough time and bravery to mess around with the phone, I rooted and proceeded to brick my phone.
This bricking taught me a valuable lesson and its that the epic is very hard to permantly screw up. I also came from a winmo device before being hogtied and violated from palm and sprints marketin team but wounds healed and feelings of anger and sadness faded away when the epic decended from sprints hallowed halls. (Gg sprint marketing team on another successful campaign...)
Hope isn't lost and I would advise you to become used to your phone with the OTA updates (it should be at ec05) because unless you know what gains you are receiving from flashing a new rom, then it would be a pointless endevor.
Lurk more in the dev forums and play with your phone. If you have a question then ask and hopefully you will find a rom to fit your needs.
Sent from my Epic4g using the internet.

I was rushed and wanted to further clarify a little on what I posted above.
The epic you have now OP should be on 2.2.1 EC05 Froyo if it's not that way now. This is the current update pushed from sprint and I personally had no problems with it. The amount of bloat you see vs the bloat you can't (CIQ...and others *too lazy to google or search*) is a factor to consider while deciding if rooting and customs roms are for you.
I know you mentioned Touchwiz and like you, I enjoy it. Rooting and flashing a rom can remove this but many of the current roms offer a version with TW either as default or baked in. This shouldn't be of concern because you will not notice much difference between stock TW and that provided in a rom other than how "snappy" it is.
I also recommended lurking in the dev forums, and I meant that. I'll look at the first page of a thread such as the ACS rom thread in dev. After seeing what's offered, go to the last page and work backwards, noting any issues or problems people are having. Do understand that people are more likely to post a problem than give praise so do not let those post steer you away, but just use caution and take notice of what's recommended to fix it.
Although this may seem long winded, I feel that a majority of people similer to myself will either conclude that rooting is hard and not mess with it, or become lost in the ever changing acronyms, root utilities, and overall direction to successfully root their device.
What makes matters even worse is that some roms can be so complicated to install and troubleshoot that the information you need to continue isn't already clear enough to you to correctly ask a question or troublesoot. You will see this reflected in post where phones are reurned to the store after it fail to boot.
So to restate what I think would be your best option (and others who find themselves looking to root and flash custom roms), you should lurk and study the dev forums along with general. Make sure current version of froyo is on your device from the OTA update (EC05 is current and you can check by Settings/About Phone/ and scrolling down towards the bottom. Become knowledgeable about what your phone can do, then if you decide that a new rom will make for a richer experience, then follow guides handed down from the roms themselves to help make sure you successfully root and flash your phone.
It can be a headache but it's worth the pain when you finally finish.
Sent from my Epic4g using the internet.

jonny4 said:
thx, wanted to make sure that is the right thing, like i said i am a nOOb
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Click to collapse
jonny4,
I,too, was in your shoes. I registered on this forum just to reply to your post.
I've had my Epic 4G for a little over a month and I've already tried several different kernels and ROMs. I've found that a good resource for learning how to flash your Epic is YouTube. There's a guy on there with the username "randyshear." He had an Epic 4G and made a ton of how-to vids about installing ClockworkMod Recovery, making Nandroid backups, and flashing various ROMs. Before my Epic 4G, I had never had an Android phone, so I was VERY new to the whole thing. Fortunately for us, the phone has been out for a while and many options exist. I recommend checking out randyshear's vids. He posts download links to all the ROMs he tries out. I've been using the Genocide 0.3a kernel that undervolts and overclocks the CPU to 1.2 GHz and I've flashed ViperROM Apocalypse 4.0.4 with EXT4. The phone has never been faster!
Make sure you get ClockworkMod on the phone and make a backup. Also, just to be safe, back up your microSD too. Trust me, once you get the hang of it, it's actually really fun to try out different ROMs to see how your phone responds. Good luck!
EDIT: I recently flashed my Epic with SyndicateROM Frozen 1.1.0 (EC05 Froyo) with the Twilight Zone kernel and I was completely blown away! FASTEST ROM/KERNEL COMBO I have seen yet!

here is basically what i hate. i just killed a bunch of apps and 3, Clock, amazon mp3, and qik video, that I have never used or setup are already running again. It is absolutely stupid that a program that has never been used or setup can run itself, reminds of me of spyware or malware, and because Samsung locks out removing of said apps it is annoying. I would be happy with the basic rom if all these extra apps weren't running or installed. I may try what the first person suggested. I know WinMo had a bunch of crap apps installed in the Sprint rom but at least those did not run on their own. I do appreciate everyones help, really and I guess if I plan on rooting I should probably do it within my return policy.

Any real reason to root?????? Any advantages

My GS3 is still 100% stock, I have not even installed the T-mobile pushed update yet, I keep postponing it. So I'm 100% ICS 4.0.4 stock out of the box. I've added a bunch of widgets and stuff like that, but I have not rooted.
I had been using an iPhone(s) for the last 4+ years, dabbling with the occasional Android device, until I got the GS3 from T-mobile, and getting 4G speeds is amazing, especially after being in EDGE LIMBO on the iPhone for so long.
So the core of my question is WHY ROOT. Rooting is NOT like Jailbreaking an iPhone, since it seems like I can pretty much do 99% of anything with the phone without rooting. To me, seems that rooting only offers the AdBlock feature and WiFi tether option, then the ability to flash roms - and it seems like Flashing roms on this device can introduce problems like loss of IMEI and I've seen some reports of 4G no longer working or slowing down from the stock speeds.
Forgive me, because I know iPhone chatter gets peoples blood boiling over here, but that's what I have to compare against, my experience with rooted android devices are pretty limited.
SO: Without making this message long and boring - What are the serious advantages to rooting? And is it worth it? And at the risk of sounding like a jerk, I'm not a phone noob, just an android noob. I've had smart phones for A LONG TIME, all the way back to the Nokia Symbian phones...................
Some information if anyone cares, and just in case this info influences the information.
I'm in T-mobile USA. I've got the unlimited data/1st 2Gb at 4g plan.
Stock out of the box GS3 16gb model (32gb sdcard)
Primarily a Widnows user, but my MacBook air is dual bootcamped - but I use Windows 7 99% of the time
On my previous android phone (LG Thrill/optimus) which I rooted, the adblock thingy prevented me from viewing many of my emails which I do browse - like Newegg, Amazon, Groupon. They were all considered spam/ad's I guess?
I don't *THINK* having a Wifi hotspot would be something I'd ever use, but you never know.
My T-mobile plan was ancient until last year when I switched to a more modern plan that offered 4G instead of only t-zones, and I do not have the hotspot option - so I can't do hotspot without rooting (at least I think I can't)
Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid of rooting, just wondering if there is any significant advantage? While I like the idea of flashing roms, most of the time I'm not a fan of beta testing stuff... like I heard CM10 was awesome, but apparently there were issues with the camera app not working 100% of the time........ that's not acceptable to me, especially since I have a new grandbaby and snap TONS of pictures now a days.
On another phone I had, which was a Samsung galaxy S 4g (small tiny t-mobile phone) and as I recall the LG thrill too, by modifying the build prop you could increase the hsdpa+ settings and get better data access at faster rates.......? Not sure if there is any way to get faster data speeds on the GS3?
Well, I guess that's enough for now............................. Any help would be appreciated.

I found jailbreaking iOS to be pointless. But feel the opposite about rooting Android. But the thing I like the most about Android doesn't even require root; flashing new firmware. Today I'm running CM10, tomorrow I'm running AOKP. Because I can. Rooting facilitates my addiction.
If you root, Android is your playground. Titanium Backup is amazing if you like to flash new firmware (I use it differently from CWM nandroids). Root Explorer gives you total control over your file system. AdFree to block ads, as you mentioned. Terminal Emulator (all the fun commands require su). Making a fully touch-based game work with an XBox360 controller.
Maybe rooting isn't right for you. But it takes two minutes and has zero downsides. Back up your IMEI before you start flashing (Terminal Emulator > su > reboot nvbackup).

With root u can control things like cpu speed, and voltage table (and if you have a custom kernel you can overclock)
You can also freeze apps you don't need, access files you normally wouldn't be able to like /etc/hosts to block ads.
You can also install some fun apps that require root like dsploit and droidsheep lol
Rooting opens up your phone to do a lot more.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

Thanks
Aerowinder said:
I found jailbreaking iOS to be pointless. But feel the opposite about rooting Android. But the thing I like the most about Android doesn't even require root; flashing new firmware. Today I'm running CM10, tomorrow I'm running AOKP. Because I can. Rooting facilitates my addiction.
If you root, Android is your playground. Titanium Backup is amazing if you like to flash new firmware (I use it differently from CWM nandroids). Root Explorer gives you total control over your file system. AdFree to block ads, as you mentioned. Terminal Emulator (all the fun commands require su). Making a fully touch-based game work with an XBox360 controller.
Maybe rooting isn't right for you. But it takes two minutes and has zero downsides. Back up your IMEI before you start flashing (Terminal Emulator > su > reboot nvbackup).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the info in Ur signature Hun, I found it very helpful

Hmm. optimization and longer battery life of custom ROMs. Uhh expirement with changing radio to get better signal.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

ayeitschris said:
Hmm. optimization and longer battery life of custom ROMs. Uhh expirement with changing radio to get better signal
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Click to collapse
Don't need root for either of those.

Aerowinder said:
Don't need root for either of those.
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Technically no.. but rooting usually comes hand in hand with those things.
Sent from my SGH-T999

It gives you more options. Such as switching between touchwiz ROMs and CM10/AOSP/AOPK. Flashing custom kernels & radios for better performance/battery life.

So you can back up your stars in bad piggies. And delete stupid system apps.

***REMOVE BLOATWARE****....main reason I rooted ..and still stock LOL

To gain full control over the android device.

With everything else said above I'd like to add "the ability to install custom members apps that do more" and other apps in the app store that require root such as call blockers which I love.

Not really. I've been back and forth between stock and pretty much every rom. Currently I got tired of f'ing with my phone and I'm on stock and I plan to stay there until CM10 is stable and has better battery life.

When I first got my s3 I to didn't see a huge gain in rooting since they came out with apps like Foxfi that allow wireless tethering without root and having the latest ICS was great but having the options too use titanium backup to backup all of my apps and their data and upload it to a cloud service and using other root apps like CPU sleeper and ROM tool box to under clock my CPU so I can save my battery rooting your phone is just for more convenient controls over the normal if you feel like you don't need to root then don't you still have a great phone
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

maxcaos said:
When I first got my s3 I to didn't see a huge gain in rooting since they came out with apps like Foxfi that allow wireless tethering without root and having the latest ICS was great but having the options too use titanium backup to backup all of my apps and their data and upload it to a cloud service and using other root apps like CPU sleeper and ROM tool box to under clock my CPU so I can save my battery rooting your phone is just for more convenient controls over the normal if you feel like you don't need to root then don't you still have a great phone
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need some punctuation in your life.
I've tried a few custom roms on this phone, don't really see a need for them though. They all have one issue or another with them. Might go back to stock to compare battery life.

kitsunisan said:
You need some punctuation in your life.
I've tried a few custom roms on this phone, don't really see a need for them though. They all have one issue or another with them. Might go back to stock to compare battery life.
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One sentence paragraphs and fragments, really?

psykhotic said:
One sentence paragraphs and fragments, really?
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Click to collapse
Really.

Well i rooted mine because I wanted to disable a few bloatware, and also some apps in market will not fully function without root. I'm not much of a flashaholic, I've stayed with just a rooted stock..
I'm just sayin!

Flashing wicked v6 is worth rooting alone. Also for better phone performance as said earlier. But devices are finally getting good enough where you dont need to root necessarily. This is the first phone Ive had in a while where I didnt root immediately because it was very nice stock.
Sent from my Wicked Galaxy S3

Beginner - Rooted/Unlocked/Legit Questions

Brand Newbian here,
FYI - I've taken consideration, and this seemed to be the best place to post. My apologies if not.
About a week ago I successfully rooted & unlocked my stock Zv9. I had zero knowledge, or vocabulary, to support the leap. I've learned enough to confirm that my initial choice in purchasing the OG was key, and that the Devs here are lighting the candle at both ends to potentiate this device. Brilliant work so far, guys.
I'm hopelessly lurking in XDA threads, looking for "The One", or most efficient build. I've seen many updates on official ZvB(a?) OTAs (I have not received it yet) and other mostly successful JB variants, but to be honest the newer versions seem to either be hit or miss on the OG, or require some hint of development insight.
Ok, so here's my question. I am still struggling with whether to flash a custom ROM, or wait for the official JB release, and figuring out if it even matters to wait. I don't really know if I can even receive Sprint upgrade notices, and if/when I do receive them, do I need to unroot for it update properly? What is the exact process for this scenario? I found similar posts in other threads, but nothing I really understood. For now, I need something simple with little to no workarounds.
Also, the main reason I rooted was for enhanced performance and Internet Sharing. I have the newest versions of CwM/ROM Manager, TWRP, GooManager, ES File Explorer, Titanium Backup, Wifi Tether, and I used FreeGee. But, I don't know which files do what, really. I've read through relevant guides, recent posts, etc.
Wifi Tether doesn't work either, even after switching to generic ICS, setting to wlan/0, etc. I was able to look into LG's hidden menus to manipulate the less risky network/usb/wifi settings, but no luck. I need to share my Internet.
Senior Members/Devs, hold my hand? Lol.
I'm loving this new hobby, and wish to be able to contribute eventually.
Wowww, sorry for the ridiculously long read! I'm a little OCD in caution and understanding.
Thank you in advance for your time and assistance!
Sent from my LG-LS970

well im no dev or senior member but with the little knowledge i have with flashing roms, it really is pretty easy. twrp is very simple to use as long as u can follow directions. dont get me wrong, u can mess up your phone using it or completely wipe things but if you go slow and follow the guides, its simple. it sounds like you have done some homework and the devs will appreciate that. choosing a rom is up to you. go with stok if u dont mind all the sprint and LG junk (aka bloat). if you want performance enhancements and most of the bloat removed, then lifeless rom would be an option. although v13 is supposed to be coming so i would wait for that. if u want all the bloat removed, imperium is a near future choice. anyways, its up to the user. there will be alot more choices once the aosp and cm10 roms start rolling out. so keep reading so youre prepared and confident for when that time comes.

Thanks Bowhunt, that's kind of what I was thinking - to wait.
Would I be fine grabbing other simple random mods in the meantime, or would it make upgrading more complicated when the time comes? Something to deflate the bloat, and enable Wifi or USB Tethering, etc.
Ha. Old lady hates that I F with my phone so much now. Probably because iPhones are no fun!
Sent from my LG-LS970

Welcome to XDA and congrats on getting an LG Optimus G.
To answer your question(s), You would need to re-lock your bootloader and can keep root and do the ZVB update. Or You can just flash the ZVB Radios then flash either Lifeless ROM (Gets rid of some bloat with a lot of mods/perks) or just get the stock rooted ZVB ROM. If you have anymore questions about the process or anything, just let me know.

Illionaire said:
Wifi Tether doesn't work either, even after switching to generic ICS, setting to wlan/0, etc. I was able to look into LG's hidden menus to manipulate the less risky network/usb/wifi settings, but no luck. I need to share my Internet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got wifi tether to work with the Wifi Tether app with Treve mod. Its the 11-22 kind (will post link when I find it again)
-Just change device profile to generic ics/jb (wlan0)
-And tick Force wifi driver reload 2.
-Mms clamping and routing fix are also ticked by default and I enabled access control.
Now it's working fine for me. Didn't search to see if it's anywhere else but there you go. Should work with regular wifi tether if the settings exist I imagine though
Edit: found it http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1988735
Sent from my LG-LS970 using xda premium

Sounds good, I was looking at the thread earlier on flashing the ZVB radios and Lifeless ROM, but there were different processes left and right. Someone asked for a solid layout to confirm a most successful process, which to flash first, etc. I haven't checked back recently so I'm not sure if it's been posted yet.
Do you know what some of the apps or mods are that come with Lifeless? Any particular "things to know"?
I'll check that Lifeless JB ROM and come back here or PM you with questions on that if needed.
Thanks again,
Sent from my LG-LS970

I haven't flashed any custom roms as of yet because I like the stock rom surprisingly. Only thing I have done is rooted and used free gee to unlock and flash and update TWRP. I made a backup of ZV9 with data and all. Afterwards I flashed jokers stockish v2.11 and then when ZVB came out I flashed the radio. After that I wiped everything and flashed ZVB and restored data via TWRP and went well. Then I flashed the stock optimized kernel by joker and phone is working fine. I haven't tested wifi yet but I suspect it's broken.
As far as things to know, from experience, always make a backup and also backup the lowest levels of your phone as well and save it to another location like cloud storage or a computer hard drive or somewhere. Generally you can't brick your phone unless you really try or you mess with partitions and other low level things. Lol but yeah feel free to pm me or anyone you think might know something and we'll be glad to help.
Sent from my LG-LS970 using xda premium

hoslayer13 said:
I got wifi tether to work with the Wifi Tether app with Treve mod. Its the 11-22 kind (will post link when I find it again)
-Just change device profile to generic ics/jb (wlan0)
-And tick Force wifi driver reload 2.
-Mms clamping and routing fix are also ticked by default and I enabled access control.
Now it's working fine for me. Didn't search to see if it's anywhere else but there you go. Should work with regular wifi tether if the settings exist I imagine though
Edit: found it http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1988735
Sent from my LG-LS970 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right on, I have "Wifi Tether For Root" same thing right?
I'll try that before I flash anything and see what happens.
Sent from my LG-LS970

[Q] Newb to the TMoble S3 and trying to help bud with one

I have a VZW S3 and love it. I'm in the Coast Guard and a new buddy of mine has the T-Mobile version with the unlimited plan with the 5 gig cap before it slows down. He is definately not a crack flasher, like I am, so I'd like to either keep him at stock and remove the restriction (if it is possible) or give him an EXTREMELY stable TW rom. If he decided to get addicted then thats on him.
So my questions are as follows:
1. It's as easy to root this one as mine? Download a toolbox for TMobile and plug her in?
2. Is there a date retriction removal modification?
3. If he wants to try a different ROM what is the most stable ROM for the Tmobile variant.
Oh and on a side note does TMO limit the speed of tethering with the native installation? IE would it be faster to root and use wifi tether, or another app, as opposed to the native tethering on the stock ROM?
I'm going to search in the meanwhile, but I know there are some more knowledgeable people here that can point me in the right direction.
Thanks in advance.

I think the best way to tether is using a custom rom and as far as rooting,he need to get the odin file and use chain fire auto root through odin...it does everything for you...hope this help you out...

1. Odin is easiest and fastest way to root. Took me whole 23 seconds. Lol.
2. no idea since I never use it.
3. If your want stock looking clean simple and noob proved rom, go with infamous rom. If you want more customization, go with Darthstalker rom. Both are stable but you get more out of battery from infamous. There are also slimstock rom that stripped down version of stock with minimal apps and tweaks but had real good battery. Plenty more but you have to find what fit the device best. .hope this helps.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

The TMo version is easier to root than the VZW one. You have to unlock that one's bootloader first. Not with the TMo version
I personally recommend you don't root the phone at all - leave it stock. If and when he decides he wants more from it (probably will be your doing ), then we can get into rooting it. But if he doesn't really care, no reason to void warranty. You would permanent tech support. Probably not the best move, just imo.

[Q] Rooting options for fairly green user.

Hello all,
Ive had my Note 2 for almost a year now, and I feel its time to Root to keep new life in this until I upgrade. I enjoyed the ease of rooting my EVO 4G through Unrevoked3 and using easy tools like CyangenMod and ROM Manager.
Now Im wondering if equally simple tools exists for the Note 2. Easy backup and recovery rooting tools, and simple ROM managers to help make life easier for this casual user.
My main uses for rooting would not be for Dev at this time. More to flash custom Roms to increase my UI enjoyment; and with grad school around the corner, being able to utilize a tethering option without Sprint's HotSpot costs would be a lifesaver when I need to complete coursework or research from anywhere.
Many thanks to all, I have loved all the info I have gained from XDA over the past few years.

I would youtube wwjoshdew and watch some of his vids on rooting and unrooting. He is very down to earth and makes things easier to understand. I've been following him for a while now.
Just saw this website posted on another section of this forum..
galaxynote2root.com
Ive recently been thinking of completely unrooting and rerooting mine just because after dozens of ROMs I now know what I'm looking for and want to start fresh. Anywho, hope this helps.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app

See the link below. After Fighting with drivers to get your phone to connect to your PC you can use the Toolkit which worked perfectly for me. I did have to try multiple pcs to get the drivers for my phone to work properly.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1957155

For anyone interested in Tethering with Wifi Tether app, look at my post here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=47468743&postcount=11