[How-To] Root LG Optimus T

mike12489

New member
Jul 4, 2011
1
0
0
Visit site
This is extremely helpful. My Optimus T can hardly run Angry Birds because of the ads and memory management so rooting it is going to make it a ton better. Thanks a lot!
 

O1HitKnockout316

New member
Jul 5, 2011
1
0
0
Visit site
WARNING - This is a cat and mouse game we play with manufacturers. I guarantee you an update will come from LG that patches this exploit and will prevent people from rooting. It will also close your root access if you've already rooted using this method. Long story short, NEVER ACCEPT OTA UPDATES FROM THE CARRIER OR MANUFACTURER.

Notice: There is now an application available called z4root which roots your phone using the same method detailed below. This has been confirmed to work on the Optimus line. Click THIS for more information. I feel the knowledge gained by doing this process yourself rather than a 1-click method will prove to be invaluable down the road if/when you encounter any issues but either way works.

For those who learn visually, iamlilysdad has put together an awesome walkthrough video of this process which you can find HERE

What You'll Need:
- Sun JRE, FOUND HERE
- The Android SDK, FOUND HERE. Install this on the root of your computer so the path is C:/android
- Drivers for the LG phone installed on your computer. Instructions can be FOUND HERE courtesy of our favorite android hacker, modder, developer, blogger (jack of all trades) gbhil
- And the file I have attached to this post. Download it, unzip it, and put the 3 files inside in your android-sdk-windows\tools folder created from installing the SDK.

/\You need to have installed/done all of the stuff in the "what you'll need" section. From this point on I'll assume you've done that./\

Ready?:
Step 1: Plug your phone into your PC with the USB cable.

Step 2: Make sure the phone is charge only (don't mount as USB drive) and USB debugging is enabled. Menu > Settings > Applications > Development > check mark USB debugging

Step 3: Launch the SDK manager, should be something like C:/Android-sdk-windows SDK Manager

Step 4: Open a CMD window and type the following:
cd c:\wherever-your-sdk-tools-folder-is (mine for example is C:\android\tools however in the new SDK the correct directory would be "Platform Tools", and not just "tools". See what you have on your directory)
adb push rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin /data/local/tmp/rageagainstthecage
adb push su /data/local/tmp/
adb push busybox /data/local/tmp/
adb shell
chmod 4755 /data/local/tmp/rageagainstthecage
chmod 4755 /data/local/tmp/busybox
cd /data/local/tmp
./rageagainstthecage (let things sit a couple minutes (2), your phone will disconnect from the computer and you'll be removed from your ADB session)
adb shell This should return a "#" symbol instead of a "$" symbol. If it does you're good. If not go back and start from the beginning of step 4
mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock4 /system
cd /data/local/tmp
./busybox cp su /system/bin
./busybox cp busybox /system/bin
cd /system/bin
chmod 4755 su
chmod 4755 busybox
busybox --install /system/bin
exit
exit

If you get to this step "busybox --install /system/bin" you get an error, do this:

4-A) Download superuser (free) from chainsDD in the market (this is step 5 below)
4-B) Download titanium backup (free) in the market
4-C) Launch titanium. You should get a request to give it root permissions select always allow. Now in titanium, hit the "problems" button and let it install busybox
4-D) Reboot phone and enjoy

Some phones are having a problem on that step while others are not.

Step 5: Go to the android market on your phone and download "Superuser"(free). The developer will be listed as ChainsDD.

Donations:
What I ask is, if this helps you root, please watch this thread and help someone who may be experiencing issue. Yes, I am asking you to donate your time. The same donation I made while writing this so you could root your phone :D

Thanks:
gbhil - as always thanks, you rock rainman lol.
Sebastian Krahmer - Without your exploit many phones would not be rooted today.
iamlilysdad - for making the walkthrough video and sticking around and providing so much support for new users during this process.
Thanks for this post
 

mar11974

Member
Jan 11, 2011
16
2
0
Visit site
Prerequisites: Android-SDK and its requirements installed; local copy of su, Superuser.apk (preferably under the "tools" directory); "USB debugging" checked under Settings->Applications->Development

NOTE: path can be \tools\ or \platform-tools\ depending on your version of the sdk

*****CONNECT PHONE TO COMPUTER WITH USB CABLE*****

C:\android-sdk\tools\adb shell
$ echo 1 > /data/local/lge_adb.conf

*****MANUALLY REBOOT DEVICE*****

C:\android-sdk\tools\adb shell
# mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
# exit
C:\android-sdk\tools\adb push Superuser.apk /system/app
C:\android-sdk\tools\adb push su /system/bin
C:\android-sdk\tools\adb shell
# chmod 755 /system/app/Superuser.apk
# chmod 4755 /system/bin/su
# cd /system/xbin
# ln -s /system/bin/su su
# reboot

Now go to the Market and download BusyBox Stephen (Stericson), use it to install busybox, uninstall the installer app.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MarkaRagnos

mar11974

Member
Jan 11, 2011
16
2
0
Visit site
whats all these thanks about?? it is not working......
got stuck at "device not found as everybody else
I would really appreciate some help here..
Did you try the method I posted? LG included root access in the system:
$ echo 1 > /data/local/lge_adb.conf
This provides temporary root access via ADB,
And all we are doing is making it permanent.
 

Mike S#AC

New member
Aug 8, 2011
1
0
0
Visit site
Every time I get to the "adb shell" prompt that should yield a # I get a device not found return. Then once I try to go back and push the files again, it gives me the device not found error. Any thoughts? In order for me to try again, I'm having to System Restore and re-download all the programs and drivers that I need. Then all of the prompts work fine until the "adb shell" prompt.
 

spworthen

New member
Aug 16, 2011
1
0
0
Visit site
Every time I get to the "adb shell" prompt that should yield a # I get a device not found return. Then once I try to go back and push the files again, it gives me the device not found error. Any thoughts? In order for me to try again, I'm having to System Restore and re-download all the programs and drivers that I need. Then all of the prompts work fine until the "adb shell" prompt.
I got the very same thing! For hours I was trying different variations with the manual "push" system. It just didn't work at all for my build. I have Software Version: LG-P509-v10 . Build number: FRF91 . While all the LG Optimus T phones run Android 2.2 they are not all the same software version, and every one is subject to OTA updates which may change the software periodically (frustrating!).

What worked for my particular setup was GingerBreak v1.2 . I found it on another forum. Search it, read the instructions, follow exactly. Within a minute mine was rebooting. Five minutes later it loaded a completely rooted phone!

I haven't read any forum rules yet (new), so I don't know how appropriate it is to attach files from another forum, or post a hyperlink to the thread. Good luck, and let me know if I can do anything more to help.
 

sharnawood

New member
Aug 20, 2011
1
0
0
Visit site
every time i go to enter the second adb shell it gives me an error instead of a #. what am i doing wrong i am copy and pasting everything correctly:( wtf man
 

mastavic

Member
Sep 1, 2011
9
0
0
Visit site
My girlfriend just purchased the LG Optimus T earlier today and is using it with her prepaid T-Mobile plan. Is the first post of this thread still the best and most updated to use when it comes to rooting her phone? Both she and I have never had a smartphone before, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 

screamline458

Active member
Jan 14, 2011
25
0
0
Visit site
My girlfriend just purchased the LG Optimus T earlier today and is using it with her prepaid T-Mobile plan. Is the first post of this thread still the best and most updated to use when it comes to rooting her phone? Both she and I have never had a smartphone before, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

You should be fine using this or any of the other methods on AC forums. Try http://forums.androidcentral.com/t-mobile-optimus-t/56738-how-root-recovery-rom-without-touching-computer.html

just did that yesterday with mine and it works like a charm. try this rom.[UNOFFICIAL][ROM][stable:6.5.7,testing:6.6.1] CyanogenMod 7.1-RC1 (Android 2.3.5) - xda-developers gave me extra internal storage.
 

mel2000

Active member
Aug 4, 2011
38
2
8
Visit site
Is this root thread really updated? Aren't most Optimus T's now using Android 2.2.1? The link above gave instructions for rooting with Z4Root, which does not work with 2.2.1. I thought the preferred 2.2.1+ root method was to use GingerBreak.
 
  • Like
Reactions: maddawg313

maddawg313

New member
May 21, 2011
3
2
0
Visit site
Is this root thread really updated? Aren't most Optimus T's now using Android 2.2.1? The link above gave instructions for rooting with Z4Root, which does not work with 2.2.1. I thought the preferred 2.2.1+ root method was to use GingerBreak.

Yes, you are right....after trying the method on 2.2.1 with no success, I used gingerbreak 1.2 and it was rooted with not issues. You will need to disable wireless before attempting to run gingerbreak. Now I'm successfully rooted, its time to start messing around with the phone. T-Mobile junks stuff needs to go.
 

ailurophile

Member
Jul 24, 2011
10
0
0
Visit site
It doesn't work. At all. Not no way, not no how. I've downloaded and installed all of the files recommended; but every time I try to run the SDK, it downloads and installs all of the same files (again). Then the command-line window just stares at me with a blinking cursor, and it will not accept input of any kind.
z4root doesn't root my phone (a T-Mobile Optimus T, running Android 2.2.2), either temporarily or permanently, so superuser won't work. Neither does Terminal Emulator, since I don't have superuser privileges.
And if I open z4 root, the only way I can get it to open again is to reboot my phone.
I just want to get rid of the bloatware on my phone so I can use the bloody thing that I paid for. I can't receive SMS messages because there's no room on the hard drive, I have to run default programs because there's no room to install the ones I want, and I get messages that the hard drive is full, with absolutely no hints or suggestions about how to remedy the problem.
Tell me again why Android is so great. Next time I'm going to Windows.
 

ailurophile

Member
Jul 24, 2011
10
0
0
Visit site
The command line tells me, quote, "'adb' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file." So how am I to proceed?
I'm in the android\tools directory.