[How-To] Guide to rooting with software version LS670ZVD (OUTDATED)

[FreddyFredFred]

http://forum.androidcentral.com/lg-...-guide-rooting-software-version-ls670zvd.html
There is a good start.
You will need to go back to v9 (using KP-500 which will need the LG updater), then root(using z4root). Flash a custom recovery(or stock v9)(using SDK tools), then re-upgrade to VD using the LG Updater, then, flash your custom ROM(using custom recovery). Sounds easy? It will be, once you get the hang of it.
Oh, and I take no responsibility for what you or anyone else does to your phone after following anything I post! hehe

 

[sfhub]

Here's the deal...just upgraded from my Blackberry to the Optimus S through Sprint yesterday. As soon as I turned on the phone, I was prompted to install an update, so I did. I've updated my phone to LS670ZVD. But now...I've been reading through the forums, and I want to install a custom ROM =( I've been reading for the past 2 hours or more but I'm just getting more and more confused. I do NOT want to brick my brand new phone.
There's so many words that I'm just not understanding...ok, I googled and researched "ROOTED". I understand thats where I need to start. But once reading about it...now I have to revert to this version and then install this and that before I can even actually being to root my phone.
Someone please point me in the right direction. Maybe tell me which threads I should read first...is there a thread for newbie dummies? LOL That explains every little thing in great detail?
Then point me in the direction to which thread I should be reading to root my completely stock LS670ZVD....
Please and thank you

The correct post to read is the first post of this thread. It covers all the scenarios.

I posted the following in answer to another post on another thread, but felt it might give you an overview of what you are trying to accomplish so am including it here:

Android = Phone's OS (operating system), the stuff you interact with all the time, runs on top of linux operating system
Baseband/Radio = hidden controller for low-level phone functions, interacts with Android, mismatches in versions can cause problems
Recovery = Special emergency OS and program to repair and/or upgrade functionality (invoke using Power Down , followed by holding Home + Vol- + Power)

If you have stock firmware or get a firmware update from Sprint, all three should be of the same version. Read on to see why we make some versions change around.

stock VC and stock VD are not rootable by known exploits (rage, psneuter, superoneclick, z4root). If you want to use them with root, you need to first revert to V9 Android (which is rootable) and install CWMA custom recovery. As long as you keep CWMA custom recovery around, your ability to root (and reroot) will be preserved.

If you lose CWMA custom recovery (on VC, VD, and later) then your ability to root/reroot are gone and you'll need to revert back to V9 again and do the whole thing over.

Why would it be difficult to keep CWMA custom recovery around? Well, if you accept the OTA updates, under some conditions, it'll overwrite your custom recovery with one that is not rootable.

How do you keep CWMA custom recovery around and upgrade? Well, LG Mobile Update Tool will upgrade Android and the baseband/radio but won't touch recovery.

We use "root" in two slightly different senses.

You have "root" the login id (and associated permissions) designated by the "#" prompt in shell, let's call this root login. It is referring to a login status, not an ability, and thus is implicitly temporary. With "root" login id/permissions, you can always install the 2nd sense of root below.

The 2nd way we refer to root, is the "capability" of on-demand changing of login-id/permissions to root within Android and linux. Some people refer to this a permanent root. Rather than referring to the "login" id, we are referring to the capability of obtaining that login id whenever we want.

When I say CWMA preserves your ability to root, I'm referring to it in the first sense. Just because you have CWMA doesn't mean Android apps that need root will work. You still need to install some apparatus to implement the capabilities of the 2nd type of root. However having CWMA around will allow you to install the 2nd type of root at anytime just by running a special FlashRootVD-signed.zip (update.zip) that Drew created. You can also do it by hand, but it easier to run FlashRootVD-signed.zip.

If you have the new LCD hardware and want root with stock VD, you can start with the RED warning #2 of the revert thread in my signature.

Oh and BTW we are equal opportunity here. If after reading about stuff, you feel there is a better way to do it, by all means go ahead and put something together. I'm sure people will appreciate something that makes their life simpler. If that's not your thing, at least tell the author what was confusing (and possibly how to make it clearer) I can't speak for everyone, but I do make changes to make things clearer or simpler as I become aware of them.

Hope that helps.

 

[rvrdawg]

There are a lot of threads here and I read quite a few but started jumping around after about the 5 or 6 page. Saw on other forums that the Z4Root would work without all these tech steps to do. Has anyone tried the Z4root or is this the only way to root VD updated phone to get the WiFi to work again.

Thanks

 

[CarrieK]

There are a lot of threads here and I read quite a few but started jumping around after about the 5 or 6 page. Saw on other forums that the Z4Root would work without all these tech steps to do. Has anyone tried the Z4root or is this the only way to root VD updated phone to get the WiFi to work again.

Thanks

Z4root works if you are trying to root V9. If you are on ZVD, you would have to revert to V9 and progress from there.

 

[ashleysreyes]

You folks here are so helpful. Both answers helped me tremendously. I'm going to read for a few more hours just to make sure I'm so thankful both of you broke it down for me and then explained in depth as well. The temporary/permanent rooting is something I'll definitely have to read a little more about to get it just right in my brain...I get the overrall jist of it but still a little confusing.

For the record though...if I happen to brick my phone...there are ways to get it restored right? Ive seen several posts on how to unbrick phones...but what if its not possible? If I take it to Sprint will they charge me for another phone (I have no insurance on this baby).....or will the fix it for a fee? Does anyone know how this works?? I just want to make sure I know I have options if I do happen to make a mistake...which I probably will...since ALL of this is so new and like a foreign language to me =(

 

[sfhub]

For the record though...if I happen to brick my phone...there are ways to get it restored right? Ive seen several posts on how to unbrick phones...but what if its not possible? If I take it to Sprint will they charge me for another phone (I have no insurance on this baby).....or will the fix it for a fee? Does anyone know how this works?? I just want to make sure I know I have options if I do happen to make a mistake...which I probably will...since ALL of this is so new and like a foreign language to me =(

Don't get hung up on temporary or permanent root. There are slightly different nuances to what people mean and it can get confusing. Just know that if you have CWMA Recovery installed, from the standpoint of rooting you are fine. At worst you are one step away from the rooting you care most about.

As to bricking your phone, anytime you flash you run the risk of bricking (and even if you accept the OTA update, you run that risk). It doesn't happen often but it can happen. If it does happen most of the time you can work around it. However in some instances it can't be done or we don't know how to do it.

 

[ashleysreyes]

However in some instances it can't be done or we don't know how to do it.

I appreciate your information...but most of all your honesty. I think I should be fine and if I have any questions, I'll be sure to ask before I try ANYTHING I am unsure of. I do not want to run that risk! I love this phone too much! =)

Thanks again! You folks are so quick to reply unlike other forums I have posted in the past including Blackberry and Palm Pre forums =)

 

[magpie2502]

Dare I ask... (because I probably won't get a useful answer to start with, but who knows...)

Do these procedures seriously require Windows on the PC end? They /do/ make the Android SDK for Macintosh and Linux platforms as well, and not everyone likes to salute the multi-coloured flag of MS. (After all, this isn't WinMo...)

And yes, I did search the thread, to find no real mention of such procedures under Linux. So, just curious. I'd really rather not have to resort to installing Windows just for the sake of rooting my Android phone, if that makes any sense.

 

[sfhub]

All the adb stuff can be done on any platform.

The LG Mobile Update tool only runs on windows and some emulators have had qualified success. If you aren't happy with that, need to bring it up with LG.

 

[drewwalton19216801]

Dare I ask... (because I probably won't get a useful answer to start with, but who knows...)

Do these procedures seriously require Windows on the PC end? They /do/ make the Android SDK for Macintosh and Linux platforms as well, and not everyone likes to salute the multi-coloured flag of MS. (After all, this isn't WinMo...)

And yes, I did search the thread, to find no real mention of such procedures under Linux. So, just curious. I'd really rather not have to resort to installing Windows just for the sake of rooting my Android phone, if that makes any sense.

sfhub is correct. While all of the command-line things like ADB will work on any platform that is supported by the Android SDK, the LG update tool (which is REQUIRED for things like reverting and updating) is Windows only. KP500 (which uses the LG update tool in a freakishly awesome way) is also Windows only. Actually, I don't know off the top of my head of any manufacturer's phone update software that works on Linux or Mac.

As far as running Windows in a virtual environment goes, Virtualbox is virtually guaranteed not to work but the latest version of VMware Workstation will work with a little patience.

Dare I ask... (because I probably won't get a useful answer to start with, but who knows...)

Now that's not very nice

Call me biased but ever since I joined the Android Central forums most everyone here has been extremely knowledgeable with quick replies, and honestly tells you when they don't know the answer to an issue/question.

 

[magpie2502]

Well, I must say, those responses were quite useful indeed.

Not that I was expecting clueless input or anything, just more things along the lines of ugly fanboy mudslinging that used to be the norm at any mention of someone using linux.

Anyways...I guess I'm still dead in the water as far as the other stuff is concerned, but I think I'll play around with the SDK until I can find a Windows machine to borrow. Thanks for your replies!

 

[ccrs8]

Well, I must say, those responses were quite useful indeed.

Not that I was expecting clueless input or anything, just more things along the lines of ugly fanboy mudslinging that used to be the norm at any mention of someone using linux.

Anyways...I guess I'm still dead in the water as far as the other stuff is concerned, but I think I'll play around with the SDK until I can find a Windows machine to borrow. Thanks for your replies!

You won't find that around here. I use Linux and I know plenty of others on the forums here do as well. Given the fact that we all decided on Android instead of that i-device means we all at least have the ability to bypass the obvious kool-aid and think for ourselves a little bit. Add on to that the fact that we're in the rooting and hacking subforum...I think the more people are in to fiddling around with their devices and putting non-stock ROMs on them, the more likely they are to have tried Linux (your computer didn't ship with Linux, right?). Anyway, my experience here has been great regarding support of non-standard setups. Alas, all the support in the world can't give us the LG updater on Linux, though. I went over to a friend's house and used his computer.

 

[drewwalton19216801]

You won't find that around here. I use Linux and I know plenty of others on the forums here do as well. Given the fact that we all decided on Android instead of that i-device means we all at least have the ability to bypass the obvious kool-aid and think for ourselves a little bit. Add on to that the fact that we're in the rooting and hacking subforum...I think the more people are in to fiddling around with their devices and putting non-stock ROMs on them, the more likely they are to have tried Linux (your computer didn't ship with Linux, right?). Anyway, my experience here has been great regarding support of non-standard setups. Alas, all the support in the world can't give us the LG updater on Linux, though. I went over to a friend's house and used his computer.

Totally. To ridicule someone for using arguably the greatest OS in the universe would be complete bogus because all of our phones run a hacked up version of Linux too!

But its true, you won't find any fanboy mudslinging here. I personally use Windows, Linux, and Mac pretty much equally. Gotta love triple boot.

 

[DaMayor]

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to this and Drew especially. Once I pulled my head out, I got through this no sweat. Pretty straightforward and you just laid it out perfectly for a nub like myself.

 

[mcasas]

just wanna say u guys r good.that says it all

 

[arrogant437]

First of all I am a newb......I do have xionia custom recovery and root access.
In step 7, instead of using adb reboot recovery in command prompt, while my phone is in debugging mode, can I just copy the FlashRootVD-signed.zip file(copy? or extract? by the way) to my sdcard and manually reboot into recovery (Via QuickBoot app) and follow the steps? Also does the SDK Manager have to be open to do this. Obviously there are still some things about adb im not understanding

 

[arrogant437]

Also I have the Hotspot Widget on my phone. I previously (before root) accidentally upgraded to ZVD and the widget wouldn't work, so I Flashed back to ZV9 via KP500 and it worked again. Before everything, I had ZVC with no root and the widget worked also. Will the Widget work in ZVD now that ill have root access and a custom(xionia) recovery? Or should I just Flash to ZVC since I know it worked with that version?

 

[debh945]

Also I have the Hotspot Widget on my phone. I previously (before root) accidentally upgraded to ZVD and the widget wouldn't work, so I Flashed back to ZV9 via KP500 and it worked again. Before everything, I had ZVC with no root and the widget worked also. Will the Widget work in ZVD now that ill have root access and a custom(xionia) recovery? Or should I just Flash to ZVC since I know it worked with that version?

You will needed to flash Thunderom on VD to get the wifi widget to work. It does not work on stock Vd.

Sent from my VEGAn-TAB using Tapatalk

 

[debh945]

First of all I am a newb......I do have xionia custom recovery and root access.
In step 7, instead of using adb reboot recovery in command prompt, while my phone is in debugging mode, can I just copy the FlashRootVD-signed.zip file(copy? or extract? by the way) to my sdcard and manually reboot into recovery (Via QuickBoot app) and follow the steps? Also does the SDK Manager have to be open to do this. Obviously there are still some things about adb im not understanding

Don't extract the .zip. Copy or download it to your sd card and flash it via custom recovery. You do not need to be connected to your computer to flash a zip in recovery.

Sent from my VEGAn-TAB using Tapatalk

 

[arrogant437]

Just to be Clear,currently I'm running ZV9 (which i flashed using KP500) and have root access with xionia recovery. I'm being prompted with a OTA upgrade to ZVC. Im assuming once I do that I'll be prompted again to go to ZVD Will I loose root access if I go to ZVC OTA and then to ZVD? and will I still have Xionia recovery or will everything go to stock?(or maybe Brick). Also, in step 7,u have to do a facory wipe/data reset, will i lose all my apps? (some i paid for which i know i can reinstall). If i move all my apps to my sdcard will they be safe? I have Titanium Backup Pro.