[How-To] Root the LG Optimus V

[r00t]

Is it possible to undo this, because what it seems like is being done here is just uploading two applications (busybox & su) and then changing the permissions on them?

So undoing this should be fairly easy, by removing the applications (busy box & su)? This seems like very non-destructive and good way to root the device.

 

[RevolutionRed]

Is it possible to undo this, because what it seems like is being done here is just uploading two applications (busybox & su) and then changing the permissions on them?

So undoing this should be fairly easy, by removing the applications (busy box & su)? This seems like very non-destructive and good way to root the device.

Indeed. This is the least destructive way possible to root the V. No custom recovery, No modified rom or other files, etc. Undoing the root is as easy as deleting the two files and uninstalling the SuperUser app. That said, once people have root they typically like to dive into the inner workings of the phone and fool around. Nothing wrong with that, I do it myself. But if you just want root and nothing else, this is the least destructive way to do it.

 

[Desmock]

So that's it? Just XDA? That site confuses me to no end, but I'll try seeing what is going on over thre. It's unfortunate that no one here knows anything else, I thought Gingerbread came out around November last year?

 

[RevolutionRed]

So that's it? Just XDA? That site confuses me to no end, but I'll try seeing what is going on over thre. It's unfortunate that no one here knows anything else, I thought Gingerbread came out around November last year?

Just to clarify, gingerbread DID come out, but only on select devices. Not all phones have gingerbread yet. Many may never get it at all. The Optimus series does not have gingerbread yet. This is because certain parts of the Android Operating System are device specific (like the kernel for instance). This means that we either have to wait until LG makes those parts for our phone, or create them ourselves.

When ejdme says some people at XDA are porting gingerbread to our phone, what he means is they are trying to create NEW parts to Android that do not yet exist (since LG has not created them yet) in order to make gingerbread work on the optimus. This is a slow process. It may not be done before LG gets around to putting gingerbread on the phone. In the meantime, the best you can do are custom roms, or join up with a group attempting to do it and code some of it yourself. Addtionally, there are people in this forum working on it, but as far as I know, it's not functional yet. I hope that helps explain the situation.

 

[r00t]

Indeed. This is the least destructive way possible to root the V. No custom recovery, No modified rom or other files, etc. Undoing the root is as easy as deleting the two files and uninstalling the SuperUser app. That said, once people have root they typically like to dive into the inner workings of the phone and fool around. Nothing wrong with that, I do it myself. But if you just want root and nothing else, this is the least destructive way to do it.

Thanks for the quick reply, I just rooted it. Mostly it was a very smooth process, just at the very end it wouldn't reboot and went into a black screen state after "adb reboot" commands. It wasn't a big deal, removing the battery and putting it back in rebooted the device just fine. Both Superuser and TitaniumBackup confirmed the rooting.

Thank you for this very elegant tutorial. I think it's one of the best rooting guides.

 

[r00t]

I kept having trouble with some of the commands but when I figured out that I shouldn't hit spacebar between some of the characters I was ok.

I agree, the forums should enable CODE tags with better fonts to distinguish letter spacing. The regular font face does get confusing for command line codes.

 

[whats in a name]

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

Maybe this is where I am having problems. I am running Windows XP on an old sony vaio and every time I plug my phone into the USB it pops up with the "new hardware found and mounts it as USB drive. How do I stop this? Should I stop this?

I went through all of the directions and TitaniumBackup is still showing that I do not have it rooted.
SO I'm confused as to where I am going wrong.

Sorry I am a completely new to any of this. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[ScrewyLouie]

Everything went fine with rooting my new Optimus V. Thanks for posting these great instructions RevolutionRed! This n00b salutes you and your efforts!

 

[Dr.Hax]

Everything goes well until I enter "exit" (then it cant find any of the files)



Help!

 

[larryc]

Regarding Step 4, I don't think you need to suid (e.g, chmod 4755) busybox:

adb shell
mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /system /system
exit
adb push su /system/bin
adb push busybox /system/bin
adb shell
cd /system/bin
chmod 4755 su
chmod 4755 busybox
exit
adb reboot

I would change that line to:
chmod 555 busybox
This is better for a security perspective. Only the su command needs to be suid root.

 

[RevolutionRed]

Maybe this is where I am having problems. I am running Windows XP on an old sony vaio and every time I plug my phone into the USB it pops up with the "new hardware found and mounts it as USB drive. How do I stop this? Should I stop this?

I went through all of the directions and TitaniumBackup is still showing that I do not have it rooted.
SO I'm confused as to where I am going wrong.

Sorry I am a completely new to any of this. Any help will be appreciated.

My best guess is that your USB drivers did not install correctly. Try uninstalling them and re installing them according to the directions in the first post. Someone else with XP reported a problem earlier in the thread, and I told them to try to the same thing. I didn't hear back whether it worked or not. It may just be a problem on XP.

 

[RevolutionRed]

Everything goes well until I enter "exit" (then it cant find any of the files)



Help!

Sounds like you may have forgotten to unzip the attached file into your platform-tools directory. Browse to that directory and verify that the files are there before you start. Let me know if that's not the problem.

 

[RevolutionRed]

Regarding Step 4, I don't think you need to suid (e.g, chmod 4755) busybox:


I would change that line to:
chmod 555 busybox
This is better for a security perspective. Only the su command needs to be suid root.

Good point. Occasionally third party tools such a Titanium Backup require the use of busybox to do their thing. I'm not sure what kind of permissions they require. Did you try this by using 555, and if so, did it work?

 

[Dr.Hax]

Nope, both of the files are there.

 

[whats in a name]

What about using a Mac?

My best guess is that your USB drivers did not install correctly. Try uninstalling them and re installing them according to the directions in the first post. Someone else with XP reported a problem earlier in the thread, and I told them to try to the same thing. I didn't hear back whether it worked or not. It may just be a problem on XP.

So if it is XP... (I'll try again tomorrow evening and let you know...)
Does anyone know how to get root using MAC?
I'm running snow leopard and I can't find any threads about using a Mac to root an android.

 

[RevolutionRed]

Nope, both of the files are there.

Hmm.. Ok, what are there exact errors you are getting? I'll see if I can't figure out what's up.

 

[RevolutionRed]

So if it is XP... (I'll try again tomorrow evening and let you know...)
Does anyone know how to get root using MAC?
I'm running snow leopard and I can't find any threads about using a Mac to root an android.

Hypothetically you could do thing same thing from a Mac or a Linux box with the android SDK installed, but you'd have to do the SuperOneClick part manually. It simply automates a few ADB commands (like the ones you type at the end) to run a file on your phone that gives you a temporary root.

HERE is site that has a little information about how to use psneuter (which is the name of the program SuperOneClick runs to give you temporary root access). Do a little research on it and you should be able to crack the phone from a Mac or Linux box as well.

 

[Dr.Hax]

Hmm.. Ok, what are there exact errors you are getting? I'll see if I can't figure out what's up.

Take a look at the screen shot I attached.

 

[RevolutionRed]

Take a look at the screen shot I attached.

You need to be in the correct folder to run the commands. adb only exists in the platform-tools folder. Type this after you exit:

c:\android\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools\

After that. your prompt should look like:

c:\android\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools>

instead of

c:\users\eric>

then try the adb push command again. Let me know if this works for you.

 

[larryc]

Good point. Occasionally third party tools such a Titanium Backup require the use of busybox to do their thing. I'm not sure what kind of permissions they require. Did you try this by using 555, and if so, did it work?

Yes, it worked.