Is it possible to root and mod LG Optimus V without activating?

[ultramanjones]

Please answer exactly that question. Is it possible? If so, how is it possible, or should there be no real difference between activated and not activated.

IF the answer is unequivocally "Yes, you can root and mod the Optimus V before activation." then here are some details about my sitch:

BACKGROUND:
I have already rooted and modded 2 LG Optimus V phones. I used the method described by RevolutionRed at this link.

The first time took awhile. The second time, just last week, was very quick. Both were activated first. I modded them both to CyanogenMod. aospCMod-VM670-20110601-signed.zip among others all worked as advertised.

CURRENT SITUATION:
Cannot boot to recovery by any method. ( To finish the Rom installation process)
I get the LG screen, then black "glowing" screen.

Brand new LG Optimus V NOT activated. (and I have no intention of activating it (I already have service on another phone. I am going to use it for development purposes.)

SuperOneClick tried like 100 times never got me root access.

Tried GingerBreak, which appeared to get me half way there, BUT

I still cannot boot into recovery.

I've tried booting into recovery both through Rom Manager and manually (home/down vol/power buttons simultaneously then release at LG splash screen). No difference at all.

If I don't try to boot to recovery the phone boots up fine to 2.2 stock Froyo.

"Root Check" app says that I have root access, however it also reads:

The adb binary is set to default shell user access as a standard non-root user

Standard su binary location: ls -l /system/bin/
su:
-rwsr-sr-x root root 26264 2011-09-29
23:21 su

Standard su binary location: ls -l /system/xbin/su:
/system/xbin/su: No such file or directory

Alternate su binary location: ls -l /sbin/su:
/sbin/su: Permission denied

Alternate su type binary location: ls -l /
system/xbin/sudo:
/system/xbin/sudo: No such file or directory


Root user id:
uid=0(root)

Root group id:
gid=0(root)​

Those "No such file or directory" statements look like a problem.

I can get adb access, but only "$" not "#" root access.

So... is it in need of activation? Could it be some new firmware that resists rooting (since this one is brand new) Did I royally screw something up? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance. Apologies for the long post, but you're supposed to give lots of information, right?

 

[Eollie]

Re: Is it possible to root and mod LG Optimus V without activatin

yes you can.

Now the problem is that you have a new phone with a sprint phone screen . CHeck the stickies here. There is one that addresses black screens.

 

[fenrix]

Re: Is it possible to root and mod LG Optimus V without activatin

can u boot your phone then?
when u try going tu recovery u get a blank screen? u can blind restore like I did once.
comfirm recovery by waiting say 10-15 sec's to let recovery load, press menu key twice if it doesn't reboot thesecond press is to make the menus reappear (they blink off) try pressing camera key, if phone has reboots you have a recovery, what i did was put a rom in the root of a blank sd card so I dont have to find it and blind stepped the keypresses with another phone, now just flash a new recovery.

gingerbreak takes time.
I did gingerbbreak, presssed start set the phone down and watched some TV show
.. =)

 

[Eollie]

Re: Is it possible to root and mod LG Optimus V without activatin

yes you can.

Now the problem is that you have a new phone with a sprint phone screen . CHeck the stickies here. There is one that addresses black screens.

Sorry about the brief and not very infomative response. I was headed to bed and wanted to point you in the direction you needed before somebody tried to help you as if you installed the wrong stuff period.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/op...black-screen-custom-recovery-custom-roms.html

That thread is where you need to start your research and reading. Its been brought up that LG is using leftover parts from the Optimus S on the Optimus V and in so we are getting V's with S's screen and screen drivers. Therefore most of the roms not using the proper screen drivers or switch commands will give you a nice glowing black screen.

IHO builds using the bobzhomie kernel and the drew xionia redux will work. That thread will give you TONS of information and get your phone up and running.

 

[ultramanjones]

Re: Is it possible to root and mod LG Optimus V without activatin

Thanks Eollie!
I too was headed to bed. I spent my entire day off baffled by the whole thing. Now that you mention it, I did run into some forum posts about glowing black screens, but it was for... drum roll... you guessed it Optimus S phones -> So I thought it had nothing to do with me. Thanks for alerting me to the cannibalization scenario. Seems I've got a Frankenstein's Monster to awaken.

No time today, but I'll post back here when it's resolved.

 

[ultramanjones]

Re: Is it possible to root and mod LG Optimus V without activatin

can u boot your phone then?
when u try going tu recovery u get a blank screen? u can blind restore like I did once.
comfirm recovery by waiting say 10-15 sec's to let recovery load, press menu key twice if it doesn't reboot thesecond press is to make the menus reappear (they blink off) try pressing camera key, if phone has reboots you have a recovery, what i did was put a rom in the root of a blank sd card so I dont have to find it and blind stepped the keypresses with another phone, now just flash a new recovery.

gingerbreak takes time.
I did gingerbbreak, presssed start set the phone down and watched some TV show
.. =)

Thanks for your reply fenrix. Don't know if I'll be trying that, but I'll keep it in mind.

As far as GingerBreak, yup I did exactly the same thing, set down the phone and watched a TV show. I did not expect it to come back and then there it was. Unfortunately, this only contributed to me thinking that the glowing black screens could be waited out too. Let one sit for an hour once. No tango recovery screen.

I will break your will Optimus Frankenstein!

 

[Eollie]

Re: Is it possible to root and mod LG Optimus V without activatin

Normally I would have just passed out and got back this morning. But the last time I did that I think the person got help that ended up with them having a nice 150$ paper weight, and you know these phone are the best paper weight either.

Honestly the fix is real easy. If you can get into the recovery or as mentioned in that thread I linked use android screencast to view the screen on your pc. You should have no problem with getting it back and runnning as your android Itouch.