Optimus S Rooting, ROMs, Themes, & Unbrick Methods

[Ma}{imus]

So I thought I'd post a bunch of the Optimus S rooting links all in one place for simplicity's sake. I'll keep this up to date as time permits. Don't forget to hit the thanks button if you find this post useful. Also if you have any suggested links let me know.

**Gingerbread test ROM link is below in the ROM section**

**Disclaimer** I'm the messenger and am not responsible for what happens to your phone, but if you follow the instructions in the posts linked below you should be well on your way to enjoying the full potential of your Optimus S. Also, I don't claim ownership to any of these methods, ideas, etc. I am only consolidating the information into one place. This is why I didn't spell out how to do anything, but linked back to OPs and mentioned the authors where appropriate.

Rooting (based on your base band version)

V9

• The easy way (for those path of least resistance types)
• The learning way (and might I add if you plan on doing more modifications and are new to android you should at least try this out and get familiar with ADB).
• dishe's idiot's guide to rooting

VC

• The easier way. Here it is, the LG Optimus S Control Center. Talk about a user friendly utility. Check it out if you have been deterred from rooting because of the complexity. This is your solution.
• Installed the LS670ZVC update and lost root? This is for you. I also posted a link below in the other section to the post that shows you how to revert back to V9 if you decided you don't really want this update.

Unrooting

• zefie's guide to unroot back to stock
• Follow the link to the stock ROM and read post#2 if you don't want to unroot your phone but make it appear unrooted if you need to take it into Sprint for repairs.

Custom Recovery

• drellisdee's custom recovery how to
• zefie's Xionia Clockwork recovery
• smccloud's port of clockwork mod recovery

ROMs

V9 Compatible ONLY

• Nick7, KSmithInNy & beezy's Lego ROM

VC Compatible ONLY

• KSmithInNy & beezy's ThundeROM
• zefie's VCRom

VC & V9 Compatible

• Nick7's nROM
• zefie's Gingerbread with CM7 NOTE this is posted for testing and is not fully functional. I highly recommend reading the entire thread before flashing this. It is getting more stable though. There are a few people who have successfully flashed this on their Optimus V (There are some key mapping issues that will be resolved once the ROM is stable, but good news for them).

**ROM Tools App** Check out this new application put out by mmmark111. Yet another tool for the ADB averse.

Other ROM Options

• xtacocorex's megatROM
• Stock ROM

Bricked Your Phone? -- side note: if you're flashing a ROM for the first time your phone will hang on the LG logo and/or the boot animation longer than usual.

• LG Logo Hang possible fixes
• zefie's guide to unbrick
• The atomic bomb unbrick method -- when everything else failed, this is for you. It's a bit involved, but successful most of the time.

Kernels - Quick note on Kernels, not all Kernel builds are compatible with every ROM. Make sure you double check compatibility and remember that nandroid backup is your friend.

• zefie's Xionia Kernel -- overclock and scalable.
• beezy's custom kernels -- pre-scaled, overclocked and stock speeds

Buildprops

• KSmithInNY's excellent explanation of buildprops and several flashable variations.

Themes

• Nick7's theme links [NOTE] must be rooted and have custom recovery installed to apply these themes.
• steindog99's theme thread
• Want to port a theme over to the Optimus S but don't know where to start? This is for you.

Bootanimations

• cmags how to change boot animation

Odds and Ends

• How to undo the LS670ZVC udpate here
• KSmithInNY's guide to Recoveries, ROMs, Kernels, & Themes
• Nick7's Optimus S Pocket Bible
• gbhil's how to configure LG and ADB drivers
• Drivers and LG Mobile Support Tool
• Android SDK
• Sun JRE
• Sun JDK
• Android Developer Info

 

[CarrieK]

Great idea to put all of this in one place for easy reference!

 

[Ma}{imus]

Thanks Carrie. I figured this would help get people started, informed, etc.

 

[CarrieK]

Thanks Carrie. I figured this would help get people started, informed, etc.

Especially with the new update there is so much out there and it is changig almost by the minute. I can't wait to see what the devs come up with! <sigh!> If work didn't take up so much of my time I'd be messing with this all the time

 

[shinedown87]

Wow, what a great thread. Thanks a lot for putting it all together. I have not rooted my Optimus S, but I really want/need to. I am sick and tired of constantly running out of storage space on my phone. I feel so limited by the amount of apps I can install (maybe the ones that I am using are just very large...I don't know). If I understand correctly rooting would be the only way to get rid of preinstalled apps that take up space.

Thanks again!

 

[Ma}{imus]

Wow, what a great thread. Thanks a lot for putting it all together. I have not rooted my Optimus S, but I really want/need to. I am sick and tired of constantly running out of storage space on my phone. I feel so limited by the amount of apps I can install (maybe the ones that I am using are just very large...I don't know). If I understand correctly rooting would be the only way to get rid of preinstalled apps that take up space.

Thanks again!

No problem. Rooting will open the door for you to get rid of the bloatware. Your available internal storage won't actually increase unless you flash a custom ROM that increases your storage partition.

I'm not sure if you are updated to VC, but I'm going to be putting some more info up on how to root if you've installed the VC update.

 

[Ma}{imus]

ThundeROM just posted version 1.7 to support the new VC update.

 

[Ma}{imus]

Posted some more links and updated some info.

 

[Ma}{imus]

LG Optimus S Control Center released. This is the user friendly way to root from VC baseband. Check out the link in the OP above.

 

[CarrieK]

ThundeROM just posted version 1.7 to support the new VC update.

Took the plunge and updated to TR 1.7 and I am lovin' this ROM!

 

[Ma}{imus]

Took the plunge and updated to TR 1.7 and I am lovin' this ROM!

Nice. I have another Optimus running TR 1.6.2 and I think I'm going to jump to 1.7. Still a little nervous about the whole VC thing though.

 

[CarrieK]

Nice. I have another Optimus running TR 1.6.2 and I think I'm going to jump to 1.7. Still a little nervous about the whole VC thing though.

I can tell you it is worth getting nervous about! I was so ticked when I thought I'd lost root. I had quite a scare but when I read back over the instructions one of the devs said to hold the power, vol down, and home buttons down and keep them pressed until he gets tired, then still keep pressing until the recovery screen comes up. I guess I just wasn't pressing long enough and hard enough initially to get the custom recovery to come up.

Just to make sure all is well, I have powered the phone down several times, leaving it off for minutes and then powered it back up and it powers up very fast. Keep us posted on if you decide to do it

 

[Ma}{imus]

New ROM Tools application link added in the ROMs section.

 

[Ma}{imus]

Added a new theme thread link.

 

[Ma}{imus]

Posted links for common unbrick methods and added an unbrick section.

 

[Jungleblack]

What up everybody. Ill be putting up my DiamondBlack ROM for Optimus S soon. Be prepared to have your minds blown away.

-
VicePres JordanAvier

DiamondBlack Enterprises

 

[shinedown87]

Before taking the rooting plunge, but I am still a little unsure about what happens AFTER the root. Will I be able to update my phone? Will I lose what I had on there pre-root? It seems like the pros very much outweigh the cons.

Also, I have the OTA VC update, so it looks like there will be some more steps I have to complete. No big deal, as long as I can have more internal storage for apps.

 

[Ma}{imus]

Rooting your device doesn't actually change anything. It just gives you access to the root directories to change whatever you want. Because you have the VC OTA update you'll have to revert back to V9 to be able to root. Generally once toy have gained root access it isn't a good idea to run any carrier updates because it can jack things up. Especially if you have a custom ROM installed.

There are some good tutorials linked to above that should walk you through that process. Good luck.

 

[shinedown87]

I am having all sorts of problems trying to revert back to V9 in order to root. I get this "restart" message from the LG tool, and can't seem to find out a way around it, despite trying every method I read in every thread I could find.

edit: Nevermind, got it to work by unplugging the phone then plugging it back in while the LG tool was running.

 

[shinedown87]

Any suggestions on which ROM to use? I am in the process of rooting as I type. Thanks so much!

 

[CarrieK]

Any suggestions on which ROM to use? I am in the process of rooting as I type. Thanks so much!

I am on ThundeROM 1.7. and like it a lot. I don't have any experience with the other ROMs.

Well, Maxximus, now there is a "VD" update. Yep. VD. I think they could have skipped that one in the naming convention sequence. Anyway, luckily it doesn't appear it is going to be difficult to root if you update using the LG tool. One not-so-good thing though. From what I've read so far you cannot use the hotspot exploit any more with it, only the Wi-fi Tether, which bombs out on my phone every time I try to run it. I read in the description that you have to have a certain type of kernel to run it, and since I am on VC's kernel right now, maybe that is why it doesn't work. I'm going to hold off updating until the wise and great devs figure it all out

 

[Ma}{imus]

VD, haha? I saw that on another forum last night and thought it was a typo. Now I'm really behind the times, still on V9.

 

[Ma}{imus]

Any suggestions on which ROM to use? I am in the process of rooting as I type. Thanks so much!

I'll give you the same suggestion I give others...it's really personal preference. You can't go wrong with the popular ROMs out right now. I have 2 Optimus devices and one is running ThundeROM and the other is on Lego ROM. My next jump will probably be to CM7 with gingerbread. Try them out and see which one gives you the warm fuzzies.

 

[CarrieK]

Looks like Beezy and KSmith over on Android Central are working on TR 1.8 for ZVD which will have a hotspot that is compatible with the stock kernel.

 

[shinedown87]

I'll give you the same suggestion I give others...it's really personal preference. You can't go wrong with the popular ROMs out right now. I have 2 Optimus devices and one is running ThundeROM and the other is on Lego ROM. My next jump will probably be to CM7 with gingerbread. Try them out and see which one gives you the warm fuzzies.

So I put ThunderROM on, and although I don't have anything else to compare it to, I think it is amazing! So much more pleasing to the eye, quicker responding, much more memory for apps, etc.

If I understand correctly, if I perform a "NAND Backup" then this makes a complete "copy" of my phone at that moment, and I will be able to try out different ROMs, with the liberty to go back to where I was before?

If I flash a new ROM (pardon me if my terminology is incorrect, still new to all this), do I start from scratch with apps, settings, etc.?