Root What to do now I've rooted

[mewikime]

Just posted this in the main Optimus V forum. Now copy/pasting here! I'm looking for a bit of help and some clarifications on certain things.

Yesterday I returned my Optimus V to Target and exchanged it for another one. My first phone had a sort of speckled screen where just light would shine through the black, and I was getting close to my 90 days. I decided to root it to see what all the fuss is about.

I followed the instructions at Theunlockr.com because there was a nice YouTube video to go with it, but because the instructions there are supposed to be for any phone, they didn't mention Stockvmrecflash.zip that Asadulla links to in his Optimus V Rooting,Roms,Tutorials thread. Should I still install the Stockvmrecflash.zip? What is it for?

Since doing the root, I installed a couple of things from the Market: Root Checker (because I wasn't sure if it worked), File Expert and Titanium Backup * root.

I'm not planning on installing a ROM just yet; I find that a bit scary and anyway, right now all I want to do is permanently delete all the pre-installed apps because my last phone kept telling me it was full. I've read through Agianne's List of Bloatware on the LG Optimus V thread but it doesn't mention the other pre-installed apps. I have alternative apps for Calculator and Calendar that I want to use. Can I remove those two apps safely, and how do I do that? I'd also like to remove News and Weather if that's safe to do so, but again, I don't know how.

My main concern right now though is that I didn't install Stockvmrecflash.zip. Should I do that now? Do I have to un-root the phone and then re-root it or can I just do it anyway? What does it do?

I'm sure I'll have a couple more questions in the coming days, if you don't mind me asking!

Thanks, Matt

 

[JerryScript]

You are referring to the recovery image, which is sort of like the BIOS on your desktop PC. You only have to install the recovery image if you want to install a custom ROM or flash specially baked themes from UOT.

Rather than try and remove bloatware without know which app is which, and possibly removing a system app, you could install the recovery image, and flash one of the stock roms with the bloatware removed. This will give you the confidence to try other roms later on. Once you flash your first one, it's easy.

 

[smankins]

I rooted my phone but have kept the stock ROM. You can use Titanium Backup Pro and freeze and/or uninstall the bloatware on your phone without actually having to delete it. I also installed Link2Sd on my phone and I have gained a lot of space and installed dozens more programs. To me this was the greatest benefit of rooting. ADFree is also a nice program for a rooted phone.

I am still waiting to see what benefit a different ROM would be. It seems like most of them have problems keeping full functionality, i.e. lack of MMS, etc. I was going to try something with ROM Manager but the LG Optimus V was not listed when I tried the recovery.

 

[MacFett]

I also installed Link2Sd on my phone and I have gained a lot of space and installed dozens more programs.

I had problems with Link2sd, so I used Move2SD Enabler. So far so good.

 

[mewikime]

Hi Jerry, I'm really not comfortable flashing a different ROM right now. I probably could do it if I had clear enough instructions, and even if I did brick it I'm well within my returns period at Target (and customer service never check anything), but yeah, I just don't think it's what I need to do right now. I know I'm not going to get any space by removing the bloatware, but stuff like WHERE keeps turning on GPS, and when I have paid-for versions of the Calendar and Calculator, I don't need the pre-installed ones showing up in the app tray.

Smankins, I downloaded "Titanium Backup * root", which I guess is the free version of "Titanium Backup Pro" because they're from the same developer. Do you know what's the difference between the two? Like you, I'm failing to see the benefits of flashing a different ROM that won't let me either MMS, wifi or bluetooth (or a combination) because I need the use of all those. I'll try using both "Link2sd" and "Move2SD Enabler" and see which works out best for me.

Another couple of questions:
* Can I safely uninstall the pre-installed browser because I use Skyfire and Dolphin more frequently, and also the pre-installed music player because I use 3 (Cubed), and again, I don't like having superfluous apps showing in the app tray.
* Second, I read Remove Virgin Mobile Startup Screen but it's not clear -- can the Virgin music and graphic be removed without flashing a ROM?

 

[JerryScript]

I understand, you can always flash a ROM when you feel you need it.

To stop Where and other bloatware, use smankins suggestion and freeze it with TitaniumBackup. Do the same with the browser and music player, that way you can unfreeze them in the future if there is a need to.

Removing the Virgin Mobile startup screen is about the same as flashing a new ROM, you have to mount the file system read/write, backup the original file, copy the new one, flash it if necessary, remount the file system read-only, reboot. For a custom ROM, there are only a few more steps.

The benefits of CM7 are something I wouldn't give up. As of 4/27 the only thing not working is bluetooth calls, and the zoom on the camera is in decimal increments. The dev has been killing bugs at the rate of about 1/week, so I expect a fully functional ROM before the kids are out for summer vacation.

 

[mickey1999]

http://androidforums.com/lg-optimus-v/290698-virgin-mobile-boot-screen.html

Hi Jerry, I'm really not comfortable flashing a different ROM right now. I probably could do it if I had clear enough instructions, and even if I did brick it I'm well within my returns period at Target (and customer service never check anything), but yeah, I just don't think it's what I need to do right now. I know I'm not going to get any space by removing the bloatware, but stuff like WHERE keeps turning on GPS, and when I have paid-for versions of the Calendar and Calculator, I don't need the pre-installed ones showing up in the app tray.

Smankins, I downloaded "Titanium Backup * root", which I guess is the free version of "Titanium Backup Pro" because they're from the same developer. Do you know what's the difference between the two? Like you, I'm failing to see the benefits of flashing a different ROM that won't let me either MMS, wifi or bluetooth (or a combination) because I need the use of all those. I'll try using both "Link2sd" and "Move2SD Enabler" and see which works out best for me.

Another couple of questions:
* Can I safely uninstall the pre-installed browser because I use Skyfire and Dolphin more frequently, and also the pre-installed music player because I use 3 (Cubed), and again, I don't like having superfluous apps showing in the app tray.
* Second, I read Remove Virgin Mobile Startup Screen but it's not clear -- can the Virgin music and graphic be removed without flashing a ROM?

 

[mewikime]

To stop Where and other bloatware, use smankins suggestion and freeze it with TitaniumBackup. Do the same with the browser and music player, that way you can unfreeze them in the future if there is a need to.

Do I need Titanium Backup Pro or can I use the free one to freeze them? Also, I've read that Dolphin uses the stock browser, so I don't think I should uninstall that. I would like the icon removed from the app tray though. Is there an app for that?

 

[JerryScript]

You need the Pro version to freeze.

 

[MacFett]

I had problems with Link2sd, so I used Move2SD Enabler. So far so good.

I decided to give Link2sd one more try now that I have an 8gb sd card and I have read about the dalvik-cache that says in the internal memory after you move an app to sd.

I currently have over 100 apps (probably about 120) and 108mb of free space of internal memory. I decided to do a mini-tutorial to hopefully help anyone that wasn't getting Link2sd going.

• Root your phone, I suggest this guide. [How-To] Root the LG Optimus V - Android Forums
• Backup everything on the SD card, I suggest using Titanium Backup. Make sure there is a backup not on the SD card (like on your hard drive)
• Connect your Optimus V to your computer and mount the SD card.
• Resize the partition, I used Minitool Partition Wizard, leave 1-2gb of free space.
• Create a new FAT32 partition with the free space, mark it as primary.
• Disconnect your Optimus V and reboot it.
• Download and install Link2sd if you have not done so already.
• Run Link2sd, it will tell you it needs to reboot to mount the second partition.
• Run Link2sd, it will list all apps it can move and tell you which ones are currently on the SD. It can't do anything with the apps on the SD already.
• Inside Link2sd select an app to link to your sd.
  • If your app is on your internal memory select Create Link.
  • If your app is on the SD card select Manage. This will take you to the stock app management screen. Move the app back to the phone.
  • Hit the back button to go back to Link2sd and now you can select Create Link.

After a few apps chances are your internal memory will be full. Go back to the main screen of Link2sd, open the menu and select More and then Quick Reboot. Once the phone has rebooted go back into Link2sd and open the menu and select Storage Info. Your internal Memory should be full of huge tracts of memory now.

 

[smankins]

Smankins, I downloaded "Titanium Backup * root", which I guess is the free version of "Titanium Backup Pro" because they're from the same developer. Do you know what's the difference between the two? Like you, I'm failing to see the benefits of flashing a different ROM that won't let me either MMS, wifi or bluetooth (or a combination) because I need the use of all those. I'll try using both "Link2sd" and "Move2SD Enabler" and see which works out best for me.

Sorry it took so long to answer. I just saw this post. The info below is from the Android Market page on the Titanium Backup Pro App. I find that the increased backup speed, the app freezer, and the dropbox synchronization are the handiest features. I have tried the Dalvik cache cleaner a few times and it always tells me there are no unneeded files in the cache. You can also have more than one backup per app and use more schedules than in the free version.

PRO Features:

 

[MacFett]

 

[smankins]

Would love to be able to do this to Maps, I don't see an option though (or for any app & I do have the pro version).

Long press the app while in titanium backup and you will see more options including the option to convert to user app.

 

[MacFett]

Long press the app while in titanium backup and you will see more options including the option to convert to user app.

Thank you. Was wondering about detaching an app from the market too. Just got notice that there is an app I use that is being pulled from the market. Wanted to detach it to make sure I don't lose it.

Is there a way to get the apk so I have that too just to be safe?

 

[smankins]

Thank you. Was wondering about detaching an app from the market too. Just got notice that there is an app I use that is being pulled from the market. Wanted to detach it to make sure I don't lose it.

Is there a way to get the apk so I have that too just to be safe?

If you have a backup then you have the .apk. You can make a backup which would just be the .apk file using something like ES File Explorer. The .apk files are kept on your SD card under the directory /sdcard/backups/apps.
You can also copy your Titanium backup files to your PC and have a set to reinstall programs from if needed. These backups are more extensive and have user data. Titanium backup has sync to dropbox but it really doesn't sync, it just copies all the Titanium backup from your phone to dropbox (or it has for me) so it takes a while.

 

[MacFett]

Ok, I already have a titanium back of everything. The app is something my kids and I use a lot (Pokedroid a pokedex for android) and it would be a bummer if it was pulled.

I have dropbox, I just haven't set it all up yet. I guess I need to get onto that.

 

[smankins]

I don't want to veer this thread too far off course but have you tried to change a system app to a user app? I tried with Google Map and it seems to be working, doing something, then I have to force close Titanium Backup and when I get back into it I find that Google Map has been uninstalled, not changed to user app.

 

[MacFett]

Yeah, I had some problems with Google Maps too. I went to the market and tried to reinstall it. That didn't work, so I went through Titanium and restored it from there. Then the next time I went back to Link2sd Maps was there able to be linked. Apps2sd still show it as non-moveable however, but Link2sd says it is linked.

 

[smankins]

No such luck for me. I try to convert it to a user app and get the Force Close. Then I go into Titanium Backup and restore the Maps program and it shows as a system program again. I go into Link2SD and can't link it because it shows as a system app. I will send a note to the developer to ask how system app to user app is supposed to work.