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Root [HOW-TO] Simplified Root + Recovery + Custom ROM

Howdy, howdy.
First make sure you have the USB debugging box checked (menu/applications/development).
With the newest Gingerbreak.apk.zip version extracted and on the root of the SD card (Will have .apk on the end, tap the .apk. Select to install. When it's done, select done.
Now go to app drawer and select the app.
If it has been over 12 minutes and it hasn't auto rebooted the phone, pull battery and try again. You must reboot on any failed attempt (Might take as many as 10 tries).
 
teachmehow2raj said:
... it is still a .zip file. I downloaded the v1.2.apk ...
Click to expand...

Which link did you download from? What browser did you used to download with? Might try a different browser as I've just downloaded the file to check, and the downloaded file is not a zip file for me.

teachmehow2raj said:
... I did just notice in your quote that it is rooting version 2.2.1 and I have 2.2.2. I thought it worked for 2.2.2, am I mistaken?
Click to expand...

I rooted my OV v2.2.1 with GingerBreak v1.2 over two years ago. Since I've no experience with v2.2.2, I cannot confirm whether it would work or not.
 
AndyOpie150 said:
Howdy, howdy.
First make sure you have the USB debugging box checked (menu/applications/development).
With the newest Gingerbreak.apk.zip version extracted and on the root of the SD card (Will have .apk on the end, tap the .apk. Select to install. When it's done, select done.
Now go to app drawer and select the app.
If it has been over 12 minutes and it hasn't auto rebooted the phone, pull battery and try again. You must reboot on any failed attempt (Might take as many as 10 tries).
Click to expand...


I have 'usb debugging' checked as well as 'unknown sources' for the installation of non-market applications checked.

I tried extracting with androzip to the root of the sd card as well as to phone as well. After each extraction, I clicked on everything that appeared after the extraction (using astro file manager) and was not prompted with an install option for anything. I did not notice a file with a '.apk' at the end.

@Tli re: post #477, I used the link that you suggested in post #473. I downloaded the 'gingerbreak-v1.20.apk' using internet explorer with my firewall turned off, directly to my phone. What other browsers do you suggest? Should I try downloading to computer first and then to phone?


I sincerely appreciate all the help all of you are giving. Please note that I am extremely computer illiterate and you might have to dumb it down for me.
 
teachmehow2raj said:
... I used the link that you suggested in post #473. I downloaded the 'gingerbreak-v1.20.apk' using internet explorer with my firewall turned off, directly to my phone. What other browsers do you suggest? Should I try downloading to computer first and then to phone?
Click to expand...

I think I found the problem... I downloaded with IE 8.0, and a zip file was received as you've described. However, I use Firefox 20.0.1 as my default browser, and that downloaded the .apk file as I'd described and expected. Strange indeed... FYI.

[Edit] The file you downloaded via IE is still usable, just manually change the file extension from .zip to .apk and that should work now. I checked and binary-compared the two downloads, and they are exactly the same file. FYI. [/Edit]
 
tli said:
I think I found the problem... I downloaded with IE 8.0, and a zip file was received as you've described. However, I use Firefox 20.0.1 as my default browser, and that downloaded the .apk file as I'd described and expected. Strange indeed... FYI.

[Edit] The file you downloaded via IE is still usable, just manually change the file extension from .zip to .apk and that should work now. I checked and binary-compared the two downloads, and they are exactly the same file. FYI. [/Edit]
Click to expand...
So I'm all the way to step 6. YAYAY!

Problem, the link for the gapps.zip from the OP is no longer there.

I went to Goo.im Downloads - Downloading gapps-jb-20130301-signed.zip to get it.

Hopefully it works...
 
teachmehow2raj said:
So I'm all the way to step 6. YAYAY!

Problem, the link for the gapps.zip from the OP is no longer there.

I went to Goo.im Downloads - Downloading gapps-jb-20130301-signed.zip to get it.

Hopefully it works...
Click to expand...

What rom are you trying to flash? If it's the one in the Op, that ^(2013-30301) WRONG GAPPS, unless your flashing 10.1 jellybean.

Right now the best rom for our phone is MiRaGe rom, if your trying to flash the rom in the op you'll need Goo.im Downloads - Downloading gapps-gb-20110828-signed.zip also used for MiRaGe rom

You must use the correct gapps for the rom.
 
badblue1 said:
What rom are you trying to flash? If it's the one in the Op, that ^(2013-30301) WRONG GAPPS, unless your flashing 10.1 jellybean.

Right now the best rom for our phone is MiRaGe rom, if your trying to flash the rom in the op you'll need Goo.im Downloads - Downloading gapps-gb-20110828-signed.zip also used for MiRaGe rom

You must use the correct gapps for the rom.
Click to expand...

Is that why my keyboard doesn't show up?

Where do I find the MiRaGe rom? If I find it or you supply a link, what do I do? Start at step #6 again and skip the back-up step (#8)?

Thanks
 
teachmehow2raj said:
I don't see where to dl the mirage rom. Am I blind?
Click to expand...

Yes you must be blind! Right above where you are posting are "stickies ^" which should be read before attempting to make a brick of your phone!!!http://androidforums.com/optimus-v-all-things-root/453389-optimus-v-all-things-root-guide-updated-03-11-13-a.html

MiRaGe ... https://github.com/inferiorhumanorgans/android_device_lge_thunderc_common/wiki/Binary

All the info you need is in the all things root guide =sticky ^^^^
 
I'm not sure what my problem is or even if I have one. I went through the process and seem to have succeeded in rooting my optimus v, I'm really not sure. It seems to be taking forever for app downloads, i.e. solitaire and police scanner, and by forever I mean It's been 30 minutes and scanner radio is only 39 % done.. Is this normal? Also when I exported my contacts to the SD card they show up when I check on the phone but if I put the SD card in my PC the contacts are not visible. What am I doing wrong? Be advised it took me the better part of 3 days to get this far so that should tell you how ignorant I am with technology. Thank you in advance for any help you can give me and for all the info that was posted previously.
 
if it's rooted you should have "Superuser" in your app drawer.
shouldn't change download speeds, but 3g is notoriously irregular. try wifi?
the contacts are exported as a .vcf file.
probably a window$ pc? try using the phone's USB storage mode instead of a card reader.
 
The download speed seems to have corrected itself, my optimus v is downloading much faster now without me doing anything. My problem now is my Pc (windows xp) doesn't recognize my phone when I plug in via the usb. This is a new problem because yesterday I could connect with my Pc. Any help with this?
 
I need to be able to change virgin users/accounts on this phone, so is it true that if I upgrade to android 2.3 I can no longer activate a virgin account on this phone? Seems strage, why would virgin know or care about that? Unless it flags to them that phone has probably been rooted and customized which they may hate.

So if above is the case, is there a 2.2.x version of rooting? wuld like to have 2.3 coz some apps don't work on 2.2 but can't have everything on a 5 yo phone!
 
Flashing a ROM is easier than changing a baby's diaper. Once you get the custom flash_image and recovery on the phone the rest is all down hill.

Once in the custom recovery menu go to the "backup and restore" section and select the "backup" option. This will make a "Nandroid" backup of your stock ROM (just like a restore point on a computer).

Flash whatever ROM you like. If you ever need to re-establish service just restore the backup you made of the stock ROM.

If you delete you stock backup by mistake, your still OK. Flash a Froyo ROM like the Harmonia or Resurrected Bumblebee (all Froyo ROMs have the activate app).

When done, go back and restore the backup you made of your custom ROM.
 
OK thanks but I still don't know if I should upgrade to android 2.3 or not? IE will I still be able to activate this phone if it is running 2.3? I read that it will not activate unless it is running 2.2
If that is the case then I would rather stay with 2.2 but then maybe the custom rom flash would not work??

EDIT: OK I could go through it as per instructions here and see if it will activate, then if it won't I could restore it back how it is now. but of course I'd rather avoid that if possible if someone knows the answer already.

AndyOpie150 said:
Flashing a ROM is easier than changing a baby's diaper. Once you get the custom flash_image and recovery on the phone the rest is all down hill.

Once in the custom recovery menu go to the "backup and restore" section and select the "backup" option. This will make a "Nandroid" backup of your stock ROM (just like a restore point on a computer).

Flash whatever ROM you like. If you ever need to re-establish service just restore the backup you made of the stock ROM.

If you delete you stock backup by mistake, your still OK. Flash a Froyo ROM like the Harmonia or Resurrected Bumblebee (all Froyo ROMs have the activate app).

When done, go back and restore the backup you made of your custom ROM.
Click to expand...
 
Let me break it down for you.

You cannot use the activate app in 2.3 or higher (they don't have them).

If you need to activate now do it now.

If you want to wait to activate, do everything necessary to get the MiRaGe or Bean_Whiz on your phone.

When you decide to activate it, it will take less than ten minutes to restore your backup of your stock ROM you should make once rooted with a custom recovery.

When done restore the backup of the custom ROM you should make.

It can't get any easier. I can do it blind folded (really).

If you need help, just ask.
 
OK thanks, problem is it needs to be more or less idiot proof since I'm lending/giving it to a friend who can't do this stuff, he just needs to be able to activate in the normal way and also it is likely to be changing accounts occassionally to other virgin users - I don't want to have to try to explain all this stuff to them and then they won't figure it out anyway probably.

maybe there is a root method and custom rom for this phone that runs on froyo? Probably won't be as good but doesn't need to be that good, just OK and able to overclock, and also get rid of some crap installed apps that are stuck on unless I can get it rooted.
AndyOpie150 said:
Let me break it down for you.

You cannot use the activate app in 2.3 or higher (they don't have them).

If you need to activate now do it now.

If you want to wait to activate, do everything necessary to get the MiRaGe or Bean_Whiz on your phone.

When you decide to activate it, it will take less than ten minutes to restore your backup of your stock ROM you should make once rooted with a custom recovery.

When done restore the backup of the custom ROM you should make.

It can't get any easier. I can do it blind folded (really).

If you need help, just ask.
Click to expand...
 
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