• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

To update or not to update?

ZV3 Towelroot or ZV4 custom ROM?

  • ZV3 Towelroot

    Votes: 1 20.0%
  • ZV4 Custom ROM

    Votes: 4 80.0%

  • Total voters
    5
  • Poll closed .

Jenneke

Newbie
I upgraded my phone from a Samsung Galaxy Prevail to a new LG Volt and it arrived today. The phone is running ZV3 software, so I'm trying to decide if I should stick with that and use Towelroot, or try my hand at the updated stock ROM ( http://androidforums.com/threads/rom-zv4-updated-stock-rom.872005/ ). From what I can find, here are the differences.

ZV3 w/h Towelroot:
+ Simple and easy to root.
- Phone might go berserk auto-updating after rooting and brick itself.

ZV4 w/h ROM:
+ Greatly improved battery life and memory usage (according to a couple people)
- The updated link has been removed, so only an (older?) version is available.
- There's no guide to installation for dummies (like myself).
 
The only difference between the older version of the rooted z4 ROM is that you have to flash the radio and kernel separately. There was a problem with the script on the new one, which is why it was removed. By all means, update.

As an update for the method, you can root with towelroot, install the bumped cwm recovery, and install the v4 ROM, radio, and superuser through that. Then you can flash the kernel with flashify.
 
Most of that went right over my head. I'm good at using and building computers, but I've always used Windows or Mac, I've never been a Linux user. Any chance you could lay out a simple guide to installation?
 
I just tried using Towelroot and that had problems.

When I visited the site, I got a warning about site security, I figured that was just Google trying to keep people out. I clicked the lambda symbol and got a wall of text that looked like the code. So I went on my PC, downloaded the apk manually and transferred it to my SD card's root. I ran the apk (apparently they've improved it so it no longer needs to reboot), but I went ahead and restarted anyways to be safe. After doing so I found that Towelroot had disabled all data connection capability, wifi and 3G when I went to download Root Checker. After poking around trying to fix it and failing, I ended up doing a factory reset. And that's where I'm at now.

edit: I'll edit this post as I go.
- Tried Towelroot again, this time not restarting.
- Works so far, Root Checker gave the OK.
- Used Flashify for CWM, it installed just fine.
- Installed the v4 ROM sucessfully, but when restarting it give me "Root access possibly lost. Fix?" With the line "Yes - Fix root (/system/xbin/su)
- After restarting, I got a screen that says "Android is upgrading - Optimizing app xx of xx."
- Root Checker says I do not have root anymore.
- My software info reads: Kernel version 3.4.0+; Build number KOT49I.LS740ZV4; Software version LS740ZV4. I'm guessing this means that it failed and I'm now back to square one with v4 software.
 
Last edited:
The 'Root access possibly lost' error is normal with CWM. I suspect that it is due to maybe not using CWMs superuser, but I don't know for sure. Bottom line, you can ignore it. Everything you've described is normal. You needed to install the superuser zip when you installed the ROM. You also did not install the radio zip, so you are still on the v3 baseband. You should still have CWM, I think (have you checked?). If so, just put the radio and superuser zips from the v4 thread on your SD card and install them through CWM, then install the boot.img from the v4 ROM zip file with flashify.
 
When I boot into recovery, it says "Factory reset processing" with a sync sign, but then boots into CWM. Since it didn't actually reset anything, I'm guessing that's normal.

I also seem to have Superuser installed, but Root Checker still says I don't have root. I'll try copying the file from the V4 thread over and flashing the radio and boot images. (Flash boot first then radio I'm guessing?)

edit: Editing as I go again.
- Installed Superuser.zip
- Flashify says I have root, but it couldn't gain access. Superuser shows no requests.
- Root checker still says I don't have root.
 
Last edited:
have you run towelroot since installing the modded v4? run it again and you should regain root
 
have you run towelroot since installing the modded v4? run it again and you should regain root
That worked, until my phone restarted. Superuser said its binaries were out of date so it went into recovery mode and installed a zip. Then when the system restarted again, I did not have root anymore.

edit: Downloaded SuperSU, going to see if that has better results.
- SuperSU worked. I downloaded the update pack off the website and ran it through CWM. Root Checker and Flashify now say I have root.
- Tried to update radio.img by zipping it and flashing it. Flashify added it to CWM, but CWM failed the e-signature verification and aborted it.
- I do still have root, so that's a good thing at least.
 
Last edited:
There is a zip in the v4 thread for the radio, you need to use that to flash through CWM. The boot.img is what you need from the ROM zip for the kernel, flash through flashify.
 
There is a zip in the v4 thread for the radio, you need to use that to flash through CWM. The boot.img is what you need from the ROM zip for the kernel, flash through flashify.
I already flashed the boot.img through flashify. I've downloaded the radio.zip, I'll run it in a bit. I'm taking the opportunity of a stable system to back it up.

edit: Oh, and an app question. Can I remove Towelroot?
 
Last edited:
Ok, everything's working just fine now. The only oddity is when a friend of mine texts me it adds a line: [CB]*his number* at the end of his messages. It's only happening with him, nobody else. *shrug*

edit: I think it's a callback feature, but I'm not sure why it's popping up like that.
 
Could it be something with his messaging app? If it was on your end, I would think it would be on all messages.
 
Back
Top Bottom