# Root LG Spectrum?



## Ampix0 (Aug 23, 2011)

I just got the phone, it is generally amazing. but I have to root this thing. the bloatware is disgusting.

Would this guide for the revolution work?

http://wiki.rootzwiki.com/index.php/LG_Revolution#How_to_root_the_LG_Revolution_.28with_Windows.29

I CAN NOT afford to brick this phone. it is BRAND new. with no protection plan.


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## k6 tcher (Jan 2, 2012)

I also NEED to root this device. It is a great phone but the bloat has to go. Anyone know a method of rooting that works on the Spectrum?


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## Ampix0 (Aug 23, 2011)

Dude it is horrible lol. this is legit disgusting. How dare they sell me this honestly XD. We pay out the tushy for the phone they load ti with ads, alright cool fantastic. Can't remove them? seriously. Who are you trying to piss off.


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## k6 tcher (Jan 2, 2012)

I tried three different exploits including the one from the OP. No luck It is going back Saturday if I cannot root it.​


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## I Am Marino (Jul 14, 2011)

It would seem neither this site nor XDA has created a section for it so it's really not helping people who do have this phone get together to start deving on it if possible.


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## Ampix0 (Aug 23, 2011)

Ya I have been on both why the hell is this phone getting no love? I love this thing, I don't want to have to pay $35 to return it lol. Seriously this thing is better than the GN for me, expect for the small issue that could be solved by a root. I was thinking.. like what phone hasn't been rooted before? I'm so surprised there is no support here. Though I have heard they just started TV commercials for it, maybe we are just too impatient, I'm not sure.

I honestly wish I knew more about the subject or else I would look into it myself, unfortunately I am no android developer lol


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## I Am Marino (Jul 14, 2011)

Amazon is selling it for $80 with an upgrade, good deal.

-Sent from my Droid 2-


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## k6 tcher (Jan 2, 2012)

OK, first let me start by saying, "I am a hypocrite."
I said I would not buy this phone because of the way it "looks." I said it was too conservative looking. Well, after going and looking at it in a store, I decided I was wrong and bought it.

For my review, I will compare it to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, as that was the last phone I owned (returned it) that is comparable to this device.

Build Quality:

Not bad... not bad at all. The build quality is actually very good. It is not as plasticy feeling as other phones such as the SG Nexus. The back cover is a high-gloss silicone battery cover that is not flimsy at all. It is horrid as far as finger prints and grease are concerned but it actually allows for a better grip. It certainly is not as slick or slippery feeling as the SGN. However, the first thing I always buy is a High-Gloss Silicone cover for my phones anyway so this concern is nonexistent for me.

Screen:

The screen is beautiful. I have very bad eyes due to diabetes. A large screen as sharp and readable as this screen is a MUST for me. It is as brilliant and clear as you'd expect an IPS screen to be. The saturation of the colors is certainly not as vibrant as the SGN but the colors are very natural and hold enough saturation to be very enjoyable. The actual face of the screen (Gorilla Glass) is great. It is not as bad with fingerprints as the SGN or my old Droid X. I constantly carry a wipe cloth for my device's screens and I find myself cleaning this screen far less. The silverish HOME button is actually a good thing. I find myself searching for buttons in the middle of the night and the silver makes it easier to see. That being said, most hate the idea of capacitive buttons. I prefer them over on-screen buttons such as on the SGN. I get to use ALL 4.5" of IPS HD screen, not a portion of it due to some of the screen real-estate missing due to on-screen buttons.

Speaker:

The speaker is crisp and about 50% louder than the SGN. Probably about 20% louder than a Droid X. With Volume + loaded on it, it is the loudest phone I have owned besides my OG Droid. The High-Gloss Silicone case blocks the speaker when resting on its back so that is a drawback. However, I like to set my phones face-down. The case has a bumper to protect the glass and I can hear the speaker fully. The earpiece is just as clear and loud as the rear speaker. Along with the speaker, the vibration on the phone is stronger than the SGN and Droid X... even with the case on it!

Camera:

The front facing camera is unremarkable. Pretty standard stuff there. The rear camera is an 8 MP shooter. I guess I will give it a scaled score: On a scale of 1-10 (where the SGN would score a 4 and a Droid X a 6), it would score a 7. It is very good but not mind-blowing. For additional comparison, I used the Rezounds camera and I would give it a 9. White balance is better than a Droid X. Noise in darker environments is very noticeable but seems less than the SGN and Droid X. Is the camera a disappointment? Well, kinda. I would expect a phone about two years after the development of the Droid X to have better improvements. Maybe I am just too picky.

Battery:

I do not live in a 4G area so my comparison is strictly on 3G. The 1830mAh battery is so much better than the SGN. The SGN lasted me 10 hours on a charge at my house connected to a Network Extender with Wi-Fi and GPS off. The Spectrum lasted me 19 hours with equivalent usage. From 6:30 AM to 5 PM, the battery easily gets me through a workday. I usually have around 30% left when I get home. It charges relatively quickly, so within an hour, I am back up to around 90%. I foresee no reason to have an extra battery or an extended one. Nonetheless, if it was on 4G, I would estimate the phone would last 5-7 hours.

LG Skin and Bloatware (A.K.A. Achilles Heel):

Well, here is the Spectrum's "Achilles heel." The LG skin is almost an afterthought in development. It is like they tried so very hard to incorporate so many "cool" and unique features into Gingerbread, they ruined it. Think of Leonardo's Mona Lisa and if Leonardo decided his painting lacked style or something to set it apart from other works. So, Leonardo decided to add robots in the background of the Mona Lisa, then clowns in the foreground, water floating in the sky, and finally painted Mona up like a whore in heat. Now, you have the LG Skin on the Spectrum. It isn't as bad as if Leonardo took a dump on the Mona Lisa but still it is... well... not right. Don't get me wrong, some things work really well. LG choose to use the same color blue as ICS uses in menus and fonts. Actually a nice touch and very noticeable where it counts. I installed ADW EX on it and really don't notice the LG skin anymore.
There are roughly 20 installations of bloat on this phone. In addition to the bloat, there are a few standard Verizon ads for VVM and VZN thrown in here and there. The phone only has 4GB of internal memory (which leaves around 1.8'ish GB for apps). Although most of these apps are relatively small in size, they need to be uninstalled.

Verdict:

I will be returning the phone.

As much as I like it, I MUST HAVE ROOT! There is virtually no interest or support out there for this phone. Due to this, I will be unable to handicap Verizon's onslaught of bloat. Since I cannot debloat this phone, It will go back at the end of my 14-day return period (unless a rooting exploit that works is discovered). I tried three of the latest Gingerbread exploits that work on the LG Nitro and nothing works on the Spectrum. I am sure it will eventually gain root but I am not taking a chance on the lack of dedication from developers and LG updating the OS to ICS. LG makes promises they conveniently "forget." If the phone had root access right now, I would keep the device. But where there is bloat, you must root.

Hope this review helps a few of you out there.


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## Ampix0 (Aug 23, 2011)

Unfortunately if a root doesn't come out in the next 8 days, I will be returning it as well. -.- and paying a $35 restocking fee.


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## pbolton (Jan 26, 2012)

I am also looking for help rooting this device. I tried using the revolution info and it did not work. Also tried using info for the Nitro HD and it also failed. Does anyone have information on how to root this phone?


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## ruvort (Dec 24, 2011)

Has anyone tried this?

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=803682

Sent from my Droid Incredible 2


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## k6 tcher (Jan 2, 2012)

Yes. I tired it. No good.


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## bL33d (Jun 23, 2011)

Well damn my spectrum should be here in a few days looking for a way to root it.

what about this. as the nitro and spectrum are basically the same thing. There are a few diffrent methods talked about in that link just search threw pages.

http://forum.xda-dev...hlight=launcher


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## Defragger51 (Dec 10, 2011)

Does anyone know why this Phone is seemingly not being supported? I am about to lose my 30.00 upgrade discount forever. I really like the fact that this phone has a better screen than the nexus and more usable screen space than the nexus and a faster processor than the nexus, yes I know it does not have NFC, which I most likely would not use anyway and no ICS as of yet . I am hopping I can count on the Custom Rom Dev's to get this phone to root soon and eventually a clean bloat ware free Gingerbread Rom all thou I would prefer a clean bloat ware free ICS Rom . Why do none of the Dev's seem to be interested in this phone and its not listed on any of the Forums. I want this Phone but not with out at least knowing I can root it. Help...


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## bL33d (Jun 23, 2011)

It will happen give it time. and ics will come also. Devs usually go to phones that everyone else likes so they can "be cool" and "fit in" like the g nexus how fun is it to have 100 aosp roms to pick from.... Not that great imo. When i had my og droid there was 100 aosp roms to pick from with pretty much just diff themes on them.

With cm7 having built in theme manager there really is no need for so many diffrent aosp roms imo. And having a snazzy bootanimation does not make ur rom special lol.

All we need is root to debloat this phone and use adw/launcher pro and it will be butter.

Anyone try the link i posted?


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## hpchoi411 (Jan 28, 2012)

I found a way to root!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://rootzwiki.com/topic/16622-lg-spectrum-rooting-done/
check it out!!!


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## Ampix0 (Aug 23, 2011)

Not very good feedback on that thread.


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## bL33d (Jun 23, 2011)

damn the qhd gingerbread launcher is a fking life saver it is awesome.


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## hpchoi411 (Jan 28, 2012)

If you can read korean, try this method
http://nicecan.blog.me/70130260802
Let me try this after I eat dinner.


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## ruvort (Dec 24, 2011)

hpchoi411 said:


> If you can read korean, try this method
> http://nicecan.blog.me/70130260802
> Let me try this after I eat dinner.


Any luck?

Sent from my Droid Incredible 2


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## Neph (Feb 4, 2012)

The link to the Korean website does not tell how to root the Spectrum, only the Optimus, which already has root options for it. As of right now there are no known ways to root the V4.04 firmware as Zergrush is fully patched.

On that note, work has been done to downgrade the firmware. I've been working on the AndroidCentral forums and we have a way to down grade back to V3.02 firmware. Unfortunately, this version is also immune to Zergrush. I have not had any luck finding an earlier version of the firmware. Attempts to disassemble the firmware package are in their early stage, but anyone will to help out is welcome. This seems like our best chance at getting root on there (injecting it into a firmware flash). That, or wait until someone hopefully finds a hack that allows us in.

As I've seen in the forums, many phone coming out now are either being patched or come stock with Zergrush not being usable.


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## bL33d (Jun 23, 2011)

Glad someone is working on it. $10 donation from me to the person that gets it done. Not alot but I like to show appreciation.

U by chance have a twitter account or link to post where u are working on this so I can follow the progress.

I have like 10 days to return this phone but honestly I really like this phone and plan on just waiting and hopeing for root.


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## Neph (Feb 4, 2012)

All my work is currently being posted in the AndroidCentral forums. I'm still a novice when it comes to this stuff, but I was apparently the first person to find how to put the phone in to "download mode" and the first person to succesfully flash a firmware to the phone.


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## b16 (Jun 6, 2011)

Neph said:


> All my work is currently being posted in the AndroidCentral forums. I'm still a novice when it comes to this stuff, but I was apparently the first person to find how to put the phone in to "download mode" and the first person to succesfully flash a firmware to the phone.


We'd love to see what you can bring to it. Let us know if you need anything.


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## Neph (Feb 4, 2012)

So, here's what I know about the bin file so far. It does have some sort of directory structure, but nothing I have in windows or linux can read/mount the thing. The beginning of the file contains the following directory list.

MODEM
SBL1
SBL2
EXT
RPM
SBL3
ABOOT
BOOT
TZ
MODEM_ST1
MODEM_ST2
PERSIST
RECOVERY
MDM
M9K_EFS1
M9K_EFS2
M9K_EFS3
FSG
SSD
BSP
BLB
TOMBSTONES
DRM
FOTA
MISC
SYSTEM
CACHE
USERDATA
MPT
GROW

After that, there is reference to it being NO NAME and FAT16. For those looking to get a copy of the bin, attempt to flash your phone and watch the C:\PROGRAMDATA\LGMOBILEAX\PHONE\ directory. The "Phone" directory itself will be hidden so you will need to unhide it in what ever program you are using to directory surf. During the flash, 3 files will decompress. The .dll, .wdb, and .wdh. After that, a .bin.dec will form and then finally the .bin file. You will need to copy these files out of the directory as they disappear after the LGupdate program closes.

This bin file is what I am working on to either find a root method or a way to inject root into the file. If anyone else wants to take a swing at it, here you go. The file itself will be about 1.3GB


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## Neph (Feb 4, 2012)

Tonight's Update

I am successful at flashing 3.02 every time now. I have also found the file that flashes the phone from 3.02 to 4.04. I have also found the correct commands to dump that file to a space on the phone that can be read/written to instead of the read only space it defaults to. This means if we can find a way to insert root into this update, then we are golden. The link to the file that your phone pulls down is this :

https://pvzwmdmcdn.vzw.motive.com/firmware/LG_VS920_ZV3_TO_ZV4.bin

The file itself can be opened with WinRAR, but says it is signed by SignAPK. It's getting to late for me to work on this myself, but if someone else wants to work on getting root into the update and posting instructions, I will be more then happy to try and flash it in the morning.


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## bL33d (Jun 23, 2011)

Nice progress.


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## jrv331 (Nov 12, 2011)

Is there just no interest in finding a root for this phone or is it that's its a bad phone? I'm looking at getting one and was just curious as to why no root yet.


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## svds4887 (Feb 5, 2012)

Neph think this may help you http://lukasz.szmit.eu/2009/12/making-your-own-rooted-android-rom.html


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## WaVeS (Oct 17, 2011)

jrv331 said:


> Is there just no interest in finding a root for this phone or is it that's its a bad phone? I'm looking at getting one and was just curious as to why no root yet.


This is a great phone. I'm not sure why there isn't anymore interest init.d


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## wiseguychacon (Oct 23, 2011)

This phone is very very new. The hardware is great. Be patient im sure it will get some love. This is basically Verizon's version of the optimus black if that has been rooted maybe that exploit would work. Do at your own risk of course. Good luck

sent from a cell phone.


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## Neph (Feb 4, 2012)

svds4887: Definitely an interesting read. The hard part thou is the part that everyone is running into. We need root (even temporary ) to do one of two things to gain root in an easier fashion.

First method, finding a glitch to get root would allow us to see all the information in the /data directory. The directory itself can be CD into, but you can not read the directory listing. This would be usefully as build.prop resides in this directory. How ever, as the guy that just recently rooted the Sony tablet found out, this may actually be a symbolic link to the /config directory. One way or another, we need to find a way to clear/remove build.prop and replace it with a custom one that would allow us to boot into ADB with root privileges.

Second method, having a glitch to gain temp root would allow us to pull and patch a custom recovery for the device. I had originally hoped to pull the recovery partition out of the .cab update file that I found, but it is in a different directory structure then anything else that LG uses and can not be easily dissembled. A custom recovery would allow us to use normal update.zip files to flash root to the phone and would only require someone to flash one file and then use the update.


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## svds4887 (Feb 5, 2012)

Neph: Still being really new to andorid manipulation I guess I am totally off, but from what I thought I understood from reading this site, is it not possible to insert su busybox and custom recovery file using linux into the update file you pulled "LG_VS920_ZV3TO_Z4" then flash to the phone using KP500? 
Or would the update loose the lg signing in the process and not be accepted by the phone?


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## Neph (Feb 4, 2012)

Svds: Each file in the update has to be signed, include the su file needed to be pushed. Also, the script that runs is also signed, so modifying the script would void the SHA-1 signature on that file as well. You would not how ever need linux to modify the file as it is a standard .zip format. The two attempts I tried just resulted in a failed flash and a return to the android OS.


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## Ampix0 (Aug 23, 2011)

Ill kick in $5 paypal to the guy that does it (im on a bit of a budget)

I REALLY wish I could help, I have no clue where to begin on thins kind of thing.

It is unbelieveabel this isnt a more popular phone. I think its a lot better than the Galaxy Nexus but popular is popular


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## careycu (Oct 9, 2011)

If you want an idea on how much support this phone is going to get in the near future, take a look at the last Verizon LG, the Revolution. It was a great phone with awesome performance but received very little love from the community (as opposed to the Incredible 2 & Thunderbolt released around the same time). A real shame since this Spectrum is clearly on the cutting edge of specs. I thought of getting one myself before I settled on the Rezound because of the woes I had with the Revolution. Spectrum has been out just over a month now and STILL no forum on XDA.


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## archon810 (Jun 13, 2011)

It's been rooted.


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## Neph (Feb 4, 2012)

Yeah, I contacted Dan today and offered a bounty. Please feel free to donate to him or the Red Cross if you feel the root was worth his time.


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## Ampix0 (Aug 23, 2011)

after hitting run and then enter I get this,








And it never seems to go further, sometimes it wont even find the device..


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## Neph (Feb 4, 2012)

Ampix0 said:


> after hitting run and then enter I get this,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I can't see what you were trying to show us, but did you install the LG drivers that came with your phone before trying to root it? On it's own, ADB can not natively talk with your phone and it needs the drivers to know how. My other thought is that you need to put your phone in debugging mode. For us, it's turning on debugging mode on the phone and then choosing internet -> ethernet when the usb option menu pops up.


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## Ampix0 (Aug 23, 2011)

Well when I downloaded the drivers from Lg's program there was only 1 phone on the list under verizon. Does someone have a ling to the specific drivers?
and I did that with the ethernet thing


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## Neph (Feb 4, 2012)

You drivers are on your phone. If you turn your phone to charge only, you will have a drive pop up on your computer that has all the drivers needed to get ADB working properly. The drive will be (CD Drive "Drive letter" Verizon Mobile). Go into the tools directory and you should see the driver pack listed as LG_VZW_United_WHQL_v2.3.1.exe


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## Ampix0 (Aug 23, 2011)

A window flashes for a mere half second second. I was able to screen shot it so I could read it. "Preparing to install"
In processes I see the process but no windows ever confirm the driver install.

So testing out the run.bat now.. wifi is off debugging is on...
*clicks run as admin*

Get's the same screen as posted above.

About a minute or so later My phone has not prompted anything. going to reboot computer and phone now.

EDIT.

Alright so i set it to ethernet mode BEFORE running the run.bat (before it prompted me to change to it from USB mass storage.

Windows automatically downloaded driver (<3 windows) the.bat ran. and my phone is rebooting...

Rooted 

Now we just need a custom stripped down ROM lol. im going to get astro file explorer and delete this nasty bloatware.

EDIT AGAIN. 
Ok.. Sorry for my noobness. How can I get my file explorer to run as super user. Because I have no permission to delete or rename files.


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## Neph (Feb 4, 2012)

Skip astra. You won't be able to do much with it and you will probably wreck your phone if you delete the wrong item. Grab Titanium Backup and do a full backup of all the apps on your phone. You can then click on an app to "freeze" it, which will remove it from the phone, but not delete the file on the phone. Be warned, "freezing" the wrong file, like home2.apk without having another home app running will make your phone not boot period.


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## Ampix0 (Aug 23, 2011)

I actually got root explorer and went through. I only deleted apps in the app area like, netflix, blockbuster,vzw shit and so on. looks good 
Now.. where's my custom rom.. XD


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## ups2525 (Sep 17, 2011)

***EDIT*** I didn't have the appropriate drivers DL...I now have the correct drivers and rooting was a breeze!


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