How To Easily Root The LG Optimus S With LS670ZVD Firmware With Gingersnap

July 26, 2011 by

GingersnapThis is a tutorial on how to root Sprint’s LG Optimus S smartphone. The tutorial works with the latest LS670ZVD firmware on the device and might work with other firmwares but no guarantee. That firmware is the firmware that came out in March 2011 and is version 2.2.2 Froyo. The process is very easy and doesn’t even require you to use any command line tools or anything.

You will need to first download a few things onto your computer. The list includes .NET framework 4, Visual C++ 2008, the Optimus S drivers and the Gingersnap program. You can find links to all of the things you need to download to the right of this article in the sidebar.

Check out this forum thread if you need information on how to get your Mac or Linux computer ready.

Once you have the computer ready you just need to go to your phone settings then under applications and then development check the USB debugging box after that you’ll need to reboot your smartphone. Once it has been rebooted unlock the smartphone and plug it into your computer using USB. You should see a USB debugging icon on your smartphone’s notification bar.

Then open up the Gingersnap program using your computer and click on the root button. It should take a little while and your LG Optimus S should reboot during the process. Once it’s finished rebooting it should be complete and there should be a new superuser program in your list of smartphone applications. That means you have successfully rooted your LG Optimus S.

If you follow these directions nothing bad should happen to your LG Optimus S during the process of rooting it but if something bad does happen I’m not responsible for it. If you need any help post a comment below and I’ll try to help you as soon as possible.

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About William Quade

Hello, I’m William Quade. I’m a complete computer nerd. Whether it’s the latest Apple product, or this small new company just launched a product I should write about it on ZL Studios. I read all of the major tech blogs every day.

  • Lenabrooks41

    my phone is not rebooting its connected  to the computer but theres no super user either i have downloaded all the programs

  • Heritageinet

    I had the
    same problem until I realized that I forgot to “Reboot” my phone
    after turning on the USB Debug mode… I pulled my cable in the middle of the
    install (which was stalled) and then I plugged it back in and performed the
    “Unroot” function which rebooted my phone after it removed the files,
    once rebooted I just tried the Rooting function again and this time it worked
    like it was supposed to so now I have a Rooted phone.

    My problem is I
    cant get my Tether (Wi-Fi Hotspot) working, it says its working but no Wifi device is detecting its AP.

  • Abrine615

    I am having the same problem connecting either through tethering or as a hotspot.  Any suggestions on how to resolve this issue?

  • http://zlstudios.net/ Liam Quade

    I’d go through the settings on the Wireless Tether application. Try changing them. And if nothing works try shutting off your WiFi radio and then check to make sure that Wireless Tether has root access with the superuser application.

  • http://zlstudios.net/ Liam Quade

    Did you enable USB debugging and does your phone say USB debugging? If so I’d try unrooting and then rooting again. And if that doesn’t work try rooting it again once your phone and your computer have been just rebooted.

  • http://zlstudios.net/ Liam Quade

    Did you enable USB debugging and does your phone say USB debugging? If so I’d try unrooting and then rooting again. And if that doesn’t work try rooting it again once your phone and your computer have been just rebooted.

  • http://zlstudios.net/ Liam Quade

    I’d go through the settings on the Wireless Tether application. Try changing them. And if nothing works try shutting off your WiFi radio and then check to make sure that Wireless Tether has root access with the superuser application.

  • http://zlstudios.net/ Liam Quade

    I’d go through the settings on the Wireless Tether application. Try changing them. And if nothing works try shutting off your WiFi radio and then check to make sure that Wireless Tether has root access with the superuser application.

  • JorgeL

    How do you give root access with the superuser application.

  • http://zlstudios.net/ Liam Quade

    When you open up root applications the program will ask for you to allow it to have root access.

  • Thelinkinparkour777

    it worked i got superuser but when i open it it says i have no apps.. what to do? help! 

  • Michael Walsh

    My phone is not connecting to my PC. I downloaded all the drivers, turned on and off USB debugging, formatted my memory card. Had the phone factory reset. Took into Sprint tech, nothing is working. They want to replace phone, but it has to be a software issue – The phone still charges when plugged into computer.  Has anyone else have any other ideas?

  • Sean

    Great write up! Had to root my Optimus S so I could delete some tombstone files and free up space what is the name of the background you have on your phone?

  • http://zlstudios.net/ Liam Quade

    I’d try installing a custom ROM.

  • http://zlstudios.net/ Liam Quade

    It’s called Nexus Revamped. It costs a little bit of money in the Android Market.

  • Heritageinet

    Hey Liam,  I see Sprint pushed an OS update for the Optimus, we now have Gingerbread 2.3 available… what are your thoughts about this?  has it caused any noticable problems?

    The last time Sprint did an “update” it screwed us out of an easy Wi-Fi hotspot solution.

  • Gython

    Liam, I took a dive and updated my previously rooted phone (using gingerbreak v1.20.apk) with Sprint’s version of Android 2.3.3. Regrettably, it has disabled my Wireless Tether app. I have followed the instructions step-by-step and tried recommended solutions in the comments section with no luck. Is there a solution to root and LG Optimus S running Android 2.3.3? Please help as I rely on the wireless tether feature for internet on-the-go. Thanks in advance.

  • Doookey

    Liam, I followed the exact instructions and the Utility just seems to stay open reading “Moving files…” I let it sit for at least 15-20 mins and it seems nothing is happening.  Do you know how long this is supposed to take or is there anything else I can try?

  • Edward blake

    My name is edward i have a lg optimus s running 2.3.3 gingerbread my pc dosent detect my phone no matter what i do i have went thru hell trying to root it i have gingrerbreak apk. Installed without any pc blackmagic if you are going to sssssssssss spam go to hell, if u are going to help you will sve me from going insane with this phone. My nerves are on the line of thinking there is no help for my phone that ive just bought a 150 dollar piece of crap as u see above the multiple ss”s is a glitch that my text selection is off, which also drives me insane. Ive tried relentlessly for a root download months after getn scammed a million times with wupload I finally found a real one, now I find out I cant use it ive tried forrums and every android site oit there they give me useless info myemail is androidmantis@gmail.com it is a custom email which means my name is not mantis android plz someone help

  • Karen Molloy

    I have tried this several times over the past 12 hours. After 3 attempts (the first one of which seemed to crash my computer?), it still won’t get past the “Executing Exploit, this could take a while” message. I can tell you, the status bar goes very quickly about 2/3 of the way (to under the “e” in “take”) and then it stops. I left it running for hours and it gets no further. The usb debugging icon is there, I have restarted the phone. I tried unrooting and then rooting again. The computer restarted when it crashed. The only thing i can think of is that my internal memory on my phone is low. Does this matter? Am I supposed to remove the SD card before I start? (I have backed up apps to the SD so that I have them, but didn’t want to remove SD unless I was told to do so since I know this caused some people problems with the LG update.)
    Also, nothing appears to be happening on the phone (besides the icons for USB and USB debugging). Is that normal?
    Help?

  • Karen Molloy

    Ah, I think I might have figured out my own problem. Since I had received the forced Gingerbread update from Sprint, I have to downgrade back to the old version first. If anyone else has this problem, here is a link:

    http://forums.androidcentral.com/lg-optimus-s-rooting-roms-hacks/119130-how-rooting-ls670zvh.html

  • pafa101

    my lg optimus s takes a long time to root idk y HELP PLZ

  • Bridget Robinson

    First, I’d like to thank you for your awesome tutorials, which are the most clear-cut and easiest to follow as far as I could find on the web.   I purchased my LG Optimus in September.  It was a great phone until Sprint pushed the Gingerbread update to my phone, then I started having all kinds of problems.  

    1.  I reverted back to Froyo 2.2.2 by using the information in the Sprint forum http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/343833#343833

    2. Gingersnap didn’t work on my phone.  It ran the entire program rebooted and appeared to work, but I had Superuser permission errors and couldn’t create a custom recovery.  I found E-Z Installer in this forum http://forums.androidcentral.com/lg-optimus-s-rooting-roms-hacks/95254-e-z-installer-root-install-custom-recov-now-installer.html (The link to download is at the end of the thread.)  It worked well and also has a recovery setup, but the recovery setup didn’t work on my phone.  I SUGGEST USING THE NEXT TUTORIAL FROM WILLIAM QUADE TO SETUP RECOVERY, and just use E-Z installer to root.

  • Jacki

    mine isn’t working it just sits at the executing exploit this can take a while.  phone doesn’t shut off or nothing…idk i followed all your instructions and have all the necessary files on pc idk what i am doing wrong….any help asap would be awesome.

  • Rod

    I don’t understand why so many here are having issues with this……. It worked first try on my Optimus! Every thing working as it should…… including free wifi tether!  Thanks so much for the video, and the quick easy links to the right of the page….. made the whole process  painless, and very fast (under 30 min). 

  • Crazytimmy96

    my “Executing exploit” is taking more than 30 mins.  What should I do?