How to Root the LG Marquee (LS855) running the ZVC update on Sprint

With the the recent ZVC update, Sprint broke root for all the people who updated the LG Marquee – this post should remedy that by flashing a prerooted ZVC image, enabling users to have the latest update from Sprint but with root access.  Keep reading to know how.

I.  Before You Begin

1.  Back up your data as you will lose data since we will be downgrading the OS to (ZV9) to a lower version in order to root it.  The best way to back up your data is to sync with your Google account (for contacts), copy all important media to your PC and use a third-party app like SMS Backup+ to back up your call log and texts.

2.  Make sure you have all the necessary drivers installed before you proceed.  If in doubt, download the driver provided in the next section.

II.  Necessary Downloads

1.  LS855ZV9_11.S9_00.P60680.kdz image.

2.  LG_KDZ_FW-Update_OfflineFix.zip.

3.  LG LS855 Sprint Driver.

4.  LGMarquee_CWM.zip.

5.  Prerooted stock ZVC image.

6.  LG_Marquee.zip.

III.  Downgrading to ZV9

1.  On the LG Marquee, go to Settings  > Connectivity and uncheck the ‘Ask on Plug in‘ box and set the default connection mode to ‘Charge Only‘.

2.  Go to Settings > Applications > Development and check the ‘Enable USB Debugging’ tickbox.

3.  Extract the LG_KDZ_FW-Update_OfflineFix.zip file you downloaded above to a folder on your desktop.

4.  From the extracted folder, run Windows Enabler.exe (should be present in the KDZ_FW_UPD_EN folder).

5.  From the same KDZ_FW_UPD_EN folder, run KDZ_FW_UPD.exe.  This will open up the LG Software Update Tool (LG’s equivalent to Samsung’s Odin).  Leave the default settings unchanged (Type – CDMA | PhoneMode – DIAG)

6.  In the KDZ file section, click on the browse icon and locate the LS855ZV9_11.S9_00.P60680.kdz file you downloaded above.

7.  Power off your device and then connect it to your computer.

8.  Click on ‘Launch Software Update‘ button.  As soon as you click on this button, count to 12 and then power on the phone.  If you miss it, restart the device and try again.

Your phone should reboot and once it does so, you should have the ZV9 update installed.

IV.  Rooting the LG Marquee

1.  Extract the LG_Marquee.zip you downloaded above to a folder on your desktop.

2.  Make sure that you have set the default connection mode to Charge Only and you have enabled USB Debugging as instructed above.

3.  Connect your device to your Windows PC.

4.  Double-click on run.bat.

V.  Installing ClockworkMod Recovery

1.  Exract the LGMarquee_CWM.zip you downloaded above to a folder on your desktop.

2.  Connect your device to your Windows PC.

3.  From the extracted folder, double-click on cwm-install-windows.bat to run to the tool.

4.  Type in 1 and then hit the enter key on your keyboard.

VI.  Installing the ZVC Update

1.  Connect your device to your Windows PC in USB Storage Mode.

2.  Copy the ZVC-Rooted-Sprint.zip you downloaded above to the topmost folder of your SD card.

3.  Power down your device.

4.  Reboot into ClockworkMod Recovery.  To do this, with your device powered off, press and hold Volume Down + Power buttons until you see the CWM menu.

5.  Use the Volume Up and Down buttons to navigate to ‘Install zip from SD card’ and select ZVC-Rooted-Sprint.zip using the Power button.

6.  Once the zip file is installed, select ‘Wipe Data/Factory Reset‘ to wipe the device and clear the cache by selecting ‘Clear Cache‘ from the CWM Menu.

7.  Select ‘Reboot System Now‘.

You should now hold in your hands a rooted Sprint Marquee running the latest ZVC update!!

All thanks go to Jaybps3 on AndroidForums for putting everything together in one place!!  Be sure to thank him on his thread if this helped you out.

This is part of our Android How To’s. We have how to’s on rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and tricks for your specific device or for Android devices in general! For all of our Android How To’s, head here.

 

37 thoughts on “How to Root the LG Marquee (LS855) running the ZVC update on Sprint”

    1. I usually do the videos but unfortunately I can’t do one for every device. Mahesh and Dax have been helping me by doing how tos. I can only get so many devices to do videos on so have to choose the more popular devices unfortunately.
      Hope you can understand.

      1. Does this even still work? I want to root my LG Marquee that I’ve had for roughly 2 years now and I need it to work at its full potential. I am upgrading but not until December 2013 and until then i need this phone rooted for various projects

    1. how did you get the KDZ_FW_UPD.exe to work, mine opens and i set the type to CDMA and phone mode to CIAG and select the KDZ file, then i press Launch Softwear Update and it stops responding and closes, the farthest ive gotten is

      : Launching SW update

      : Unpacking KDZ

      then it freezes and says

      “A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.”

      And I can’t get past that.

  1. I didn’t find in the article a link to LG_Marquee.zip that was referred in section IV, there is only link to LGMarquee_CWM.zip. Where can I get missing zip?

  2. My phone has been flashed from Sprint to ntelos frawg. I’m wondering if this would mess up whatever the rep did to make my marquee work on the frawg network.

    Great guide I’m definitely bookmarking and going to give it a go as long as it won’t affect the carrier swap flash.

  3. After successful installation of ClockworkMod Recovery the phone would not boot to CWM. Any attempt to boot to CWM causes regular phone boot. What can be the reason?

  4. Dax, I installed the rooted ZVC update and all the tests show that my phone is rooted. However, Titanium Backup states that it “…could not acquire root privileges” and “This application will *not* work”. Is there a way to fix that?

    1. do you have the superuser app installed? If not, download it from Play and install it. After that, when you open up Titanium Backup, you should get a popup asking for root access. Try this and get back to me Victor.

  5. Dax, I have superuser installed and it grants root access for all other installed applications that require root access, like Root Checker or Autokiller Memory Optimizer. However, it denies access to Titanium Backup. When I had rooted ZV9 image (after step IV in your directions) Titanium Backup worked perfectly. Please advise.

  6. i keep getting this with the error [R&D Test Tools Log File]

    17:27:09 : Launching SW update
    17:27:09 : Unpacking KDZ
    17:28:03 : KDZ file extraced
    17:28:13 : Files were extracted.
    17:28:13 : LGMobileDL Load.
    17:28:13 : Port = 0
    17:28:13 : Connecting to phone
    17:28:19 : Check Phone mode = 1
    17:28:22 : Phone type check…….
    17:28:22 : LGMobileDL.DLL Loading….
    17:28:22 : _SetAuthMark Ok : wAuthMark(14861)
    17:28:23 : _DetachDLL Call
    17:28:23 : _DetachDLL Call End
    17:28:23 : Param : Path = C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication DataLGMOBILEAXPhoneLS855ZV9_11.S9_00.P60680.wdb
    17:28:23 : Param : moduleDir =
    17:28:23 : Param : waitTime = 0
    17:28:23 : Param : UsbHighSpeed = 1
    17:28:23 : Param : PhoneMode = 1
    17:28:23 : Param : BinVersion = LS855ZV9_11.S9_00.P60680
    17:28:23 : Param : AuthMark = 14861
    17:28:23 : Call fn_StartUpgrade
    17:28:24 : CDMA: wParam = 20, lParam = 570
    17:28:24 : Model Dll Msg Not Found(20, 570)
    17:30:01 : CDMA: wParam = 100, lParam = 55
    17:30:01 : Step : Upgrade Error2 – Error Code : 55
    17:30:01 : ResetStartInfo() Call
    17:30:01 : _DetachDLL Call
    17:30:01 : _DetachDLL Call End
    17:30:01 : FreeLibrary Call
    17:30:03 : FreeLibrary Call End
    17:30:03 : ResetStartInfo() Call End
    17:30:03 : CDMA: wParam = 20, lParam = 0
    17:30:03 : Model Dll Msg Not Found(20, 0)
    17:30:03 : ===FINISHED===
    17:30:45 : OnModelDllMsg(OnMsgFromModelDll-CDMA) delete m_pLGCyonUpdate

  7. Might save some hair pulling if you change a very confusing little detail this guide, the title of Part IV “Rooting the LG Marquee” – this section head implies that at the end of step IV you have rooted the phone. Um, nope. Really tripped me up.

  8. I should also say thanks, not sure who originally compiled this guide but it’s kind of a long hard road just to get root, isn’t it. I guess I’m just used to going to my Linux terminal and typing sudo and doing whatever the f I want. 😉

    To be clear, at no point did I have root before the very end step. I used Root Checker and a terminal program after Step IV and no dice, which I don’t understand. Anyway, now on ZVC w root, woot!

    My phone is an LG Marquee refurb from Boost Mobile, now on Ting Mobile.

    Also, just to remark that CM10 for the LG Optimus Black would not install with CWMod. I had thought that the two were essentially the same phone. Guess not quite. Looking for a good JB rom for this.

  9. Hi, it will not let me sync my gmail account with my phone so i cannot download any apps! Please help!!

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