How to Flash a Custom Recovery on the LG Optimus S

Custom ROMs are a great way to change the complete appearance and functionality of your device and if you’ve tried any custom ROM on your device, you know how easy it is to install them and get them running without any issues on the device. With root access and a custom recovery, you can also enjoy custom ROMs on your LG Optimus S device. While we already have a rooting guide for the device, this guide will show you how you can install ClockworkMod Recovery on the LG Optimus S.

I. Before You Begin:

1. You must have rooted your device before doing this procedure. Check out our procedure on how to root the LG Optimus S.

2. Your device should have at least 60% of battery life left.

II. Downloading Required Files:

1. Flash Image (Download link’s given in the second post)

2. Recovery Image (Download link’s given in the second post)

3. Terminal Emulator (Google Play Link)

III. Installing ClockworkMod Recovery on the LG Optimus S:

1. Download and place both the archives on your Desktop.

2. Extract files from both the archives to your Desktop.

3. Install the Terminal Emulator App from Google Play using the link given above. It’s a free app!

4. Connect your smartphone to your PC using the USB cable.

5. Transfer both the Flash Image as well as Recovery Image files to the SD card storage of your device. These are the files you extracted from the archives.

6. You can now disconnect the device from your PC.

7. Open the Terminal Emulator App on your device from App Drawer.

8. Enter following command into the Terminal Emulator App:

su

9. If it asks for Superuser permission, allow it.

10. Now, issue the following commands one-by-one using the Terminal Emulator App. Press ENTER after each line:

mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock5 /system
cat /sdcard/flash_image > /system/bin/flash_image
chmod 755 /system/bin/flash_image
mv /system/etc/install-recovery.sh /system/etc/install-recovery.sh.bak
(IMPORTANT NOTE - If you get an error on the line above such as "file does not exist" ignore the error and keep going.)
mount -o remount,ro -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock5 /system
flash_image recovery /sdcard/recovery-RA-GNM-thunderc-s-1.1.0.img
reboot recovery

11. It should install the Recovery on your device as well as reboot the device into the Recovery Mode.

12. If you’re in the Recovery mode, you’re done!

Brilliant! You’re now running a custom recovery on your device named ClockworkMod. The recovery contains useful options that you can use to backup/install ROMs and perform other tasks!

IV. Flash a Custom ROM (Optional):

1. If you are ready to flash custom ROMs on your device, head to the How To Flash a Custom ROM on the LG Optimus S to learn how to do that.

If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.

If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below or in the forum.

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.

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