[Optimus One, P500, V General] philofree:
LG Thrive (P-506): how to unlock, remove carrier IQ, root it, load Cyanogen and run the GuardianProject applications for Android. (Debian Sid).

LG Thrive (P-506) [1] is a cheap and affordable cellphone sold by AT&T GoPhone. Despite its locked status (including CarrierIQ) at the beginning, it is possible to easyly unlock the phone, root it and load Cyanogen in order to remove unnecesary programs and run the guardianproject [16] applications properly. This tutorial is a recopliation of several posts found in this forum, others and my own experience, so thanks to the original authors (see References at the end of the post).

Unlocking the phone: Several websites sell unlocking codes for about $10. Buying an Octopus box [2] is another option that allows to unlock several models from LG and change the IMEI in order to break the relation between your name and the device.

Rooting the phone: It is possible to root the phone using Gingerbreak [3]. However, the operator does not allow to install applications that are not avaliable in the Android Market by default. In order to do it, we must activate the "Unknown Sources" option from the secret menu, dial 3845#*506# and check it.

Then install Android SDK and the platform tools [5], connect the USB cable to to computer and activate the USB debugging option.

Download the last version of GingerBreak and install it from the console using adb (adb install $PATH_to_GingerBreak) and then run the app from the cellphone in order to have forever the possiblity of become root.

How to remove Carrier IQ and load Cyanogen: The Carrier IQ rootkit have been installed in the cellphone by the operator. To learn how it works visit [6] and optionally, install Logging Test App [7]. According to the author, the application is able to remove Carrier IQ if a key is bought from the market [8]. However, and in my own experience, that never worked in this model.

Instead of removing Carrier IQ, a better approach is to complety remove the operator ROM and flash Cyanogen.

From here, the same approach that [12] is followed. Download CyanogenMMatt v1.1 [14] and Joban's kernel [15]. That's Android 2.3.7. Format your SD card (mkfs.vfat is ok) and copy both zip files into the card.

Download a recovery image of clockworkmod [9] for the LG One (recovery-clockwork-5.0.2.0-thunderg.img).

Then, download fastboot [11] for linux [10].

With the phone connected to the computer via USB, turn it on with the "Home" key pressed in order to boot on fastboot. (If you have problems check [12]). Then, running fastboot devices should give: "???????????? fastboot".

Now, boot the recovery image that you have downloaded:

It will reboot and boot into clockworkmod. However, keys are not working. Open a root shell and reboot again into recovery, then keys will work:

From here, any Clockworkmod guide or tutorial is ok. First, install the Cyanogen zip from the SD card, then wipe cache and factory data. Reboot and wait until Cyanogen boot. All should be between green and blue, that is normal. Reboot again into fastboot, repeat the last step and this time install joban's kernel. Then reboot. This time your telephone is complety free, no more Carrier IQ and no more AT&T crap. In this version (Android 2.3.7) Orbot and the rest of applications of GuardianProject [16] work like a charm :).

References

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Optimus_One#LG_Thrive

[2] http://octopusbox.com/

[3] http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1044765

[4] http://cheapcellunlockedphones.com/how-to-root-lg-thrive/

[5] http://developer.android.com/sdk/installing.html

[6] http://androidsecuritytest.com/features/logs-and-services/loggers/carrieriq/

[7] http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=17612559

[8] https://market.android.com/details?id=com.treve.loggingkey

[9] http://www.clockworkmod.com/rommanager

[10] http://koushikdutta.blurryfox.com/G1/fastboot-linux-i386.zip

[11] http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/wiki/Fastboot

[12] http://androidforums.com/i7500-all-things-root/32481-howto-linux-adb-fastboot-mass-storage.html

[13] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgSWzbsMOQw

[14] http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1220670

[15] http://www.megaupload.com/?d=1PTC9MZ7

[16] https://guardianproject.info/apps/