[LG G Pad X 8.0 Questions & Answers] carvio:
Hello all,

As a frequent user to the XDA Forums but a first-time poster, please allow me, from the onset, to express my gratitude for the litany of assistance this forum has offered. The resources here and pure talent have proven invaluable; from assisting me in actually taking a Nokia Windows Phone and installing Android, bypassing Google's FRP on an LG Tablet to mirroring a broken display and thus saving my S5 Neo. Please accept my humble thanks and heartfelt gratitude. Perhaps one day, I will be able to offer something back to this amazing community. Kindly bear with me as I need to ask you all for some expertise and guidance one again — I have some specific questions — as a segue into the first inquiry, pardon me if this is the wrong subforum.

Question the first. And you have my permission to all point and laugh at me for asking this one: Is this subforum dedicated to a device with a specific label of LG G Pad X 8.0 or is X expressive of a variable employing categorization of many devices? I know how to research, but I still can't find a direct answer or mere suggestion; deduction implies the latter. Specifically, I am enquiring about the LG G Pad III 8.0 FHD (the LG-V522). I do hope X was a prelude to "insert Roman numeral here" or now I just sound like a verbose moron with too much time on his hands. :D

Background & Specifics:

- Google FRP was bypassed and a clean, stock installation of Andriod 7.0 Nougat was employed.

- While this tablet was originally sold with Marshmellow 6.0.1, support for OTA updates extended to upgrading to Nougat which became accessible upon the successful factory reset after bypassing Google's FRP.

- This tablet is not rooted.

- According to LG and LG's Developer Blog, the V522 bootloader is not unlockable.

- This tablet does employ a SIM card slot and I've been using an active cellphone SIM (and of course, WiFi where available), but apparently the tablet is only utilizing the data component of the Rogers Share Everything plan and when I dial my own number from a third-party phone, it goes straight to voicemail. Yet sending texts to my number will pop up as a notification just like any other smartphone.

- Tablet is "Canadian" and SIM-locked to the Rogers / Fido network.

Tablet Details:

- Android Version is 7.0 Nougat employing a security patch level dated December 1, 2016. Baseband version is MPSS.TA.1.0.c3.3-00015-8952_GEN_PACK-1.79167.2 and it's running a kernel v3.10.84-g22068de lgmobile@LGEACI5R@ ) #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon Dec 19 14:48:23 KST 2016. Its build number is NRD90U and it runs a software version V52220a. Firmware version is 7.0.

- Factory Version is specified as LGV522AT-01-V20a-302-720-DEC-19-2016-ARB00 with SW Original Version being specified as LGV522AT-00-V20a-RGS-CA-DEC-19-2016-ARB00.

- Apparently, this product is also categorized as "b3_rgs_ca". I have seen this label, almost to the point of a recurring motif, through my research, as simply referred to "B3".

- The LG "hidden menu" is accessible by dialling *#546368#*522# via the Google Hangouts "Contacts" app.

- "Download Mode" is accessible through ADB commands and respective key-combinations and I have been able to reload or "flash" V52220a more than I'd care to admit.

Questions:

- Since the bootloader is apparently "unlockable" by official standards, does this explain why even through ADB I cannot get the tablet to boot into the bootloader partition? I'm familiar with ADB, Fastboot and the Command Prompt and all respective drivers on my Windows 10 desktop are the most current and configured correctly and the step of enabling USB debugging, OEM unlock, et al has already been covered (unless you've got a completely random idea of some random setting I may have overlooked). Invoking the command "adb reboot recovery" triggers an entry into the stock recovery mode, but selecting from the menu "reboot into bootloader" merely restarts the device; as does invoking "adb reboot bootloader" from the command prompt.

- If "download mode" is supposed to be synonymous with fastboot or bootloader mode, why does the tablet not acknowledge any fastboot commands?

- Can or would anyone be kind enough to explain why there is such a diverse categorization of this tablet and what the specific nuances imply (i.e. model B3 vs. LG-V522 vs. LG G Pad X)? What is the meaning of V20a contained within the descriptors/identifier of SW Original or Factory version?

- Is it possible through an entirely unofficial method to root the tablet without unlocking the bootloader (some users have reported yes, but never when utilizing the "Canadian" version)?

- Employing "dirtycow" is no longer an option as the security patch installed precludes this possibility (unless there have been updates to the process of using a muddy heifer that I haven't found yet).

- If rooting is not possible at the moment (even through unofficial methods), is it still possible to establish and employ an "emulator" on the Stock OS to "trick" the tablet into thinking it has a built-in cellular modem? I've found several references that suggest this tablet does have a cellular modem because of the SIM card, but when I try and look at the tablet's hardware on the actual device, telephony information is lacking.

Trying to unlock or hack the bootloader or even just rooting this tablet seems more like a beautiful woman slapping you for simply asking if it'd be okay to buy her a drink — yes, you want her to give you full root access — but hey, you're being a gentleman and trying to wine and dine her first (I know I'm a nerd and it has been awhile, but I digress).

- Carvio