Database Users

Root vs. Unlocked bootloader

In this thread I intend to give some basic insight about these two concepts, which are closely entwined with our phone's experience. I'm not a tech guy, but I think this little summary might clear some doubts for people who are new to this kind of issues (people who come from other non-Android phones especially). All feedback is welcome, in particular the one of people who can expand the topic with their knowledge.
"Root" is the common way to refer to the fact to the user account which has superuser rights on the device. Superuser rights imply full control over your phone's capacities, which are determined by the software and the hardware of the device. Non-superuser accounts have limitations, usually established for the sake of software security (for example, not allowing a user to disable critical functions such as phone or GPS), hardware safety (not allowing to change the processor's frequency speed, aka overclocking the CPU) or, in some cases, for someone's profit (disabling wi-fi tethering is a typical one as users are forced to buy data plans in order to use their devices to tether). In Android's case, Superuser is composed of an app* and a set of instructions to give this app root rights.
The bootloader is a program which accesses the internal storage and, basically, controls the loading of the programs and data necessary to initiate the sequence of launching the OS (aka booting, thus the name bootloader). We say that a bootloader is locked when it is programmed in such a way that it won't allow to load the device if it detects data from third-party sources. Unlocked bootloaders do allow these data and will load what these data contain, which will be usually a modified version of the phone's firmware, known as "Custom ROM".
As we can see, there was the fear that one would need to have unlocked bootloaders (i.e the ability to load third-party data in the booting sequence) in order to gain root rights. This would have been terribly inconvenient because only a minority of users will have unlocked bootloaders, since the phones with unlocked bootloaders by default are the ones sold carrier-unlocked. Said carrier-free phones will be a minority as the phone is pretty expensive: most Xperia Plays will be sold using carrier subsidies.
However, our fellow member Chainfire found an exploit (a programming loophole) in Gingerbread which allows said app and instructions to be loaded without the need of touching the bootloaders. Basically, his Gingerbreak program allows the user to have root rights without loading any bootloader-sensitive data. This widens the possibilities for the majority of users who will buy this phone with a subsidy.
*edit 3* Later on, it has become possible to unlock the bootloader even for SIM-locked devices, thanks to different unlockers like Alejandrissimo and Jinx13. This means that, provided that you pay what they charge, you can have your device set up without the bothers of having to buy a SIM-free phone. What's better: their method of unlocking the bootloader SIM-unlocks the phone as well.
I think this is more or less a succint framework of ideas which allows us to define "root" and "unlocked bootloaders" properly. As they say, knowing is half the battle, so I hope this nugget of information allows users to deal with their phones with more confidence.
*edit* as of version 2.3.3, this information has changed. Gingerbreak doesn't work with 2.3.3 anymore, and it seems now that the only way to root with locked bootloaders is to flash a 2.3.2 rom with FlashTool and update through OTA.
*edit2* note that this explanations pertains mostly to the Xperia Play. Other devices are NAND-locked, which means for us that they need unlocked bootloaders to even get root access.
*Note that Android is built in such a way that every app is a user account with limited rights (the ones specified before you download it). Thus, Superuser is a user account as any other app and the set of instructions is meant to give this user account root rights.

Thank you! This was very helpful in clarifying some things.

"As we can see, there was the fear that one would need to have unlocked bootloaders (i.e the ability to load third-party data in the booting sequence) in order to gain root rights. This would have been terribly inconvenient because only a minority of users will have unlocked bootloaders, since the phones with unlocked bootloaders by default are the ones sold carrier-unlocked. Said carrier-free phones will be a minority as the phone is pretty expensive: most Xperia Plays will be sold using carrier subsidies"
by carrier unlocked do you mean sim unlocked? sorry 4 noob question

Indeed, that is what I mean.

Logseman said:
Indeed, that is what I mean.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright, I asked this question and it was answered, but I want to make sure before I try anything.
I just found out from SE that my phone is the Rogers version. It's obviously been unlocked because I'm using it on AT&T.
What I don't know, though, is whether the bootloader is unlocked. Another member recommended that I check TrackID to see if it worked because it depends on the manufacturer DRM's that are wiped in unlocking the bootloader. It did work, so I assume it's still locked, but I wanted to confirm because of being carrier unlocked.
Sent from my R800a using XDA App

If TrackID works, your bootloader is locked, regardless of simlock.

I have a Sim-Unlocked Xperia Play from Rogers that I am using on ATT's network. My phone is boot-locked. When powered off, if I hold the search key while plugging in the USB cable, I do not get a blue light.
I was able to flash the firmware by holding the back key while plugging in the usb cable (with the phone off). I get a green light when I do this. Using flashtool, I was able get 2.3.3 rooted by loading the 2.3.2 firmware, rooting, and then updating OTA.
I bricked my phone several times while loading the firmware and each time I was able to fix it with flashtool or Sony Ericsson's Upgrade Utility. I found that you need a good USB cable, and even then it failed sometimes. I just kept trying and eventually it worked.

We wanted to provide an update on HTC’s progress with bringing bootloader unlocking to our newest phones. We know how excited some of you are for this capability, and we’ve put significant resources behind making this change as soon as possible. While we wish we could flip a simple switch and unlock all bootloaders across our device portfolio, this is actually a complex challenge that requires a new software build and extensive testing to deliver the best possible customer experience.
We’re thrilled to announce today that software updates to support bootloader unlocking will begin rolling out in August for the global HTC Sensation, followed by the HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile USA and the HTC EVO 3D on Sprint. We’re in the testing phase for the unlocking capability now, and we expect it to be fully operational by early September for devices that have received the software updates. We'll continue rolling out the unlocking capability over time to other devices as part of maintenance releases and new shipments.
HTC continues its commitment to unlocking bootloaders and supporting the developer community. Because of the importance of this community to us, please expect an update on this about every few weeks as we make progress toward launch. Thank you for your patience and continued support!
(they claim it will come to only two devices for starters the EVO 3D and the Sensation 4G and then it will slowly rollout to other devices that already have 2.3 or enough internal memory on them, this will all start in last August an early September for the first two droids listed... and others will soon follow suit, the only question is do you want you bootloader to come unlocked stock? Or will you buy it locked and be able to sit around and wait for your device to get an update to do so?? LOL

thats why my phone couldnt flash back to 2.3.2..(?)
I live in singapore.. phones are not carrier specific.. so does that mean my BL was unlocked even before I used gingerbreak?

I know this doesnt pertain to the play per se, but maybe you should add that, with nand locked devices, an unlocked bootloader is required to acheive full root, just incase someone with another device googles this question and ends up here

pros and cons of unlocked bootloader
Pros/Cons of rooting WITHOUT unlocking bootloader?
Since being interested in rooting my N1 I've been googling a lot but it's still somewhat confusing. One of the things that's making me hesitent is the idea of permanently (as of the date of this post) unlocking the phone and thus clearly/visibly voiding the warranty.
I've recently stumbled upon instructions for rooting without unlocking the bootloader? Am I correct in assuming this would make the phone appear (no unlock icon) to be unmodified? Also, does this mean one could fully reverse the rooting process and go back to fully stock google signed roms with OTA updates etc (essentially reverting it back as if it were never modified)?
It would seem this would be preferable to any method involving the unlocking of the bootloader. Are there any disadvantages of this? Any increased risks by NOT unlocking the bootloader? Is there a reason why most people have gone the rout of unlocking the bootloader?
My plan is simply to have root access to run setcpu on the stock FRF91 rom. As of now, I'm not interested in other ROMs (baby steps).

tommyinhi27 said:
Pros/Cons of rooting WITHOUT unlocking bootloader?
Since being interested in rooting my N1 I've been googling a lot but it's still somewhat confusing. One of the things that's making me hesitent is the idea of permanently (as of the date of this post) unlocking the phone and thus clearly/visibly voiding the warranty.
I've recently stumbled upon instructions for rooting without unlocking the bootloader? Am I correct in assuming this would make the phone appear (no unlock icon) to be unmodified? Also, does this mean one could fully reverse the rooting process and go back to fully stock google signed roms with OTA updates etc (essentially reverting it back as if it were never modified)?
It would seem this would be preferable to any method involving the unlocking of the bootloader. Are there any disadvantages of this? Any increased risks by NOT unlocking the bootloader? Is there a reason why most people have gone the rout of unlocking the bootloader?
My plan is simply to have root access to run setcpu on the stock FRF91 rom. As of now, I'm not interested in other ROMs (baby steps).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The N1 is made by HTC, generaly with htc devices, flashing a stock rom, will re-lock the bootloader, If you decide just to root, you will need a custom kernel before you can O/C All that unlocking the bootloader does is 2 things, It will security unlock the nand (on nand locked devices) allowing r/w access to read only partitions, and it allows you to issue fastboot commands to your device, the main reason alot of play owners went down the unlocking the bootloader path, is that atm it is the only way to flash custom roms other devices, have found sneaky ways to push a custom recovery without unlocking bootloaders, and thus do not need one to flash a custom rom

AndroHero said:
I know this doesnt pertain to the play per se, but maybe you should add that, with nand locked devices, an unlocked bootloader is required to acheive full root, just incase someone with another device googles this question and ends up here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not too knowledgeable about the whole Nand thing, so I think you could give a much better explanation about it. I'll include it then

whoa whoa whoa!!!! i achieved root on 2.3.3 with no prob using superoneclick v2.3.3. it works beautifully!

Yes, but you're replying to a thread that's 8 months out of date too!
Sent from my R800x using XDA

Lol. I know, but I've been trolling the site, and I think it may need a bit of new info so someone doesn't follow the steps here now that a better method has been found.
Sent from my R800at using XDA

isavegas said:
Lol. I know, but I've been trolling the site, and I think it may need a bit of new info so someone doesn't follow the steps here now that a better method has been found.
Sent from my R800at using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why not just stop bumping heavily old threads? then they can rest in piece
and nobody would care
the information thatit's outdated is alreada given in 1st post.
u also could ask a mod to close this as its outdated...

Hey, this thread may be outdated, but it's not my fault if someone necros old threads. Just let it die.

question
can i flash custom roms in a locked bootloader?

yes
big txmer said:
can i flash custom roms in a locked bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
only stock gb ones nothing else

Update issues?

strangest thing, i confirm the update and it closes and thats it. It doesnt show a download in the status bar or anything. any ideas?

Mine still says it is already upto date even though I know the 2.3.3 update is out for almost everyone else?!?

FK1983 do you have an o2 branded phone? (with o2 crap installed on/o2 boot up screen?) If so then you are probably waiting for o2 to ok the actual update as well as installing all their extra crap onto 2.3.3 before they let you update
Same probably for magicriggs and anyone else that has not recieved their updates yet. The update you are seeing will be the generic 2.3.3 update you have to wait for verizon to ok the update first then customise it with all the crap/restrictions they want on it.

Mozza2k11 said:
FK1983 do you have an o2 branded phone? (with o2 crap installed on/o2 boot up screen?) If so then you are probably waiting for o2 to ok the actual update as well as installing all their extra crap onto 2.3.3 before they let you update
Same probably for magicriggs and anyone else that has not recieved their updates yet. The update you are seeing will be the generic 2.3.3 update you have to wait for verizon to ok the update first then customise it with all the crap/restrictions they want on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's on Virgin Mobile, must be why?

FK1983 said:
It's on Virgin Mobile, must be why?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't matter which network the phone is on. If you got it direct from virgin or it has the virgin boot up screen then its virgin "branded". Until virgin or any other network decides to ok the update (and make any modifications they want) unfortunately you will be waiting. Unless you unlock your boot then you can flash the generic 2.3.3 that people with unbranded phones got.
P.s i said o2 since the o2 logo is under your name

Would that be the same case with me? I originally got my XP from my carrier but I had already network unlocked it with a code that I purchased from Theunlock.ca and de-branded it with a generic R800i UK firmware where mines was originally a R800a.

Flava0ne said:
Would that be the same case with me? I originally got my XP from my carrier but I had already network unlocked it with a code that I purchased from Theunlock.ca and de-branded it with a generic R800i UK firmware where mines was originally a R800a.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No this only applies to people with a branded phone and a locked bootloader. If you unlock your boot which you have done you can do as you did and flash the generic fw (without extra branded crap on just standard bloat) From now on you will just update using the fw posted here instead of waiting for rogers.

Cool, thanks for clearing that up a bit!
But I didn't unlock my bootloader, I can't because it came from my carrier. What I unlocked was the network and now I can use another SIM card from a different carrier on it if I wanted to. But I guess it's still the same since I was able to flash it with a generic fw already.

I had no issues with the updating itself.
But I noticed that the standard music player sometimes doesn't play sound at all. I first have to kill it with a program like 'Advanced Task Killer' and then it works again. Anyone else has this problem?

My Unlocked XP can download the update but fails on the install, its attempts to install, resets, unpacked update, then attempts to update (icon on screen goes from two dots and openbox icon, to three dots and phone with arrow above) then screen goes blank, phone boots as normal (takes about 2-3mins) then warns that update was unsuccessful after pincode entry.
Thought it might due to lack of internal space, so cleared 80 megs on application space and still no luck.
Sent from my R800i using XDA App

Bricked after OTA update
My husband's Xperia play got bricked today after an OTA update. It had no customized software, just an unlocked bootloader.
Looks like this issue it's just affecting those ones with an unlocked one.

I just checked for the update manually on my PLAY earlier today and it was able to find the update. But I'm not going to install it until you can root v2.3.3 on a locked bootloader.

ritap said:
My husband's Xperia play got bricked today after an OTA update. It had no customized software, just an unlocked bootloader.
Looks like this issue it's just affecting those ones with an unlocked one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you unlock your bootloader you cannot use SEUS or OTA to update your phone anymore. You will have to flash the lastest fw onto the phone. See here to 2.3.3 firmware http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1097591 also if you flash the first one you can then flash the rooted 2.3.3 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1098736 Same goes for Da22a since your XP is unlocked

So still no way to root 2.3.3 on a locked bootloader yet, only with an unlocked bootloader at the moment? Because it's not possible for my to unlock my bootloader on my PLAY because it was originally from my carrier.

Mozza2k11 said:
If you unlock your bootloader you cannot use SEUS or OTA to update your phone anymore.(snip)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see you're right and i wish i had my husband have a look here before even thinking about it.
The problem is: while SEUS prevents you from unintentionally doing that, which i regard as fair, OTA just bricks your phone without further notice.
We've taken it to SE for repair, which they should do for an amount of euros they still haven't notified us (you see, it's out of warranty). Easy money, then: tell people how to unlock their phones and then spread some code which bricks unlocked phones .

I don't think SE speculated in making money here. It's a more like a 'here you go' now you have control over your phone to do almost what you like. The main target here I think is devs and flashaholics and such. There's always a risk involved with unlocking your bl and changing the S-ON to S-Off and such things. Ofcause you loose your warranty otherwise every john/jane does would come back and reclaim a new device when they bricked there phone. This comes from a demand within the android community that this is an option.
Further more I don't think SE knew about this. The .img to flash is not comming from We but from this community so they can't be held responsible for putting out an OTA that bricks your phone cause of what people might flash onto there phones. I hope that they will make some kind of check in the software updater similar to SEUS in the future or the ones who make flasheble .imgs will be able to disable OTA in the .imgs to come or upload a new one for people to use.
Regards Dousan...

ritap said:
I see you're right and i wish i had my husband have a look here before even thinking about it.
The problem is: while SEUS prevents you from unintentionally doing that, which i regard as fair, OTA just bricks your phone without further notice.
We've taken it to SE for repair, which they should do for an amount of euros they still haven't notified us (you see, it's out of warranty). Easy money, then: tell people how to unlock their phones and then spread some code which bricks unlocked phones .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im not sure SE will repair your phone. I have read other people on here have sent it in for repair and got it back the same. Today a fix for bricked phones has come out http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1126354. I would suggest getting your phone back from SE and fixing it yourself. Since the above thread's fix is free (you could always donate to Bin4ry & Blagus, dont know who else helped?)
I also agree with Dousans comments. Below a quote from http://unlockbootloader.sonyericsson.com/
Therefore, you should only unlock the boot loader of your phone if you are an advanced user with good knowledge of the technology and risks involved. We strongly recommend that standard users NOT unlock the boot loader, as it is not needed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also not sure how long this has been posted on the site but se knows now and it working on a fix to stop it.
Note: We have seen in some forums that customers unlocking the boot loader on their phones have experienced problems when they accept a FOTA (Firmware upgrade Over The Air) update. The issue has been reproduced and we are working on a solution. For customers that have unlocked the boot loader please do not accept the Firmware upgrade OTA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Rogers official one comes July 1st. (Canada Day)

Mozza2k11 said:
Im not sure SE will repair your phone. I have read other people on here have sent it in for repair and got it back the same. Today a fix for bricked phones has come out http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1126354. I would suggest getting your phone back from SE and fixing it yourself. Since the above thread's fix is free (you could always donate to Bin4ry & Blagus, dont know who else helped?)
I also agree with Dousans comments. Below a quote from http://unlockbootloader.sonyericsson.com/
Also not sure how long this has been posted on the site but se knows now and it working on a fix to stop it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You and Dousan may be right but indeed after unlocking the BL we didn't flash it; moreover, after that the phone has been working perfectly for more than a month, since the ota update of course: so it's their software which has bricked the phone, not us.
Moreover, it's true that we lost our warranty, and it's fair that those Johns/Janes won't get a new phone for free, but this doesn't allow then to spread around dangerous software and allowing free repair only to "warranty" customers.
I've already had a look at the fix described in this forum but it didn't fit, Blagus told me there was no solution, the payservers were down so i took the Play to SE...

Anyone know how to get flashtool to recognize the play? The only options are arc x10 x8 etc.
Same as this guy:
how did you guys even get the flashtool to work with the play? ive got the latest version and i keep getting an error saying it cant identify my device and the only options are for x10, x10 mini, x10 mini pro, x8 and arc, just curious
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Xperia Play question here and I am in need of a few answers

Hi there so I am not new to rooting and flashing roms but not an expert either. I have a Xperia play I got from Verizon(yes horrid verizon) few problems as I can see I cant unlock bootloader, I assume this because in configurations settings there is no root option or even a bootloader unlock yes or no so from what iveread im screwed in that area.
My other problem is and htis is now on 3 phones of xperia play verizon has sent me they all have version of android 2.3.2 and when i try to do the manual update I get this mssg and I have bene trying this on all the ones they sent me and even contacted them with sony on the line and they cant understand why(morons). only solution is to send to them but perhaps someone here can help me. Here is the mssg. it tells me there was an error downloading hte software and it please try again later it has said this for weeks since ive had it everytime i try even after doing a hardreset and this is on all 3 xperia plays they have sent me so it must be something they have done.
Can I still manual update it at least to 2.3.4 using the method from sony and discussed on here using a flashtool x10 but im not sur what version of flash to use since they show like 3 main ones for different types and if so if im using windows what version of flashtool for my xperia play from verizon would i get for my xperia play r800x?
Any ideas and help would be great thanks agian.

You can use the latest one.

Hi talrune,
I'll try to answer some of the questions you posted, but I may be wrong on some things. (If anyone can see anything wrong please feel free to correct me) As far as rooting the device it can be done. It has been awhile since I rooted mine and I cannot remember how I did it. I'm sure a quick google search will pull it up. As far as the bootloader, you can unlock it but you have to pay to have it unlocked. Alejandrissimo was offering this service a while back and I assume he still is. If you would like to get your bootloader unlocked you will have to get in touch with him.
I do not know why you would be having trouble with upgrading to 2.3.4 from Verizon OTA. I am pretty sure however that you cannot use flashtool to install the update without having an unlocked bootloader. Also, the directions from sony are no good. Unless they have changed things they want you to use PC companion or something to download and install the update. This works fine, however, when they ask you to connect the phone they require they phone be connected in MTP mode (I believe) and there is no way to put the R800x into this mode. I called sony and they asked me to go into the system menu and go to the Sony Erriccson tab, but this tab does not exist on the verizon phones (dang verizon!!!)
If you have the money I would strongly suggest getting the bootloader unlocked. It is extremely helpful when Verizon fails in epic fashion. Plus its fun to play around with different roms and kernels. Goodluck :laugh:

with a locked-bootloader flashtool should work, but fastboot should not.
there a firmware stickied in the Development forum for the VZW R800x

Unlock Bootloader?

Is it even remotely possible to unlock the bootloader? I would love to install a custom recovery and a custom ROM.
Thanks.

Not possible currently, probably never will.

Until someone at Samsung decides to give the keys to the bootloader, it will remain locked.
(Pssst, hey Samsung Developer, there is a fame and fortune for your leak. :angel: )

I vouch 400$ for unlocked bootloader and emotion/lineage os

If S6 is anything to judge by, the chances for an unlocked bootloader are slim at best.

The only reason I would love an unlocked bootloader is to be able to root the stock OS and not have to use an engineering kernel. Otherwise, I tend to run rooted stock on my devices until they get too out of date.
Unfortunately, that means when this S7 Edge becomes obsolete, that will be the end of the line.

No one is even attempting it. With most phones now root / unlocked bootloader is a thing of the past. If you want those feature it'd be best to get a Pixel or a 1+. The rest of the phone will kill all of that in the next year.
The last good for rooting phone from Samsung was the Note 4 and even that was only the Tmobile variant. As Samsung and Android pay roll out internationally it will get killed off over seas too.
Unless a new crop of Android hackers pop-up to replace all the devs who used to roit/unlock the phones rooting and flashing is dying

ShrekOpher said:
No one is even attempting it. With most phones now root / unlocked bootloader is a thing of the past. If you want those feature it'd be best to get a Pixel or a 1+. The rest of the phone will kill all of that in the next year.
The last good for rooting phone from Samsung was the Note 4 and even that was only the Tmobile variant. As Samsung and Android pay roll out internationally it will get killed off over seas too.
Unless a new crop of Android hackers pop-up to replace all the devs who used to roit/unlock the phones rooting and flashing is dying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure I would go that far. Sure, Samsung has locked their phones down like nuts, but there are still plenty of developments on other devices. The Sunshine team has managed to S-off every HTC flagship from the M8 on, along with a reasonably sold list of Moto devices. If you aren't on Verizon/AT&T you can skip the hack by going to HTCDev. Too bad HTC has gone absolutely bonkers on their own devices...
The LG V20 folks got "lucky" with Dirty Santa (though I wouldn't touch that mess with a 10 foot pole since your warranty is going to be void at the same time LG is getting sued over boot looping phones). Still, if you manage to get lucky, you can load custom ROMs on that device, and it's a true flagship.
Other devices seem to either have unlockable (through a web-site) bootloaders or have proven relatively easy to mod/root.
One day root may be a thing of the past unless you can find a dev phone, but I don't think we are quite there yet. That, and there will always likely be leaked dev kernels.

Few things:
-Is there any work still being done to get the bootloader unlocked? This dev thread no longer seems to be only devs, rather a bunch of "+1s", "thanks", and "tweet posts". All great posts, but not dev related.
- All devs on this thread are without a doubt better than I regarding android roms, unlocking, etc, but thought id throw a few ideas it here. (Im new to this type of dev). Maybe i can provide new hope? I just recently got the s7 and found out the hard way the current status woth no way to get custom roms. I know the chain of trust, verity, etc are a major buzzkill, but parts have all been hacked before so we can't Judy throw in the towel, can we?!
- http://newandroidbook.com this has a lot of good material, this guy is a genius, too bag he isn't working on this! (Download the book there & supplements).
Couple of actual ideas:
-He mentions in the book, with root you should be able to modify parts of partitions. Add long as you don't modify the entire partition it wont check for integrity on startup. Now that root exists, is Amy of this possible, to modify three partitions and unlock the bootloader?
- He also talks about how the chain of trust works using signed keys, and where to find these keys in the actual image file; since we know exactly where the keys are, and what's expected, can't we fake it with a custom image using a binary editor? He (in that link) also refers to his free tools to inspect, etc.
Remember when wet push via odin the phone isn't online so had no way to verify via internet if something is in fact legit. Hacks happen all the time with fake digital signatures and keys, certs, etc.
- In other words, now that root exists in the engineering kernel, Im thinking new doors have opened.
Thoughts? Hope?!

It's not happening.

diligent7771 said:
Few things:
-Is there any work still being done to get the bootloader unlocked? This dev thread no longer seems to be only devs, rather a bunch of "+1s", "thanks", and "tweet posts". All great posts, but not dev related.
- All devs on this thread are without a doubt better than I regarding android roms, unlocking, etc, but thought id throw a few ideas it here. (Im new to this type of dev). Maybe i can provide new hope? I just recently got the s7 and found out the hard way the current status woth no way to get custom roms. I know the chain of trust, verity, etc are a major buzzkill, but parts have all been hacked before so we can't Judy throw in the towel, can we?!
- http://newandroidbook.com this has a lot of good material, this guy is a genius, too bag he isn't working on this! (Download the book there & supplements).
Couple of actual ideas:
-He mentions in the book, with root you should be able to modify parts of partitions. Add long as you don't modify the entire partition it wont check for integrity on startup. Now that root exists, is Amy of this possible, to modify three partitions and unlock the bootloader?
- He also talks about how the chain of trust works using signed keys, and where to find these keys in the actual image file; since we know exactly where the keys are, and what's expected, can't we fake it with a custom image using a binary editor? He (in that link) also refers to his free tools to inspect, etc.
Remember when wet push via odin the phone isn't online so had no way to verify via internet if something is in fact legit. Hacks happen all the time with fake digital signatures and keys, certs, etc.
- In other words, now that root exists in the engineering kernel, Im thinking new doors have opened.
Thoughts? Hope?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree with Kcodya. With the S8 coming out very soon, I am sure the Devs are not really that concerned with the S7 and unlocking the bootloader. I have read a lot of posts about the very issue and anyone and everyone that has been working on this has dropped it or no longer working on it. Look at the S6. It is still without an unlocked bootloader.
I agree with you about the EngImg and I guess at the present time, that is about all we have to work with. I have settled with it and am happy at least to have root privileges.
But we can still hope...

If Samsung ever gets off their hindquarters and updates the unlocked version of the S7/S7 Edge to Nougat, rooted stock will probably be optimal anyway. I know this is XDA, and people love to mod with whole ROMs, but OEM ROMs have improved dramatically over the years. This isn't the era of requiring CM (or LineageOS now) just to have a functional device like it was during the Gingerbread era.
Unfortunately, Samsung isn't likely to ever sell developer friendly phones again, so if you are a developer or like beta testing ROMs, this isn't your device. There are too many options that are trivial to unlock and develop on for anyone to spend too much effort bucking Samsung on their lockdown strategy.

diligent7771 said:
Few things:
-Is there any work still being done to get the bootloader unlocked? This dev thread no longer seems to be only devs, rather a bunch of "+1s", "thanks", and "tweet posts". All great posts, but not dev related.
- All devs on this thread are without a doubt better than I regarding android roms, unlocking, etc, but thought id throw a few ideas it here. (Im new to this type of dev). Maybe i can provide new hope? I just recently got the s7 and found out the hard way the current status woth no way to get custom roms. I know the chain of trust, verity, etc are a major buzzkill, but parts have all been hacked before so we can't Judy throw in the towel, can we?!
- http://newandroidbook.com this has a lot of good material, this guy is a genius, too bag he isn't working on this! (Download the book there & supplements).
Couple of actual ideas:
-He mentions in the book, with root you should be able to modify parts of partitions. Add long as you don't modify the entire partition it wont check for integrity on startup. Now that root exists, is Amy of this possible, to modify three partitions and unlock the bootloader?
- He also talks about how the chain of trust works using signed keys, and where to find these keys in the actual image file; since we know exactly where the keys are, and what's expected, can't we fake it with a custom image using a binary editor? He (in that link) also refers to his free tools to inspect, etc.
Remember when wet push via odin the phone isn't online so had no way to verify via internet if something is in fact legit. Hacks happen all the time with fake digital signatures and keys, certs, etc.
- In other words, now that root exists in the engineering kernel, Im thinking new doors have opened.
Thoughts? Hope?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WTF? Did you literally copy and paste my post from another thread?! https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=71604183 lol I know your intentions are great, but you should probably indicate this is a quote from the original author (me), otherwise it appears you were the one that wrote this post. Carry on...

locked bootloader
jshamlet said:
The only reason I would love an unlocked bootloader is to be able to root the stock OS and not have to use an engineering kernel. Otherwise, I tend to run rooted stock on my devices until they get too out of date.
Unfortunately, that means when this S7 Edge becomes obsolete, that will be the end of the line.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey man,i saw you online and i need help with something.
Is locked bootloader affects radio gsm,on unlocked phone by at&t if i upgraded fw and changed version of bootloader from v2 to v4?
Thank you in advance!

Man, this stinks
TomatoesOnBluRay said:
Is it even remotely possible to unlock the bootloader? I would love to install a custom recovery and a custom ROM.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's strange that this device never got a stable root. The type of root I was looking for 7 months ago is never going to exist. Development on the root of this phone was forgotten when the S8 came out. I wish I could say the opposite, but unfortunately we couldn't develop a proper root fast enough for the inevitable growth of interest in the newest device.

TomatoesOnBluRay said:
It's strange that this device never got a stable root. The type of root I was looking for 7 months ago is never going to exist. Development on the root of this phone was forgotten when the S8 came out. I wish I could say the opposite, but unfortunately we couldn't develop a proper root fast enough for the inevitable growth of interest in the newest device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not just that, Samsung also offers some fairly nice bonuses for not rooting and root just isn't what it used to be. The days of "this phone is completely unusable without root to fix all the broken crap" are gone.
I found that simply switching to the unlocked firmware solved 90% of the things I wanted root for in the first place, and probably another 8% were solved by judicious use of ADB and NetGuard. What little was left just wasn't enticing enough to put up with the irritations and work-arounds required for the eng-boot root. I already run Nova launcher exclusively, but even at that, the stock launcher isn't total crap anymore. On the plus side, the eng-boot root doesn't trip Knox, so you can always go back if you want.
Yeah, it's going to suck when updates for the S7 stop due to age, and it would be nice if Samsung would offer a bootloader unlock when that happens, but I suspect it will live the rest of its life with nothing more than the engineering root method.

jshamlet said:
It's not just that, Samsung also offers some fairly nice bonuses for not rooting and root just isn't what it used to be. The days of "this phone is completely unusable without root to fix all the broken crap" are gone.
I found that simply switching to the unlocked firmware solved 90% of the things I wanted root for in the first place, and probably another 8% were solved by judicious use of ADB and NetGuard. What little was left just wasn't enticing enough to put up with the irritations and work-arounds required for the eng-boot root. I already run Nova launcher exclusively, but even at that, the stock launcher isn't total crap anymore. On the plus side, the eng-boot root doesn't trip Knox, so you can always go back if you want.
Yeah, it's going to suck when updates for the S7 stop due to age, and it would be nice if Samsung would offer a bootloader unlock when that happens, but I suspect it will live the rest of its life with nothing more than the engineering root method.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I entirely agree with you. I haven't rooted my S7 since I tried the engineer boot, and it has been completely and totally usable. I also agree with you about installing the unlocked firmware as it removes most of the bloat that comes with the stock firmware. Root is nice, but not entirely necessary on this device.

TomatoesOnBluRay said:
I entirely agree with you. I haven't rooted my S7 since I tried the engineer boot, and it has been completely and totally usable. I also agree with you about installing the unlocked firmware as it removes most of the bloat that comes with the stock firmware. Root is nice, but not entirely necessary on this device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, where might one obtain an unlocked firmware for a G930A? I've searched high and low and have found several different f/w but they all seem to be for other versions of the G930, not the A. Tried to flash mine with one of those and got caught in an endless boot cycle, so had to go back to stock - still locked - and AT&T says the IMEI doesn't belong to them even though it plays their little tune and shows their logo and flashes their name on startup. Pretty useless to me without being able to unlock it. Thoughts or ideas?
Many thanks in advance.

Havdaddy said:
So, where might one obtain an unlocked firmware for a G930A? I've searched high and low and have found several different f/w but they all seem to be for other versions of the G930, not the A. Tried to flash mine with one of those and got caught in an endless boot cycle, so had to go back to stock - still locked - and AT&T says the IMEI doesn't belong to them even though it plays their little tune and shows their logo and flashes their name on startup. Pretty useless to me without being able to unlock it. Thoughts or ideas?
Many thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All US/Snapdragon S7s and S7 Edges are hardware identical. You can run any of the 5 variants on them with zero issue (even going between V/S and A/T). This means you can run the unbranded/unlocked firmware on any US/Snapdragon based device as long as the model number matches.
Now, SIM locks are a separate issue. You still have to go to the carrier that locked it (or one of the paid services) to get the unlock code even if you are running the U firmware because the modem firmware is entirely separate.

Havdaddy said:
So, where might one obtain an unlocked firmware for a G930A? I've searched high and low and have found several different f/w but they all seem to be for other versions of the G930, not the A. Tried to flash mine with one of those and got caught in an endless boot cycle, so had to go back to stock - still locked - and AT&T says the IMEI doesn't belong to them even though it plays their little tune and shows their logo and flashes their name on startup. Pretty useless to me without being able to unlock it. Thoughts or ideas?
Many thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The firmware for all G930 and G935 variants are interchangeable. When I refer to the unlocked firmware, I'm referring to G930U and G935U. This version can be found on the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge forums on this site. When you install the unlocked firmware, you are not unlocking the device, just the firmware associated with the unlocked version of the phone. This means less bloatware, faster speeds, and no AT&T boot logo. Sorry for the confusion my previous comment may have caused!

What happens to the One Plus 5 if I unlock the bootloader?

Greetings! I have just ordered my new OP5 and now I hat a Sony Z5. If you were Xperia users, you know that after unlock the bootloader, you lost permanently (or you did a backup before) a speial partition where Sony put very important data for the device (like the camera quality for example).
I know myself ad I have fear that if I unlock the bootloader I lose some imoprtant data or something so my question is: which consequences do you have if you unlock the OP5? Do you lose something important like in the Sony devices or not?
Thank you very much and sorry of there's a thread where you must post this questions :crying:

Unlocking the bootloader basically resets your phone and you lose data plus any apps you installed but you don't lose anything like what you are describing --you just need to set up your phone again. The biggest problem you would encounter is that Android Pay probably wouldn't work unless you flash a custom kernel. Default Android behavior is that if you unlock the bootloader you automatically can't pass Safety Net and I don't think OnePlus or any other phone maker that runs Android is officially allowed to change that behavior --which is why you need a custom kernel to still pass Safety Net.

Oh, and you have a screen at boot that pretty much states that the bootloader has been unlocked.
Not sure why we still have to deal with this as this has been masked on a few other model phones, like the Axon 7, and with all the dev's available for the one+ it's surprising this hasn't been sorted for us too...

So far after unlocking my bootloader and rooting with magisk, android pay is unavailable. I didn't use it much anyways as out here in rural country midwest (USA) it isn't very widespread. As far as warranty goes it is still in effect and 1+ also has a guide for restoring your phone to stock too. It's definitely a great phone for customizing and trying new things with. I didn't apply a new ROM though as most ROMs available at this time are still a work in progress and not what I deem entirely stable. I'm sure someone here will contradict me, but I'm doing fine with what I've got so far.

prozo said:
So far after unlocking my bootloader and rooting with magisk, android pay is unavailable. I didn't use it much anyways as out here in rural country midwest (USA) it isn't very widespread. As far as warranty goes it is still in effect and 1+ also has a guide for restoring your phone to stock too. It's definitely a great phone for customizing and trying new things with. I didn't apply a new ROM though as most ROMs available at this time are still a work in progress and not what I deem entirely stable. I'm sure someone here will contradict me, but I'm doing fine with what I've got so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Works for me on stock 7.1.1....
Sent from my OnePlus5 using XDA Labs

Essentially, if you're happy with how your phone is working, there is no need to unlock the boot loader and root. There is no point to unlock the bootloader and then not root .
Unlocking the bootloader allows custom recoveries and roms/kernels to be installed onto the phone.
It also allows such things as substratum, xposed and magisk to be installed as these apps generally require root priveliges that aren't available with a locked bootloader and being unrooted.
Customisation can be easier, Bloat can be removed instead of just frozen and tweaks can be applied BUT there is a downside too as this has effectively breached Googles security and will break certain apps (mostly banking but there has been reports of streaming apps being affected too on other forums).
Luckily as you have the One+5 you can, if you wish, revert to stock and relock the bootloader thus reverting all changes, unlocking most other phones which will destroy any hope of getting warranty or a relocked bootloader.
Just be sure you HAVE got it back to stock 1st however as having anything different, (kernel,rom or recovery) may very well brick your device once you relock the bootloader.

prozo said:
So far after unlocking my bootloader and rooting with magisk, android pay is unavailable. I didn't use it much anyways as out here in rural country midwest (USA) it isn't very widespread. As far as warranty goes it is still in effect and 1+ also has a guide for restoring your phone to stock too. It's definitely a great phone for customizing and trying new things with. I didn't apply a new ROM though as most ROMs available at this time are still a work in progress and not what I deem entirely stable. I'm sure someone here will contradict me, but I'm doing fine with what I've got so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to flash a custom kernel to pass safety net. It won't work with the stock kernel. Blu Spark seems to be the official unofficial kernel and you could easily flash that one and forget it as it is pretty fast and smooth as is. Boeffla kernel is built for stability and is rock solid but if you don't tweak the settings at all you might notice a slight drop in performance from stock. Either one will allow you to pass Safety Net and can improve the speed and performance of the phone over stock. Boeffla also includes a fix for the auto brightness making the phone too dim by allowing you to set a minimum screen brightness that it won't go below.

If I only root the device, will I be able to use Android Pay?

Struziu said:
If I only root the device, will I be able to use Android Pay?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't root without unlocking the bootloader

Hey,
I'm aware this is thread is pretty old, but I'm wondering how things are now? It's been quite some time since I've touched any bootloaders or custom roms and I'm interested in testing android 11 with my op5. What are the downsides with unlocking your bootloader and installing a custom rom?
Google pay not working?
Banking apps not working?
Netflix not working?
I tried searching this forum and googling around and I really could not find any answers. And none of the custom rom threads I checked mention safetynet.