Hey,
I have the verizon m8 unlocked to work on any gsm network. I'll be travelling to India next week and want to make sure the phone will work fine with Indian networks without a problem?
Also, Is there any way i can get the ROM that comes with the factory version of the phone (without the amazon and verizon apps)? In short, I want a stock rom without any trace of verizon.
I'm new to the HTC world and i've read a lot about RUU but haven't got a clear information on what it is.
I'm on 5.0.1, unlocked, s-off, rooted.
Thanks.
Prithvi
I rec'd a SM-G920W8 model from my cousin. Its on Fido but I have a Rogers SIM card. I would like to simply unlock the phone and use it on Rogers instead and if possible, update the phone to a newer ROM/Android version but to have it still on Rogers after the fact. The phone has following details:
Android Version: 5.1.1 (stock)
Baseband: G920W8VLU3BOJ7
Im sure there are a guides for this on here, I did find one for a bootloader unlock from Mr. X on here, but I wasnt sure which bootloader file to download and thought I would ask if someone could please point me to the right direction as I simply dont want to brick a phone.
Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated by this newbie!
Thanks!
Are you sure it needs to be unlocked? Telus and Koodo phones as well as Bell and Virgin work on either network without unlocking.
350Rocket said:
Are you sure it needs to be unlocked? Telus and Koodo phones as well as Bell and Virgin work on either network without unlocking.
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Click to collapse
You are right!
I just did what you suggested and its working now. I didnt think this was possible as the last Fido phone I had I had to unlock it.
Thanks for the suggestion! Much appreciated. I guess if I wanted to now just install a new ROM or update the Android platform on it, I can do that.
Yes. I'm running stock nougat on mine. It still receives updates ota without issue despite being a telus phone on koodo. I can root it and install a custom Rom anytime but it works fine and I don't want to wipe it right now. Too much important data. Online dating and texting several different girls I need to keep all my texts for future reference lol.
This is an unlocked T-Mobile G5, but why have a special ROM for unlocked phone? I wonder if I flash other ROMs, I could lose the unlock. Anyone have any problem rooting and install twrp?
Conclusion after a month long discussion:
G5 with H83020i_un ROM is NOT factory unlock. Upgrading or downgrading will result in SIM lock to T-Mobile, period.
Once locked, it can only be unlocked by T-Mobile customers via T-Mobile unlocked app. Some has to go thru T-Mobile customer service and request SIM unlock by adding IMEI to their database.
I bought 6 (New to New other) unlocked H830 and 2 has the hacked ROM H83020i_un and 4 were completely locked to T-Mobile. Yes, those stupid sellers on ebay just keep sending lock phones as unlocked phone! Good luck getting a unlocked one.
No, you cannot install TWRP or root this version.
I ended up returning mine.
You shouldn't lose the unlock by flashing another ROM.
A ROM isn't just about 'locked or unlocked'. The ROM is the operating system. While it will still be Android no matter what you do, different ROMs are modified differently to provide additional features, or more control over the settings or just a slightly different user interface.
This has NOTHING to do with the phone being unlocked for use on any GSM network.
For example some people want to be able to control the CPU processor speed on the phone more. Some ROM's give you that control built into the settings and use customer kernels that allow the CPU to run faster than it does running stock. Other people just like a more simple UI that you get on base Android ROM's (rather than some of the overlays LG puts on)
Skipjacks said:
You shouldn't lose the unlock by flashing another ROM.
A ROM isn't just about 'locked or unlocked'. The ROM is the operating system. While it will still be Android no matter what you do, different ROMs are modified differently to provide additional features, or more control over the settings or just a slightly different user interface.
This has NOTHING to do with the phone being unlocked for use on any GSM network.
For example some people want to be able to control the CPU processor speed on the phone more. Some ROM's give you that control built into the settings and use customer kernels that allow the CPU to run faster than it does running stock. Other people just like a more simple UI that you get on base Android ROM's (rather than some of the overlays LG puts on)
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Click to collapse
I can't confirm this personally, but @autoprime mentioned on IRC that everyone who tried flashing other KDZs over this specific firmware lost the SIM unlock.
BehindTheMath said:
I can't confirm this personally, but @autoprime mentioned on IRC that everyone who tried flashing other KDZs over this specific firmware lost the SIM unlock.
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So we can't flash this device?
dkyu said:
So we can't flash this device?
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Well, technically you can, but as of now it sounds like you'd lose the SIM unlock.
BehindTheMath said:
Well, technically you can, but as of now it sounds like you'd lose the SIM unlock.
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Click to collapse
I don't know when people will understand that it has nothing to do with sim unlock. I have T-Mobile unlocked sim lg g5 and flashed roms, custom and stock both several times and never had any problem with sim lock stuffs. Just install twrp, root, flash custom rom, there will never hurt anything in your phone.
dksoni411 said:
I don't know when people will understand that it has nothing to do with sim unlock. I have T-Mobile unlocked sim lg g5 and flashed roms, custom and stock both several times and never had any problem with sim lock stuffs. Just install twrp, root, flash custom rom, there will never hurt anything in your phone.
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Click to collapse
It seems that this is not a regular unlock. When I open the T-Mobile app, it says the phone is still locked, but it works anyway.
dksoni411 said:
I don't know when people will understand that it has nothing to do with sim unlock. I have T-Mobile unlocked sim lg g5 and flashed roms, custom and stock both several times and never had any problem with sim lock stuffs. Just install twrp, root, flash custom rom, there will never hurt anything in your phone.
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Click to collapse
I just tried downgrading to 20A and lost the SIM unlock.
BehindTheMath said:
I just tried downgrading to 20A and lost the SIM unlock.
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Click to collapse
Did you confirm that by trying the phone with a non T Mobile SIM on a different network? Or did you just let the T Mobile unlocker app tell you it's still locked?
The app isn't the most reliable thing in the world. It's known to say it's not unlocked when it is or that it can't be unlocked when it already is. Etc etc...
Unlocking it manually (through codes, ADB, root, etc....) messes with the unlocker app. But the unlock itself should still be valid.
Skipjacks said:
Did you confirm that by trying the phone with a non T Mobile SIM on a different network? Or did you just let the T Mobile unlocker app tell you it's still locked?
The app isn't the most reliable thing in the world. It's known to say it's not unlocked when it is or that it can't be unlocked when it already is. Etc etc...
Unlocking it manually (through codes, ADB, root, etc....) messes with the unlocker app. But the unlock itself should still be valid.
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Click to collapse
I took the active H2o (At&t MVNO) SIM from my current device and tried it in this one. I could not make phone calls or access data, both in stock 20A and Resurrection Remix.
BehindTheMath said:
I took the active H2o (At&t MVNO) SIM from my current device and tried it in this one. I could not make phone calls or access data, both in stock 20A and Resurrection Remix.
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that's sucks.
I wonder if you can actually get an unlock code to unlock the phone now.
dkyu said:
that's sucks.
I wonder if you can actually get an unlock code to unlock the phone now.
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If I'm not mistaken, you can't unlock this phone with an unlock code.
dksoni411 said:
I don't know when people will understand that it has nothing to do with sim unlock. I have T-Mobile unlocked sim lg g5 and flashed roms, custom and stock both several times and never had any problem with sim lock stuffs. Just install twrp, root, flash custom rom, there will never hurt anything in your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe it is something to the specific phones people are getting from the ebay seller. They are being sold as new yet are not factory sealed and missing the Tmo sim card. People are claiming Android pay doesn't work and the phone isn't rooted. A new out of the box phone shouldn't have that issue. So something isn't necessarily kosher.
Guys, I have the same version (H83020i_un) and it has April security update and T-Mobile has different version #s on their website. I have checked for update, but nothing came up. So I can't get T-Mobile updates?
The software version H83020i_un is apparently not an official ROM released by T Mobile or LG.
There is a lot of speculation on Slickdeals (a website for coupons and stuff where this eBay deal has been discussed quite a bit) that the unlock was done by flashing a modified ROM. If so that would explain why flashing a new ROM loses the unlock.
Additionally people are saying that Android Pay doesn't work on this phone with that software update, presumably because it's not official firmware. I've never used Android Pay so I have no idea if it works or not.
All in all if you have the H83020i_un software and bought the phone 'new' I think you got conned. It's not new and that seems to be unofficial software.
I spent a lot of time, with help from @autoprime, trying to figure out where the unlock is stored. I was able to dump the partitions from 20i_un using the method here. After I downgraded to 20A and flashed TWRP, I flashed back all the 20i_un partitions (besides recovery, cache, and userdata), and it still wasn't unlocked. So I'm baffled as to how the unlock works.
Skipjacks said:
The software version H83020i_un is apparently not an official ROM released by T Mobile or LG.
There is a lot of speculation on Slickdeals (a website for coupons and stuff where this eBay deal has been discussed quite a bit) that the unlock was done by flashing a modified ROM. If so that would explain why flashing a new ROM loses the unlock.
Additionally people are saying that Android Pay doesn't work on this phone with that software update, presumably because it's not official firmware. I've never used Android Pay so I have no idea if it works or not.
All in all if you have the H83020i_un software and bought the phone 'new' I think you got conned. It's not new and that seems to be unofficial software.
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Click to collapse
I see. It will be used as a second device, so it is fine. I flashed the phone with stock T-Mobile H83020a, then got few OTA updates. Now my phone has H83020i, but T-Mobile's page(below) shows an "f" version as the latest. So is the H83020i, the latest update or not? Also would be good if anyone with real T-Mobile unit could chime in.
https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-30673
BehindTheMath said:
I spent a lot of time, with help from @autoprime, trying to figure out where the unlock is stored. I was able to dump the partitions from 20i_un using the method here. After I downgraded to 20A and flashed TWRP, I flashed back all the 20i_un partitions (besides recovery, cache, and userdata), and it still wasn't unlocked. So I'm baffled as to how the unlock works.
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Click to collapse
And there is no way to root the phone without downgrading to 20A right?
Charkatak said:
I see. It will be used as a second device, so it is fine. I flashed the phone with stock T-Mobile H83020a, then got few OTA updates. Now my phone has H83020i, but T-Mobile's page(below) shows an "f" version as the latest. So is the H83020i, the latest update or not? Also would be good if anyone with real T-Mobile unit could chime in.
https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-30673
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like 20i is the latest.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/tm...ock-h830-20i-rom-flashable-zips-imgs-t3609735
dkyu said:
And there is no way to root the phone without downgrading to 20A right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct.
BehindTheMath said:
Looks like 20i is the latest.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/tm...ock-h830-20i-rom-flashable-zips-imgs-t3609735
Correct.
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Click to collapse
So if 20i is the latest, then it is possible that T-Mobile's variant of the phone could have a different model # than H830...
Need to pick up a few phones to play with. Since they all seem to have their own bootloaders (or do they?), should I go with Verizon, ATT, Sprint phone, or?
XDASikpupy said:
Need to pick up a few phones to play with. Since they all seem to have their own bootloaders (or do they?), should I go with Verizon, ATT, Sprint phone, or?
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Click to collapse
Virtually all models of devices from the major US carriers are going to have locked bootloader with no way to unlock them. I suggest getting the devices directly from the manufacturer or buying international non branded devices because the majority of them have unlocked bootloader or bootloader that can at least be unlocked.
If a US phone is "unlocked", does that mean the bootloader is unlocked or just unlocked for carrier use? I also hear phones directly from Samsung are locked also.
XDASikpupy said:
If a US phone is "unlocked", does that mean the bootloader is unlocked or just unlocked for carrier use? I also hear phones directly from Samsung are locked also.
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Click to collapse
When you buy a phone that says it is unlocked, yes, it is referring to the fact that it is SIM/carrier unlocked to be used on other carrier networks.
Unlocking bootloader is a very specific procedure in order to modify the device or add/remove pieces of system level software If you're looking to use custom recovery and custom ROMs, you will definitely need to make certain that it is a model that has the bootloader already unlocked or has a stock firmware version that has a bootloader that can successfully unlocked. Typically, the older the firmware version for a specific device model number is the safest bet, the later, newer updated firmware for that specific device model number tend to have locked bootloaders. And it gets worse as the devices get newer and more improved with security features and roadblocks.
A safe bet is a Non US Google Pxel device, they are all very well supported here. Regardless of the device in question, you don't ever want anything that Verizon has to offer, period. AT&T and Sprint are just as bad.
Droidriven - Thanks for the info, thats what I have been reading, and, what makes me wonder. If I can get unlocked phones with locked bootloaders, and I am not going to mess with he bootloader, is there one "locked" bootloader better than the other?
I have a new XT2113-2 (TM) that is yet to be boot loader unlocked/rooted/etc. I don't want to do that until I am sure. I got this variant of the phone so I could unlock the bootloader, root, TWRP, etc and was afraid the "global" variant -3 might not work with USA 5G. The phone came with Android 11 installed (and has since auto-installed at least one security update). It shows the build as RZKS31.Q3-45-16-3-11 and the baseband ends with Kiev_TMO_CUST. I am using it on ATT (via Red Pocket) since TM service just sucks where I live. And I do get the 5G icon on it now.
But ideally, I want to get this to the original TM Android 10, which I think is shown here as the file XT2113-2_KIEV_TMO_10_QZKS30.Q4-40-95-6_subsidy-TMO_SPR_RSU_QCOM_regulatory-DEFAULT_CFC.xml.zip as I hope it will undo some of the "security" crap Google has added to Android with each successive release.
So I need to be sure of the following:
1. Can I downgrade from 11 to 10?
2. Is there some reason to NOT use the firmware mentioned above? Should I use retail US (RETUS) instead? I am not sure the differences (it would be great if that would permit me to use this phone on Red Pocket Verizon but the IMEI now shows as incompatible on Verizon).
3. Must I unlock the boot loader to downgrade? I know I must to do other stuff and I have the unlock code on hand and ready to put it if needed. If I must unlock the boot loader to downgrade, will I have to re-unlock it afterwards? And, if so, will I have to go through the same process of getting a code or will the code I have now work?
4. How do I flash to do the downgrade? I have the Lenovo Rescue/Smart Assistant installed on my PC and was able to download the stock firmware (I assume it matches what is on there now) and stashed it aside. But is there some other tool needed?
5. Once I achieve downgrade, what is the best way to avoid having the thing auto-update to Android 11?
Thanks for your help with these questions.
If you are going to take this phone to AT&T, you will not get 5G if you unlock the bootloader. The NR band will be restricted. Downgrading from 11 to 10 generally doesn't work either.
I can't answer the rest of your questions.
RETIEF said:
If you are going to take this phone to AT&T, you will not get 5G if you unlock the bootloader. The NR band will be restricted. Downgrading from 11 to 10 generally doesn't work either.
I can't answer the rest of your questions.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for this response. I do have it on ATT (via Red Pocket) now and it does appear to get 5G now. I have not yet unlocked the bootloader, was thinking to do it, but considering that it would cause loss of 5G I think I will not and will just return the phone. Wow!
RETIEF said:
If you are going to take this phone to AT&T, you will not get 5G if you unlock the bootloader. The NR band will be restricted. Downgrading from 11 to 10 generally doesn't work either.
I can't answer the rest of your questions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BTW - have you any references on this behavior? I am wondering if this is something that would affect ALL phones with unlocked boot loaders (like Pixel, OnePlus, etc). Thanks for the heads-up.
WARNING: ONLY DO THAT IF YOU ARE REALLY SURE AND DO BE CAREFULLY. I recommend you: do it not.
By downgrading to an older software, the bootloader in many cases can be destroyed, so your phone is completly bricked!
I write this from EXPERIENCE. My amazon fire is completed bricked, when i have flash a older SYSTEM. It can't turn on, no fastboot, no recovery!
whitedavidp said:
BTW - have you any references on this behavior? I am wondering if this is something that would affect ALL phones with unlocked boot loaders (like Pixel, OnePlus, etc). Thanks for the heads-up.
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I suspect, but don't know, that all phones with unlocked bootloaders are blocked from 5g from AT&T. I know my kiev (RETUS) is.
RETIEF said:
I suspect, but don't know, that all phones with unlocked bootloaders are blocked from 5g from AT&T. I know my kiev (RETUS) is.
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Thanks. Yet another reason to dislike ATT, I guess. Sadly, in my area TM coverage stinks. And this phone will not work on Verizon (unclear why but they reject the IMEI). And getting the Verizon variant will preclude ever rooting the thing. So I really feel trapped!
Likewise
RETIEF said:
I suspect, but don't know, that all phones with unlocked bootloaders are blocked from 5g from AT&T. I know my kiev (RETUS) is.
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Click to collapse
I always figured it was this
English Community-Lenovo Community
as my IMEI SV on the Metro/TMO variant is 05 rather than 07. Never tested with a locked bootloader though.
whitedavidp said:
BTW - have you any references on this behavior? I am wondering if this is something that would affect ALL phones with unlocked boot loaders (like Pixel, OnePlus, etc). Thanks for the heads-up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bootloader unlocked Pixels work fine on ATT 5G, don't know about OnePlus.