How to S-Off or Unlock Bootloader? - Verizon HTC One (M8)

So I finally abandoned my old Droid DNA and brought the HTC One M8. At first I wasn't gonna mess with it until I put a T-Mobile SIM in and saw that annoying non Verizon pop up as well as the notification icon, and although mobile data and calls work fine I can't change the apn to t mobiles and I can't use sms or mms.
So now I was ready to use moonshine like I did on the Droid DNA since that was a Verizon victim as well (although I brought it fully unlocked) but the site wouldn't load. So I went to try Firewater since a friend used that for his HTC and that didn't load, only this time when I viewed a cached copy of it I seen something saying firewater was discontinued.
Great...
So I starting searching for tutorials just like I did when I got the Droid DNA. I was hoping that I would finally find a successful method after days of searching like I did with the DNA, but this time everything is pointing to either firewater or HTCDev, which I can't use.
How do I s off this poor victim of Verizon? Because all the methods people used either have websites that don't load or don't work with the Verizon version. Even the weaksauce method that someone on this forum that posted before me with the same problem tried to use still points to using firewater.

Your only chance nowadays is with sunshine. It's made by the same people that brought us firewater and weaksauce and many others for other phones. You download it from their website therootninja and run it. It will determine if it will work on your phone and then prompt you for payment ($25).
If you're running anything older than the current 4.4.4 KitKat then it's almost certain to work. 4.4.4 is hit or miss but it's worth a shot. If it just won't work then you can wait until they release the long awaited sunshine3.0.

Related

[Q] HTC Evo Shift - Software Upgrade

Hi all,
I'm going to be getting an HTC Evo Shift from someone, which I think has Android 2.2 Froyo on it.
The phone was reported lost and a replacement obtained, then after getting the replacement the old phone was found.... but Sprint said they had written it off, and didn't want the old one back. The ESN remains blocked on Sprint because of this, but they won't unblock it and just said they didn't want it.
Soooo, I'm going to use it as a WiFi only device... but I'd really like to get Gingerbread 2.3 onto it somehow... which I'm assuming can't be done OTA if the ESN is blocked on the Sprint network?
Also, I'm in Canada so once I get it, I won't have access to the Sprint network at all.... and I don't know if the update can be downloaded and installed manually through the computer or what. Anyone know?
I heard the Evo Shift can be rooted as well, but that sounds very complicated to me... so I'm still figuring out what my options are with regards to getting the software as updated as possible.
Any advice would be appreciated
id personally recommend reading up on how to root your fone..
and once you get that going...
you can just install a diff rom that has 2.3 on it..
=D
hey
I did a bit of reading on rooting bit it seems like its different for all devices and some are "one click" solutions while others are multi-step instructions full of unfamilliar terms and procedures which could ruin the phone. lol
I did read some instructions that pertained to the Evo Shift, but there was much involved that my brain shut off after reading the first few steps.
I was really hoping for something simple. but that might be a pipe dream, eh?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/archive/index.php/t-976605.html
Looks like the simplest root method for the shift. I haven't tried it, but since it is on xda good chance it is well supported.
Sent from my PG06100 using XDA App
Thanks for the link.
Still sounds scary... but I'll finish reading the rest of the discussion later and see what others ultimately had to say about it.
Still open to comments from others too if anyone has any.
I dont have the phone yet, I'm just getting prepared so I can get to work updating it as soon as it arrives.
Easy and fast root method
Sent from my PG06100 using XDA App
The link that was posted would be the easiest for someone but the perm root instructions that are stickied in the development section is what I have used many times on my shift and my girls shift when I root, you can do it either from the pc or from terminal on your phone just have to make sure the commands are exact so I would say just use the pc and copy from the root instructions and paste in command prompt. There are a few gingerbread ROMS to choose from 2 are stock, one is newkidds the other is X99s ROM, then there is MikShiFted-G which is a very optimized and snappy GB, and last there is Elite v1.2 over on themikmik which is based off MikShifted-G but has carousel Rosie and 3D widgets, whatever you do don't try the ota if it goes through you will be stuck with a OS that hasn't been rooted yet
Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the replies guys.
I might give it a shot when it arrives.
There is a lot more I need to look into first.
I've seen lots of people say that if a CDMA phone has a carrier blocked ESN, that you can flash another carriers ROM onto it and activate it with them. I think Cricket Wireless or Boost Mobile was mentioned, but I can't remember.
Here in Canada, Bell still runs CDMA but they will NOT allow a non-Bell CDMA phone to be connected to their network, under any circumstances. HSPA/GSM they will though.
It I could flash the ROM to a carrier other than Sprint, that might be a good idea. That way the thing can potentially have some value as a phone too, and maybe serve me as a roaming device when I travel to the US. Or, would just installing one of the third party ROM's allow it to be activated on another carrier?
I'm really not familliar with the way the US carriers operate.

[Q] Confirmation that I can't do anything with this phone

I played around with my Droid X (installed CM and the like) years ago, but I haven't tried to do anything with my Razr Maxx HD since I'm in grad school. I've just been keeping it up to date with OTA updates, but I'd like to try roms again, namely the newer CM.
From what I've read, I need an earlier version of the OS in order to unlock the bootloader or root the phone.
I've also read (and have found from some personal experience the past couple days) that it is impossible to use RSD lite (6.1.4) to downgrade to literally any OS older than the one currently installed.
Is there anything I can do with this phone? Can I, either with or without RSD Lite, get to an earlier version? Can I at least root it so I can use Ti backup?
Or is there literally nothing I can do with this phone?
Two final, quick questions. Is anyone still working on this phone, or is it too much a pain andeveryone has moved on?
Finally, now that Moto is google, is the Moto X (and future phones) more dev friendly? Or do I need to think about moving away from Moto if I want to play around with my phone?
Sorry this is a repeated question, I guess I'm mostly bummed about what I've found and just want to be 100% sure I'm not able to do anything before I give up.
Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do. Pretty much if you want to mod a Moto now, you need to get a Dev X or a M/HD that has the bootloader already unlocked.
RikRong said:
Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do. Pretty much if you want to mod a Moto now, you need to get a Dev X or a M/HD that has the bootloader already unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
recently turned my MHD in for an insurance claim (cracked screen)... didn't think about receiving a different MHD with up to date OTA's. LUCKILY received one with 9.18.79... so I can still obtain root... but lost being unlocked but like RikRong stated above... those are pretty much your only options now.. best of luck.

[Q] Droid Ultra/Maxx - Is there a way to root my device and unlock the bootloader?

Hello all!
I am using the Droid Ultra forum because I can't find or there doesn't seem to be one specifically for the Maxx. I assume they are they same phone but one just has a better battery.
I recently bought my new Droid Maxx using an upgrade. When it arrived, I tried using FoxFi for wifi tethering since LTE is faster than my house internet. I found out it won't work since I have the 4.4. To anybody that is curious, 4.4 came with my phone, I didn't use the OTA update.
After looking around on the internet, I am unable to find a guide that can root my phone. Has anybody made a bootstrap?
I am wondering if there is a way to root my phone with the 4.4 kitkat, whether 4.4 root method is still in development, or people have given up on trying to root it.
Something else. I tried to root my device with two programs, each have failed in the process. Kingo and OneClickRoot.
There is no working root for Android 4.4 on the Ultra/MAXX/Mini, you're stuck like everyone else.
There was "a Chinese guy" doing bootloader unlocks for ~$40 in the recent past few weeks but he/she/it has since stopped doing so (probably unable to access Motorola's database anymore or simply got caught doing it, who knows).
So again, you're stuck with stock 4.4 like everyone else is. The info is all over this subforum...
br0adband said:
There is no working root for Android 4.4 on the Ultra/MAXX/Mini, you're stuck like everyone else.
There was "a Chinese guy" doing bootloader unlocks for ~$40 in the recent past few weeks but he/she/it has since stopped doing so (probably unable to access Motorola's database anymore or simply got caught doing it, who knows).
So again, you're stuck with stock 4.4 like everyone else is. The info is all over this subforum...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, that is quite unfortunate. I just needed to get caught up in the news. Thanks and I hope to see some root hacks soon.
Garret27 said:
Ah, that is quite unfortunate. I just needed to get caught up in the news. Thanks and I hope to see some root hacks soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could try easy tether pro
I've been thinking. I was reading the forums quite abit recently. The Chinese guy might of had access to the Motorola database with the IMEI or he might have developed a serial-cracker. I remember using keygens to unlock copies of Microsoft Office along time ago. This guy might have done the same but kept it for himself to make a profit. I am wondering if we might see a keygen that uses a person's IMIE.
Just an idea I had.
Sent from my XT1080 using xda app-developers app
So for the sake of getting a more informed is this piece of crap ultra worth keeping in the hope of a root solution in the near future, or is anybody really even working on one?
It's a good phone that could be great (not as great as the MAXX 'cause of that battery life and no wireless charging) - I would say don't hold your breath for an unlock for the bootloader or even root nowadays, it's getting way too tough to root and bootloaders are pretty much... well, locked up I suppose. I don't know of any devs that are seriously working on the Droid devices anymore, it's kind of a crapshoot if you find one I guess.
IF I had gotten either of them before that "Chinese guy" stopped providing the bootloader unlock codes I may have developed a different opinion, but I missed that window of opportunity and so I decided holding onto those phones wasn't feasible given my requirements.
As I said in another post, I did like the MAXX and Mini when I owned them recently, but the fact that I wanted a bit more capability meaning root access because I use some apps that require it as well as the option of potentially using some customized ROM or doing customization that might require something like the Xposed framework means you're dead in the water with the Ultra/MAXX/Mini.
I sold both, picked up a Samsung Galaxy Express for $80 and it's unlocked (for T-Mobile, did that in 2 minutes), rooted and of course running CyanogenMod 11 aka Android 4.4.2 without a single issue so far except the camera FCs often but that's a well known bug that persists and likely will always be problematic (except on those new CyanogenMod phones I suppose since they're designed to run that OS 100% without problems).
The Ultra, the MAXX, and the Mini are damned nice devices if you like "pure stock" and pretty much zero chance of them ever being anything else - the fact that they're GSM unlocked from the factory is a plus, so is the wireless charging for the MAXX and Mini, but that's about it for me and not enough to keep them for the long haul.
Good luck...
Thank you very much for an honest opinion. Fortunately I just signed on with Verizon and received this phone only a couple of days ago and have the option of retuning it and canceling the service with only a minimal restocking fee to deal with. I guess I will have to exercise that option because root access to the device is critical for use at work.
SOSDD said:
Thank you very much for an honest opinion. Fortunately I just signed on with Verizon and received this phone only a couple of days ago and have the option of retuning it and canceling the service with only a minimal restocking fee to deal with. I guess I will have to exercise that option because root access to the device is critical for use at work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exchange for a gs5. It has root. As does the HTC one m8. The m8 looks well built. And the dot view case is sweet.
Sent from my unlocked consumer edition Motorola Droid Maxx xt1080m.

[Q] Can I root my device if I have the latest OTA update?

HTC One M8 on Verizon. Android version 5.0.1. I did a lot of research yesterday, and could not find any working solution to root the phone. It's hard to find anything on Google because generally the information will be outdated (from last year or the year before). So can someone fill me in on what exactly I'd need to do? This is my first smartphone and I've never rooted an Android device before.
ziddy5 said:
HTC One M8 on Verizon. Android version 5.0.1. I did a lot of research yesterday, and could not find any working solution to root the phone. It's hard to find anything on Google because generally the information will be outdated (from last year or the year before). So can someone fill me in on what exactly I'd need to do? This is my first smartphone and I've never rooted an Android device before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Assuming you are still S-On and locked then you are stuck without root for now.
BladeRunner said:
Assuming you are still S-On and locked then you are stuck without root for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I was afraid of. How can I keep track of when there is an update to the situation?
ziddy5 said:
This is what I was afraid of. How can I keep track of when there is an update to the situation?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
keep checking these forums and/or follow @teamandIRC on twitter
Rooting the already updated HTC One M8
It's going to be difficult. I've been scouring the webs for weeks looking for the answer to that one. The Sunshine S-off didn't work for me. The only way I can find right now to do this requires finding somone that has purchaced the elusive "HTC java card" sometimes called the HTC S-off card. They can s-off your phone in a heartbeat. Wish I had one, I just can't see forking over 375.00 to get one.
So if your S-off there is a root method available ? I haven't found it if there is.
I'm running 5.0.1 Verizon S-off
Thanks in advance
jjmstang said:
So if your S-off there is a root method available ? I haven't found it if there is.
I'm running 5.0.1 Verizon S-off
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're already s-off then just install twrp and flash, reboot recovery and it should ask you if you want to install root
BladeRunner said:
If you're already s-off then just install twrp and flash, reboot recovery and it should ask you if you want to install root
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems you have to be rooted to install TWRP........at least what found
You only have to be rooted to install it with their app. If you are s-off you can download it from their site and flash it with fastboot.
mpappas87 said:
You only have to be rooted to install it with their app. If you are s-off you can download it from their site and flash it with fastboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I followed this method and I have re-gained root
http://forum.xda-developers.com/ver...ow-to-root-ota-pc-s-off-t3048604#post59750567
Now I'm going to try and flash the Dragon ROM with Sense 7
Thanks again for the help
same boat ; old filmware?
just received this HTC One M8 thru verizon, lollipop 5.0.1 after day 2 OTA update. I've been rooting every device i've owned since 08. Busy with daily tasks I haven't had a chance to sit and try unlocking bootloader until this weekend. I hit a wall when HTCdev returned an error after entering the identifier token \(^~^)/ . I did some reading, couldn't find anything.
I'm coming from a xt912 I've pretty much squeezed all I can get out of it since I got that brand new. I put CM12 on that just recently this HTC makes that the moto seem primitive. After bricking that (moto)spyder a few times flashing bad zips or doing things out of sequence I've put it thru the ringer and used RSDlite to just start from scratch. I have also found these device can put up with a lot and still bounce back. Geeze, I have three years of continuous text and data backed up on SD, lol . Something I haven't tried and wonder, does anyone know, is there any old VZW filmware for this M8 maybe 4.4.2 and try un locking from that point or Does the token id stay the same no matter what filmware?
Htcdev won't work on our phone because it's blocked by Verizon. Also, it's not possible to downgrade firmware or the OS without having s-off. At this time there's no way to get s-off on lollipop so you're pretty much stuck where you're at until an exploit is found by someone. Sunshine works for anything up to 4.4.4 but it won't work on a Verizon phone that's running 5.0.1. About all you can do right now is wait to see if Jcase and Beaups come up with a way to make it work on a Verizon phone too. I know that's not what you want to hear but that's how it is at the moment.
benjdevel said:
I've been rooting every device i've owned since 08. weekend. I hit a wall
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, glad I didn't spend too much time trying to figure this out, never rooted a device before
Gotcha . ...Stupid vzw ? I glanced at a procedure to unlock SIM. Have no idea if that would help anything. Havent tried it. Ill have to keep a watch out for something. Really compaired to that spider this thing is like a ferrari. Not too much bloatware. Lollipop rocks and knowing Im up to date for the most part calms me a little. I still dont like the idea of not having complete control of my device. I've already received a few notification marketing related from verizon that i could not close unless i looked at it. I did notice control over saving things to my ext sd i do like. I am a student just getting into the ist world.wish there was something i could help with. 5 classes is killing me at the moment though. I did also try to install an imsi catcher apk updates version and it seemed like it ran fine. I could of swore that app needed root access. I could be wrong with the newest version though.
Joint Java Card?
Same boat (Verizon, htc one m8) . . . For some reason I was thinking Lollipop was the update which was still able to be handled by Weaksauce 2. So I accepted the OTA, without thinking. -hadn't gotten around to s-off, etc., before this time around.
So, in some 2013 posts, I saw that some people had tried to pool resources and share a Java Card, etc. But sending phones to a "card keeper", is expensive, and unsafe (besides having to live without your phone for a few days.). jcase, on their company's IRC support channel, indicates that the card is more than just a simple microSD card, which one might be able to dd a filesystem image from (i.e. copy it for distribution). That's entirely possible, since all SD cards have micro-controllers for dealing with failed sectors, etc (check out "Bunnie's Blog"). Basically, the controller could make it tough/impossible to access part of the card, and can take care of decrimenting credits, encryption, signing, etc. Even if it were a basic SD card, the use of signed binaries, and external license/resource server, etc. could still make it tough . . . -although the card I found states it needs no internet connection. It would be much cheaper to send the card, rather than phones. But how to coordinate and pool the cost seems like it could be a pain?
So here's what I'm thinking about:
Someone (me?) could purchase a legit, new htc Java Card. After I use my 2 or 3 credits to s-off/unlock my phone, I could put the card on, say, ebay for maybe $5 less than what I bought it for. Then, another person could use some credits, then sell it again, for a little cheaper, etc. If we want to keep it "in-house", we could just send to each other and pay with PayPal or Google Wallet. But, with e-bay, one could just copy/build on the ad the first person started. Take a picture of your phone's screen, when the remaining credits are shown, and put it on the ad. With 2000 credits, my conservative estimate is that it could cost less than 72 cents, for each unlock. The $5 incremental discount might be close enough to cover re-shipping costs.
The Sunshine guys have, for free, helped many of us over the years. So I was planning to purchase their solution, if it worked for this situation. But their download page states that "Verizon 5.0.x users will have to wait until we update.". They indicate they could get us supported soon, but they also indicate that Lollipop is much more secure, with SELinux updated and better enforced., etc. So I am a little concerned about when that will actually happen. I see they've been posting updates for Motorola, and making sure people are able to pay them via PayPal, etc. But nothing yet for Verizon 5.0.x.
Does anyone know/recall how long after the last android update, someone came up with a root exploit? I'm just trying to get a rough guesstimate about the minimum time people will have to wait this time. -then add time because Lollipop is apparently significantly more secure. I guess I don't completely mind that my phone might be secure enough to not make it tougher for someone to get into the deepest parts of it, without specialized hardware (Java Card), if I were to lose it.
But, really, what Verizon and htc and others have done to these devices . . . They are, essentially, specialized computers. It would be like if Dell or another computer manufacturer sold you a computer, without allowing you access to your administrator account (and no clear/easy way to boot from another drive, to recover/fix things, etc.). That's crap.
I dunno. What do people think? I suppose I could just try it, and see.
Are new devices updated already? If I were to get a phone from verizon today will it already have the Lollipop update or would I get a still root-able device that I can deny the update?
libredroid said:
But, really, what Verizon and htc and others have done to these devices . . . They are, essentially, specialized computers. It would be like if Dell or another computer manufacturer sold you a computer, without allowing you access to your administrator account (and no clear/easy way to boot from another drive, to recover/fix things, etc.). That's crap.
I dunno. What do people think? I suppose I could just try it, and see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like the idea of that Java card:good: and I completely agree with you on how wrong it is restricting administrative rights, especially considering these things are comparable to a new computer.
dimsumx said:
Are new devices updated already? If I were to get a phone from verizon today will it already have the Lollipop update or would I get a still root-able device that I can deny the update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No guarantees either way.
What is the status on SunShine for our device?
I got the Java Card.
@vazersecurity: still "Verizon 5.0.x users will have to wait until we update.", as of today.
I got the card, as previously proposed, and was able to get S-Off on my USA-Verizon HTC One M8 with the Lollipop OTA.
I needed to download and place two files in the root of the card (now done).
I then (CID changed) was able to use htcdev.com to unlock my bootloader, and ultimately gain root. I'm now happily running a current Cyanogenmod ROM. To regain some functionality from my camera, etc., I installed the htc camera, HTC Gallery, and Zoe apps from the Play store.
So I've already created a listing for the card on eBay. I assume the forum rules won't allow me to post the link. But I, honestly, always intended to use that as a way to make it more convenient to share with a community of people who wish to join in. -not to try and make any money off the card. Again, rather than have people ship phones to one person (with the shipping cost, and being without their phone), if figured it would be cheaper, and less disruptive, to ship the actual card. So, you'd purchase the card from the previous user, then re-list it for a bit less than what you paid for it. With the starting cost and credits, S-Off is about 30 cents, each. As the card credits get used up, it gets cheaper. Maybe each person would end up paying a few dollars for S-Off, when you factor in the shipping.
Maybe a moderator could chime in about whether it might be OK to post a link to this "community-intended" listing. -or suggest a better contribution/distribution method.
Also, since many users in our situations have been out of luck regarding S-Off, for a few months now, might a moderator or someone suggest/implement a way to post/place this information more prominently, in the forums?
Thanks.

[Q] Upgrade to M8 (Root, unlock, etc. questions)

I've currently got a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which I bricked after trying to root it using old information. Long story short, it's a paper weight now, and I need a new phone.
I've got my eye on the HTC One M8, but by biggest concern is being able to root it, and unlock its bootloader. How easy is it to root or lock this device these days? There's so much information about bootloader locking, and roots not working, and security measures for different phones that make this stuff not work, that I just feel completely lost. Admittedly, I'm a bit gun-shy about rooting now that I've bricked my Note 2, because everything I was reading seemed fine, until I did it and had issues, and looked those issues up to find that the stuff I was doing hasn't been viable for a while.
Would this phone be well-suited for that? HTC seems like a company that's trying to make this stuff easy, but I can't tell how much of what they say is actually real when Verizon and the like are the ones in charge of locking stuff.
tl;dr: I'm considering an M8. I wanna root, and unlock it. Can I do that on a new M8? Is it easy, or at least easier than a new Samsung device with all its Knox nonsense?
There is only one way to s-off the M8 (which includes unlocking the bootloader and both is a pre-requisite for permanent root) and that is Sunshine which costs $25.
Sunshine 2 works on most M8 running 4.4.4 but not all of them (seems to be due to small variances in hardware). sunshine will run a check on your phone and only charge you if it can s-off it. You may be able to run Sunshine and get temp root with Weaksauce (which is part of Sunshine) even if the program cannot unlock your device. Temp root means the app has to root your device each time you boot it.
Sunshine 3 works on M8 running Lollipop - except the VZW M8. At least for now. No idea if jcase and beaups will figure out a way to get it working....
So if Sunshine works on your phone it's easy as can be: run the program, pay 25 bucks - done.
If Sunshine does not work you're out of luck...
berndblb said:
There is only one way to s-off the M8 (which includes unlocking the bootloader and both is a pre-requisite for permanent root) and that is Sunshine which costs $25.
Sunshine 2 works on most M8 running 4.4.4 but not all of them (seems to be due to small variances in hardware). sunshine will run a check on your phone and only charge you if it can s-off it. You may be able to run Sunshine and get temp root with Weaksauce (which is part of Sunshine) even if the program cannot unlock your device. Temp root means the app has to root your device each time you boot it.
Sunshine 3 works on M8 running Lollipop - except the VZW M8. At least for now. No idea if jcase and beaups will figure out a way to get it working....
So if Sunshine works on your phone it's easy as can be: run the program, pay 25 bucks - done.
If Sunshine does not work you're out of luck...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update: Gave Sunshine a go, and it worked flawlessly. Jumped on the IRC with a few questions, and the Sunshine crew was super helpful. Had my phone for all of 10 minutes, and was setup and ready to go. Best $25 I've spent in a while.
Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it. My M8 is set to arrive today, so I guess we'll find out if Sunshine does the trick. I'm glad to hear that it only charges after checking compatibility, as I was thinking I'd have to gamble the $25 on the off-chance that it worked, and be out the money if it didn't. Thanks again, wish me luck!

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