With a network locked phone and a custom ROM, will I still be locked to the network?
Also, how do I know if my phone is locked? It won't run with other SIM cards in it, but there's no message. It just crashes at the "Omnia 7" logo and reboots endlessly.
And finally, are you supposed to do the network unlock before installing a custom ROM? I've read that some unlockers check "software version" and mine is likely to be obscure.
Thanks
To answer my questions (for the benefit of others finding this thread).
1. Custom ROMs and bootloaders are entirely separate from network unlocking.
2. Um, it was locked as I thought.
3. Didn't seem to matter. Which was fortunate since my device identifies as a Nokia but the Samsung unlock worked anyway.
Unlocking HTC Radar c110e Carrier lock
Hello.
My HTC Radar c110e with Windows 7.5 is locked to a mexico carrier (Lusacell).
Please how do I get it unlocked without paying for the unlock code
What does bootloader unlocked or sim unlocked mean? What is a unlocked phone?
colaxda said:
What does bootloader unlocked or sim unlocked mean? What is a unlocked phone?
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Unlocking bootloader is unlocking the part of software that controls what is allowed to boot on the device. If the bootloader is locked it will not allow anything other than stock firmware to boot, it will not allow custom ROMs to be flashed or booted. Bootloader has to be unlocked to use TWRP or custom ROMs.
SIM unlock is done so that the device can be used on another network.
"Unlocked phone" means different things, it depends on what part you're talking about being unlocked.
Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk
Droidriven said:
Unlocking bootloader is unlocking the part of software that controls what is allowed to boot on the device. If the bootloader is locked it will not allow anything other than stock firmware to boot, it will not allow custom ROMs to be flashed or booted. Bootloader has to be unlocked to use TWRP or custom ROMs.
SIM unlock is done so that the device can be used on another network.
"Unlocked phone" means different things, it depends on what part you're talking about being unlocked.
Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk
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What's custom ROM or TWRP? "SIM unlock is done so that the device can be used on another network. " What does another network mean? another network = network in another country?
colaxda said:
What's custom ROM or TWRP? "SIM unlock is done so that the device can be used on another network. " What does another network mean? another network = network in another country?
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We encourage members to search for answers BEFORE asking, your question about "what is a custom ROM or TWRP" is easily answered with a very simple Google search if you type that exact question into the Google search bar.
Learn to search first, we don't spoonfeed and do all the thinking and searching for the members we help. You have to do most of the searching and reading for yourself.
Another network means a different cellular service provider than the one the device was originally used with. It can be used with a different provider in another country or with a different provider in the same country.
Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk
I have a Sprint-branded S7. It's unlocked. I want to switch to T-Mobile.
Sprint changed its S7 bootloader to v5 in November 2017. All other carriers, including T-Mobile, are on bootloader v4 or earlier.
The problem: You can't flash to an older-version bootloader. You'll just get an error. The phone has efuses that prevent it.
Are there any workarounds?
Specifically, I want to switch this S7 from Sprint's G930PVPS5BRA1 to T-Mobile's G930TUVS4BRA1 (bootloader version emphasized).
No work arounds I've ever seen, US snapdragon models are all bootloader locked which prevents you doing any major modifications at a firmware level.
You'll either have to wait for a v5 of the firmware you want, or try the carrier unlocked G930U v5 firmware which might work better with T-Mobile.
I believe this is also the same for the unlocked bootloader on Exynos models, but only if you get the newest drag firmware version.
Beanvee7 said:
No work arounds I've ever seen, US snapdragon models are all bootloader locked which prevents you doing any major modifications at a firmware level.
You'll either have to wait for a v5 of the firmware you want, or try the carrier unlocked G930U v5 firmware which might work better with T-Mobile.
I believe this is also the same for the unlocked bootloader on Exynos models, but only if you get the newest drag firmware version.
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Unlocked is also on bootloader v4: https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-s7/SM-G930U/. That is why I suspect this v5 bootloader is a trick by Sprint to frustrate switching.
Booloaders are all locked on US S7s you can not switch Stock ROMs
You could SIM unlock and use a T-Mobile SIM though (paid)
Or sell that phone and buy a tmobile one
*Detection* said:
Booloaders are all locked on US S7s you can not switch Stock ROMs
You could SIM unlock and use a T-Mobile SIM though (paid)
Or sell that phone and buy a tmobile one
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This phone has the domestic unlock by Sprint, so I can switch stock ROMs. I did exactly that last summer when Sprint and T-Mobile's ROMs both had v4 bootloaders.
Because it is unlocked, you are right that I can also put in a T-Mobile SIM while it has the Sprint ROM. However, it will not see all T-Mobile bands until I put T-Mobile firmware on it. I noticed that last summer, and there are other anecdotal reports of this on the internetzors.
novasource said:
This phone has the domestic unlock by Sprint, so I can switch stock ROMs. I did exactly that last summer when Sprint and T-Mobile's ROMs both had v4 bootloaders.
Because it is unlocked, you are right that I can also put in a T-Mobile SIM while it has the Sprint ROM. However, it will not see all T-Mobile bands until I put T-Mobile firmware on it. I noticed that last summer, and there are other anecdotal reports of this on the internetzors.
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Pretty certain that all bootloaders on the US model S7s are locked meaning you cannot switch stock ROMs, other than Verizon to the G930U, maybe others to that U firmware, but I don't own the snapdragon variant so just going on what I've read here on XDA
All Snapdragon US S7s are bootloader locked, meaning no custom anything
As for certain bootloaders of each stock ROM I don't know
But I do know SIM unlock and bootloader unlock are two completely different things, switching from one carrier ROM to another does not unlock the SIM to that carrier
*Detection* said:
Pretty certain that all bootloaders on the US model S7s are locked...
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They are locked against unauthorized/custom software, but there is nothing that stops you from putting authorized software on them. As all US variants are hardware-identical, all carrier ROMs are by definition authorized on any.
novasource said:
They are locked against unauthorized/custom software, but there is nothing that stops you from putting authorized software on them. As all US variants are hardware-identical, all carrier ROMs are by definition authorized on any.
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I see, but what would be the point of switching from Sprint to T-Mobile stock ROM?
Surely just different OEM bloat?
*Detection* said:
I see, but what would be the point of switching from Sprint to T-Mobile stock ROM?
Surely just different OEM bloat?
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While the hardware supports all bands, the ROMs do not have all bands enabled. From personal experience last summer, if you have the Sprint ROM on the phone, your phone will not see all T-Mobile bands. There are plenty of anecdotal reports of this on the internet.
novasource said:
While the hardware supports all bands, the ROMs do not have all bands enabled. From personal experience last summer, if you have the Sprint ROM on the phone, your phone will not see all T-Mobile bands. There are plenty of anecdotal reports of this on the internet.
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I was under the impression that only SIM unlocking would solve that?
So you are saying that by managing to flash from Sprint to T-Mobile, a Sprint S7 is now able to use the T-Mobile network without a SIM unlock ?
*Detection* said:
I was under the impression that only SIM unlocking would solve that?
So you are saying that by managing to flash from Sprint to T-Mobile, a Sprint S7 is now able to use the T-Mobile network without a SIM unlock ?
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SIM unlocking only appears to permit you to put your phone on another network. It does not appear to enable all your phone's bands. To enable another network's bands, you appear to have to switch ROMs. If there's another way of doing that, I'm interested!
novasource said:
SIM unlocking only appears to permit you to put your phone on another network. It does not appear to enable all your phone's bands. To enable another network's bands, you appear to have to switch ROMs. If there's another way of doing that, I'm interested!
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My guess is you would first need to perform the actual SIM unlock, and then move over to the preferred network ROM to have 100% of their bands and abilities
If your phone was originally on Sprint, and you managed to flash to T-Mobile, my guess is that your T-Mobile SIM would still not work until you SIM unlocked
CSC change is what determines which features work and don't, for example on o2 CSC I can get WiFi calling, but with XEU (also UK ROM) I cannot, even though my carrier is o2, basically I bought the phone on XEU but unless I switch manually over to O2 CSC I cannot use that feature
*Detection* said:
My guess is you would first need to perform the actual SIM unlock, and then move over to the preferred network ROM to have 100% of their bands and abilities
If your phone was originally on Sprint, and you managed to flash to T-Mobile, my guess is that your T-Mobile SIM would still not work until you SIM unlocked
CSC change is what determines which features work and don't, for example on o2 CSC I can get WiFi calling, but with XEU (also UK ROM) I cannot, even though my carrier is o2, basically I bought the phone on XEU but unless I switch manually over to O2 CSC I cannot use that feature
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Yes. Another way of putting this is that SIM unlock and band unlock are different. Sprint can unlock the SIM and let me put other carriers' SIMs in my phone. However, that doesn't unlock all the bands. That is only doable by flashing that carrier's ROM. Due to Sprint's curious choice to upgrade its bootloader, I am locked out of doing that.
I have previously been in a state where my CP was from a different-version SM-G930U ROM, while the rest was from an SM-G930P ROM, and I got repeated "Security notice" warnings from the Samsung software.
HELP
Beanvee7 said:
No work arounds I've ever seen, US snapdragon models are all bootloader locked which prevents you doing any major modifications at a firmware level.
You'll either have to wait for a v5 of the firmware you want, or try the carrier unlocked G930U v5 firmware which might work better with T-Mobile.
I believe this is also the same for the unlocked bootloader on Exynos models, but only if you get the newest drag firmware version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am somewhat experienced in this but not enough to be sure. I have sm-g30U factory unlocked by sam and got oreo update and hate. How may I check my versions or rather where might I find the proper software to downgrade to nougat . I dont understand why people keep saying "930U sprint, or vzw" . When its unlocked its not any carrier only the carrier you happen to use as its a dual sim right ? though today im with vzw i may not be tomorrow. Anyway can i flash backwards , I saw a few videos where it was done on sammobile and if not I would love to get any info in rooting it to help my battery not liking the oreo so i can help at least with bloatware. any help would be appreciated
nocamp said:
I dont understand why people keep saying "930U sprint, or vzw"d
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There's two types of unlock.
* Bootloader unlock, which allows you to modifies the phones boot partition. It's required for custom ROM's and recovery.
* Carrier unlock, which is just whether your phone allows any SIM or only a specific carrier.
The G930U is carrier unlocked, you can use any SIM, but it's still bootloader locked like every other US model S7, which means no boot modifications.
As a result you can't rollback the G930U because of the locked bootloader, and you can root it but only but using an engineering bootloader which comes with many side affects.
Does only the number matter or does also the letter? For example, say Im deciding between U5 and S5, how would the efuse work?
DeeXii said:
Does only the number matter or does also the letter? For example, say Im deciding between U5 and S5, how would the efuse work?
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Yes just the number , cell carriers tend to use the letter S while Samsung unbranded tend to use the letter U. But the number tells you the version boot loader .
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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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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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?