I was given an AT&T I337 that had been operator unlocked by a friend. I took it back to NF1 ROM using Heimdall, acquired root with Towelroot and then used Safestrap to boot custom recovery. However, it seems that there is still no way to unlock the bootloader and install other than TW ROMs fully utilizing the phone? I came across an old thread where someone hinted that he had cracked the bootloader encryption but it seemed to fizzle out into nothing.
Am I correct in the understanding above? If so, I will put the phone away since this will not meet my needs.
hga89 said:
I was given an AT&T I337 that had been operator unlocked by a friend. I took it back to NF1 ROM using Heimdall, acquired root with Towelroot and then used Safestrap to boot custom recovery. However, it seems that there is still no way to unlock the bootloader and install other than TW ROMs fully utilizing the phone? I came across an old thread where someone hinted that he had cracked the bootloader encryption but it seemed to fizzle out into nothing.
Am I correct in the understanding above? If so, I will put the phone away since this will not meet my needs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The bootloader is locked and cannot be unlocked. You are stuck with custom TW ROMS only. There was an exploit for the Android 4.2.2 jelly bean firmware that allowed custom ROMS and recovery, but the flaw was patched in later firmware builds and if you try to roll back to the 4.2.2 firmware you will brick your phone.
StoneyJSG said:
The bootloader is locked and cannot be unlocked. You are stuck with custom TW ROMS only. There was an exploit for the Android 4.2.2 jelly bean firmware that allowed custom ROMS and recovery, but the flaw was patched in later firmware builds and if you try to roll back to the 4.2.2 firmware you will brick your phone.
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Click to collapse
Thank you, then the information I gleaned was indeed correct. I will have to put this phone aside since I wanted to run LineageOS on it and it needed to be encrypted as well...
Related
Just purchased an HD MAXX from Ebay and the seller said it has a permanently unlocked bootloader and a custom ROM flashed. I'm upgrading from a Bionic that I rooted, installed SafeStrap and tried a few custom ROMs in the slots. I'm going to have the phone flashed over to Page Plus and the person doing the flashing told me it has to be on stock. The seller told me that the bootloader is permanently unlocked. The seller also told me how the bootloader was unlocked and I read something similar here that if it were unlocked at a certain point, or before a certain update was pushed out, it would be permanently unlocked,
I just don't want to screw anything up trying to flash it back to stock. It's running the TWRP custom recovery. I've flashed ROM's before, I've rooted phones before but from what I understand having a Razr with an unlocked bootloader is something special and I wouldn't want to screw that up. Thanks
SkyRocker_58 said:
Just purchased an HD MAXX from Ebay and the seller said it has a permanently unlocked bootloader and a custom ROM flashed. I'm upgrading from a Bionic that I rooted, installed SafeStrap and tried a few custom ROMs in the slots. I'm going to have the phone flashed over to Page Plus and the person doing the flashing told me it has to be on stock. The seller told me that the bootloader is permanently unlocked. The seller also told me how the bootloader was unlocked and I read something similar here that if it were unlocked at a certain point, or before a certain update was pushed out, it would be permanently unlocked,
I just don't want to screw anything up trying to flash it back to stock. It's running the TWRP custom recovery. I've flashed ROM's before, I've rooted phones before but from what I understand having a Razr with an unlocked bootloader is something special and I wouldn't want to screw that up. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The seller is correct. May 25 is dday for the ...79 build that locks the boot.
You do not state your build.
Get the latest twrp 2632 for a pocket proof noob recovery but for a successful cm 11 flash you need philz newest & philz 6079 for some flashes that err 7 on the 619 ver.
926 philz only comes in .img. Get recovery tools to load the img from homescreen. Philz is in the orig dev section.
When in doubt backup.
See my 907 stuff for lots similar things/guides that apply to the 926 as well.
SkyRocker_58 said:
Just purchased an HD MAXX from Ebay and the seller said it has a permanently unlocked bootloader and a custom ROM flashed. I'm upgrading from a Bionic that I rooted, installed SafeStrap and tried a few custom ROMs in the slots. I'm going to have the phone flashed over to Page Plus and the person doing the flashing told me it has to be on stock. The seller told me that the bootloader is permanently unlocked. The seller also told me how the bootloader was unlocked and I read something similar here that if it were unlocked at a certain point, or before a certain update was pushed out, it would be permanently unlocked,
I just don't want to screw anything up trying to flash it back to stock. It's running the TWRP custom recovery. I've flashed ROM's before, I've rooted phones before but from what I understand having a Razr with an unlocked bootloader is something special and I wouldn't want to screw that up. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as long as you have the drivers installed on your pc all you have to do is grab one of the utilities from the dev forum and flash it back to stock. there is also an option in there to put the stock recovery back on. its all plug and click.
Thanks guys!
Appreciate the replies and info. My main concern was doing something to possibly "re-lock" the bootloader. From what you're saying I shouldn't have any problems, flash it back to stock, flash it to page plus, flash custom recovery, start trying out ROM's lol
Thanks again!
Once the fuse is blown it cannot be "rearmed". But I've heard that there are couple of those in our RAZR. But I don't think vz or moto are interested in making our phones inoperable.
Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I can attest to the fact that once you unlock the bootloader, it won't get relocked since it's a physical change (blown e-fuse as others have mentioned).
I have flashed back to a previous stock, took the OTA and the bootloader was still unlocked.
However, never say never and when KitKat comes out for this phone, I will not be quick to install it. I will wait and see what everyone says before I accept it. No way I take an OTA that somehow finds a different way to lock the bootloader.
My old Razr HD has been broken for a couple months so I recently ordered a new one. Now I've heard that there's been a KitKat update for the phone as well as a new bootloader unlock method as well. Can someone tell me if I'll run into problems flashing a backup of my old phone, that was running a 4.4.2 rom since before the 4.1.2 bootloader patch , onto my new phone, which will have stock 4.4 kitkat with unlocked bootloader.
PhantasmalCat said:
My old Razr HD has been broken for a couple months so I recently ordered a new one. Now I've heard that there's been a KitKat update for the phone as well as a new bootloader unlock method as well. Can someone tell me if I'll run into problems flashing a backup of my old phone, that was running a 4.4.2 rom since before the 4.1.2 bootloader patch , onto my new phone, which will have stock 4.4 kitkat with unlocked bootloader.
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Click to collapse
some confusion needs to be cleared up before i can answer that (im easily confused )
you unlocked on the original exploit and were running a custom rom?
assuming yes, what was the highest stock software you ever put on the phone?
assuming JB, you would only be able to restore the nandroid if the new phone was unlocked on jb.
assuming KK, you would be able to restore the nandroid directly to the new unlocked kk phone.
if i need to assume some more reply, and i would be happy to help.
bweN diorD said:
some confusion needs to be cleared up before i can answer that (im easily confused )
you unlocked on the original exploit and were running a custom rom?
assuming yes, what was the highest stock software you ever put on the phone?
assuming JB, you would only be able to restore the nandroid if the new phone was unlocked on jb.
assuming KK, you would be able to restore the nandroid directly to the new unlocked kk phone.
if i need to assume some more reply, and i would be happy to help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I unlocked on the original method and ultimately ended up flashing a KK rom. So I guess I can flash my backup without problem on my new phone then once I unlock it. Also, is the new unlock method as easy as installing two apps as I read? Is there an updated Razr HD Utility/ Droid Toolbox I can use, I think I saw someone mention them but I couldn't find updated versions.
EDIT: I found the updated Razr HD Utility but I'll probably just use your guide instead. Thanks for the help!
Ok i recieved my galaxy s3 in the mail today and look up how to root it.I found a very easy way by using towel root with supper something to do some binary configuring so it would be a good root.Any way after my device was rooted i decided to get CWM so i could install a custom rom.I tried odin but when i tried it it failed to flash.So then i went on the play store and got rom manager and installed it through there.I then tried to get into CWM and saw this message "Verizion has detected 3rd party software bring it to a verizion shop" something like that.Anyway idk what to do now.Do i unlock the bootloader now? is the bootloader even the problem? if i unlock the bootloader will my device be okay and will i be able to get into CWM? i really need help its been a while since i rooted the last time i rooted it was a samsung galaxy player 5.0 and i was able to get CWM and root i digress.Thanks in advance.
im running 4.2.2
Nitrosolid said:
Ok i recieved my galaxy s3 in the mail today and look up how to root it.I found a very easy way by using towel root with supper something to do some binary configuring so it would be a good root.Any way after my device was rooted i decided to get CWM so i could install a custom rom.I tried odin but when i tried it it failed to flash.So then i went on the play store and got rom manager and installed it through there.I then tried to get into CWM and saw this message "Verizion has detected 3rd party software bring it to a verizion shop" something like that.Anyway idk what to do now.Do i unlock the bootloader now? is the bootloader even the problem? if i unlock the bootloader will my device be okay and will i be able to get into CWM? i really need help its been a while since i rooted the last time i rooted it was a samsung galaxy player 5.0 and i was able to get CWM and root i digress.Thanks in advance.
im running 4.2.2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your going to be upset but you have a locked bootloader. You cannot have custom recovery or most custom roms. I suggest you return it if these things are important to you and get an at&t or t mobile s3 because neither of them have locked bootloaders
Datboi459 said:
Your going to be upset but you have a locked bootloader. You cannot have custom recovery or most custom roms. I suggest you return it if these things are important to you and get an at&t or t mobile s3 because neither of them have locked bootloaders
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Click to collapse
I'm almost sure the att version has a locked bootloader also. Att phones for the most part are similar to VZW ones
Sent from my Nexus 5
ShapesBlue said:
I'm almost sure the att version has a locked bootloader also. Att phones for the most part are similar to VZW ones
Sent from my Nexus 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What S3 device doesnt have a locked boot loader?
Datboi459 said:
Your going to be upset but you have a locked bootloader. You cannot have custom recovery or most custom roms. I suggest you return it if these things are important to you and get an at&t or t mobile s3 because neither of them have locked bootloaders
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah your right.I really wanted to get a custom rom and over clock do all this nice stuff and make my device as awesome as i can make it.i hate verizion and any carrier who locks bootloaders :/.i guess im just gonna un-root it and try to get it back the way it was.Do you know how i can get that verizion message to go away and unroot?
Nitrosolid said:
What S3 device doesnt have a locked boot loader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The t-mobile and sprint version for sure have unlocked bootloaders
Datboi459 said:
The t-mobile and sprint version for sure have unlocked bootloaders
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's true but I'm not sure about the att one
Sent from my Nexus 5
ShapesBlue said:
That's true but I'm not sure about the att one
Sent from my Nexus 5
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Click to collapse
The at&t galaxy s3 bootloader is unlocked. They started locking the bootloader when the s4 came out: http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/08/att-stops-unlocked-bootloader-support/
Datboi459 said:
The at&t galaxy s3 bootloader is unlocked. They started locking the bootloader when the s4 came out: http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/08/att-stops-unlocked-bootloader-support/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right its an older baseband/update that's unlocked just like the VZW S3 running 4.1.2 was unlock able but newer versions are not unlockable
Sent from my Nexus 5
ShapesBlue said:
Right its an older baseband/update that's unlocked just like the VZW S3 running 4.1.2 was unlock able but newer versions are not unlockable
Sent from my Nexus 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On the AT&T S3 (i747) once you take the 4.3 update (MJB) the bootloader is restricted in that you can not down grade it, or any subsequent updates. (It is my daily driver phone)
It is not locked in the sense that you are prohibited from rooting, flashing custom recoveries, custom ROMs, etc. Once you upgrade to the NE4 bootloader and modem you must keep the version numbers for the bootloader and modem matched. It is possible to run custom JB roms on the KK bootloader and modem, although you may need to edit the updater script to get the custom recovery to flash the rom. People are running JB, KK, and LP ROMs on firmware from 4.3 upwards. These ROM are TW mods, AOSP, CM, and CM derivatives.
dawgdoc said:
On the AT&T S3 (i747) once you take the 4.3 update (MJB) the bootloader is restricted in that you can not down grade it, or any subsequent updates. (It is my daily driver phone)
It is not locked in the sense that you are prohibited from rooting, flashing custom recoveries, custom ROMs, etc. Once you upgrade to the NE4 bootloader and modem you must keep the version numbers for the bootloader and modem matched. It is possible to run custom JB roms on the KK bootloader and modem, although you may need to edit the updater script to get the custom recovery to flash the rom. People are running JB, KK, and LP ROMs on firmware from 4.3 upwards. These ROM are TW mods, AOSP, CM, and CM derivatives.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's pretty much how it was on the VZW S3, after the 4.1.2 update there was no going back
Sent from my Nexus 5
ShapesBlue said:
That's pretty much how it was on the VZW S3, after the 4.1.2 update there was no going back
Sent from my Nexus 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you about the no going back.
The big difference is that the AT&T S3 can install the custom recovery or ROM of your choice even if you have taken all of the OTA updates. It is not limited to two or three "safe" ROMs.
Anyhow, all of this is off topic of the thread.
dawgdoc said:
I agree with you about the no going back.
The big difference is that the AT&T S3 can install the custom recovery or ROM of your choice even if you have taken all of the OTA updates. It is not limited to two or three "safe" ROMs.
Anyhow, all of this is off topic of the thread.
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Click to collapse
Ah no worries there. It is what it is. I'd rather just have an unlocked bootloader and not have to fiddle with specific things. I'm loving my Nexus and wouldn't go back to a Samsung right now if I was paid to do it
Sent from my Nexus 5
ShapesBlue said:
Ah no worries there. It is what it is. I'd rather just have an unlocked bootloader and not have to fiddle with specific things. I'm loving my Nexus and wouldn't go back to a Samsung right now if I was paid to do it
Sent from my Nexus 5
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Click to collapse
My wish is that a Nexus had a removable battery and an external sdcard >> the perfect device. ;-D
dawgdoc said:
My wish is that a Nexus had a removable battery and an external sdcard >> the perfect device. ;-D
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Click to collapse
Its not as bad as it sounds. I've gotten use to it not having either. Solid device overall
Sent from my Nexus 5
I am thinking of getting an S6 and i wanted a rootable phone. i see a root method available but no bootloader unlock and yet i see ROMs available. how does this work. i thought bootloader needed to be unlocked in order to do custom ROMs. Or is htere a verizon bootloader unlock available i could not find?
johnbravado said:
I am thinking of getting an S6 and i wanted a rootable phone. i see a root method available but no bootloader unlock and yet i see ROMs available. how does this work. i thought bootloader needed to be unlocked in order to do custom ROMs. Or is htere a verizon bootloader unlock available i could not find?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is not and 99% chance there will never be a bootloader unlock. Root method no longer works in later versions of android. The bootloader does not need to be unlocked with a custom recovery.
I apologize for not diligently searching as I should, I came across this asking the same more or less as I was.... I have one sitting on lrx22g.g920vvru1a0c3 which if I read the root method correctly I can root... At that point you say that the boot loader doesn't need to be unlocked so I can ( mfastboot flash recover xxxx.IMG ) on a locked boot loader? Or use rashr ? And after which we can ROM it?... Could I then theme it as well? I am coming for Motorola's all I've ever had/used/touched ever.... Running stock do I need to deodex it to be able to theme it? Do we have firmware out there n a tool (like Moto's rsd lite/ house of moto) to flash it with? With unlimited data is there a mobile hotspot mod/hack use utilize the baked I hotspot app? Can I still pull system apps theme um zip um and flash up.... Not having the Sim card yet I can really play with it as I wish to ... I just powered it on and its asking for an update... So I figured it'd try to root it now as there's no unlock for it..... Thank you kindly for your time and information
OE2 is the latest firmware that is rootable. Once rooted, you can flash a custom recovery and load roms through that.
There is a rooted S6 available for sale on swappa right now, just so you know
It says it provides the latest Android Security Patch on the Verizon Galaxy S5 Update page.
Now that the Odin FW is out, I flashed an Odin tar of the FW without the aboot and still have a Dev Edition phone. Now we just need an updated aboot.
Original Post:
It says it provides the latest Android Security Patch but if you notice, there is a difference in the "middle" of the build number, which happens when they update the bootloader.
Verizon Galaxy S5 Update page
The first time they updated the bootloader, it prevented downgrading. The number went from G900VVRU1 to G900VVRU2. This time, it's going from G900VVRU2 to G900VVRS2. What does this mean? I have no clue. But I do know that nobody should update until someone like @muniz_ri or @jrkruse has a look at the bootloader to see what exactly this changes. Hopefully it doesn't remove the ability to have Dev Bootloaders anymore.
Dudash said:
It says it provides the latest Android Security Patch but if you notice, there is a difference in the "middle" of the build number, which happens when they update the bootloader.
Verizon Galaxy S5 Update page
The first time they updated the bootloader, it prevented downgrading. The number went from G900VVRU1 to G900VVRU2. This time, it's going from G900VVRU2 to G900VVRS2. What does this mean? I have no clue. But I do know that nobody should update until someone like @muniz_ri or @jrkruse has a look at the bootloader to see what exactly this changes. Hopefully it doesn't remove the ability to have Dev Bootloaders anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 2 in the version represents the bootloader version usually as long as that doesn't change you should still be able to downgrade
jrkruse said:
The 2 in the version represents the bootloader version usually as long as that doesn't change you should still be able to downgrade
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But what does it mean when they change it from VRU2 to VRS2?
The VZW S5 bootloader has always been VRU1 or VRU2. Now all of the sudden they change it to VRS2? They had to have changed something.
Dudash said:
It says it provides the latest Android Security Patch but if you notice, there is a difference in the "middle" of the build number, which happens when they update the bootloader.
Verizon Galaxy S5 Update page
The first time they updated the bootloader, it prevented downgrading. The number went from G900VVRU1 to G900VVRU2. This time, it's going from G900VVRU2 to G900VVRS2. What does this mean? I have no clue. But I do know that nobody should update until someone like @muniz_ri or @jrkruse has a look at the bootloader to see what exactly this changes. Hopefully it doesn't remove the ability to have Dev Bootloaders anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No matter what they change, I think it will be unlocked forever.
I have seen the update yesterday but still not tested as s5 is my daily driver.
mohammad.afaneh said:
No matter what they change, I think it will be unlocked forever.
I have seen the update yesterday but still not tested as s5 is my daily driver.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No if they make it so we can't downgrade then their will be no way to obtain root. Since my bootloader update isn't always successful you could get stuck without being able to root on a worse case scenario. Now you can always start over and reroot
jrkruse said:
No if they make it so we can't downgrade then their will be no way to obtain root. Since my bootloader update isn't always successful you could get stuck without being able to root on a worse case scenario. Now you can always start over and reroot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right, if no root there no unlock.
But If you noticed that all the unlocked devices, Note 3, Note 4 and S5 are downgradeable. S3 and S4 are not!
I think its all about eMMC not the bootloader.
mohammad.afaneh said:
You are right, if no root there no unlock.
But If you noticed that all the unlocked devices, Note 3, Note 4 and S5 are downgradeable. S3 and S4 are not!
I think its all about eMMC not the bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If i read your post correctly, I believe that you may be incorrect on the last sentence. To unlock the bootloader, the devices mentioned need to have the Samsung eMMC 15 chip to aquire unlocking the bootloader.
Also, pretty much the same as the S5, N4 & N3, the S3 & S4 are downgradeable IF you didn't take the update that locked the bootloaders. As i know because I still own my VZW S3 which is unlocked and running TWRP recovery
al50 said:
If i read your post correctly, I believe that you may be incorrect on the last sentence. To unlock the bootloader, the devices mentioned need to have the Samsung eMMC 15 chip to aquire unlocking the bootloader.
Also, pretty much the same as the S5, N4 & N3, the S3 & S4 are downgradeable IF you didn't take the update that locked the bootloaders. As i know because I still own my VZW S3 which is unlocked and running TWRP recovery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I own S3 locked on 4.4.2 and 15 CID and no downgrade caused by eMMC and the aboot together, I think there a fuse triggerd so we cant unlock and downgrade.
My S4 is 11 CID and no downgrade too.
The PL1 update is not up yet so we cant be sure it will lock the bootloader or not, but the S6 already has same bootloader versioning letters on the new update!
I also noticed that my Tab 4 (no carrier, wifi only) just got an update for the first time in like a year and it's bootloader version changed from UEU1 to UES1. Maybe it doesn't mean anything after all.
Well now that the odin firmware came out this morning, I created a .tar without the aboot, flashed it, and I still have a Dev edition with the PJ2 aboot. Hopefully @jrkruse will create a bootloader update zip for the PL1 aboot.
The VZW S4 just got it too.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-verizon/general/update-1545vrsgpl1-t3537781
I'm not the sharpest tool. If the S4 Bootloader was locked via EFuse, how did they update it?
Anyone got and update zip for pl1 ?
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
I was able to obtain root access on my device running LRX22C.I545VRSGPL1, bootloader was indeed updated, could it hinder progress on finding an unlock?