What kind of things can we expect now with an unlocked bootloader? - Droid RAZR M Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I have no idea what this really means since I've always been with Motorola.
Are there any Roms out there already worth flashing to now or do we have to wait until something is developed?

You can check out the few roms that are flashable in a recovery or mount as system for the ones that are built for safestrap. As far as expectations, it really depends on the demand of this device for custom firmware and the availability of resources and devs as well as difficulty of the kernel and getting source code....so don't expect tons but maybe take the opportunity to get your hands into development. That's how I'm using this opportunity. What it means is that if unlocked you control your phone, completely, and can enhance or screw it up as much as you like.

besides controlling everything is there currently any great advantage to having an unlocked boot loader

mamismo said:
besides controlling everything is there currently any great advantage to having an unlocked boot loader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you can install a custom recovery and do a full image nandroid backup of your phone. Very helpful when things go wrong.

Related

[Q] Anyone developing custom rom?

just a general post really, i my self am not a developer, i have made a custom Rom for tmobile pulse and a tablet, very easy compared to getting a recovery image on here etc, just wonted to know if anyone was looking at it after the boot loader was unlocked.
Cheers
tux880 said:
just a general post really, i my self am not a developer, i have made a custom Rom for tmobile pulse and a tablet, very easy compared to getting a recovery image on here etc, just wonted to know if anyone was looking at it after the boot loader was unlocked.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont think we can even flash anything yet, with the current dump it's pretty easy to add Root but we can't flash it.
waz000000 said:
I dont think we can even flash anything yet, with the current dump it's pretty easy to add Root but we can't flash it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We should be able to flash roms via fastboot, but it has the potential to destroy a lot too. We first need to gain root access to get some informations about the device before we can start cooking roms. Then however, it should go pretty fast, as the hardware isn't all that different from the Desire Z, for example, which is already rocking Stable Cyanogenmod 7 and MIUI

[Q] K1 support?

I'm another owner of the K1. I've had it for a while now since xmas and I do like it, but I cant get over the locked bootloader. I was hoping to be able to overclock it so apps for school would run nice and smooth but it doesnt seem to be happening.
Do you guys think I should hold onto it and wait for a root with recovery and hopefully some mods? Or just sell it and try to get a tegra 3?
I'm torn between this man because I have a beefy laptop so I dont need a quad core tablet, I just want it to be smooth. Kernels, overclocking and custom roms always did it for me in prior phones, now its like we're forced to upgrade every year
shoot me some advice
manooti said:
I'm another owner of the K1. I've had it for a while now since xmas and I do like it, but I cant get over the locked bootloader. I was hoping to be able to overclock it so apps for school would run nice and smooth but it doesnt seem to be happening.
Do you guys think I should hold onto it and wait for a root with recovery and hopefully some mods? Or just sell it and try to get a tegra 3?
I'm torn between this man because I have a beefy laptop so I dont need a quad core tablet, I just want it to be smooth. Kernels, overclocking and custom roms always did it for me in prior phones, now its like we're forced to upgrade every year
shoot me some advice
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It has already been rooted. Once rooted you can OC all you want.
Thanks for the reply. Just wanted to make sure because the K1 doesnt even have its own category in xda.
So, this wont need a kernel to oc?
manooti said:
Thanks for the reply. Just wanted to make sure because the K1 doesnt even have its own category in xda.
So, this wont need a kernel to oc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not OC, but have read links saying there are OC tools and all you need is root. So, you'll have to Google it knowing that you can get root and see if that's correct.
TD
timmyDean,
Thanks. Im just hoping to not run into any problems with overclocking it. Ive rooted a lot of phones and overclocked them all.. even overclocked my pc. Since I started I cant stop lol. Its compulsive, i know, but there is a difference in responsiveness so it's not all my my head lol
I'm on A301_13_13_111209_US
Kernel 2.6.36.3
Do you know which method I should run?
Sort of confused in your development thread about using different blobs and updating with OTA.
Yup, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=21309379&postcount=50
This will flash you directly to 13_13US rooted!
You're the man! I'll be attempting this tonight. Hopefully all goes well.
One question tho, if someone manages to port over cwm, will there be custom roms and so on for this tablet? I saw someone working on porting cwm, but doesnt look too promising.
manooti said:
You're the man! I'll be attempting this tonight. Hopefully all goes well.
One question tho, if someone manages to port over cwm, will there be custom roms and so on for this tablet? I saw someone working on porting cwm, but doesnt look too promising.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CWM is already ported. I haven't tried it, but according to the developer it works. I have no reason to use it because there's nothing I want to load. I suspect it's just being used to make backups because I haven't seen any chatter on custom ROMS. As far as custom ROM development, who knows. In my opinion these Lenovo are 'junk'. Again, my opinion. Lenovo doesn't want you to modify their devices, so they make it hard to root. They want you to go to them for a custom ROM. We've tried that and it's a joke. We develop drivers and special drivers for hardware and develop several applications for vertical markets. Chances are, if you have a HC tablet you've got a driver buried in there that we wrote (our NDA keeps me from saying who, but I would say every make listed in these forums --if I were to guess). Our vertical applications cannot be sold as a solution to a fortune 500 company with us demanding they buy a custom Lenovo hardware. That has only worked with Government sales because the Lenovo suits convinced them that they are super secure.
Anyway, good luck
TD
Thats some good info man. Now I'm thinking of rooting and throwing it up for sale as rooted and buying a transformer prime
manooti said:
Thats some good info man. Now I'm thinking of rooting and throwing it up for sale as rooted and buying a transformer prime
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also, might I add they seem to want to restrict you and feed you a bunch of their 'bloatware'. A few months back, when they were in talking with our management team they said they were offering a complete solution hardware and software. They want to make money on their Marketplace applications, etc etc. I sort of got the impression they thought that was where the real money was and not in just selling tablets.
TD
Now that makes sense. Theyll never release an unlocked boot
This sucks man..
Going to root after ghost adventures
One question before I go all the way with it, whats the procedure for updating with new releases? Best to wait for your releases?
manooti said:
Now that makes sense. Theyll never release an unlocked boot
This sucks man..
Going to root after ghost adventures
One question before I go all the way with it, whats the procedure for updating with new releases? Best to wait for your releases?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
New releases, go for it:
This is what I do:
1. Backup my apps because if the OTA knocks out root(#), you have to flash it.
2. I install the backdoor
3. I backup the su
4. I lock the su and backup su so updates HOPEFULLY don't break root(#)
5. Then I take the OTA.
6. After OTA, I reconnect and see if root(#) is still working. If not, I try the backup root(#). If they are both gone, then I hope the backdoor still works. If not then I flash back to where I was. I then ***** at Lenovo and look for a way to hack it.
Anyway, the backdoor and locking of su are in a script file you can run as long as you have adb working. 99% of the time su stays (because you lock it) or the backdoor works. Also, before taking the OTA you can usually download and see what they are changing. If it breaks root and the back door then what I usually do is pull it apart and build a custom system.img. Inside the OTA zip will be the boot.img. You can actually take it and 'cook' it in your kitchen adding root. Then you take the system.img from a prior release, mount it, and replace all the files with the ones inside your OTA. Make sure you account for blob changes if they are in the OTA. If there's a blob, then put it in the blob tool folder, extract it, and add it to the flash and replace bootloader.bin. Swear some more at Lenovo, and flash in your custom ROM. Now ad su and busybox, and superuser.apk. Use the dump tools in dump folder to build a new system.img. Replace your cooked boot.img with the original OTA boot.img and you're done.
TD.
Then ***** at Lenovo some more lol.
Thanks for the tips, Ill try the script if there is a reasonable update for it ie ICS.
For now the root worked.. flawlessly. Thanks for your work man.

[Q] Developer Edition Tar 4.4.4 NE9

I may have messed up, but I am not 100%, not use to Samsung Devices.
I have a developers edition S5.
I tried to run updates but it would not take any update OTA even though there were two, NCG was the current room.
I flashed the ni2 via odin.
Now on the screen, instead of Mode: Developer, it says Qualcomm Secureboot.
I am not sure if I relocked the bootloader, if it can be unlocked,
Or this just the need to go into a recovery and flash a different rom.
Did I relock the bootloader?
hill180 said:
I may have messed up, but I am not 100%, not use to Samsung Devices.
I have a developers edition S5.
I tried to run updates but it would not take any update OTA even though there were two, NCG was the current room.
I flashed the ni2 via odin.
Now on the screen, instead of Mode: Developer, it says Qualcomm Secureboot.
I am not sure if I relocked the bootloader, if it can be unlocked,
Or this just the need to go into a recovery and flash a different rom.
Did I relock the bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe you have. But first I need to ask you 1) were you rooted and 2) did you have a custom recovery (TWRP) on your phone before you ODIN'd NI2? If you had TWRP on your phone before ODIN can you get into TWRP recovery now? Just an FYI, Samsung does not send out, in any form (OTA or otherwise) updates to the Developer Edition phones. The explanation for why they don't is long and no one except for Samsung knows for sure and they are not commenting on the issue. Dev owners keep their phones up to date by flashing custom ROMs released by our Dev community for retail and dev edition phones.
hill180 said:
Did I relock the bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you flashed the stock tar you locked the bootloader and unfortunately you will need to contact Samsung and explain what you did. Most likely you will need to send the phone in so they can unlock it again. Contact them first.
Misterxtc said:
When you flashed the stock tar you locked the bootloader and unfortunately you will need to contact Samsung and explain what you did. Most likely you will need to send the phone in so they can unlock it again. Contact them first.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you're right Misterxtc, unfortunately all Samsung is going to do is return him a retail version of the S5. According to 3 other Dev owners that locked their bootloaders all Samsung would do is return their phones to working order, but no unlocked bootloader.
jpcalhoun said:
I think you're right Misterxtc, unfortunately all Samsung is going to do is return him a retail version of the S5. According to 3 other Dev owners that locked their bootloaders all Samsung would do is return their phones to working order, but no unlocked bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That doesn't sound too promising. They really need to change their policy on that.
im not sure why you would have flashed a ne9 tar when instructions clearly say NOT to flash odin tars on a dev edition s5 because it will lock the bootloader
Sent from my SM-G900V using XDA Free mobile app
Thank you all.
Yes the phone has been locked. Obviously I blame myself for not researching and just assuming.
If there is a silver lining, it appears my phone has a bad microphone, when I called, Samsung wanted to do an warranty exchange. I told them it was a new item less than 5 days, so I am just going to return.
Still debating if I should wait a few month and get the S5 locked from VZW as I am not seeing a lot of dev (although it makes it easier to root), or if I should get another model of phone all together, or reorder the S5 Dev Edition.
hill180 said:
Thank you all.
Yes the phone has been locked. Obviously I blame myself for not researching and just assuming.
If there is a silver lining, it appears my phone has a bad microphone, when I called, Samsung wanted to do an warranty exchange. I told them it was a new item less than 5 days, so I am just going to return.
Still debating if I should wait a few month and get the S5 locked from VZW as I am not seeing a lot of dev (although it makes it easier to root), or if I should get another model of phone all together, or reorder the S5 Dev Edition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope Samsung does right by you. Just my opinion, but I think the Developer Edition S5 is the best phone on the market right now. The only other phone, that I know of, that allows the user the flexibility and performance of a unlocked bootloader phone is the HTC M8. The M8 is a good phone no doubt, but I like the S5 better. True, there aren't that many ROMs rilght now, but more and more get added as time goes by. The ROMs that are available are good, staple ROMs and range anywhere from super customization available to the user to lean, debloated super fast with great battery life...and a couple in between. Your choice, but if Samsung will replace your Dev Edition with a new Dev Edition...I think that is your best bet right now. But that is just my opinion. Good luck.
jpcalhoun said:
I hope Samsung does right by you. Just my opinion, but I think the Developer Edition S5 is the best phone on the market right now. The only other phone, that I know of, that allows the user the flexibility and performance of a unlocked bootloader phone is the HTC M8. The M8 is a good phone no doubt, but I like the S5 better. True, there aren't that many ROMs rilght now, but more and more get added as time goes by. The ROMs that are available are good, staple ROMs and range anywhere from super customization available to the user to lean, debloated super fast with great battery life...and a couple in between. Your choice, but if Samsung will replace your Dev Edition with a new Dev Edition...I think that is your best bet right now. But that is just my opinion. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, Samsung is def returning the Dev phone without a 15% restock (have rma). Not because of the locking, but because of the mic. I think you are correct.
I had to go to my standby which is the dev Moto X. Love this phone, but the photos are bad, and it is slow. When I confirm the credit has been giving for the Dev phone, I will reorder the Dev edition. This time I will have to figure out a way to make a backup for resell, and flash only using TWRP.
hill180 said:
Thanks, Samsung is def returning the Dev phone without a 15% restock (have rma). Not because of the locking, but because of the mic. I think you are correct.
I had to go to my standby which is the dev Moto X. Love this phone, but the photos are bad, and it is slow. When I confirm the credit has been giving for the Dev phone, I will reorder the Dev edition. This time I will have to figure out a way to make a backup for resell, and flash only using TWRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've always been a Moto fan myself, but although they still make good phones, they're not great phones (camera, display etc). I just post a "Do's and Don'ts" for Dev owners. Give it a read and let me know if I should add something to the thread. I've seen six users brick their Dev S5s in the past couple of weeks, hopefully the thread will help the next guy from making a mistake: http://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-galaxy-s5/general/developer-edition-s5-dos-donts-t2895563
jpcalhoun said:
I've always been a Moto fan myself, but although they still make good phones, they're not great phones (camera, display etc). I just post a "Do's and Don'ts" for Dev owners. Give it a read and let me know if I should add something to the thread. I've seen six users brick their Dev S5s in the past couple of weeks, hopefully the thread will help the next guy from making a mistake: http://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-galaxy-s5/general/developer-edition-s5-dos-donts-t2895563
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
great read. (I my case I would have still been returning my phone, but the next S5 will be safe )
The only add, if even possible. It is possible to backup the stock recovery before installing TWRP. So when it is time to sell, you can return the TWRP original backup and flash the original stock recovery?
hill180 said:
great read. (I my case I would have still been returning my phone, but the next S5 will be safe )
The only add, if even possible. It is possible to backup the stock recovery before installing TWRP. So when it is time to sell, you can return the TWRP original backup and flash the original stock recovery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a great question and one that I have been trying to figure how to do. I am not sure about this, but in order to backup a stock recovery you would have to use ADB and do a total backup of the phone that way. I have never tried that and I don't know for sure if it will even work using ADB. Here is how I look at it...who would want to pay $550 (or less) for a Developer Edition phone and never replace the stock recovery with a custom recovery? It doesn't make sense. In fact, the only way you can tell that a Developer Edition phone has not been inadvertently "locked" (not trying to stick a finger in your eye here) is to ask/see if a custom recovery is installed. If not, then there is no guarantee to the buyer that the bootloader is truly unlocked. SafeStrap does not count!

Can I install custom roms on T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge SM-G935T

I know this question has been asked, and have been searching around the forums, but everything I am seeing says the reason that there are no real custom roms for this device is because the Bootloader is locked.. In my developer options on my device I am given the choice to enable OEM Unlock. Will this allow me to bypass the issues others are having? My Goal is to eventually learn what needs to be done so I can create my own rom or take a stock debloated rom and customize it completely to an end result I am happy with including UI/apps etc..
Thanks,
KaboneIsLegend
KaboneIsLegend said:
I know this question has been asked, and have been searching around the forums, but everything I am seeing says the reason that there are no real custom roms for this device is because the Bootloader is locked.. In my developer options on my device I am given the choice to enable OEM Unlock. Will this allow me to bypass the issues others are having? My Goal is to eventually learn what needs to be done so I can create my own rom or take a stock debloated rom and customize it completely to an end result I am happy with including UI/apps etc..
Thanks,
KaboneIsLegend
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. We can still have custom roms but we're just stuck with the one kernel required for root.
KaboneIsLegend said:
I know this question has been asked, and have been searching around the forums, but everything I am seeing says the reason that there are no real custom roms for this device is because the Bootloader is locked.. In my developer options on my device I am given the choice to enable OEM Unlock. Will this allow me to bypass the issues others are having? My Goal is to eventually learn what needs to be done so I can create my own rom or take a stock debloated rom and customize it completely to an end result I am happy with including UI/apps etc..
Thanks,
KaboneIsLegend
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bootloader is still locked. As of right now there is no way to unlock it so there is no way to have a custom ROM.
If you look at the development thread, you can see the options. One is a mod of the OEM ROM (PD8 only), but the other two are ROMs - on bade on 935U (echoe) and the other is a cleaned up modified Stock ROM.
With the locked bootloader you can only flash signed by Samsung ROMs - so no ASOP, CMxx ROMs. But by taking a stock ROM or the exiting unbloated one (with permission if you want to post your ROM - which would be welcome) it is something you can do right now (after you are rooted of course).
We also don't have custom recoveries, but flashing and backing up with FlashFire works pretty good, so go for it !
Binary100100 said:
Nope. We can still have custom roms but we're just stuck with the one kernel required for root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your talking the engineering boot.img ?
ShrekOpher said:
Bootloader is still locked. As of right now there is no way to unlock it so there is no way to have a custom ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No way to force this?
gaww said:
If you look at the development thread, you can see the options. One is a mod of the OEM ROM (PD8 only), but the other two are ROMs - on bade on 935U (echoe) and the other is a cleaned up modified Stock ROM.
With the locked bootloader you can only flash signed by Samsung ROMs - so no ASOP, CMxx ROMs. But by taking a stock ROM or the exiting unbloated one (with permission if you want to post your ROM - which would be welcome) it is something you can do right now (after you are rooted of course).
We also don't have custom recoveries, but flashing and backing up with FlashFire works pretty good, so go for it !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure I know the answer to this, but can we fake signing? Also where would I need to go to research what needs to be done to remove the locked bootloader for my specific device? Maybe I can contribute something towards helping this get done. Are there any places people have shared their research?
Thanks guys for the awesome replies
KaboneIsLegend said:
I'm sure I know the answer to this, but can we fake signing? Also where would I need to go to research what needs to be done to remove the locked bootloader for my specific device? Maybe I can contribute something towards helping this get done. Are there any places people have shared their research?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
People have been working on this since the device launched back in March. As far as I know, the files are cryptographically signed by Samsung, and the only way to bypass that is to find some kind of security exploit. As of yet, it hasn't been done. The leaked engineering kernel is basically the only known path at the moment to step outside of Samsung's locked down system.
andrewNY said:
People have been working on this since the device launched back in March. As far as I know, the files are cryptographically signed by Samsung, and the only way to bypass that is to find some kind of security exploit. As of yet, it hasn't been done. The leaked engineering kernel is basically the only known path at the moment to step outside of Samsung's locked down system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright I will look into this then. I'm new to the android scene, but have experience with disassembly for applications, and reverse engineering for the older video game consoles. So why is there an option to oem unlock the phone if it doesn't really do that?
KaboneIsLegend said:
Alright I will look into this then. I'm new to the android scene, but have experience with disassembly for applications, and reverse engineering for the older video game consoles. So why is there an option to oem unlock the phone if it doesn't really do that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because not all variants have a locked bootloader. Just the US Qualcomm versions.
Binary100100 said:
Because not all variants have a locked bootloader. Just the US Qualcomm versions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that. I understand now.
We are rooted only because of the engineering bootloader. Stupid question time - with the problems with the kernel which are only partially fixed, ccouyld the kernel inself be modified or would it then be blocked by the bootloader.
There may custom kernels out there that would not work on a locked bootloader, but is the engineering kernel possibly open to modifications?

What's the most up to date gcam that you could install and still receive OTA updates?

Hello fellow users,
I would really like to install gcam to avoid having to use the pretty crappy stock camera app, but I'm absolutely inexperienced in mobile device software modding and whatever.
I have flashed a few custom roms back in the day, but I didn't really understand what I was even really doing
If anyone could lend me a hand installing gcam, receiving updates and having my warranty then please do. All of the terms like magisk, fastboot, adb and whatever are new to me and I don't know what they mean, lol
I am however quite experienced in computing, I built computers, did various software installs, Linux, Windows, whatever, so teaching me about mobiles wouldn't be too hard :fingers-crossed:
prerooted said:
Hello fellow users,
I would really like to install gcam to avoid having to use the pretty crappy stock camera app, but I'm absolutely inexperienced in mobile device software modding and whatever.
I have flashed a few custom roms back in the day, but I didn't really understand what I was even really doing
If anyone could lend me a hand installing gcam, receiving updates and having my warranty then please do. All of the terms like magisk, fastboot, adb and whatever are new to me and I don't know what they mean, lol
I am however quite experienced in computing, I built computers, did various software installs, Linux, Windows, whatever, so teaching me about mobiles wouldn't be too hard :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you on stock Rom? Is your bootloader locked?
Ritik99 said:
Are you on stock Rom? Is your bootloader locked?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am on stock rom, and bootloader locked. Haven't done any tampering yet
prerooted said:
I am on stock rom, and bootloader locked. Haven't done any tampering yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://forum.xda-developers.com/mi-a1/how-to/manual-google-camera-root-magisk-enable-t3823595
Follow this guide properly.

Categories

Resources