Why is it so hard to unlock the bootloader for the phone? Why is it so important? Is anyone close to getting past it? Or even working on it?
If you're asking these questions, then it is probably a situation where it won't really matter to you. Not trying to offend, but just from reading through your forum posts, I don't believe that you'll see much difference between safestrap ROMs and full custom kernel ROMs.
The answer as to why it's so hard: Samsung/Verizon/ATT work to prevent the bootloader from being unlocked. As such, the same as soft-modding a game console, an exploit needs to be found within the bootloader. This is the most dangerous area on a phone to mess around with, because it's very easy to permanently brick the phone when playing around with the bootloader. On the original droid that was the leading android development platform for a long time, the motto was, "If you can get to your bootloader, you're not perma-bricked." Screw up on the bootloader, and chances are, you have an expensive coaster.
Why is it so important? Locked bootloaders require signed kernels. Signing custom kernels is not going to be an option as it requires a proprietary encryption that is closed source. This can be thought of akin to MagicGate on the PS2 memory cards. (If you tried to create a device to read a PS2 memory card on any other device, it wouldn't work because of the MagicGate encryption.) It's NOT legal to distribute these encryption keys. As such, even if someone were to discover the key for it, if they distribute it to anyone, Samsung can, and as Sony proved, will go after them legally. Unlocked bootloaders can run any kernel that is made for that device. Unlocked bootloaders also allow flashing things such as a modem update without flashing an official update from the OEM. The primary reason, though, is the kernel. To answer your question from another thread, CyanogenMod requires a CM kernel. It isn't built for an OEM kernel.
Is anyone close to getting past it? Your guess is as good as anyone else's here. Probably not. Each thread that was started has been closed for various reasons.
Is anyone working on it? I believe there are a few devs working on it. If it happens, it'll be posted for sure.
question you didn't ask: Is it worth it? This is the important question you should be asking. Is it worth it to you? This isn't a question that can be answered uniformly across the android community. If you don't understand the benefits of a custom kernel, then you probably won't get much mileage out of an unlocked bootloader. If kexec is fully implemented into safestrap, then custom kernels can be executed giving nearly all the benefits of both worlds (safestrap is a wonderful recovery tool. If you brick w/ safestrap, it is PROBABLY bricked AFTER safestrap). The only real lack you have with kexec vs unlocked bootloader is the flashing of modem updates. This can be overcome by keeping your stock slot updated to the latest OTA (given that it's still rootable).
Related
Can we get all the "deaths", "bootloaders" and "fixes" threads together?
Hello,
Sorry for the new topic, I know there are already lots of them about these Death and Bootloader subjects. But I believe under this topic we can document the usefull actions (like how to use triangle away after the new bootloader, "if" we can) so it could guide people in my position.
I believe there are many who cunfused like me and not know what to do in the future if they wanted to use their phones in a way Samsung deos not intented to. So if we can put some Answers here for every scenerio I think it will be usefull for everyone.
Because the actual usefull informations are getting harder to find among all the new threads coming under the actual topics.
So the first thing; there are 3 problems;
1) There is a security breach on the Exynos devices (not a big deal)
2) There is Sudden Death situation for the 16Gb international phones (big deal)
3) There is a new bootloader arrived but it also updates the security against resetting the flash counter as well as fixing the first 2 problems.
Correct me if I am wrong so far. If I am not, going on:
Scenario 1) This new bootloader is the 3rd bootloader released for SGS3 and somehow there is no going back once we flash this? Is this correct? Or are there methods to revert back to old bootloaders?
Scenario 2) If we want to use or phones as stock as much it is then we can just flash the new firmware and we are up2date with the bootloaders too right? But what if I have phone with "TUR" CSC and there is no update yet? Do I have to flash the brand new ROM first than, wipe through CSC changer and than flash the TUR ROM again? Will my fix be applied like this?
Scenario 3) What are the rules to fully benefit from Triangle Away?
Sub-scenario A) what is the path to follow only for Stock + root
Sub-scenario B) what is the path to follow for Stock+ Root + CWM
Sub-scenario C) what is the path to follow for Custom ROM (or CM 10.x) + root + CWM(to flash the custom ROM)
And is there a sub-scenario among them that we have to keep away from the new bootloaders if we want to participate in?
Are there any other scenarios to use our phones?
Since there is no OP updates to answer these questions I believe this topic could be a good guide for cunfused people. I will edit and add the aswers to the OP as they come.
Thanks.
Im looking to buy a note 3 from an individual to keep my unlimited data plan Do I need to make sure its not taken any recent updates aka 4.3 so I can unlock the bootloader and root I want to be able to run custom roms
DizzyFox said:
Im looking to buy a note 3 from an individual to keep my unlimited data plan Do I need to make sure its not taken any recent updates aka 4.3 so I can unlock the bootloader and root I want to be able to run custom roms
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Click to collapse
If you're talking about a Verizon phone, ALL Verizon Note 3's have locked bootloaders & probably always will.
Only the Developer Edition, available directly from Samsung, has an unlocked bootloader. But can root and install custom ROMs by using hashcode's Safestrap, available in the Development section.
cam30era said:
Only the Developer Edition, available directly from Samsung, has an unlocked bootloader. But can root and install custom ROMs by using hashcode's Safestrap, available in the Development section.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok I know I have the note 2 now 4.3 on it I got it rooted but no way to insall custom roms. No SafeStrap Love. So even with a note 3 you cant install cwm recovery regardless of what android version you are running right?
DizzyFox said:
Im looking to buy a note 3 from an individual to keep my unlimited data plan Do I need to make sure its not taken any recent updates aka 4.3 so I can unlock the bootloader and root I want to be able to run custom roms
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DizzyFox; said:
Ok I know I have the note 2 now 4.3 on it I got it rooted but no way to insall custom roms. No SafeStrap Love. So even with a note 3 you cant install cwm recovery regardless of what android version you are running right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To answer both your questions - the latest release "MJE" is still rootable (e.g. with Kingo). By "rootable" here I mean something quite specific: you can get a root shell in the OS and modify the /system partition. Little else.
The other responders here are making the point that the retail VZW Note 3 has a crypto-signed bootloader sequence which has not yet been subverted, and everything is checked right up to and including bootable images (the recovery or the OS kernel). So (for now), no custom recoveries or custom kernels on the retail Verizon Note 3 - but you CAN modify the "ROM". Buy a developer version instead if you want to be sure you will be able to use custom kernels and ramdisks.
Within that limitation SafeStrap (a "pseudo-recovery") is still pretty nice - it is derived directly from TWRP, and behaves almost the same fashion, but with a few tweaks. It captures control early in the STOCK kernel boot sequence, and allows you to "flash" ROMs, and also maintain alternate ROM slots similar to a multi-boot arrangement. This happens via some mounting magic where alternate ROM slots are just file-blobs that live in the /data partition. To it's credit, it behaves in a way where this is mostly transparent to the normal "ROM flashing process". (It symlinks the boot partition to /dev/null so that any attempts to flash a custom kernel appear to happen, but those bits go bye-bye into the bitbucket).
Anyway - the upshot is that on the retail version, any "custom" ROM needs to live happily with the STOCK kernel and ramdisk. So, for example using CM11 for the retail Verizon Note 3 is currently out of the question. But there are a few custom ROMs that live with this limitation - head over to the dev forums and check them out. Just make sure to take note if a ROM is designated as a "developer Edition only" ROM; those will generally not be operational on the retail VZW Note 3.
Over the long term, if the bootloader security is not hacked, it will certainly put a huge damper on XDA development efforts for the VZW Note 3. But you still can do plenty with the tools that Safestrap gives you.
cam30era said:
Only the Developer Edition, available directly from Samsung, has an unlocked bootloader. But can root and install custom ROMs by using hashcode's Safestrap, available in the Development section.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bftb0 said:
To answer both your questions - the latest release "MJE" is still rootable (e.g. with Kingo). By "rootable" here I mean something quite specific: you can get a root shell in the OS and modify the /system partition. Little else.
The other responders here are making the point that the retail VZW Note 3 has a crypto-signed bootloader sequence which has not yet been subverted, and everything is checked right up to and including bootable images (the recovery or the OS kernel). So (for now), no custom recoveries or custom kernels on the retail Verizon Note 3 - but you CAN modify the "ROM". Buy a developer version instead if you want to be sure you will be able to use custom kernels and ramdisks.
Within that limitation SafeStrap (a "pseudo-recovery") is still pretty nice - it is derived directly from TWRP, and behaves almost the same fashion, but with a few tweaks. It captures control early in the STOCK kernel boot sequence, and allows you to "flash" ROMs, and also maintain alternate ROM slots similar to a multi-boot arrangement. This happens via some mounting magic where alternate ROM slots are just file-blobs that live in the /data partition. To it's credit, it behaves in a way where this is mostly transparent to the normal "ROM flashing process". (It symlinks the boot partition to /dev/null so that any attempts to flash a custom kernel appear to happen, but those bits go bye-bye into the bitbucket).
Anyway - the upshot is that on the retail version, any "custom" ROM needs to live happily with the STOCK kernel and ramdisk. So, for example using CM11 for the retail Verizon Note 3 is currently out of the question. But there are a few custom ROMs that live with this limitation - head over to the dev forums and check them out. Just make sure to take note if a ROM is designated as a "developer Edition only" ROM; those will generally not be operational on the retail VZW Note 3.
Over the long term, if the bootloader security is not hacked, it will certainly put a huge damper on XDA development efforts for the VZW Note 3. But you still can do plenty with the tools that Safestrap gives you.
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Click to collapse
Thank you so much that totally clarifies all my concerns. Ive always owned phones even thru Verizon that I could root and unlock the bootloader. Thanks to great Devs. love the note even this note 2 maybe someine will give it a safestrap. Again. Thanks
I have read bits and pieces of the issue over the past month or so, but loki has been patched on the LS980(via ZVA), and it appears that loki was also patched in ATT 4.4 release(via 20c). My questions are these:
1. Was AT&T's loki patched through the same channel as the LS980(the radio files)?
2. Do devs anticipate being able to work around loki to enable running both the new kernel and new radios?
Seeing as how AT&T are total asshats when it comes to loki(coughATTS4cough), I am a bit worried that the loki patches may be similar and lock down all variants of the device. Having already been locked down by Motorola and stuck on Gingerbread forever, as well as having a friend on the perma-locked AT&T Galaxy S4, being perma-locked isn't something I'd take too kindly to. So are there any devs that see light at the end of the tunnel, or are we "up the creek without a paddle?" Thanks!
I'm going to go out on a limb and say if root and ROMS are important to you, DON'T take the update. Go ahead and get a custom recovery installed and wait for a flash able zip of KitKat.
As far as I know, Dan's out of the game and unless he's released Loki to be developed by others, it's done.
I've been searching around the forums and i'm not 100% clear on everything that's possible. As I understand it the at&t version of the Galaxy S 4 has a locked bootloader that would prevent any ASOP rom from working. There seems to be a work around depending on the version of the factory rom on the phone, I am on build number JSS15J.I337UCUEMK2.
Is it possible to downgrade my firmware to a previous bootloader like UCUAMDB or UCUAMDL to make it possible to install an ASOP rom like this one
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...pment/jdcteam-android-source-project-t3140460
or Cynogenmod?
Thanks in advance.
No, it is not possible. I don't fully understand the technology, but apparently the hardware has something like "fuses" which get "blown" when the boot loader is upgraded, and prevent the installation of earlier boot loaders. It's not a very technical explanation, but it's probably close enough for our purposes. It is a physical impossibility.
creepyncrawly said:
No, it is not possible. I don't fully understand the technology, but apparently the hardware has something like "fuses" which get "blown" when the boot loader is upgraded, and prevent the installation of earlier boot loaders. It's not a very technical explanation, but it's probably close enough for our purposes. It is a physical impossibility.
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Click to collapse
Well that's unfortunate so I guess my only options are modified stock roms using safe strap like my Verizon Note 3?
I notice there's a huge ...problem in custom rom makers and their ability to speak proper English. Not to offend them, but it's just really a problem. Decent instructions are skipped, and words are omitted...not sure if they're foreign or what's up with that.
The confusion is currently I'm on Android Stock 5.0.1 Rooted.
Only one thread for Aurora ROMS mention flashing "BL/CP". If I flash a new BL - firstly - would this NOT lock the bootloader/remove the ROOT off the device again?
In which case - wouldn't this remove Custom Recovery etc?
So confused. A lot of 6.0.1 based ROM makers are not even mentioning custom bootloader and modem.....which leaves me wondering if I need it
Forgot to mention I have bootloader currently unlocked
CtJackHarkness said:
I notice there's a huge ...problem in custom rom makers and their ability to speak proper English. Not to offend them, but it's just really a problem. Decent instructions are skipped, and words are omitted...not sure if they're foreign or what's up with that.
The confusion is currently I'm on Android Stock 5.0.1 Rooted.
Only one thread for Aurora ROMS mention flashing "BL/CP". If I flash a new BL - firstly - would this NOT lock the bootloader/remove the ROOT off the device again?
In which case - wouldn't this remove Custom Recovery etc?
So confused. A lot of 6.0.1 based ROM makers are not even mentioning custom bootloader and modem.....which leaves me wondering if I need it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's less about the language barrier and more of an assumption that you already know what you need to know. It's sometimes hard to remember that a lot of people aren't on this site as much as the people who post ROMs are on it. So a lot of the basics get missed.
To answer your question though, you do need to be on the proper bootloader that corresponds to the rom that you want to be on (6.0.1 roms=6.0.1 bootloader) and depending on which model of the note 4 you have it will relock it. For instance, I have the SM-N910V and in order to get from the 5.0.1 bootloader to the 6.0.1 bootloader there's a bit of process involved (it's not as easy as just flashing a bootloader in Odin and being ready to go). I would look in the specific forum for your particular model to see how others are upgrading their bootloader and go from there. Most of the instructions that are posted with the roms in the main snapdragon section are for the F model and sometimes the G so the instructions for upgrading don't really apply anyway if you aren't using that model.