Related
oepete.com/n1update.htm
This has been discussed in other threads -- The problem here, however is that you still have to unlock the bootloader, so you are no longer left with a "stock" N1 and warranty is voided.
The easier 'equivalent' method is just to unlock the bootloader, install the custom recovery menu and then install the Modaco rooted 2.2. update.zip.
people keep saying this but warrantly is NOT voided.. you cannot void the warranty for s/w changes.. if there is a hardware issue htc has said and has honored their warranty.. now if you get the phone all fubared because of some software issue and cannot figure out how to recover or reinstall kernal, radio etc. then yes they may not cover it.
lgkahn, what do you base your statement on? Documentation clearly states that unlocking the bootloader will void your warranty. Once warranty is voided, it is really up to HTC to decide if they want to honour your no longer existing hardware warranty or not. There are people here that have successfully negotiated hardware repairs even after unlocking the bootloaders, but others who have not been able to if, I understand things correctly.
If you have any solid contrary information, please let us know. Thank you
Not to mention one of the latest posts is a guy trying to clean out the dust from behind his screen because HTC will not honor his warranty.
not true at all if you read the dust issue post it is because he knows he will bet another refurb if he warranties it.. not because they will not honor it.
gotta love spam
lgkahn said:
people keep saying this but warrantly is NOT voided.. you cannot void the warranty for s/w changes.. if there is a hardware issue htc has said and has honored their warranty.. now if you get the phone all fubared because of some software issue and cannot figure out how to recover or reinstall kernal, radio etc. then yes they may not cover it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There has been a lot of discussion here of people who had their warrantied devices returned to them untouched because their bootloader was unlocked. Not all the time, but it may happen if you do that. The guide above is misleading because it does mention that your device will no longer remain stock.
Closing this thread as the original poster has already posted this in another thread... no need to start a brand new one.
In this thread I intend to give some basic insight about these two concepts, which are closely entwined with our phone's experience. I'm not a tech guy, but I think this little summary might clear some doubts for people who are new to this kind of issues (people who come from other non-Android phones especially). All feedback is welcome, in particular the one of people who can expand the topic with their knowledge.
"Root" is the common way to refer to the fact to the user account which has superuser rights on the device. Superuser rights imply full control over your phone's capacities, which are determined by the software and the hardware of the device. Non-superuser accounts have limitations, usually established for the sake of software security (for example, not allowing a user to disable critical functions such as phone or GPS), hardware safety (not allowing to change the processor's frequency speed, aka overclocking the CPU) or, in some cases, for someone's profit (disabling wi-fi tethering is a typical one as users are forced to buy data plans in order to use their devices to tether). In Android's case, Superuser is composed of an app* and a set of instructions to give this app root rights.
The bootloader is a program which accesses the internal storage and, basically, controls the loading of the programs and data necessary to initiate the sequence of launching the OS (aka booting, thus the name bootloader). We say that a bootloader is locked when it is programmed in such a way that it won't allow to load the device if it detects data from third-party sources. Unlocked bootloaders do allow these data and will load what these data contain, which will be usually a modified version of the phone's firmware, known as "Custom ROM".
As we can see, there was the fear that one would need to have unlocked bootloaders (i.e the ability to load third-party data in the booting sequence) in order to gain root rights. This would have been terribly inconvenient because only a minority of users will have unlocked bootloaders, since the phones with unlocked bootloaders by default are the ones sold carrier-unlocked. Said carrier-free phones will be a minority as the phone is pretty expensive: most Xperia Plays will be sold using carrier subsidies.
However, our fellow member Chainfire found an exploit (a programming loophole) in Gingerbread which allows said app and instructions to be loaded without the need of touching the bootloaders. Basically, his Gingerbreak program allows the user to have root rights without loading any bootloader-sensitive data. This widens the possibilities for the majority of users who will buy this phone with a subsidy.
*edit 3* Later on, it has become possible to unlock the bootloader even for SIM-locked devices, thanks to different unlockers like Alejandrissimo and Jinx13. This means that, provided that you pay what they charge, you can have your device set up without the bothers of having to buy a SIM-free phone. What's better: their method of unlocking the bootloader SIM-unlocks the phone as well.
I think this is more or less a succint framework of ideas which allows us to define "root" and "unlocked bootloaders" properly. As they say, knowing is half the battle, so I hope this nugget of information allows users to deal with their phones with more confidence.
*edit* as of version 2.3.3, this information has changed. Gingerbreak doesn't work with 2.3.3 anymore, and it seems now that the only way to root with locked bootloaders is to flash a 2.3.2 rom with FlashTool and update through OTA.
*edit2* note that this explanations pertains mostly to the Xperia Play. Other devices are NAND-locked, which means for us that they need unlocked bootloaders to even get root access.
*Note that Android is built in such a way that every app is a user account with limited rights (the ones specified before you download it). Thus, Superuser is a user account as any other app and the set of instructions is meant to give this user account root rights.
Thank you! This was very helpful in clarifying some things.
"As we can see, there was the fear that one would need to have unlocked bootloaders (i.e the ability to load third-party data in the booting sequence) in order to gain root rights. This would have been terribly inconvenient because only a minority of users will have unlocked bootloaders, since the phones with unlocked bootloaders by default are the ones sold carrier-unlocked. Said carrier-free phones will be a minority as the phone is pretty expensive: most Xperia Plays will be sold using carrier subsidies"
by carrier unlocked do you mean sim unlocked? sorry 4 noob question
Indeed, that is what I mean.
Logseman said:
Indeed, that is what I mean.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright, I asked this question and it was answered, but I want to make sure before I try anything.
I just found out from SE that my phone is the Rogers version. It's obviously been unlocked because I'm using it on AT&T.
What I don't know, though, is whether the bootloader is unlocked. Another member recommended that I check TrackID to see if it worked because it depends on the manufacturer DRM's that are wiped in unlocking the bootloader. It did work, so I assume it's still locked, but I wanted to confirm because of being carrier unlocked.
Sent from my R800a using XDA App
If TrackID works, your bootloader is locked, regardless of simlock.
I have a Sim-Unlocked Xperia Play from Rogers that I am using on ATT's network. My phone is boot-locked. When powered off, if I hold the search key while plugging in the USB cable, I do not get a blue light.
I was able to flash the firmware by holding the back key while plugging in the usb cable (with the phone off). I get a green light when I do this. Using flashtool, I was able get 2.3.3 rooted by loading the 2.3.2 firmware, rooting, and then updating OTA.
I bricked my phone several times while loading the firmware and each time I was able to fix it with flashtool or Sony Ericsson's Upgrade Utility. I found that you need a good USB cable, and even then it failed sometimes. I just kept trying and eventually it worked.
We wanted to provide an update on HTC’s progress with bringing bootloader unlocking to our newest phones. We know how excited some of you are for this capability, and we’ve put significant resources behind making this change as soon as possible. While we wish we could flip a simple switch and unlock all bootloaders across our device portfolio, this is actually a complex challenge that requires a new software build and extensive testing to deliver the best possible customer experience.
We’re thrilled to announce today that software updates to support bootloader unlocking will begin rolling out in August for the global HTC Sensation, followed by the HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile USA and the HTC EVO 3D on Sprint. We’re in the testing phase for the unlocking capability now, and we expect it to be fully operational by early September for devices that have received the software updates. We'll continue rolling out the unlocking capability over time to other devices as part of maintenance releases and new shipments.
HTC continues its commitment to unlocking bootloaders and supporting the developer community. Because of the importance of this community to us, please expect an update on this about every few weeks as we make progress toward launch. Thank you for your patience and continued support!
(they claim it will come to only two devices for starters the EVO 3D and the Sensation 4G and then it will slowly rollout to other devices that already have 2.3 or enough internal memory on them, this will all start in last August an early September for the first two droids listed... and others will soon follow suit, the only question is do you want you bootloader to come unlocked stock? Or will you buy it locked and be able to sit around and wait for your device to get an update to do so?? LOL
thats why my phone couldnt flash back to 2.3.2..(?)
I live in singapore.. phones are not carrier specific.. so does that mean my BL was unlocked even before I used gingerbreak?
I know this doesnt pertain to the play per se, but maybe you should add that, with nand locked devices, an unlocked bootloader is required to acheive full root, just incase someone with another device googles this question and ends up here
pros and cons of unlocked bootloader
Pros/Cons of rooting WITHOUT unlocking bootloader?
Since being interested in rooting my N1 I've been googling a lot but it's still somewhat confusing. One of the things that's making me hesitent is the idea of permanently (as of the date of this post) unlocking the phone and thus clearly/visibly voiding the warranty.
I've recently stumbled upon instructions for rooting without unlocking the bootloader? Am I correct in assuming this would make the phone appear (no unlock icon) to be unmodified? Also, does this mean one could fully reverse the rooting process and go back to fully stock google signed roms with OTA updates etc (essentially reverting it back as if it were never modified)?
It would seem this would be preferable to any method involving the unlocking of the bootloader. Are there any disadvantages of this? Any increased risks by NOT unlocking the bootloader? Is there a reason why most people have gone the rout of unlocking the bootloader?
My plan is simply to have root access to run setcpu on the stock FRF91 rom. As of now, I'm not interested in other ROMs (baby steps).
tommyinhi27 said:
Pros/Cons of rooting WITHOUT unlocking bootloader?
Since being interested in rooting my N1 I've been googling a lot but it's still somewhat confusing. One of the things that's making me hesitent is the idea of permanently (as of the date of this post) unlocking the phone and thus clearly/visibly voiding the warranty.
I've recently stumbled upon instructions for rooting without unlocking the bootloader? Am I correct in assuming this would make the phone appear (no unlock icon) to be unmodified? Also, does this mean one could fully reverse the rooting process and go back to fully stock google signed roms with OTA updates etc (essentially reverting it back as if it were never modified)?
It would seem this would be preferable to any method involving the unlocking of the bootloader. Are there any disadvantages of this? Any increased risks by NOT unlocking the bootloader? Is there a reason why most people have gone the rout of unlocking the bootloader?
My plan is simply to have root access to run setcpu on the stock FRF91 rom. As of now, I'm not interested in other ROMs (baby steps).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The N1 is made by HTC, generaly with htc devices, flashing a stock rom, will re-lock the bootloader, If you decide just to root, you will need a custom kernel before you can O/C All that unlocking the bootloader does is 2 things, It will security unlock the nand (on nand locked devices) allowing r/w access to read only partitions, and it allows you to issue fastboot commands to your device, the main reason alot of play owners went down the unlocking the bootloader path, is that atm it is the only way to flash custom roms other devices, have found sneaky ways to push a custom recovery without unlocking bootloaders, and thus do not need one to flash a custom rom
AndroHero said:
I know this doesnt pertain to the play per se, but maybe you should add that, with nand locked devices, an unlocked bootloader is required to acheive full root, just incase someone with another device googles this question and ends up here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not too knowledgeable about the whole Nand thing, so I think you could give a much better explanation about it. I'll include it then
whoa whoa whoa!!!! i achieved root on 2.3.3 with no prob using superoneclick v2.3.3. it works beautifully!
Yes, but you're replying to a thread that's 8 months out of date too!
Sent from my R800x using XDA
Lol. I know, but I've been trolling the site, and I think it may need a bit of new info so someone doesn't follow the steps here now that a better method has been found.
Sent from my R800at using XDA
isavegas said:
Lol. I know, but I've been trolling the site, and I think it may need a bit of new info so someone doesn't follow the steps here now that a better method has been found.
Sent from my R800at using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why not just stop bumping heavily old threads? then they can rest in piece
and nobody would care
the information thatit's outdated is alreada given in 1st post.
u also could ask a mod to close this as its outdated...
Hey, this thread may be outdated, but it's not my fault if someone necros old threads. Just let it die.
question
can i flash custom roms in a locked bootloader?
yes
big txmer said:
can i flash custom roms in a locked bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
only stock gb ones nothing else
Hey guys I'm asking on behalf of my gf (i have htc sensation xe, so i'm not using lame excuses ) Her phone is not rooted (yet ) and I'm wondering whether is possible to unroot the atrix 4g so that it goes back to "brand new"/out of the factory status and there are no warranty problems related to the rooting.
Also: is it possible to flash a custom rom without unlocking the bootloader (so that warranty is not voided)? And does going s-off void the warranty as well?
Thanks in advance for the support!
What carrier are you using? VZ has a root & flash counter built into their devices with ICS. As far as other carriers you should be fine so long as you restore everything to stock. As to the bootloader I haven't looked into the Atrix, but the majority of Moto devices require an exploit to flash Roms though the bootloader actually remains unlocked.
Giving you the quick and dirty on this. I promise you if you search your questions have already been answered in detail elsewhere.
CM9ed to your peepers
Spamming the threads is not allowed. Please only open a new thread once for any one issue. Closing this thread
I know that a while back this was true. But today I saw a few answers on here saying that ZTE was reviewing their terms related to the warranty, something about voiding the software warranty but not the hardware one.
Anyone knows where we stand regarding to that? On the same note, what about just rooting the phone without unlocking the bootloader?
The official answer from ZTE is that unlocking the bootloader invalidates the entire warranty. Only the US/NA model had the ability to unlock the bootloader, and it was only available on B20 when filling out the Google Docs request form.
Everything else is just speculation. Apparently, people on the Nougat beta seemed to say that the update would have the ability built into the base software load, but it appears to be not true for the official release. Other people (myself included) seemed to think that ZTE was just waiting for the Nougat release to put out the new unlock method, but that appears to not be the case. Everything thinks they should just invalidate the SW part and now the HW part, because that is what makes sense, but that's not the current situation.
I haven't seen any reports of people that unofficially unlocked and then sent their phones back to see if it got covered under warranty (as in, did they check the bootloader status).
Hopefully ZTE does something about this soon.
TeutonJon78 said:
The official answer from ZTE is that unlocking the bootloader invalidates the entire warranty. Only the US/NA model had the ability to unlock the bootloader, and it was only available on B20 when filling out the Google Docs request form.
Everything else is just speculation. Apparently, people on the Nougat beta seemed to say that the update would have the ability built into the base software load, but it appears to be not true for the official release. Other people (myself included) seemed to think that ZTE was just waiting for the Nougat release to put out the new unlock method, but that appears to not be the case. Everything thinks they should just invalidate the SW part and now the HW part, because that is what makes sense, but that's not the current situation.
I haven't seen any reports of people that unofficially unlocked and then sent their phones back to see if it got covered under warranty (as in, did they check the bootloader status).
Hopefully ZTE does something about this soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know of at least one (but probably more) who borked their modem using signed twrp efs backup and sent it in for replacement.
Honestly I do not think warranty should cover user error/abuse but I suppose I would do it as well if it happened to me.
Weather or not they will honor warranty would depend on the issue and if it is obviously unlocked (custom rom/xposed/root clearly visible). If you relock/stock before sending it in they could not tell.
Is it even remotely possible to unlock the bootloader? I would love to install a custom recovery and a custom ROM.
Thanks.
Not possible currently, probably never will.
Until someone at Samsung decides to give the keys to the bootloader, it will remain locked.
(Pssst, hey Samsung Developer, there is a fame and fortune for your leak. :angel: )
I vouch 400$ for unlocked bootloader and emotion/lineage os
If S6 is anything to judge by, the chances for an unlocked bootloader are slim at best.
The only reason I would love an unlocked bootloader is to be able to root the stock OS and not have to use an engineering kernel. Otherwise, I tend to run rooted stock on my devices until they get too out of date.
Unfortunately, that means when this S7 Edge becomes obsolete, that will be the end of the line.
No one is even attempting it. With most phones now root / unlocked bootloader is a thing of the past. If you want those feature it'd be best to get a Pixel or a 1+. The rest of the phone will kill all of that in the next year.
The last good for rooting phone from Samsung was the Note 4 and even that was only the Tmobile variant. As Samsung and Android pay roll out internationally it will get killed off over seas too.
Unless a new crop of Android hackers pop-up to replace all the devs who used to roit/unlock the phones rooting and flashing is dying
ShrekOpher said:
No one is even attempting it. With most phones now root / unlocked bootloader is a thing of the past. If you want those feature it'd be best to get a Pixel or a 1+. The rest of the phone will kill all of that in the next year.
The last good for rooting phone from Samsung was the Note 4 and even that was only the Tmobile variant. As Samsung and Android pay roll out internationally it will get killed off over seas too.
Unless a new crop of Android hackers pop-up to replace all the devs who used to roit/unlock the phones rooting and flashing is dying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure I would go that far. Sure, Samsung has locked their phones down like nuts, but there are still plenty of developments on other devices. The Sunshine team has managed to S-off every HTC flagship from the M8 on, along with a reasonably sold list of Moto devices. If you aren't on Verizon/AT&T you can skip the hack by going to HTCDev. Too bad HTC has gone absolutely bonkers on their own devices...
The LG V20 folks got "lucky" with Dirty Santa (though I wouldn't touch that mess with a 10 foot pole since your warranty is going to be void at the same time LG is getting sued over boot looping phones). Still, if you manage to get lucky, you can load custom ROMs on that device, and it's a true flagship.
Other devices seem to either have unlockable (through a web-site) bootloaders or have proven relatively easy to mod/root.
One day root may be a thing of the past unless you can find a dev phone, but I don't think we are quite there yet. That, and there will always likely be leaked dev kernels.
Few things:
-Is there any work still being done to get the bootloader unlocked? This dev thread no longer seems to be only devs, rather a bunch of "+1s", "thanks", and "tweet posts". All great posts, but not dev related.
- All devs on this thread are without a doubt better than I regarding android roms, unlocking, etc, but thought id throw a few ideas it here. (Im new to this type of dev). Maybe i can provide new hope? I just recently got the s7 and found out the hard way the current status woth no way to get custom roms. I know the chain of trust, verity, etc are a major buzzkill, but parts have all been hacked before so we can't Judy throw in the towel, can we?!
- http://newandroidbook.com this has a lot of good material, this guy is a genius, too bag he isn't working on this! (Download the book there & supplements).
Couple of actual ideas:
-He mentions in the book, with root you should be able to modify parts of partitions. Add long as you don't modify the entire partition it wont check for integrity on startup. Now that root exists, is Amy of this possible, to modify three partitions and unlock the bootloader?
- He also talks about how the chain of trust works using signed keys, and where to find these keys in the actual image file; since we know exactly where the keys are, and what's expected, can't we fake it with a custom image using a binary editor? He (in that link) also refers to his free tools to inspect, etc.
Remember when wet push via odin the phone isn't online so had no way to verify via internet if something is in fact legit. Hacks happen all the time with fake digital signatures and keys, certs, etc.
- In other words, now that root exists in the engineering kernel, Im thinking new doors have opened.
Thoughts? Hope?!
It's not happening.
diligent7771 said:
Few things:
-Is there any work still being done to get the bootloader unlocked? This dev thread no longer seems to be only devs, rather a bunch of "+1s", "thanks", and "tweet posts". All great posts, but not dev related.
- All devs on this thread are without a doubt better than I regarding android roms, unlocking, etc, but thought id throw a few ideas it here. (Im new to this type of dev). Maybe i can provide new hope? I just recently got the s7 and found out the hard way the current status woth no way to get custom roms. I know the chain of trust, verity, etc are a major buzzkill, but parts have all been hacked before so we can't Judy throw in the towel, can we?!
- http://newandroidbook.com this has a lot of good material, this guy is a genius, too bag he isn't working on this! (Download the book there & supplements).
Couple of actual ideas:
-He mentions in the book, with root you should be able to modify parts of partitions. Add long as you don't modify the entire partition it wont check for integrity on startup. Now that root exists, is Amy of this possible, to modify three partitions and unlock the bootloader?
- He also talks about how the chain of trust works using signed keys, and where to find these keys in the actual image file; since we know exactly where the keys are, and what's expected, can't we fake it with a custom image using a binary editor? He (in that link) also refers to his free tools to inspect, etc.
Remember when wet push via odin the phone isn't online so had no way to verify via internet if something is in fact legit. Hacks happen all the time with fake digital signatures and keys, certs, etc.
- In other words, now that root exists in the engineering kernel, Im thinking new doors have opened.
Thoughts? Hope?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree with Kcodya. With the S8 coming out very soon, I am sure the Devs are not really that concerned with the S7 and unlocking the bootloader. I have read a lot of posts about the very issue and anyone and everyone that has been working on this has dropped it or no longer working on it. Look at the S6. It is still without an unlocked bootloader.
I agree with you about the EngImg and I guess at the present time, that is about all we have to work with. I have settled with it and am happy at least to have root privileges.
But we can still hope...
If Samsung ever gets off their hindquarters and updates the unlocked version of the S7/S7 Edge to Nougat, rooted stock will probably be optimal anyway. I know this is XDA, and people love to mod with whole ROMs, but OEM ROMs have improved dramatically over the years. This isn't the era of requiring CM (or LineageOS now) just to have a functional device like it was during the Gingerbread era.
Unfortunately, Samsung isn't likely to ever sell developer friendly phones again, so if you are a developer or like beta testing ROMs, this isn't your device. There are too many options that are trivial to unlock and develop on for anyone to spend too much effort bucking Samsung on their lockdown strategy.
diligent7771 said:
Few things:
-Is there any work still being done to get the bootloader unlocked? This dev thread no longer seems to be only devs, rather a bunch of "+1s", "thanks", and "tweet posts". All great posts, but not dev related.
- All devs on this thread are without a doubt better than I regarding android roms, unlocking, etc, but thought id throw a few ideas it here. (Im new to this type of dev). Maybe i can provide new hope? I just recently got the s7 and found out the hard way the current status woth no way to get custom roms. I know the chain of trust, verity, etc are a major buzzkill, but parts have all been hacked before so we can't Judy throw in the towel, can we?!
- http://newandroidbook.com this has a lot of good material, this guy is a genius, too bag he isn't working on this! (Download the book there & supplements).
Couple of actual ideas:
-He mentions in the book, with root you should be able to modify parts of partitions. Add long as you don't modify the entire partition it wont check for integrity on startup. Now that root exists, is Amy of this possible, to modify three partitions and unlock the bootloader?
- He also talks about how the chain of trust works using signed keys, and where to find these keys in the actual image file; since we know exactly where the keys are, and what's expected, can't we fake it with a custom image using a binary editor? He (in that link) also refers to his free tools to inspect, etc.
Remember when wet push via odin the phone isn't online so had no way to verify via internet if something is in fact legit. Hacks happen all the time with fake digital signatures and keys, certs, etc.
- In other words, now that root exists in the engineering kernel, Im thinking new doors have opened.
Thoughts? Hope?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WTF? Did you literally copy and paste my post from another thread?! https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=71604183 lol I know your intentions are great, but you should probably indicate this is a quote from the original author (me), otherwise it appears you were the one that wrote this post. Carry on...
locked bootloader
jshamlet said:
The only reason I would love an unlocked bootloader is to be able to root the stock OS and not have to use an engineering kernel. Otherwise, I tend to run rooted stock on my devices until they get too out of date.
Unfortunately, that means when this S7 Edge becomes obsolete, that will be the end of the line.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey man,i saw you online and i need help with something.
Is locked bootloader affects radio gsm,on unlocked phone by at&t if i upgraded fw and changed version of bootloader from v2 to v4?
Thank you in advance!
Man, this stinks
TomatoesOnBluRay said:
Is it even remotely possible to unlock the bootloader? I would love to install a custom recovery and a custom ROM.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's strange that this device never got a stable root. The type of root I was looking for 7 months ago is never going to exist. Development on the root of this phone was forgotten when the S8 came out. I wish I could say the opposite, but unfortunately we couldn't develop a proper root fast enough for the inevitable growth of interest in the newest device.
TomatoesOnBluRay said:
It's strange that this device never got a stable root. The type of root I was looking for 7 months ago is never going to exist. Development on the root of this phone was forgotten when the S8 came out. I wish I could say the opposite, but unfortunately we couldn't develop a proper root fast enough for the inevitable growth of interest in the newest device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not just that, Samsung also offers some fairly nice bonuses for not rooting and root just isn't what it used to be. The days of "this phone is completely unusable without root to fix all the broken crap" are gone.
I found that simply switching to the unlocked firmware solved 90% of the things I wanted root for in the first place, and probably another 8% were solved by judicious use of ADB and NetGuard. What little was left just wasn't enticing enough to put up with the irritations and work-arounds required for the eng-boot root. I already run Nova launcher exclusively, but even at that, the stock launcher isn't total crap anymore. On the plus side, the eng-boot root doesn't trip Knox, so you can always go back if you want.
Yeah, it's going to suck when updates for the S7 stop due to age, and it would be nice if Samsung would offer a bootloader unlock when that happens, but I suspect it will live the rest of its life with nothing more than the engineering root method.
jshamlet said:
It's not just that, Samsung also offers some fairly nice bonuses for not rooting and root just isn't what it used to be. The days of "this phone is completely unusable without root to fix all the broken crap" are gone.
I found that simply switching to the unlocked firmware solved 90% of the things I wanted root for in the first place, and probably another 8% were solved by judicious use of ADB and NetGuard. What little was left just wasn't enticing enough to put up with the irritations and work-arounds required for the eng-boot root. I already run Nova launcher exclusively, but even at that, the stock launcher isn't total crap anymore. On the plus side, the eng-boot root doesn't trip Knox, so you can always go back if you want.
Yeah, it's going to suck when updates for the S7 stop due to age, and it would be nice if Samsung would offer a bootloader unlock when that happens, but I suspect it will live the rest of its life with nothing more than the engineering root method.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I entirely agree with you. I haven't rooted my S7 since I tried the engineer boot, and it has been completely and totally usable. I also agree with you about installing the unlocked firmware as it removes most of the bloat that comes with the stock firmware. Root is nice, but not entirely necessary on this device.
TomatoesOnBluRay said:
I entirely agree with you. I haven't rooted my S7 since I tried the engineer boot, and it has been completely and totally usable. I also agree with you about installing the unlocked firmware as it removes most of the bloat that comes with the stock firmware. Root is nice, but not entirely necessary on this device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, where might one obtain an unlocked firmware for a G930A? I've searched high and low and have found several different f/w but they all seem to be for other versions of the G930, not the A. Tried to flash mine with one of those and got caught in an endless boot cycle, so had to go back to stock - still locked - and AT&T says the IMEI doesn't belong to them even though it plays their little tune and shows their logo and flashes their name on startup. Pretty useless to me without being able to unlock it. Thoughts or ideas?
Many thanks in advance.
Havdaddy said:
So, where might one obtain an unlocked firmware for a G930A? I've searched high and low and have found several different f/w but they all seem to be for other versions of the G930, not the A. Tried to flash mine with one of those and got caught in an endless boot cycle, so had to go back to stock - still locked - and AT&T says the IMEI doesn't belong to them even though it plays their little tune and shows their logo and flashes their name on startup. Pretty useless to me without being able to unlock it. Thoughts or ideas?
Many thanks in advance.
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All US/Snapdragon S7s and S7 Edges are hardware identical. You can run any of the 5 variants on them with zero issue (even going between V/S and A/T). This means you can run the unbranded/unlocked firmware on any US/Snapdragon based device as long as the model number matches.
Now, SIM locks are a separate issue. You still have to go to the carrier that locked it (or one of the paid services) to get the unlock code even if you are running the U firmware because the modem firmware is entirely separate.
Havdaddy said:
So, where might one obtain an unlocked firmware for a G930A? I've searched high and low and have found several different f/w but they all seem to be for other versions of the G930, not the A. Tried to flash mine with one of those and got caught in an endless boot cycle, so had to go back to stock - still locked - and AT&T says the IMEI doesn't belong to them even though it plays their little tune and shows their logo and flashes their name on startup. Pretty useless to me without being able to unlock it. Thoughts or ideas?
Many thanks in advance.
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Click to collapse
The firmware for all G930 and G935 variants are interchangeable. When I refer to the unlocked firmware, I'm referring to G930U and G935U. This version can be found on the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge forums on this site. When you install the unlocked firmware, you are not unlocking the device, just the firmware associated with the unlocked version of the phone. This means less bloatware, faster speeds, and no AT&T boot logo. Sorry for the confusion my previous comment may have caused!