Database Users

Bootloader question

Hello Zenfone2 community,
I'm still a little bit noob in the android world, so there are a few things that are a bit abstract to me, so, let me start to explain why i'm here.
Earlier this month i rooted my device, unlock BL (unofficially) and installed Cm13, but i found a dead pixel, so i want to send i'm to warranty.
So, today i started the proccess backwards, first i reverted to stock, then i flashed blacksplashscreen, then i "uninstalled" twrp, and finally i flashed raw (with asus flash tool) then flashed recovery, droidboot and boot and adb sideload .97.
My question is, did i really relock bootloader ?? How do i test if my bootloader is unlocked ?
I already updated, (placed the zip into internal storage) and it showed that i had a new update ? Does this mean i have ota working ?
Cumps

Bootloader once unlocked remains unlocked unless u decide to update to MM Beta
Unofficial bootloader unlock = will get ota updates
Official bootloader unlock = ota not allowed(u can update manually)
To check if ur bootloader is locked or not, just flash a custom recovery & boot into it, if it boots ur bootloader is unlocked if not its locked simple
Plz move ur thread to Q&A Section or ask a Mod to do it for u

so i heard that when you flash raw file , your bootloader will locked. you can try that then take your phone to asus service center to claim warranty.

Send ior to repair, they will not notice that you unlocked

yakub234go said:
Bootloader once unlocked remains unlocked unless u decide to update to MM Beta
Unofficial bootloader unlock = will get ota updates
Official bootloader unlock = ota not allowed(u can update manually)
To check if ur bootloader is locked or not, just flash a custom recovery & boot into it, if it boots ur bootloader is unlocked if not its locked simple
Plz move ur thread to Q&A Section or ask a Mod to do it for u
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I used the official unlocker and update to MM beta will I get OTA updates?

Nope they will have ur serial no & u will be barred from getting ota

Ok.... I'm very confused:ZE551KL with 6.0.1 (MM)

Please forgive my stupidity - I'm a longtime Samsung Android user and this Fastboot/adb process is all new to me. Last time I used that was with Original TMOBILE Mototola G1!!
So, this is what I have: I had my device ( ZE551KL ) on LP, Bootloader unlocked with TWRP and rooted. 'Cause I first unlocked the Bootloader with the official ASUS app.
Then I installed the OTA ASUS MM version, but according to everyone, once one install the OTA upgrade, it relocks the Bootloader, correct? How can I test this??
This afternoon I put device in Fastboot mode and did a "fastboot boot twrp-3.0.4.img" and it worked!!!
It boot into TWRP and am busy making a backup now.
My Question: if my bootloader is still locked, how could I boot TWRP?
Can I try and 'Fastboot flash recovery twrp....' and will this work or am I going to brick the device?
Ideas? ( well, rather experienced advice, please)- as I would hate to brick my device.
The TWRP backup I am currently making - is that any good/helpful to anyone that can help us getting this device properly unlocked and rooted?
Thanks

I did try the official ASUS unlock tool on MM....
I forgot to mention that.
I did try the official unlock tool on MM, but the app just failed.
I opened an issue with ASUS regarding this, as their website specify version 1.16 'and later'

Does this mean I am good to flash TWRP??
Am I good to flash TWRP if I get this message??

You are good. I had unlocked the bootloader long time ago, and I have installed MM, they don't relock it back. It would be strange to do that, since once unlocked you lost the warranty... it would be like they will gave you back the warranty!

Dude, your bootloader is unlocked. You're good to go. Fastboot flash that recovery and go to town.

From your description it is clear that you have successfully unlocked your device. Once it is unlocked, you wont be able to lock it back. So there is no way to revert the process and it affects warranty. Now anytime you can flash TWRP with fastboot and install custom ROM. If you want to install Stock rom install stock recovery and use ADB sideload to install Stock ROM. if you have any other doubts visit my youtube channel [TheMobileShots] where i have provided the tutorial to do these things. Have a great day!

What does OTA package checks for ?

Hi guys,
It may be a silly Question for this Device , let me tell you my device specs :
Device : G4 Plus XT1643(India)
Rom : Stock (Soak NPJ75.25.2)
NON-Root and Locked Bootloader
What does the OTA.zip checks for ?
Boot image version (may b bootloader version) or recovery version ?
If its all about bootloader, then it needs to b unlocked voiding warranty.
But If its about Recovery..........Changing the Recovery to older version might help updating from Old Soak to New Official Build.
So, Did any one try flashing an older recovery thru fastboot on locked bootloader ? or Can we if its possible ?
ex: Replacing 7.0 recovery with last 6.0 build recovery. I do this for my ZenFone 5 just to avoid updating from very old builds.
Is this possible on G4 Plus ? without warranty Void issues....if possible.
p.s: NPJ93-11 gives Status 7 error on NPJ.75-2.

I tried to flash old recovery but it fails due to higher bootloader version.

Same question. Experts please advise and find a solution to get official update without unlocking the bootloader.

praveenbda said:
Same question. Experts please advise and find a solution to get official update without unlocking the bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't need to unlock your bootloader to get an OTA. Its only to let you mess with your recovery and enable flashing henceforth.
However, you'll need to unlock your bootloader to flash/boot a custom recovery and subsequently flash a ROM.
But if you want an OTA, your system (including bootloader, recovery, system, etc) needs to be untouched.
If you've already upgraded to a soak test, remember - you would've overwritten your MM bootloader and recovery with an N version one (from the Soak you sideloaded)
Again, all major official updates (except small incremental one like patches maybe) look for a previous version of the OS (in our case - Stock MM)
And yes, as long you're on MM and not upgraded to N soak ever, once you unlock your BL, you can relock it using methods stated in the guide thread. Just that it voids your warranty (as the request code is generated by Lenovo/Moto, essentially letting you unlock) But if you've flashed the N Soak - you can't downgrade your bootloader just yet ( you'll get a Preflash Validation error)
Because a system update looks the stock, untouched firmware (Stock MM)
That's why you won't be able to sideload the Official N update if you're already on a soak test update - because it doesn't have the MM bootloader and recovery etc files it's looking for.
Sent from my Moto G4 Plus using Tapatalk

[Q] Downgrade to MM from official N

Hi!
I have got two G4, one with Marshmallow and one with Nougat.
The one on N (offical N, updated by OTA and did a full wipe) has lots of problems with BT, and I want to downgrade it to MM.
I have read lots of posts, here and everywhere else, and saw some vids about the procedure. But I still have some doubts about the proccess:
* Most of the procedures I have read relate to downgrade from N leak to MM in order to upgrade to official N. I have seen someone ask if the same procedure could be used to downgrade from offical N, but no answer. Can I use the same procedure to downgrade from official N?
* Some say you have to unlock the bootloader, others make no mention of it. Some say you should not write gpt.bin and bootloader from the MM ROM as N udated them and it is not possible to downgrade them. Do I have to unlock the bootloader before using fastboot to write the MM ROM? Should I avoid writing gpt.bin and bootloader?
I don't mind voiding the phone warranty, and I don't mind not being able to OTA update future versions.
Thank you very much.
Regards.

If you have bootloader locked, you can't overwritte nothing including system, boot, bootloader and gpt. I tried with my Moto G4 and i can't go back from official N to official MM through fastboot

Thank you.
So I understand I have to unlock the bootloader.
Now I just need to make sure if I should overwrite gpt and bootloader with MM versions (coming from stock N) or not.
Regards.

CalvinH said:
Thank you.
So I understand I have to unlock the bootloader.
Now I just need to make sure if I should overwrite gpt and bootloader with MM versions (coming from stock N) or not.
Regards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A couple of weeks ago, I read something about it. I think you should not overwrite the bootloader and recovery but I do not remember very well.
But if you have your bootloader unlocked just flash (or boot into) a custom recovery and make a backup of everything and after play along a while

lerg96 said:
A couple of weeks ago, I read something about it. I think you should not overwrite the bootloader and recovery but I do not remember very well.
But if you have your bootloader unlocked just flash (or boot into) a custom recovery and make a backup of everything and after play along a while
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you.

Based on the overwhelming popularity of this thread (thanks lerg96!) I have decided to come back and tell how it went.
I had a Moto G4 with official Nougat. I wanted to downgrade it to MM.
The first problem is that I didn't find the .63 ROM (last MM one) for my device (XT1622). I found the 23.5 version (previous one), and the .63 version for the XT1624. Since 22 and 24 differ on LTE bands and so, I decided to use the older but right ROM.
First attempt: downgrade without unlocking bootloader... NO WAY.
Second attempt: unlock bootloader + downgrade without overwriting bootloader and gpt.bin. :good::good:
I got the boot warning message, but everything went ok and my BT problems are gone. I got the .63 OTA notification, but didn't installed it as I read scary histories about doing it.
Regards!

now that your bootloader is unlocked, install TWRP and make a backup of your system. I used TWRP to restore my OS. I went from Nougat back to MM, I am sure you can go the other way around too.
also, the fastboot method for reload the os seems to work well on phones with unlocked bootloaders.

Oreo update and bootloader status

Hello!
I am wondering if it would be better to lock my bootloader before updating to Oreo (when the update finally drops).
-Is having an un-locked bootloader likely to cause any unforeseen problems?
-If I lock my bootloader to apply the update, would it be possible that I will be unable to unlock it after?
Thanks,
Catalin D

You can unlock, you can lock the bootloader as often as you want

Usually you don't have to lock the bootloader to update. But i would wait anyway until the update drops and see what the community says (in terms of bugs etc)
The most important thing is if you want to update via ota, is to install the stock recovery again.
Sent from my ZTE A2017G running V1.2.0B08 using XDA Labs