UPDATED 3/25/2012
Talk Android, in the article below, mistakenly stated the update was for the X2 was live. Turns out not to be true.
http://www.talkandroid.com/99664-droid-x2-minor-update-1-3-418-is-now-live/#.T2HsKEGxFI4
I'm so avoiding this. Anyone else that decides to be brave and apply it, let us know the following:
Can you root with Zergrush
Can you SBF back to 2.3.4 without bricking your phone
Just for S and Gs, see if the bootloader is unlocked. I doubt it, but maybe a dev did something stupid? If so, save that update!
Thanks iBolski. (Or should I say Mr Ambassador )
If anyone has a phone info screen shot, that would be nice to see.
Also confirmation that VooDoo works?
Thats all the update brings? Why bother?
I am (just) thinking the kernel will be better for my Mx2 "Nandroid port".
jsgraphicart said:
Thats all the update brings? Why bother?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. I've tweeted to both Verizon and Motorola that I'm done with both of them. I'm looking for a new carrier and a new phone.
Verizon is reaching out right now asking why I'm so unhappy. Do I really have to answer that question? Give me a break!
iBolski said:
Per Talk Android, the X2 minor update is available.
http://www.talkandroid.com/99664-droid-x2-minor-update-1-3-418-is-now-live/#.T2HsKEGxFI4
I'm so avoiding this. Anyone else that decides to be brave and apply it, let us know the following:
Can you root with Zergrush
Can you SBF back to 2.3.4 without bricking your phone
Just for S and Gs, see if the bootloader is unlocked. I doubt it, but maybe a dev did something stupid? If so, save that update!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One question. DID ANYONE get the Soak???
If not, is this "really" what Moto was soak testing? What if it means... (gasp!)??
Edit: I don't think it is live yet, iBolski. Verizon's webpage still says "Coming Soon", like I'm supposed to be happy. I think the article is misguided... Did any brave soldier get the update and then apply it?
litetaker said:
One question. DID ANYONE get the Soak???
If not, is this "really" what Moto was soak testing? What if it means... (gasp!)??
Edit: I don't think it is live yet, iBolski. Verizon's webpage still says "Coming Soon", like I'm supposed to be happy. I think the article is misguided... Did any brave soldier get the update and then apply it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am signed up for the soak and I have not received it yet. I also tried to force the update to my phone just now and it is not pushing it.
I am going to be brave on this one because I have a back up phone I can fall on if anything does go wrong, but I am pretty much ready to just drop my DX2 like our Ambassador and just use something else until my upgrade....
I will let everyone know as soon as I get the email for the soak or if I can update to this at some point today...
Security update! I do not trust those bastards. I hope someone tries it so we know but I don't wish anyone to get stuck without root or able to sbf. Need a normal user that does not care about these things. I will not get close to it before we find out what it does.
gaad0701 said:
I am signed up for the soak and I have not received it yet. I also tried to force the update to my phone just now and it is not pushing it.
I am going to be brave on this one because I have a back up phone I can fall on if anything does go wrong, but I am pretty much ready to just drop my DX2 like our Ambassador and just use something else until my upgrade....
I will let everyone know as soon as I get the email for the soak or if I can update to this at some point today...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If/when you get it, check also just in case some dev made a "mistake" and left the kernel unlocked. Would be nice.
iBolski said:
If/when you get it, check also just in case some dev made a "mistake" and left the kernel unlocked. Would be nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am no dev, can you walk me through how to do that? I am willing to try anything but I do not know how to do that off the top of my head.
gaad0701 said:
I am no dev, can you walk me through how to do that? I am willing to try anything but I do not know how to do that off the top of my head.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you have the Android SDK on your computer? if you do just go into the folder where it's stored:
if windows C:/SDK (i believe)
if Linux /home/yourname/android-sdk-linux
it should have fastboot within there, but i'm bad at explanations, so iBolski'll walk you through it better than I can.
gaad0701 said:
I am no dev, can you walk me through how to do that? I am willing to try anything but I do not know how to do that off the top of my head.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I understand, you do the following, but back everything up to your external SD card first (do a nandroid) and you must have the Motorola USB drivers and Android SDK installed. Of course, since you've been flashing and SBFing, you definitely have those already installed:
Have your phone hooked up to your PC and type "ADB REBOOT BOOTLOADER"
The phone should reboot into the bootloader saying "Starting Fastboot Protocol Support"
When it's rebooted into the bootloader, type this in your DOS command window: "fastboot eom unlock"
Read the warnings. This WILL reformat your phone so be sure you've backed it up.
Tap Volume Down to switch to "Accept"
Now press Volume Up to actually "accept" the warning.
After that, you should be unlocked and formatted IF the bootloader and kernel were unlocked.
I could be wrong, but that's what I've read before.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1136261
the thread w/ 1/3 of a mil hits!
IT'S all about the last 2 pics in the op.
skwoodwiva said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1136261
the thread w/ 1/3 of a mil hits!
IT'S all about the last 2 pics in the op.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iBolski said:
From what I understand, you do the following, but back everything up to your external SD card first (do a nandroid) and you must have the Motorola USB drivers and Android SDK installed. Of course, since you've been flashing and SBFing, you definitely have those already installed:
Have your phone hooked up to your PC and type "ADB REBOOT BOOTLOADER"
The phone should reboot into the bootloader saying "Starting Fastboot Protocol Support"
When it's rebooted into the bootloader, type this in your DOS command window: "fastboot eom unlock"
Read the warnings. This WILL reformat your phone so be sure you've backed it up.
Tap Volume Down to switch to "Accept"
Now press Volume Up to actually "accept" the warning.
After that, you should be unlocked and formatted IF the bootloader and kernel were unlocked.
I could be wrong, but that's what I've read before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good deal, I can do that for sure. I will make sure to update everyone as soon as anything comes through.
I won't be able to do any of the testing until I get home from work (roughly 6:30 central time) but I will keep trying to update throughout the day.
Thanks guys.
No updates have started to roll out yet....
Tapin' the Talk on the xSquared
gaad0701 said:
Good deal, I can do that for sure. I will make sure to update everyone as soon as anything comes through.
I won't be able to do any of the testing until I get home from work (roughly 6:30 central time) but I will keep trying to update throughout the day.
Thanks guys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Still no update, nothing to report tonight probably. Hopefully I get something tomorrow so I have something to do at work...
Sent from my DROID X2
For those of you considering doing the update, you might want to take a look at these two threads on RootzWiki: rooted before update and important information regarding .621 update (I'm sure there are XDA equivalents of this by now, but these are two threads I'd been following previously for my brother's DX.)
Apparently using OTA rootkeeper (and ADB in some cases) it should be possible to keep root after the sbf *IF* you have SU backed up on /system/! SU cannot (CAN NOT) be restored from the SD card. Of course, any SBF/factory restore will lose SU and you'll be SOL until that gets sorted. Another problem (for us) is that we do not yet have an SBF file for this, so if anything goes awry, you could (potentially, not necessarily) be looking at a nice expensive paper weight until the SBF gets leaked.
This was also mentioned in the DX information thread, but if anyone is brave enough to update from rooted stock (using OTA Rootkeeper) and could get a nandroid, it could potentially be useful for anyone in the know (read: devs) to see what has changed in the update, so that we can examine alternative root methods. Unfortunately, most devs have moved onto newer/better phones so this may take a bit, but there is still a lot of dev for the DX (and the dx2 of course) so hopefully we can get something going (and presumably any exploit found on either phone should hopefully be useful for the other.)
Hey ibolski if VZW is reaching out it's a good thing.. Even if nothing is going to change in terms of their policy. Take the opportunity to reach out to them and let them know how we feel. Perhaps they can understand or at least listen to how HTC customers can feel better about unlocked bootloaders.
Sent from my MB870 using Tapatalk
coolpoete said:
Hey ibolski if VZW is reaching out it's a good thing.. Even if nothing is going to change in terms of their policy. Take the opportunity to reach out to them and let them know how we feel. Perhaps they can understand or at least listen to how HTC customers can feel better about unlocked bootloaders.
Sent from my MB870 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried. After I started doing that, the replies via twitter stopped. Figures.
listen I'm not saying anything, but just mentioning: I just tried to root my dad's Droid 2 Global and bricked it because the D2G got a "security update" around a week ago that kills root (Duh) and if you try to sbf back down it causes the phone to hard brick.
Now that may not be the case with this- who knows, that particular update went from 2.3.3 to to 2.3.4 and obv this one probably isn't going to update the kernel/bootloader/god knows but even still I find the closeness in time for these two OTAs suspicious, so be careful my flashaholic friends
Well. My curiousty led to a hard-bricked phone
It's definetly official. I am not going to install any more custom roms after this. To make my story breif. I aquired a motorola atrix 2 phone, and had read it could accomdate a custom rom, so I used a one click root method program and the program said it had done its job. I booted into the recovery and installed the rom, which ended in an infinite reboot. Great, so I read more on how to revert back to firmware using rsd lite. I did this, but the battery was dead. so I went out and purchased anther battery, attempted the restore, phone restart, then BOOM. it stayed black and now it wont come on. wtf.
Can any please recommend the proper cable I have to order to get the phone back working>?
Sunaj1 said:
Well. My curiousty led to a hard-bricked phone
It's definetly official. I am not going to install any more custom roms after this. To make my story breif. I aquired a motorola atrix 2 phone, and had read it could accomdate a custom rom, so I used a one click root method program and the program said it had done its job. I booted into the recovery and installed the rom, which ended in an infinite reboot. Great, so I read more on how to revert back to firmware using rsd lite. I did this, but the battery was dead. so I went out and purchased anther battery, attempted the restore, phone restart, then BOOM. it stayed black and now it wont come on. wtf.
Can any please recommend the proper cable I have to order to get the phone back working>?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you flashed rom with stock recovery?
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda app-developers app
smgdev said:
Did you flashed rom with stock recovery?
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I tried to. Unless i acidentally downloaded the wrong file.
Sunaj1 said:
Yes, I tried to. Unless i acidentally downloaded the wrong file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should flash roms with custom recoveries that built for your device like clockworkmod or twrp recovery.
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda app-developers app
smgdev said:
You should flash roms with custom recoveries that built for your device like clockworkmod or twrp recovery.
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I am aware of that. The problem is now my phone is hard bricked and it wont turn on at all, not even to display an error message.
How can I fix this? whats that special cable That i need?
I would love to help you but I don't have the device and I think you should ask to your device's q/a forum. It will more helpful for you.
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda app-developers app
Sunaj1 said:
Well. My curiousty led to a hard-bricked phone
It's definetly official. I am not going to install any more custom roms after this. To make my story breif. I aquired a motorola atrix 2 phone, and had read it could accomdate a custom rom, so I used a one click root method program and the program said it had done its job. I booted into the recovery and installed the rom, which ended in an infinite reboot. Great, so I read more on how to revert back to firmware using rsd lite. I did this, but the battery was dead. so I went out and purchased anther battery, attempted the restore, phone restart, then BOOM. it stayed black and now it wont come on. wtf.
Can any please recommend the proper cable I have to order to get the phone back working>?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I guess you can use THIS LINK to try and fix your problem. Thank you for consulting the forums, and have a nice day.
ATkeneiville said:
Hi, I guess you can use THIS LINK to try and fix your problem. Thank you for consulting the forums, and have a nice day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. But an experienced repair guy said my phone wasn't responding to neither the USB jtag or the fast boot. So my phone is dead forever? Should I start digging its grave?
Sure sounds this way, and you shouldn't be doing JTAG through the USB port anyway unless your phone is something special I've never heard of
But in truth rooting your phone won't damage it, it just gives someone the opportunity to do so. I'm a firm believer in rooting all androids so long as they read and understand what they are doing, its very hard to brick a phone if you know what you're doing
So although this phone may be dead forever (unless you find someone who for sure knows the proper way to JTAG it) then still consider rooting your next one, just be sure to completely understand what's going on, and try to stay away from one click roots, its hard to learn anything from this
Best of luck on your next phone
*side note, if you still have warranty and your phone is completely unresponsive chances are you will get your warranty exchange, just play dumb and say "I was playing angry birds and it just froze, now it won't turn on"
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
I wish I had warranty on this thing. I got it second hand from craigslist. However i've managed to acquire an HTC inspire 4G, what an upgrade from a motorola cliq xt! I would love to install jelly bean on this thing but after messing up the Atrix 2 i'm scared I will F*ck this one up too. I can never find clear and concise instructions on the internet. Every web page I visit, it seems to be someones personal way of doing it. Steps not mentioned, or instructions written for intermediate users. For example, Every video or piece of instruction i've watched on youtube regarding booting into the fast boot on the atrix 2, said something about holding volume up and power button upon booting and I would see something on the top of the screen. However that did not work, First I had to use the volume down and power button, then I would get to this fastboot screen where those recovery options werent available, from there I had to hold both volume buttons down and press the power button twice which would bring me to the recovery options screen. thats just one example, and even then for some reasons I didn't have all the recovery options the instructions spoke of... for example. Very annoying and frustrating. On a side note, is there anyone on this site who lives in the US that can unbrick my atrix 2? The guy who repair phones I took it to said theres a device for 250.00 bucks he's waiting to get that can unbrick any device. However he doesnt have the funds and had gotten laid off work. I am just having a hard time believing a simple soft user error could permanently damage my device forever and that as sophiscated as our technology has gotten there's absolutely no way to revive it.
demkantor said:
Sure sounds this way, and you shouldn't be doing JTAG through the USB port anyway unless your phone is something special I've never heard of
But in truth rooting your phone won't damage it, it just gives someone the opportunity to do so. I'm a firm believer in rooting all androids so long as they read and understand what they are doing, its very hard to brick a phone if you know what you're doing
So although this phone may be dead forever (unless you find someone who for sure knows the proper way to JTAG it) then still consider rooting your next one, just be sure to completely understand what's going on, and try to stay away from one click roots, its hard to learn anything from this
Best of luck on your next phone
*side note, if you still have warranty and your phone is completely unresponsive chances are you will get your warranty exchange, just play dumb and say "I was playing angry birds and it just froze, now it won't turn on"
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't attest to the videos you saw, but for most androids this is the best site with the most info, I only suggest being sure how to root before you do it, and to understand how the method works as well. When your not understanding this is when bricks happen.
I know it can be lots of reading and lots of questions but in the long run its worth the time
As for the JTAG equipment there are many who have it and you can easily spend less than 250 on getting the proper stuff.
Every logicboard is different so maybe this machine he speaks of has a wide variety of cables that come with it, but he's still paying too much
Anyway, most people seem to charge 50$ or so to JTAG it back, if that's more than the phone is worth to you just sell it on eBay for parts
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
demkantor said:
I can't attest to the videos you saw, but for most androids this is the best site with the most info, I only suggest being sure how to root before you do it, and to understand how the method works as well. When your not understanding this is when bricks happen.
I know it can be lots of reading and lots of questions but in the long run its worth the time
As for the JTAG equipment there are many who have it and you can easily spend less than 250 on getting the proper stuff.
Every logicboard is different so maybe this machine he speaks of has a wide variety of cables that come with it, but he's still paying too much
Anyway, most people seem to charge 50$ or so to JTAG it back, if that's more than the phone is worth to you just sell it on eBay for parts
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you link me to clear and concise instructions on how to upgrade my 2.3.7 ( i think) to jellybean on an htc inspire 4g? and is there anyone here who can fix my phone that you know of?
HERE IS YOUR PHONES FORUM
you will find links to all the guides you need here, always read the stickies in each section, this tends to have the important info you need
then anything your not sure about should be asked in the proper place within this forum for the best answers
example, question on how to root should be asked in the how to root thread for best chance of a good answer, question on how to flash a new radio should be asked in a thread pertaining to this
im sorry but i dont know enough about your phone specificly to help further but hopefully the members in your device specific forum will
best of luck!
Alright so new member here i have been using XDA to unlock and flash zip,kernals etc in android devices since 4 years.. i would like to thank this site :good:
Now straight to my point
Okay so I bought a Photon 4g 2 weeks ago and my bad luck its on 2.3.5 (I dont know if its factory 2.3.5 or OTA because i bought it from a friend who knows nothing about it) which means its bootlaoder is locked for good.. I did the ReservedOdm check and got "30000000000030003000100000000" which means =Electrify who performed OTA update to 2.3.5 and now stuck never unlocked) As the thread says.
Moreover I saw this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2072644 by @nickman529 and I was really shocked to see that a 45 pages thread with skilled people couldnt unlock the 2.3.5 version of MoPhon. (I did not read the whole thread but i guess you guys couldnt found a solution) So my question is still in 2014 there's no method to unlock this beastly phone? an updated android OS is a must for this phone. We should do something as there are hundreds of people still waiting for XDA guys to come up with a solution.
I am not a newbie in this developing thing nor I am a developer I know In's and outs of unlocking etc.
I would really appreciate if XDA skilled guys will work on this again atleast we can do something? unlocking a bootloader of a phone is not impossible right? just that we need to work again on this. I want to get this done. Thank You :good:
Some details of my phone:
I flashed superuser with "Photon Torpedo Direct" method so I have root enabled
Build: 4.5.1A-1 SUN254_13
2.3.5
Hope I will get some replies as this is my first thread on XDA
mopo
whizinc said:
Alright so new member here i have been using XDA to unlock and flash zip,kernals etc in android devices since 4 years.. i would like to thank this site :good:
Now straight to my point
Okay so I bought a Photon 4g 2 weeks ago and my bad luck its on 2.3.5 (I dont know if its factory 2.3.5 or OTA because i bought it from a friend who knows nothing about it) which means its bootlaoder is locked for good.. I did the ReservedOdm check and got "30000000000030003000100000000" which means =Electrify who performed OTA update to 2.3.5 and now stuck never unlocked) As the thread says.
Moreover I saw this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2072644 by @nickman529 and I was really shocked to see that a 45 pages thread with skilled people couldnt unlock the 2.3.5 version of MoPhon. (I did not read the whole thread but i guess you guys couldnt found a solution) So my question is still in 2014 there's no method to unlock this beastly phone? an updated android OS is a must for this phone. We should do something as there are hundreds of people still waiting for XDA guys to come up with a solution.
I am not a newbie in this developing thing nor I am a developer I know In's and outs of unlocking etc.
I would really appreciate if XDA skilled guys will work on this again atleast we can do something? unlocking a bootloader of a phone is not impossible right? just that we need to work again on this. I want to get this done. Thank You :good:
Some details of my phone:
I flashed superuser with "Photon Torpedo Direct" method so I have root enabled
Build: 4.5.1A-1 SUN254_13
2.3.5
Hope I will get some replies as this is my first thread on XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i've same problem and it will be good to resolve this issue by xda devs... this is really good phone and is sorrowful to see how this topic stayed inattentive
ultimo123 said:
i've same problem and it will be good to resolve this issue by xda devs... this is really good phone and is sorrowful to see how this topic stayed inattentive
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah i think the Skilled XDA guys just gave up on this phone and its a shame that these skilled guys couldnt figure out a way to unlock this MoPhon atleast we can start work on this again COME ON Guys! the thread is being inactive please show some humanity.
Maybe it will be solved by developers sooon .. They could be working on it .. will be a way to get rid of this problem ..
kaleemhunter said:
Maybe it will be solved by developers sooon .. They could be working on it .. will be a way to get rid of this problem ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i am afraid to tell you brother but there is no development under process of photon 4g the people on 2.3.5 are locked for good and its a misery for the developers too that they couldnt unlock it.. A replacement of another new model will be the only way to use new android versions lol :good:
check out Motorolla Moto G it has official upgrade of kitkat its affordable too :good:
photon
.. I've photon 2.3.5 and locked for sure.. hoping on dev to get a way out there..
come on guys I've got a few posts on here over the years about this lol I have a new account here since so I don't know where all those posts are.
sadly I have no clue what I did or how the heck I did it!
I bought the photon the day after it came out and used it for quite a while on sprint. I received the ota update to 2.3.5.
then when my contract expired I spent hours and hours and finally rooted and unlocked my phone and put it on straight talk. it was on the ota update so I was told I wouldn't be able to do it but somehow I did.
more recently I have a new issue with mine which is why I am back on here again but I am very disappointed I never had the chance to figure out how I did it.
-boxorandyos
<sent from my nexus4>
boxorandyos said:
come on guys I've got a few posts on here over the years about this lol I have a new account here since so I don't know where all those posts are.
sadly I have no clue what I did or how the heck I did it!
I bought the photon the day after it came out and used it for quite a while on sprint. I received the ota update to 2.3.5.
then when my contract expired I spent hours and hours and finally rooted and unlocked my phone and put it on straight talk. it was on the ota update so I was told I wouldn't be able to do it but somehow I did.
more recently I have a new issue with mine which is why I am back on here again but I am very disappointed I never had the chance to figure out how I did it.
-boxorandyos
<sent from my nexus4>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
brother we are talking about the bootloader unlock of photon 4g devices on 2.3.5 please clear that did you unlocked the bootloader or just unlocked your phone?? and whats your the problem you are facing now? let me know. I can help
I can't guarantee but I figured what I did would be called unlocking the bootloader. I do know I received the ota update as I remember having trouble with the phone after doing it so I was on 2.3.5 for sure. I do not remember what I did when unlocking it but it was completely factory plus the ota when I started and by the time I was done I had root access and I was running cm7 and I could put in my straight talk sim card and I had talk, text, mms, and data. that would be an unlocked bootloader if I'm right?
what I'm facing now is I get a message saying something about the modem did not start when ever I try turning the phone on.
-boxorandyos
<sent from my nexus4>
boxorandyos said:
I can't guarantee but I figured what I did would be called unlocking the bootloader. I do know I received the ota update as I remember having trouble with the phone after doing it so I was on 2.3.5 for sure. I do not remember what I did when unlocking it but it was completely factory plus the ota when I started and by the time I was done I had root access and I was running cm7 and I could put in my straight talk sim card and I had talk, text, mms, and data. that would be an unlocked bootloader if I'm right?
what I'm facing now is I get a message saying something about the modem did not start when ever I try turning the phone on.
-boxorandyos
<sent from my nexus4>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you have your photon with you right now then take a look at its bootloader open it and it must say UNLOCKED if not then your bootloader is still locked..
so the modem error comes and the mobile doesn't works?? I think its a hardware problem as far as i know
yea it does say unlocked in the corner of the bootloader screen.
I got the error when I tried flashing an update to my ROM. I don't know whether it flashed something that did that our if it was just coincidence that something went wrong with the hardware at the same time. I tried flashing it back to the old version and that did not fix the problem.
-boxorandyos
<sent from my nexus4>
boxorandyos said:
yea it does say unlocked in the corner of the bootloader screen.
I got the error when I tried flashing an update to my ROM. I don't know whether it flashed something that did that our if it was just coincidence that something went wrong with the hardware at the same time. I tried flashing it back to the old version and that did not fix the problem.
-boxorandyos
<sent from my nexus4>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what really? it says unlocked that it means the bootloader is unlocked how the hell did you unlocked your bootloader on 2.3.5? you have to remember it brother?
I honestly have no clue this was only like the third phone I ever unlocked and I've done dozens since. this was back right after the ota came out.
all I remember is I spent days and days trying to figure it out. if I had another phone I might work on it again as that's a really nice phone but I don't really expect to ever land on one of them again.
-boxorandyos
<sent from my nexus4>
boxorandyos said:
I honestly have no clue this was only like the third phone I ever unlocked and I've done dozens since. this was back right after the ota came out.
all I remember is I spent days and days trying to figure it out. if I had another phone I might work on it again as that's a really nice phone but I don't really expect to ever land on one of them again.
-boxorandyos
<sent from my nexus4>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an OTA-locked one that's fairly cosmetically beat up. New replacement battery. USB port cracked off just enough that normal USB cables work but car dock does not. Otherwise I *think* it's fine - I gave up on peetr's decrapped stock ROM, which is good I gotta say, and bought an unlocked one on eBay.
I'd give it to you free but I am literally sweating out my rent check. Would you be willing to part with $25 for it, includes shipping?
A friend brought me a photon of his he is wanting to use with straight talk Sim , It is on 2.3.5 ota I believe but don't know . Have tried to unlock the boot loader but keep getting (FAILED (remote: (00180001))) when I try to get the unlock key. It has root but does not register the straight talk Sim and I felt unlocking the boot loader would help me fix this issue but am finding I can't .can anyone help am open to any suggestions. Pls know though I am still learning how to use the adb, fastboot, and know little about rsd (can't get it to even pick up the phone)
Sent from my XT1080 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
def2moto said:
I have an OTA-locked one that's fairly cosmetically beat up. New replacement battery. USB port cracked off just enough that normal USB cables work but car dock does not. Otherwise I *think* it's fine - I gave up on peetr's decrapped stock ROM, which is good I gotta say, and bought an unlocked one on eBay.
I'd give it to you free but I am literally sweating out my rent check. Would you be willing to part with $25 for it, includes shipping?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
woops I must have missed this. I can do that as soon as I get some people to pay what they owe me. right now I am behind on some bills by quite a bit but I am hoping that will get taken care of shortly. do bug me about it and I'll do that.
-boxorandyos
<sent from my nexus4>
Hi guys, I'm new to ARM devices, but I have a lot linux experience and a fair amount of Android experience, as I've done some device porting work at android-x86.org.
I was recently given a photon 4G with a locked bootloader, 30000000000030003000100000000
My question is, what is so special about the bootloader that it can't be replaced by another bootloader. I was just looking at the thread to put Arch Linux on the Photon, but that thread seems to have stalled and I can not ask any questions there because I do not have 10 posts yet.
I am guessing the kernel image cannot be replaced with a locked bootloader? I read the post by peetr_ about SBF's & CG's & signatures, but when are the signatures checked, at flash time or every boot? I dd'd the boot partition to /tmp/boot.img and pulled it to my linux workstation but I've not been able to mount it. Mount thinks it's NTFS, is that what a .smg is? NTFS in some sort of container?
boxorandyos said:
woops I must have missed this. I can do that as soon as I get some people to pay what they owe me. right now I am behind on some bills by quite a bit but I am hoping that will get taken care of shortly. do bug me about it and I'll do that.
-boxorandyos
<sent from my nexus4>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure thing, I starred the notice of this in my email program and will get back on this thread next time I go thru my backlog if I haven't heard from you.
Funny how we're all in some way participating in all this work that manufacturers should've done, and a lot of us are broke.
---------- Post added at 01:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:12 PM ----------
fuzzy7k said:
Hi guys, I'm new to ARM devices, but I have a lot linux experience and a fair amount of Android experience, as I've done some device porting work at android-x86.org.
I was recently given a photon 4G with a locked bootloader, 30000000000030003000100000000
My question is, what is so special about the bootloader that it can't be replaced by another bootloader. I was just looking at the thread to put Arch Linux on the Photon, but that thread seems to have stalled and I can not ask any questions there because I do not have 10 posts yet.
I am guessing the kernel image cannot be replaced with a locked bootloader? I read the post by peetr_ about SBF's & CG's & signatures, but when are the signatures checked, at flash time or every boot? I dd'd the boot partition to /tmp/boot.img and pulled it to my linux workstation but I've not been able to mount it. Mount thinks it's NTFS, is that what a .smg is? NTFS in some sort of container?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Forgive me if I'm telling you stuff you already know, but here are a few random tidbits of info:
The OTA update blew a hardware fuse which somehow prevents bootloader unlock by any known methods
The only ROMs that can be flashed with the bootloader locked are ones using the stock kernel as-is, like peetr's ROM, so I think your guess about the kernel image becoming set in stone is correct.
Don't know anything else but I also have an OTA-locked one which I could run stuff on and get you output, if you want it, and an unlocked one (pre OTA update) running CM9. As long as it doesn't mess up my devices I could provide you with debug info.
def2moto said:
Sure thing, I starred the notice of this in my email program and will get back on this thread next time I go thru my backlog if I haven't heard from you.
Funny how we're all in some way participating in all this work that manufacturers should've done, and a lot of us are broke.
[/LIST]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will try an remember to get back to you
there is one thing I was just thinking about that I do remember thinking about afterwards. whatever I did that made it work may have stemmed from what I later discovered was a corrupted file. I remember downloading file after file and trying to flash dozens of different files. every time I was getting all sorts of errors. suddenly tho I got a different error and after that when I would try throwing commands at the phone I would get completely different responses. my memory is very limited of it all but I thought I was completely screwed.
somehow tho I suddenly had a phone with the pre ota software on it.
whatever exactly it was that I messed up I have no clue without trying to re create the story.
-boxorandyos
<sent from my nexus4>
Hey guys. Nickman529 here. Sorry I haven't ever updated anything on that thread. I don't have the MoPho anymore but I'd be willing to start up development if someone would wanna send me one or donate the PayPal funds for such. I hear your cries.
Hi, all..
As is probably known, before fastboot commands on the Nexus 9 will work, two things are required...
First, this option, in Developer Options, needs to he checked box ticked...
** Enable OEM Unlock **
...followed by... (with the device booted into it's bootloader)...
Code:
fastboot oem unlock
------
UNDER ABSOLUTELY NO CIRCUMSTANCEs SHOULD THIS PROCEDURE BE REVERSED.... unless you're running 100% stock.
It will very likely cause your Nexus 9 to be become permanently semi-bricked.
The device will boot, and it will charge... However IF YOU CAN'T BOOT ANDROID, AND RE-ENABLE. the ** Enable OEM Unlock ** option in Developer Setting's, then...
Code:
fastboot oem unlock
...will fail.
And you won't even be able to fastboot flash back to factory stock.
You can't even remotely boot a recovery, with...
Code:
fastboot boot recovery
...as this too, also requires an unlocked bootloader.
I know; I've tried.
-----
And this is my current predicament... My Nexus 9 now constantly bootloops into TWRP, with this message, at the top of the screen...
This is a development device not intended for production use..
Bootloader is locked, and I can't unlock it because I can't boot Android in order to set ** Enable OEM Unlock ** in developer options.
Unless anybody has any suggestions, my Nexus 9 is now pretty much useless.
Rgrds,
Ged.
OK.. Anybody know what the setting **Enable OEM Unlock** in Developer Options actually sets.
What flag it sets?
In terms of the underlying operating system, this MUST JUST FLIP some binary state flag, such that...
Code:
fastboot oem unlock
...now works.
There's gotta be some ADB command that will re-enable this, in the absence of a bootable version of Android.
Or some terminal command like a (dd=if>of command).
----
I've been at this for now, for 12 f**king hours...
I've tried everything I know.
At one point, TWRP, didn't bootloop and booted properly. But it was a pyrrhic victory, 'cos I had nothing on the device to restore. That was four hours ago... since then TWRP just bootloops endlessly.
I suspect that when., via the bootloader, I select the FACTORY RESET option, it's looking for the stock recovery... and which of course it doesn't find.... because TWRP is installed.
Indeed, I also suspect because Lollipop now runs encrypted, there are issues with mounting the data partition.
----
Well, I guess, my Nexus 9 is pretty much screwed, I think...
It'll make a nice Christmas decoration though.. It actually lights up!!!))). It's not THAT bricked. It still lights up..
----
In conclusion..
...and for guidance for others...
***
After rooting, and fastboot flashing TWRP...
--do not relock the bootloader.--
--do not disable. ** Enable OEM Unlock ** in Developer Options--
***
If you do both, and Android won't boot, your Nexus 9 is f**cked!!
You won't be able to flash anything; not even with a a toolkit like Wugs. I've tried.
Rgrds,
Ged.
Wow, really sorry to hear about your device! Maybe somebody here can come up with a fix for you...
Thanks for giving the rest of us a heads up!
Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk
@GedBlake
If you have time I'm willing to help you out, I've been testing some things and may be able to help, just let me know
Don't worry! Will let demkantor help you. Have you tried fastboot erase recovery and flash stock?
MRobbo80 said:
Don't worry! Will let demkantor help you. Have you tried fastboot erase recovery and flash stock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He can't fastboot because his boot loader is locked. He can't unlock boot loader because he can't check that box. I knew this was gonna be problems as soon as I saw this setting. I guess I get what google was going for, but I still don't like it.
A nexus device should be able to recover from anything short of a hand grenade, for something this simple to semi brick a nexus is ridiculous.
Op, i taje it you can get to an adb shell? Or can you not even access recovery?
di11igaf said:
He can't fastboot because his boot loader is locked. He can't unlock boot loader because he can't check that box. I knew this was gonna be problems as soon as I saw this setting. I guess I get what google was going for, but I still don't like it.
A nexus device should be able to recover from anything short of a hand grenade, for something this simple to semi brick a nexus is ridiculous.
Op, i taje it you can get to an adb shell? Or can you not even access recovery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, di11igaf...
Thanks for your response... And apologies for my late response. I took a few days off from Android; I just needed a break. (And I have a new Nexus 9).
Yep; whilst TWRP was bootlooping, ADB did work... certainly, ADB devices yielded a device serial number... but I had nothing to 'push'.
I had no Nandroid backups on my laptop, and no Custom ROM. zips to 'push'. (I don't even think there are any yet, for the Nexus 9).
And even if I did successfully ADB push something, TWRP was bootlooping.
TWRP was essentially just useless, other than acting as an ADB gateway.
***
demkantor said:
@GedBlake
If you have time I'm willing to help you out, I've been testing some things and may be able to help, just let me know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, demkantor...
Thanks for your offer of help... but I now have a new Nexus 9.
Still interested though, in what you have in mind, as I suspect this particular problem is going to rear it's ugly head again sometime in the future. As other Nexus 9 devices will likely befall a similar fate to my Nexus 9....
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, guys...
Thanks for your input, help and advice.
First, apologies for my language in my posts above. It's not often that I resort to expletives, even if disguised with asterisks. It was unbecoming of me, and I hope I didn't cause any offence.
On to the matter in hand...
After three days, I would dearly love to report that 'I fought the good fight', and discovered some ingenious method by which I resolved the problem... but alas I didn't.
The device continued to bootloop TWRP, and fastboot oem unlock continued to fail.
The bootloader itself was still accessible (by pressing & holding vol-down, followed by power on). This button press sequence, interrupted the bootlooping TWRP, and forced a reboot into the bootboader.
But the only real use for this, was to shut down the Nexus 9, as accessing fastboot was a sheer waste of time. With a locked and unlockable bootloader, nothing could be fastboot flashed.
The device was stuck, and with no way out.
A resolution.. but not a solution.
The Nexus 9 in question was actually bought for me, by a very close friend, for my 49th birthday on the 18th November. When she recently enquired how I was doing with it... well, as you can imagine, I was somewhat reluctant to admit that I'd screwed it up.
But eventually, and to my embarrassment, I admitted I'd made a bit of a pig's ear of it.
After she'd given me 'the look', and a sigh of exasperation, she revealed she'd also bought with it, a two year extended, no-quibble, anything-can-happens warranty. I have a similar warranty on my old Nexus 7, though I've never had any cause to avail myself of it on that older device. It adds about £80 to the price of the device. So, this morning, we both headed out to the local PC World from whence she bought the Nexus 9, and got it replaced: no questions asked.
So, I'm currently midway through setting it up again.
Needless to say, I won't be repeating the same mistake!
As it stands, right now, my replacement Nexus 9 is working just fine. And indeed, if it can be said that 'every cloud has a silver lining', it's that the replacement unit is actually 'better'. The original unit had some minor light bleed issues, and the back cover flexed inwards marginally. This new one has no lightbleed at all, and it just feels more robust, with no flexing of the back. Google and HTC really need to get these build quality issues sorted, and quickly. It's really just not good enough on a tablet at this price point.
In conclusion..
After three years of tinkering with Android devices... rooting them, flashing Custom ROMs, etc, this is the first time I've ever rendered one unusable. Not technically hardbricked, in the classical sense, with a black unresponsive screen... but certainly unusable and very likely unrecoverable.
And it's caused me to reconsider the whole point of rooting Android, and unlocking bootloaders.
What are the benefits of doing so? And what are the attendant risks?
And is it worth it?
Of course, it you're rich, and you can afford to replace a bricked device, then maybe it is worth it. Or if you happen to have a no-quibble warranty, (at an additional price), as I did... then perhaps, also it might be worth it.
***
Android today, is a wholly different beast to what it was when I first came to it back in 2011...
...with GingerBread, HoneyComb and, later Ice Cream Sandwich. Then, there where very significant benefits to rooting and flashing Custom ROMs... but today, I'm not so sure it's really worth the hassle, or potential financial cost if things go wrong. And it's been my experience of technology, that things can sometimes go horribly wrong.
***
I rooted my Nexus 9, just so I could run Titanium... A great app, but I feel it's no longer as relevant as once was... and to run Greenify, the power saving app. But if Lollipop delivers on it's promise of improved battery performance, with the so called Project Volta, then maybe even Greenify will become less relevant. And the Greenify app devs. have made great strides forward in making Greenify work in non-rooted mode anyway... I know; I have it running on my unrooted HTC One M8.
Maybe, at some point in the future, I will unlock the bootloader again, and root my Nexus 9 again... but there is going to have to be a pretty compelling reason to do so... And right now, I can't think of one.
I'm just happy to have a Nexus 9 that works one again... and I'm not inclined to take any further chances with it.
Cheers all...
Rgrds,
Ged.
GedBlake said:
Hi, di11igaf...
Thanks for your response... And apologies for my late response. I took a few days off from Android; I just needed a break. (And I have a new Nexus 9).
Yep; whilst TWRP was bootlooping, ADB did work... certainly, ADB devices yielded a device serial number... but I had nothing to 'push'.
I had no Nandroid backups on my laptop, and no Custom ROM. zips to 'push'. (I don't even think there are any yet, for the Nexus 9).
And even if I did successfully ADB push something, TWRP was bootlooping.
TWRP was essentially just useless, other than acting as an ADB gateway.
***
Hi, demkantor...
Thanks for your offer of help... but I now have a new Nexus 9.
Still interested though, in what you have in mind, as I suspect this particular problem is going to rear it's ugly head again sometime in the future. As other Nexus 9 devices will likely befall a similar fate to my Nexus 9....
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, guys...
Thanks for your input, help and advice.
First, apologies for my language in my posts above. It's not often that I resort to expletives, even if disguised with asterisks. It was unbecoming of me, and I hope I didn't cause any offence.
On to the matter in hand...
After three days, I would dearly love to report that 'I fought the good fight', and discovered some ingenious method by which I resolved the problem... but alas I didn't.
The device continued to bootloop TWRP, and fastboot oem unlock continued to fail.
The bootloader itself was still accessible (by pressing & holding vol-down, followed by power on). This button press sequence, interrupted the bootlooping TWRP, and forced a reboot into the bootboader.
But the only real use for this, was to shut down the Nexus 9, as accessing fastboot was a sheer waste of time. With a locked and unlockable bootloader, nothing could be fastboot flashed.
The device was stuck, and with no way out.
A resolution.. but not a solution.
The Nexus 9 in question was actually bought for me, by a very close friend, for my 49th birthday on the 18th November. When she recently enquired how I was doing with it... well, as you can imagine, I was somewhat reluctant to admit that I'd screwed it up.
But eventually, and to my embarrassment, I admitted I'd made a bit of a pig's ear of it.
After she'd given me 'the look', and a sigh of exasperation, she revealed she'd also bought with it, a two year extended, no-quibble, anything-can-happens warranty. I have a similar warranty on my old Nexus 7, though I've never had any cause to avail myself of it on that older device. It adds about £80 to the price of the device. So, this morning, we both headed out to the local PC World from whence she bought the Nexus 9, and got it replaced: no questions asked.
So, I'm currently midway through setting it up again.
Needless to say, I won't be repeating the same mistake!
As it stands, right now, my replacement Nexus 9 is working just fine. And indeed, if it can be said that 'every cloud has a silver lining', it's that the replacement unit is actually 'better'. The original unit had some minor light bleed issues, and the back cover flexed inwards marginally. This new one has no lightbleed at all, and it just feels more robust, with no flexing of the back. Google and HTC really need to get these build quality issues sorted, and quickly. It's really just not good enough on a tablet at this price point.
In conclusion..
After three years of tinkering with Android devices... rooting them, flashing Custom ROMs, etc, this is the first time I've ever rendered one unusable. Not technically hardbricked, in the classical sense, with a black unresponsive screen... but certainly unusable and very likely unrecoverable.
And it's caused me to reconsider the whole point of rooting Android, and unlocking bootloaders.
What are the benefits of doing so? And what are the attendant risks?
And is it worth it?
Of course, it you're rich, and you can afford to replace a bricked device, then maybe it is worth it. Or if you happen to have a no-quibble warranty, (at an additional price), as I did... then perhaps, also it might be worth it.
***
Android today, is a wholly different beast to what it was when I first came to it back in 2011...
...with GingerBread, HoneyComb and, later Ice Cream Sandwich. Then, there where very significant benefits to rooting and flashing Custom ROMs... but today, I'm not so sure it's really worth the hassle, or potential financial cost if things go wrong. And it's been my experience of technology, that things can sometimes go horribly wrong.
***
I rooted my Nexus 9, just so I could run Titanium... A great app, but I feel it's no longer as relevant as once was... and to run Greenify, the power saving app. But if Lollipop delivers on it's promise of improved battery performance, with the so called Project Volta, then maybe even Greenify will become less relevant. And the Greenify app devs. have made great strides forward in making Greenify work in non-rooted mode anyway... I know; I have it running on my unrooted HTC One M8.
Maybe, at some point in the future, I will unlock the bootloader again, and root my Nexus 9 again... but there is going to have to be a pretty compelling reason to do so... And right now, I can't think of one.
I'm just happy to have a Nexus 9 that works one again... and I'm not inclined to take any further chances with it.
Cheers all...
Rgrds,
Ged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as you don't make the same 'mistake' again,(admittedly a mistake google should have considered before implementing the 'unlockable' flag) rooting/flashing a nexus is perfectly safe. If you stay unlocked, you can recover from anything. Performance with kernels and roms will continue to get better as the nexus 9s shortcomings are discovered and figured out. (There is a lot of new things with the 9-----lollipop, 64 bit architecture, etc). Personally I need root and an unlocked boot loader, but not everybody does.
Realistically with your device having access to a # adb shell your device was probably recoverable at the very least with 'dd', but you're back up so thats good. You paid for the no questions asked warranty and used it as designed as you should have, as much as it sucks at least you're back up.
Glad everything worked out for you.
GedBlake said:
Hi, di11igaf...
Thanks for your response... And apologies for my late response. I took a few days off from Android; I just needed a break. (And I have a new Nexus 9).
Yep; whilst TWRP was bootlooping, ADB did work... certainly, ADB devices yielded a device serial number... but I had nothing to 'push'.
I had no Nandroid backups on my laptop, and no Custom ROM. zips to 'push'. (I don't even think there are any yet, for the Nexus 9).
And even if I did successfully ADB push something, TWRP was bootlooping.
TWRP was essentially just useless, other than acting as an ADB gateway.
***
Hi, demkantor...
Thanks for your offer of help... but I now have a new Nexus 9.
Still interested though, in what you have in mind, as I suspect this particular problem is going to rear it's ugly head again sometime in the future. As other Nexus 9 devices will likely befall a similar fate to my Nexus 9....
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, guys...
Thanks for your input, help and advice.
First, apologies for my language in my posts above. It's not often that I resort to expletives, even if disguised with asterisks. It was unbecoming of me, and I hope I didn't cause any offence.
On to the matter in hand...
After three days, I would dearly love to report that 'I fought the good fight', and discovered some ingenious method by which I resolved the problem... but alas I didn't.
The device continued to bootloop TWRP, and fastboot oem unlock continued to fail.
The bootloader itself was still accessible (by pressing & holding vol-down, followed by power on). This button press sequence, interrupted the bootlooping TWRP, and forced a reboot into the bootboader.
But the only real use for this, was to shut down the Nexus 9, as accessing fastboot was a sheer waste of time. With a locked and unlockable bootloader, nothing could be fastboot flashed.
The device was stuck, and with no way out.
A resolution.. but not a solution.
The Nexus 9 in question was actually bought for me, by a very close friend, for my 49th birthday on the 18th November. When she recently enquired how I was doing with it... well, as you can imagine, I was somewhat reluctant to admit that I'd screwed it up.
But eventually, and to my embarrassment, I admitted I'd made a bit of a pig's ear of it.
After she'd given me 'the look', and a sigh of exasperation, she revealed she'd also bought with it, a two year extended, no-quibble, anything-can-happens warranty. I have a similar warranty on my old Nexus 7, though I've never had any cause to avail myself of it on that older device. It adds about £80 to the price of the device. So, this morning, we both headed out to the local PC World from whence she bought the Nexus 9, and got it replaced: no questions asked.
So, I'm currently midway through setting it up again.
Needless to say, I won't be repeating the same mistake!
As it stands, right now, my replacement Nexus 9 is working just fine. And indeed, if it can be said that 'every cloud has a silver lining', it's that the replacement unit is actually 'better'. The original unit had some minor light bleed issues, and the back cover flexed inwards marginally. This new one has no lightbleed at all, and it just feels more robust, with no flexing of the back. Google and HTC really need to get these build quality issues sorted, and quickly. It's really just not good enough on a tablet at this price point.
In conclusion..
After three years of tinkering with Android devices... rooting them, flashing Custom ROMs, etc, this is the first time I've ever rendered one unusable. Not technically hardbricked, in the classical sense, with a black unresponsive screen... but certainly unusable and very likely unrecoverable.
And it's caused me to reconsider the whole point of rooting Android, and unlocking bootloaders.
What are the benefits of doing so? And what are the attendant risks?
And is it worth it?
Of course, it you're rich, and you can afford to replace a bricked device, then maybe it is worth it. Or if you happen to have a no-quibble warranty, (at an additional price), as I did... then perhaps, also it might be worth it.
***
Android today, is a wholly different beast to what it was when I first came to it back in 2011...
...with GingerBread, HoneyComb and, later Ice Cream Sandwich. Then, there where very significant benefits to rooting and flashing Custom ROMs... but today, I'm not so sure it's really worth the hassle, or potential financial cost if things go wrong. And it's been my experience of technology, that things can sometimes go horribly wrong.
***
I rooted my Nexus 9, just so I could run Titanium... A great app, but I feel it's no longer as relevant as once was... and to run Greenify, the power saving app. But if Lollipop delivers on it's promise of improved battery performance, with the so called Project Volta, then maybe even Greenify will become less relevant. And the Greenify app devs. have made great strides forward in making Greenify work in non-rooted mode anyway... I know; I have it running on my unrooted HTC One M8.
Maybe, at some point in the future, I will unlock the bootloader again, and root my Nexus 9 again... but there is going to have to be a pretty compelling reason to do so... And right now, I can't think of one.
I'm just happy to have a Nexus 9 that works one again... and I'm not inclined to take any further chances with it.
Cheers all...
Rgrds,
Ged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you simply got a good scare off this story, losing a tablet for a checkbox unchecked is quite annoying.
I like to have the bootloader unlocked/s-off as soon as I get a device, so that I can do whatever I like with it the future. I personally couldn't live without root and custom roms, but I guess that my opinion could differ from yours
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Free mobile app
totalnoob34 said:
I think you simply got a good scare off this story, losing a tablet for a checkbox unchecked is quite annoying.
I like to have the bootloader unlocked/s-off as soon as I get a device, so that I can do whatever I like with it the future. I personally couldn't live without root and custom roms, but I guess that my opinion could differ from yours
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A good 'scare off' story is perhaps sometimes a good thing. It helps keep perspective. A 'chilling' perspective...
Rooting, unlocking bootloaders, and/or flashing custom roms/kernels/recoveries, etc... should, I think, NEVER be considered routine.
We're not talking about installing Angry Birds here... there is always going to be some element of risk to the device.
However, with all that said... I've decided that some valid points have been made... And so I have decided to bite the bullet, and root my replacement Nexus 9.
Currently backing everything up to my laptop...
I'm going to use CF-Auto root... And stay clear of TWRP. I have some suspicions that the presence of TWRP (which endlessly bootlooped), played some part in the previous debacle.
Hope my female friend, who bought me this device, doesn't learn that I'm messing with it again. She'll give me all kinds of hell if I screw it up again!!
Anyhow, signing off for now... progress report later.
Rgrds,
Ged.
Yay!!!! My Nexus 9 bootloader is now unlocked, and successfully rooted... and without problems.
I can now rest easy... .
Thanks once again, for everybodies input, help, advice and guidance.
Kind Rgrds,
Ged.
GedBlake said:
A good 'scare off' story is perhaps sometimes a good thing. It helps keep perspective. A 'chilling' perspective...
Rooting, unlocking bootloaders, and/or flashing custom roms/kernels/recoveries, etc... should, I think, NEVER be considered routine.
We're not talking about installing Angry Birds here... there is always going to be some element of risk to the device.
However, with all that said... I've decided that some valid points have been made... And so I have decided to bite the bullet, and root my replacement Nexus 9.
Currently backing everything up to my laptop...
I'm going to use CF-Auto root... And stay clear of TWRP. I have some suspicions that the presence of TWRP (which endlessly bootlooped), played some part in the previous debacle.
Hope my female friend, who bought me this device, doesn't learn that I'm messing with it again. She'll give me all kinds of hell if I screw it up again!!
Anyhow, signing off for now... progress report later.
Rgrds,
Ged.
Yay!!!! My Nexus 9 bootloader is now unlocked, and successfully rooted... and without problems.
I can now rest easy... .
Thanks once again, for everybodies input, help, advice and guidance.
Kind Rgrds,
Ged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my opinion, unlocking the bootloader and rooting is routine, on mine and on my close friends' phones. But, as I said, everyone is free to do whatever he likes with their device
I've always had bad luck with TWRP on my devices. I always use ClockworkMod recovery, even if someone specifically recommends TWRP for some task.
But don't be scared by this episode. From your post, you definitely know what you're doing and eventually hit a brick wall. Yeah, **** happens. It's an inherent risk of modding your device.
Just don't give up.
I just relocked mine prior to sending it back, however, I was stock.
I did a full wipe, then did a fastboot oem lock, then booted back into android, re-enabled Developer Options, disabled OEM Unlock option and wiped again - booted into setup screen no problem.
Now packed up ready to send back to Google.
StuMcBill said:
I just relocked mine prior to sending it back, however, I was stock.
I did a full wipe, then did a fastboot oem lock, then booted back into android, re-enabled Developer Options, disabled OEM Unlock option and wiped again - booted into setup screen no problem.
Now packed up ready to send back to Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that sounds like the logical proper order to do it.
Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the warning. So to sum it up, if we need to enable oem unlock, we should be in stock 100%. Right?
albsat said:
Thanks for the warning. So to sum it up, if we need to enable oem unlock, we should be in stock 100%. Right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, albsat...
Apologies it's taken me so long to respond, but with Christmas coming up, and helping out with family related stuff, I've not had much chance this past week to post stuff.
---
Anyhow, to try to answer to your question...
Having thought long and hard about this problem... the problem isn't so much re-locking the bootloader with fastboot oem lock. I suspect this alone, shouldn't cause any problems.
It's the **Enable OEM unlock** setting in Developer Options, that is potentially dangerous.
---
If Android (for whatever reason) won't boot, (bootlooping, for example), and if all other possible remedies fail... you would normally just (re)unlock the bootloader with fastboot oem unlock, and fastboot flash a factory image.
BUT THIS WILL NOT WORK, if the **Enable OEM unlock** setting in Developer Options has also been disabled.
If the device is soft-bricked at this point, and Android won't boot such that you cannot gain access to Developer Options (in order to re-enable that setting), then the device is permanently soft-bricked.
And there is nothing that can be done to rescue the device. And this was my earlier prediciment, as previously described.
---
Let me see of if I can explain why I think this...
In a previous post on this thread, I wrote the following...
GedBlake said:
...anybody know what the setting **Enable OEM Unlock** in Developer Options actually sets.
What flag it sets?
In terms of the underlying operating system, this MUST JUST FLIP some binary state flag, such that...
There's gotta be some ADB command that will re-enable this, in the absence of a bootable version of Android.
Or some terminal command like a (dd=if>of command).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was largely just desperate optimism on my part, in the hope that somebody might know of some ADB or terminal command... but having recently read the OP in this thread, I now know that my attempts to unbrick my previous Nexus 9, was likely a hopeless cause.
If, and as I suspect, the **Enable OEM unlock** setting in Developer Options, is an additional layer of security, then it probably CANNOT be circumvented by some ADB or terminal command.
It wouldn't be much of a security measure if it was that easy!!
Consider the following hypothetical scenario...
"Let's suppose a guy, a regular non-techy kind of guy, buys a brand new Nexus 9 tomorrow. Now, this guy knows nothing about fastboot or factory stock images or any of that stuff. Developer Options, by default, is hidden to him, 'cos he doesn't know you need to tap 7 times on the build number... And so, consequently also, the **Enable OEM unlock** setting is also hidden and by default, it's disabled.
He doesn't know this, and from his point of view, he doesn't want or need to know this. He just wants a nice tablet for browsing the web, checking his emails, posting on Twitter or Facebook, and maybe playing the occasional game. So he takes his new purchase home, and sets it up... with WiFi key and Google Account details, etc. He installs some apps from PlayStore, and copies over his music/pics/documents and other stuff from his laptop.
**But he's a security minded guy, so he decides to set a LOCK PATTERN or PIN NUMBER on his lock screen.**
One day, whilst going to work, he absent mindedly leaves his Nexus 9 on the train... which is then subsequently found by somebody who is not entirely honest. Instead of turning it into the police or the train stations lost property office, this scurrilous individual decides to keep the tablet for himself. He sees the device is PIN or PATTERN locked, but being a bit of an Android expert, he's non too worried about this. All he has to do, is unlock the bootloader and fastboot flash a factory stock image, and the stolen device will be his...
...Or so he thinks!!!
His first stumbling block (and upon which successfully flashing a factory stock image depends), is first unlocking the bootloader... and which of course will fail, because the lawful owner NEVER enabled **Enable OEM unlock** in Developer Options. Indeed, he wasn't even aware that such a setting existed. And our opportunist thief cannot boot Android in order to enable this setting, because he is not in possession of the LOCK PATTERN or PIN CODE required to get past the lock screen.
He is in possession of a useless tablet."
So, in this scenario... the setting **Enable OEM unlock** in Developer Options, has served it's purpose, in rendering the Nexus 9 useless to somebody who has no lawful right to it, and why I think that there was no possible way of salvaging my original Nexus 9. Any such method would undermine the whole point of it.
---
So, in conclusion...
Re-locking the bootloader is probably safe... The danger is ALSO, AND AT THE SAME TIME disabling the **Enable OEM unlock** option in Developer Options... and is risky, as you're potentially disallowing the bootloader from EVER being unlocked again.
And if Android won't boot... FOR WHATEVER REASON, there is NO WAY of re-enabling that setting.
So, once you've enabled it, my advice is to NEVER disable it... regardless of what you do with the bootloader lock state.
---
Anyhow, I hope my lengthy post sheds some light on all of this... And is of assistence to whomever has the patience to read the whole damn thing.
Sorry, but I do tend to waffle on at times.
Kind Rgrds,
Ged.
My case is similar, the only difference is that I never changed the recovery. After a few days of it working ok, at the startup it just stays at the Google logo.
Tried a Factory Reset and Wipe and not yet a single change. Next step would be to just flash the stock ROM, but wait! Developer Options was never enabled nor was Enable OEM Unlock.
I bought this $450 tablet in the US and I live in Brazil and now I cannot even return it. This is how dumb the decision to add this toggle was. And I tought Google made the device for developers.
dirceucorsetti said:
My case is similar, the only difference is that I never changed the recovery. After a few days of it working ok, at the startup it just stays at the Google logo.
Tried a Factory Reset and Wipe and not yet a single change. Next step would be to just flash the stock ROM, but wait! Developer Options was never enabled nor was Enable OEM Unlock.
I bought this $450 tablet in the US and I live in Brazil and now I cannot even return it. This is how dumb the decision to add this toggle was. And I tought Google made the device for developers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're fine. Just find the factory update.zip and install it via factory recovery, along with a userdata wipe.
After a few tries the factory reset was well succeeded. Thanks for the info though. I had no knowledge that I could flash the stock version via factory recovery. I guess I'm back to the noob pack.
Same just happened to me and I'm stuck. Is there any way to even use TWRP? I can boot into it but it can't mount storage which makes it useless afaik. I was running stock rom and everything except recovery..
You still have no answer to your problem?
Edit: after trying factory reset through the bootloader the recovery won't boot anymore..