• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

[Verizon] Question about Bootloader

S

Shachren

Well-Known Member
Guys,

Just a fast question about the Bootloader. I am unlocked and rooted running 4.0.4 stock. So, for whatever reason, if i decide to re-lock my bootloader, would this return me to an unrooted state and brick my phone? Or would it just lock my bootloader and leave it rooted?

Thanks
 
I've actually been wondering the same thing, but if I understand correctly, the second you unlock to try and get a rom or anything going, you'd lose everything.
 
When you relock your bootloader, it wont brick your phone if your rooted. Not sure about keeping you rooted, but it would probably leave you root; though someone will come and correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Austrie said:
When you relock your bootloader, it wont brick your phone if your rooted. Not sure about keeping you rooted, but it would probably leave you root; though someone will come and correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

Re-locking the bootloader only has the effect of, well, re-locking the bootloader :) ;).

Nothing else changes--if you are rooted, then root is retained, no data is lost, no brickings will occur.

Locking the bootloader means you can't use many of the fastboot commands that allow you to easily flash and recovery your phone. You can't flash a custom recovery with fastboot while the bootloader is locked, but you can with something like my app (Android Root Toolkit) or ROM Manager.

Cheers!
 
In that case, is there any way to get rid of the unlock symbol on the Google splash screen? For some reason it bugs me lol
 
Nope not yet really don't or haven't seen any one do a custom splash screen. I say this look at as a badge of honor.. also if its locked your screen shows a lock.
 
trophynuts said:
Lol how many times a day do you reboot ?
Click to expand...

I don't always reboot, but when I do, I prefer not looking at the Google screen.

=)

Also, I have a custom boot animation, but the Google splash screen is always there. Can't get rid of that. And if the phone is OEM locked, there's nothing there. Just the Google logo.
 
scary alien said:
Re-locking the bootloader only has the effect of, well, re-locking the bootloader :) ;).

Nothing else changes--if you are rooted, then root is retained, no data is lost, no brickings will occur.

Locking the bootloader means you can't use many of the fastboot commands that allow you to easily flash and recovery your phone. You can't flash a custom recovery with fastboot while the bootloader is locked, but you can with something like my app (Android Root Toolkit) or ROM Manager.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

So suppose we have to send our phone in to Samsung to get a warranty repair (I'm thinking if the OTA doesn't fix the outbound muting call bug, I'm going to try for a swap or send it in to get fixed). If I flash the stock 4.0.1 image, relock the bootloader and then wait for the 4.0.2 OTA to push, can Samsung tell I unlocked it and rooted it? I keep seeing people say unlocking/rooting voids the warranty but in the case where nothing is wrong (at least not at a fundamental level like that) and you can restore it to out-of-the-box bootloader/recovery/OS, can they refuse the warranty claim by checking some hidden value to tell you unlocked?
 
jkc120 said:
So suppose we have to send our phone in to Samsung to get a warranty repair (I'm thinking if the OTA doesn't fix the outbound muting call bug, I'm going to try for a swap or send it in to get fixed). If I flash the stock 4.0.1 image, relock the bootloader and then wait for the 4.0.2 OTA to push, can Samsung tell I unlocked it and rooted it? I keep seeing people say unlocking/rooting voids the warranty but in the case where nothing is wrong (at least not at a fundamental level like that) and you can restore it to out-of-the-box bootloader/recovery/OS, can they refuse the warranty claim by checking some hidden value to tell you unlocked?
Click to expand...

Well, I can only give you my opinion that I don't think they'd know or care if the phone had previously been unlocked and re-locked time after time after time (like my phone has ;) :)).

Its a development phone, after all.

I can't believe they'll invest the time and effort to forensically investigate any phone. If it looks and quacks like a duck, they'll assume its a duck :).

Putting the phone back to its original state and making an honest claim should be enough in my opinion.

:)
 
I agree with Scary.

Here is the deal. You know when you root/unlock your phone that it voids your warranty. If you have to unroot/relock your device and send it in for a replacement you have to understand there is a chance you'll get called out for violating your warranty. Will it happen, maybe, maybe not.

FWIW i just flashed my launch day unit with stock and relocked and sent it in after getting a replacement.

Also as a note. You wouldn't flash all the way back to 4.0.1 and then take the update. The stock image that you flash using ADB is 4.0.2.
 
I did same thing just reflashed my original day one release nexus with Odin and stock Odin file then relocked it. And sent it back to vzw. The biggest problem I have is no SD card so I zipped my SD card into two files and uploaded it to my drop box account. When I got my phone I just unlocked and dl the file to my new nexus
 
This question (OP) spurred another thought. Although you can lock in a rooted state, if you ever unlocked again, a factory reset occurs. I have found this to be a less than ideal scenario. I've seen some really odd outcomes when factory resetting rooted phones running custom roms at the time. So personally, I would flash back to the most current version of stock if relocking. Just my opinion.
 
So how about if like, an OTA update comes through (not if verizon has anything to say about it) and wants to do an update to the phone? Will that re-loc the phone? I know it'll lose root.
 
Shachren said:
So how about if like, an OTA update comes through (not if verizon has anything to say about it) and wants to do an update to the phone? Will that re-loc the phone? I know it'll lose root.
Click to expand...

Save your root with OTA RootKeeper or my app. You'll be able to recover root after the OTA comes in.
 
Never except a update from any carrier.
Shachren said:
So how about if like, an OTA update comes through (not if verizon has anything to say about it) and wants to do an update to the phone? Will that re-loc the phone? I know it'll lose root.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom