Note: This Thread is @svetius Approved!
NOTE: Thread locked and link removed until OP returns
SamPWND Bootloader Unlock Service
It is now possible to unlock the bootloader of USA/CAN Samsung S21 Models!
Note2: This is an informational thread that links to a paid service. Paid service is not a service provided by XDA.
The service described in this thread is simply to provide a remote service that will unlock the bootloader on USA Samsung devices released from the S10 and newer devices. This includes S10, N10, S20, N20, S21, Flip/Fold models, Tab S7 etc. devices which typically will have the letter U, U1, W or in some carrier specific cases might have a different letter, for example, N976V is Verizon N10! 5G model which is also unlockable. This service is not for Exynos variants or China/HK variants that are already unlockable by default.
Due to the nature of this service, there is no exploit that exists. It is also device specific so it is impossible to release any sort of exploit or method that would work on every device due to it being device specific. I will explain more of the process below but please understand that individual files are needed for me to purchase to unlock your devices and of course that is why this service is not able to be provided for free. You all know from my past experiences and posts that if I could provide a free method I would have already done so.
Spoiler: Process
1. First you should be sure to read the FAQ's and all other information on the website and in this thread etc. then be 100% sure that unlocking is what you want to do. Read the notes/disclaimers, refund policy, etc. etc.
2. If you decide unlocking through this service is what you want to do, proceed to the website REMOVED and in the menu go to the "Purchase" tab.
3. Be sure to read each step clearly and enter in accurate information. Form is designed to help walk you though getting your OneUI version, bootloader version, the correct DID etc. etc. It also includes a brief description of the refund policy as well as a signature box to sign just iindicating that you have read everything and agree. This is also done so that if you are on a device or a specific update/bootloader version that cannot be unlocked then it will tell you so and will not allow you to make a payment or will show 0$. If you can unlock your device, it will show you the price and allow you to make a payment once you have completed the form.
4. It will take 1-2 business days (not counting weekends, holidays, as well as life events such as if I get sick or life happens or my source is not available at the time etc.) to have the payment hit my bank account at which time I will send to my source to obtain your unlock "token."
5. Once token is received, I will proceed to message you on Telegram or Discord (whichever you prefer, you have the option to leave your username for both when filling out the form) and will send Instrucitons in a txt file along with modded ODIN (in case you don't already have it) as well as your unlock token so that you can unlock your device at your earliest convenience!
Spoiler: Notes
I wanted to try and keep the XDA threads short and clean so any notes or FAQ's you have questions for I suggest you view the website including the FAQ's first as well as the support group on TG is a good place to talk to others who have already unlocked or planning to unlock using this service as well as you can ask in this thread as usual.
The "Purchase Form" on the website when filled out correctly based on your device will tell you if your device is unlockable or not so fill that out first and if unlockable it will tell you the price at the end of which you can either pay or not depending on what you decide!
Spoiler: Disclaimers
-IMPORTANT - Do NOT blindly update if you are unlocked already or if you plan to unlock your bootloader via this service. Sammy has incremented the bootloader and updated some devices to OneUI 3.1 which breaks the BL unlock. Devices still on the same rev (i.e. S20 at time of this writing) then you can just flash back an older OneUI firmware and device will be unlocked again. If you update to OneUI 3.1 on new bootloader version then you likely will lost the unlock and can't downgrade (i.e. S20FE on rev2/3, N20 and S21 Models on rev2). That said, there are some devs posting some "safe" update files to allow you to update to latest firmware without losing your unlock so before taking any updates always check in the support group first. You have been warned!
- This method will unlock the bootloader allowing you to use custom firmware, custom kernels and everything else that is allowed with an unlocked bootloader including Magisk root.
- Please read the policies on the website including refund policy. Proceeding with the unlock service assumes you have read everything including the policies and decided to continue with the service.
- This DOES NOT unlock your SIM or carrier/network. it is NOT a SIM unlock.
- This process modifies the steady partition. Therefore if you end up messing with this partition or get another remote service such as combo flash or sim unlock service etc. that messes with the steady partition then you might overwrite the unlock and essentially relock the bootloader. Chances are if you have no idea what a steady partition is then I would not worry about it at all.
- Knox will be tripped. This means apps that rely on Knox flag not being tripped will no longer work i.e. Secure Folder, Samsung Pay etc.
- Once the device is unlocked, if for whatever reason it is locked again then it cannot be unlocked anymore. So make sure that once you unlock the bootloader that this is the choice you want to make and you want it unlocked.
- This service is strictly to unlock the bootloader. It is not a root thread, ROM service etc. What you choose to do with your device after being unlocked is your choice. Once device is unlocked, this thread/service will have served it's purpose. Links to other threads sources will likely be provided in another post just so users who are unlocking will have an easy reference and to keep this thread clean.
Spoiler: Feedback/Complaints
If you have any complaints about the service or want to provide feedback then please do so via PM and/or the contact page on the website or via TG/Discord if we have already spoke there etc. Do not bother the forum moderators with complaints regarding the service itself because they are not affiliated with the service and I simply got permission to post about and talk about the service. I assume this isn't something usually granted but I'd like to believe due to me being a long time member, contributor, developer and moderator that an exception was made. Keep in mind, if this somehow get's out of hand or goes south I am sure I will end up having to delete this thread. Let's not let it get to that point!
Spoiler: Purpose
- This is not a get rich quick scheme or something to make money. Trust me, I wouldn't even bother with this if my purpose was to make money because it is not very lucrative to say the least. There is cost involved with purchasing the actual unlock, site costs, payment gateway fees to be able to accept payments, time and effort to process the unlocks etc. so take all of that into consideration when weighing the cost.
- It has been years since USA models had a device that could be unlocked. I have spent countless weeks researching security since the S8. I released root methods for S8 devices as well as the S9/N9 devices at a later time which took a long time to figure out and that was just a basic root method. I was skeptical at first about this unlock process but trusted my sources and when I first unlocked my device I did various testing and concluded it is legit! At this time no one else knew about it, couldn't talk about it, etc. By word of mouth (until now), many devs/users have unlocked their device using this service. TWRP threads have popped up, some custom ROM threads have started popping up etc. The hope of going public is we get a lot more users purchasing and unlocking their devices (when it otherwise is not possible) and drives the development for USA devices.
XDA is the ONLY place I have published this post and would like to keep it that way. You are NOT allowed to create your own posts in regards to this service and if I see any other posts around this service I will ask to have it removed. You can however link to this XDA post if anyone has questions as to how your device was unlocked.
Spoiler: Website
Note: If you frequented the website before, I have removed the "forum" function from the website since we can discuss everything here on XDA in this thread so there is no need for a forum to be attached to my website any longer. Registration on the website is not required for anything. You can view the shop and purchase the service or view the ROM's section to see some of my SamPWND ROM's and download them etc. if you like all without registering or anything.
REMOVED
mine...
I wasn't sure where to ask this question, if I need to go somewhere else, please let me know. I am considering getting my ATT Bootloader unlocked - but I have a question - once the bootloader is unlocked, what happens when therre are new firmwear releases? Are we able to update when new Firmware is released? Or will that return the locked bootloader? Just want to be sure I understand potential issues I might have...
Thanks
Geekser said:
I wasn't sure where to ask this question, if I need to go somewhere else, please let me know. I am considering getting my ATT Bootloader unlocked - but I have a question - once the bootloader is unlocked, what happens when therre are new firmwear releases? Are we able to update when new Firmware is released? Or will that return the locked bootloader? Just want to be sure I understand potential issues I might have...
Thanks
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It all really depends. Nothing is forever. Only way a update will break things is if samsung updates their security but doesnt usually happen often.
Thaat said, theres ways to update safely so I wouldnt just blind flash updates until its confirmed one way or the other. Usually its important if they increment the BL because then u cant flash older firmwsre.
Welp, I have the desire to get this done sometime soon. I just keep having busy weekends! But I wasn't aware that I'd be able to flash BL update packages so long as they don't relock the BL. Any idea on where I could find out if the next software update contains a BL file that'd relock me? If so, then I'd be doing this ASAP lol.
NippleSauce said:
Welp, I have the desire to get this done sometime soon. I just keep having busy weekends! But I wasn't aware that I'd be able to flash BL update packages so long as they don't relock the BL. Any idea on where I could find out if the next software update contains a BL file that'd relock me? If so, then I'd be doing this ASAP lol.
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every update has bl files
elliwigy said:
every update has bl files
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Thanks for your repsponse to my previous question - Of course, there is no way to know if and when Samsung will update/increment the bootloader, but if I am not mistaken, it doesn't happen very often. That being said, it sounds like as long as I am careful about updating - waiting to make sure the Bootloader hasn't been updated that way which prevents going backward - I most likely won't lose "the unlocked" when I update new firmware.
One last question (probably a dumb one) so if everything checks out with the Bootloader when new firmware is released, I assume that we can just use Odin to flash the updated firmware - is that correct?
- By the way, thanks for your help with this.
Geekser said:
Thanks for your repsponse to my previous question - Of course, there is no way to know if and when Samsung will update/increment the bootloader, but if I am not mistaken, it doesn't happen very often. That being said, it sounds like as long as I am careful about updating - waiting to make sure the Bootloader hasn't been updated that way which prevents going backward - I most likely won't lose "the unlocked" when I update new firmware.
One last question (probably a dumb one) so if everything checks out with the Bootloader when new firmware is released, I assume that we can just use Odin to flash the updated firmware - is that correct?
- By the way, thanks for your help with this.
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Yeah, but each software update has a bootloader update included, hence why I was asking where I could find out whether or not flashing that file via Odin would end up relocking the bootloader... I suppose we'll have to just check around here on the XDA forums to find out whether or not the updates would be flashable whilst having your BL unlocked... =(... So we may have to wait a few months until we start seeing posts discussing exactly that...that is, of course, unless Samsung publicly announces whether or not the BL update will have security changes... But being that I haven't had a Samsung phone for the last decade, I'm not really sure if they'd ever announce that information... But hey, that's the one question that's holding most people back from getting a bootloader unlock ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Geekser said:
Thanks for your repsponse to my previous question - Of course, there is no way to know if and when Samsung will update/increment the bootloader, but if I am not mistaken, it doesn't happen very often. That being said, it sounds like as long as I am careful about updating - waiting to make sure the Bootloader hasn't been updated that way which prevents going backward - I most likely won't lose "the unlocked" when I update new firmware.
One last question (probably a dumb one) so if everything checks out with the Bootloader when new firmware is released, I assume that we can just use Odin to flash the updated firmware - is that correct?
- By the way, thanks for your help with this.
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no.. dont update.. they just incremented to rev2.. looking into it
A newbie question.
If I relock the bootloader will the knox trip be reversed as well ? or is it a thing for ever like everyother bootloader unlock for samsung?
Techvir said:
A newbie question.
If I relock the bootloader will the knox trip be reversed as well ? or is it a thing for ever like everyother bootloader unlock for samsung?
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you cannot reset knox.. its a physical efuse
elliwigy said:
elliwigy said:
you cannot reset knox.. its a physical efuse
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Glad you got this service up and running. This is just awesome. Should get this stickied because I just found it now and of course was not looking for it because I would not have thought a bootloader unlock was available. Eitherway... off to sampwned.com!
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@elliwigy Food for thought: Add on service: TWRP Install?
I would feel a lot better about $150.00 if I at least got a free TWRP install. I mean I bought a $60.00 screen protector and got it installed for free. Unlock phone and get free TWRP install. Advertise it as a limited time deal.
Either way I think it would be a great add-on service even if a small fee applied.
How long does it usually take to get a response back? I got the first email like 4 days ago, this is normal?
Like I'm waiting for the unlock code or whatever it is I use to unlock the bootloader, it's been 5 days now?
Aurey24 said:
Like I'm waiting for the unlock code or whatever it is I use to unlock the bootloader, it's been 5 days now?
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send me pm with your email or order number or message me on telegram.
elliwigy said:
send me pm with your email or order number or message me on telegram.
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Sent pm
Aurey24 said:
Sent pm
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To you and others who fill out the form:
If you fill it out and it doesnt give you the option to pay or says 0$ then that means your device is not currently unlockable. Hence why you woukdnt get any response from me since I respond to those that are unlockable and have submitted payment.
I dod add yesterday if you are not unlockable itll give you a message saying you cannot unlock at this time to further clarify it.
I will update OP tonight as much has changed since first launching/posting SamPWND services.
Before I buy just want to make sure my bootloader is unlockable. My baseband version is G998U1ES4BULE
joelstitch said:
Before I buy just want to make sure my bootloader is unlockable. My baseband version is G998U1ES4BULE
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nope
Related
is the unlocked A-716U rootable using magisk and does anyone think there will be development on it(ie Custom recoveries ? One last question one this specific model; assuming root is possible on unlocked would it be possible to get a carrier locked version (cost saving) and reflash firmware similar to oneplus's MSMtool?
lastly is the A71 SM-A715F/DS root-able with TWRP support?
Thank you
ps
I will also contribute to bounties
everyone is going to say/think "search the forum!!!" but unfortunately the posts available dont list specific model numbers when talking about successful root/custom recovery,.
U.S. variants usually can't be unlocked and therefore you can't install custom stuff like magisk patched files.
That used to be the case until recently that a person was offering bootloader unlock as a service to many 2019 and onward devices, as you can see here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/sampwnd-usa-model-bl-unlock-info-u-u1-w.4201689/
But, you would have to ask if the A71 is supported. It probably would need to be tested, but the owner of the thread was quite confident that it could be possible.
ShaDisNX255 said:
U.S. variants usually can't be unlocked and therefore you can't install custom stuff like magisk patched files.
That used to be the case until recently that a person was offering bootloader unlock as a service to many 2019 and onward devices, as you can see here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/sampwnd-usa-model-bl-unlock-info-u-u1-w.4201689/
But, you would have to ask if the A71 is supported. It probably would need to be tested, but the owner of the thread was quite confident that it could be possible.
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Oh okay, so there is no MSMtool like with oneplus devices where you can just change to international firmware? If so if there an international 5g version of the a71 (any a-series) with 5G? sorry the model/SKU's for samsung devices is confusing and there is an insane amount of them.
sixisixsix said:
Oh okay, so there is no MSMtool like with oneplus devices where you can just change to international firmware? If so if there an international 5g version of the a71 (any a-series) with 5G? sorry the model/SKU's for samsung devices is confusing and there is an insane amount of them.
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I'm sort of guessing that's the Odin equivalent of Samsung devices, not sure I've never owned a OnePlus device.
You can use Odin to flash different firmware on the device as long as it's the same SoC. For example, I've flashed Galaxy S9+ Unlocked firmware on my T-Mobile Galaxy S9+. One is variant SM-G965U and the other is SM-G965U1. However on this case, both firmware were US. One was unbranded U.S. firmware and the other was T-mobile branded firmware. I've also flashed Poland firmware on my Mexican A71, they're both model SM-A715F on this case.
I don't know if there's an international variant of the A71 5G. I guess you'll have to look that part up on your own. I think there is though.
The MSM tool enable users to take a carrier locked oneplus device and unlock it among other things. can odin unlock bootloaders ?
sixisixsix said:
The MSM tool enable users to take a carrier locked oneplus device and unlock it among other things. can odin unlock bootloaders ?
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Not really. Odin can only flash firmware, either stock or custom (you use it to flash TWRP and then basically everything else you flash with TWRP).
And no, Odin doesn't do any bootloader unlocking, any unlocking is done with the device itself. But as I mentioned, U.S devices aren't unlockable out the box.
ShaDisNX255 said:
Not really. Odin can only flash firmware, either stock or custom (you use it to flash TWRP and then basically everything else you flash with TWRP).
And no, Odin doesn't do any bootloader unlocking, any unlocking is done with the device itself. But as I mentioned, U.S devices aren't unlockable out the box.
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when you say "out of the box" do you mean there is NO possible way to unlock them or it takes a process?
sixisixsix said:
when you say "out of the box" do you mean there is NO possible way to unlock them or it takes a process?
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There is no possible way to do it... for free as of now. If you want to unlock the U.S. variant you have to do it via the paid service I pointed out and thats only IF it works (as I mentioned, its been untested on the A71)
In comparison, you can buy the F variant, turn it on, head to developer settings and select OEM unlock and then unlock the bootloader.
If we ignore the paid service, sampwnd, that I pointed out in my other response then it is impossible to unlock the bootloader of the US variant and therefore, impossible to root.
ShaDisNX255 said:
There is no possible way to do it... for free as of now. If you want to unlock the U.S. variant you have to do it via the paid service I pointed out and thats only IF it works (as I mentioned, its been untested on the A71)
In comparison, you can buy the F variant, turn it on, head to developer settings and select OEM unlock and then unlock the bootloader.
If we ignore the paid service, sampwnd, that I pointed out in my other response then it is impossible to unlock the bootloader of the US variant and therefore, impossible to root.
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how much does the paid service cost and do you have a link? i didnt see you mention it before. also do you have the aseries discord invite or telegram?
sixisixsix said:
how much does the paid service cost and do you have a link? i didnt see you mention it before. also do you have the aseries discord invite or telegram?
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I'm not really sure about the cost as I've never used the service myself, but I know the person running the thread is very reliable
Link: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/sampwnd-usa-model-bl-unlock-info-u-u1-w.4201689/
There are a few A71 groups on Telegram, you can just search with @A71 on there, most groups are public
Soo I tried to get the unlock code for nokiadotcom phone sen_int bootloader but it says invalid IMEI
Nokia's official bootloader unlock server has stopped working. You cannot get unlock.key from the Nokia homepage. To be able to unlock the bootloader, you can use Hikari Calyk's paid unlocking service.
Direct bootloader unlock service for eligible Nokia and Sharp Phones
This service is discontinued. To request bootloader unlock, Visit here
hikaricalyx.com
dongvatm said:
Nokia's official bootloader unlock server has stopped working. You cannot get unlock.key from the Nokia homepage. To be able to unlock the bootloader, you can use Hikari Calyk's paid unlocking service.
Direct bootloader unlock service for eligible Nokia and Sharp Phones
This service is discontinued. To request bootloader unlock, Visit here
hikaricalyx.com
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I've been reading for hours now about how to unlock the Nokia 8 TA-1012 bootloader, now that Nokia's official method is defunct.
Can someone clarify if this service, which seems to be reasonably priced, will lead to me having the actual unlock.key for keeps and, more importantly, will this enable me to unlock critical?
DFK79 said:
I've been reading for hours now about how to unlock the Nokia 8 TA-1012 bootloader, now that Nokia's official method is defunct.
Can someone clarify if this service, which seems to be reasonably priced, will lead to me having the actual unlock.key for keeps and, more importantly, will this enable me to unlock critical?
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No you will not get the unlock key. Yes it unlocks critical.
DerpSpears said:
No you will not get the unlock key. Yes it unlocks critical.
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Thanks for taking the time to reply! I'm trying to do this for a relative, so I don't want to screw up along the way. Is there ANY downside to not having the unlock key once the phone is critical unlocked? I'm not planning to relock it or anything, I'm just overwhelmed with the whole Treble thing and making sure I don't miss anything.
DFK79 said:
Thanks for taking the time to reply! I'm trying to do this for a relative, so I don't want to screw up along the way. Is there ANY downside to not having the unlock key once the phone is critical unlocked? I'm not planning to relock it or anything, I'm just overwhelmed with the whole Treble thing and making sure I don't miss anything.
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I succesfully unlocked the bootloader of my Nokia 8-TA1052 following this guide: https://www.techmesto.com/guide-unlock-bootloader-nokia-android-phones/
bunzo said:
I succesfully unlocked the bootloader of my Nokia 8-TA1052 following this guide: https://www.techmesto.com/guide-unlock-bootloader-nokia-android-phones/
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I've been real busy since I asked about the whole thing but I was planning to follow that exact guide. It unlocks critical, right? From there I install Treble and Custom ROM and theoretically, if it somehow bricks (seen a few people being unlucky) critical unlock will enable me to unbrick?
DFK79 said:
I've been real busy since I asked about the whole thing but I was planning to follow that exact guide. It unlocks critical, right? From there I install Treble and Custom ROM and theoretically, if it somehow bricks (seen a few people being unlucky) critical unlock will enable me to unbrick?
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Hello, in my case in December 2021 it was the first time I tried it and it went well, you have to strictly follow the instructions (make sure before you start that you have the correct connection with the PC in my case with W10-64b, the telephone connected, recognized, with ADB mode and "Unlock bootloader" activated and the ADB environment and tools running on the PC) and be patient since unlocking the bootloader with the Unlock Tool has 2 stages (the second I think I remember is the "critical unlock") so you have to let it go to the end. Once the bootloader is unlocked, when you restart the phone you will get a message that will always appear when you restart it, warning you that the bootloader is unlocked. Beware that by doing so the phone will be reset to factory settings and all user data will be lost so make sure to make a backup before. At the end of the unlock process you will also be asked if you want to donate through PayPal any amount of money voluntarily to the developers of the Unlock tool/techmesto. In short, the key is to read the instructions very well and follow them exactly. After the unlocking of the bootloader and the installation of the Treble you can now put any custom ROM. I hope the whole process goes well for you.
bunzo said:
Hello, in my case in December 2021 it was the first time I tried it and it went well, you have to strictly follow the instructions (make sure before you start that you have the correct connection with the PC in my case with W10-64b, the telephone connected, recognized, with ADB mode and "Unlock bootloader" activated and the ADB environment and tools running on the PC) and be patient since unlocking the bootloader with the Unlock Tool has 2 stages (the second I think I remember is the "critical unlock") so you have to let it go to the end. Once the bootloader is unlocked, when you restart the phone you will get a message that will always appear when you restart it, warning you that the bootloader is unlocked. Beware that by doing so the phone will be reset to factory settings and all user data will be lost so make sure to make a backup before. At the end of the unlock process you will also be asked if you want to donate through PayPal any amount of money voluntarily to the developers of the Unlock tool/techmesto. In short, the key is to read the instructions very well and follow them exactly. After the unlocking of the bootloader and the installation of the Treble you can now put any custom ROM. I hope the whole process goes well for you.
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Thank you very much for the detailed advice. If I can bother you for one more thing, there's multiple Treble threads/guides on here and some seem (!) outdated or conflicting. Could you maybe point me to one guide/thread you recommend? I have the Nokia 8 TA-1012 here.
I've flashed and rooted maybe half a dozen phones over the years while always just lurking and reading here but in this case, it seems so much riskier and complicated, so I appreciate any and all advice.
DFK79 said:
Thank you very much for the detailed advice. If I can bother you for one more thing, there's multiple Treble threads/guides on here and some seem (!) outdated or conflicting. Could you maybe point me to one guide/thread you recommend? I have the Nokia 8 TA-1012 here.
I've flashed and rooted maybe half a dozen phones over the years while always just lurking and reading here but in this case, it seems so much riskier and complicated, so I appreciate any and all advice.
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Hello, I have followed the instructions in this thread: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...kia-8-with-project-treble-2019-07-02.3946249/ and I used from downloads (https://github.com/resident-nokia/t-virus/releases) the last stable version: https://github.com/resident-nokia/t-virus/releases/tag/20201108
bunzo said:
Hello, I have followed the instructions in this thread: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...kia-8-with-project-treble-2019-07-02.3946249/ and I used from downloads (https://github.com/resident-nokia/t-virus/releases) the last stable version: https://github.com/resident-nokia/t-virus/releases/tag/20201108
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This is the only one I tried and it works for me, remember to download the revert firmware too (https://github.com/resident-nokia/t-virus/releases/tag/5150-revert) because it posible you will need it.
bunzo said:
This is the only I tried and it works for me, remember to download the revert firmware too (https://github.com/resident-nokia/t-virus/releases/tag/5150-revert) because it posible you will need it.
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Thanks a lot for all the input, I'll add all this into my notes and read everything diligently before I do anything. Appreciate you taking the time to help me out!
it will be a day or two after we place the order in a few hours from now. (thursday june 17th 2021).
01 do i need to flash the newer U1 firmware with the v2 bootloader first then do bl unlock and root for custom roms?
02 since we will be in a 2 year contract maybe i should just keep tmobile original firmware and just bl unlock and root that firmware?
03 what is the best way to do it since i know we will be with tmobile for 2 more years?
04 samsung pay wont work and what else?
05 knox will be tripped forever?
en11gma said:
it will be a day or two after we place the order in a few hours from now. (thursday june 17th 2021).
01 do i need to flash the newer U1 firmware with the v2 bootloader first then do bl unlock and root for custom roms?
02 since we will be in a 2 year contract maybe i should just keep tmobile original firmware and just bl unlock and root that firmware?
03 what is the best way to do it since i know we will be with tmobile for 2 more years?
04 samsung pay wont work and what else?
05 knox will be tripped forever?
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I'm not sure about your local network provider policies so can't say about points 1 to 3. Points no 4 and 5 however are quite simple to answer:
04 samsung pay wont work and what else? Most banking apps, payment gateway apps, some streaming services and a large number of services requiring some kind of authentication or DRM will stop working if they detect that your phone is rooted. Most of these can be bypassed even when rooted using Magisk hide. But Magisk development in the future is uncertain right now, so don't put all your eggs in that basket. Some of these apps may work now, but lose functionality later, unless you unroot.
Samsung Pay is gone forever once you root. As well as Samsung Pass. No way to get these back again as far as I know.
You also won't get OTA updates anymore and will have to flash newer firmwares manually.
Warranty is gone too, unless your country has special laws against this. Recently a forum member posted his experience where Samsung wouldn't even perform a paid repair for a screen replacement. Their reason was apparently because he had rooted his phone and voided his warranty. Think about that - they wouldn't even repair his phone, or sell him the parts, even if he was willing to pay! I'm not going to get into whether that's justified - but it is what it is. Be warned.
If you're willing to take the risk and Samsung Pay etc doesn't mean much to you, and features that rooting bring mean way, wayyyyy more to you, even at the risk of losing warranty, proceed with rooting after careful consideration.
05 knox will be tripped forever? Yes. Once you root, this will be irreversibly, permanently, irrevocably, unrecoverably, soul-stone permanently - be tripped forever. Nothing short of a motherboard replacement will get that flag up again.
is there a proper way about doing it when we receive the phones?
i mean will the phones try and auto update when i insert the sim card and power phone on therefore stopping the phone from being bl unlocked and rooter on stock firmware?
do i need to stop this from happening?
en11gma said:
is there a proper way about doing it when we receive the phones?
i mean will the phones try and auto update when i insert the sim card and power phone on therefore stopping the phone from being bl unlocked and rooter on stock firmware?
do i need to stop this from happening?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a paid service for unlocking bootloaders on certain US Snapdragon devices. If you update to the March Security Patch or later the bootloader can't be unlocked. You can turn off the Auto Update function. There are a number of features you'll lose. Warranty (Knox will be tripped), Samsung Pay and Pass. You will also lose Secure Folder and Samsung Health however they may be able to get restored. All data is lost as well as any option to update the device and expect the bootloader to remain unlocked. You can review the details here.
[Android][UNSAMLOCK] Bootloader Unlock for Samsung US/Canada Devices
This thread is @svetius approved Important notice: Do not update to April 2023 security update (XXXXXXXXXXWCX) or later. Examples: G998USQS6EWCA, N986USQU4HWD1. Samsung has patched the bootloader unlock again on those updates. NOTE: The OneUI...
forum.xda-developers.com
if this is T-Mobile US (or any US snapdragon version including unlocked, network free) you'll only be able to unlock your bootloader via the above mentioned type of method which isn't cheap as I understand it.
Personally I would need to see a custom rom with a whole lot of functionalities I would use before I opted for this method. If rooting your device is a priority it would seem to make more sense to aquire a Snapdragon or Exynos variant with an unlocked bootloader. The reason for buying a US Branded device, besides a generous trade in allowance are carrier features. If you root a carrier device you'll lose a number of these advantages.
varcor said:
Personally I would need to see a custom rom with a whole lot of functionalities I would use before I opted for this method. If rooting your device is a priority it would seem to make more sense to aquire a Snapdragon or Exynos variant with an unlocked bootloader. The reason for buying a US Branded device, besides a generous trade in allowance are carrier features. If you root a carrier device you'll lose a number of these advantages.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i thought if i bl unlock and root a stock firmware it just allows me to use twrp to make full backups so i can restore later and the root is for like hotspot stuff.
i know root disable samsung pay and something else but i thought all the carrier stuff still worked correctly
en11gma said:
i thought if i bl unlock and root a stock firmware it just allows me to use twrp to make full backups so i can restore later and the root is for like hotspot stuff.
i know root disable samsung pay and something else but i thought all the carrier stuff still worked correctly
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should inquire about call features with the developer before you decide. IMHO you're sacrificing a lot of features for a hotspot.
I am looking for a phone to replace my rooted S5. One of the candidate is a second hand S10.
It is crucial that I am able to root the phone, and I was wondering how tricky the process is on this phone, and whether there are models where it might be impossible (perhaps Snapdragon based?), or if the baseband is above a certain version, or anything there are anything else that might impede the process I should pay attention to.
If anyone has successfully rooted their device in 2021 (ideally recently), please let me know.
Thanks.
A few fellow XDAers have done this recently. I assume you're speaking about a Snapdragon phone, which is where it gets tricky. The process requires payment to someone to perform the actual unlock... there are two providers (that I know of) that offer this service.
For the device, the bootloader revision is what's important - it needs to be old enough to allow this to work. In addition, once unlocked, it must REMAIN on this older bootloader otherwise you lose root. I believe you must be on BLv4 or older, which means it cannot be updated past Februrary of this year. The 5th character in the PDA/Phone build number (a number) from the right is what shows this version. For example, the March update for Verizon on the SM-G975U is G975USQU5GUBH, so that "5" means it's BL5.
My recent purchased phones were 5 and 6. I'm giving up on getting root, as I don't need it anymore. Sure, I'd prefer to have it, but it's getting too difficult and expensive to get it and I don't NEED it...
The two unlock providers I know about can be seen here (I have used neither myself, of course):
[Android][UNSAMLOCK] Bootloader Unlock for Samsung US/Canada Devices
This thread is @svetius approved Important notice: Do not update to April 2023 security update (XXXXXXXXXXWCX) or later. Examples: G998USQS6EWCA, N986USQU4HWD1. Samsung has patched the bootloader unlock again on those updates. NOTE: The OneUI...
forum.xda-developers.com
Samsung Development | SamPWND
Unlock your bootloader on USA Model Samsung Galaxy devices! Visit https://www.sampwnd.com and have the SamPWND team help you!
www.sampwnd.com
schwinn8 said:
A few fellow XDAers have done this recently. I assume you're speaking about a Snapdragon phone, which is where it gets tricky. The process requires payment to someone to perform the actual unlock... there are two providers (that I know of) that offer this service.
For the device, the bootloader revision is what's important - it needs to be old enough to allow this to work. In addition, once unlocked, it must REMAIN on this older bootloader otherwise you lose root. I believe you must be on BLv4 or older, which means it cannot be updated past Februrary of this year. The 5th character in the PDA/Phone build number (a number) from the right is what shows this version. For example, the March update for Verizon on the SM-G975U is G975USQU5GUBH, so that "5" means it's BL5.
My recent purchased phones were 5 and 6. I'm giving up on getting root, as I don't need it anymore. Sure, I'd prefer to have it, but it's getting too difficult and expensive to get it and I don't NEED it...
The two unlock providers I know about can be seen here (I have used neither myself, of course):
[Android][UNSAMLOCK] Bootloader Unlock for Samsung US/Canada Devices
This thread is @svetius approved Important notice: Do not update to April 2023 security update (XXXXXXXXXXWCX) or later. Examples: G998USQS6EWCA, N986USQU4HWD1. Samsung has patched the bootloader unlock again on those updates. NOTE: The OneUI...
forum.xda-developers.com
Samsung Development | SamPWND
Unlock your bootloader on USA Model Samsung Galaxy devices! Visit https://www.sampwnd.com and have the SamPWND team help you!
www.sampwnd.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Does the Bootloader 5 restriction also applies on Exynos devices? I am uessing that might be why I had difficulties my recently purchased Tab S4.
Another question, can a bootloader be updated while the OS stays on an older version, or do they usually get updated together? For instance, if I find a phone that is still on Pie, is it likely be on an older baseband, or can a phone be on Pie AND be on a new baseband?
I don't know much about Exynos systems, but from what I gather they may be "normally rootable"... I don't believe there are as many restrictions on that platform (it seems to be a USA/EU thing to prevent rooting, primarily).
BL and OS seem to get upgraded together, generally speaking.
xAxB said:
Thanks. Does the Bootloader 5 restriction also applies on Exynos devices? I am uessing that might be why I had difficulties my recently purchased Tab S4.
Another question, can a bootloader be updated while the OS stays on an older version, or do they usually get updated together? For instance, if I find a phone that is still on Pie, is it likely be on an older baseband, or can a phone be on Pie AND be on a new baseband?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope- those can be unlocked whenever
they still can't be downgraded though damn...
I have both phones...snapdragon IS slightly better
I just bought this phone. It's actually quite nice and better than I expected. Paid 475€ for it brand new in a store here in Italy. I'm coming from the good old XZ1 Compact, aka the best phone ever made. This seems to be a big (too big, tfw no phone under 5.5) improvement over it.
That being said, I was wondering how does Asus react to their phones being unlocked. I come from Sony which does not like unlocking, in fact on the XZ1 and XZ2, unlocking was permanent and you lost drm keys and stock features fOrEveR. How is it on this one? Does it void the warranty forever? Do you lose stock features after unlocking? Can you relock the bootloader and go back to full stock eventually?
I googled and searched all over but I find conflicting and contraddicting informations about this, on top of the usual ****ty websites with ai generated copypaste guides.
Thanks in advance.
MarkMRL said:
I just bought this phone. It's actually quite nice and better than I expected. Paid 475€ for it brand new in a store here in Italy. I'm coming from the good old XZ1 Compact, aka the best phone ever made. This seems to be a big (too big, tfw no phone under 5.5) improvement over it.
That being said, I was wondering how does Asus react to their phones being unlocked. I come from Sony which does not like unlocking, in fact on the XZ1 and XZ2, unlocking was permanent and you lost drm keys and stock features fOrEveR. How is it on this one? Does it void the warranty forever? Do you lose stock features after unlocking? Can you relock the bootloader and go back to full stock eventually?
I googled and searched all over but I find conflicting and contraddicting informations about this, on top of the usual ****ty websites with ai generated copypaste guides.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
see the readme from the ASUS Unlock tool from here https://www.asus.com/de/Mobile/Phones/ZenFone/Zenfone-8/HelpDesk_Download/
Unlock Device App
NOTICE:
Before you download, install, and use the Unlock Device App (“Service”), you understand that you need to take all risks in terms of quality and performance of the Service, including but not limited to: once you trigger the Service, you’re not able to recover your ASUS products to the original status at the time of manufacturing (“Original Product”) anymore. Original Products which is used with the Service (“Changed Product”) will no longer be regarded as the Original Products. The software updates will not be available to the Changed Product, and the digital content in the Changed Product may no longer be used. In addition, the software and hardware problems of your ASUS product caused by using the Service may not apply to your ASUS Warranty Information, please read ASUS Warranty Information of your ASUS product carefully on ASUS official website.(https://bacchus.asus.com/support/Article/1060/)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
>> Does it void the warranty forever?
I think so
>>Do you lose stock features after unlocking?
I did not find anything that did not work anymore after unlocking (but I tested only the functionality that is important for me ....)
>>Can you relock the bootloader and go back to full stock eventually?
I don't know if you can relock the phone but I doubt it.
You can reinstall the Original ASUS Firmware and it still works like before. You can also install the updates for the original OS manually (I did not test if OTA still works)
regards
Bernd
MarkMRL said:
I just bought this phone. It's actually quite nice and better than I expected. Paid 475€ for it brand new in a store here in Italy. I'm coming from the good old XZ1 Compact, aka the best phone ever made. This seems to be a big (too big, tfw no phone under 5.5) improvement over it.
That being said, I was wondering how does Asus react to their phones being unlocked. I come from Sony which does not like unlocking, in fact on the XZ1 and XZ2, unlocking was permanent and you lost drm keys and stock features fOrEveR. How is it on this one? Does it void the warranty forever? Do you lose stock features after unlocking? Can you relock the bootloader and go back to full stock eventually?
I googled and searched all over but I find conflicting and contraddicting informations about this, on top of the usual ****ty websites with ai generated copypaste guides.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To add to bnsmb's response,
When the phone is unlocked, some apps will not work, like google pay for example, but the bootloader can be relocked with one fastboot command and you will get all features back (except OTA updates from the settings, you will have to update manually)
(It is not recommended to relock the bootloader when not on the Stock Asus ROM)
To relock, simply type these two commands
adb reboot bootloader
fastboot oem asus-csc_lk
reboot
The phone will prompt you to do a factory reset when booting
Adaoh said:
To add to bnsmb's response,
When the phone is unlocked, some apps will not work, like google pay for example, but the bootloader can be relocked with one fastboot command and you will get all features back (except OTA updates from the settings, you will have to update manually)
(It is not recommended to relock the bootloader when not on the Stock Asus ROM)
To relock, simply type these two commands
adb reboot bootloader
fastboot oem asus-csc_lk
reboot
The phone will prompt you to do a factory reset when booting
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
>>To relock, simply type these two commands
Good to know that but before I test it:
The phone can be unlocked again after the relock?
regards
Bernd
bnsmb said:
Hi
>>To relock, simply type these two commands
Good to know that but before I test it:
The phone can be unlocked again after the relock?
regards
Bernd
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I have tried it once, but some people reported it does not work depending on the version, I tried on Android 12 and it worked the first time (and on android 11 but that was the first unlock a while ago)
Thank you for the info! I can't find the official manual or faq though, even from the link bnsmb provided :\
That's why I asked here in the first place. From what I can tell after looking through this info, they will know you have unlocked from the imei, considering their unlock tool talks to the mothership before doing the deed. It is still unclear if they will respect the warranty period even after unlocking. I don't care about asking them for support on an unlocked phone, I just want to make sure it will get repaired or replaced for free (in terms of money and hassle) if I get a defect down the line that is unrelated to the unlock, such as a hardwre failure or assembly defect.
Anyway, it seems the only way to shed light on this mystery is to ask Asus themselves. I will report back as soon as they respond to my questions.
Warranty with unlocked bootloader
The warning text of the unlock app links you to the Warranty Policy for ASUS Phones, where the relevant part reads:
6. Exclusions from this limited Warranty Service
[...]
(m) Unusability or damage to hardware of the product caused by installing and using any kind of the Unlock Device App, which is a utility that will unlock your product’s boot loader but will render the warranty null and void.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So yes as is usual, they will try to use "you having unlocked your bootloader" as an excuse to not repair their broken phones under warranty.
But, depending on your local consumer protection laws, there is a good chance this is actually illegal. In the EU for example, during the 2 years of required warranty THEY have to prove YOU that the defect was ACTUALLY CAUSED by you messing with the phone's software - which generally speaking they can't because it wasn't.
If you haven't seen it i recommend this thread for some details of people who have actually been in that situation - from what i saw after a quick glance through, 3 out of 3 people there got their unlocked&rooted phones replaced under warranty in the end, even it it took some effort to convince the support...
sirozan said:
If you haven't seen it i recommend this thread for some details of people who have actually been in that situation - from what i saw after a quick glance through, 3 out of 3 people there got their unlocked&rooted phones replaced under warranty in the end, even it it took some effort to convince the support...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The linked thread does tell that one person was successful with the ASUS support, "all other" unfortunately not, see e.g. post #6.
.Michael. said:
The linked thread does tell that one person was successful with the ASUS support, "all other" unfortunately not, see e.g. post #6.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reading posts #31 and #38 i am pretty sure the person from post #6 did not have to play in the end as well. I also can't see anyone else in there who reported they tried to get unlocked phone replaced and didn't
Ups my fault, I have not seen the posts after #20 ... So it seems the warranty (given by law) is not void but the guarantee is (given by the company).
Anyway, in the meantime, Asus replied to me saying that if you unlock you lose your entire warranty no matter what. I reiterated, asking if I will also lose my right to a free repair for issues totally unrelated to the unlock, and they said yes, you will lose every right to repair.
So that is the official stance!
Too bad, I'm still in the return period so I might just get rid of it and hunt for a Pixel 5. Kind of sad though, the phone performed pretty well for me so far. But I need muh root and eventually LineageOS...