Dear all,
last week I purchased a used Galaxy S9 in very good condition from a seller in France. The plan was to flash ArrowOS onto that device.
After having wasted 6 hours with desperate tries to unlock the bootloader, I now guess that the bootloader can't be unlocked on that phone at all:
- According to imeipro.info, the device has originally been sold in the USA.
- According to the model number (SM-G960U1), this is a Snapdragon device.
- According to several other websites, the bootloader can't be unlocked on Snapdragon devices which have been sold in the USA.
I have successfully installed custom ROMs on several Samsung devices which have been purchased locally (in Germany), but I am far from an expert. Could somebody please explain in simple words
- Whether I need to unlock the bootloader in order to install a custom ROM
- Whether it is true that the bootloader can't be unlocked on that device
- Whether that all means that I definitely can't install a custom ROM on that device (in this case, I'll return it).
The usual method I follow when installing custom ROMs on Samsung devices is:
- Enable developer options
- Turn on OEM unlock (*)
- Boot into download mode
- Flash TWRP, using ODIN
- Put custom ROM on SD card and insert SD card into phone
- Boot into TWRP
- Install custom ROM
The action marked by (*) can't be performed on the phone in question because that menu entry is missing from developer options. Again, I've read that this is due to the Snapdragon / USA property combination.
Any ideas?
Can I somehow replace the bootloader itself by something which can be unlocked (or is unlocked in the first place)?
Thank you very much in advance!
Related
Alrighty, I'm not sure where to begin. I have a Moto Z Play. I am not sure all of the information exactly. I come from using a Note 3 for the past 5 years and haven't had to root or anything as of recent.
This is what I do know; it's running android 6.0.1 and the device name is XT1635-02.
These are my questions:
1. Do all Moto Z Play run on the same hardware?
2. Can I flash a Verizon rom to access CDMA bands?
3. Is there anyway to flash access to all CDMA/GSM/LTE bands the chipset is capable of reading?
4. Does the Unlocked Moto Z Play in the USA (From Best Buy) come with a locked bootloader?
5. How do I unlock the bootloader?
What program do I use to flash custom recovery, etc.? i.e., Odin and Kies for Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
6. Is there any way to pop-out the dual sim place and add the capability for two SIMs?
7. Is there anything else I should know, or questions I should be asking?
Thank you to anyone in advanced for helping me with this issue.
1. Mostly, yes. Could be differences in radios. There's also 32GB and 64GB storage options.
2. No. That'll probably brick your phone. If it doesn't, it still most likely won't enable CDMA.
3. Anything is possible, but it might require modifying hardware. Why not just get the VZW CDMA variant instead?
4. Yes. Your phone may be carrier unlocked, but the bootloader is always locked by default.
5. There are threads with bootloader unlocking instructions. In dev options, enable allowing OEM unlock, then go to command line (make sure you have fastboot installed), you'll input commands. Register with Motorola and give them some output, they'll give you a bootloader unlock code (free). Now your warranty is void. Now you can unlock bootloader.
5.1. Root and flash with the command line using fastboot. No Odin/Kies/GUI options as this is not Samsung.
6. You'd have to get a dual-sim tray, then flash another variant firmware (Brazil or India), then maybe...You might get imei=0 and then you're stuck not able to use the phone until you fix it.
7. Read the forums (start with the pegged threads). Study the steps before proceeding.
Hi All,
I did a silly thing, basically, bought a new phone which was supposed to be a Global model - we'll get to that in a minute...
Right from setting it up, I just felt that it wasn't right given that the Bootloader was already unlocked, so I decided to download the latest global fastboot rom and flash it via MiFlash (I've done this before plenty of times on RN3s and my Mi6...)
As this phone is for my mother in law, I thought it would be best to lock the bootloader back up, making it as 'stock as possible'.
Obviously, this is where things went wrong... Since reading around the web, I see now that it must actually be the chinese version of the phone and had the global rom flashed to it, but then you need to keep the bootloader unlocked?
Basically, I've tried all sorts, can't get anything other than ADB Sideload from recovery (Connect with MiAssistant) and fastboot obviously won't let me flash another rom now...
So my questions are :-
- Is EDL mode my only option? If so, is it a viable option considering all this stuff I'm reading about Anti-rollback and the fact that the current global rom that's flashed to the device is actually the very latest global stable so what Chinese rom do I go to from here?
- Is the absolute only way to get into EDL mode by disassembling the device and shorting the pins? (Redmi Note 3 used to have this power button/volume buttons sequence from power off state to get into EDL?)
- What's this EDL Auth stuff all about I'm seeing around the web and do I need to worry about it?
- Is there actually any fundamental differences in hardware with this being the Chinese model? Where I bought it from it was advertised as supporting Band 20 LTE for example, is this still the case?
In summary, am I right in thinking if I can actually get the China stable/dev rom flashed to it via EDL, I can then seek authority to unlock the bootloader, then flash the global rom again and leave the bootloader unlocked? Is this the right procedure?
** Also, just for info, this device hasn't been signed into yet with a Google account or a Mi Account so there's no Mi Account bound to it unfortunately
Thanks in advance!!!
From what i can understand about your situation,
You bought a phone which is chinese version but already on a global rom which is bootloader unlocked, and you just want to lock the bootloader.
My solution: Download the "RIGHT" fastboot global Rom version(OEIMIFA or NEIMIEK rom) for your phone via miflash and check "Clean all and Lock" to lock the bootloader.
Hi, I wanted to know if its possible to unlock the bootloader and install a custom recovery and rom If thr device WAS carrier locked but is now unlocked. European Variant
Dantar0 said:
Hi, I wanted to know if its possible to unlock the bootloader and install a custom recovery and rom If thr device WAS carrier locked but is now unlocked. European Variant
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if its the 960f, then yes. it should be
Exynos - Yes, just enable OEM unlock in developer options, this will wipe the phone, there are instructions to make the process less of a pain if you read the dev threads
Snapdragon - No (Other than a couple of Chinese variants)
I have a Bell Mobility Samsung A70 SM-A705W purchased in Dec 2019 and nothing i search for lets me activate the OEM Unlock setting .
Android Version 9 which i believe is PIE
Has anyone got a solution to this yet ?
Developer mode is set.
Not all phones have an OEM unlock my A7 does not have that option either. You will need to flash TWRP and then flash the unlock, should be in the XDA sub.
HisEvilness said:
Not all phones have an OEM unlock my A7 does not have that option either. You will need to flash TWRP and then flash the unlock, should be in the XDA sub.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
Not sure where you got that idea because the instructions for TWRP are to Enable OEM unlock before flashing TWRP
Step by step flashing TWRP Recovery on Samsung Galaxy A70 Android 9 Pie
Enable Developer Options: go to Settings -> About device. Tap 7 times on Build number to enable Developer options.
Enable OEM unlock and USB debugging options ( Settings -> Developer options )
[email protected] said:
Hi
Not sure where you got that idea because the instructions for TWRP are to Enable OEM unlock before flashing TWRP
Step by step flashing TWRP Recovery on Samsung Galaxy A70 Android 9 Pie
Enable Developer Options: go to Settings -> About device. Tap 7 times on Build number to enable Developer options.
Enable OEM unlock and USB debugging options ( Settings -> Developer options )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suppose nobody has an answer ?
Yes, you need to patch boot.img with Magisk and use Odin to re-inject the boot image. Search on XDA Sam A70 forums! no unlock needed if I remember
nope to patch boot.img or flash twrp, etc... you need an unlocked bootloader , also A705W (canada) and A705U (usa) can't be unlocked , we could in april using a combination developer firmware but it's been corrected by samsung since may and we can't unlock anymore.
That sucks, I was honestly thinking of getting a used one ofr $375 CAD but if I can't root it then I might need to rethink.
Edit , do i need to unlock bootloader to root?
udit.kumar said:
That sucks, I was honestly thinking of getting a used one ofr $375 CAD but if I can't root it then I might need to rethink.
Edit , do i need to unlock bootloader to root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you need an unlocked bootloader to root your device.
theses variants can be unlocked:
SM-A7050 Hong Kong SAR China, China, Taiwan
SM-A705F Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia
SM-A705FN Europe, Africa, Asia
SM-A705GM Nepal, Sri Lanka, India
SM-A705MN North America, Oceania, South America, Asia
SM-A705YN Oceania (Australia)
theses can't be unlocked:
SM-A705U United States
SM-A705W Canada
I'm seeing conflicting stuff. Has anyone been able to actually unlock and root a A705w on a current ROM (ie past December 2019, specifically A705WVLUASK2)?
I know this isn't the optimal model for this, but it's the device I was given and no choice but to use it. I love the hardware, but I really miss Lineage and the Samsung bloat is killing me..
Tia for your help. Sorry for a similar post in the other thread.
Dear friends! I am writing for help. I received this device and ran into a problem. I can't get an OEM item in Developer Options.
I reset the phone to factory settings, then activated the developer mode. This item did not exist. Turned on wifi, checked for updates, rebooted the device. But this point did not appear.
I tried to change the date to earlier, a month, a couple of weeks, a year. It doesn't help. How can I get this item and what conditions must be met? I heard that you need to wait 7 days. Where does the time count come from? Can this be bypassed?
I can’t even install the official firmware through Odin, because it writes about the com port. I changed the device, and on the other device it says a read error. I need to install magic, so this item must be enabled for sure.
Help me please.
REDaHEAD said:
Dear friends! I am writing for help. I received this device and ran into a problem. I can't get an OEM item in Developer Options.
I reset the phone to factory settings, then activated the developer mode. This item did not exist. Turned on wifi, checked for updates, rebooted the device. But this point did not appear.
I tried to change the date to earlier, a month, a couple of weeks, a year. It doesn't help. How can I get this item and what conditions must be met? I heard that you need to wait 7 days. Where does the time count come from? Can this be bypassed?
I can’t even install the official firmware through Odin, because it writes about the com port. I changed the device, and on the other device it says a read error. I need to install magic, so this item must be enabled for sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi there I'm new on this forum but I have the same problem with my samsung s9 SM-G960U the oem unlock option is disabled and cuz the the device is either carrier locked or it have a snapdragon processor in both cases u can't unlock the bootloader cuz the carrier doesn't allow you to flash another firmware same thing with the USA model if your device has a Exynos processor then u can unlock the bootloader (oem unlock) if your device have a snapdragon processor then its a USA model and u can't unlock the bootloader
You can unlock bootloader now. I myself have G965U1, and I did it a few days ago and then installed custom Android 12 ROM.
It is paid service though, contact the author of this thread: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...unlock-for-samsung-us-canada-devices.4215101/