Yes yes, tampering with the hardware of a device voids the warranty. But does it actually make a difference? Cant you just unroot your device, and send it back into the store for a brand new one (if something breaks, etc etc)? I feel kind of stupid asking this question but i honestly dont understand the difference between the two. Answer please?
Depends, I'm not sure if you can unroot the Evo. My Moment I could unroot. If the phone doesn't start up, then you're okay.
The first Evo (rooted) I bought fell in the toilet, the right side of the screen stopped working, all I did was uninstall Superuser and any rooted apps via ADB and they never suspected a thing.
You could still boot into recovery though but they never tried I guess
sW333t11 said:
Yes yes, tampering with the hardware of a device voids the warranty. But does it actually make a difference? Cant you just unroot your device, and send it back into the store for a brand new one (if something breaks, etc etc)? I feel kind of stupid asking this question but i honestly dont understand the difference between the two. Answer please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you can just Unroot but just make sure to flash the S-ON zip first. They are big to say it voids your warranty, but I don't think they really go through phones all that much to check for evidence of rooting. But, don't take advantage of this being an option. It gets old seeing all the people on here who brick their phones because they don't know what they are doing then just returning it for replacement because they didn't read something closely enough. These antics only hurt all of us in the end, just more excuses for Sprint to jack it to us on insurance etc.
Thread moved to Q&A.
Nah its not me with the problems, my phone is perfectly fine. I was just wondering because one of my friends wants me to root their phone and such, but they're kind of hesitant because of the whole waranty being voided thing. With the S-On zip though, this unroots the enitre phone back to stock? I forgot to mention this before but the phone that would possibly need unrooting is an Evo purchased a couple weeks ago.
The if you used unrevoked, the s-on tool sets your nand security back to s-on, and then running a ruu with reflash all stock software. Doing these two things will completely unroot you and make the phone eligible for warranty stuff.
Got it. Thanks a bunch.
yea when we root its all software crap and so with software its easily taken on and off just gotta know what your doing. As for as hardware mods if you take your phone apart that voids the warranty .
Related
Has anyone tried returning the phone after rooting it? How about after flashing a different ROM? Any differences before the 30 days and after as far as the same questions above go?
I'm curious before I decide to root my phone.
Thanks!
You can just run the stock RUU to go back to the shipped rom. Check the wiki if you need it.
damn this question has been asked alot
I'm more interested in if you can't flash it back to stock Ruu. For example if you have an issue and need to return it or send it in for warranty repair and switching back to stock isn't possible.
bigdogdan2 said:
I'm more interested in if you can't flash it back to stock Ruu. For example if you have an issue and need to return it or send it in for warranty repair and switching back to stock isn't possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By rooting you have voided your warranty. So no, if you root and leave it rooted then your warranty is void. I just restored my rooted phone to factory so I can return it due to the screen separation issue.
if the unit powers on you can RUU, else you cant. if sprint/radioshack whomeever cant power the unit on and you've not opened it or water damaged it, then it should be fine to replace. they arent going to hunt you down, at least i dont think they will.
yeah my evo was in a boot loop while rooted, with damagecontrol 3.2 rom, and a new radio update and i got a new one, within the 30 days of course. but i learned my lesson and bought a security plan XD
everyones still within the 30 days
Last week I was in the BB I bought my phone from, trying to get a replacement for a few issues. When the rep walked away I took a peek at his monitor, as he was searching for any memos on the issues i had.
He had one email open that pertained to Rooted devices and how to test if the device was rooted or not, and instructions on NOT to accept any returns if the device was rooted considering it does void the warranty and changes the original item itself.
Just a heads up lol.
That's kinda dumb. Rooting is just software change it's not any change to the hardware itself, it should be fine to return.
strung said:
That's kinda dumb. Rooting is just software change it's not any change to the hardware itself, it should be fine to return.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But rooting can also brick your phone if you do it wrong.
Yes, but if you get it back to stock RUU then any such risk has been neutralized.
Will I void my warranty by rooting my phone?
If so are there ways to enhance the phone without voiding the warranty? Like any custom roms that don't require the phone to be rooted?
To flash a ROM you need root. Root voids warranty. You can always revert as if you "never rooted" in case you need to take your phone in.
THere is no way they can void your warranty over the air? If not it sounds like my only danger is bricking the phone.
Not exactly sure what you mean by that; like if you root they somehow can tell "wirelessly" that you have, thus voiding. Not that I have heard. There was something like that with the iPhone I believe hearing, maybe not though. Or something they were working on, meaning not released.
And in terms of bricking your phone, that is supposed to be incredibly hard. Am sure someone has done it somewhere but you should be fine.
People say it again and again but it's worth repeating; read read read and read again. Then proceed.
Thnx for the replies.
I'm asking on behalf of a friend of mine who doesnt actually have a computer so he cant post here himself to ask. I'm a vibrant/N1/G1 user myself, so i'm familiar with the aspects here: he has a slide, has the split-screen/ribbon problem on opening/closing the keyboard. He managed to get a warranty replacement from TMO, but he's super paranoid about having to pay the damages fee because he has CM loaded on it instead of the stock firmware.
Bottom line, he wants to brick it just to be sure before he sends it back (he already has the replacement phone). What is the simplest way (that I could explain to him over the phone) to hard brick the phone?
Quick and dirty is all I really need to help him get the job done, all help much appreciated!
If he can brick it, then he can flash the factory ROM that is available to bring it back to unrooted stated. Why not just do that?
-sigh- I guess he can just try to follow the S-OFF instructions to where it says not 2 power off, take out battery- disconnect phone... do the oppsite of what it says not to do? Just saying though... why not just do what Fermunky said?
fermunky said:
If he can brick it, then he can flash the factory ROM that is available to bring it back to unrooted stated. Why not just do that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CaliBoyPhillip said:
Just saying though... why not just do what Fermunky said?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Problem is that he lives in virginia and I live in colorado. I rooted and customized his phone when I was out there visiting because he's completely inept at this kind of stuff, so I was just looking for a simpler solution than to try and walk him through a reflash over the phone. Plus, apparently what he told the TMO reps was that he got an OTA update and it bricked him, which is the only way (he said) that they'd do a warranty exchange.
Well, I guess your short answer is No, there is no "quick" way. Whether you try to brick it or not, either way will require some attempt at flashing "something", but to just do it in a completely wrong way. Maybe by connecting to a PC and using clever ADB/Shell commands could also do it, but not entirely sure.
Couldn't you flash the radio for say, a Droid X or any CDMA radio?
I know you can brick CDMA phones by flashing GSM radios.
And yay Colorado ;D
I'm going to have to close this as it's discussing warranty fraud.
Apologies if this has been covered before- searched a couple of times with no joy...
Waiting for delivery of my Defy and still not sure what mods to do...Having read about a lot of UK models having the dreaded ear-piece fault, I'm just wondering:
1. what I can do that can be undone if my phone develops this fault?
i.e. Is it possible to root the phone, remove some of the Motoblur bloatware, overclock and scale, and still be able to return it to it's original state if the earpiece goes? (or at least make any mods undetectable!)
2. From what I've read it is possible to skip the Motoblur registration. Would I still be able to use the phone portal- what apps require the Motoblur registration?
Basically I'd love to tweak the phone but am paranoid about voiding the waranty!
Thanks in advance!
Once you are rooted and have recovery installed backup your system before doing anything else. If something happens restore the backup and unroot. Only problem might be if you have some type of hardware issue and can no longer boot the phone.
There is always risk, but that will help.
rbeier1221 said:
Once you are rooted and have recovery installed backup your system before doing anything else. If something happens restore the backup and unroot. Only problem might be if you have some type of hardware issue and can no longer boot the phone.
There is always risk, but that will help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Is it the case that you can mod the phone any way you like as long as you backup, restore and unroot before returning the phone for any possible warranty claim? Would a Mototola tech be able to tell that the phone had been modded and then reset to it's original state? Just wondering if I'd be better to wait a couple of months for any possible fault to appear...Thanks again.
cwhiggs said:
...am paranoid about voiding the waranty!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If that's your primary concern, tweaking isn't really an option.
As soon as you start fiddling with the software, you technically void your warranty.
That said, most fiddling can be undone and if the phone were to end up in a state that you couldn't boot it to fix your fiddling, there's a fairly good chance that the engineers wouldn't be able to boot it to discover what you've done.
Not to mention, from past personal experience, a lot of front-line engineers that actually deal with faulty handsets that are sent away for repair don't really care or may not be bright enough to be able to tell that you've messed with your phone.
Thanks. Think I'll go ahead and mod it. Been reading the relevent posts/stickies and from what I can see as long as I'm carefull and follow the various steps closely and in order, I'll be unlucky to brick it. Think I'd get pissed off waiting several months for any fault to show- just wary of the earpiece going and then being told I'm screwed coz I've played with the software! Thanks again.
Dear all,
long story short....
I gave my htc m8 back to HTC to repair the scratched camera lens cover ( I did not try the toothpaste method..) I have extended warranty and stuff...
So I though its okay to leave the phone as it is.... s-off'd unlocked, supercid but original software like recovery is also original... still odexed and stuff..
but They don't want to touch the device cause the software is modified... I am not sure...why it is important during a hardware issue.../lens cover replacement.... so they will send it back...
my question is... if I put back everything into stock... relock, s-on etc....will they touch it, or are they making notes...that this imei has been modified...
What do you think?
zimilaci said:
Dear all,
long story short....
I gave my htc m8 back to HTC to repair the scratched camera lens cover ( I did not try the toothpaste method..) I have extended warranty and stuff...
So I though its okay to leave the phone as it is.... s-off'd unlocked, supercid but original software like recovery is also original... still odexed and stuff..
but They don't want to touch the device cause the software is modified... I am not sure...why it is important during a hardware issue.../lens cover replacement.... so they will send it back...
my question is... if I put back everything into stock... relock, s-on etc....will they touch it, or are they making notes...that this imei has been modified...
What do you think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you unlocked on their site, they know you're modified no matter what you do. And yes, they probably noted your warranty attempt too... You may be out of luck.
That's the risks of unlocking.
I went straight to Sunshine to unlock myself.... So HTC doesn't know... And I can restore everything and maintain my warranty.
I'd say break out the toothpaste, or be ready to pay for the repair at this point.
KJ said:
If you unlocked on their site, they know you're modified no matter what you do. And yes, they probably noted your warranty attempt too... You may be out of luck.
That's the risks of unlocking.
I went straight to Sunshine to unlock myself.... So HTC doesn't know... And I can restore everything and maintain my warranty.
I'd say break out the toothpaste, or be ready to pay for the repair at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for the Info, I just received the device, of course they did not touch it... but thank god I had luck with the toothpaste option