Develop Bugs

Poll: Htc dev unlock?

Are you willing to lose the guarantee, by official HTC metod, in order to have S-off or root rights?

Doesn't HTC method just make you loose software warranty ?
I mean, I think hardware problems are still covered after that.
see that on htcdev website :
It is our responsibility to caution you that not all claims resulting or caused by or from the unlocking of the bootloader may be covered under warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I need confirmation on that though as I'm not sure

i think physical defects or damages due to unlocking the bootloader, then overclocking and frying the cpu or motherboard will not be covered..
however... if the screen malfunctions, it would be reasonable to uphold the warranty unless there are reasons to believe it is again due to end-users unlocking the bootloader. (ie, maybe the guy unlock the bootloader, overclocked the phone and the heat caused some circuit to melt due to excess heat and this caused the screen to stop working?)
many scenarios, just giving some examples of what i think would mean non-coverage by warranty..

Physical damage can be attributed to unlocked bootloader. Example, heating has destroyed your lcd pannel. Warrenty uncovered. In our case this is not the truth but, to get back your phone what can u do if not pay?!?
Maybe htc is too much honest or maybe not... anyway they have a strong weapon to not recognize it.
from http://www.htcdev.com/bootloader/faq
Why is my security still on (S-On) after I have unlocked my bootloader?
Your device is shipped with Security on (S-ON) to protect your system software configuration (such as the bootloader, radio, boot, recovery, system and others). After you have unlocked the bootloader, however, you will have lifted the restrictions on boot, recovery and system. This means you can customize boot, recovery and system images on your phone as you desire. You can easily see that you have successfully unlocked the bootloader by looking at the top of the screen when entering the bootloader screen. Security is left on to protect things like the radio, and SIM lock.
so, device still be s-on? no way to change radio and hboot? O_O

I will do it with an unofficial tool.
Hopefully the revolutionary tool will be there soon!
I don't want to wait..

torxx said:
I will do it with an unofficial tool.
Hopefully the revolutionary tool will be there soon!
I don't want to wait..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's the benefit to doing it this way please?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2 Beta-2

If you want to send your phone to HTC, you can bring it back to stock before.
But if you did it with htcdev, HTC can see that you unlocked your Bootloader, so it will be difficult to get your phone repaired.- HTC just won't do anything but they will never know if you used an unoffical tool.

torxx said:
If you want to send your phone to HTC, you can bring it back to stock before.
But if you did it with htcdev, HTC can see that you unlocked your Bootloader, so it will be difficult to get your phone repaired.- HTC just won't do anything but they will never know if you used an unoffical tool.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sound good to me, I always like the option to go back to stock for these purposes so I'll wait too
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2 Beta-2

You can go back to stock after using htcdev, too.
But your Bootloader will be signed of htc, so they know that you did it.

Yea you're right!Hope S-off will come then I don't need to unlock in HTC bootloader~

Has anyone asked the Revolutionary team if the exploit they used before works with the HTC One series and if they will support the device? I assume they will because they tend to follow flagship phones but you never know. Here's hoping we won't have to wait too long.
Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio using Tapatalk 2 Beta-2

I'm sure that they are working on it..

As far as I heard you still have warranty even though you unlocked your bootloader.

Yes of course but if for example your processor is damaged, you will surely not have any warranty on this.

Us vivid users went through heaven and hell to try and unlock the bootloader/achieve s off. Only after some strategic calls to HTC did we even get the official bootloader unlock, we never achieved it.unofficially either. We still don't even have s off so no radio flashing and a more round about way for flashing kernels and recoveries. I really hope the One X will have an unlock bootloader option. HTC wasn't even planning on giving the option until six months after the release. It didn't matter though, our development and most the community was already killed off by the time we got bootloader unlock. Hopefully HTC learned a lesson or the people working on unofficial s off/bootloader unlock have some tricks up their sleeve...
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using xda premium

I was just chatting with HTC and mentioned I had mine bootloader unlocked. He said it voided my warranty as that was stated on HTCDev, but I said HTCDev only says its void certain parts off the warranty.
But in e-mail I got from HTC they state, you do not get warranty when you are running an custom rom, so I guess we need put it back to stock and lock the bootloader.
Then there should be no problem with warranty.

DexterMorganNL said:
I was just chatting with HTC and mentioned I had mine bootloader unlocked. He said it voided my warranty as that was stated on HTCDev, but I said HTCDev only says its void certain parts off the warranty.
But in e-mail I got from HTC they state, you do not get warranty when you are running an custom rom, so I guess we need put it back to stock and lock the bootloader.
Then there should be no problem with warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, there still is a problem. Never again will your hboot read "locked", it will only show up as "relocked", so you still aren't quite out of the water.
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using xda premium

Yes that's true, but I believe you can just use your warranty. The guys in chat who say you voided it don't know what they talking about.
If you really send it in for warranty then they should just fix it. But best we can do is relock it.

DexterMorganNL said:
Yes that's true, but I believe you can just use your warranty. The guys in chat who say you voided it don't know what they talking about.
If you really send it in for warranty then they should just fix it. But best we can do is relock it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, a stock-looking rooted ROM will do the trick. I've heard enumerable amounts of people saying the people at HTC didn't even look to see if the device was rooted or bootloader unlocked. I really don't think they are that picky.

slapshot30 said:
Actually, a stock-looking rooted ROM will do the trick. I've heard enumerable amounts of people saying the people at HTC didn't even look to see if the device was rooted or bootloader unlocked. I really don't think they are that picky.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think so to. But atleast I would load the original non rooted stock rom on it. I only get the bootloader from Evo 3D to get show relocked and under it still says s-off, but I guess that's from revolutionary and I don't know how to get rid off that, but I will just leave it like this.
I have heard enough stories that peoples HTC got fixed with an unlocked bootloader and some even with an custom rom. And how big is the chance someone really ever going need use the warranty?
I think its quite small. But I'm not going unlock the HTC One X i think as it should be fast enough even without an custom rom.
I don't want HTC to know it and we should have an unlock method that is fully reversible, at HTC Desire HD we had that, with on click you had it back s-on.

S-off

Hey!
If I unlock my phone now via htcdev, s-on I guess, am I able to make it s-off later via 'custom' procedure?
Thanks for answer
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

Your details will be logged with HTC so pointless. If you can wait then best to wait or if you just want to go ahead you can unlock via HTC dev.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 2

i dont care about my logged details on htcdev.
the main point is that i can be sure that its be possible to make it s-off *after* unlocking with htcdev.

stiffmast3r said:
i dont care about my logged details on htcdev.
the main point is that i can be sure that its be possible to make it s-off *after* unlocking with htcdev.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty sure it can still be done (going S-OFF) if you "relock" the device through HTC Dev.

oh, i can relock it via htcdev? cool....
i have no experience with htcdev, and have my "HOX" (new name for the one X? saw it sametimes here ) since yesterday.
maybe its better to wait 1 week or 2, but ima flashaholic....
i must do it, I MUST DO IT!!!!!111

stiffmast3r said:
oh, i can relock it via htcdev? cool....
i have no experience with htcdev, and have my "HOX" (new name for the one X? saw it sametimes here ) since yesterday.
maybe its better to wait 1 week or 2, but ima flashaholic....
i must do it, I MUST DO IT!!!!!111
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I think it's possible. Keep in mind that a "relocked" device is not the same thing as "locked" device. HTC will know that your device has been unlocked and the warranty is still less then with a locked device!

yeah, i think the warranty is not a big problem, i got a "good guy" at a store

Yes but if you want to send the device off to HTC for a warranty repair a year down the line that's where the issue will kick in. Hence making sense to wait for S-OFF. And potentially for resale value a locked bootloader sounds better than a relocked bootloader.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

I've heard HTC don't care if its unlocked. My friend told me as long as your issue isn't from overclocking till it fries or something, they don't care and will take it.
Plus with s-off, you can erase all traces on the phone that it was unlocked. Of course HTC probably still knows since you submitted but I've read and my friends told me HTC don't really care as long as you didn't cause it thru software.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA

Factory unlocked and S-OFF

Noob question: I've ordered a factory unlocked M-8 from Amazon which should be arriving in a couple of days. Does HTC ship these devices with S-OFF (that is, is being factory unlocked automatically make it S-OFF), or will I have to do that in order to flash custom ROMs? The last HTC I had was the Vivid, and I had to do the wire trick to make it S-OFF. It seems the process is simpler now with Firewater, but just wondering what to expect. Thx.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

bruce7373 said:
Noob question: I've ordered a factory unlocked M-8 from Amazon which should be arriving in a couple of days. Does HTC ship these devices with S-OFF, or will I have to do that in order to flash custom ROMs? The last HTC I had was the Vivid, and I did the wire trick to make it S-OFF. It seems the process is simpler now with Firewater, but just wondering what to expect. Thx.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Factory unlocked" means "SIM unlocked/Carrier unlocked" i.e. You can use it on any network
The bootloader won't be unlocked and it won't be S-OFF from HTC.

donalgodon said:
"Factory unlocked" means "SIM unlocked/Carrier unlocked" i.e. You can use it on any network
The bootloader won't be unlocked and it won't be S-OFF from HTC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, OK, gotcha. Thx.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

But even without s off, you can still flash roms you just need to unlock the bootloader via htc dev

RossMacgill said:
But even without s off, you can still flash roms you just need to unlock the bootloader via htc dev
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right. I remember this now from having had the Vivid a few years ago. Major brain fart, lol. It's a ***** getting old (sigh)...
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

Brand New M8 Shipped with S-OFF

I got my HTC One M8 about a month or more ago switching from my Xperia Z2, and of course, the first thing I had to do with it was root it. Since I had to unlock the bootloader first, I went into bootloader mode and saw the info on the top of the screen. As expected, it says LOCKED, but the funny thing is, it says S-OFF instead of S-ON. Is there any way that this can happen to brand new phones? How can I make sure I am S-OFF, other than going into bootloader mode? I want to convert my phone to GPE but don't want to brick it in the process. Thanks :good:

Schwaggmeister said:
I got my HTC One M8 about a month or more ago switching from my Xperia Z2, and of course, the first thing I had to do with it was root it. Since I had to unlock the bootloader first, I went into bootloader mode and saw the info on the top of the screen. As expected, it says LOCKED, but the funny thing is, it says S-OFF instead of S-ON. Is there any way that this can happen to brand new phones? How can I make sure I am S-OFF, other than going into bootloader mode? I want to convert my phone to GPE but don't want to brick it in the process. Thanks :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You got lucky, I traded in my m8 for the nexus 6 and left it s-off for the next person that gets it ^^
If it says S-OFF in bootloader you are indeed S-OFF. There's an adb shell/terminal command to unlock the bootloader if you don't want to go through htcdev, although htcdev is safer. But either way, once you bootloader unlock you can convert to gpe if you want or whatever you wanna do.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

I wonder if the phone was returned the point of sale, repackaged, and shipped to you? Perhaps the previous owner relocked the bootloader but left the phone S-OFF.

HolyAngel said:
You got lucky, I traded in my m8 for the nexus 6 and left it s-off for the next person that gets it ^^
If it says S-OFF in bootloader you are indeed S-OFF. There's an adb shell/terminal command to unlock the bootloader if you don't want to go through htcdev, although htcdev is safer. But either way, once you bootloader unlock you can convert to gpe if you want or whatever you wanna do.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I already unlocked bootloader, rooted a long time ago, but I'm not sure if this phone is brand new because it did come with the wrapping around it and not a scuf or scratch was found on the phone, however the sticker sealing the box was already cut, but I presume it's just my uncle checking that all the parts are there because he was the one who got the phone for me since he works at a pretty big shop where they sell phones . Either way, thanks, also great ROMs you're doing for the M8 :good:

WorldIRC said:
I wonder if the phone was returned the point of sale, repackaged, and shipped to you? Perhaps the previous owner relocked the bootloader but left the phone S-OFF.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bootloader wasn't relocked. If it was it would say **RELOCKED**, but mines said **LOCKED**.

Schwaggmeister said:
Bootloader wasn't relocked. If it was it would say **RELOCKED**, but mines said **LOCKED**.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is very easy to make it say "locked" instead of "relocked" since the device has S-OFF.

Schwaggmeister said:
Is there any way that this can happen to brand new phones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I've seen reports of this happening from time to time. It pretty rare, but it does happen.

To clip, or not to clip...have some questions

Hi all -
Had this HTC One M9 stock for about a month now. I've been reading and reading and reading, and have the big itch to root, but also have some questions I'm hoping folks can answer that I'm a bit confused about. So I'll just get right to my questions.
I've had android phones for years, and I get the general concept of this stuff, but is this clip method so different, in that if I haven't done it before I pose a significant risk of bricking my phone or struggling to figure out the process if I've never done this method?
Does the clip method just get me S Off, or can it unlock the bootloader too?
Should I just use clip to S Off and follow instructions in this thread to unlock bootloader (http://forum.xda-developers.com/one-m9/general/how-to-lock-unlock-bootloader-htcdevs-t3092036)?
Can I return this phone to 100% stock if I need warranty service? From what I can gather from the unlock bootloader thread above, I can lock and unlock, and I assume with clip I can S on. Is there a way to flash image to OEM stock, and is there any other Knox-like things I need to worry about that I can't trip back?
I believe I read I can install TWRP recovery, but how do I do that once I have S Off and unlocked bootloader?
My goal is really just to flash a custom rom. I don't know I want to change all the in depth things that I think I'm reading I can do with S off. Is it possible, or does it make sense, to S off, unlock bootloader (which I think is all I need for TWRP and to load ROM), then S on again?
I know obv people are sending their phones to folks to S off, but there's a few reasons I'm thinking about the clip method (please correct any misunderstanding):
I can get clip for just under $100. Comparatively if I send it off, I'd probably do a $30 donation plus fast shipping both ways...I'm already over half the cost of the clip.
If I need the clip to return phone to true stock, I'd like that have that ability myself.
I know there's a few highly recommended people on here, but I'm still uneasy about sending a $600 phone to someone I don't know.
If the process is easy enough, I could try and recoup the money by doing a few phones in my area.
I'm mysteriously not seeing many website recommendations for the clip.
Sorry for the 1001 questions, but thank you SO much in advance for anyone that can offer advice!!!

crackface said:
Hi all -
Had this HTC One M9 stock for about a month now. I've been reading and reading and reading, and have the big itch to root, but also have some questions I'm hoping folks can answer that I'm a bit confused about. So I'll just get right to my questions.
I've had android phones for years, and I get the general concept of this stuff, but is this clip method so different, in that if I haven't done it before I pose a significant risk of bricking my phone or struggling to figure out the process if I've never done this method?
Does the clip method just get me S Off, or can it unlock the bootloader too?
Should I just use clip to S Off and follow instructions in this thread to unlock bootloader (http://forum.xda-developers.com/one-m9/general/how-to-lock-unlock-bootloader-htcdevs-t3092036)?
Can I return this phone to 100% stock if I need warranty service? From what I can gather from the unlock bootloader thread above, I can lock and unlock, and I assume with clip I can S on. Is there a way to flash image to OEM stock, and is there any other Knox-like things I need to worry about that I can't trip back?
I believe I read I can install TWRP recovery, but how do I do that once I have S Off and unlocked bootloader?
My goal is really just to flash a custom rom. I don't know I want to change all the in depth things that I think I'm reading I can do with S off. Is it possible, or does it make sense, to S off, unlock bootloader (which I think is all I need for TWRP and to load ROM), then S on again?
I know obv people are sending their phones to folks to S off, but there's a few reasons I'm thinking about the clip method (please correct any misunderstanding):
I can get clip for just under $100. Comparatively if I send it off, I'd probably do a $30 donation plus fast shipping both ways...I'm already over half the cost of the clip.
If I need the clip to return phone to true stock, I'd like that have that ability myself.
I know there's a few highly recommended people on here, but I'm still uneasy about sending a $600 phone to someone I don't know.
If the process is easy enough, I could try and recoup the money by doing a few phones in my area.
I'm mysteriously not seeing many website recommendations for the clip.
Sorry for the 1001 questions, but thank you SO much in advance for anyone that can offer advice!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK...so when you s-off it's completely reversible and does not require a clip or card to revert. Just some simple commands. If you have a clip the best bet is to s-off and then use the adb command to unlock. The clip can unlock but it uses the HTC Dev method which let's HTC know what you've done.
Once s-off you leave it s-off. You definitely do not want to turn it on while on a custom rom. Some system write protection is turned on/off by the s flag and boot loader lock status. There's no such thing as Knox on HTC. Using already posted commands you can simply lock the boot loader, flash an ruu (like Odin image) and turn s back on.
What I normally do is s-off, then unlock via the adb command. Flash twrp. Flash supersu. Flash rom.
If you don't understand all of this and why it works this way you probably should NOT be meeting local folks to work on their phones. Sometimes things go wrong and you would be stuck in a really bad situation.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

dottat said:
OK...so when you s-off it's completely reversible and does not require a clip or card to revert. Just some simple commands. If you have a clip the best bet is to s-off and then use the adb command to unlock. The clip can unlock but it uses the HTC Dev method which let's HTC know what you've done.
Once s-off you leave it s-off. You definitely do not want to turn it on while on a custom rom. Some system write protection is turned on/off by the s flag and boot loader lock status. There's no such thing as Knox on HTC. Using already posted commands you can simply lock the boot loader, flash an ruu (like Odin image) and turn s back on.
What I normally do is s-off, then unlock via the adb command. Flash twrp. Flash supersu. Flash rom.
If you don't understand all of this and why it works this way you probably should NOT be meeting local folks to work on their phones. Sometimes things go wrong and you would be stuck in a really bad situation.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Makes sense, and loud and clear on the advice on doing others' phones. Thank you so much....

Keep in mind that any clip/javacard will mark the device, so HTC will know that you had S-OFF anyway (if you ever return it for warranty).
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

efrant said:
Keep in mind that any clip/javacard will mark the device, so HTC will know that you had S-OFF anyway (if you ever return it for warranty).
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Says who? Was never a problem for me. You actually have a harder time on a non-vzw HTC since you have to go through HTC Dev which registers in their system anytime you call in that you have strayed from stock.
I have warrantied many phones that were Java card s-offed. Properly returned to stock they will pass everytime.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

dottat said:
Says who? Was never a problem for me. You actually have a harder time on a non-vzw HTC since you have to go through HTC Dev which registers in their system anytime you call in that you have strayed from stock.
I have warrantied many phones that were Java card s-offed. Properly returned to stock they will pass everytime.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Says someone who reverse-engineered the process, and who I believe.
I'm not saying it will be a problem, only that it could, if HTC decides to get picky. (I have never RMA'd anything ever so I certainly can't speak from experience. )
Yes, I agree that if you use HTC Dev to unlock, it makes it more of a problem than using a javacard (although there's nothing preventing a non-Verizon device from using a javacard - - your comment sort of implies non-Verizon HTCs need to go the HTC Dev route).
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

efrant said:
Says someone who reverse-engineered the process, and who I believe.
I'm not saying it will be a problem, only that it could, if HTC decides to get picky. (I have never RMA'd anything ever so I certainly can't speak from experience. )
Yes, I agree that if you use HTC Dev to unlock, it makes it more of a problem than using a javacard (although there's nothing preventing a non-Verizon device from using a javacard - - your comment sort of implies non-Verizon HTCs need to go the HTC Dev route).
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep...second part of my comment pertains to the unlocking of a boot loader. It's probable that a higher number of non-vzw HTC phones use software methods to s-off. Of all of the phones I have s-offed using a card, 90% were vzw. I unlock all boot loaders using adb. Most of the folks out there who do card s-offs use supercid and dev unlock afterwards. I never really understood why when you can do it without letting HTC know. The built in boot loader unlock method on the clip also uses HTC Dev. Since all vzw HTC phones are banned from dev we have to s-off first.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

dottat said:
Says who? Was never a problem for me. You actually have a harder time on a non-vzw HTC since you have to go through HTC Dev which registers in their system anytime you call in that you have strayed from stock.
I have warrantied many phones that were Java card s-offed. Properly returned to stock they will pass everytime.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True dat - I am one helped by @dottat to return to s-on, locked, and stock for a warrantee replacement. No problem.

dottat said:
I unlock all boot loaders using adb. Most of the folks out there who do card s-offs use supercid and dev unlock afterwards. I never really understood why when you can do it without letting HTC know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Out of curiosity, once you have S-OFF using your javacard, how do you unlock the bootloader using dd when you don't have root? Or how do you get root?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

efrant said:
Out of curiosity, once you have S-OFF using your javacard, how do you unlock the bootloader using dd when you don't have root? Or how do you get root?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on the device. On m9 you simply flash twrp (don't need to be unlocked on m9 to do so) and then use adb shell in twrp. On the m8, I have twrp packaged up that it will flash in ruu mode with a locked bootloader. Then same as above.
In twrp, adb shell is root already....no need to su.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

dottat said:
Depends on the device. On m9 you simply flash twrp (don't need to be unlocked on m9 to do so) and then use adb shell in twrp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I had no idea you didn't need to be unlocked to flash the recovery partition. Is it only recovery, or do you have fastboot access to other partitions as well while locked?

efrant said:
Thanks! I had no idea you didn't need to be unlocked to flash the recovery partition. Is it only recovery, or do you have fastboot access to other partitions as well while locked?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I am not mistaken, you won't have fastboot access to \system or \sp1 (splash screen) without bootloader unlock, but you CAN have access to \system within a ROM if you are rooted, even if the bootloader is locked.

hgoldner said:
If I am not mistaken, you won't have fastboot access to \system or \sp1 (splash screen) without bootloader unlock, but you CAN have access to \system within a ROM if you are rooted, even if the bootloader is locked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. So to confirm, with S-OFF and a locked bootloader on an M9, you have fastboot access to all partitions other than system and sp1??

efrant said:
Thanks. So to confirm, with S-OFF and a locked bootloader on an M9, you have fastboot access to all partitions other than system and sp1??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why don't you want to bootloader unlock? if you're already S-OFF you can do it in adb shell. Don't hold me to what partitions are fastboot accessible with bootloader locked. I've always had an S-OFF unit with bootloader unlocked. Some partitions aren't writable in fastboot even with bootloader unlocked, although they can be flashed by aboot with an appropriate zip file. For instance, I have a custom splash screen on both my test M9 and my own M9. I keep my test M9 system partition unwritable to ease taking OTA's on the device, but my own M9 runs Fluent.

hgoldner said:
Why don't you want to bootloader unlock? if you're already S-OFF you can do it in adb shell. Don't hold me to what partitions are fastboot accessible with bootloader locked. I've always had an S-OFF unit with bootloader unlocked. Some partitions aren't writable in fastboot even with bootloader unlocked, although they can be flashed by aboot with an appropriate zip file. For instance, I have a custom splash screen on both my test M9 and my own M9. I keep my test M9 system partition unwritable to ease taking OTA's on the device, but my own M9 runs Fluent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not that I don't want to unlock. I'm just insatiably curious as to how things now work with HTCs. (Last HTC I owned was 5 years ago.)
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

efrant said:
It's not that I don't want to unlock. I'm just insatiably curious as to how things now work with HTCs. (Last HTC I owned was 5 years ago.)
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The M9 is very different from any prior HTC handset. Instead of an hboot which contains fastboot access, it uses an aboot which is very limited in what it can do, that leads to either a "download" mode or a "recovery mode." Only download mode supports fastboot, and only for some partitions. Some things, like splash screens, can only be flashed in aboot from a properly compiled zip file. Some things can only be flashed in download mode via fastboot. I don't believe \system can ever be flashed on an M9, only altered in recovery or via a rooted system (actually, it can if you are installing a fresh custom ROM). And I believe more changes are afoot in HTC handsets in that regard.
With my M8, Rezound and Incredible, you unlocked bootloader and you got S-OFF. Okay, it was a little more complicated on the Rezound because of that infernal "wire trick," but still, you could fastboot write to any partition once you unlocked bootloader and were S-OFF. That is decidedly different on the M9, and the Verizon variant is locked down even tighter.

hgoldner said:
If I am not mistaken, you won't have fastboot access to \system or \sp1 (splash screen) without bootloader unlock, but you CAN have access to \system within a ROM if you are rooted, even if the bootloader is locked.
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System part is the other way around while locked on this phone.
Write protected in os ....accessible via twrp.
Boot loader lock flag controls system rw on this phone. On the m8 it was the s flag.
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