i have an option of buying a soft bricked m8, that says tampered relocked, unknown history of what was done to it, but im thinking have a go at trying to get it running again, i cannot get past any of the screens it's s-on as well, cannot go into phone settings, so i cannot do anything there.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/charvel_375/htc m8 broke.jpg?t=1515544191
So what is the question? Do you want to know if it's worth the risk/effort of buying? If we think it can be recovered? Or what exactly to do to recover it?
sorry i should have been more specific, answer.. can it be fixed, if so how, as i said i cannot get into the phone settings, i dont know if USB debugging is checked.
bluefender said:
can it be fixed, if so how, as i said i cannot get into the phone settings, i dont know if USB debugging is checked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You typically don't need debugging enabled, to get the phone running. You don't need debugging to use fastboot, and it's fastboot that is critical to get the phone running.
Whether or not the phone can be fixed, is not definite with the information provided so far. A lot of times, no boot just means the ROM is corrupt or otherwise damaged, which is fairly easy to fix by a tool called RUU. Or alternately by unlocking the bootloader, putting custom recovery TWRP on the phone, and using that to flash a stock ROM or custom ROM.
"Tampered" and "relocked" (versus "locked") means that the previous owner did at least try to do some mods (unlocked bootloader, custom recovery, custom ROM and/or root). Whether those attempted mods resulted in the current condition is another question we can't answer (only the previous owner can answer). It could be as simple as a botched root attempt, such as wrong version TWRP or wrong version SuperSU (also easily fixed). Or it could be the simple act of the previous owner locking the bootloader, which by definition renders the phone unable to boot (again, RUU is one possible solution) and the person just didn't know that.
On the other hand, it's possible that the current condition is caused by a hardware failure, such as emmc failure, and you won't be able to flash a ROM, and the phone is pretty much shot (needs new motherboard, etc.). But there is really no way of determining hardware vs. software failure without trying to recover it. Although my gut tells me, this is a pretty easy software fix, and that the current condition is mostly a matter of the previous owner lacking the proper knowledge.
What are the conditions of the sale? Are you buying it "as is" whether you can fix it or not? Or is the person going to let you mess with it, before decided whether to buy it? If you fix it easily, is there a possibility they change their mind, and going to want to keep it?
thanks for the info, buying as is, owner puts his arms up and says no idea, buy as is no returns, possible guilt of not rooting correctly ? who knows.
bluefender said:
buying as is, owner puts his arms up and says no idea, buy as is no returns, possible guilt of not rooting correctly ? who knows.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be my guess, not rooted correctly, or tried to return to stock, and botched it.
The bet, if I had to make one, would be that it can be recovered (software issue). But as I said, no sure bet there. Might be worth a chance, depending on how much he is charging, and how much that amount of money means to you.
in the end i passed on it, as found out the phone has been doing the rounds, internal chip was dead iv been told.
Related
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.
Yes, it looks like a very common question, but I used to own HTC-Wildfire once.
After installing custom ROMS, I have problems with battery malfunction. Untill now, I cannot fix it even if I brought a new battery.
I had purchased HTC One X, before I have found that the official ROM is not the best. I would like to try CUSTOM ROMS, but I'm afraid that it will make my mobile phone out of warranty.
However, I heard that after unlocking bootloader, we can lock it again and install an official ROM but the status of the phone will show " re-lock " instead of lock.
That means someone will know that I used to unlock it.
What do you think about this? Can I do it and also make it restore as untouched when my phone need fixing?
Thank you in advance.
KhSom
It will show re-lock, and I guess this is the purpose.
khom27820 said:
Yes, it looks like a very common question, but I used to own HTC-Wildfire once.
After installing custom ROMS, I have problems with battery malfunction. Untill now, I cannot fix it even if I brought a new battery.
I had purchased HTC One X, before I have found that the official ROM is not the best. I would like to try CUSTOM ROMS, but I'm afraid that it will make my mobile phone out of warranty.
However, I heard that after unlocking bootloader, we can lock it again and install an official ROM but the status of the phone will show " re-lock " instead of lock.
That means someone will know that I used to unlock it.
What do you think about this? Can I do it and also make it restore as untouched when my phone need fixing?
Thank you in advance.
KhSom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
khom27820 said:
Yes, it looks like a very common question, but I used to own HTC-Wildfire once.
After installing custom ROMS, I have problems with battery malfunction. Untill now, I cannot fix it even if I brought a new battery.
I had purchased HTC One X, before I have found that the official ROM is not the best. I would like to try CUSTOM ROMS, but I'm afraid that it will make my mobile phone out of warranty.
However, I heard that after unlocking bootloader, we can lock it again and install an official ROM but the status of the phone will show " re-lock " instead of lock.
That means someone will know that I used to unlock it.
What do you think about this? Can I do it and also make it restore as untouched when my phone need fixing?
Thank you in advance.
KhSom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your phone will still be in warranty in case of any hardware defects however should you break your phone as a result of flashing firmware then HTC will not assist you.
Yes, I believe that ANY rooting (and therefore ROM changes) voids the warranty of ANY phone however there are ways of unrooting your phone so that it appears completely unrooted.
Here's one method that may work: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=900875
However if you use a program such as superoneclick, ginerbreak, etc then an unroot feature is often included.
I believe that these methods don't leave an obvious trace, thus allowing a warranty claim to be made.
dr9722 said:
Your phone will still be in warranty in case of any hardware defects however should you break your phone as a result of flashing firmware then HTC will not assist you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That means if something wrong to my phone such as the screen is broken, I can still claim it, right?
If it is, I will begin to unlock my phone and install other ROM doubtlessly.
dr9722 said:
Your phone will still be in warranty in case of any hardware defects however should you break your phone as a result of flashing firmware then HTC will not assist you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had to send my HOX back to the shop because of a dodgy touchscreen. Of course, I had already installed ARHD so I was faced with the same issue. I reinstalled the proper RUU and relocked my bootloader. The shop accepted my RMA after finding the defect and told me that they had sent the phone to the HTC Service Center. So as of now the phone is wherever that is awaiting repair. The jury is still out as to whether they will investigate if the bootloader is relocked. I don't think it will be an issue, but I will report back as soon as I get word!
Cheers,
Mathieu
ps - I will change my signature as soon as I get my HOX back...
HTC will still honor warranty claims even if your phone was unlocked via HTCdev. The lcd on my One X decided that it would display the screen whenever it wanted to and not when I did. I called HTC and opened a ticket, shipped it to them, paid their slightly frustrating $20 USD handling fee, and now it's in repair with nothing else I need to pay.
This is with a unbranded HTCdev unlocked phone that had at least 4 different ROMs flashed as well as 2 kernels.
As far as your question of dodging the RE-LOCKED screen:
Until someone finds a way to S-OFF, we're stuck with it. But believe me that RE-LOCKED looks a whole lot better in HTC's eyes than TAMPERED.
If all you want to do is flash ROMs, just do it the HTC provided way.
Unless you manage to fry your phone by overclocking to 2.5ghz or overvolting, you'll be fine if the phone breaks.
Hi guys,
Just an update. I just received an email in which I was informed that my HOX has been repaired/replaced (I wonder which it is?). So either they didn't check the bootloader (or any secret log files of what has been installed) or they just didn't care. It would seem to have gone well...
I've been curious about how the Bootloader is locked down and why it's so difficult/impossible to unlock. How does the mfg get the initial load onto the device when it's manufactured?
I read that this bootloader has some 2048 encryption and that it's impossible to crack. However, I feel like there should be a way to alter the systems firmware from a PC or some kind of connection to the device.
Buchez said:
I've been curious about how the Bootloader is locked down and why it's so difficult/impossible to unlock. How does the mfg get the initial load onto the device when it's manufactured?
I read that this bootloader has some 2048 encryption and that it's impossible to crack. However, I feel like there should be a way to alter the systems firmware from a PC or some kind of connection to the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The way I read it somewhere is this,
There are efuses built into the processor/motherboard/memory/whatever that the new bootloader "blows" when it is installed. These efuses are necessary pathways for the older bootloaders, hence why they won't install. I don't believe the new bootloader is "locked" per say, it just prevents earlier versions from being installed. There is also a guide somewhere on these forums to recover your device from a brick if you tried to downgrade the bootloader. The new bootloader also doesn't prevent you from installing earlier roms, as long as they are flashable from recovery. Just do not try to use Odin to revert to an earlier rom. That's what causes the bricks, and although there is a procedure to recover, it doesn't sound easy and you end up back on MJB when you're done anyway. Hope that helped.
To whoever wrote the original post I referred to above, my apologies for not giving credit.
Thanks for the reply.
I'm pretty solid with flashing ROM's and such. I have been wondering if it would be possible to use a regular PC and some cool software to reset or reformat the firmware on the system.
Here is a link to the article I was reading:
http://rootzwiki.com/news/att-locks-down-its-galaxy-s-iv-bootloader/
Say I have brand new S3 hardware right off the factory floor. How does that system get injected with the software? When the factories get damaged or "Bricked" units back and refurb them, how do they do that. I know that you can use the SD card trick to jump your phone back to life, but there has to be some master way to do this
Buchez said:
Thanks for the reply.
I'm pretty solid with flashing ROM's and such. I have been wondering if it would be possible to use a regular PC and some cool software to reset or reformat the firmware on the system.
Here is a link to the article I was reading:
http://rootzwiki.com/news/att-locks-down-its-galaxy-s-iv-bootloader/
Say I have brand new S3 hardware right off the factory floor. How does that system get injected with the software? When the factories get damaged or "Bricked" units back and refurb them, how do they do that. I know that you can use the SD card trick to jump your phone back to life, but there has to be some master way to do this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have an S3, I'm on the S3 section because my mom broke her phone, so this is speculation based on when I owned an Optimus G:
There are qualcomm tools that can fix a lot more than Odin and Fastboot can, apparently, and manufacturers have access to those. When I had an Atrix 4G someone told me they replace the entire board when eFuses are burned incorrectly, but that sounds really expensive. Anyway, just my 2 cents, i'm out~
Hi,
My wife HTC m9(UK, Vodaphone, latest stock ROM, No root) was turned off last night to charge.
When booted up it does the below. It does not load into the OS. Every boot loops into the below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8n21CQX7535cjF4MnZqV2E1dGM/view?usp=sharing
It says the software has been modified?
My wife was very insistent that I never root or change ROMS on her phone.
Does anyone have a fix or is this send off for replacement?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Ca1v
ca1v said:
Hi,
My wife HTC m9(UK, Vodaphone, latest stock ROM, No root) was turned off last night to charge.
When booted up it does the below. It does not load into the OS. Every boot loops into the below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8n21CQX7535cjF4MnZqV2E1dGM/view?usp=sharing
It says the software has been modified?
My wife was very insistent that I never root or change ROMS on her phone.
Does anyone have a fix or is this send off for replacement?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Ca1v
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What happens if you try to boot to Download Mode? I guess you see the black screen that is mentioned in Q7, right? If that's the case there isn't much you can do...
Download mode seems to be working (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8n21CQX7535cEFhTlpnajF5anM/view?usp=sharing)
If this is the case, can you point me in the right direction to get resolved?
Many thanks for the help
Flippy498 said:
What happens if you try to boot to Download Mode? I guess you see the black screen that is mentioned in Q7, right? If that's the case there isn't much you can do...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download mode seems to be working (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8n...ew?usp=sharing)
If this is the case, can you point me in the right direction to get resolved?
Many thanks for the help
Interesting. Your video in post 1 shows a security warning. That means that the OS got deleted. This is only possible if you unlock the bootloader and delete it manually via TWRP or if the EMMC gets broken. Since the phone's S-ON and its bootloader is locked and not unlocked or relocked I assumed that the latter happened*.
As long as the download mode is working you can restore the system with the help of a RUU. Instructions can be found in the thread I linked in my last post. Be aware that all data on the phone is going to get erased.
* Well, it is possible to get the phone's status back to S-ON and locked with S-OFF but you said you never tinkered with that phone...
Flippy498 said:
Interesting. Your video in post 1 shows a security warning. That means that the OS got deleted. This is only possible if you unlock the bootloader and delete it manually via TWRP or if the EMMC gets broken. Since the phone's S-ON and its bootloader is locked and not unlocked or relocked I assumed that the latter happened*.
As long as the download mode is working you can restore the system with the help of a RUU. Instructions can be found in the thread I linked in my last post. Be aware that all data on the phone is going to get erased.
* Well, it is possible to get the phone's status back to S-ON and locked with S-OFF but you said you never tinkered with that phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just thought I'd bring to your attention that apps are now being written that will try to obtain root without you knowing. The reason is that they can steal any information they want and sell it to corporations for as little as 4 pence/6c a record.
It is possible that it is a failed root by an app.
"I'm safe, I only download my apps from google playstore" - nope, you're not.
"I only use signed apps and the checksum is always correct" - nope, checksum can be matched with padding.
"I only use external sources to update genuine apps" - nope, see the Google playstore comment above.
"I have all my security and privacy set to super strict, I have my apps verified by google" - nope, still not secure because alerts are only written when the malicious/bad code is found.
Be warned, my fellow xda'ers. There is a whole new breed of security breach and it is terminal to root as a whole. Apps like kingoroot etc are issuing the wrong type of people with the wrong type of information and they are using it for the wrong purposes.
Google will stuggle to put a lid on these types of apps because they attack the hardware for access to software (a simple memory buffer overflow attack), inject a few lines of code and you're in, permanently. It will eventually result in a total lockdown at the manufacturer and bye bye root access, roms, mods etc, you'll get what you're given.
How do we prevent this?. We don't and we can't. We just have to sit back and watch as the world takes our privacy while bricking our devices one by one just to "try" to earn a poxy 4p.
Beamed in by telepathy.
@shivadow: I'm actually not sure what you're trying to achieve with your post. Malicious apps that can root your device without letting the user know about that exist since several years now. (Click here for a random example from 2011) Smartphones aren't completely safe and they never were. Everyone who's claiming the opposite either doesn't know what he/she is talking about or is simply lying.
To name just a few more android security flaws/exploits that emerged in the past: rageagainstthecage, gingerbreak, heartbleed, stagefright, the master key vulnerability, the futex bug, rootnik...
All of these have more or less been used for manipulating android phones. There is no absolute security. Android is still as secure/insecure as it's always been.
In addition, several OEMs are already trying to prevent their customers from rooting their phones since several years. Samsung's KNOX is a perfect example. (I don't want to discuss whether they're successful. That's a whole different topic.)
But let's get back to the deleted OS of the OP's phone: I've never heard about failed root attempts that erase a complete system partition. Therefore, I highly doubt that a malicious app caused all the trouble. Failed root attempts may cause a bootloop but they don't wipe your phone. Just think about the following: How should the dev of such app gain money if the app deletes OSes? Without OS there is no information you can steel and if you have no information you could sell/abuse/whatsoever you don't gain any money. Oh and not to forget that most apps on the play store already collect more than enough data from your phone they can sell afterwards without having to root it.
I meant failed root could be the cause, if the op didn't then who did?. If no-one modded it then dead nand is the only player..
I agree with every thing else but I don't trust those apps that try to gain root in the background to steal data and I think it's too easy for them to bugger your phone just for the sake of making a few coins. Face it, if I was doing it, once I had what I wanted I wouldn't care about the device. Sod the gracious exit and all that jazz.. No evidence, no conviction.
Maybe I'm being ott but my questions and points are still valid.
This is a proper "who dunnit" because I doubt it died of its own accord.
Knox is for businesses btw. If knox is triggered, which is very easy to do, the business is advised not to buy the device as it "may" have been compromised. But if no company secrets are being held on the device then it's still good to use. Knox protection was counteracted by supersu. In a nutshell, unless you run a company knox is of no concern to the everyday user.
Just thought I'd chuck that in there, I'm versed in the arts of the s3 i9300. I moved from that phone to this m9.
Beamed in by telepathy.
some help pls?
That depends on what you are trying to do. You can use fastboot commands in bootloader-fastboot mode; which will still work even if OS and recovery are not accessible. But anything more (such as adb, storage access) you will need at least recovery.
What is the current condition of the phone, what were you trying to do, or want to do, etc.?
redpoint73 said:
That depends on what you are trying to do. You can use fastboot commands in bootloader-fastboot mode; which will still work even if OS and recovery are not accessible. But anything more (such as adb, storage access) you will need at least recovery.
What is the current condition of the phone, what were you trying to do, or want to do, etc.?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for willingness to help,i was already solving the problem.I went to a specialized server,and they repair it.
morrientes99 said:
Thanks for willingness to help,i was already solving the problem.I went to a specialized server,and they repair it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's too bad. You probably spent money to fix something we could have helped you with, for free.
redpoint73 said:
That's too bad. You probably spent money to fix something we could have helped you with, for free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
was not so bad..i was also replacing the battery and usb connector,so now looks like new..unfortunately they didnt install Android 7.0,but im afraid to try to do it
morrientes99 said:
unfortunately they didnt install Android 7.0,but im afraid to try to do it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you haven't modded the phone before? No need to be afraid in my opinion. You won't brick (or otherwise damage) the device by unlocking the bootloader, installing custom recovery, and flashing a custom ROM. And the process is almost entirely reversible, with the slight exception of the fact that the bootloader will only ever say UNLOCKED or RELOCKED; versus LOCKED (stock condition). But this is almost entirely irrelevant, as RELOCKED is functionally the same as LOCKED, aside from the possibility that RELOCKED voids the warranty (indicates the phone was bootloader unlocked) but the huge majority of M8 devices don't have warranty at this point, as the phone is going on 3 years old.
Just be sure to properly read and understand the process before you start, don't use outdated methods, backup any personal data before bootloader unlock, and be sure to make a backup of your current stock ROM before flashing the new ROM. Also understand how to recover from problems, such as restoring a TWRP backup, etc.
Do the necessary due diligence before you start, and modding the phone will go just fine.