Develop Bugs

[Q] Any reason to (re)lock the bootloader on an S-off device?

Other than warranty issues, and possibly redeeming your Google Drive space, are there any practical ramifications to simply leaving the bootloader unlocked (or, conversely, locked?) on an S-off device? I'm inclined to leave it bootloader unlocked unless I have a warranty issue, as it seems the safest way to make sure I'm never locked out, but I'm curious to know if there are any reasons to lock it from a security perspective.
I say that because right now when I lose root due to an OTA, I just boot (but not install) philz touch recovery to re-root, which I am assuming is allowed because I am s-off. (because otherwise root would be trivial). It seems that as long as I can do that, the bootloader lock/unlock state is somewhat pointless.

You are allowed to flash custom ROMs because you have installed a custom recovery, which was allowed because you unlocked your bootloader. I would leave the bootloader unlocked until a relock is required (if it even comes to that). As far as I know, that poses no threat as long as you know what you're flashing on your device. Anyone with more experience with this may correct me, as I am quite new to the HTC world.

MrKhozam said:
You are allowed to flash custom ROMs because you have installed a custom recovery, which was allowed because you unlocked your bootloader. I would leave the bootloader unlocked until a relock is required (if it even comes to that). As far as I know, that poses no threat as long as you know what you're flashing on your device. Anyone with more experience with this may correct me, as I am quite new to the HTC world.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually only had TWRP installed briefly to "restore" the Dev Edition nandroid (and by briefly, I mean I booted it once). As soon as the Dev Edition ROM was up, I reverted to the stock DE recovery. Since then, I just "boot" Philz CWM to re-root (since TWRP fails when booted on 4.4.3 for some reason.)

Backup before root?

I want to try some custom ROMs on my M8. Before I do this I want to do a full back up. From everything I've read Titanium is by a long shot the most popular so I see no reason not to go that route. However, from what I've read rooting the M8 will wipe my phone, but I can't use Titanium until I'm rooted. So it seems I'm stuck, and wondering what the best way is to proceed.
Thanks,
Ryan

Ryan_Mc said:
I want to try some custom ROMs on my M8. Before I do this I want to do a full back up. From everything I've read Titanium is by a long shot the most popular so I see no reason not to go that route. However, from what I've read rooting the M8 will wipe my phone, but I can't use Titanium until I'm rooted. So it seems I'm stuck, and wondering what the best way is to proceed.
Thanks,
Ryan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting by itself won't reset your phone, using the HTC unlock token to unlock the bootloader will. However, if you can S-off, you can also unlock your bootloader without tripping the factory reset. Once your bootloader is unlocked, you can install a custom recovery and backup your (unrooted) OS image - then use that recovery to install su.
Unfortunately, the prerequisite to all of that is getting S-off. If you can't, or won't, do that, then yeah - as soon as you unlock the bootloader your /data partition will get nuked. It's a safety measure to prevent someone from stealing your phone, unlocking the bootloader, and bypassing the OS protections to get the data on it. Fortunately, it only happens when you unlock. If you subsequently leave the bootloader unlocked, it won't happen again.

New to HTC, just need some confirmation if i got everything right

Hey all,
so i have (hopefully) read all those "I'm new to HTC"-threads and an almost infinite amount of additional threads all around the internet and especially here on xda in the htc 10 forum. I think i have figured it out so far, coming from a Galaxy S5 it's quite confusing sometimes as there i would have to get my hands on odin, flash twrp and from there on everything is super easy.
CID/MID
The CID of my device (HTC__034) shows me my device is unbranded and the region is europe. This is like the CSC over at samsung where DBT would be an unbranded german device?
The MID is an identifier for the model, it's model specific and should be the same throughout all regions and carriers (read this on some german android wiki site). It's like SM-G900F over at samsung?
Bootloader
The bootloader is locked by default. To be able to install a custom recovery, root, flash custom roms, etc. pp. i need to unlock the bootloader either over at htcdev (where they will store the information about me unlocking the bootloader) or through sunshine which will also S-OFF my device. Once the bootloader is unlocked, no more OTA updates except installing them "by hand"
S-ON/S-OFF
S-OFF is not needed to flash custom roms, but i may be stuck on some firmware version if it won't get updated anymore. To change firmware version i would need to S-OFF my device.
Also, to flash a radio i would need S-OFF. Is this radio you are all talking about what the modem is over at samsung?
S-ON is default, S-OFF is a sunshine exclusive, XTC2Clip won't work here anymore
Custom recovery
unlock bootloader and if wanted, S-OFF, fastboot install twrp
Root
flash supersu, systemless supersu or magisk and systemless phhsuperuser through twrp
Flashing roms
unlocked bootloader and custom recovery needed, then just flash this baby

Nice work, due diligence is rare these days
You got it all very close, your shouldn't have any trouble.
don't worry about S off
create an account at the HTC Dev website
on Dev site, select unlock bootloader and follow step by step
once bootloader is unlocked, "fastboot flash recovery twrp.img"
reboot into recovery and CREATE FULL BACKUP... save it somewhere safe...
at this point you are safe and don't need to worry about bricking your phone!
you are also now done with the computer, from this point on you can switch roms as much as you like with just your phone.
to install rom, save file to your phone, wipe system, dalvik/cache, then install new file, all from within twrp
Let me know if you need any help
---------- Post added at 01:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:26 PM ----------
Also just to clarify, it is basically the same thing as your s5, but you are replacing Odin with fastboot and adding the one step of unlocking your bootloader first. Don't worry about rooting at first because most custom roms will have it already rooted, so installing the rom will also root... Good luck

S1CAR1US said:
You got it all very close, your shouldn't have any trouble.
don't worry about S off
create an account at the HTC Dev website
on Dev site, select unlock bootloader and follow step by step
once bootloader is unlocked, "fastboot flash recovery twrp.img"
reboot into recovery and CREATE FULL BACKUP... save it somewhere safe...
at this point you are safe and don't need to worry about bricking your phone!
you are also now done with the computer, from this point on you can switch roms as much as you like with just your phone.
to install rom, save file to your phone, wipe system, dalvik/cache, then install new file, all from within twrp
Let me know if you need any help
---------- Post added at 01:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:26 PM ----------
Also just to clarify, it is basically the same thing as your s5, but you are replacing Odin with fastboot and adding the one step of unlocking your bootloader first. Don't worry about rooting at first because most custom roms will have it already rooted, so installing the rom will also root... Good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, thanks for the answer, just a few more questions^^
S-OFF + unlocked bootloader -> this is what i have on my S5 right now. enabling me to flash and/or **** up everything.
for example take a firmware (bootloader, modem, rom) for s7 and brick my s5 or repartition with a pitfile or whatsoever if i want to
i am able to up-/downgrade firmware from (if it's there) nougat down to marshmallow and back up to nougat
S-ON + unlocked bootloader -> will only give me the possibility to flash new system partition (aka rom), a custom recovery, gain root access and (read about this) flash a kernel. but this won't allow me to update firmware, so as long as i'm on mm, no nougat for me except i relock my bootloader and flash a nougat RUU (check for right MID and CID).
2.1 do i have this right (about the firmware up-/downgrades)?
2.2 the RUUs are basically stock firmware?
S-OFF + locked bootloader
what is up with this configuration? have read it gives me the same options as S-ON and bootloader unlocked?
S-OFF would also allow me to relock bootlader without relocked flag, so it looks as if i never unlocked the bootloader?
AOSP-roms
what configuration do i need to flash aosp roms as soon as there are mor than alpha/beta builds? is S-ON + unlocked bootloader sufficient?

peteter said:
First of all, thanks for the answer, just a few more questions^^
S-OFF + unlocked bootloader -> this is what i have on my S5 right now. enabling me to flash and/or **** up everything.
for example take a firmware (bootloader, modem, rom) for s7 and brick my s5 or repartition with a pitfile or whatsoever if i want to
i am able to up-/downgrade firmware from (if it's there) nougat down to marshmallow and back up to nougat
S-ON + unlocked bootloader -> will only give me the possibility to flash new system partition (aka rom), a custom recovery, gain root access and (read about this) flash a kernel. but this won't allow me to update firmware, so as long as i'm on mm, no nougat for me except i relock my bootloader and flash a nougat RUU (check for right MID and CID).
2.1 do i have this right (about the firmware up-/downgrades)?
2.2 the RUUs are basically stock firmware?
S-OFF + locked bootloader
what is up with this configuration? have read it gives me the same options as S-ON and bootloader unlocked?
S-OFF would also allow me to relock bootlader without relocked flag, so it looks as if i never unlocked the bootloader?
AOSP-roms
what configuration do i need to flash aosp roms as soon as there are mor than alpha/beta builds? is S-ON + unlocked bootloader sufficient?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best way is "S-OFF - LOCKED".
You have the same advantages as with "S-OFF - UNLOCKED", but with "S-OFF - LOCKED" you can go easily back to stock ("S-ON - LOCKED").
You can flash everything AND you can up-/ or downgrade your firmware. So AOSP roms are no problem for you
Never RELOCK your phone.
So the best way is: Unlock your phone with HTC Dev > Flash TWRP > Flash SuperSu > Install sunshine and choose inside the app "S-OFF - LOCKED".
If you want to go back to stock, just flash a RUU.zip and do the s-on command. Thats it.

But, if you still have a firmware version that's compatible with temp root, you don't need to unlock through HTC first. If you're going to spend the Sunshine money anyway, and if your FW version is compatible, go with Sunshine since the beginning.
Also, when you first run TWRP and it asks you if you want to make system writable, say NO. That way, you are able to backup everything untouched and get back to stock in case you want to take OTAs. There are guides that show you how to do it if you decide to stay stock + root/xposed.

Thank you all, so the way would be
download and install sunshine -> done
let sunshine run its tests (temproot etc) -> done and working
(from here on to be done)
pay 25$ and choose S-OFF + LOCKED -> done
fastboot flash recovery twrp.img -> done
i could also do this fastboot boot recovery twrp.img command and then also backup stock recovery? -> no longer available
boot up twrp, no to writable system -> done
nandroid backup (system image, boot) -> done
do what i want, flash custom-rom, aosp-rom, keep stock-rom, flash magisk and systemless phhsuperuser, flash supersu systemless or standard supersu, xposed and whatever makes me hit install in recovery -> done done done
also, never ever RELOCK in case i would S-OFF and UNLOCK
in case i missed something, please enlighten me else i'm of to gain freedom

dastinger said:
But, if you still have a firmware version that's compatible with temp root, you don't need to unlock through HTC first. If you're going to spend the Sunshine money anyway, and if your FW version is compatible, go with Sunshine since the beginning.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, I forgot the sunshine temproot. I got my phone from repair last week with latest firmware and it wasn't working. I had to use HTC Dev to unlock first.
peteter said:
Thank you all, so the way would be
download and install sunshine -> done
let sunshine run its tests (temproot etc) -> done and working
(from here on to be done)
pay 25$ and choose S-OFF + LOCKED
fastboot flash recovery twrp.img
i could also do this fastboot boot recovery twrp.img command and then also backup stock recovery?
boot up twrp, no to writable system
nandroid backup
do what i want, flash custom-rom, aosp-rom, keep stock-rom, flash magisk and systemless phhsuperuser, flash supersu systemless or standard supersu, xposed and whatever makes me hit install in recovery
also, never ever RELOCK in case i would S-OFF and UNLOCK
in case i missed something, please enlighten me else i'm of to gain freedom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After your nandroid backup you have to reboot TWRP and allow writable system, or you can't flash anything a ROM

Not anything. You can still flash Magisk, Systemless Root, Systemless Xposed or a custom kernel. Basically, you can flash anything that doesn't mess with system. A ROM, for example, will need writable system ofc.

Once again, thanks a lot guys, installed twrp which is now asking me for a password. am i right that i have to enter my decrypt password?
EDIT: Just hit cancel worked

peteter said:
Once again, thanks a lot guys, installed twrp which is now asking me for a password. am i right that i have to enter my decrypt password?
EDIT: Just hit cancel worked
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/htc-10/how-to/psa-htc-10-s-off-s-lock-unlock-t3371264

I got OTA updates with S-OFF I understand it's the recovery that will block OTA. What I did was S-OFF and HTC DEV unlocked bootloader I have not changed either one since. What I was doing to get latest firmware(for US UNLOCKED or developer edition) was flash a stock pmewl RUU not modify it and take OTAs to get the latest firmware. If you have the m10h in the USA, your LTE is crippled. You may want to convert to TMOUS or US unlocked. LTE will turn on at that point, however you won't get the full AWS spectrum. I use WCDMA(3.5G or HSDPA+) exclusively, unless I'm somewhere it won't work, like southern Denver, even then it's crippled. I quickly came to the conclusion that I need a PME with full AWS spectrum. I did have the device converted to US unlocked and on nougat within hours, nougat at the time was not available for my device out of the box. Another thing I sometimes go into recovery and find if didn't mount data partition. Simply re-flashing encryption compatible TWRP fixes this. Either a backup or image flash from TWRP. Or re-flash TWRP using TWRP app or dd from a terminal.
From my experience, whenever TWRP asks for a password that means data did not mount! The latest TWRP from twrp.me the official one is working fine for me.

The only problems I had were in trying to return to a fully stock condition.
Which is useful to do in case you maybe sell the phone after upgrading or something. And it very much depends on where you got your phone on how successful that attempt will be. For instance, my contract allows me to upgrade every two years, but the CID they use (H3G__001), despite the phone basically being unlocked, is not supported anywhere in the form of RUU. I had to S-OFF in order to be able to change the CID to HTC__001 which is the WWE CID but you can also change a significant amount of other stuff.
The other thing that being S-OFF makes easy is updating or rolling back firmware versions and different revisions of android require different firmwares (for instance between Marshmallow and Nougat)
Although, some of it has the potential to brick your phone, which being S-ON prevents. So it depends just how far you want to go and if you'd rather have that saftey net. But beyond that, you do not need S-OFF to install and run custom roms, or recoveries, etc.

Good points. It is risky to S-OFF, last time I flashed a write value to the safety state of an HTC modem was the Evo 4g, locked to Virgin Mobile when I got it. I had to cut a small section of a wire from an ethernet cable after flashing the unlock binary. Using that cable to ground contact points(at the risk of bricking) I read how to bypass some safety and get into diag mode writing some hex value to something else using fastboot.
I got into Android(and Linux) by hacking the HTC Touch Pro 2 and a laptop to flash it with. That was a Microsoft Phone. Using Haret, and installing Android Donut system/kernel images on the sdcard, you could boot into the Android Linux kernel and everything was loaded. It was slow, no cellular connection, it booted as a proof of concept.
Unpractical for daily use, I just kept Windows with the earliest version of the Sense interface, compulsively flashing every new Energy ROM. Then came the HTC HD2, the last Microsoft Phone(before Windows Mobile), my first practical Android phone. Started off booting Froyo using the same sdcard install and Haret psuedo bootloader method. Dark Forces group eventually formatted the EEPROM of the HD2 using a Linux friendly file system and moved Android from the sdcard to the internal memory. Adopting Linux kernel and vendor sources from the HTC Desire, the XDA community hacked together a fringe device.
I had a few HD2s running Android on a foreign device. Even bricked a couple of them flashing European radios. Only to restore them by buying the same not bricked devices with busted screens on eBay.
You can do things with an HTC, not possible otherwise using other Armel hardware . I mean try writing low level binary states to the modem of an Nexus device, not only to re define the locality of where the device was manufactured to function, but even downgrade firmware versions and the respective security patches.
Won't happen, not without Jtag and a few years of bricking devices while you earn an unrequited masters in computer science, as I imagine the phreakers/developers behind Sunshine must have.
My point, if I have one, is the raw potential before the OP and the device we're taking about.
To even look up a device on XDA demands a degree of user autonomy not encouraged by many manufactures. Like those that resort exclusively to advertising and pandering to made for TV "group think" expectations and attitudes of what a device is capable of. Only what is most profitable to most manufactures will work easily on the device without risk of destruction.
End users intolerant of bloatware and advertising, or limiting personal driving, shopping, usage and locality data to services they chose or at least use and know about. Those are examples of what's outside the stock ROM box.
The communications service industry as a whole will lose profits if they don't buy the majority of these inherently open devices and tailor them to fit, for the most part, their ends. I mean yeah, KNOX is secure, and that's a great cover story to isolate open development. Groups of independent developers, builders, and users can take technology in a direction different and less predictable than what is otherwise a profitable direction.
I like to imagine this fora as a nail in the coffin of computer hardware and software development that unnecessarily limits experimentation and inflates security risks to homogenize those capable individuals under the same or similar payroll. Focusing them on profit over communal benefit, as if we can't have both.

Is there a way to root my Mi 6 without unlocking the bootloader?

Good day guys,
Today I received my Mi 6. Friends told me Xiaomis usually come with an option to enable root, but I can't find it here. Can anyone help me?

I think you need to install the Developers Rom and there you have an option to enable root.

Ammmm no, you can't, at least you discover a zero-day exploit with execution code and bla bla bla.
For Root, you need mod boot/system image in the best case, or flash a tool like supersu to make the changes in fly... so you need a unlocked bootloader or custom recovery and flashing custom recovery need a unlocked bootloader.

Theliels said:
Ammmm no, you can't, at least you discover a zero-day exploit with execution code and bla bla bla.
For Root, you need mod boot/system image in the best case, or flash a tool like supersu to make the changes in fly... so you need a unlocked bootloader or custom recovery and flashing custom recovery need a unlocked bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply, I guess i'm requesting the bootloader unlock to Xiaomi then.

Theliels said:
Ammmm no, you can't, at least you discover a zero-day exploit with execution code and bla bla bla.
For Root, you need mod boot/system image in the best case, or flash a tool like supersu to make the changes in fly... so you need a unlocked bootloader or custom recovery and flashing custom recovery need a unlocked bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what about install TWPR (still locked) then root it? is it possible?

mennas said:
what about install TWPR (still locked) then root it? is it possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you kidding?
No.
When boot loader is locked only code signed by xiaomi will run.
So twrp will just not bootup.
Also fastboot is only enabled on the phone when boot loader is unlocked so you'd have a hell of a time flashing it
And then youd likely softbrick the phone with no recovery to flash a ROM so maybe even hardbricked...
Don't try.
Just unlock.

Dobsgw said:
Are you kidding?
No.
When boot loader is locked only code signed by xiaomi will run.
So twrp will just not bootup.
Also fastboot is only enabled on the phone when boot loader is unlocked so you'd have a hell of a time flashing it
And then youd likely softbrick the phone with no recovery to flash a ROM so maybe even hardbricked...
Don't try.
Just unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if this applies to Xiaomi and if it works on more recent versions of Android but on Xperia Z3, installing TWRP with locked bootloader was actually possible I did it myself, and hundreds of others has done it to (you couldn't change to a non-stock ROM, without unlocking the bootloader of course, but that's a different story)
Obviosly that would need a newer exploit in order to push TWRP.
But of course Google or Xiaomi may had added additional protections to the bootloader since then.
(with this being said, you probably need to be quite experienced to start looking into that kind of stuff)

-Zteam- said:
I don't know if this applies to Xiaomi and if it works on more recent versions of Android but on Xperia Z3, installing TWRP with locked bootloader was actually possible I did it myself, and hundreds of others has done it to (you couldn't change to a non-stock ROM, without unlocking the bootloader of course, but that's a different story)
Obviosly that would need a newer exploit in order to push TWRP.
But of course Google or Xiaomi may had added additional protections to the bootloader since then.
(with this being said, you probably need to be quite experienced to start looking into that kind of stuff)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll notice on newer xperia phones that's jot possible
You have to unlock.
They wised up and patched the KitKat exploit (although one was found in the 575 kernel)
So yeah potentially it would be possible to find an exploit and modify /system.
But the Z3 (I own one too) required having the mods to be in system if the BL was locked. Wolfbreak obviosuly managed to get twrp installed to system and then used scripts to open it.
But a custom kernel would still brick the phone.
So you were confined to root and recovery and custom ROMs based on stock.
You have to unlock to modify the kernel (which most root now does to avoid safetynet)
So there's not much point in this system level exploit.
Phone wouldn't boot as soon as a non stock or modified kernel was installed (lots of people would try and do this and brick their phones I guarantee)
Much better to just unlock.

Dobsgw said:
You'll notice on newer xperia phones that's jot possible
You have to unlock.
They wised up and patched the KitKat exploit (although one was found in the 575 kernel)
So yeah potentially it would be possible to find an exploit and modify /system.
But the Z3 (I own one too) required having the mods to be in system if the BL was locked. Wolfbreak obviosuly managed to get twrp installed to system and then used scripts to open it.
But a custom kernel would still brick the phone.
So you were confined to root and recovery and custom ROMs based on stock.
You have to unlock to modify the kernel (which most root now does to avoid safetynet)
So there's not much point in this system level exploit.
Phone wouldn't boot as soon as a non stock or modified kernel was installed (lots of people would try and do this and brick their phones I guarantee)
Much better to just unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course you will be much more limited without unlocked bootloader but on the other hand you don't have to void your warranty, unrooting your phone, without any traces of root is very useful, if you happens to need your warranty.
And you can still use stuff like setcpu, xposed framework, enable EIS and camera api2. just to name a few things.
Safetynet didn't bother me that much.
That's why people are looking for ways to root without unlocking the bootloader.

-Zteam- said:
Of course you will be much more limited without unlocked bootloader but on the other hand you don't have to void your warranty, unrooting your phone, without any traces of root is very useful, if you happens to need your warranty.
And you can still use stuff like setcpu, xposed framework, enable EIS and camera api2. just to name a few things.
Safetynet didn't bother me that much.
That's why people are looking for ways to root without unlocking the bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK well when the exploit is found you'll have it

Dobsgw said:
Are you kidding?
No.
When boot loader is locked only code signed by xiaomi will run.
So twrp will just not bootup.
Also fastboot is only enabled on the phone when boot loader is unlocked so you'd have a hell of a time flashing it
And then youd likely softbrick the phone with no recovery to flash a ROM so maybe even hardbricked...
Don't try.
Just unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
10 hours left lol. i hope after 10 hours there will be no more additional trouble coming up.
So, my plan after im able to unlock it is to root>install twrp>flash it back to global stabel(my current is global beta).
im still confused about stay with beta or flash it back to stabel. Any sugesstion?

mennas said:
10 hours left lol. i hope after 10 hours there will be no more additional trouble coming up.
So, my plan after im able to unlock it is to root>install twrp>flash it back to global stabel(my current is global beta).
im still confused about stay with beta or flash it back to stabel. Any sugesstion?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stay with beta its usually better.
Or switch to aosp if you don't like MIUI
Stable Oreo should come soon as the Chinese ROM just got Oreo stable

Dobsgw said:
Stay with beta its usually better.
Or switch to aosp if you don't like MIUI
Stable Oreo should come soon as the Chinese ROM just got Oreo stable
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok. ill stay with this beta oreo then thanks

Dobsgw said:
Stay with beta its usually better.
Or switch to aosp if you don't like MIUI
Stable Oreo should come soon as the Chinese ROM just got Oreo stable
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait, is Chinese stable on oreo already?

NickTheSickDick said:
Wait, is Chinese stable on oreo already?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah.
Also expecting Oreo kernel sources to release soon too

Dobsgw said:
Yeah.
Also expecting Oreo kernel sources to release soon too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn, that didn't take long. I remember just how buggy it was when oreo first entered alpha.

NickTheSickDick said:
Damn, that didn't take long. I remember just how buggy it was when oreo first entered alpha.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They need to be even quicker 8.1 has been out for a fair while as well....
At least it got to Oreo.
I'm sure there will be more updates for the "stable" branch soon.
In my use I found beta to be better

Root access for the Moto Z Play without bootloader unlock

Hello,
Is it possible to get root access on the Moto Z Play without needing TWRP? I tried to use this guide but my phone doesn't want to flash TWRP. It may require a unlocked bootloader. My question is that is it possible to get root on this phone without TWRP or unlocked bootloader?
PS. I only want root access to get Viper4Android/ Dolby. If there are any other alternatives, please let me know below.
Thanks,
mPreet

mPreet said:
Hello,
Is it possible to get root access on the Moto Z Play without needing TWRP? I tried to use this guide but my phone doesn't want to flash TWRP. It may require a unlocked bootloader. My question is that is it possible to get root on this phone without TWRP or unlocked bootloader?
PS. I only want root access to get Viper4Android/ Dolby. If there are any other alternatives, please let me know below.
Thanks,
mPreet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your title says without unlock bootloader - no
Your text says without twrp - you can fastboot boot twrp.img - that will boot to it but not flash it permanently. But, again, not if the bl is not unlocked - gotta have that.

KrisM22 said:
Your title says without unlock bootloader - no
Your text says without twrp - you can fastboot boot twrp.img - that will boot to it but not flash it permanently. But, again, not if the bl is not unlocked - gotta have that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So just to make sure that I understand, I have to get the unlock key from Motorola in order to unlock the bootloader. There is no other way around it, right.

mPreet said:
So just to make sure that I understand, I have to get the unlock key from Motorola in order to unlock the bootloader. There is no other way around it, right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty much - the process of obtaining your key will void your remaining Motorola warranty (though you may still have some protection depending on your local consumer laws), and the process of actually using the unlock key on your device will wipe your device in a factory reset. Ensure you back up your device (and adopted SD card as well) beforehand.
After that, you should be able to flash or boot TWRP, then root and flash Viper4Android (or ARISE Soundsystems) or Dolby. If you get OTA updates, you will not be able to flash them unless you can revert back to full stock, so ensure you have a TWRP backup without modifications or access to a stock ROM of the same build that you have now.

mPreet said:
So just to make sure that I understand, I have to get the unlock key from Motorola in order to unlock the bootloader. There is no other way around it, right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
correct. afaik.

echo92 said:
Pretty much - the process of obtaining your key will void your remaining Motorola warranty (though you may still have some protection depending on your local consumer laws), and the process of actually using the unlock key on your device will wipe your device in a factory reset. Ensure you back up your device (and adopted SD card as well) beforehand.
After that, you should be able to flash or boot TWRP, then root and flash Viper4Android (or ARISE Soundsystems) or Dolby. If you get OTA updates, you will not be able to flash them unless you can revert back to full stock, so ensure you have a TWRP backup without modifications or access to a stock ROM of the same build that you have now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I just boot off the TWRP instead of flashing, would that backup constitute as stock? So boot the TWRP instead of flashing then make a backup before rooting.
Thanks,
mPreet

mPreet said:
If I just boot off the TWRP instead of flashing, would that backup constitute as stock? So boot the TWRP instead of flashing then make a backup before rooting.
Thanks,
mPreet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
be aware you will be walking on shaky ground. Be sure you have a spare phone that works in case you brick this one.