I have received my new LG G4 H815 (EU) phone today and I definitely want to root the phone. Now I'm asking myself whether I should unlock the bootloader or not.
As far as I understand, there are two completely different options for getting root access to the device:
1. Register on LG site, officially unlock bootloader, install TWRP image via fastboot, install root via TWRP
2. Walk through the instructions in this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/g4/orig-development/root-tmo-vzw-intl-variants-soon-root-lg-t3164765
According to the thread you should disable OTA upgrades after rooting it and there is always the possibility that LG patches this rooting method with future Android Upgrades. However, I do want to upgrade the Android system image from time to time (LG will probably provide an upgrade to Android 6.0 sooner or later). Will upgrading the Android system (without loosing root) be less problematic when I unlock the bootloader now? As far as I understand it so far, you can easily root it again after an upgrade if you have unlocked the bootloader. Is that correct? Can I still use OTA upgrades when the bootloader is unlocked and TWRP is installed? I don't mind running fastboot to reinstall TWRP after an upgrade but I don't really like to manually download each Android upgrade from shady mirror sites instead of using the official LG OTA updater.
I do know that unlocking the bootloader will void the warranty and that some Apps may refuse to work no an unlocked device. I'm ok with that and I want to have the phone permanently rooted and install updates (without loosing root) with as little trouble as possible.
Since unlocking the bootloader will wipe everything, I want to do it either now (before setting up the phone) or never. So what would you recommend?
Need help here!
Bought an XL via eBay. Found that it's been flashed anyhow. And I can't root/flash ROM or even unlock the bootloader.
Now below is the situation:
1. It's a Verizon, XL, 128GB.
2. It's locked. And OEM unlocking in developer options is GREY.
3. It's stuck in Android O (Opp3.170518.006).
4. dePixel8 doesn't work. Every time I entered the commands "adb shell /data/local/tmp/dePixel8", it ended up with an error.
5. Because of 1., I can't flash TWRP or any bootloader.
I've heard of so-called "FRP Unlock Tool". But it seemed only working on 7.1.2 below and is considered risky for 8.0.
Though 8.0_DP3 is 90% perfect for daily use, I still want to take a chance. But the question is HOW?
doctorm89 said:
Need help here!
Bought an XL via eBay. Found that it's been flashed anyhow. And I can't root/flash ROM or even unlock the bootloader.
Now below is the situation:
1. It's a Verizon, XL, 128GB.
2. It's locked. And OEM unlocking in developer options is GREY.
3. It's stuck in Android O (Opp3.170518.006).
4. dePixel8 doesn't work. Every time I entered the commands "adb shell /data/local/tmp/dePixel8", it ended up with an error.
5. Because of 1., I can't flash TWRP or any bootloader.
I've heard of so-called "FRP Unlock Tool". But it seemed only working on 7.1.2 below and is considered risky for 8.0.
Though 8.0_DP3 is 90% perfect for daily use, I still want to take a chance. But the question is HOW?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only time you could unlock the bootloader on a Verizon Pixel XL was before the operating system updated to Android 7.1.1. Android 7.1.1 was patched so the dePixel8 exploit would no longer work and nobody has found a new way to unlock the bootloader on the Verizon models since then. If you want to downgrade from Android O I think your only option is to deregister your phone from the Android Beta Program. Eventually you will get an OTA that will downgrade your phone back to Nougat but it will also completely wipe your phone including the user data and stored files. You will be starting over from scratch and have to download your user apps again. Unless someone comes up with a new exploit you will not be able to unlock the bootloader or custom flash anything on that phone.
If you wanted to unlock bootloader/flash roms/root etc... you should've come here first to check, then checked with the seller on ebay.
however, your options are:
1) put up with phone in stock (it's really not that bad - which is why development isn't into multiple pages of current roms)
2) sell it and get a google version rather than Verizon
I have been trying for over a year to unlock, root, TWRP, custom ROM on my Motorola Moto Z Play that is Bootloader Locked to Verizon. I am SO sick of all these newer phones that are completely useless and fully locked down. It's been that way for about four years now.
I have successfully installed ADB on my computer, I've been able to communicate with my phone successfully, I've even installed an updated TWRP recovery from somewhere on the forums here, for this particular model. I'm not able to boot into that version of TWRP, it's simply won't do it.
And even then, there's nothing I can do with the phone. It's not eligible by Motorola to be unlocked. I'm about ready to toss this phone in the trash and go with a Moto Droid Razr. At least the older phones were customizable.
I will pay someone who can actually get this model rooted and with a custom ROM.
you can't unlock , if moto give unlock key then u can play around
Deear All,
I just bought my z2 force (t-mobile) from internet. It is an unlocked version and i can use it with my own sim card. However, i found that it cannot update via OTA as the bootloader is unlocked. I have heard that after i re-flash the firmware, the bootloader will be relocked. I am wondering, will the flashing re-activate the carrier lock?
Also, is it correct that after I flash via Lenovo Moto Smart Assistant. the bootloader will be locked again?
Is there other method to allow the phone to get OTA again?
Thanks a lot for your help.
hkguy80 said:
Deear All,
I just bought my z2 force (t-mobile) from internet. It is an unlocked version and i can use it with my own sim card. However, i found that it cannot update via OTA as the bootloader is unlocked. I have heard that after i re-flash the firmware, the bootloader will be relocked. I am wondering, will the flashing re-activate the carrier lock?
Also, is it correct that after I flash via Lenovo Moto Smart Assistant. the bootloader will be locked again?
Is there other method to allow the phone to get OTA again?
Thanks a lot for your help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlocked bootloder won't stop an ota, but a custom logo.bin will. Chances are that the seller has also flashed a logo. When you boot you should see a warning about your bootloader being unlocked, if you don't and you just see a moto logo (or any stationary image really) then you have a custom logo which will fail otas. The easiest way to remedy this is to follow Uzephi's "How to Return to Stock' thread. Then you should get otas again. It is advised never to relock your bootloader. A good example of why would be that you have a custom logo, you relock, your phone fails to boot and you can't flash anything because you locked it. There is no real valid reason to relock your phone. As for losing carrier unlock, you shouldn't, those are usually permanent. Unless it was some hack which I doubt since I believe that is only for Spring variants. Just follow Uzephi's guide and you should be back to good.
41rw4lk said:
Unlocked bootloder won't stop an ota, but a custom logo.bin will. Chances are that the seller has also flashed a logo. When you boot you should see a warning about your bootloader being unlocked, if you don't and you just see a moto logo (or any stationary image really) then you have a custom logo which will fail otas. The easiest way to remedy this is to follow Uzephi's "How to Return to Stock' thread. Then you should get otas again. It is advised never to relock your bootloader. A good example of why would be that you have a custom logo, you relock, your phone fails to boot and you can't flash anything because you locked it. There is no real valid reason to relock your phone. As for losing carrier unlock, you shouldn't, those are usually permanent. Unless it was some hack which I doubt since I believe that is only for Spring variants. Just follow Uzephi's guide and you should be back to good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for your help. I will follow Uzephi's to reflash my phone. :good::good::good:
So Moto One Action keeps on surprising every now and then. The latest addition to it is the System Integrity is Compromised message. This is how I end up doing so:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8Q5xZXTzGWGVMZX48
Unlocked the device's bootloader.
Rooted the device successfully using Magisk patched boot image and Moto One Vision's vbmeta file.
Then I had to unroot my device (for some reason), so flashed the stock firmware using Moto Smart Assistant Tool. But kept the device's bootloader in an unlocked state.
Now I have a stock ROM on my device, unrooted without any modification to the /system partition. The only modification is the unlocked bootloader.
Then I went to System > Advanced > System Updates and then got greeted with the message that I am no longer eligible for software updates. Although not an issue as I could still flash the stock firmware by one way or the other, I am just curious to know whether it is indeed a result of an unlocked bootloader or not. All the users who have unlocked their bootloader kindly let me know in the comments whether they have the same message or not. Thanks in advance
binary**# said:
So Moto One Action keeps on surprising every now and then. The latest addition to it is the System Integrity is Compromised message. This is how I end up doing so:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8Q5xZXTzGWGVMZX48
Unlocked the device's bootloader.
Rooted the device successfully using Magisk patched boot image and Moto One Vision's vbmeta file.
Then I had to unroot my device (for some reason), so flashed the stock firmware using Moto Smart Assistant Tool. But kept the device's bootloader in an unlocked state.
Now I have a stock ROM on my device, unrooted without any modification to the /system partition. The only modification is the unlocked bootloader.
Then I went to System > Advanced > System Updates and then got greeted with the message that I am no longer eligible for software updates. Although not an issue as I could still flash the stock firmware by one way or the other, I am just curious to know whether it is indeed a result of an unlocked bootloader or not. All the users who have unlocked their bootloader kindly let me know in the comments whether they have the same message or not. Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah you need locked bootloader for OTA. Same on One Vision.
Magisk will hide the unlocked status while you're rooted so that you can check for OTA, but I believe it will fail to install during update. Never tyried but that's how it is on Motorola One and One Power.
fastboot flash if you're unlocked and want to update.
Hey, sorry if I am wrong but I highly doubt this claim of yours: "you need a locked bootloader for OTA". True to my knowledge, I don't think any OEM really blocks OTA on an unlocked bootloader device. Until we modify system files, we are safe to get OTA updates. That's what I always knew and every time it stood correct. Isn't it?
binary**# said:
Hey, sorry if I am wrong but I highly doubt this claim of yours: "you need a locked bootloader for OTA". True to my knowledge, I don't think any OEM really blocks OTA on an unlocked bootloader device. Until we modify system files, we are safe to get OTA updates. That's what I always knew and every time it stood correct. Isn't it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know about all oem's but I believe samsung blocks ota if bootloader is unlocked.
I read somewhere in G7 forum that Moto support had told that OTA is disabled on that device if you're on unlocked bootloader, so I guess Moto changed their policy about that too.
tys0n said:
Yeah you need locked bootloader for OTA. Same on One Vision.
Magisk will hide the unlocked status while you're rooted so that you can check for OTA, but I believe it will fail to install during update. Never tyried but that's how it is on Motorola One and One Power.
fastboot flash if you're unlocked and want to update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tys0n said:
I don't know about all oem's but I believe samsung blocks ota if bootloader is unlocked.
I read somewhere in G7 forum that Moto support had told that OTA is disabled on that device if you're on unlocked bootloader, so I guess Moto changed their policy about that too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure about Samsung, but was going through Motorola's official blog, and this is what they have to say:
"Unlocking your bootloader does not affect your eligibility to receive over-the-air (OTA) upgrades from Motorola."
Anyways, thanks for your inputs.....
binary**# said:
Not sure about Samsung, but was going through Motorola's official blog, and this is what they have to say:
"Unlocking your bootloader does not affect your eligibility to receive over-the-air (OTA) upgrades from Motorola."
Anyways, thanks for your inputs.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I see. I don't know then.
You could ask here:
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/motorola-one-action/bd-p/motorola_one_action_en
They should be able to give a proper answer.
I got a XT2013-4 US - Unlocked boot loader, but the root method doesn't work for the US Firmware (Hear the EU Firmware works for someone in Canada) but I am unable to check for updates being fully stock, unrooted, and only an unlocked bootloader so yes if the OS can read that the bootloader is unlocked then it won't let you check for updates (At least on the US Firmware) but then we aren't Android One though on the XT2013-4
If you are on Stock Firmware, unrooted but your Bootloader is Unlocked, you'll not get any OTA despite the Motorola Support page you've posted (It might be old information, just look the phone they used on the top).
Is it possible to relock it?
ReConfirmed: Official OTA Updates is possible after Unlocked Bootloader.
Just to reiterate the facts (in response to #2 and #8), I guess my assumption was well and truly correct. This is because I did end up receiving an OFFICIAL OTA update from Motorola, a few days back. And at this point, my BOOTLOADER IS STILL UNLOCKED! The first image attached below shows the OTA update notification as well as the proof that my Bootloader is unlocked. The second one provides details about that OTA.
binary**# said:
Just to reiterate the facts (in response to #2 and #8), I guess my assumption was well and truly correct. This is because I did end up receiving an OFFICIAL OTA update from Motorola, a few days back. And at this point, my BOOTLOADER IS STILL UNLOCKED! The first image attached below shows the OTA update notification as well as the proof that my Bootloader is unlocked. The second one provides details about that OTA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooted with Magisk? That would explain why OTA would work. It tries to hide the unlock/root status.
tys0n said:
Rooted with Magisk? That would explain why OTA would work. It tries to hide the unlock/root status.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, my device isn't rooted. The only modification is the unlocked bootloader. I did this when I saw enrolled users getting beta Android 10 updates for Moto One Power. Since One Action has released almost a year after Power, I thought the soak test would just be around the corner for our device as well. But here we are with One Power receiving Stable Android 10 update, and there is no news of the same for our device. I have got myself enrolled in the MFN and just keeping my fingers crossed.
binary**# said:
No, my device isn't rooted. The only modification is the unlocked bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, thanks. That's intresting.
tys0n said:
Rooted with Magisk? That would explain why OTA would work. It tries to hide the unlock/root status.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One more doubt. I tried the root hide via Magisk for some apps like Google Pay or Pokemon Go and it worked pretty well. But could it trick OEMs as well into thinking the device is unrooted, so that the device may receive OTA updates? I guess probably not, but need some more weight on this opinion.
It's possible to relock the bootloader and get ota functionality back.. just use 'fastboot oem lock' command and then reflash the original firmware..
aditya7286 said:
It's possible to relock the bootloader and get ota functionality back.. just use 'fastboot oem lock' command and then reflash the original firmware..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bootloader Locking/Unlocking has nothing to do while receiving OTAs. As I have mentioned in my other post, I have already received Android 10 OTA on an unlocked bootloader. And as far as the response to my own question goes, it was regarding whether one could hide root from the system as we do for Google Pay and get OTAs. The answer is nopes. I tried hiding root from all the necessary files related to Motorola's system OTA via Magisk but didn't get the update. As soon as I unrooted, BOOM the Android 10 update was right there!
Anyways thanks for your response
Unlocking bootloader on its own does not lead to that message. So I'm guessing it's probably something specific to that ROM, or....something else entirely.
arsradu said:
Unlocking bootloader on its own does not lead to that message. So I'm guessing it's probably something specific to that ROM, or....something else entirely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
binary**# said:
Bootloader Locking/Unlocking has nothing to do while receiving OTAs. As I have mentioned in my other post, I have already received Android 10 OTA on an unlocked bootloader. And as far as the response to my own question goes, it was regarding whether one could hide root from the system as we do for Google Pay and get OTAs. The answer is nopes. I tried hiding root from all the necessary files related to Motorola's system OTA via Magisk but didn't get the update. As soon as I unrooted, BOOM the Android 10 update was right there!
Anyways thanks for your response
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am getting same thing on my moto g8 plus. just flashed omni and now when i returned the device shows this message.
methuselah said:
I am getting same thing on my moto g8 plus. just flashed omni and now when i returned the device shows this message.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean "System Integrity Compromised" or something else?
Omni, if we're talking about OmniROM, is a custom, pre-rooted ROM, right? So...maybe that's why.
Interesting though that people with stock ROM, who only unlocked the bootloader (no root) are getting the same message.
Personally, I never rooted this phone and I'm not planning to. Also never seen that message on my phone. However, it was bootloader unlocked and now it's back to locked again.
So... For custom ROMs I can understand why it would show you this. For stock ROM with no root, that doesn't make much sense to me. But maybe I'm missing something.
Sent from my motorola one action using Tapatalk
arsradu said:
You mean "System Integrity Compromised" or something else?
Omni, if we're talking about OmniROM, is a custom, pre-rooted ROM, right? So...maybe that's why.
Interesting though that people with stock ROM, who only unlocked the bootloader (no root) are getting the same message.
Personally, I never rooted this phone and I'm not planning to. Also never seen that message on my phone. However, it was bootloader unlocked and now it's back to locked again.
So... For custom ROMs I can understand why it would show you this. For stock ROM with no root, that doesn't make much sense to me. But maybe I'm missing something.
Sent from my motorola one action using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The issue in brief.
Well the thing is i have again flashed back stock that with blankflash file. Before april update i had locked bootloader. But now nothing is happening. As soon as i flash stock ROM(clean stock) and relock the bootloader, the phone just says it is corrupted. But at the same time when i unlock the boot loader it boots.