[International / GSM] Reasons to Unlock the Bootloader (or Root) on a Galaxy Nexus

[Deleted User]

It seems there are different software versions for stock Nexus.

Google engineer also commented that other/localized versions ("yakjuxw", "yakjuux" etc) than pure Google ("yakju") of GN receive updates (or don't) from Samsung, rather than Google.

First time android user, didn't think I would start fiddling around with ROMs and rooting, since only thing I might be interested would be undervolting. However it might be worthwile to flash the official Google "yakju" build to get timely updates. Since stock localized images might not be available for downloads, would it be beneficial for warranty purposes to do a backup of unrooted system at first boot?

given that a different version other than the downloadable one from Google is a possibility, once i do get my gnex...

1. how can i check to see what version i have? is it just going to be in the about section under options?

2. how can i save/backup/extract all necessary files/imgs from my own device(instead of downloading from sum1 or Google as it may be a different version) so that in case of warranty issues after unlocking & rooting i would be able to get the device back to a complete stock condition

at 1st i thought a nandroid backup was all i needed, but after reading more am i right to think what would be needed to return to stock( for non VZW version) is...

1. a nandroid backup to restore software to stock, so if i had a ROM or custom kernel this would get rid of it and get phone back to stock software wise
2. the stock recovery image to flash back over CWM
3. restore to factory default from the stock recovery image, that will unroot
4. lastly to lock the bootloader
5. now i would be back to stock as if phone was just picked up in store

any flash counter to worry about on the gnex? heard of flash counters on other phones but a quick google search didnt really bring up any info relating to the galaxy nexus

did i get that right? if so, how can i get the stock recovery image off the phone when i get it and save it on my pc for later use?

ive heard of using ODIN to flash recovery images on samsung devices, can the same program be used to copy the stock recovery image from the gnex and save it on a pc?

its overwhelming how much info i have absorbed off these forums in anticipation of getting the gnex, just want to make sure ive understood everything correctly

thanks

 

[blkbeltkid17]

given that a different version other than the downloadable one from Google is a possibility, once i do get my gnex...

1. how can i check to see what version i have? is it just going to be in the about section under options?

the version is under settings> about phone... yes

2. how can i save/backup/extract all necessary files/imgs from my own device(instead of downloading from sum1 or Google as it may be a different version) so that in case of warranty issues after unlocking & rooting i would be able to get the device back to a complete stock condition

at 1st i thought a nandroid backup was all i needed, but after reading more am i right to think what would be needed to return to stock( for non VZW version) is...

there is no way to save ust your you habe to use a stock immage and in do so it will wipe your device... and there is a one click root and in that same program will unlock and unroot as well

1. a nandroid backup to restore software to stock, so if i had a ROM or custom kernel this would get rid of it and get phone back to stock software wise

no it will not

2. the stock recovery image to flash back over CWM

no going back to stock will require adb and/or the one click unroot program

3. restore to factory default from the stock recovery image, that will unroot

no that will not unroot the only to unroot is flash a complete stick image

4. lastly to lock the bootloader

done by the one click program when unrooting

5. now i would be back to stock as if phone was just picked up in store

yes after the unroot and relock

any flash counter to worry about on the gnex? heard of flash counters on other phones but a quick google search didnt really bring up any info relating to the galaxy nexus

your safe there

did i get that right? if so, how can i get the stock recovery image off the phone when i get it and save it on my pc for later use?

no it wasent right but i answered it for you

ive heard of using ODIN to flash recovery images on samsung devices, can the same program be used to copy the stock recovery image from the gnex and save it on a pc?

use the one click it is SO much eaiser then ODIN

its overwhelming how much info i have absorbed off these forums in anticipation of getting the gnex, just want to make sure ive understood everything correctly

thanks

there you i hope that helped

in short no you can not get a stock image from your phone and you just need to use the one click root method that will unroot and relock your phone if need be

 

[Deleted User]

thanks, that definitely helps, i looked into the gnex tool kit on xda forums which is the one click root/unroot method, looks nice and simple

but when you go to unroot and re stock everything, if you had a localized version such as yakjuxw, will it put you back on yakjuxw once unrooted and locked or will it restock you to the google version and make your phone yakju no matter what version you had before?

 

[blkbeltkid17]

thanks, that definitely helps, i looked into the gnex tool kit on xda forums which is the one click root/unroot method, looks nice and simple

but when you go to unroot and re stock everything, if you had a localized version such as yakjuxw, will it put you back on yakjuxw once unrooted and locked or will it restock you to the google version and make your phone yakju no matter what version you had before?

What

 

[scary alien]

thanks, that definitely helps, i looked into the gnex tool kit on xda forums which is the one click root/unroot method, looks nice and simple

but when you go to unroot and re stock everything, if you had a localized version such as yakjuxw, will it put you back on yakjuxw once unrooted and locked or will it restock you to the google version and make your phone yakju no matter what version you had before?

I'm guessing that the tool simply supports the main and not the localized versions of the stock images.

I've only seen the main (non-localized / regional) versions of the factory images here:

Factory Images for Nexus Devices - Google Support for Nexus Phones and Flagship Devices - Google Code

This article on AC seems to indicate that the variants and differences are regional and minor:

App tells you who's updating your Galaxy Nexus, can't tell you whether to care | Android Central

Cheers!

 

[blkbeltkid17]

I tried one click on my new nexus and could not get root to work so I just did it manually

 

[jkc120]

I see people saying unlocking the bootloader will void your warranty, but I'd like to clarify. Maybe I'm wrong but:

- if you unlock the bootloader, then brick it somehow and it's stuck with an unlocked bootloader, sure they can tell and you'd possibly void your warranty for SOFTWARE issues. Hardware should still be covered - at least it is with HTC devices where you unlock the bootloader and can only re-lock and it shows up as re-locked not locked.

- if you unlock the bootloader and still have access to the phone to flash the stock image (e.g. unroot) and then lock the bootloader, can Samsung/Google really tell? How can it void your warranty if when you send it back it's completely stock? Does the locking of the bootloader flip some bit somewhere that says it was unlocked then relocked similar to what HTC does (though much more blatantly)? Because when I re-locked my Nexuses to swap the lock symbol goes away and it certainly is not obvious to the person booting it up (nor in odin or the bootloader) that it was unlocked at some point.

 

[blkbeltkid17]

I see people saying unlocking the bootloader will void your warranty, but I'd like to clarify. Maybe I'm wrong but:

- if you unlock the bootloader, then brick it somehow and it's stuck with an unlocked bootloader, sure they can tell and you'd possibly void your warranty for SOFTWARE issues. Hardware should still be covered - at least it is with HTC devices where you unlock the bootloader and can only re-lock and it shows up as re-locked not locked.

- if you unlock the bootloader and still have access to the phone to flash the stock image (e.g. unroot) and then lock the bootloader, can Samsung/Google really tell? How can it void your warranty if when you send it back it's completely stock? Does the locking of the bootloader flip some bit somewhere that says it was unlocked then relocked similar to what HTC does (though much more blatantly)? Because when I re-locked my Nexuses to swap the lock symbol goes away and it certainly is not obvious to the person booting it up (nor in odin or the bootloader) that it was unlocked at some point.

yeppers you are right but if you know what you are doing there is no real way to FULLY brick your phone unless you flash a radio and mess it up that is the only way

 

[jkc120]

yeppers you are right but if you know what you are doing there is no real way to FULLY brick your phone unless you flash a radio and mess it up that is the only way

Right, exactly my point. People who think their phone is "bricked" is usually a soft brick and fixable. The only two ways I know of to effectively brick are:

- flash bad radio
- pull battery while flashing radio or boot images

Other than that, it should be recoverable. And if it's recoverable, then you can return it to stock and Samsung/Google have no idea you've ever unlocked the bootloader or rooted it.

Thanks for the confirmation. So basically, while it does technically void your warranty if you get caught or return it with an unlocked bootloader, in reality it doesn't void your warranty since you can get it back to stock.

 

[blkbeltkid17]

yeppers and OR you can just become friends with the people at your Verizon store and walk in with it unlocked and modded and they dont care ... thats what i did and i rooted and rommed the mgrs OG inc and droid charge and i have modded 2 other employes phones there

 

[jkc120]

yeppers and OR you can just become friends with the people at your Verizon store and walk in with it unlocked and modded and they dont care ... thats what i did and i rooted and rommed the mgrs OG inc and droid charge and i have modded 2 other employes phones there

The guys at my VZW store are clueless lol. I walked in there with my Nexus to have the SIM card swapped (I had purchased the phone at Costco, not the VZW corporate store) and when he booted it up the unlocked padlock symbol was there and he had no clue what it meant.

 

[blkbeltkid17]

HAHA trust me it took a few reboots before i noticed that and knew what it ment HAHAH

 

[blkbeltkid17]

Read and sign this

Android Phone Fans: Will Rooting Your Smartphone Soon Be Illegal? Not If We Can Stop It! http://goo.gl/mag/4Ofl4

 

[SirKronan]

Read and sign this

Android Phone Fans: Will Rooting Your Smartphone Soon Be Illegal? Not If We Can Stop It! Will Rooting Your Smartphone Soon Be Illegal? Not If We Can Stop It!

What?? I thought we already fought and won this battle with iDevices and jailbreaking. Aren't jailbreaking and rooting essentially the same things? I mean, I realize that with rooting you can tether in an unauthorized fashion if you so desire, but you can via jailbreaking on CDMA or GSM networks. Why do we have to go through this again???

 

[blkbeltkid17]

What?? I thought we already fought and won this battle with iDevices and jailbreaking. Aren't jailbreaking and rooting essentially the same things? I mean, I realize that with rooting you can tether in an unauthorized fashion if you so desire, but you can via jailbreaking on CDMA or GSM networks. Why do we have to go through this again???

We did ...but it was only for so long then the law is expiring soon so the fight had to start up again