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[Verizon] Question about Bootloader

Shachren

Well-Known Member
Apr 19, 2010
210
15
NJ
Guys,

Just a fast question about the Bootloader. I am unlocked and rooted running 4.0.4 stock. So, for whatever reason, if i decide to re-lock my bootloader, would this return me to an unrooted state and brick my phone? Or would it just lock my bootloader and leave it rooted?

Thanks
 
When you relock your bootloader, it wont brick your phone if your rooted. Not sure about keeping you rooted, but it would probably leave you root; though someone will come and correct me if I'm wrong.

Re-locking the bootloader only has the effect of, well, re-locking the bootloader :) ;).

Nothing else changes--if you are rooted, then root is retained, no data is lost, no brickings will occur.

Locking the bootloader means you can't use many of the fastboot commands that allow you to easily flash and recovery your phone. You can't flash a custom recovery with fastboot while the bootloader is locked, but you can with something like my app (Android Root Toolkit) or ROM Manager.

Cheers!
 
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Lol how many times a day do you reboot ?

I don't always reboot, but when I do, I prefer not looking at the Google screen.

=)

Also, I have a custom boot animation, but the Google splash screen is always there. Can't get rid of that. And if the phone is OEM locked, there's nothing there. Just the Google logo.
 
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Re-locking the bootloader only has the effect of, well, re-locking the bootloader :) ;).

Nothing else changes--if you are rooted, then root is retained, no data is lost, no brickings will occur.

Locking the bootloader means you can't use many of the fastboot commands that allow you to easily flash and recovery your phone. You can't flash a custom recovery with fastboot while the bootloader is locked, but you can with something like my app (Android Root Toolkit) or ROM Manager.

Cheers!

So suppose we have to send our phone in to Samsung to get a warranty repair (I'm thinking if the OTA doesn't fix the outbound muting call bug, I'm going to try for a swap or send it in to get fixed). If I flash the stock 4.0.1 image, relock the bootloader and then wait for the 4.0.2 OTA to push, can Samsung tell I unlocked it and rooted it? I keep seeing people say unlocking/rooting voids the warranty but in the case where nothing is wrong (at least not at a fundamental level like that) and you can restore it to out-of-the-box bootloader/recovery/OS, can they refuse the warranty claim by checking some hidden value to tell you unlocked?
 
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So suppose we have to send our phone in to Samsung to get a warranty repair (I'm thinking if the OTA doesn't fix the outbound muting call bug, I'm going to try for a swap or send it in to get fixed). If I flash the stock 4.0.1 image, relock the bootloader and then wait for the 4.0.2 OTA to push, can Samsung tell I unlocked it and rooted it? I keep seeing people say unlocking/rooting voids the warranty but in the case where nothing is wrong (at least not at a fundamental level like that) and you can restore it to out-of-the-box bootloader/recovery/OS, can they refuse the warranty claim by checking some hidden value to tell you unlocked?

Well, I can only give you my opinion that I don't think they'd know or care if the phone had previously been unlocked and re-locked time after time after time (like my phone has ;) :)).

Its a development phone, after all.

I can't believe they'll invest the time and effort to forensically investigate any phone. If it looks and quacks like a duck, they'll assume its a duck :).

Putting the phone back to its original state and making an honest claim should be enough in my opinion.

:)
 
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I agree with Scary.

Here is the deal. You know when you root/unlock your phone that it voids your warranty. If you have to unroot/relock your device and send it in for a replacement you have to understand there is a chance you'll get called out for violating your warranty. Will it happen, maybe, maybe not.

FWIW i just flashed my launch day unit with stock and relocked and sent it in after getting a replacement.

Also as a note. You wouldn't flash all the way back to 4.0.1 and then take the update. The stock image that you flash using ADB is 4.0.2.
 
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This question (OP) spurred another thought. Although you can lock in a rooted state, if you ever unlocked again, a factory reset occurs. I have found this to be a less than ideal scenario. I've seen some really odd outcomes when factory resetting rooted phones running custom roms at the time. So personally, I would flash back to the most current version of stock if relocking. Just my opinion.
 
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