Flashing Unofficial Firmware = Warrenty Void?

[Ryanteck]

Hi
would flashing unoffical firmware void the warranty and cover i get on the phone?

Thanks Rt

 

[Knewz]

actually you need to be rooted to flash, and rooting does void the warranty

 

[Rootmepls]

I was told in the At&t store that rooting doesn't void the warranty. Flashing a ROM is another matter. In all honesty I could care less about the warranty. I have insurance on this thing and if it breaks I just get another one for a small fee.

 

[Medion]

Basically, if you bring in a phone running the system software in a way not intended, the warranty cannot be used because they cannot be sure that they issues that you are having weren't caused by you (even if it's an unrelated hardware failure). So, before you take it in, you return the phone to stock. Then, the warranty can be applied.

 

[fangorious]

These days you should be able to root without flashing (look up super 1click). Rooting doesn't void the warranty because a simple factory reset in the Settings will undo everything and Flashing voids the warranty because you must unlock the bootloader to run unsigned code. As far as I know unlocking the bootloader is typically irreversible too, so even if you flash back to the stock OEM rom they can tell you've modified the bootloader.

 

[sitlet]

Rooting doesn't void the warranty because a simple factory reset in the Settings will undo everything

Rootingn DOES void the warranty, whether it's temporary or not.

 

[ElasticNinja]

actually you need to be rooted to flash, and rooting does void the warranty

I flashed without being rooted
its only for fancy user friendly methods which you need root for

 

[ElasticNinja]

Rooting doesn't void the warranty because a simple factory reset in the Settings will undo everything and

what kind of device do you have that wipes /System when factory reset? back to shop!

Flashing voids the warranty because you must unlock the bootloader to run unsigned code

not on most phones

 

[Knewz]

Rooting will void the warranty, please understand that. A factory reset will not undo a permaroot, bootstrap, or reverse a flash. If you have insurance there is nothing to worry about, but the manufacturer( nor the carriers) have to honor a warranty if the device software/hardware/permissions have been tampered with

 

[fangorious]

what kind of device do you have that wipes /System when factory reset? back to shop! not on most phones

I'm wrong on that point. Thanks for the correction.

not on most phones

Since when? The bootloaders check the signature of the ROM as having come from the OWM. You have to disable that check, usually by loading a custom recovery like Amon_RA or ClockworkMOD, before you can boot a ROM like Cyanogen. Unless you have a Nexus where the 'fastbook oem unlock' wasn't disabled so the stock recovery will let you boot an AOSP ROM.

 

[ElasticNinja]

I presume some bootloaders check /Recovery and /System?
there was no bootloader changing needed for my phone, I guess its only some phones

edit: recovery is different from bootloader, try boot into each one

 

[Drhyde]

These days you should be able to root without flashing (look up super 1click). Rooting doesn't void the warranty because a simple factory reset in the Settings will undo everything and Flashing voids the warranty because you must unlock the bootloader to run unsigned code. As far as I know unlocking the bootloader is typically irreversible too, so even if you flash back to the stock OEM rom they can tell you've modified the bootloader.

Then what about the Nexus S that can re-lock the bootloader?

 

[novox77]

On the Evo, the old method of rooting replaced the stock bootloader with an Engineering bootloader, which comes with S-OFF, which allows you to mount the various Android partitions read/write.

The bootloader can easily be replaced back with the stock via an RUU. I've yet to hear of anything root-related process that only goes one way.


And just to clarify once more: the factory data reset only restores the /DATA and /CACHE partitions back to stock. /SYSTEM is untouched, and that's where superuser is placed when you root. The custom recovery and the bootloader remain in non-stock state. However, to the average Sprint tech, the phone might appear to be stock at a glance.

In my experience, there is no check to see if you're rooted before they process your warranty. Those employees don't really give a damn. It's not like they get a bonus for every warranty they can rescind because they discovered your phone was rooted