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Root [how to] lock/unlock your bootloader without htcdev(s-off required)

scotty85

Extreme Android User
Jul 25, 2010
11,131
7,412
READ THIIS!
*this thread is for m9. it will NOT work on m7,or any older device. please check the general forum for your particular device for a similar thread.


this thread will let you unlock your bootloader without htcdev,or let you change your hboot watermark from relocked or locked back to stock.


advantages
-no hassle with htcdev,tokens,or unlock codes
-no submitting your phones personal info to htc
-the ability to get back to 100% stock without any visual traces or records of having been s off or unlocking your bootloader.

you do NOT need to downgrade your hboot. this simple adb command works without any scary hboot downgrades.

*you must be s off.
*you must have superuser installed

read this:
this will not work if your s on. its not a way to magically unlock

the usual disclaimers:
use this info at your own risk. if it melts your phone into a little pile of aluminum goo,its not my fault.

credits
-beaups for schooling me on echo comand protocol
-strace for originally discovering the location of the lock status flag(check out this thread for more info)
- [MENTION=1335001]Mutasek24[/MENTION] for fearlessly testing all commands

IF you are an advanced user with adb/fastboot set up and some basic knowlede of the cmd window,you can skip to #2
1)set up adb(windows 7 and older)

-download this file
-install drivers: if you have htc sync installed,you should allready have drivers. if not,you can install htc sync,or install these modified htc drivers from revolutionary (driver mirror)
-unzip your miniadb_v1031.zip file. this is native funtionality in windows 7. you otherwise may need a utility such as "7-zip" to extract,or unzip it. place the unzipped folder onto the root of your C drive on your PC. root means the top level,not inside any folders. so just copy and paste,or drag and drop the folder onto C with everything else that is there. you may want to rename it to "miniadb_m7" since youll be putting some device specific files in here.
-open a command window. on windows 7,click the start bubble in the lower left and type "command" in the search box. xp i believe is similar or the same. doing this should open a small black command window.
-change to your miniadb_m7 directory. type the following at the prompt in your cmd window:

cd c:\miniadb_m7

your command promt should change to "c:miniadb_m7>" provided you: 1)unzipped the miniadb_v1031 zip file,and 2)put the folder on your c drive,and 3)entered the name of the folder correctly ("miniadb_m7" in this case)

-now make sure usb debugging is checked in developer options(you will need to turn it on first),and plug your phone into your PC with a usb cable
-make sure your phone is being recognized- type:

adb devices

if your drivers are installed correctly,this should return your phones serial number. you should hear the "found device" noises when you plug your phone in. if it starts installing drivers,wait for it to finish before typing the adb devices command.

if you get your serial number back,then enter this command:
adb reboot bootloader

this should take your phone to the "fastboot" screen,wich is white with colored letters. this is one mode of your bootloaders interactive modes. at the top youll see fastboot devices as confirmation youre in fastboot.

now enter:
fastboot devices
again,this should return your phones serial number. you should hear the "found device" noises when you plug your phone in. if it starts installing drivers,wait for it to finish before typing the adb devices command.

if you get your serial number back,you can enter the following to boot back to the phones OS:
fastboot reboot

and now,youve installed adb/fastboot and tested youre phones drivers. if at either spot,you have trouble and dont get your serial number back,there is some sort of connection issue. use these steps to troubleshoot:
troubleshooting connectivity issues:
-try a reboot of the PC
-try different usb cables and ports
-dont use a usb hub
-dont use usb 3.0
-make sure nothing capable of comunicating with the phone is enabled and running. htc sync,pdanet,easy tether,and even itunes have all been known to cause issues.
-windows 8 has been known to have issues. try a windows 7 or older machine

failing the above,
-i use these drivers for fastboot and adb(donwload and run as admin): http://downloads.unrevoked.com/HTCDriver3.0.0.007.exe (mirror)

failing that,try manually updating the drivers in the following manner:
-put the phone in fastboot mode(select fastboot from the hboot menu)
-open device manager on the PC
-plug in phone,watch for it to pop up in device manager.
-update drivers with device manager,pointing the wizard to the extracted
driver download folder from above

note that you can check the connectivity of the phone,and make sure drivers are working by in the following manner:
-open cmd window. change to directory containing adb/fastboot utilities

-adb with the phone in the booted OS,usb debug enabled,enter:
adb devices in a cmd window

-fastboot with phone in fastboot,enter:
fastboot devices in cmd window

in either case,a properly connected phone with working drivers installed should report back the phones serial number.

this process,in your cmd window,should look something like this:
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Scott>cd c:\miniadb_m7

c:\miniadb_m7>adb devices
* daemon not running. starting it now on port 5037 *
* daemon started successfully *
List of devices attached
FAxxxxxxxxxx device


c:\miniadb_m7>adb reboot bootloader

c:\miniadb_m7>fastboot devices
FAxxxxxxxxxx fastboot

c:\miniadb_m7>fastboot reboot
rebooting...

finished. total time: 0.037s

c:\miniadb_m7>

2)reset your "lock status flag"

to LOCK your bootloader,enter the following:

adb devices

adb shell

su (if needed to get a # prompt)

echo -ne '\x00\x00\x00\x00' | dd of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p2 bs=1 seek=33796
(i would very strongly recomend you copy/paste this)

exit
(exit a second time if you need to to get back to a normal > prompt)

adb reboot bootloader

verify you are now locked
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

to UNLOCK your bootloader,enter the following:

adb devices

adb shell

su (if needed to get a # prompt)

echo -ne "HTCU" | dd of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p2 bs=1 seek=33796
(i would very strongly recomend you copy/paste this)

exit
(exit a second time if you need to to get back to a normal > prompt)

adb reboot bootloader

verify you are now unlocked





other useful threads:
restore software status: original banner: http://androidforums.com/threads/how-to-restore-software-status-original.916136/
change mid without an eng bootloader: fastbooot oem writemid xxxxxxxxx
 

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