Hey guys... been checking around.. have a few quick questions. Just to give you an idea.. I've rooted and flashed my own Captivate, now my brother is looking for a new phone so we may get him an atrix.
1. How common is it to hardbrick the atrix? I know that on the captivate a hardbrick is an extremely rare happening, and you can almost always go back to stock via odin.
2. Is CM7 officially available? if so are the nightly releases fairly stable?
3. I know that flashing voids the warranty, and I wouldn't try to redeem a phone I ruined by overclocking or anything like that.. However, I prefer to have a way to completely remove anything I did to the phone. Is this possible?
1. Not very. Unless you try to downgrade from 4.5.91
2. I'm using cm7 now. No nightlies but 0 issues! VERY stable!
3. If you unlock bootloader its unlocked. No going back.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Like joe said a hard brick is not very common, unless you don't follow directions. Cm7 is currently in beta for the atrix, but it is very very stable. No web top or finger scanner try though. Once you unlock the phone, during startup wroth the red M in thee upper left it will say unlocked. So nope, no way to undo it all.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
I'm going to agree with the the first two points earlier posters made, but as for relocking the bootloader, I think it can be done if you sbf(not recommended) back to the stock 3.4
Sent from my Unlocked Gingerblurred Atrix
Thanks guys, I know that on the Captivate if you go back to odin it returns it to stock.
I am hesitant to root something that can't be reverted.. not a good situation if something goes out.
I don't think he is too worried about the finger print scanner or webtop.
My friend wanted his Atrix rooted i took it home and did it under a hour, I had no experience with command prompts at the time
Sent from my VS910 4G using XDA App
There's an easy to follow guide if you only want root, not unlocked bootloader. Other than removing bloat its mildly pointless though
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
krad54 said:
I'm going to agree with the the first two points earlier posters made, but as for relocking the bootloader, I think it can be done if you sbf(not recommended) back to the stock 3.4
Sent from my Unlocked Gingerblurred Atrix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was under the impression that unlocking the bootloader cannot be undone, which is why the hardbrick occurs when flashing back to an earlier version after the GB OTA update.
I believe flashing a fruit cake should give you the stock Motorola bootlogo (no "Unlocked" at the top) image, but the bootloader will still be unlocked.
The biggest issue here is honestly this.
I don't want to get a phone with some sort of manufacturer defect, then not be able to claim the warranty because the phone was at some point in its life flashed. (Sometimes it takes a while for the defects to actually pop up..)
I don't believe in overclocking or anything like that.
If I softbrick a phone I can usually fix it on my own.
I just don't want say, the speaker to go out and it have nothing to do with what rom he is running..
And then for my brother to be out of a phone, just because the speaker went out.. despite it having nothing to do with the fact it was flashed..
As to the bootloader, yes you can flash earlier versions and the "unlocked" at the boot screen will disappear, however there will remain evidence that you had unlocked the bootloader before if they investigate it
That being said there's been quite a few people who have been able to get warrenty replacements and repairs sending back their phones after flashing back..I haven't heard of anyone who's phone has been investigated that deeply and rejected
That works.
I mean, I don't have any intention of overclocking or pushing the hardware out of spec or anything.
I figure as long as whatever goes wrong is reasonable and not related to doing something stupid with the device we will probably be ok.
You don't need to overclock that phone at all ... rooting it's simple as I posted before. There some bootloader blocking you from loading roms, can be taken off.
Sent from my VS910 4G using XDA App
While completely bricking the Atrix is hard to do, it's still possible if you don't carefully read all the instructions. I do miss the Captivate though, it's incredibly easy to flash and recover from any mistake. The CM7 beta build is very stable, I have been using it since the last update was release on the 13th of September and haven't experienced any big problems. If your brother is looking at the Atrix for the webtop or fingerprint scanning capabilities though, just know that the current CM7 build do not yet support them.
From what I've read so far, I haven't seen anyone trying to use their warranty have a problem with the unlocked bootloader. If you're going to buy it through AT&T, I'm pretty sure they're oblivious to it anyway. Last time I exchanged my phone at the repair center, they didn't even bother to see if it booted. They just took it and handed me another one on the spot.
Related
I need to send my wife's phone back to verizon. I need to unroot it and get it back to stock before I return it. Is running the Verizon RUU all I need to do to get the phone back to legit? I didn't know if that wipes out the bootloader and everything?
Any input is appreciated.
Ryzor said:
I need to send my wife's phone back to verizon. I need to unroot it and get it back to stock before I return it. Is running the Verizon RUU all I need to do to get the phone back to legit? I didn't know if that wipes out the bootloader and everything?
Any input is appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it replaces the bootloader, the radio (with a slightly older version than the 7/17 OTA), and the /system, /data, recovery, and boot partitions. You might find that after you do this it will immediately inform you that an update is available (the 7/17 OTA).
That should be sufficient. Highly, highly unlikely that VZW is going to put a crack team of computer forensic scientists "on the case" to investigate your phone. There have been folks who reported (either here or over on AF, I can't remember) that they had returned multiple rooted phones, without making any effort whatsoever to clean them up - and not a peep out of Big Red.
bftb0
I'm getting a refurb phone because of a trackball issue. Ill be doing the ruu and ill let you know how it goes.
Sent from my Froyo Eris using XDA App
Thank you both for your input.
Her phone is the trackball too...I was really hoping they would come off a different model since this will be her third Eris. Maybe the inevitable next time
Ryzor said:
Thank you both for your input.
Her phone is the trackball too...I was really hoping they would come off a different model since this will be her third Eris. Maybe the inevitable next time
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it happens again I would start getting ugly with Verizon and say something like "if you guys can't send me an eris that will work properly then I want a different phone that works." Usually if you complain enough or threaten to go to a competitor they will do something for you.
Sent from my Froyo Eris using XDA App
I flashed the official 2.1 ruu and it flashed my phone to 100% stock. Bootloader, recovery, etc. Got the update notice for the Mr4 so I'm all good now.
Sent from my Eris using XDA App
For the most part I have read that the replacement phones are not harware locked. The few that come back that are hareware locked are the exception to the norm. Is this true from those of you who have gotten a replacement phone?
I'm curious about this as well since I have one on the way...any ideas?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I soft-bricked my phone that was hardware locked and had to order a replacement. My new one is not hardware locked.
bigragu said:
I soft-bricked my phone that was hardware locked and had to order a replacement. My new one is not hardware locked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you tell if it's a new or refurbished one?
No. Do you know how I could tell?
Hey there! First post and maybe I get to help someone?
I haven't replaced my phone yet, but it started out unlocked and ended up hardware locked after rooting using the OCLF V2+ and then un-rooting by reversing the procedure (was in a panic regarding the OTA update).
Not sure if that's an "unintended feature" or just something boneheaded I did, but I don't think it had anything to do with the JI6 update as I haven't seen any notifications yet - seem to still be JFD.
I found out I was hardware locked when I tried to re-root again later in hopes of making a backup should catastrophe strike OTA. Resumed panic mode until I found this thread: forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=802763&page=2
The files posted by untermensch there reportedly resolve a hardware lock.
I was trying figuring out how to actually use these files in the stickies when I stumbled across this alternate method of rooting, and opted to try it out first. Easy-peasy: forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=786877
So now I'm rooted and was able to perform a nandroid backup , though I checked and I'm still hardware-locked... I reckon if the day comes I want to fix that for some other purpose I'll sleep easy knowing that method linked above is there to fall back on.
[EDIT]: apologies for the formatting above... evidently I'm not permitted to post links to within the forums yet
in case you're wondering, there IS a fix for hardware lock in the dev section.
Heres the thread:http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=804305
I just swapped my sim and sd to my replacement phone. It is definitely not hardware locked.
The only thing different I've noticed is the sticker underneath the battery cover looks different than the one on my original vibrant. It looks sort of generic. I remember the original having a samsung graphic on it, where as this looks very plain, with just a minimal amount of text on it.
It did get the ota software update minutes after I swapped over. Runs decent.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
allthrottle said:
I just swapped my sim and sd to my replacement phone. It is definitely not hardware locked.
The only thing different I've noticed is the sticker underneath the battery cover looks different than the one on my original vibrant. It looks sort of generic. I remember the original having a samsung graphic on it, where as this looks very plain, with just a minimal amount of text on it.
It did get the ota software update minutes after I swapped over. Runs decent.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cool good to know I have read some ppl have had problems running the hardware fix. It would be nice to have a excape plan lol. Is there any way to tell if that one was refurbished I only ask because you brought up the sticker issue. Either way it is a lot better than my bricked phone
I'm an old hand at flashing Android phones, but just recently moved from my beloved HD2 to Atrix 4G. My phone came with 2.2 so there was no problem unlocking it etc. However, I'm playing with friend's 4G, she would like to try out ICS. The phone is on 4.5.141 OTA'd since new, rooted, locked bl and Sim unlocked.
Is there a safe way to unlock the BL on this phone? Most of the discussion on this forum deals with previously unlocked 4gs. Since this is not my handset, I thought I'd ask for a second opinion, in case my research led me down a garden path...
TIA
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
So which does she want? Blur or ICS? Per your other post which was done around the same time you screwed up Blur launcher for her and want to know how to fix it. I'm figuring you should leave her phone alone!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1503585
CaelanT said:
I'm figuring you should leave her phone alone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 hahaha.
A lot of what she wants from blur is already integrated into ICS. what she asked me for was ICS with blur.... There is also her desire to show up the other post doc in the lab who is being a Samsung boot boy - hence me messing with her phone. If she only didn't upgrade it would be easy.
Now that you know wayyyy too much info, can anyone answer the original question?
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
My replacement Atrix came from Moto the same way, 4.5.141 and locked down. I've rooted it, but cant find any directions for unlocking it that didn't start with it being unlocked before this update. I've searched the forums without much luck. A point in the right direction would be awesome!
Kamikaze style?
Well, Nottach did it:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=22627280&postcount=2
He did it by hard bricking his phone though. So I wouldn't recommend it. But if you try, please, let us know
New and happy Note 2 user. I've always unlocked and rooted all my devices, but I need to know how rooting the Verizon version with Casual is coming.
With the Gnex I could root, unlock and unroot and lock the bootloader at any time and it was awesome. But with my transformer infinity once unlocked you can never relock the bootloader.
I am decently pleased with the stock performance and I've been able to theme to an acceptable degree on stock. I have become fond of a few bloatware apps for the s pen and dont wish to give them up. There is one app I need that I must root to use however. Problem is that once I unlock and root I know there will be some DRM issues with hulu, netflix, gplay and such that I use almost daily while traveling (90% of my job) that I would prefer not to have to hack around like I have in the past.
Also expect to need an insurance claim eventually.
So, basically I want to know if I can use casual and get try it out and return to 100% stock with locked bootloader?
Thanks in advance.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium
JAWyered said:
New and happy Note 2 user. I've always unlocked and rooted all my devices, but I need to know how rooting the Verizon version with Casual is coming.
With the Gnex I could root, unlock and unroot and lock the bootloader at any time and it was awesome. But with my transformer infinity once unlocked you can never relock the bootloader.
I am decently pleased with the stock performance and I've been able to theme to an acceptable degree on stock. I have become fond of a few bloatware apps for the s pen and dont wish to give them up. There is one app I need that I must root to use however. Problem is that once I unlock and root I know there will be some DRM issues with hulu, netflix, gplay and such that I use almost daily while traveling (90% of my job) that I would prefer not to have to hack around like I have in the past.
Also expect to need an insurance claim eventually.
So, basically I want to know if I can use casual and get try it out and return to 100% stock with locked bootloader?
Thanks in advance.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sure can.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2024207
More specifically, see section 1b.
As far as I know, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong, you once you are unlocked, you can load the original stock image w/ locked bootloader through Odin.
I wouldn't worry too much about it though. I've never seen any evidence that Verizon actually checks the phone when you return it. I had to return a Rezound that was S-OFF once because the USB port went bad and I never heard a peep about it from them. I've heard of others returning with CM installed and never having any issue. I'm not saying they 100% never check, but I haven't actually seen any evidence of it.
Also, I can't speak to Hulu or GPlay (don't use them), but I watch Netflix on mine all the time and have never had any issues with it.
You can Odin stock locked. I had to do it once already.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2
shrike1978 said:
As far as I know, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong, you once you are unlocked, you can load the original stock image w/ locked bootloader through Odin.
I wouldn't worry too much about it though. I've never seen any evidence that Verizon actually checks the phone when you return it. I had to return a Rezound that was S-OFF once because the USB port went bad and I never heard a peep about it from them. I've heard of others returning with CM installed and never having any issue. I'm not saying they 100% never check, but I haven't actually seen any evidence of it.
Also, I can't speak to Hulu or GPlay (don't use them), but I watch Netflix on mine all the time and have never had any issues with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know I could most likely get by on the insurance front, but I prefer not to risk it. Verizon is out to get me and my unlimited data plan right now, and I have to be extra careful not to have any red flag at all. I've been fighting to keep it. Just found out yesterday they won't allow me to add hotspot capability to my plan without taking away my unlimited data. (I added hotspot about a year ago no problem, but removed it because I wasn't using it while traveling abroad for a few months work.)
Hulu and GPlay are the ones that really check for unlocked bootloaders, Netflix I've only heard of having issues recently.
Nate14 said:
You sure can.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2024207
More specifically, see section 1b.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I notice this part in the topic you refer to
Also, folks currently on the latest L4 OTA ONLY use the alternate restore file as it does not contain a bootloader!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So does this mean if you are on VRALL4 with an unlocked bootloader, that you can't relock it by flashing. I thought in order to return to a factory locked bootloader you needed to use an image which inlcluded the factory bootloader.
jellyhead said:
I notice this part in the topic you refer to
So does this mean if you are on VRALL4 with an unlocked bootloader, that you can't relock it by flashing. I thought in order to return to a factory locked bootloader you needed to use an image which inlcluded the factory bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That means if your on LL4 with a locked bootloader still use the alternate restore or you want to keep yours unlocked. To relock it you're right use a full stock image
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2
JAWyered said:
Just found out yesterday they won't allow me to add hotspot capability to my plan without taking away my unlimited data. (I added hotspot about a year ago no problem, but removed it because I wasn't using it while traveling abroad for a few months work.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know you can have a wifi hotspot without using Verizon's app, right?
This works for me and I'm still stock and not rooted...http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2027734
Well. My curiousty led to a hard-bricked phone
It's definetly official. I am not going to install any more custom roms after this. To make my story breif. I aquired a motorola atrix 2 phone, and had read it could accomdate a custom rom, so I used a one click root method program and the program said it had done its job. I booted into the recovery and installed the rom, which ended in an infinite reboot. Great, so I read more on how to revert back to firmware using rsd lite. I did this, but the battery was dead. so I went out and purchased anther battery, attempted the restore, phone restart, then BOOM. it stayed black and now it wont come on. wtf.
Can any please recommend the proper cable I have to order to get the phone back working>?
Sunaj1 said:
Well. My curiousty led to a hard-bricked phone
It's definetly official. I am not going to install any more custom roms after this. To make my story breif. I aquired a motorola atrix 2 phone, and had read it could accomdate a custom rom, so I used a one click root method program and the program said it had done its job. I booted into the recovery and installed the rom, which ended in an infinite reboot. Great, so I read more on how to revert back to firmware using rsd lite. I did this, but the battery was dead. so I went out and purchased anther battery, attempted the restore, phone restart, then BOOM. it stayed black and now it wont come on. wtf.
Can any please recommend the proper cable I have to order to get the phone back working>?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you flashed rom with stock recovery?
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda app-developers app
smgdev said:
Did you flashed rom with stock recovery?
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I tried to. Unless i acidentally downloaded the wrong file.
Sunaj1 said:
Yes, I tried to. Unless i acidentally downloaded the wrong file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should flash roms with custom recoveries that built for your device like clockworkmod or twrp recovery.
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda app-developers app
smgdev said:
You should flash roms with custom recoveries that built for your device like clockworkmod or twrp recovery.
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I am aware of that. The problem is now my phone is hard bricked and it wont turn on at all, not even to display an error message.
How can I fix this? whats that special cable That i need?
I would love to help you but I don't have the device and I think you should ask to your device's q/a forum. It will more helpful for you.
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda app-developers app
Sunaj1 said:
Well. My curiousty led to a hard-bricked phone
It's definetly official. I am not going to install any more custom roms after this. To make my story breif. I aquired a motorola atrix 2 phone, and had read it could accomdate a custom rom, so I used a one click root method program and the program said it had done its job. I booted into the recovery and installed the rom, which ended in an infinite reboot. Great, so I read more on how to revert back to firmware using rsd lite. I did this, but the battery was dead. so I went out and purchased anther battery, attempted the restore, phone restart, then BOOM. it stayed black and now it wont come on. wtf.
Can any please recommend the proper cable I have to order to get the phone back working>?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I guess you can use THIS LINK to try and fix your problem. Thank you for consulting the forums, and have a nice day.
ATkeneiville said:
Hi, I guess you can use THIS LINK to try and fix your problem. Thank you for consulting the forums, and have a nice day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. But an experienced repair guy said my phone wasn't responding to neither the USB jtag or the fast boot. So my phone is dead forever? Should I start digging its grave?
Sure sounds this way, and you shouldn't be doing JTAG through the USB port anyway unless your phone is something special I've never heard of
But in truth rooting your phone won't damage it, it just gives someone the opportunity to do so. I'm a firm believer in rooting all androids so long as they read and understand what they are doing, its very hard to brick a phone if you know what you're doing
So although this phone may be dead forever (unless you find someone who for sure knows the proper way to JTAG it) then still consider rooting your next one, just be sure to completely understand what's going on, and try to stay away from one click roots, its hard to learn anything from this
Best of luck on your next phone
*side note, if you still have warranty and your phone is completely unresponsive chances are you will get your warranty exchange, just play dumb and say "I was playing angry birds and it just froze, now it won't turn on"
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
I wish I had warranty on this thing. I got it second hand from craigslist. However i've managed to acquire an HTC inspire 4G, what an upgrade from a motorola cliq xt! I would love to install jelly bean on this thing but after messing up the Atrix 2 i'm scared I will F*ck this one up too. I can never find clear and concise instructions on the internet. Every web page I visit, it seems to be someones personal way of doing it. Steps not mentioned, or instructions written for intermediate users. For example, Every video or piece of instruction i've watched on youtube regarding booting into the fast boot on the atrix 2, said something about holding volume up and power button upon booting and I would see something on the top of the screen. However that did not work, First I had to use the volume down and power button, then I would get to this fastboot screen where those recovery options werent available, from there I had to hold both volume buttons down and press the power button twice which would bring me to the recovery options screen. thats just one example, and even then for some reasons I didn't have all the recovery options the instructions spoke of... for example. Very annoying and frustrating. On a side note, is there anyone on this site who lives in the US that can unbrick my atrix 2? The guy who repair phones I took it to said theres a device for 250.00 bucks he's waiting to get that can unbrick any device. However he doesnt have the funds and had gotten laid off work. I am just having a hard time believing a simple soft user error could permanently damage my device forever and that as sophiscated as our technology has gotten there's absolutely no way to revive it.
demkantor said:
Sure sounds this way, and you shouldn't be doing JTAG through the USB port anyway unless your phone is something special I've never heard of
But in truth rooting your phone won't damage it, it just gives someone the opportunity to do so. I'm a firm believer in rooting all androids so long as they read and understand what they are doing, its very hard to brick a phone if you know what you're doing
So although this phone may be dead forever (unless you find someone who for sure knows the proper way to JTAG it) then still consider rooting your next one, just be sure to completely understand what's going on, and try to stay away from one click roots, its hard to learn anything from this
Best of luck on your next phone
*side note, if you still have warranty and your phone is completely unresponsive chances are you will get your warranty exchange, just play dumb and say "I was playing angry birds and it just froze, now it won't turn on"
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't attest to the videos you saw, but for most androids this is the best site with the most info, I only suggest being sure how to root before you do it, and to understand how the method works as well. When your not understanding this is when bricks happen.
I know it can be lots of reading and lots of questions but in the long run its worth the time
As for the JTAG equipment there are many who have it and you can easily spend less than 250 on getting the proper stuff.
Every logicboard is different so maybe this machine he speaks of has a wide variety of cables that come with it, but he's still paying too much
Anyway, most people seem to charge 50$ or so to JTAG it back, if that's more than the phone is worth to you just sell it on eBay for parts
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
demkantor said:
I can't attest to the videos you saw, but for most androids this is the best site with the most info, I only suggest being sure how to root before you do it, and to understand how the method works as well. When your not understanding this is when bricks happen.
I know it can be lots of reading and lots of questions but in the long run its worth the time
As for the JTAG equipment there are many who have it and you can easily spend less than 250 on getting the proper stuff.
Every logicboard is different so maybe this machine he speaks of has a wide variety of cables that come with it, but he's still paying too much
Anyway, most people seem to charge 50$ or so to JTAG it back, if that's more than the phone is worth to you just sell it on eBay for parts
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you link me to clear and concise instructions on how to upgrade my 2.3.7 ( i think) to jellybean on an htc inspire 4g? and is there anyone here who can fix my phone that you know of?
HERE IS YOUR PHONES FORUM
you will find links to all the guides you need here, always read the stickies in each section, this tends to have the important info you need
then anything your not sure about should be asked in the proper place within this forum for the best answers
example, question on how to root should be asked in the how to root thread for best chance of a good answer, question on how to flash a new radio should be asked in a thread pertaining to this
im sorry but i dont know enough about your phone specificly to help further but hopefully the members in your device specific forum will
best of luck!