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If you root your nexus via the "official" way, you're screwed if you have a hardware failure, because the warranty is null and void. We need to figure out a way to root that is similar to how we rooted the MyTouch and G1.
My suspicion is that the "official" unlock isn't in the spl. I think it is more like a sim unlock.
I think we should just leave it alone and learn how to root the G1 way. That way, if we have a hardware problem, we can revert the dang phone to factory specs.
Any ideas? I think a gold card may be a could place to start.
This message was deleted by its author
Given that Swetland has said the HTC should honour the hardware warranty if the flaw isn't causable by rooting, and even suggested that you message him if you get such things refused I think that most of us are pretty happy with that, certainly many of the main devs are.
Not that I'm suggesting you shouldn't do what you want to, just pointing out that you're unlikely to get the support that the G1 root had
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t4tav said:
Plus, I would like to see a "non" official way. That way we are still not giving up our warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's been stated the HTC should honor the Hardware warranty.
If you are rooting, for any reason whatsoever, you are voiding your software warranty. And that's correct - you are well off the reservation and you should only root if you are aware of the risks and know what you are doing.
There is absolutely no reason you should expect to have your software warranty honored after you root.
While I can understand the desire for a sneaky backdoor root, it's really not to our advantage for such a thing to exist. Google managed to shipped this phone roootable out of the box. That is simply wonderful for the various people producing ROMs, it makes the phone a blast for hackers, it will spurn some serious innovation (and has done so already.) All good.
If people start backdoor rooting and making warranty claims, all of that may be spoiled and we may end up with a Nexus Two that is simply completely locked down.
Not good.
This message was deleted by its author
DebauchedSloth said:
It's been stated the HTC should honor the Hardware warranty.
If you are rooting, for any reason whatsoever, you are voiding your software warranty. And that's correct - you are well off the reservation and you should only root if you are aware of the risks and know what you are doing.
There is absolutely no reason you should expect to have your software warranty honored after you root.
While I can understand the desire for a sneaky backdoor root, it's really not to our advantage for such a thing to exist. Google managed to shipped this phone roootable out of the box. That is simply wonderful for the various people producing ROMs, it makes the phone a blast for hackers, it will spurn some serious innovation (and has done so already.) All good.
If people start backdoor rooting and making warranty claims, all of that may be spoiled and we may end up with a Nexus Two that is simply completely locked down.
Not good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely agree with you. Look at the Droid Eris, for as long as it has been out, they are just starting to get an exploit that is working. They do not even have root yet.
I personally think that the people that most want to root without an unlocked bootloader are the people that will mess their phone by not understanding what they are doing to it fully. As stated above, you should be able to get your phone fixed if you have obvious defects that are not related to software.
While I think it would be interesting to have an alternative method to rooting, at the same time, I would view it as detrimental to what is trying to be done with this phone.
Just my small $0.01 (its not a full rant, trust me)
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at first i thought it just a software, in any platform if you do anything to the software it will be ok, and the warranty still available like iphone or WM devices.
we need do small hacking to make this work, i don't know why xda-developer doesn't have any hacker, it should be easy.
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t4tav said:
I think I got that :/
(Removed my idea - We need a passimg.nbh)
However, I am really holding out on someone from HTC or Google saying that all hardware faults will be covered even if the bootloader is unlocked.
As soon as that happens I will root my nexus
Edit - The other reason for (personally) look for another root method is that if you unlock the bootloader now, It wipes the system, all the apps and all the settings. I to be honest, I can't really be bothered to reinstall all of them, considering that the Market doesn't seem to track what I install/un-install.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This.
Like one of the above posters said everybody saying theres no need because they SHOULD replace hardware defects...I called HTC (haven't rooted) and asked them if I can repair hardware defects on a unlocked bootloader. The response "There is no warrenty if you have unlocked the bootloader."
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t4tav said:
I think I got that :/
(Removed my idea - We need a passimg.nbh)
However, I am really holding out on someone from HTC or Google saying that all hardware faults will be covered even if the bootloader is unlocked.
As soon as that happens I will root my nexus
Edit - The other reason for (personally) look for another root method is that if you unlock the bootloader now, It wipes the system, all the apps and all the settings. I to be honest, I can't really be bothered to reinstall all of them, considering that the Market doesn't seem to track what I install/un-install.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you are afraid to wipe then you shouldnt root your phone. i garranty that you WILL be wiping your phone many times in the future. i must have wiped my g1 more than 30 times and the nexus one 6 or 7 times already. but dont worry, there are always free backup apps like titanium backup
The Nexus is not like the G1 or mytouch in any way to root the Nexus is Different than any Htc Phone. The Porcessor is not the mt3g or g1. so to try to root it like the mytouch or g1 may bring more problems. Note No mather how you root it the warranty is still void unless you unroot it to send it back in.
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t4tav said:
I must of wiped my G1 atleast 20+ times. I've also flashed around 20 Custom roms too (Since JF Rom's were all the rage).
I've found that mybackup works well. So I may purchase that. My Nexus is now happily rooted and running extremely fast
I'm not scared of wiping, it's just sometimes it can get sore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ive used backup for root users for ages(it seems like it). i seriously recommend you try titanium backup, it backs private apps up also.
simms22 said:
ive used backup for root users for ages(it seems like it). i seriously recommend you try titanium backup, it backs private apps up also.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Titanium seems to work well
Anyways, Let's move this topic back on track
That's my motivation
kingskidd268 said:
The Nexus is not like the G1 or mytouch in any way to root the Nexus is Different than any Htc Phone. The Porcessor is not the mt3g or g1. so to try to root it like the mytouch or g1 may bring more problems. Note No mather how you root it the warranty is still void unless you unroot it to send it back in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We should have a way to "unroot."
I can see the other side to this too. If some yahoo roots their phone, then overclocks it to 2ghz or something and fries it... that SHOULDN'T be covered by warranty.
On the other hand, if I'm running one of cyanogen's roms and the speaker goes out, it should be covered.
Personally, if I fried a ROM because I overclocked it or something like that, I would NEVER send it in for warranty work. I would only send it in if the problem was clearly the manufacturer's.
Just my 2 cents
t4tav said:
Edit - The other reason for (personally) look for another root method is that if you unlock the bootloader now, It wipes the system, all the apps and all the settings. I to be honest, I can't really be bothered to reinstall all of them, considering that the Market doesn't seem to track what I install/un-install.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be very clear, this behavior (data wipe on unlock) is intentional. Otherwise if your phone is lost or stolen, it would be trivial for somebody to unlock it, boot a custom kernel, and copy your contacts, email, etc from internal flash.
The Market should restore your installed apps automatically, and Settings Backup should be able to restore the bulk of your settings.
This message was deleted by its author
i've had my prime for a couple of months now, although really i've only personally had it for a number of weeks, as it's been returned twice for repair... for some stupid reason they won't replace units here in Australia, only repair (even though mine was cactus out of the box and therefore clearly DOA!)
so i've been lucky enough to have working wifi, no crashes/reboots, etc... but had a dead pixel (first time sent back) and issues with the keyboard/dock not working (second time sent back)
just received it back after they fixed the keyboard/dock (and left some hefty scratches on the tablet and dock, not impressed at all!), and from what i can gather it seems they've left some sort of test rom on it?
OPEN_epad-eng 3.2.1 HTK7 OPEN_epad-8.8.0.119.1-20111222 test-keys
has a number of test tools installed, and rooted, but can't do update firmware, as it doesn't find any firmware, i'm assuming because it's OPEN_epad rather than WW_epad
are my only options now to either send it back yet again, or use the unlock tool to flash a rom on it?
as much as i want to be able to flash roms, at this stage i'm unwilling to compromise my warranty until it's 100% working and doesn't need to be sent back again!
(also happy to run any tests or copy any files if anyone is interested in anything from the test rom)
FARQ said:
i've had my prime for a couple of months now, although really i've only personally had it for a number of weeks, as it's been returned twice for repair... for some stupid reason they won't replace units here in Australia, only repair (even though mine was cactus out of the box and therefore clearly DOA!)
so i've been lucky enough to have working wifi, no crashes/reboots, etc... but had a dead pixel (first time sent back) and issues with the keyboard/dock not working (second time sent back)
just received it back after they fixed the keyboard/dock (and left some hefty scratches on the tablet and dock, not impressed at all!), and from what i can gather it seems they've left some sort of test rom on it?
OPEN_epad-eng 3.2.1 HTK7 OPEN_epad-8.8.0.119.1-20111222 test-keys
has a number of test tools installed, and rooted, but can't do update firmware, as it doesn't find any firmware, i'm assuming because it's OPEN_epad rather than WW_epad
are my only options now to either send it back yet again, or use the unlock tool to flash a rom on it?
as much as i want to be able to flash roms, at this stage i'm unwilling to compromise my warranty until it's 100% working and doesn't need to be sent back again!
(also happy to run any tests or copy any files if anyone is interested in anything from the test rom)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe this thread is of help:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1492887
But it's also not without risks (as mentioned in that thread, updating with custom roms can screw up your device and I have no idea if such a testrom can be updated) so yeah... Seems like sending it back is the only other option (unlocking would be the other, but not an option for you in this case).
FARQ said:
i've had my prime for a couple of months now, although really i've only personally had it for a number of weeks, as it's been returned twice for repair... for some stupid reason they won't replace units here in Australia, only repair (even though mine was cactus out of the box and therefore clearly DOA!)
so i've been lucky enough to have working wifi, no crashes/reboots, etc... but had a dead pixel (first time sent back) and issues with the keyboard/dock not working (second time sent back)
just received it back after they fixed the keyboard/dock (and left some hefty scratches on the tablet and dock, not impressed at all!), and from what i can gather it seems they've left some sort of test rom on it?
OPEN_epad-eng 3.2.1 HTK7 OPEN_epad-8.8.0.119.1-20111222 test-keys
has a number of test tools installed, and rooted, but can't do update firmware, as it doesn't find any firmware, i'm assuming because it's OPEN_epad rather than WW_epad
are my only options now to either send it back yet again, or use the unlock tool to flash a rom on it?
as much as i want to be able to flash roms, at this stage i'm unwilling to compromise my warranty until it's 100% working and doesn't need to be sent back again!
(also happy to run any tests or copy any files if anyone is interested in anything from the test rom)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Tell them they're dreaming! If the product is faulty etc, you can ask for a refund in Australia, and they must, by law, comply. Give them a taste of this (see below) and they'll get real nervous real fast.
(extracted from ACC web site).
When can you use your rights to repair, replace refund?
Since 1 January 2011, you have the right to ask for a repair, replacement or refund if goods and services you buy are not right.
Goods
You have these rights if goods you buy are:
faulty
unsafe
look unacceptable, and
do not do what they are supposed to do.
In each case this is according to what someone would normally expect for the type and cost of the particular goods.
You also have these rights if goods do not:
fit the purpose
match the description provided
match the sample or demonstration model provided
have the extra qualities or performance that the seller promised before the sale
Oh, I should have noted that a mandatory refund is for a major problem, which I assumed from the description, you had. In addition, if GPS was part of the spec when you bought the product, I imagine you have them on 2 counts:
What is a major problem?
An issue that would have stopped a reasonable person from buying the product or service if they’d known about it.
A product that:
is unsafe
is significantly different from the sample or description
doesn’t do what the business said it would, or what you asked for and can’t be easily fixed.
A service that:
is substantially unfit for its common purpose and can’t be easily fixed within a reasonable time
does not meet the specific purpose you asked for and cannot be easily rectified within a reasonable time
creates an unsafe situation.
FARQ said:
i've had my prime for a couple of months now, although really i've only personally had it for a number of weeks, as it's been returned twice for repair... for some stupid reason they won't replace units here in Australia, only repair (even though mine was cactus out of the box and therefore clearly DOA!)
so i've been lucky enough to have working wifi, no crashes/reboots, etc... but had a dead pixel (first time sent back) and issues with the keyboard/dock not working (second time sent back)
just received it back after they fixed the keyboard/dock (and left some hefty scratches on the tablet and dock, not impressed at all!), and from what i can gather it seems they've left some sort of test rom on it?
OPEN_epad-eng 3.2.1 HTK7 OPEN_epad-8.8.0.119.1-20111222 test-keys
has a number of test tools installed, and rooted, but can't do update firmware, as it doesn't find any firmware, i'm assuming because it's OPEN_epad rather than WW_epad
are my only options now to either send it back yet again, or use the unlock tool to flash a rom on it?
as much as i want to be able to flash roms, at this stage i'm unwilling to compromise my warranty until it's 100% working and doesn't need to be sent back again!
(also happy to run any tests or copy any files if anyone is interested in anything from the test rom)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before you do anything, copy all the test tools and upload them here please. Simply browse to /data/app and /system/app and copy all the apps sd card (storage), then transfer to pc, zip and upload somewhere. Maybe that cpu monitor app is installed. Also, it might be worth speeking to someone like Diamondback to see if he would find system dump useful, might help with rooting or something else in the future.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using xda premium
You definately ought to do a system dump!
Here's a (very short) description on how to do that : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=21833242&postcount=5
cheers for the bits of advice
Asus support here in .AU has been nothing short of utterly pathetic, very slow and difficult to deal with, no attention to detail (who the f*ck doesn't take care of other peoples property and scratches the hell out of it?!)... aware of my rights with ACCC, and if it comes to it i'll play that card, but don't have the time/energy at the moment for a **** fight with Asus... don't want a refund, just a proper non-scratched working unit, and i'll be on my merry way
pulling /system now, there's nothing in /data/app... anyone got some decent speed space somewhere to upload?
was wondering how they would have gotten this image on the device, i'm assuming they don't unlock it, and just have some way of flashing whatever the hell they like
but is there any easy way to check and see if the bootloader is still locked ?
it's going straight back in the morning, i've demanded a brand new replacement and want it in time for easter long w/end, so if there's anything else anyone wants off it lemme know before then!
FARQ said:
cheers for the bits of advice
pulling /system now, there's nothing in /data/app... anyone got some decent speed space somewhere to upload?
was wondering how they would have gotten this image on the device, i'm assuming they don't unlock it, and just have some way of flashing whatever the hell they like
but is there any easy way to check and see if the bootloader is still locked ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dropbox with the initial 2gb should be enough to store a system dump. (Just PM someone to mirror it otherwise the account will get locked if you post if publicly)
The service centres would have tools to flash it or a firmware image that is properly signed. (nvflash anyone?)
Bootloader locked? I think theres some fastboot command to verify if secure boot is on or off.
But yes, please do give us a dump of that.
FARQ said:
cheers for the bits of advice
Asus support here in .AU has been nothing short of utterly pathetic, very slow and difficult to deal with, no attention to detail (who the f*ck doesn't take care of other peoples property and scratches the hell out of it?!)... aware of my rights with ACCC, and if it comes to it i'll play that card, but don't have the time/energy at the moment for a **** fight with Asus... don't want a refund, just a proper non-scratched working unit, and i'll be on my merry way
pulling /system now, there's nothing in /data/app... anyone got some decent speed space somewhere to upload?
was wondering how they would have gotten this image on the device, i'm assuming they don't unlock it, and just have some way of flashing whatever the hell they like
but is there any easy way to check and see if the bootloader is still locked ?
it's going straight back in the morning, i've demanded a brand new replacement and want it in time for easter long w/end, so if there's anything else anyone wants off it lemme know before then!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Asus will have the AES encription key so will have unlock and relocked it more than likely.. well they might have not remembered to re-lock if they left the test software on it
Hawke84 said:
Asus will have the AES encription key so will have unlock and relocked it more than likely.. well they might have not remembered to re-lock if they left the test software on it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlikely. Most probably repair centrea just have properly signed diagnostical build, which HQ supplies. Way easier than to unlock and relock every tfp they get.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using xda premium
lol first thing I thought when I saw this thread was.. someone is going to ask for the files!
FARQ said:
if there's anything else anyone wants off it lemme know before then!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would try to get dumps of all mmcblk0 partitions. I can't remember the correct commands off the top of my head, but I'm sure someone could point you in the right direction.
I'm sure all the devs here would appreciate it if you were able to do this.
EDIT: IF YOU READ THIS, GO TO #asus-transformer on freenode irc.
PEOPLE WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH GETTING AS MUCH OF THE INTERESTING GOODIES FROM THAT TABLET AS POSSIBLE.
Yeah it would be great if you can get everything off that tablet and mirrored to the devs and such, it would be such great benefit if we could get apktool to work with Asus's system files.
hmm this software might have some juicy stuff for the devs to play with
i've pulled /system
if anyone wants anything further from it, please let me know with exact instructions in the next half hour before i head in to work and drop it off on my way in... don't have time to jump on irc or anything of the sort sorry
FYI i did a fastboot devices, and nothing came up, so i assume it's still locked
Could you also grab a dump of the first 60MB of the emmc please?
adb shell dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0 of=/sdcard/emmc.dump bs=1024 count=61440
adb pull /sdcard/emmc.dump
Oh and can you pull /data/app if you haven't already?
Cheers.
done... anything else ?
edit: there's nothing in /data/app only /system/app
FARQ said:
done... anything else ?
edit: there's nothing in /data/app only /system/app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah ok, I'm good thanks. Don't want you to be late for work.
all good, i've got half hour up me sleeve, so happy to dump anything else if anyone wants
dump all the secrets to prime and tegra3...lol.
FARQ said:
all good, i've got half hour up me sleeve, so happy to dump anything else if anyone wants
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should be able to flash a newer firmware version using the rescue mode of the tablet. No bootloader or root required, and from what I can tell it's without any risk...
Check the link in my signature if interested!
So,
As i was updating my prime today from .17 to .21 i noticed a link in the upgrade notification that said something like "track your firmware upgrade history"
Upon going there on my PC I entered my serial, etc and voila. Awesome "Seekdroid" type functionality however when i click to view my firmware history it shows EVERY SINGLE upgrade and downgrade. The Terms of Service claim that no information is sync'd or exchanged until you accept the ToS but now that i have, i am a bit concerned that ASUS has access and can see that i have downgraded my device multiple times. Ergo opperating outside the manufacturers specs thereby voiding the warranty. Any input?
Wow, good catch.
But i doubt that the clueless (as they have shown to be, time and time again) workers on repair centers etc will check any of that. (I can be wrong, hehehe)
Downgrading your firmware shouldn't void your warranty.
Asus publishes the firmware files on their website, so they shouldn't be considered as "bad"
Do you have a link to this online service that tracks your upgrade history? If it works for you based on information you input to the website then it should work for any Prime owner.
I am sure more people will be able to provide an opinion on this situation if they actually knew what it is you are talking about.
http://waveshare.asus.com/select_lang.action
Not sure if this makes any difference but it says "ASUS will collect your personal information only after you sign in this Website and agree to activate the service of this Website." So its only tracked if you use the service?
Also, if your only rooted, not unlocked, you should be temp unrooting using voodoo root tool. When you do that your device is technically not rooted when you upgrade the device. Once it complete's, you re-root it basically and should be oblivious to it. But I am no expert on these things by no means.
I think the title of this post might be a little alarmist for some people. I mean I have read the agreement that pops up when you register for the site, and the site does exactly what it says it will do, it tracks your upgrade path in order to help pinpoint any software related issues in case you need to contact Asus support.
It is completely voluntary and the service is pretty clearly described when you sign up on the web page.
Also Asus doesn't seem to consider rooting a reason to break a users warranty, at least there are reports of many users who have sent their rooted tablets in for repair and none of their repairs were denied because the devices were rooted.
almightywhacko said:
Also Asus doesn't seem to consider rooting a reason to break a users warranty, at least there are reports of many users who have sent their rooted tablets in for repair and none of their repairs were denied because the devices were rooted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 on this. I sent my TF101 in twice for RMA both times it was rooted with a custom rom and they repaired it no problem. Unfortunately, with the prime and the unlock, once you unlock you void your warranty fully. I have an earlier Tf101 that wasnt locked down like the prime was so even with flashing stuff to that, you still had your warranty because there was no agreement that said if you did your warranty would be void.
As a matter of fact when the newer 101s came out with the tougher encryption was one of the times I sent my 101 back for RMA and I even told Hai Trat that I only request they dont replace the unit with a unit that cant be rooted and they dont update the firmware at all so I wouldnt lose root. He said he would make note of that for the techs
I just tested the Update list option for my rooted Prime with .21 firmware. The site was not aware of my latest update. I did not use the OTA update because I am unlocked and used a pre-rooted .21 stock ROM image.
4/18/2013
After months of waiting, my tablet is FINALLY UNLOCKED! If you are in the US, see this post. Thanks you Tien (Asus_USA)!
Update 9/2013:
AlphaDog_NL said:
It's back.
It works
Sooooooo people, contact ASUS Support about your device tracker not working! They will give you support on that, and because it has the same problem causing it, it will fix the unlock issue!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi all, I decided to finally take the dive a couple days ago to unlock my beloved prime and try out androwook and other custom roms that supposedly put stock to shame. However, I was unfortunately confronted by a crude and nasty message along the lines of:
Code:
An unknown error occurs, which may be a network connection issue.
Please wait and try again later
As usual, I unrooted, rebooted, and tried again. No luck.
I disabled and uninstalled ATP Tweak (sio scheduler/systune), replaced my modified dock keyboard files (browser mod, switched alt/search buttons), and tried again. No luck.
Factory reset from the settings menu. No luck.
Placed the .28 US update on my SD card, rebooted, and re-flashed the update. No luck.
Where does that leave me now? Locked and feeling imprisoned. I'm wondering if it is worth it to downgrade and try unlocking. So far, I have only seen one person have any success with this. Due to the potential brick risk, I want to stay away from this unless I know it will work. I also know that Asus asked for the MAC address of a prime owner with this issue, but that didn't go anywhere.
This seems like it may be an issue that is experienced by anyone that RMA'ed their tablet for whatever reason. I, personally, sent mine in for a green camera issue and mura, but do not think that they changed my motherboard.
I am also curious to see how many other people are having this issue. If it is sizable, I am willing to start a petition to Asus for them to support their unlock tool and fix this stupid error without an RMA. To that effect, please answer the poll above to let me gather some data on the unlock tool.
Thanks to everyone for your help and support that makes xda such an amazing community!
PS I don't want to see any "Asus sucks" posts. There are tons of other threads for that so please spare us
Additional info:
Have tried this on several different network connections.
Have not yet contacted Asus to see if they have my prime listed as "unlocked" already, but will do so sometime this week.
Logcat of running unlock tool results in this:
Code:
D/KeyBoxService(10158): === StatusCode: SC_UNAUTHORIZED!
D/KeyBoxService(10158): === OTA BEGIN
E/KeyBoxService(10158): === Connection to http://wvdrm.asus.com refused
D/KeyBoxService(10158): === Retry after 600 seconds.
D/KeyBoxService(10158): === OTA END
July 13th Update:
I have contacted Asus with this information. I learned something interesting. Asus has my tablet (s/n) listed as LOCKED. They also did not replace my mainboard when I RMA'ed the tablet. I also have not had the unknown serial number issue. Considering those were the 3 criteria a few of us had considered to be the reasons for not being able to unlock, I am now baffled.
I am going to continue communicating with Asus and hopefully push the matter a little bit more so that something happens. As I was told, "HQ is probably aware and working towards a fix". Let's hope that happens sooner rather than later.
September 5th update:
Seems that Asus HQ figured out a fix, but it requires an RMA. We'll find out soon if it actually works...
September 29th update:
Some of the members in this thread have sent their primes in for an RMA to fix the issue. The first prime back STILL has the problem. Asus HQ is looking into the matter...again...
Asus wants me to resend my tablet back to RMA to see if they can fix the problem. I'll see what they have to say, don't really want to RMA back. It's a software issue it seems to me, changing any hardware will just make it worse.
edit: Email was no help. Dumb. Stuck again! Yay
dude2k5 said:
Asus wants me to resend my tablet back to RMA to see if they can fix the problem. I'll see what they have to say, don't really want to RMA back. It's a software issue it seems to me, changing any hardware will just make it worse.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, this seems like a server/application issue that they can fix on their end hopefully!
I have this Problem ,too
Nothing help !
This is so frustrating ...
Asus Transformer Prime 32GB
0.28 Software and Root
nhshah7 said:
Agreed, this seems like a server/application issue that they can fix on their end hopefully!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found a tool for downgrading that worked pretty well, and when combined with Sparkys tool that will root you so easily on .28, the process of downgrading might be worth a try once you've done everything else.
I'm anxious to hear if anyone who's never rooted and has a serial number has ever had this problem.
I thought my tablet hadn't been unlocked correctly because of some issues and some of the people helping me troubleshoot and figure out the prime when I first got it told me to try running the unlock tool again and said i should get a response, but I always got the same network error. However I bought my prime second hand and it had been rooted before. Finally ended up doing some manual tests with ADB to determine if my problem was unlock related and it wasn't.
I had just gotten the prime, and people said even being unlocked I still shouldn't have gotten that network error. I just gave up after that, and have always wondered if it was related to it being previously rooted.
I can't unlock my tablet. I just don't get any error message at all. But I am 100% sure it's not unlocked.
No Problems here
I have a rooted 0.28, I did not root until after I got the 0.28 update.
I just ran the unlock tool downloaded from this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1510737
I had to use the dropbox downlown because the one from ASUS would not work.
Unlocked, no issues. No factor reset necessary, no removing root. Now i'm completely unlocked and ruined my warranty just for you guys.
Now i'm going to go install a custom rom.
Later.
Unlocking by a dummy
I unlocked a couple of weeks ago but it wasn't easy. Why? because I am half dumb and need reading glasses. It took me part of 2 days to figure out what was going on. I would get to the final scare screen that warns you that if you do this you are screwed forever and then I could not go any further. There were no buttons to click or agreement check boxes to check just the sad warning big as life.
Then I watched a video, the one with the hyper dude with braces unlocking his prime. And I realized I was missing the buttons on that warning screen. It occurred to met that I had amped up my font size so I could read my tablet without my reading glasses. This action made the font from the warning too big to fit the button on the screen. Went into settings, decreased font size, unlocked, never better.
whycali said:
I unlocked a couple of weeks ago but it wasn't easy. Why? because I am half dumb and need reading glasses. It took me part of 2 days to figure out what was going on. I would get to the final scare screen that warns you that if you do this you are screwed forever and then I could not go any further. There were no buttons to click or agreement check boxes to check just the sad warning big as life.
Then I watched a video, the one with the hyper dude with braces unlocking his prime. And I realized I was missing the buttons on that warning screen. It occurred to met that I had amped up my font size so I could read my tablet without my reading glasses. This action made the font from the warning too big to fit the button on the screen. Went into settings, decreased font size, unlocked, never better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thanked your post just because it made me laugh. :good:
ShyTownFantasy said:
I can't unlock my tablet. I just don't get any error message at all. But I am 100% sure it's not unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have you tried getting a logcat of your prime while you're running the unlock tool? it's REALLY easy if you have adb setup. if not, you can do it from a terminal emulator app. PM me if you need more help.
Parastie said:
I have a rooted 0.28, I did not root until after I got the 0.28 update.
I just ran the unlock tool downloaded from this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1510737
I had to use the dropbox downlown because the one from ASUS would not work.
Unlocked, no issues. No factor reset necessary, no removing root. Now i'm completely unlocked and ruined my warranty just for you guys.
Now i'm going to go install a custom rom.
Later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I envy you! lol thanks and enjoy! did you ever send in your prime for RMA? I'm thinking that doing so screws us all over lol
whycali said:
I unlocked a couple of weeks ago but it wasn't easy. Why? because I am half dumb and need reading glasses. It took me part of 2 days to figure out what was going on. I would get to the final scare screen that warns you that if you do this you are screwed forever and then I could not go any further. There were no buttons to click or agreement check boxes to check just the sad warning big as life.
Then I watched a video, the one with the hyper dude with braces unlocking his prime. And I realized I was missing the buttons on that warning screen. It occurred to met that I had amped up my font size so I could read my tablet without my reading glasses. This action made the font from the warning too big to fit the button on the screen. Went into settings, decreased font size, unlocked, never better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahahahahaha i wish my problem were that simple
nhshah7 said:
I envy you! lol thanks and enjoy! did you ever send in your prime for RMA? I'm thinking that doing so screws us all over lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, never had to RMA. My device is from the US and I'm in Poland so I'm not sure if an RMA would work anyway. I've had it for a month and besides the left screen tearing issue, it works great!
I'm going to install Wooki first and see how that goes. TWRP is already installed and backup has been created. I'll report back if this fixes things. I'm going to try without doing a full wipe (cache and dalvik only). I don't really want to re-install everything.
Parastie said:
No, never had to RMA. My device is from the US and I'm in Poland so I'm not sure if an RMA would work anyway. I've had it for a month and besides the left screen tearing issue, it works great!
I'm going to install Wooki first and see how that goes. TWRP is already installed and backup has been created. I'll report back if this fixes things. I'm going to try without doing a full wipe (cache and dalvik only). I don't really want to re-install everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From past experience, you should always do a full wipe especially if you want your prime to be performing well. Do a titanium backup of all your apps (the pro version is WELL worth the money) and you'll be up and running with an hour exactly how you were before. Good luck!
nhshah7 said:
From past experience, you should always do a full wipe especially if you want your prime to be performing well. Do a titanium backup of all your apps (the pro version is WELL worth the money) and you'll be up and running with an hour exactly how you were before. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, my experience with the HTC Desire tells me a full wipe is probably necessary, however I don't like titanium backup. It takes too long and it's easier just letting everything trickle in over the market. I've also found that, unless you're moving from 2.3 to 4.0.x clearing dalvik and cache usually works just as well. It's not like any rom formats the internal memory to use a different setup with better performance...though maybe that's not a bad idea.
BTW, when I said the one from ASUS wouldn't work, I meant it would not download. It just looping on my tablet to which browser it should use, and I eventually gave up and tried the other link.
Got my prime back from asus RMA no more chance to unlock. My prime was unlocked before send to RMA.
They changed the board or chip, when I did the RMA the .28 update JUST came out so I tried applying it before I sent it off. Worked, so it was updated. Then they sent it back after RMA and it was a March update, way back. Don't think they downgraded, but they did change something. Then no unlock at all (though I never tried beforehand, I imagine it would have worked)
Hi,
I don't have the same error message than you, it only say:
Failed to unlock the device, please try again later
I tried again later 3 times already. I have .28 and rooted, I just wonder if it fail because I am rooted or not.
Correct me if am wrong but ur device is locked and u trying to do a OTA Update right??
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda app-developers app
allthatinny said:
Correct me if am wrong but ur device is locked and u trying to do a OTA Update right??
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry, who are you asking?
bASKOU said:
Hi,
I don't have the same error message than you, it only say:
Failed to unlock the device, please try again later
I tried again later 3 times already. I have .28 and rooted, I just wonder if it fail because I am rooted or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had .28 rooted and was able to do the unlock no problem. I had to download the app from a dropbox account as I was unable to download from ASUS's website.
The issue seems to be related to RMAs. I bought mine 2nd hand from a guy who got it from his boss, so theres no way of knowing if it was ever returned. It doesnt seem to matter on which firmware you are or if you are rooted or not.... All we (probably) have in common is the RMA factor. At least thats progress!
Hi, all..
As is probably known, before fastboot commands on the Nexus 9 will work, two things are required...
First, this option, in Developer Options, needs to he checked box ticked...
** Enable OEM Unlock **
...followed by... (with the device booted into it's bootloader)...
Code:
fastboot oem unlock
------
UNDER ABSOLUTELY NO CIRCUMSTANCEs SHOULD THIS PROCEDURE BE REVERSED.... unless you're running 100% stock.
It will very likely cause your Nexus 9 to be become permanently semi-bricked.
The device will boot, and it will charge... However IF YOU CAN'T BOOT ANDROID, AND RE-ENABLE. the ** Enable OEM Unlock ** option in Developer Setting's, then...
Code:
fastboot oem unlock
...will fail.
And you won't even be able to fastboot flash back to factory stock.
You can't even remotely boot a recovery, with...
Code:
fastboot boot recovery
...as this too, also requires an unlocked bootloader.
I know; I've tried.
-----
And this is my current predicament... My Nexus 9 now constantly bootloops into TWRP, with this message, at the top of the screen...
This is a development device not intended for production use..
Bootloader is locked, and I can't unlock it because I can't boot Android in order to set ** Enable OEM Unlock ** in developer options.
Unless anybody has any suggestions, my Nexus 9 is now pretty much useless.
Rgrds,
Ged.
OK.. Anybody know what the setting **Enable OEM Unlock** in Developer Options actually sets.
What flag it sets?
In terms of the underlying operating system, this MUST JUST FLIP some binary state flag, such that...
Code:
fastboot oem unlock
...now works.
There's gotta be some ADB command that will re-enable this, in the absence of a bootable version of Android.
Or some terminal command like a (dd=if>of command).
----
I've been at this for now, for 12 f**king hours...
I've tried everything I know.
At one point, TWRP, didn't bootloop and booted properly. But it was a pyrrhic victory, 'cos I had nothing on the device to restore. That was four hours ago... since then TWRP just bootloops endlessly.
I suspect that when., via the bootloader, I select the FACTORY RESET option, it's looking for the stock recovery... and which of course it doesn't find.... because TWRP is installed.
Indeed, I also suspect because Lollipop now runs encrypted, there are issues with mounting the data partition.
----
Well, I guess, my Nexus 9 is pretty much screwed, I think...
It'll make a nice Christmas decoration though.. It actually lights up!!!))). It's not THAT bricked. It still lights up..
----
In conclusion..
...and for guidance for others...
***
After rooting, and fastboot flashing TWRP...
--do not relock the bootloader.--
--do not disable. ** Enable OEM Unlock ** in Developer Options--
***
If you do both, and Android won't boot, your Nexus 9 is f**cked!!
You won't be able to flash anything; not even with a a toolkit like Wugs. I've tried.
Rgrds,
Ged.
Wow, really sorry to hear about your device! Maybe somebody here can come up with a fix for you...
Thanks for giving the rest of us a heads up!
Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk
@GedBlake
If you have time I'm willing to help you out, I've been testing some things and may be able to help, just let me know
Don't worry! Will let demkantor help you. Have you tried fastboot erase recovery and flash stock?
MRobbo80 said:
Don't worry! Will let demkantor help you. Have you tried fastboot erase recovery and flash stock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He can't fastboot because his boot loader is locked. He can't unlock boot loader because he can't check that box. I knew this was gonna be problems as soon as I saw this setting. I guess I get what google was going for, but I still don't like it.
A nexus device should be able to recover from anything short of a hand grenade, for something this simple to semi brick a nexus is ridiculous.
Op, i taje it you can get to an adb shell? Or can you not even access recovery?
di11igaf said:
He can't fastboot because his boot loader is locked. He can't unlock boot loader because he can't check that box. I knew this was gonna be problems as soon as I saw this setting. I guess I get what google was going for, but I still don't like it.
A nexus device should be able to recover from anything short of a hand grenade, for something this simple to semi brick a nexus is ridiculous.
Op, i taje it you can get to an adb shell? Or can you not even access recovery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, di11igaf...
Thanks for your response... And apologies for my late response. I took a few days off from Android; I just needed a break. (And I have a new Nexus 9).
Yep; whilst TWRP was bootlooping, ADB did work... certainly, ADB devices yielded a device serial number... but I had nothing to 'push'.
I had no Nandroid backups on my laptop, and no Custom ROM. zips to 'push'. (I don't even think there are any yet, for the Nexus 9).
And even if I did successfully ADB push something, TWRP was bootlooping.
TWRP was essentially just useless, other than acting as an ADB gateway.
***
demkantor said:
@GedBlake
If you have time I'm willing to help you out, I've been testing some things and may be able to help, just let me know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, demkantor...
Thanks for your offer of help... but I now have a new Nexus 9.
Still interested though, in what you have in mind, as I suspect this particular problem is going to rear it's ugly head again sometime in the future. As other Nexus 9 devices will likely befall a similar fate to my Nexus 9....
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, guys...
Thanks for your input, help and advice.
First, apologies for my language in my posts above. It's not often that I resort to expletives, even if disguised with asterisks. It was unbecoming of me, and I hope I didn't cause any offence.
On to the matter in hand...
After three days, I would dearly love to report that 'I fought the good fight', and discovered some ingenious method by which I resolved the problem... but alas I didn't.
The device continued to bootloop TWRP, and fastboot oem unlock continued to fail.
The bootloader itself was still accessible (by pressing & holding vol-down, followed by power on). This button press sequence, interrupted the bootlooping TWRP, and forced a reboot into the bootboader.
But the only real use for this, was to shut down the Nexus 9, as accessing fastboot was a sheer waste of time. With a locked and unlockable bootloader, nothing could be fastboot flashed.
The device was stuck, and with no way out.
A resolution.. but not a solution.
The Nexus 9 in question was actually bought for me, by a very close friend, for my 49th birthday on the 18th November. When she recently enquired how I was doing with it... well, as you can imagine, I was somewhat reluctant to admit that I'd screwed it up.
But eventually, and to my embarrassment, I admitted I'd made a bit of a pig's ear of it.
After she'd given me 'the look', and a sigh of exasperation, she revealed she'd also bought with it, a two year extended, no-quibble, anything-can-happens warranty. I have a similar warranty on my old Nexus 7, though I've never had any cause to avail myself of it on that older device. It adds about £80 to the price of the device. So, this morning, we both headed out to the local PC World from whence she bought the Nexus 9, and got it replaced: no questions asked.
So, I'm currently midway through setting it up again.
Needless to say, I won't be repeating the same mistake!
As it stands, right now, my replacement Nexus 9 is working just fine. And indeed, if it can be said that 'every cloud has a silver lining', it's that the replacement unit is actually 'better'. The original unit had some minor light bleed issues, and the back cover flexed inwards marginally. This new one has no lightbleed at all, and it just feels more robust, with no flexing of the back. Google and HTC really need to get these build quality issues sorted, and quickly. It's really just not good enough on a tablet at this price point.
In conclusion..
After three years of tinkering with Android devices... rooting them, flashing Custom ROMs, etc, this is the first time I've ever rendered one unusable. Not technically hardbricked, in the classical sense, with a black unresponsive screen... but certainly unusable and very likely unrecoverable.
And it's caused me to reconsider the whole point of rooting Android, and unlocking bootloaders.
What are the benefits of doing so? And what are the attendant risks?
And is it worth it?
Of course, it you're rich, and you can afford to replace a bricked device, then maybe it is worth it. Or if you happen to have a no-quibble warranty, (at an additional price), as I did... then perhaps, also it might be worth it.
***
Android today, is a wholly different beast to what it was when I first came to it back in 2011...
...with GingerBread, HoneyComb and, later Ice Cream Sandwich. Then, there where very significant benefits to rooting and flashing Custom ROMs... but today, I'm not so sure it's really worth the hassle, or potential financial cost if things go wrong. And it's been my experience of technology, that things can sometimes go horribly wrong.
***
I rooted my Nexus 9, just so I could run Titanium... A great app, but I feel it's no longer as relevant as once was... and to run Greenify, the power saving app. But if Lollipop delivers on it's promise of improved battery performance, with the so called Project Volta, then maybe even Greenify will become less relevant. And the Greenify app devs. have made great strides forward in making Greenify work in non-rooted mode anyway... I know; I have it running on my unrooted HTC One M8.
Maybe, at some point in the future, I will unlock the bootloader again, and root my Nexus 9 again... but there is going to have to be a pretty compelling reason to do so... And right now, I can't think of one.
I'm just happy to have a Nexus 9 that works one again... and I'm not inclined to take any further chances with it.
Cheers all...
Rgrds,
Ged.
GedBlake said:
Hi, di11igaf...
Thanks for your response... And apologies for my late response. I took a few days off from Android; I just needed a break. (And I have a new Nexus 9).
Yep; whilst TWRP was bootlooping, ADB did work... certainly, ADB devices yielded a device serial number... but I had nothing to 'push'.
I had no Nandroid backups on my laptop, and no Custom ROM. zips to 'push'. (I don't even think there are any yet, for the Nexus 9).
And even if I did successfully ADB push something, TWRP was bootlooping.
TWRP was essentially just useless, other than acting as an ADB gateway.
***
Hi, demkantor...
Thanks for your offer of help... but I now have a new Nexus 9.
Still interested though, in what you have in mind, as I suspect this particular problem is going to rear it's ugly head again sometime in the future. As other Nexus 9 devices will likely befall a similar fate to my Nexus 9....
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, guys...
Thanks for your input, help and advice.
First, apologies for my language in my posts above. It's not often that I resort to expletives, even if disguised with asterisks. It was unbecoming of me, and I hope I didn't cause any offence.
On to the matter in hand...
After three days, I would dearly love to report that 'I fought the good fight', and discovered some ingenious method by which I resolved the problem... but alas I didn't.
The device continued to bootloop TWRP, and fastboot oem unlock continued to fail.
The bootloader itself was still accessible (by pressing & holding vol-down, followed by power on). This button press sequence, interrupted the bootlooping TWRP, and forced a reboot into the bootboader.
But the only real use for this, was to shut down the Nexus 9, as accessing fastboot was a sheer waste of time. With a locked and unlockable bootloader, nothing could be fastboot flashed.
The device was stuck, and with no way out.
A resolution.. but not a solution.
The Nexus 9 in question was actually bought for me, by a very close friend, for my 49th birthday on the 18th November. When she recently enquired how I was doing with it... well, as you can imagine, I was somewhat reluctant to admit that I'd screwed it up.
But eventually, and to my embarrassment, I admitted I'd made a bit of a pig's ear of it.
After she'd given me 'the look', and a sigh of exasperation, she revealed she'd also bought with it, a two year extended, no-quibble, anything-can-happens warranty. I have a similar warranty on my old Nexus 7, though I've never had any cause to avail myself of it on that older device. It adds about £80 to the price of the device. So, this morning, we both headed out to the local PC World from whence she bought the Nexus 9, and got it replaced: no questions asked.
So, I'm currently midway through setting it up again.
Needless to say, I won't be repeating the same mistake!
As it stands, right now, my replacement Nexus 9 is working just fine. And indeed, if it can be said that 'every cloud has a silver lining', it's that the replacement unit is actually 'better'. The original unit had some minor light bleed issues, and the back cover flexed inwards marginally. This new one has no lightbleed at all, and it just feels more robust, with no flexing of the back. Google and HTC really need to get these build quality issues sorted, and quickly. It's really just not good enough on a tablet at this price point.
In conclusion..
After three years of tinkering with Android devices... rooting them, flashing Custom ROMs, etc, this is the first time I've ever rendered one unusable. Not technically hardbricked, in the classical sense, with a black unresponsive screen... but certainly unusable and very likely unrecoverable.
And it's caused me to reconsider the whole point of rooting Android, and unlocking bootloaders.
What are the benefits of doing so? And what are the attendant risks?
And is it worth it?
Of course, it you're rich, and you can afford to replace a bricked device, then maybe it is worth it. Or if you happen to have a no-quibble warranty, (at an additional price), as I did... then perhaps, also it might be worth it.
***
Android today, is a wholly different beast to what it was when I first came to it back in 2011...
...with GingerBread, HoneyComb and, later Ice Cream Sandwich. Then, there where very significant benefits to rooting and flashing Custom ROMs... but today, I'm not so sure it's really worth the hassle, or potential financial cost if things go wrong. And it's been my experience of technology, that things can sometimes go horribly wrong.
***
I rooted my Nexus 9, just so I could run Titanium... A great app, but I feel it's no longer as relevant as once was... and to run Greenify, the power saving app. But if Lollipop delivers on it's promise of improved battery performance, with the so called Project Volta, then maybe even Greenify will become less relevant. And the Greenify app devs. have made great strides forward in making Greenify work in non-rooted mode anyway... I know; I have it running on my unrooted HTC One M8.
Maybe, at some point in the future, I will unlock the bootloader again, and root my Nexus 9 again... but there is going to have to be a pretty compelling reason to do so... And right now, I can't think of one.
I'm just happy to have a Nexus 9 that works one again... and I'm not inclined to take any further chances with it.
Cheers all...
Rgrds,
Ged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as you don't make the same 'mistake' again,(admittedly a mistake google should have considered before implementing the 'unlockable' flag) rooting/flashing a nexus is perfectly safe. If you stay unlocked, you can recover from anything. Performance with kernels and roms will continue to get better as the nexus 9s shortcomings are discovered and figured out. (There is a lot of new things with the 9-----lollipop, 64 bit architecture, etc). Personally I need root and an unlocked boot loader, but not everybody does.
Realistically with your device having access to a # adb shell your device was probably recoverable at the very least with 'dd', but you're back up so thats good. You paid for the no questions asked warranty and used it as designed as you should have, as much as it sucks at least you're back up.
Glad everything worked out for you.
GedBlake said:
Hi, di11igaf...
Thanks for your response... And apologies for my late response. I took a few days off from Android; I just needed a break. (And I have a new Nexus 9).
Yep; whilst TWRP was bootlooping, ADB did work... certainly, ADB devices yielded a device serial number... but I had nothing to 'push'.
I had no Nandroid backups on my laptop, and no Custom ROM. zips to 'push'. (I don't even think there are any yet, for the Nexus 9).
And even if I did successfully ADB push something, TWRP was bootlooping.
TWRP was essentially just useless, other than acting as an ADB gateway.
***
Hi, demkantor...
Thanks for your offer of help... but I now have a new Nexus 9.
Still interested though, in what you have in mind, as I suspect this particular problem is going to rear it's ugly head again sometime in the future. As other Nexus 9 devices will likely befall a similar fate to my Nexus 9....
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, guys...
Thanks for your input, help and advice.
First, apologies for my language in my posts above. It's not often that I resort to expletives, even if disguised with asterisks. It was unbecoming of me, and I hope I didn't cause any offence.
On to the matter in hand...
After three days, I would dearly love to report that 'I fought the good fight', and discovered some ingenious method by which I resolved the problem... but alas I didn't.
The device continued to bootloop TWRP, and fastboot oem unlock continued to fail.
The bootloader itself was still accessible (by pressing & holding vol-down, followed by power on). This button press sequence, interrupted the bootlooping TWRP, and forced a reboot into the bootboader.
But the only real use for this, was to shut down the Nexus 9, as accessing fastboot was a sheer waste of time. With a locked and unlockable bootloader, nothing could be fastboot flashed.
The device was stuck, and with no way out.
A resolution.. but not a solution.
The Nexus 9 in question was actually bought for me, by a very close friend, for my 49th birthday on the 18th November. When she recently enquired how I was doing with it... well, as you can imagine, I was somewhat reluctant to admit that I'd screwed it up.
But eventually, and to my embarrassment, I admitted I'd made a bit of a pig's ear of it.
After she'd given me 'the look', and a sigh of exasperation, she revealed she'd also bought with it, a two year extended, no-quibble, anything-can-happens warranty. I have a similar warranty on my old Nexus 7, though I've never had any cause to avail myself of it on that older device. It adds about £80 to the price of the device. So, this morning, we both headed out to the local PC World from whence she bought the Nexus 9, and got it replaced: no questions asked.
So, I'm currently midway through setting it up again.
Needless to say, I won't be repeating the same mistake!
As it stands, right now, my replacement Nexus 9 is working just fine. And indeed, if it can be said that 'every cloud has a silver lining', it's that the replacement unit is actually 'better'. The original unit had some minor light bleed issues, and the back cover flexed inwards marginally. This new one has no lightbleed at all, and it just feels more robust, with no flexing of the back. Google and HTC really need to get these build quality issues sorted, and quickly. It's really just not good enough on a tablet at this price point.
In conclusion..
After three years of tinkering with Android devices... rooting them, flashing Custom ROMs, etc, this is the first time I've ever rendered one unusable. Not technically hardbricked, in the classical sense, with a black unresponsive screen... but certainly unusable and very likely unrecoverable.
And it's caused me to reconsider the whole point of rooting Android, and unlocking bootloaders.
What are the benefits of doing so? And what are the attendant risks?
And is it worth it?
Of course, it you're rich, and you can afford to replace a bricked device, then maybe it is worth it. Or if you happen to have a no-quibble warranty, (at an additional price), as I did... then perhaps, also it might be worth it.
***
Android today, is a wholly different beast to what it was when I first came to it back in 2011...
...with GingerBread, HoneyComb and, later Ice Cream Sandwich. Then, there where very significant benefits to rooting and flashing Custom ROMs... but today, I'm not so sure it's really worth the hassle, or potential financial cost if things go wrong. And it's been my experience of technology, that things can sometimes go horribly wrong.
***
I rooted my Nexus 9, just so I could run Titanium... A great app, but I feel it's no longer as relevant as once was... and to run Greenify, the power saving app. But if Lollipop delivers on it's promise of improved battery performance, with the so called Project Volta, then maybe even Greenify will become less relevant. And the Greenify app devs. have made great strides forward in making Greenify work in non-rooted mode anyway... I know; I have it running on my unrooted HTC One M8.
Maybe, at some point in the future, I will unlock the bootloader again, and root my Nexus 9 again... but there is going to have to be a pretty compelling reason to do so... And right now, I can't think of one.
I'm just happy to have a Nexus 9 that works one again... and I'm not inclined to take any further chances with it.
Cheers all...
Rgrds,
Ged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you simply got a good scare off this story, losing a tablet for a checkbox unchecked is quite annoying.
I like to have the bootloader unlocked/s-off as soon as I get a device, so that I can do whatever I like with it the future. I personally couldn't live without root and custom roms, but I guess that my opinion could differ from yours
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Free mobile app
totalnoob34 said:
I think you simply got a good scare off this story, losing a tablet for a checkbox unchecked is quite annoying.
I like to have the bootloader unlocked/s-off as soon as I get a device, so that I can do whatever I like with it the future. I personally couldn't live without root and custom roms, but I guess that my opinion could differ from yours
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A good 'scare off' story is perhaps sometimes a good thing. It helps keep perspective. A 'chilling' perspective...
Rooting, unlocking bootloaders, and/or flashing custom roms/kernels/recoveries, etc... should, I think, NEVER be considered routine.
We're not talking about installing Angry Birds here... there is always going to be some element of risk to the device.
However, with all that said... I've decided that some valid points have been made... And so I have decided to bite the bullet, and root my replacement Nexus 9.
Currently backing everything up to my laptop...
I'm going to use CF-Auto root... And stay clear of TWRP. I have some suspicions that the presence of TWRP (which endlessly bootlooped), played some part in the previous debacle.
Hope my female friend, who bought me this device, doesn't learn that I'm messing with it again. She'll give me all kinds of hell if I screw it up again!!
Anyhow, signing off for now... progress report later.
Rgrds,
Ged.
Yay!!!! My Nexus 9 bootloader is now unlocked, and successfully rooted... and without problems.
I can now rest easy... .
Thanks once again, for everybodies input, help, advice and guidance.
Kind Rgrds,
Ged.
GedBlake said:
A good 'scare off' story is perhaps sometimes a good thing. It helps keep perspective. A 'chilling' perspective...
Rooting, unlocking bootloaders, and/or flashing custom roms/kernels/recoveries, etc... should, I think, NEVER be considered routine.
We're not talking about installing Angry Birds here... there is always going to be some element of risk to the device.
However, with all that said... I've decided that some valid points have been made... And so I have decided to bite the bullet, and root my replacement Nexus 9.
Currently backing everything up to my laptop...
I'm going to use CF-Auto root... And stay clear of TWRP. I have some suspicions that the presence of TWRP (which endlessly bootlooped), played some part in the previous debacle.
Hope my female friend, who bought me this device, doesn't learn that I'm messing with it again. She'll give me all kinds of hell if I screw it up again!!
Anyhow, signing off for now... progress report later.
Rgrds,
Ged.
Yay!!!! My Nexus 9 bootloader is now unlocked, and successfully rooted... and without problems.
I can now rest easy... .
Thanks once again, for everybodies input, help, advice and guidance.
Kind Rgrds,
Ged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my opinion, unlocking the bootloader and rooting is routine, on mine and on my close friends' phones. But, as I said, everyone is free to do whatever he likes with their device
I've always had bad luck with TWRP on my devices. I always use ClockworkMod recovery, even if someone specifically recommends TWRP for some task.
But don't be scared by this episode. From your post, you definitely know what you're doing and eventually hit a brick wall. Yeah, **** happens. It's an inherent risk of modding your device.
Just don't give up.
I just relocked mine prior to sending it back, however, I was stock.
I did a full wipe, then did a fastboot oem lock, then booted back into android, re-enabled Developer Options, disabled OEM Unlock option and wiped again - booted into setup screen no problem.
Now packed up ready to send back to Google.
StuMcBill said:
I just relocked mine prior to sending it back, however, I was stock.
I did a full wipe, then did a fastboot oem lock, then booted back into android, re-enabled Developer Options, disabled OEM Unlock option and wiped again - booted into setup screen no problem.
Now packed up ready to send back to Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that sounds like the logical proper order to do it.
Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the warning. So to sum it up, if we need to enable oem unlock, we should be in stock 100%. Right?
albsat said:
Thanks for the warning. So to sum it up, if we need to enable oem unlock, we should be in stock 100%. Right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, albsat...
Apologies it's taken me so long to respond, but with Christmas coming up, and helping out with family related stuff, I've not had much chance this past week to post stuff.
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Anyhow, to try to answer to your question...
Having thought long and hard about this problem... the problem isn't so much re-locking the bootloader with fastboot oem lock. I suspect this alone, shouldn't cause any problems.
It's the **Enable OEM unlock** setting in Developer Options, that is potentially dangerous.
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If Android (for whatever reason) won't boot, (bootlooping, for example), and if all other possible remedies fail... you would normally just (re)unlock the bootloader with fastboot oem unlock, and fastboot flash a factory image.
BUT THIS WILL NOT WORK, if the **Enable OEM unlock** setting in Developer Options has also been disabled.
If the device is soft-bricked at this point, and Android won't boot such that you cannot gain access to Developer Options (in order to re-enable that setting), then the device is permanently soft-bricked.
And there is nothing that can be done to rescue the device. And this was my earlier prediciment, as previously described.
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Let me see of if I can explain why I think this...
In a previous post on this thread, I wrote the following...
GedBlake said:
...anybody know what the setting **Enable OEM Unlock** in Developer Options actually sets.
What flag it sets?
In terms of the underlying operating system, this MUST JUST FLIP some binary state flag, such that...
There's gotta be some ADB command that will re-enable this, in the absence of a bootable version of Android.
Or some terminal command like a (dd=if>of command).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was largely just desperate optimism on my part, in the hope that somebody might know of some ADB or terminal command... but having recently read the OP in this thread, I now know that my attempts to unbrick my previous Nexus 9, was likely a hopeless cause.
If, and as I suspect, the **Enable OEM unlock** setting in Developer Options, is an additional layer of security, then it probably CANNOT be circumvented by some ADB or terminal command.
It wouldn't be much of a security measure if it was that easy!!
Consider the following hypothetical scenario...
"Let's suppose a guy, a regular non-techy kind of guy, buys a brand new Nexus 9 tomorrow. Now, this guy knows nothing about fastboot or factory stock images or any of that stuff. Developer Options, by default, is hidden to him, 'cos he doesn't know you need to tap 7 times on the build number... And so, consequently also, the **Enable OEM unlock** setting is also hidden and by default, it's disabled.
He doesn't know this, and from his point of view, he doesn't want or need to know this. He just wants a nice tablet for browsing the web, checking his emails, posting on Twitter or Facebook, and maybe playing the occasional game. So he takes his new purchase home, and sets it up... with WiFi key and Google Account details, etc. He installs some apps from PlayStore, and copies over his music/pics/documents and other stuff from his laptop.
**But he's a security minded guy, so he decides to set a LOCK PATTERN or PIN NUMBER on his lock screen.**
One day, whilst going to work, he absent mindedly leaves his Nexus 9 on the train... which is then subsequently found by somebody who is not entirely honest. Instead of turning it into the police or the train stations lost property office, this scurrilous individual decides to keep the tablet for himself. He sees the device is PIN or PATTERN locked, but being a bit of an Android expert, he's non too worried about this. All he has to do, is unlock the bootloader and fastboot flash a factory stock image, and the stolen device will be his...
...Or so he thinks!!!
His first stumbling block (and upon which successfully flashing a factory stock image depends), is first unlocking the bootloader... and which of course will fail, because the lawful owner NEVER enabled **Enable OEM unlock** in Developer Options. Indeed, he wasn't even aware that such a setting existed. And our opportunist thief cannot boot Android in order to enable this setting, because he is not in possession of the LOCK PATTERN or PIN CODE required to get past the lock screen.
He is in possession of a useless tablet."
So, in this scenario... the setting **Enable OEM unlock** in Developer Options, has served it's purpose, in rendering the Nexus 9 useless to somebody who has no lawful right to it, and why I think that there was no possible way of salvaging my original Nexus 9. Any such method would undermine the whole point of it.
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So, in conclusion...
Re-locking the bootloader is probably safe... The danger is ALSO, AND AT THE SAME TIME disabling the **Enable OEM unlock** option in Developer Options... and is risky, as you're potentially disallowing the bootloader from EVER being unlocked again.
And if Android won't boot... FOR WHATEVER REASON, there is NO WAY of re-enabling that setting.
So, once you've enabled it, my advice is to NEVER disable it... regardless of what you do with the bootloader lock state.
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Anyhow, I hope my lengthy post sheds some light on all of this... And is of assistence to whomever has the patience to read the whole damn thing.
Sorry, but I do tend to waffle on at times.
Kind Rgrds,
Ged.
My case is similar, the only difference is that I never changed the recovery. After a few days of it working ok, at the startup it just stays at the Google logo.
Tried a Factory Reset and Wipe and not yet a single change. Next step would be to just flash the stock ROM, but wait! Developer Options was never enabled nor was Enable OEM Unlock.
I bought this $450 tablet in the US and I live in Brazil and now I cannot even return it. This is how dumb the decision to add this toggle was. And I tought Google made the device for developers.
dirceucorsetti said:
My case is similar, the only difference is that I never changed the recovery. After a few days of it working ok, at the startup it just stays at the Google logo.
Tried a Factory Reset and Wipe and not yet a single change. Next step would be to just flash the stock ROM, but wait! Developer Options was never enabled nor was Enable OEM Unlock.
I bought this $450 tablet in the US and I live in Brazil and now I cannot even return it. This is how dumb the decision to add this toggle was. And I tought Google made the device for developers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're fine. Just find the factory update.zip and install it via factory recovery, along with a userdata wipe.
After a few tries the factory reset was well succeeded. Thanks for the info though. I had no knowledge that I could flash the stock version via factory recovery. I guess I'm back to the noob pack.
Same just happened to me and I'm stuck. Is there any way to even use TWRP? I can boot into it but it can't mount storage which makes it useless afaik. I was running stock rom and everything except recovery..
You still have no answer to your problem?
Edit: after trying factory reset through the bootloader the recovery won't boot anymore..