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I am looking at a good price on a Thunderbolt, but it is stuck at the HTC screen.
From poking around this forum it looks like there is a good chance I could fix it.
Any thoughts as to odds that this is a brick and not fixable?
there is a good chance that its fixable, yes. I have seen Thunderbolt's average $200 on craigslist(heck, have even seen Bionic's for $250)... so, the fact that there is something wrong with it I wouldn't offer more then $150.. actually, even that is a tad high.
Cool - getting it for $100.
Looks like even a brick sells for 70-100 on ebay so I think it is a risk worth taking.
Thanks for the help!
Just picked the phone up - it looks brand new. Even got the 32GB memory card!
The guy I bought it from worked in a Verizon store and said it was not rooted.
When I do the volume down during power up I can get into the boot loader.
Charging now and off to search the forums for next steps, but any suggestion would be much appreciated.
Sorry relatively new to HTCs
If you can get into the bootloader that's a good sign. Find a ROM that looks good, which includes a radio. Load that into the top level of your microSD card and make sure it is called UPDATE.ZIP.
Go ahead and boot into the bootloader and flash the new ROM and see if you get into the O/S this time.
Does it have the sim card still in there?
Robert
Yes still has SIM card
Looking for a ROM now
Will this work?
PG05IMG_Mecha_VERIZON_WWE_1.12.605.6_Radio_1. 16.0 0.0223r_NV_8k_1.41_9k_1.64_release_174685_signed.zip
Renamed to PG05IMG no update
Edit didn't work - says this one is older than current.
Looking for a newer rom...
if you haven't already looked at it, there's a virtual shopping list of ROMs over in the Development subforum.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1249328
Personally, I like Sense so I would suggest either one of the hybrids or the Sense 3.0 ROMs. Pay attention to installation info and radio requirements.
Unfortunately, I cannot tell from all that gobbledygook numbers and letters how old that is. I am sure someone else here will be able to.
Good luck!
Robert
You can't downgrade unless you are rooted, you can only flash upgrades only one you maybe be able to flash is 2.11.605.5 if your phone is not there already.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Got 2.11.605.5 stock to load! Now to call VZW!
Thanks for the help guys!
EDIT - Oh wait - now to see about rooting!
Just wanted to drop a line as a new Motorola Photon owner.
I have been an XDA member for years and owned multiple devices. The Photon is replacing a HTC Shift. I additionally own a Sony S tablet.
Enjoying this new device!
dtaylorr said:
Just wanted to drop a line as a new Motorola Photon owner.
I have been an XDA member for years and owned multiple devices. The Photon is replacing a HTC Shift. I additionally own a Sony S tablet.
Enjoying this new device!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to the Photon community!
Yea, welcome to the Family!
Welcome! I'm new too. Long time lurker, brand new poster. I have the Motorola Electrify, which is basically the same as the photon with some slightly different software, and no 4G =(. If you see people saying things like "Will you make an Electrify Version?" or "Does this work on Electrify?" That's just because the Photon and Electrify are so similar that making two forums is kind of silly. Unfortunately for me, my BL is locked, but I believe all versions of the Photon can be unlocked, so if Custom ROMs tickle your fancy, you're in luck!
Iorchova said:
Unfortunately for me, my BL is locked, but I believe all versions of the Photon can be unlocked, so if Custom ROMs tickle your fancy, you're in luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would not say unfortunate, I was unlocked and custom for months. 2/15/2012 I went bone stock and never looked back!!! MotoBLUR is not the best, but play with it long enough and you get things where you want them, you become confortable? Matter fact, if you put 10 photons side-by-side, I could pick mine on the first try!
dsims7_2000 said:
I would not say unfortunate, I was unlocked and custom for months. 2/15/2012 I went bone stock and never looked back!!! MotoBLUR is not the best, but play with it long enough and you get things where you want them, you become confortable? Matter fact, if you put 10 photons side-by-side, I could pick mine on the first try!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I'm mostly fine with stock. I love it honestly. I just want to remove anything that's tracking me (a root should probably help with that) and to replace webtop with Ubuntop or Webtop+ (I'm still researching this.). I wouldn't mind switching to a custom rom if it still offered the full encryption, improved Exchange connectivity and the ability to get a real read on my extended battery.
I don't mean to hijack the thread, I just finally found a post with someone that likes stock and may know enough to be able to compare both or at least help me out in my searching.
srkelley said:
I don't mean to hijack the thread, I just finally found a post with someone that likes stock and may know enough to be able to compare both or at least help me out in my searching.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see it as jacking, I see it as a "one shop stop" for a new member and bring them up to speed on a few items/post that may interest them.
The encryption/tracking issue has been around for some time. Personally, I dont care. I go to work, home, maybe the grocery store, mall sometimes, and law enforcement is not looking for me (I dont think). secondly, once all carriers ditch CarrierIQ (is that the company that did their tracking?, that pretty much eased some mines. Personally, my GPS and WiFi (unless I need it) are off, you may get close off cell phone tower, but exactly where I am...............
As for Stock, ROM's gave me a headache. One day the phone worked, next it did not, would get home and it was working again? When I finally decided to put it back, I made a serious effort to see what stock had to offer, 2 days later I was happy and decided to dig deeper. Yes, I have a lot of bloatware, I just don't use it! Matter fact, I really don't hit the "App's" icon. Everything I do on a normal is on one of the Panels that I can find easily. But since I use the phone so much, if I'm in e-mail and I want to chack my bank, I just press and hold the home button and the last 10 current apps come up anyway, then I open the bank.
Thanks everyone.
I am a heavy modder, and spent 5 hours the first night I had my Photon downloading apps and setting up everything the way I like.
dtaylorr said:
Thanks everyone.
I am a heavy modder, and spent 5 hours the first night I had my Photon downloading apps and setting up everything the way I like.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
F.Y.I., downloading apps and setting everything up and modding are apples and oranges. Like srkelley and I, I have downloading apps and set everything up, stock! (matter fact, at one point I had 230+ apps, broke that down to less than 60!
Modding = Rooting (gaining Admin Rights to root directory) and unlocking (kicking Sprint to the door and taking control of your phone to do anything you damm well please, Like blowing away SprintNSCAR and installing whatever you want!)
dsims7_2000 said:
I don't see it as jacking, I see it as a "one shop stop" for a new member and bring them up to speed on a few items/post that may interest them.
The encryption/tracking issue has been around for some time. Personally, I dont care. I go to work, home, maybe the grocery store, mall sometimes, and law enforcement is not looking for me (I dont think). secondly, once all carriers ditch CarrierIQ (is that the company that did their tracking?, that pretty much eased some mines. Personally, my GPS and WiFi (unless I need it) are off, you may get close off cell phone tower, but exactly where I am...............
As for Stock, ROM's gave me a headache. One day the phone worked, next it did not, would get home and it was working again? When I finally decided to put it back, I made a serious effort to see what stock had to offer, 2 days later I was happy and decided to dig deeper. Yes, I have a lot of bloatware, I just don't use it! Matter fact, I really don't hit the "App's" icon. Everything I do on a normal is on one of the Panels that I can find easily. But since I use the phone so much, if I'm in e-mail and I want to chack my bank, I just press and hold the home button and the last 10 current apps come up anyway, then I open the bank.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you.
I'm too boring for big brother, but if anything were to ever occur then I'd like to make things as difficult as possible for them legally. I just don't like people going through my stuff but pretty much have to accept that it happens in our lives now. Not without a fight and exercising all of my rights though!
I'm probably going to back up stock and try something else for a while. I honestly don't feel limited in stock, just in Webtop. If I'm going to really go through with modifying anything then I may try underclocking the processor to see if I can get better battery life without losing performance in regular use. I don't do anything too taxing on the phone so it's power is mostly wasted on me outside of keeping things smooth.
hello
Welcome,have you unlocked and rooted?
Hi,
I also bought it few days back and I have rooted it and installed CWM too. My photon is unlocked meaning I can put any operators sim and use it. I am now in India and using it with Tata Docomo.
If I change the rom, do I have to unlock it again or it will stay unlocked forever ?
Thanks.
kikloo said:
Hi,
I also bought it few days back and I have rooted it and installed CWM too. My photon is unlocked meaning I can put any operators sim and use it. I am now in India and using it with Tata Docomo.
If I change the rom, do I have to unlock it again or it will stay unlocked forever ?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You've unlocked the bootloader, so you can install custom ROMs, kernels, etc.
GSM isn't locked unless you are in the US, its a world phone.
Another Electrify user here, but I'm neither new here, nor new to the device. I've had it for a little over 4 months now. And I will never go back to stock. Screw that. The closest I will consider going is CM7.2. CyanogenMod+Gingerbread. I really don't want to downgrade from ICS, though. It's too nice. I will admit part of the thrill is having something most others (93% of Android users!) do not, but I genuinely like it on its own as well. I just got a huge performance increase going from stock to Joker's CM9, and ICS requires more resources than Gingerbread. Yet the phone runs faster? How does THAT work? It's because of bloatware. And Blur is just terribad. I imagine CM7.2 would be pretty slick since it doesn't require the power of ICS and has all the crap from Blur removed.
kikloo said:
If I change the rom, do I have to unlock it again or it will stay unlocked forever ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope! If you unlock the bootloader, it's unlocked. Flashing ROMs doesn't touch the bootloader. To re-lock the bootloader you would have to flash a locked bootloader. I haven't heard of anybody doing that, though.
Hello Community,
I bought a prime today due to my screen was accidentally broken on my other 10" tablet that was a Tegra 2 device. It was going to cost almost $200 to replace the glass myself and I found and paid $200 for my 32 GB Prime. From what I've read this tablet has a lot of potential once rooted and custom rom installed.
The tablet has 4.1.1 and today when I logged on it updated to the latest firmware.
The question I have is, does it matter whether I leave the bootloader locked or is it better to unlock when installing a custom rom. I don't care about warranty.
I'm looking at energy or wooki rooms to install. This is the first android device I've owned that I had to do something with the bootloader. What I don't want to do is do something that is not needed and brick it. I've read about the motochopper method and then I read a different method that goes through the unlocking process. I just need some feedback on what is better choice?
This is the guide I think is the one to follow→ http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2147972. Is this the best method?
Thanks for any suggestions. I always try to ask the members before I start just to make sure i'm on the correct path.
Btw, what is the deal with only one speaker. I know I read about it before I bought it, I thought it was just a misprint. The volume is not loud enough on most tablets with 2 speakers let alone one. bang head on wall.... Are there any good sound mods available to flash?
I always hate the first time I time I root a new device and feel like a noob all over again. The last device I rooted was my Galaxy S3, that took all of 5 minutes to do everything. I found out I liked scripts.
Thanks again..
Todd
Sent from my AT100 using xda premium
tmjohnsonfse said:
Hello Community,
I bought a prime today due to my screen was accidentally broken on my other 10" tablet that was a Tegra 2 device. It was going to cost almost $200 to replace the glass myself and I found and paid $200 for my 32 GB Prime. From what I've read this tablet has a lot of potential once rooted and custom rom installed.
The tablet has 4.1.1 and today when I logged on it updated to the latest firmware.
The question I have is, does it matter whether I leave the bootloader locked or is it better to unlock when installing a custom rom. I don't care about warranty.
I'm looking at energy or wooki rooms to install. This is the first android device I've owned that I had to do something with the bootloader. What I don't want to do is do something that is not needed and brick it. I've read about the motochopper method and then I read a different method that goes through the unlocking process. I just need some feedback on what is better choice?
This is the guide I think is the one to follow→ http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2147972. Is this the best method?
Thanks for any suggestions. I always try to ask the members before I start just to make sure i'm on the correct path.
Btw, what is the deal with only one speaker. I know I read about it before I bought it, I thought it was just a misprint. The volume is not loud enough on most tablets with 2 speakers let alone one. bang head on wall.... Are there any good sound mods available to flash?
I always hate the first time I time I root a new device and feel like a noob all over again. The last device I rooted was my Galaxy S3, that took all of 5 minutes to do everything. I found out I liked scripts.
Thanks again..
Todd
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You cannot install a custom rom without unlocking.
Rooting does what it says. It gives the tablet root privelages (su) but that does not allow you to install a custom recovery that will allow you to install a custom rom.
Thanks that is what I needed to know. On my other devices I didn't worry about unlocking the boot loader. But, now i know that it needs to be unlocked.
Thanks.
Sent from my AT100 using xda premium
So I picked up my VZW GS4 yesterday from Best Buy. I was out to dinner with my cousin, and the battery died (after a full day of very heavy usage). I tried to turn it back on to check something quickly, and when I did, the Samsung boot screen showed the unlocked bootloader symbol, with the words custom underneath it. I thought I was crazy and seeing things, so I rebooted again, and it was still there. Has anyone else run into this? I find it hard to believe that my bootloader just randomly unlocked itself.
I attached an image so people can tell me if that really is what it seems. Let me know if anyone has any idea what is going on.
Achievement unlocked!
Hey, less work for you in the end. (if you like to flash and rom that is)
I say Congrats!
Did you root and not flash the original kernel back on?
vanydotk said:
Did you root and not flash the original kernel back on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. I had decided not to fiddle with anything until I decided how I liked the stock Touchwiz UI. I had the GNex before this, and messed with that to my hearts content, running clockworkmod recovery and cyanogenmod 10.1., but was waiting to try anything on this. That's why I'm confused, I've done absolutely nothing to it to customization wise. I haven't even set a wallpaper yet lol.
Maybe they shipped you a dev unit. Wouldn't be the first time lol
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2
shuddle13 said:
So I picked up my VZW GS4 yesterday from Best Buy. I was out to dinner with my cousin, and the battery died (after a full day of very heavy usage). I tried to turn it back on to check something quickly, and when I did, the Samsung boot screen showed the unlocked bootloader symbol, with the words custom underneath it. I thought I was crazy and seeing things, so I rebooted again, and it was still there. Has anyone else run into this? I find it hard to believe that my bootloader just randomly unlocked itself.
I attached an image so people can tell me if that really is what it seems. Let me know if anyone has any idea what is going on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's awesome, lucky you
If I got a dev edition, that is awesome :laugh:, saves me a lot of work down the road if I decide to run a custom rom. I swear I had rebooted it at least once (I feel like it might have been 2 or 3 times) prior to this, and don't remember it being there before. But now I'm second guessing myself - maybe I hadn't rebooted up to that point, or I did and just didn't notice it. That's what is throwing me off more than anything, I thought it just happened randomly, which I found hard to believe considering the amount of work that goes into finding a way to unlock a phone's bootloader.
So this leads me to a more important question. As I said earlier, I planned on keeping stock rom with Touchwiz for now (I know how many people feel about it, please don't give me 20 replies telling me how awful it is) but my main concern at this point is that I'm getting the bootloader unlocked symbol, and the word custom. When I go into settings and check the info on my phone, it tells me that device status is 'custom'. Now, correct me if I am wrong (but I'm fairly certain I'm not) I won't be able to get any OTA updates, because it will read my device as custom - and this is where I'm fairly certain something wonkey has happened, because I remember playing around in settings yesterday and seeing that it said device status 'official'. Basically, any speculation as to what the heck might happened (it isn't something any app could have done either, if that's even possible. I'm still setting up the device and barely have anything on there, and certainly not anything that would cause my phone to say custom) and any way at this point to get it back to device status official? I know a root method had just been released, but I wasn't sure about unroot.
That is not indicating an unlocked bootloader. Your phone has been rooted and the person that did it either did not odin back to the stock kernel or he flashed a custom recovery.
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Questions and Help issues go in Q&A and Help section
Thread moved
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brizey said:
That is not indicating an unlocked bootloader. Your phone has been rooted and the person that did it either did not odin back to the stock kernel or he flashed a custom recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same screen out if the box. So I decided to root and install cwm but it failed. Reading more they say it fails because the locked boot loader. So I'm confused
After rooting i flashed the stock kernel back. And that screen as seen in the first screenshot has not changed..
What do you think?
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2
brizey said:
That is not indicating an unlocked bootloader. Your phone has been rooted and the person that did it either did not odin back to the stock kernel or he flashed a custom recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I'd go with my phone being rooted, which doesn't really make sense unless someone at the Samsung Factory rooted it before sending it out, except I have a weird development. I pulled the sd card I bought (64GB Samsung Pro MicroSDXC Extreme Speed (UHS-1) Class 10 Memory Card), from Amazon directly, not a retailer on Amazon) turned it back on, and now I'm not getting the unlocked symbol and device status is back to official. I rebooted, turned it off, did a battery pull, and turned it back on, every combination of restarting the device I could think of, and every time it says official. I put the memory card back in, and at first it says official. Then I reboot, and it goes back to being unlocked and custom. Going to try formatting the SD card to see where that gets me, but at this point, it makes no sense to me.
I flashed back to the stock kernel after flashing the exploit one and I have the same screen on start up. Not sure why but it doesn't really bother me.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda premium
Since rooting I've randomly had that screen too. I just rebooted and didn't have it this time. No clue what's going on.
I tested the memory card theory, and that is in fact the problem. Tried formatting it, but it still causes my phone to read custom. Not sure if it is a faulty memory card, if the phone can't read this type of memory card (I know some devices can't read SDXC UHS-1 cards, but I thought I researched and the S4 should), or it's a software issue with the phone that needs patched. I'm leaning toward the last one, but got in touch with Amazon and they are sending me a replacement card. Will update once I get the new card. If anyone else is experiencing the same or similar issues, or has any idea what is going on, I would appreciate the input. Like I said before, it's not a major issue until I need to do an OTA update. At that point, worst case scenario, if the problem isn't fixed, I can always just pull the memory card. But don't want to go through the hassle if I can pinpoint the problem and fix it.
shuddle13 said:
I tested the memory card theory, and that is in fact the problem. Tried formatting it, but it still causes my phone to read custom. Not sure if it is a faulty memory card, if the phone can't read this type of memory card (I know some devices can't read SDXC UHS-1 cards, but I thought I researched and the S4 should), or it's a software issue with the phone that needs patched. I'm leaning toward the last one, but got in touch with Amazon and they are sending me a replacement card. Will update once I get the new card. If anyone else is experiencing the same or similar issues, or has any idea what is going on, I would appreciate the input. Like I said before, it's not a major issue until I need to do an OTA update. At that point, worst case scenario, if the problem isn't fixed, I can always just pull the memory card. But don't want to go through the hassle if I can pinpoint the problem and fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's weird, my 32gb sandisk microsd doesn't effect it.
Have the same issue with the lock showing on bootscreen randomly. I haven't tried this morning but I think I am on something. Setup a link with foldermount, something from internal memory to the SD card. After a reboot and foldermount sets up the link at boot up, reboot and see if you get the lock /custom boot screen
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda premium
I have the same issue and have another thread going on it. It said it once when reboot and device status changes from custom to original randomly in settings. Bought the phone brand new from Verizon yesterday.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Very odd. I get that now, but I rooted to get it.
Root has nothing to do with being unlocked though therefor I think it would do it bone stock like mine as well.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
So, I have the sch-i545 with the me7 update. It was preinstalled on my replacement phone so there was nothing I could do to prevent this predicament(other than not breaking my phone and needing a replacement in the first place...boo) Anyways, I have been considering replacing this phone one way or another and I was looking for any advice from the community here at XDA on a suitable replacement. I love the seemingly endless power of this device and don't really want anything less. I have heard a few things about the Note 3 but I was wondering if that would even be worth getting due to the way Samsung and Verizon are cracking down on locking their bootloaders. Will the Note 3 have this same problem? Are there any similarly powered phones comparable to the s4? Money is definitely an object for this endeavor so keep that in mind. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Sucks to hear you had me7 pre-installed. The only suggestion I can make is do an insurance claim and said you lost the device. When you get a replacement, if the replacement has the mdk firmware, root it fast and set it up. Then say a good samaritan returned your phone. This will at least allow for you to have a clean esn and you can sell the phone if you don't want it.
Rooted S4
I've got no suggestions for a phone that's out right now that is better.
If root and recovery are attainable on the Note 3 I will be buying it when it comes out. No reason for me to get a phone I can't build things for. But the note 3 sounds like it's going to be disgustingly fast and perfect in every way... unless it never gets root and recovery. :good:
I'd like an unlocked bootloader but that alone won't stop me from buying it.
Customs roms are cool and all. But when I had my gs3 root was enough for me. I didnt even run a custom launcher because Tw was responsive enough imo and had basically every feature I wanted in a launcher, about the only thing I wanted was the ability to create folders in the app drawer. I had ran the phone stock rooted for close to a year before installing synergy on it, then my wife got it when I upgraded to the gs4. I know this probably isnt an answer you wanted to read but I wanted to throw in my .02 about only having root.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2
Root alone is alright with me for now but I really would like to run a custom recovery on my phone so I can get back on the Hyperdrive ROM. Call it laziness but there are some mods that I really don't enjoy going through all the work of manually applying them when flashing is so much easier/quicker. I have been researching the Ubuntu Edge which looks promising. The Note 3 looks incredible and if I can find a buyer for my s4 I will likely be switching regardless of the bootloader/recovery situation.