Howdies all!
So I'm a total newbie to Android (my first smartphone, in fact) and have only ever had to deal with an iTouch; as such I'm having a few problems trying to root my HOX+, though they're mostly due to indecision.
I was wondering if it would be possible to root my stock ROM and keep that ROM installed, and still be able to use my phone normally (with the bootloader unlocked I'm stuck in Airplane Mode, and with it relocked I get stuck in a bootloop)?
I've been able to back up my original ROM - version 1.17.206.1 (O2 UK), and I have SuperSU installed. Would the correct course of action here be to simply relock the bootloader and flash the ROM, or is it not possible to keep the stock ROM on a rooted phone? If I've got the steps wrong, could someone please notify me of the correct procedure, if it is at all possible?
Though before I'm asked - I'm sticking with the stock ROM as it's what I'm currently comfortable with - the custom ROMs I've looked at feel a bit too buggy for me (being new to this and all).
I will also upload my stock ROM backup to a file share site if anybody requires it (I've seen a few threads asking, though I'm unsure if those issues were ever resolved).
Thanks for your time.
EDIT: I feel I may have put this thread in the wrong forum, my apologies if this is the case.
Hello guys,
Firstly I would like to inform you that my device is coming in 2 days from now and I would like to take it out of the box and root ASAP, since i cannot live without root since my first galaxy S.
Not knowing Sony's devices I have been reeding quite alot, but all I got was confused.
I've read all sorts of rooting without and with locked bootloader. The bootloader concept is not new to me, since i've had a HTC One m7 5 months ago, so that part I got.
What I do not realize is how come you lose certain rights or apps, or whatever when you unlock the bootloader, but i know you can backup the "TA partition", for whatever that is worth. But, that if i onlyroot i do not need flashing it and if i unlock the bootloader i cannot flash it or it will brick it, meaning i can only really use it on bootloader re-lock, which, again, is a familiar concept to me.
Now, for what matters, and i am sorry for probably repeating the subject, I would like to know the following thigs, if you are ever so kind:
- what is the difference between the FW .55/.69 to the 402 and is it worth not rooting (since i will not be unlocking my BL)?
- how do I get the drivers and what do i need to root it (i prefer the easiest, safest and fastest methodthat is motly or all automatic)?
- can I install any kind of recovery (preferably TWRP, since i used it i've deemed cwm dead) whilst BL locked?
- can i install custom roms on a locked bootloader if the rom does NOT come with kernel changes?
I thank you again for your kindness and patience for my questions, since I know well how boring it can get repeating yourself on Q&A
Hi.
I just got my Xperia Z2 the day before yesterday, and it hasn't been even 15 hours since I rooted my device. And it is my first sony too. I came from Galaxy note ( original) and the rooting process was very different. So I don't know many of your questions and the ones I do now, I'm not sure about.
First I think you can root without unlocking your bootloader and then backup your TA and then unlock and upgrade too a custom build of 402. If your device is on 55/69 you can use Z2 exploit ( I think it was by doomlord.) which root and make a backup of TA. I gained root by this method. then if you ever wanted your bootloader too be like day 1, you can with your TA backup.
as for the drivers, I found a package containing every driver I needed. I don't remember the domain I download it from, but the file name is Flashtool-drivers-1.5-20140318 . I think you can search and find it.
*Okay, before I explain what is going on with my phone I just want to say I am good with phones and understand them I just have trouble sometimes with them, which everybody does, but everything I know I learned on my own.*
* PHONE DETAILS- LG OPTIMUS Q LGL55C, ANDROID VERSION 2.3.4*
*Before we start, my port on my phone where the charger goes into is completely fried,(We will not get into that discussion... Lol), So no USB work.*
I have a LG Optimus Q lgl55c. I know a lot about root, and as you can assume since I said that, my phone is rooted. I successfully rooted my phone, that was no problem, but I started to look into more about what the phone is actually capable of. I looked into it and did some research. What I found out is I can go deeper with my phone and have a better user friendly experience with it. ROM's!!!! We all know and love them, but what I actually learned about is unlocking the bootloader. I know this is a long thread but I am sure one of you tech geeks can help me. Well as you read above my USB port is not functioning so I can not unlock the bootloader from a PC. Also the reason why I am bringing this up before I get into the main subject is because I have no idea if this has anything to do with my biggest problem. I have no clue what version my bootloader is right now, so I do not want to use the ez-unlock app which only supports certain versions of bootloader( I do not want to brick my device ). My first topic question- "Is there any way to unlock my bootloader without a PC and have a slighter chance of getting bricked?"
On forth to the main problem!!!!!
ROM's are the best thing in my opinion on mobile phones. I did some research and learned about flashing ROM's to change the OS and also flashing custom recoveries such as ClockWorkMod. What I did, since I can not use USB, was I researched some ways to install or, more commonly know as, flash ClockWorkMod onto my phone.The most common way I found was to install ROM Manager from the Google Play Store and flash it onto your device from there. I did all of that correctly but when I click reboot to recovery or go there manually I always get the stock recovery boot screen. I also tried the rename the files method, but the files that I was suppose to rename was no where to be found. I have tried so many things. I really want to flash ROM's onto my device. So my next question is- "Does this have anything to do with my bootloader being locked?" "Am I doing something wrong?" "Is it possible to do without a PC?" -and last but not least-"Does those missing files have anything to do with it?"
So basically my main problem is-
Is it possible, if yes, am I missing anything I have not done?
Reply ASAP, Yours Truly AndroidDisectorGeek!
Hey guys,
so I thought about getting a Redmi note 3 Pro since my wileyfox swift broke.
I am a person that "needs" his phone rooted for adaway and viper audio. I also like CyanogenMod a lot.
After reading through a lot of threds here I got kind of confused and I am really sorry for the dumb questions following.
So what exactly do I have to do to get my phone unlocked rooted and maybe install CM (if it is stable enough).
And there seem to be quite many MIUI Roms out there. what is the difference between all these "global", "eu" and stable or developer versions?
Thanks in advance.
EDIT: Also I read that I can change MIUI Roms with locked bootloader. Can someone explain this?
First the firmware
Global rom is intended for worldwide use (has google play store installed, and other google apps)
China rom is for the chinese and has mostly china specific apps / china app store
Developer rom is usually the latest MIUI version so it could be buggy and is intended for testing
Stable rom is been thoroughly tested and is thought to be the most stable and reliable rom.
Vendor rom is a very stable rom given to sellers to flash for international buyers, most users would never notice, however for enthusiasts it can cause problems getting the device unlocked since it's not identified by the unlock tool, causing users to have to go through a semi-difficult process getting it back to the stable or developer firmware so we can properly unlock it.
(if you do buy one I suggest you ask them to send one with the Chinese firmware since they are easier to flash and unlock)
then there is the eu/smiui roms which are built form the official source but they are 3rd party firmwares, just compiled by someone else maybe with additional features or tweaks.
For the bootloader there is several ways to unofficially unlock it but they are risky, I won't go into that since it should be only as a last resort.
to request xiaomi to unlock your device you go to this website
http://en.miui.com/unlock/
fill out the required information, sign up for an account (you need to use a phone number you can receive sms messages on), and in a few days they usually grant permission, remember your username / email and password since you will need it later when you unlock it., then download the unlock tool, boot your phone to fast boot and then press unlock on the tool, and it should unlock (unless you have the troublesome vendor firmware), if unlocked now you can install twrp / cm13 / root / xposed ..etc
--
you can flash the official miui roms with the locked bootloader
Just to add, if you get an international version of the phone (Special Edition, codename Kate) then the bootloader unlock process does not seem to work at all. I had to resort to an unofficial unlock after trying for over a week (and I'm not new to this).
I would wait. I rely on my phone and mine stopped charging after 10 days. Followed all the silly guides about flashing this, flashing that. Only time phone is recognised is in fast boot mode but no charge. Now my phone is dead and Xiaomi support is nowhere to be seen. They said they will contact me in 24h and its been 3 days.
If you really rely on your phone then please buy a phone that has real customer support. Best case scenario you have to send phone to China and worst case scenario you have to buy a new phone.
otyg said:
Vendor rom is a very stable rom given to sellers to flash for international buyers, most users would never notice, however for enthusiasts it can cause problems getting the device unlocked since it's not identified by the unlock tool, causing users to have to go through a semi-difficult process getting it back to the stable or developer firmware so we can properly unlock it.
(if you do buy one I suggest you ask them to send one with the Chinese firmware since they are easier to flash and unlock)
....
For the bootloader there is several ways to unofficially unlock it but they are risky, I won't go into that since it should be only as a last resort.
to request xiaomi to unlock your device you go to this website
http://en.miui.com/unlock/
....
....boot your phone to fast boot and then press unlock on the tool, and it should unlock (unless you have the troublesome vendor firmware), if unlocked now you can install twrp / cm13 / root / xposed ..etc
--
you can flash the official miui roms with the locked bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought for my parents 2 Redmi 3 for them to enjoy. I know vendors hinder with the Rom so I usually ask to keep the phone on its original chinese Rom when i buy for myself or for my wife.
However this time I made a mistake thinking that who needs OTA for my parents and i ordered it as it is.
Turned out all google services stops working in the next day whatever I do (reboots, resets, formats, etc...).
I tried flashing via updater app the global rom, it failed.
I tried flashing by rebooting to recovery, it didnt reboot to recovery.
I tried some other stuff which failed.
I downloaded xiaomi unlock tool, signed in, and tried to unlock the bootloader. It didn't work.
I read somehow on miui forums that it's probably a driver issue (something about disabling signature which i'm not familiar with).
Can you please help me?! What to do now? Steps or a guide would be awesome.
Thanks,
Hello everyone,
tl;dr version
What's the best way to install a custom rom on the Redmi Note 3 out of the box with a locked bootloader. What is the best rom to use for maximum functionality.
I have been following these forums for a while, but haven't got around to creating an account and posting. I'm new to flashing roms, and my experience goes as far as following guides to flash a Samsung S4, and a Samsung S2. The Samsung phones were really easy to flash, and I just followed guides in a robotic way without ever actually learning anything. For the record, CM12 on the Samsung S2, which I'm using because I smashed my S4, is absolutely unbelievable in regards to the increase of performance.
One of my work friends was telling me that he has a mate who bought a Chinese phone really cheap and flashed it. Getting excited, knowing exactly where I need to look to flash a phone, I impulsively researched these phones and bought a Redmi Note 3 for $173 AUD. It's on the way in the mail. Having looked at the hardware specs, this price is absolutely ridiculous. I was more swayed to buy the Redmi Note 3, because multiple sites reported that the second sim slot can hold a micro SD card. The only downside I can see to this phone is the bloatware and stock rom that it comes with, and the reason for this post is to discuss the best way in which to flash a new rom. If you have managed to read this far, thanks for reading my life story!
Having limited experience in the phone flashing world, from researching it looks like the flashing process is something like:
Unlock the bootloader
Flash a recovery program
Use the recovery to flash rom/app
My understanding of the bootloader and why it needs to be unlocked is limited. I've done some research around it, and this is what I have found. The bootloader is the first thing that runs when the phone starts up, loads the kernel and the rom, and verifies that you have a legit recovery program. It needs to be unlocked so you can put a custom recovery on to your phone. Once you have that sorted, flashing roms from the recovery is a pretty straight forward process. If I'm wrong, please correct me, because this is what I have understood from looking around and I'm not confident about my understanding.
Unlocking the Bootloader On The Redmi Note 3
Having read on multiple sites, this looks like the biggest constraint when trying to flash a custom rom on the Redmi Note 3. This is because Xiaomi have locked the bootloader for this device, when most other phones do not have this problem. Most flashing guides for the Redmi Note 3 assume that the boodloader is unlocked or list it as a pre-requisite, so I'm unsure what path to take here. From research, it looks like there are 3 possible ways to move forward from here:
Official Bootloader Unlock
Unofficial Bootloader Unlock
Bypassing The Bootloader Unlock
Because my account is new, the following links aren't hyperlinked and in a good format due to permissions. Sorry! It'd be sweet if a mod could edit it.
1. Official Bootloader Unlock
This seems like the most legit way to unlock the bootloader. Apparently you just go to: endotmiuidotcom/unlock/ and apply for an unlock by using google translate and creating an account. People have reported response times taking over a month, not getting a successful application, or the unlocking process getting stuck at 50%. To me this doesn't sound appealing and I'm not too keen on waiting a month to find I'm unsuccessful in applying.
2. Unofficial Bootloader Unlock
This process is found here: endotmiuidotcom/thread-253680-1-1.html and looks to be a bit tedious. Apparently there is a high chance for a brick using this method, and some custom recoveries don't work well with it. My other concern is that if the brickrate is high, and this method was released around april, it could be possible that Xiaomi has made some further updates, further increasing the chance for a brick.
3. Bypassing The Bootloader Unlock
I found this process on a post from these forums, which then sourced a reddit post. The reddit post is pretty straight forward and can be found here: wwwdotredditdotcom/r/Xiaomi/comments/5611tg/psa_you_can_flash_twrp_and_subsequently_cm13/ .This process works by flashing a legit miui rom, but by flashing it with a modified recovery image, in particular, a custom recovery like TWRP. Having considered the three methods, this looks like the easiest way of getting it done.
My questions are: has anyone done any of these three methods successfully? What method do you recommend? Have I missed anything? Are there any other methods?
My understanding is once the bootloader is unlocked, you install TWRP. Then once that is installed you flash whatever rom you want, which leads into my next question. What is the best ROM to use?
It looks like the most viable roms are the CM roms. I've seen CM 13 and CM 14, are people running CM 13 instead of 14. Why? Is it more stable? Ideally I'm after the most functionality possible. Are there any other roms that you'd recommend flashing? When flashing roms are you supposed to do all the standard things that you would on other phones, factory wipe/cache wipe/davlik cache wipe, flash rom, flash gapps? I've also seen that CM needs firmware flashed before the rom, will this mess anything up and can it brick? Can you do all this stuff from TWRP with a locked bootlader (method 3)? I really like having notification badges too, what will I need to do for this to happen?
If you have read all of this, I really appreciate you taking the time. I hope I haven't broken any forum rules in the process.
dude,it's too much to read for people. I can't believe i read it,anyway.
about unlocking the bootloader process(I'm telling you about my experience):
---step 1 : you sign up for a mi account,choose your country and verify your phone number>login to your mi account on your device(remember to enable every feature on your mi account on your device,you can disable backup)> go to https://i.mi.com and check your device,it should be there> go to http://en.miui.com/unlock/ , write for example dear sir or madam, I'm an austrailian developer and I want to try and work on projects like cyanogen mods and other custom roms. sincerely,JaFranchise - alright,after finishing the writing go to translate.google.com and translate it to chinese,then paste on the form,then apply,you will confirm your request by entering the code that was sent to you via mi message --- for me it took about 3 to 4 hours to receive my confirmation.
---step 2 : first try this,if you stuck on 50% error,you will try step 3,so here is the instruction,
sign in to your mi account on your device(enable find device),also on i.mi.com(to check your device). enable developer options,OEM unlocking and USB debugging. > download the latest version of MIFlashUnlock tool and log into your account link : http://bigota.d.miui.com/miflashunlock/MiFlashUnlock_1.1.0317.1_en.zip> turn off your device and go to fastboot (press and hold volume - and power button at the same time), connect your device to your PC, click unlock(on MIFlashUnlock tool), after your bootloader successfully unlocked, click on reboot.
---step 3 : this is for kenzo devices(redmi note 3 pro - snapdragon650) - if you're using redmi note 3(mediatekX10), you should download the roms(stable and developer) according to your device
you need to switch from global stable to global developer rom, download the latest global developer rom on android lollipop(5.1). link : http://bigota.d.miui.com/6.8.18/miui_HMNote3ProGlobal_6.8.18_d0da79d09e_5.1.zip> after downloading the rom,rename the file name to Update.zip then copy to internal storage(in downloaded_rom folder).> open updater app, select choose update package, go to downloaded_rom folder and select Update.zip. It will verify your rom and install it. > download the latest global developer rom from en.miui.com/download-301.html , repeat the instruction or just simply download via updater > then follow step 2
I think,It's better you first unlock bootloader,then mention me in the comments to go through that(about cm and aosp roms and flashing instructions) process.
goodluck.
Thanks for your reply and for reading it all. So your advice is unlock the bootloader the official way. I know it's too much to read, that's why I put a tl;dr section, because I probably wouldn't read that much! The last thing I want to do is annoy people.
Cheers for specifically telling me what I'd need to write in the application, massive help. Maybe some people have been unsuccessful because they haven't said the right things.
JaFranchise said:
Thanks for your reply and for reading it all. So your advice is unlock the bootloader the official way. I know it's too much to read, that's why I put a tl;dr section, because I probably wouldn't read that much! The last thing I want to do is annoy people.
Cheers for specifically telling me what I'd need to write in the application, massive help. Maybe some people have been unsuccessful because they haven't said the right things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's alot easier than it sounds. The hardest part is probably getting the drivers on your computer installed properly to unlock bootloader/miflash. The good thing about this device is if you brick it, it's fairly simple to unbrick via the edl method but yea, official unlock bootloader - flash zcx twrp - make a backup - flash away
Hemphiz said:
It's alot easier than it sounds. The hardest part is probably getting the drivers on your computer installed properly to unlock bootloader/miflash. The good thing about this device is if you brick it, it's fairly simple to unbrick via the edl method but yea, official unlock bootloader - flash zcx twrp - make a backup - flash away
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So it looks like official unlock is the way to go about things. Why ZCX version of TWRP?
ZCX is essentially the official TWRP, but with some extra stuff in it to allow it to support F2FS, if I'm not mistaken. Since you've decided to unlock your bootloader the official way, both ZCX and the official twrp are fine.
JaFranchise said:
Thanks for your reply and for reading it all. So your advice is unlock the bootloader the official way. I know it's too much to read, that's why I put a tl;dr section, because I probably wouldn't read that much! The last thing I want to do is annoy people.
Cheers for specifically telling me what I'd need to write in the application, massive help. Maybe some people have been unsuccessful because they haven't said the right things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you're welcome,yes if you officially unlock the bootloader,everytime you face an issue,for example got your bootloader locked again,you can use miflashunlock with ease.about the version of the twrp,i should say ZCX_TWRP_0917 is the way to go,it got everything you'll ever needed except for encryption you need lazyflasher-I don't want to go into details to make you confused-for more info about twrp and other roms check these links :
1- ⋆⋆ NEWBIE GUIDE ⋆⋆ [UPDATED] Available TWRPs, Add-On Zips, Root, Flash, Restore, FAQ
http://forum.xda-developers.com/redmi-note-3/how-to/guide-redmi-note-3-available-twrps-t3406708
2-step by step instructions for zcx twrp
http://forum.xda-developers.com/redmi-note-3/how-to/zcx-twrp-install-twrp-flash-supersu-t3462448
3- comprehensive guide for unlocking bootloader process
http://en.miui.com/thread-246705-1-1.html