Unlocking bootloader voids warranty

**xiaosong** · 12-06-2011, 01:40 PM

So I've been reading that people recommend that you unlock the bootloader right away because it wipes your phone.

However, if you do, it voids the warranty. I assume that if you developed a hardware problem down the road, you would not be able to exchange it on verizon. I've read that you can relock the bootloader but they still might be able to tell that you unlocked it.

So, are you guys still going to unlock the bootloader right away?
What are you going to do if it breaks in the future?

I'm debating about unlocking the bootloader because I would like to be able to use titanium backup which needs root access. However, I've exchanged a number of defective phones in the past through verizon's warranty exchange program and that is nice to have when your phone develops a problem.

Thank you!

**mclarryjr** · 12-06-2011, 01:46 PM

I have had to return a few phones that were rooted with unlocked bootloaders and have just unrooted and turned the security back on and others were not able (because of hardware issues) couldn't be unrooted and have had 0 issues.

**TYagoto** · 12-06-2011, 01:56 PM

you may not like the idea of this as it is not 100% full proof, but get creative in ways to destroy your phone so they cant access it at all. Think of a way to fry the chips so they dont work at all. micro.. When you send it in or ask the verizon store to check the idea is that phone cant connect to a computer at all. again idk if this is 100% but its been working that way so far for me without recieving extra charges or threats/warnings. Does anyone know more about their process for checking phones?

Experience: Bricked Droids that were unrecoverable at the time (no sbf or way to fix then),

EDIT: However keep in mind that the post above mine is the right way to go. I would only do this if I needed to use the warranty as the phone already had some sort of damage. It is the last resort above all for me.

**Premium1** · 12-06-2011, 01:57 PM

I am going to unlock the bootloader. If something needs done I will re-lock it even though 99% of reps would not know to look for that anyway.

**TYagoto** · 12-06-2011, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Premium1

I am going to unlock the bootloader. If something needs done I will re-lock it even though 99% of reps would not know to look for that anyway.

exactly

**davey11** · 12-06-2011, 02:01 PM

I had to send my charge to the Samsung repair center for a dumb flashing error I did when I first got the phone. It was rooted and had a custom rom on it. They didn't say a word about it. You would think Samsung would enforce the warranty issue more than vz. This is an area which is not vigorously enforced.

The nexus should get a stock recovery image soon, I believe the gsm version has one already, so getting back to out of the box condition will be painless.

BTW I be rooting and unlocking and modding asap.

**Clancy3434** · 12-06-2011, 02:05 PM

not gonna do a thing to it until the stock recover image is released... which should be relatively soon.

**revickulous2001** · 12-06-2011, 03:45 PM

I will be unlocking and rooting that thing right there in the VZW store in front of the VZW sales rep. And when I'm finished, I will say, "There...Now I have nobody getting in the way of me enjoying Google Wallet."

**CynicX** · 12-06-2011, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by revickulous2001

I will be unlocking and rooting that thing right there in the VZW store in front of the VZW sales rep. And when I'm finished, I will say, "There...Now I have nobody getting in the way of me enjoying Google Wallet."

The sales rep will be like "oooohhhhh sssnnnaaaapp! Oh no he didn't!" or more then likely will have no idea what you are doing or talking about...

**zero.** · 12-06-2011, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by Clancy3434

not gonna do a thing to it until the stock recover image is released... which should be relatively soon.

in this case, i like a path somewhat cleared before me since i'm new to android. so i'll root it when both my confidence in the process and the contingency plans are looking ready. which is probably days, not weeks or months, actually.

**tntdroid** · 12-06-2011, 03:57 PM

My plan. Wake up go to work. Take long lunch and get phone. Go back to work. Don't do anymore work and just play with my phone. Then head home walk in the door unlock bootloader and root.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

**mysterx** · 12-06-2011, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by tntdroid

My plan. Wake up go to work. Take long lunch and get phone. Go back to work. Don't do anymore work and just play with my phone. Then head home walk in the door unlock bootloader and root.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

I'll be following these steps to unlock the bootloader:

I just got the java/android SDK installed on my dev pc. I wonder if my Visual Studio.Net compiler can tell there is a java compiler installed now - and will they fight with each other when I'm not around?

-me

**CynicX** · 12-06-2011, 04:14 PM

To be honest if it anything like Honeycomb (which it is and better) I have no reason to root. I went back to stock Honeycomb with the LTE upgrade and I find that I don't have a good reason to root when using pure android.

But to stay slightly on topic, if Samsung and/or Verizon wanted to be jerks then yes they can void your warranty for a unlocked bootloader...

**dubge** · 12-06-2011, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by revickulous2001

I will be unlocking and rooting that thing right there in the VZW store in front of the VZW sales rep. And when I'm finished, I will say, "There...Now I have nobody getting in the way of me enjoying Google Wallet."

Better yet, try to buy something at vzw using Google wallet to pay. LoL

**xiaosong** · 12-06-2011, 06:47 PM

Yeah, I don't mind waiting to root as well as I believe ICS will be amazing, but having to reload everything onto my device after unlocking the bootloader without having a titanium backup sounds like a bit of a pain.

On the other hand, I'm sure download apps with LTE is much faster and probably won't make my phone crawl like on my OGD.

**greydarrah** · 12-06-2011, 06:58 PM

Do you drive exactly 65 in a 65 zone? Have you ever downloaded a song without paying for it from a file sharing site? Do you like movies about gladiators? If you're chicken, don't root it. If we say we're doing it, does that mean you will too? Most of us will probably figure out ways to tether for free and risk doing hard time. If any of it makes you too uncomfortable, just stay stock. The phones going to run great right out of the box.

**ultravisitor** · 12-06-2011, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by revickulous2001

I will be unlocking and rooting that thing right there in the VZW store in front of the VZW sales rep. And when I'm finished, I will say, "There...Now I have nobody getting in the way of me enjoying Google Wallet."

And maybe the rep will have a cookie to give you.

**VAVA Mk2** · 12-06-2011, 09:29 PM

I find it ed that unlocking a bootloader on a nexus phone voids a warranty. Doing that kind of stuff is WHY people get Nexus devices!

**Droid800** · 12-06-2011, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by mclarryjr

I have had to return a few phones that were rooted with unlocked bootloaders and have just unrooted and turned the security back on and others were not able (because of hardware issues) couldn't be unrooted and have had 0 issues.

Can you re-lock it though? I had a Nexus One way back when and it showed the lock/unlock on one of the boot screens to show if the bootloader had been unlocked. At that time, it was a one way process. I haven't kept up with Android development, so is that still the case?

**deadlyv2** · 12-06-2011, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by tntdroid

My plan. Wake up go to work. Take long lunch and get phone. Go back to work. Don't do anymore work and just play with my phone. Then head home walk in the door unlock bootloader and root.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

PSH! I work at the Verizon store im getting it at and i already had the SDK downloaded on my PC at work im taking that sucker out of the box and immediently plugging it into the comp and rooting. Just like i did my transformer dont even give stock a chance that sucker is rooted ASAP!

**Droid800** · 12-06-2011, 09:47 PM

Oh, and for clarification, the act of unlocking it does NOT void the warranty in and of itself. Its when you start doing things WITH that unlocked device that you may void it.

**thescreensavers** · 12-06-2011, 09:54 PM

My store and I am sure many others do not give a crap at all, I had my Droid X boot into CWR sitting on the desk of the VZW store since I had an issue with it. He said oh what this, you rooted it? I am like I dont know what that is, he laughed and said its fine no one here cares lol.

**revickulous2001** · 12-06-2011, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by Droid800

Can you re-lock it though? I had a Nexus One way back when and it showed the lock/unlock on one of the boot screens to show if the bootloader had been unlocked. At that time, it was a one way process. I haven't kept up with Android development, so is that still the case?

fastboot oem unlock <-- To unlock the bootloader.
fastboot oem lock <-- To lock the bootloader.

**deadlyv2** · 12-06-2011, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by thescreensavers

My store and I am sure many others do not give a crap at all, I had my Droid X boot into CWR sitting on the desk of the VZW store since I had an issue with it. He said oh what this, you rooted it? I am like I dont know what that is, he laughed and said its fine no one here cares lol.

LMAO! Thats funny because the first week i started working at my VZW store i helped root and rom my Managers DINC. Nobody at the stores really care its just a job 99% of people just dont care about what you do with your phone they just want to go home.

**philly** · 12-06-2011, 10:03 PM

unlocking your bootloader.. so that implies the bootloader is locked?

I thought it was "motorola sucks, they lock their boot loaders"

do all bootloaders come locked and motorola just has more encryption?, or is this the first nexus phone to have a locked bootloader?