Newb Question: Implications of Locked Bootloader

**VicVinegar** · 07-06-2012, 06:06 PM

I know there are a few other new to Android folks on these threads, so let me throw the question out there: What do I lose with the locked bootloader? I know there is a pretty good chance XDA will be able to crack it open, but let's say they can't, what is the downside?

I know it keeps you from loading new ROMs like a Jelly Bean one in the future while you wait for Samsung to release one and VZW to approve it. Don't you also need root to run tethering apps? Anything else that a lot of people use or like to tweak?

Also does anyone have an idea how long it has taken the devs to crack open other locked bootloaders? I get the impression the X One didn't take very long. What about Motorola's?

**tekhna** · 07-06-2012, 06:09 PM

It's somewhere between "not a big deal" and "we're totally boned."
There could be a really easy solution, or it could be totally locked down, I don't think it's really clear yet. There may be some temp root solutions in the meantime, but it'll pretty seriously curtail how we use our phones if someone doesn't crack it. No adblock, no wireless tether, no root explorer, no build.prop edits, etc.

**ansextra** · 07-06-2012, 06:10 PM

Actually one of the biggest things I'll miss is Titanium.

**Paul627g** · 07-06-2012, 06:11 PM

I have faith in the development community. They will figure out a work around to getting the custom recovery flashed to it and then root from there..

Until this happens.. No custom ROMs.. No kernels... No free tethering.... No removal of bloatware (only disable from within ICS).

Thumbs down Verizon

**ultravisitor** · 07-06-2012, 06:11 PM

Motorola bootloaders have never been cracked. There are workarounds, but no one has broken through the encryption.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

**johnatthebar** · 07-06-2012, 06:12 PM

Don't sweat it. You will read many people panicking about this but it is of little merit to be honest. First off there is little known about how well locked down it is. Perhaps it is a very simple deal. Even if not I find it very likely that devs will find a way in much sooner than later. Everyone panicked when Moto started running encrypted boot loaders, so devs basically found a way to bypass the boot loader completely on those devices.

There are many people with with a lot of brain power and tons of incentive to open up this incredibly popular device on the country's most popular carrier.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

**johnatthebar** · 07-06-2012, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by ultravisitor

Motorola bootloaders have never been cracked. There are workarounds, but no one has broken through the encryption.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

That's true, and those workarounds have allowed those of us with those devices to very easily root and run custom ROMs.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

**Papadakis** · 07-06-2012, 06:15 PM

I have no doubt it will be rooted, but an encrypted bootloader prevents loading custom ROM/kernels

**tekhna** · 07-06-2012, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Papadakis

I have no doubt it will be rooted, but an encrypted bootloader prevents loading custom ROM/kernels

It's not clear how the bootloader is set up, at least to me. If it's encrypted, we're in trouble. It certainly seems to be signed somehow.

The error people are getting is SECURE CHECK FAIL : recovery

**VicVinegar** · 07-07-2012, 11:20 AM

So to get this straight...

Root allows us to use tethering apps, backup apps, and rid the phone of bloat?

Unlocking the bootloader would allow custom ROMs? Unless they find a workaround like with Moto?

Or am I confusing what these things do?

**tekhna** · 07-07-2012, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by VicVinegar

So to get this straight...

Root allows us to use tethering apps, backup apps, and rid the phone of bloat?

Unlocking the bootloader would allow custom ROMs? Unless they find a workaround like with Moto?

Or am I confusing what these things do?

Things are actually looking much better today.

The GS3 is rooted, which means we can flash ROMs and use root apps. But we can't install radios, kernels, etc.
That being said, it's looking more and more possible that this thing we'll be blown open and unlocked, or at least worked around. Samsung left the system.img unprotected, which is just bizarre.

**Premium1** · 07-07-2012, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by tekhna

Things are actually looking much better today.

The GS3 is rooted, which means we can flash ROMs and use root apps. But we can't install radios, kernels, etc.
That being said, it's looking more and more possible that this thing we'll be blown open and unlocked, or at least worked around. Samsung left the system.img unprotected, which is just bizarre.

I think samsung snuck that in there because they do not want to lock down their phones and if verizon made them do it maybe that is the way they left it open to make it easy to crack unlike moto and their encrypted bootloaders.

**VetteDude** · 07-07-2012, 11:35 AM

All I care about is Titanium Backup. I don't mind Touchwiz, although a nice CM9 or AOKP build would be nice.

**Premium1** · 07-07-2012, 11:51 AM

Honestly this may be the first phone I do not care about having the latest updates. I know when I had the nexus it didn't really seem to handle everything that well or that much better than the rest of the devices around it, but when I played with the sgs3 it was amazing how smooth it was without all the latest things like project butter and that which come with jb. I actually am glad i ordered a nexus tablet because that will always have the latest updates and I won't have to always be changing roms on my phone.

**Almeuit** · 07-07-2012, 11:52 AM

Guys its okay. Your phone has already been rooted

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**Premium1** · 07-07-2012, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Almeuit

Guys its okay. Your phone has already been rooted

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

yeah but rooting and unlocking bootloader are 2 very different things. Rooting is the easy part...

**Almeuit** · 07-07-2012, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by Premium1

yeah but rooting and unlocking bootloader are 2 very different things. Rooting is the easy part...

Not bad for how long the phone has been out. I'm basically saying they will be able to get.. As you can see they are hard at work

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**Premium1** · 07-07-2012, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Almeuit

Not bad for how long the phone has been out. I'm basically saying they will be able to get.. As you can see they are hard at work

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

the other versions were rooted and unlocked before it was out. Plus look at moto devices rooting does not mean the bootloader will be cracked. If it is encrypted that is but samsung never encrypted theirs before so I hope this isn't the start of something since nobody is sure how locked the bootloader is.

**Almeuit** · 07-07-2012, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Premium1

the other versions were rooted and unlocked before it was out. Plus look at moto devices rooting does not mean the bootloader will be cracked. If it is encrypted that is but samsung never encrypted theirs before so I hope this isn't the start of something since nobody is sure how locked the bootloader is.

Ok lol never mind. Just saying they are working on it man... Not looking for a flame war on what's harder sheesh. Sorry for posting something lol

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**Premium1** · 07-07-2012, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by Almeuit

Ok lol never mind. Just saying they are working on it man... Not looking for a flame war on what's harder sheesh. Sorry for posting something lol

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

I'm not flaming at all. I am just showing you previous examples and how rooting is easy as seen by it being rooted already. Apparently they are looking into using a similar method that the samsung galaxy tab used to get passed the bootloader. Who knows if this gets enough stink maybe samsung will leak something like moto did with the atrix bootloader or even better go the htc route and offer an official unlock method.

**Premium1** · 07-07-2012, 12:20 PM

I wish the manufacturers would offer an official means to unlock every bootloader and you would have to sign something saying you take responsibility and register your phone so if anything happened the carriers could say well you signed and agreed to this and are SOL. I think that would be a win for everyone because open devices are so much less likely to brick and easy to bring back to life( look at the nexus devices)

**Ricky Babalu** · 07-07-2012, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by VicVinegar

So to get this straight...

Root allows us to use tethering apps, backup apps, and rid the phone of bloat? Correct

Unlocking the bootloader would allow custom ROMs? Root will allow custom ROMs. Unlocking the bootloader would allow kernels and radios. Unless they find a workaround like with Moto?

Or am I confusing what these things do?

**hub_cap** · 07-07-2012, 01:39 PM

Could someone elaborate on the benefits of unlocked kernals and radios? For example:

Kernals allow .....

Radios allow ....

I'm coming from a DX...so ROMs are as far as I've been on the dark side. Even though I've never been beyond ROMs, after reading the threads I'm excited about the possibilities of having the unlocked kernal/radio....but it would be even better if I really knew (in simple language) WHY I was so excited??

**Droosh** · 07-07-2012, 01:58 PM

True we can get some ROMs remove bloat, etc. After that however to get the most out of AOSP ROMs and promote a dedicated development community for our devices we need to break this encryption or lobby Verizon and Samsung to unlock it.

Sent from my Verizon locked down GSIII

**jaj6503** · 07-07-2012, 02:20 PM

You forgot to add that kernels also manipulate CPU speeds and voltages.

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