Path: news.eternal-september.org!eternal-september.org!feeder3.eternal-september.org!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!individual.net!not-for-mail From: Frank Slootweg Newsgroups: comp.mobile.android Subject: Re: Samsung One UI 7 Update Date: 15 Apr 2025 18:45:35 GMT Organization: NOYB Lines: 63 Message-ID: References: X-Trace: individual.net 89o6TplcBlMoC01X3PgMUA1hOj4HN0fN6lWQwdUwauE/2iV1U9 X-Orig-Path: not-for-mail Cancel-Lock: sha1:k9RfJYa4vRMR8tOQhItRzHwiy0A= sha256:b1508R8T9PxHvHHXPwYkvZ7l68n1z20qvzPQCprHo9E= User-Agent: tin/1.6.2-20030910 ("Pabbay") (UNIX) (CYGWIN_NT-10.0-WOW/2.8.0(0.309/5/3) (i686)) Hamster/2.0.2.2 extra extra wrote: > On 2025-04-15, Frank Slootweg wrote: > > extra extra wrote: > > [...] > >> It's too bad the bootloaders are locked on US model Samsung devices. > > > > As far as I know, most if not all bootloaders are locked, not just on > > Samsung devices and not just only on US models. > > Bootloader unlocking is possible on international model Samsung devices > through the "OEM Unlock" option in Developer Options. Other devices > really vary by manufacturer/region/wireless carrier. You're correct! Thanks for that information. My Samsung Galaxy A51 SM-A515F (SM-A515FZKVEUB to be precise), bought in The Netherlands, indeed has that option. > > An unlocked bootloader is a gigantic security risk, because it doesn't > > only allow *you* to install other system level software, but also > > *anyone else* (thief, someone who finds your lost phone), who can then > > get access to your personal data. > > This is a good point, and I agree with you to quite some extent. > However, I still think the option should be available - and could be > made available - for those who "know what they're doing". I've seen many posts from users complaining about not being able to unlock the bootloader, who did not seem to know/realize the consequences. But as long *you* know what you're doing, all is fine! :-) > > FYI, there are on-line - paid - services which can unlock the > > bootloader of most phones. I used one to unlock the bootloader of my > > stone-age Huawei Ascend Y300 phone. That said, I wouldn't do that again > > for my current - out of update-support - Samsung Galaxy A51, unless it > > became unusable/too_old and I couldn't afford a replacement. > > I can't imagine any of these paid services can do much that isn't > already publically available. And all discussions I've read on XDA > Developers and elsewhere are pretty adamant that US model Samsung > devices cannot be rooted/have a custom ROM installed in any way, shape, > or form. I would expect mention of these services if they were able to > do it. OK. As you've found no leads, clues, etc., it probably can't be done. > I also certainly would not trust any of these services. I didn't/wouldn't either, but in my case it was try-or-dispose. It worked and was not expensive, IIRC 4 dollars. > >> This update has pushed me over the edge - I'd be installing a custom ROM > >> as we speak, if it were an available option. > > > > You might want to check if there's a custom 'ROM' for your particular > > model phone. LineageOS probably has the widest range of supported > > models. > > Installing a custom ROM requires unlocking the bootloader unfortunately, > otherwise I'd be doing that and not complaining about it on here :) Yes, I understand, but if there's no custom 'ROM' for your model, there's no point to try to get the bootloader unlocked. Catch-22. Both conditions have to be true.