[How To] Reset your phone in order to return to Verizon(Updated 12/11/2012)

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Brian Gove

Senior Member
Jul 26, 2012
989
346
Land of Oz
A lot of people have been starting new threads asking how to reset their phone to stock in order to return it to Verizon with all their modifications undetected. It's really simple and easy to do.

This is to remove any ROM you've installed, un-root and re-lock your bootloader. I'll also post a link to reset your flash counter if you've tripped it.

Basically I'm just going to post a few links to guides that are already here.

-First is to backup:

Backup literally everything on your phone and external sd card just to be safe. Just imagine that if you lost your phone what you would've wanted backed up. (I'm not saying you're going to mess up your phone, just that the internal sd card will be wiped clean. Pics, settings, videos, etc... all wiped off the internal card. Backup up your ext is just to have your bases 100% covered, none of this process actually uses your ext card. You can just remove it if you'd like also.


-Second, Check your Flash counter:

More than likely unless you've been flashing custom stuff through Odin you haven't tripped it. In otherwords if you haven't used Odin or just rooted your phone using Odin and then flashed everything else in CWM or TWRP, you haven't tripped it.

To check your flash counter you need to enter download mode - 'Vol down+Home button+Power button'

You will need to be in download mode for the next step anyways, so just doublecheck the counter first.

If you have tripped it, use this app from the play store Triangle Away


-Third is to flash the stock rooted image via Odin:(This image version will re-lock your bootloader and un root you)
Go to section #5 of this Guide and follow the instructions. Use the UN rooted official version and Just to clarify, there is really only ONE option to choose if you plan on returning your phone to Verizon.(Official VRALG1 4.0.4)

(Shortcut to the file if you are familiar and already have Odin, Here)

-Lastly, perform a wipe via recovery just for safety's sake:
Hold 'Volume up+Home button+Power' from your phone being power off. And do this BEFORE you boot up the stock version otherwise you could get stuck in a bootloop and have to do a battery pull.


It's that simple and this will leave your phone in an "out of the box" state therefor safe to return to Verizon without them catching on.
 
Last edited:

PhenomCorp

Member
Sep 2, 2012
19
1
Yes but where do i get the stock un-rooted to flash to my device? I cant find it please provide a link. Thanks in advance! :cyclops:
 

PhenomCorp

Member
Sep 2, 2012
19
1
There's three choices(the fourth is a kernel) either of the first two will be fine to un root your phone. The third one(root66) will return you to stock rooted.

OK I understand now and also do i lock the bootloader before or after i un-root?

---------- Post added at 04:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:25 AM ----------

OK I understand now and also do i lock the bootloader before or after i un-root?


Which two files from the tut do you recomend I use? VRALF2 & Stock VRALF2 Kernel ?
 

PhenomCorp

Member
Sep 2, 2012
19
1
I got it un rooted and now since you put locking the boot loader last on the list the ez app wont work it says I need root access to lock it is there another way or should i re root and then un root? But how would it be possible if it is re rooted then un rooted because at the end of the process after i odin the stock non root back i will not be able to access the menu to do a factory reset or anything

How do I check if my boot loader is locked?

Please help
 
Last edited:

droidstyle

Inactive Recognized Contributor
May 7, 2011
6,471
3,604
Fort Wayne
I got it un rooted and now since you put locking the boot loader last on the list the ez app wont work it says I need root access to lock it is there another way or should i re root and then un root? But how would it be possible if it is re rooted then un rooted because at the end of the process after i odin the stock non root back i will not be able to access the menu to do a factory reset or anything

How do I check if my boot loader is locked?

Please help
FOLLOW SECTION 6 TO THE T AND YOU WONT HAVE ANY TROUBLES. DO NOT skip parts of it, follow ALL STEPS!!! going back to stock via odin locks bootloader, you wipe data factory reset from stock recovery. pay attention to the details!!
 

annoyingduck

Senior Member
Aug 15, 2012
3,265
1,947
Boston, MA Area
Nice thread Brian Gove, I love seeing posts that simplify multiple threads into one well executed guide. Everything posted after just gve me a headache, now I can't sleep....thanks guys!
 

ENDonDESIGN

Member
Aug 11, 2012
24
3
Massachusetts
What is needed to remove the custom unlock icon on boot, or does VZ not care about that? I'm looking to bring my phone in to get my GPS issue resolved.
I've reverted back to stock, tried the triangle away and nothing has worked.

Picture%25208.jpg
 

techgov8

Senior Member
Jul 10, 2012
886
156
What is needed to remove the custom unlock icon on boot, or does VZ not care about that? I'm looking to bring my phone in to get my GPS issue resolved.
I've reverted back to stock, tried the triangle away and nothing has worked.

Picture%25208.jpg

I just had to do thus tonight. I had to re-root then installed ez-unlock then pressed lock and then reinstalled the stock image through Odin again and everything worked after that

Tap'n
 

ENDonDESIGN

Member
Aug 11, 2012
24
3
Massachusetts
So I re-rooted and went to a nandroid backup that I had then started the process over again. I did not re-lock my phone and odined to Root66 first, did a system wipe/cache wipe. Then I Odined the stock image and I no longer get the unlocked image on boot.

Brian Gove and Droidstyle thanks for the write ups!!!!!
 

Brian Gove

Senior Member
Jul 26, 2012
989
346
Land of Oz
So I re-rooted and went to a nandroid backup that I had then started the process over again. I did not re-lock my phone and odined to Root66 first, did a system wipe/cache wipe. Then I Odined the stock image and I no longer get the unlocked image on boot.

Brian Gove and Droidstyle thanks for the write ups!!!!!

Credit goes more to Droidstyle and the people who supply us the files and the know how to begin with. Honestly I just got tired of seeing twenty threads about the same thing so I wrote this up and asked one of the MODs to sticky it lol :)
 

Chrisace89

Member
Jan 10, 2010
25
0
If i trip the counter and i can only boot into dowload/odin mode how can i reset counter back to zero? My phone wont boot up it gets stuck at 4gLTE screen and i cant boot into a recovery.
 

Brian Gove

Senior Member
Jul 26, 2012
989
346
Land of Oz
Go to section 6 in the droidstyles guide(the link in my sig or in the OP) and follow it. It should get up and running so you can use triangle away.
 

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    A lot of people have been starting new threads asking how to reset their phone to stock in order to return it to Verizon with all their modifications undetected. It's really simple and easy to do.

    This is to remove any ROM you've installed, un-root and re-lock your bootloader. I'll also post a link to reset your flash counter if you've tripped it.

    Basically I'm just going to post a few links to guides that are already here.

    -First is to backup:

    Backup literally everything on your phone and external sd card just to be safe. Just imagine that if you lost your phone what you would've wanted backed up. (I'm not saying you're going to mess up your phone, just that the internal sd card will be wiped clean. Pics, settings, videos, etc... all wiped off the internal card. Backup up your ext is just to have your bases 100% covered, none of this process actually uses your ext card. You can just remove it if you'd like also.


    -Second, Check your Flash counter:

    More than likely unless you've been flashing custom stuff through Odin you haven't tripped it. In otherwords if you haven't used Odin or just rooted your phone using Odin and then flashed everything else in CWM or TWRP, you haven't tripped it.

    To check your flash counter you need to enter download mode - 'Vol down+Home button+Power button'

    You will need to be in download mode for the next step anyways, so just doublecheck the counter first.

    If you have tripped it, use this app from the play store Triangle Away


    -Third is to flash the stock rooted image via Odin:(This image version will re-lock your bootloader and un root you)
    Go to section #5 of this Guide and follow the instructions. Use the UN rooted official version and Just to clarify, there is really only ONE option to choose if you plan on returning your phone to Verizon.(Official VRALG1 4.0.4)

    (Shortcut to the file if you are familiar and already have Odin, Here)

    -Lastly, perform a wipe via recovery just for safety's sake:
    Hold 'Volume up+Home button+Power' from your phone being power off. And do this BEFORE you boot up the stock version otherwise you could get stuck in a bootloop and have to do a battery pull.


    It's that simple and this will leave your phone in an "out of the box" state therefor safe to return to Verizon without them catching on.
    2
    so can I flash backwards to 4.1.1 ? Things are different without rsd

    You can flash to any stock image (doesn't matter what version) using odin.

    Yes, you should be able to. What's "rsd"?

    Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

    I assume hes talking about rsd lite, which is kind of like odin to flash images to phones.
    2
    Thread cleaned of troll arguments and profanity.

    There shall also be no discussion, or intimation, of fraud in these threads - ever.

    Last warning in here, troll at your own peril from here on out.
    2
    It does? I'll remove the re locking part then.

    yes because the stock odin package has the secure aboot.img. the relock function on the ez unlock app is pointless. the only time the bootloader should be locked is when flashing back to stock.
    2
    If its unlocked it goes quick and if its locked it take a few seconds, right?

    Tap'n

    Correct.


    @shojus: When it is unlocked it literally just flashes on and off the screen before going to the boot animation. When locked you can see it for a couple/three or so seconds before the boot animation.