[How-to]Unlock/Re-lock Nexus 10 Bootloader

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Cubanluke88

Senior Member
Nov 18, 2011
1,051
315
Connecticut
I have 3 questions

1. Unlocking nexus 10 means rooting it ?
2. Is unlocking or rooting tablets legal in US?
3. I ordered nexus 10 but read n
ot so good things about the limited applications are supported for 10 inch screen .. Is there any workaround to have apps look as good as iPad I mean using the entire screen ...any custom ROMs available yet

Sent from my SGH-I897

1. No. You're just unlocking the bootloader.
2. Yes.
3. Custom roms take time. With that said, they can't really do much in the way of improving app layout, that's on the app developers hands.

I'd suggest doing a bit more research on bootloaders, root access, custom recoveries and custom roms before digging in too far.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2
 

EniGmA1987

Senior Member
Sep 21, 2010
2,064
807
2. Is unlocking or rooting tablets legal in US?

It is a very dark gray area now, but probably not. It is 100% illegal to jailbreak an iPad, and the ruling says "jailbreaking tablets such as the iPad". The generally accepted definition of rooting an Android tablet is jailbreaking it (at least in the eyes of the court system). Also since the court ruled that it is illegal to jailbreak tablets, not just the iPad that means that more than likely it is illegal to unlock your bootloader and root any tablet. This ruling came in on October 28th of this year, barely more than 2 weeks ago.



See above

For the ruling (which is full of legal mumbo jumbo and hard to follow for the average person) can be found here:
http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/2012/2012-26308_PI.pdf

Basically it reiterates that jailbreaking smartphones is legal under certain conditions, but that tablets do not apply to these exemptions and remain illegal to jailbreak, aka root.
 
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XlAfbk

Senior Member
Aug 11, 2010
1,484
440
It's included in the Android SDK. If you've got an old version you can just add these lines to the .inf:
Code:
;Samsung Nexus 10
%SingleAdbInterface%        = USB_Install, USB\VID_18D1&PID_4EE0
%CompositeAdbInterface%     = USB_Install, USB\VID_18D1&PID_4EE0&MI_01
 

DaaT

Senior Member
Jul 19, 2010
80
11
Leeds
Nevermind :) Forgot I had to run the SDK Manager and download the USB driver. Once that was done, updated it again through device manager and voilá, installed. N10 now unlocked!

Taking a llllllllllllllllllllong time to boot though, stuck on the X logo...
 

Cubanluke88

Senior Member
Nov 18, 2011
1,051
315
Connecticut
It is a very dark gray area now, but probably not. It is 100% illegal to jailbreak an iPad, and the ruling says "jailbreaking tablets such as the iPad". The generally accepted definition of rooting an Android tablet is jailbrekaing it (at least in the eyes of the court system). Also since the court ruled that it is illegal to jailbreak tablets, not just the iPad that means that more than likely it is illegal to unlock your bootloader and root any tablet.




See above

For the ruling (which is full of legal mumbo jumbo and hard to follow for the average person) can be found here:
http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/2012/2012-26308_PI.pdf

Basically it reiterates that jailbreaking smartphones is legal under certain conditions, but that tablets do not apply to these exemptions and remain illegal to jailbreak, aka root.

I disagree. Nexus and GEDs are developer devices. Google provides the means supported by documentation to unlock them. If this were illegal, you can bet they wouldn't be so open about it.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2
 

XlAfbk

Senior Member
Aug 11, 2010
1,484
440
Nevermind :) Forgot I had to run the SDK Manager and download the USB driver. Once that was done, updated it again through device manager and voilá, installed. N10 now unlocked!

Taking a llllllllllllllllllllong time to boot though, stuck on the X logo...
Had that as well. Wouldn't finish booting after unlocking bootloader. Had to flash stock image.
 

DaaT

Senior Member
Jul 19, 2010
80
11
Leeds
Xiafbk, how did you go about doing that?

ggrrr.. my phones and former tablet were a breeze compared :p

---------- Post added at 06:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:08 PM ----------

AHA! Working again :) Went into the stock recovery and wiped factory data, like it was posted in page 2. Thanks! :)
 

Sbiky

New member
Nov 15, 2012
4
1
How much time take the reboot of the nexus 10? I'm waiting about an hour and I'm a little afraid of...
 

DaaT

Senior Member
Jul 19, 2010
80
11
Leeds
How much time take the reboot of the nexus 10? I'm waiting about an hour and I'm a little afraid of...

Try this, reboot back into the bootloader, then using the volume buttons select the Recovery option and select with Power. That will take you to a screen with a red triangle.

In there, hold Power and press Volume Up, you're now in the stock recovery. Then select Wipe Data/Factory and select it. Reboot and it should be ok now.

Good luck.
 

Sbiky

New member
Nov 15, 2012
4
1
I try that, the screen says Lock State Unlocked and Reboot Mode Flag: none, if I choose the recovery mode and press power button it takes me again to the X

:(:(:(:(
 
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DaaT

Senior Member
Jul 19, 2010
80
11
Leeds
Not the screen with Droid and the red triangle? mmmmmmmmmmmmmm...


Try powering it off and re-start the process.
 
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Egooktamuck

Member
Aug 9, 2012
48
23
I try that, the screen says Lock State Unlocked and Reboot Mode Flag: none, if I choose the recovery mode and press power button it takes me again to the X

:(:(:(:(

Did you install CWM before? If you do that and CWM don´t work correct then you have a problem...

The "Thanks" was a mistake - should not be joking. To fast with the Mouse... Sorry Man
 
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Sbiky

New member
Nov 15, 2012
4
1
Not the screen with Droid and the red triangle? mmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
Try powering it off and re-start the process.
I can't do anything, the screen always has the X with the colours moving. I can go to the fastboot menu, and when I choose Recovery and press power it takes me to a screen with an android with a red triangle. There I press power and volume up simultaneously and keep it pressed, the screen turns off and the nexus 10 vibrates, and when I release the buttons, again the X. If i don't release the buttons, every few seconds the nexus vibrates again, and again, until I release the buttons and then the X.

I don't know what to do... Is it normal to take more than an hour to reboot and show the initial welcome screen? :(

Did you install CWM before? If you do that and CWM don´t work correct then you have a problem...
No no, I only connected using USB to my computer with developer settings activated on nexus 10, and then the commands adb devices, ok, and then fastboot reboot, and finally fastboot oem unlock, I choose YES in the Nexus 10, and the X... about an hour and then I came here searching for some help and test what I read here.
 
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Egooktamuck

Member
Aug 9, 2012
48
23
I can go to the fastboot menu, and when I choose Recovery and press power it takes me to a screen with an android with a red triangle. There I press power and volume up simultaneously and keep it pressed, the screen turns off and the nexus 10 vibrates

Here is the error. You have to hold down the power button continuously and then you hit volume plus. Then you get to the "Stock-Recovery"
 

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  • 14
    First Of all Thanks to AndroidCentral for this!!!


    I am not responsible for any bricked device
    Try at your own risk!!

    Now Lets go and unlock the nexus 10!! :laugh:

    Requirements"
    Fastboot
    Android SDK

    Downloads:
    fastboot (windows): http://cdn.androidcentral.com/sites/androidcentral.com/files/uploads/tools/fastboot-windows.zip
    fastboot (mac): http://cdn.androidcentral.com/sites/androidcentral.com/files/uploads/tools/fastboot-mac.zip

    Now lets unlock!!!! :highfive:
    1.Power off your Nexus 10, and reboot it into fastboot mode by holding the volume up button, volume down button and power button.
    2.Plug your tablet into a full speed primary USB port on your computer. If you're using Windows, you'll see the pop-up about drivers being installed and initialized.
    3.Open the terminal or command prompt on your computer, and navigate to the folder you have placed the fastboot program in. if you have already done this before you might not get any prob in doing all this stuff!!
    4.At the command line, type in (without any quotes) "fastboot devices". You should get a device ID returned, which lets you know that fastboot can see your Nexus 10
    5.it is really important to get the ID of the device or else you cannot go further
    6.After you have got the ID just type(without qoutes) "fastboot oem unlock" in your command window.
    7.Look to your tablet, where you'll have to verify the process. Remember that there's no way to undo the data loss that will happen the instant you say "Yes".
    8.When the tablet reboots, you're done. You're free to install custom software, modified boot images, custom recovery.

    Enjoy your unlocked nexus 10 !!! :D

    IF you want to RE-lock your bootloader
    1.All the steps are same
    2.on the 6th step just change the code from "fastboot oem unlock" to "fastboot oem lock" and also flash back to STOCK images (if changed) or else it wont boot
    3.This will relock your bootloader so that only authentic, signed images from Google can be flashed to the phone.

    Enjoy!!! :D
    9
    How much time take the reboot of the nexus 10? I'm waiting about an hour and I'm a little afraid of...

    Try this, reboot back into the bootloader, then using the volume buttons select the Recovery option and select with Power. That will take you to a screen with a red triangle.

    In there, hold Power and press Volume Up, you're now in the stock recovery. Then select Wipe Data/Factory and select it. Reboot and it should be ok now.

    Good luck.
    3
    I can go to the fastboot menu, and when I choose Recovery and press power it takes me to a screen with an android with a red triangle. There I press power and volume up simultaneously and keep it pressed, the screen turns off and the nexus 10 vibrates

    Here is the error. You have to hold down the power button continuously and then you hit volume plus. Then you get to the "Stock-Recovery"
    1
    Any idea if this sends anything to the google servers? I know when unlocking the T700 it sends the serial to ASUS to void the warranty. Not sure if this was the case with any nexus device or not (also I realize this isnt out yet). Just figured i'd ask if you had any past experience with the N7 or prior nexus device :)

    No, it doesn't send anything to Google, that's why they give you the option to relock the bootloader :cool:.
    1
    Hey,
    I'm from the Nook Color Community. There is a SD slot for Nook Color and none for this. The unlock process seems to much more complicated. Do we lose all the /data when we unlock the Bootloader?

    Also, can we backup before unlocking?

    Alvin

    yes, it will wipe data, use adb to back up