Originally Posted by Jiggity Janx

In Adam's OP are the bootloader and pda to flash. After flashing these and performing a data/cache wipe you will not have the Custom unlock showing. Performed this just last night.

Is the bootloader dump separate from the stock ROM at http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1755386, or will flashing that stock ROM also take the bootloader back? I had a custom recovery and flashed a different one, and suddenly I have an unlocked icon. The flash counter is still at 0 though. I tried flashing back to stock recovery and that didn't work.

Originally Posted by eschelon

Possible, although unlikely as the custom "unlocked" icon comes from flashing a custom recovery.

I ran the app and nothing happened, either after running it and after I rebooted.. Unlocked icon still remains, which is why I asked if it would work..

I think that's more important than the flash counter for us Verizon users since most of us aren't flashing any custom ROMs yet other than stock ones which are rooted and/or debloated/deodexed and zipaligned.. Imagine returning a phone with that custom screen boot screen.. Yikes..

Sent from my Commodore 64..
READY.
load"*", 8,1

Originally Posted by SQFreak

Is the bootloader dump separate from the stock ROM at http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1755386, or will flashing that stock ROM also take the bootloader back? I had a custom recovery and flashed a different one, and suddenly I have an unlocked icon. The flash counter is still at 0 though. I tried flashing back to stock recovery and that didn't work.

I think the bootloader dump is separate from the boot.img in the ROM. The PDA package in Adam's post is the ROM from the stock ROMs thread. I believe they're meant to be used together if you really, really need to wipe everything.

Originally Posted by preusstang

Strangely, I get the unlock icon - even if the phone is completely stock - anytime I boot into download mode (I think). I've done it on accident a few times.. never noticed the counter before tho.

Originally Posted by SQFreak

I tried flashing back to stock recovery and that didn't work.

Originally Posted by Hypnosis4U2NV

I ran the app and nothing happened, either after running it and after I rebooted.. Unlocked icon still remains, which is why I asked if it would work

From what I understand you MUST wipe data/cache after flashing to clear the unlock icon. Someone mentioned it in one of the posts (will credit if/when I find).

QUOTE=Noxious Ninja;28991583]I think the bootloader dump is separate from the boot.img in the ROM. The PDA package in Adam's post is the ROM from the stock ROMs thread. I believe they're meant to be used together if you really, really need to wipe everything.[/QUOTE]

Yes, boot.img is the kernel. Contains a 2KB header, the kernel, then a gzipped ramdisk (initialization files). In our case the boot.img also contains a signature that is checked by the bootloader (the reason we can't run custom kernels from the default boot.img partition (mmcblk0p7). For anyone interested in learning more, I recommend googling mkbootimg.c and bootimg.h. This is the C program used to package a kernel/ramdisk into the boot.img form. I recommend reading this small program while having the stock boot.img open in a text editor (to follow along).

The bootloader consists of several partitions on the gs3. I forget all of them, but opening Adam's bootloader tar will show what partitions belong to the bootloader on the gs3. The first page of Adam's post also has each mmcblk listed with a name associated (for most of them). The list of the files in the bootloader tar can be matched to the mmcblk locations.

Note: We may be able to flash the bootloader tar in Odin if your phone is working (haven't tried it), BUT if your phone isn't booting correctly (i.e. you messed around with one of the bootloader partitions) it may never get to a state that would allow Odin to work. I'm not positive about this, but better to be safe.

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

Originally Posted by Jiggity Janx

From what I understand you MUST wipe data/cache after flashing to clear the unlock icon. Someone mentioned it in one of the posts (will credit if/when I find).

First time it's gone, but reboot and it comes back again..

In case anyone wants to know what the screen looks like:

What is this Flash Counter I am reading about in forums? I've been on iOS for a few years, until this sexy S3 came out. I'm not familiar with Flash Counter... Thanks

Originally Posted by Jiggity Janx

In Adam's OP are the bootloader and pda to flash. After flashing these and performing a data/cache wipe you will not have the Custom unlock showing. Performed this just last night.

*Just for FYI. He added them yesterday afternoon I believe.

Which Adam's OP? Could you post link please? thanks.

Originally Posted by cortland1998

What is this Flash Counter I am reading about in forums? I've been on iOS for a few years, until this sexy S3 came out. I'm not familiar with Flash Counter... Thanks

It counts the number of times the phone gets flashed. So carriers can reject warranty coverage.

Sent from my locked bootloader Verizon GSIII.

Originally Posted by Hypnosis4U2NV

First time it's gone, but reboot and it comes back again..

In case anyone wants to know what the screen looks like:

My device booted up stock that way...so did a couple other members devices.