FireTV Partial Bootloader Unlock

[rbox]

Well it's a little early for Christmas... but here is a special gift. This will allow the bootloader to load things from boot or recovery without them needing to be patched. This is not a full unlock and will not enable fastboot boot or fastboot flash. Obviously this will only work if you are rooted.

As usual, this WILL void your warranty and I am NOT responsible for anything you do with this. Using this tool won't brick your Fire TV, but doing stupid things afterwards might. I will stress here that flashing something bad to boot is a guaranteed way to brick because if the kernel can't boot you have no way to get back to recovery. For testing kernels, it's best to flash recovery to the boot partition and the new kernel to test to the recovery partition.

To use:

1. Downgrade: You must first downgrade to 51.1.0.2. If you already have CWM installed, you can skip this.
2. adb push aftv-unlock /data/local/tmp/
3. adb shell
4. chmod 755 /data/local/tmp/aftv-unlock
5. su
6. /data/local/tmp/aftv-unlock unlock

Afterwards you should see this message:

Attempting to unlock... 
All done!

If not, something went wrong. If for whatever reason you want to relock the bootloader, you can use this command:

/data/local/tmp/aftv-unlock lock

You can download it here.

 

[jmandawg]

WOW, just WOW, awesome work rbox!
I was definitely not expecting this.

 

[jocala]

Well it's a little early for Christmas... but here is a special gift. This will allow the bootloader to load things from boot or recovery without them needing to be patched. This is not a full unlock and will not enable fastboot boot or fastboot flash. Obviously this will only work if you are rooted.

As usual, this WILL void your warranty and I am NOT responsible for anything you do with this. Using this tool won't brick your Fire TV, but doing stupid things afterwards might. I will stress here that flashing something bad to boot is a guaranteed way to brick because if the kernel can't boot you have no way to get back to recovery. For testing kernels, it's best to flash recovery to the boot partition and the new kernel to test to the recovery partition.

To use:

1. Downgrade: You must first downgrade to 51.1.0.2. If you already have CWM installed, you can skip this.
2. adb push aftv-unlock /data/local/tmp/
3. adb shell
   
   
4. chmod 755 /data/local/tmp/aftv-unlock
5. su
6. /data/local/tmp/aftv-unlock unlock

Afterwards you should see this message:

Attempting to unlock... 
All done!

If not, something went wrong. If for whatever reason you want to relock the bootloader, you can use this command:

/data/local/tmp/aftv-unlock lock

You can download it here.

Congrats to you

And Merry Christmas to us FTV users!

BTW, could you please tell me the console messages for lock failure and unlock failure? (may they never occur)

 

[GuestK00344]

..

 

[CLran619]

Awesome!
Thanks man!

maybe we can get some real mods for this device now. different roms and what not.

just ran the unlock and it worked like a charm

 

[jmandawg]

Rbox do you know if the bootloader can boot from usb?

 

[toe-rag]

Does this require a minimal CWM version of yours?

I installed your Recovery (CWM) - on all 4 of my AFTVs - when you first released it ..

I've not had any reason to upgrade to the latest versions.... I'm just using the heck outta the AFTV as it is built, with all the nice rooted options. I really don't need anything else yet, so ...

with that said " can I just install this unlock-lock feature? "

 

[deepasadish]

Truly amazing. Can't wait for full fledged android on this.

 

[alex1301]

Nice to see this, but it doesn't help much when you have a Fire TV with a non-rootable firmware.

 

[rbox]

Rbox do you know if the bootloader can boot from usb?

The bootloader will only boot from the boot partition or the recovery partition on the mmc. But I'm working on a boot menu that will allow you to easily boot additional kernels which can then load your os from wherever you want.

I installed your Recovery (CWM) - on all 4 of my AFTVs - when you first released it ..

I've not had any reason to upgrade to the latest versions.... I'm just using the heck outta the AFTV as it is built, with all the nice rooted options. I really don't need anything else yet, so ...

with that said " can I just install this unlock-lock feature? "

Yes. This is independent of anything. The only dependence is the latest version of CWM requires it.

 

[KLit75]

I installed ccm when you first released it then upgraded to the latest firmware the other night. Thanks a lot btw! But, can I assume (as a novice) this is not something I need to do right now. What I mean is is this just for people that want to experiment with new kernels or is there some advantage I'm missing? Thanks again and sorry if my question is a little too basic for this thread. I'm just genuinely curious.

 

[rbox]

I installed ccm when you first released it then upgraded to the latest firmware the other night. Thanks a lot btw! But, can I assume (as a novice) this is not something I need to do right now. What I mean is is this just for people that want to experiment with new kernels or is there some advantage I'm missing? Thanks again and sorry if my question is a little too basic for this thread. I'm just genuinely curious.

If you don't care about updating your CWM version, or using any of the other cool things I'll release in the future that needs it, then no. You don't need to do this.

 

[KLit75]

Thanks for the response. I did, in fact just update cwm and am running your latest fw update. I guess "need" isn't the right word. But if I unlock it tonight the cool stuff is still forthcoming.
Sorry just 2 questions:
1. Unlocking and keeping it unlocked indefinetly is ok?
And here's one that s on a slightly different subject...
2. I noticed updating with your fw saves my settings. Is there a safe way to factory restore using cwm without the risk of losing root?
That's actually the one I'm most interested in now. My aftv has been having issues that are hard to troubleshoot. An option to factory restore would be great. I mostly use it for xbmc so the only thing I care about losing is root. Thanks.

 

[rbox]

Thanks for the response. I did, in fact just update cwm and am running your latest fw update. I guess "need" isn't the right word. But if I unlock it tonight the cool stuff is still forthcoming.
Sorry just 2 questions:
1. Unlocking and keeping it unlocked indefinetly is ok?
And here's one that s on a slightly different subject...
2. I noticed updating with your fw saves my settings. Is there a safe way to factory restore using cwm without the risk of losing root?
That's actually the one I'm most interested in now. My aftv has been having issues that are hard to troubleshoot. An option to factory restore would be great. I mostly use it for xbmc so the only thing I care about losing is root. Thanks.

Of course keeping it locked is fine... i wouldn't have released the tool if it wasn't.

As I've stated in MANY OTHER THREADS... factory reset in CWM is perfectly fine and has nothing to do with root.

 

[KLit75]

If you don't care about updating your CWM version, or using any of the other cool things I'll release in the future that needs it, then no. You don't need to do this.

That's great. Thanks again

 

[barrist]

Thanks for this! Was very happy that the AFTV i ordered from eBay was rootable.

at the risk of being "that guy", can someone explain to a relative dummy like me the future potential with an unlocked bootloader? are we talking maybe an Android TV rom down the road? .. Apologies in advance

 

[chrootz]

Hi, I unlocked the bootloader and it was successfully. Thank you rbox

 

[rbox]

Thanks for this! Was very happy that the AFTV i ordered from eBay was rootable.

at the risk of being "that guy", can someone explain to a relative dummy like me the future potential with an unlocked bootloader? are we talking maybe an Android TV rom down the road? .. Apologies in advance

Nothing that people couldn't already do with my old CWM. Custom ROMs and whatnot has been possible for a while. This just makes things a little easier because kernels don't need to be patched.

 

[schneid]

Yea! Install failed yesterday. I've had SU problems I think. Couldn't get the # prompt. Reinstalled latest ROM and SL'd SU from the store. The Unlock finally took. Thanks.

 

[nyder]

nice, thanks rbox, you rock.