[HOW-TO]Unlock the Bootloader on the Nvidia Shield

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shimp208

shimp208

Inactive Recognized Contributor
Jan 25, 2011
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Introduction

The purpose of this guide is to provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to unlock the bootloader on your Nvidia Shield.

Why Would I want to Unlock my Bootloader?

Unlocking your bootloader allows you to modify all aspects of your device to suite your needs which includes but is not limited to, installing custom Recovery images such as Clockworkmod Recovery or Team Win Recovery Project, installing custom ROM's, custom Kernels, as well as other MOD's and patches.

Will Unlocking my Bootloader Void my Warranty?

Warning: Unlocking your Nvidia Shield's bootloader will void the warranty, please note that even if you re-lock the bootloader the bootloader still show a flag that the device is voided for warranty.

This warning being given please also see this post by JordanKeyes regarding warranty information as it relates to hardware issues or hardware failures.

Unlocking your Bootloader

1. Backup everything on your device that you don't want to loose such any apps (And there respective data), pictures, videos, music, etc. as unlocking your devices bootloader will erase all data on the device. You can fully backup your devices contents without root using ADB's backup command or by using the Holo Backup Tool.
2. Download and install the ADB and Fastboot drivers for your Shield, the drivers can be downloaded here. You can also follow along with wwjoshdew's excellent video tutorial on how to properly install the ADB and Fastboot drivers for your Shield on Windows.
3. Make sure you have ADB and Fastboot setup and installed on your computer. If you haven't already setup and installed ADB and Fastboot a simple ADB and Fastboot installer can be downloaded from here.
4. Fully power off your Shield by long pressing on the Power button until the power menu appears, then select the "Power off" option.
5. Boot your Shield into Fastboot mode using one of the following ways:
5. A. Power on your Shield while simultaneously holding the Power button + Back button + Home button. Release the buttons once the Fastboot bootloader screen appears.
5. B. Run the following ADB command from a command prompt window (USB cable must already be connected from your Shield to your Computer):

Code: 
adb reboot bootloader

6.Now that you are at the Fastboot bootloader screen, connect your Shield to your computer using your USB cable. Make sure that your USB cable is plugged into a USB 2.0 port directly connected to your motherboard as sometimes USB 3.0 ports can cause problems and front panel USB connections can be unreliable.
7. Open up a command prompt window (cmd) in the directory where installed ADB and Fastboot to. For example if I installed ADB and Fastboot to a folder on my Desktop which is on my D: drive I would open a command window in "D:\Desktop\Fastboot_ADB".
8. From the command prompt windows enter the following command:

Code: 
fastboot devices

If you device is detected and it shows your devices serial number you are ready to move on to the next step. If no device is shown make sure you have the correctly installed the ADB and Fastboot drivers from step number 2.

9. Now that your device is detected by Fastboot the following command is used to unlock your bootloader:

Code: 
fastboot oem unlock

10. You will now be presented with the bootloader unlock menu. After reading the disclaimer, use the Back button and the Home button to navigate to the "Unlock" option. Once the "Unlock" option has been highlighted use the Shield button to confirm your selection of unlocking your bootloader. It's important to remember that unlocking the bootloader will wipe all your data from the device, and that a flag showing your warranty is void will appear at the bootloader screen.
11. Once your bootloader has finished being unlocked, you will be taken back to the fastboot bootloader screen. From here you can power off your Shield.

Re-locking your Bootloader

To re-lock your bootloader you can following steps 4-8 of the procedure listed above and when you come to step 9 run the following command instead of "fastboot oem unlock":

Code: 
fastboot oem lock

The above command will re-lock your Shield's bootloader. Note: As previously mentioned re-locking your Shield's bootloader will not restore your warranty or remove the warranty void flag on your device's bootloader.

Conclusion

Now that you have successfully unlocked the bootloader on your Nvidia Shield you are free to flash custom Recoveries, ROM's, Kernel's, MOD's etc. enjoy :good:.

If you are stuck with the bootloader unlocking procedure I would recommend checking out this great video tutorial by wwjoshdew.

 
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themichael

themichael

Senior Member
Jul 15, 2011
523
152
New York
I'm having an issue unlocking the bootloader. I have the drivers and fastboot install successfully as well as adb and fastboot. I run the command "adb reboot bootloader" which reboots my shield into bootloader but when I run "fastboot devices" nothing shows up. USB debugging is enabled.

When the device is booted normally the command "adb devices" picks up the device. It is only in fastboot that adb commands aren't recognized.

I added a picture, any thoughts?

Edit: followed the instructions in the following video and all is dandy now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSisjVwcPbE&hd=1
 
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aDigitalPhantom

aDigitalPhantom

Senior Member
May 10, 2011
528
118
Classified
themichael said:
I'm having an issue unlocking the bootloader. I have the drivers and fastboot install successfully as well as adb and fastboot. I run the command "adb reboot bootloader" which reboots my shield into bootloader but when I run "fastboot devices" nothing shows up. USB debugging is enabled.

When the device is booted normally the command "adb devices" picks up the device. It is only in fastboot that adb commands aren't recognized.

I added a picture, any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look in device manager and check if the PC recognizes the shield as an adb device when in fastboot.
For me i have to switch between using fastboot and being able to copy files to it.
 
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G

gogul1

Senior Member
Aug 20, 2013
76
2
fastboot error

chevyowner said:
Look in device manager and check if the PC recognizes the shield as an adb device when in fastboot.
For me i have to switch between using fastboot and being able to copy files to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Hi i am having issue with dab and fast boot drivers.
When I install the driver as adb I can't fast boot to install the thor.img but once it reboots It reverts or reinstalls a shield driver and causes confusion and blocks when I want to mount.
 
shimp208

shimp208

Inactive Recognized Contributor
Jan 25, 2011
2,613
3,089
Boston
gogul1 said:
Hi i am having issue with dab and fast boot drivers.
When I install the driver as adb I can't fast boot to install the thor.img but once it reboots It reverts or reinstalls a shield driver and causes confusion and blocks when I want to mount.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Nvidia just released a new set of USB drivers in their Tegra for Android Development Pack which you can download from here. I would recommend installing the development pack and the drivers it includes.
 
G

gogul1

Senior Member
Aug 20, 2013
76
2
ok

I have done it and these are the new drivers I have under device manager.

Still can't mount though, operation not permitted Usb debugging enabled.

here are the two new drivers which let me get as far as the mount command but no further
View attachment 2210144

and here's it telling me no in abd and fastboot

View attachment 2210148
 
aDigitalPhantom

aDigitalPhantom

Senior Member
May 10, 2011
528
118
Classified
shimp208

shimp208

Inactive Recognized Contributor
Jan 25, 2011
2,613
3,089
Boston
chevyowner said:
Huh??????????

EDIT
Were you trying to answer this post
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Oh what I meant chevyowner was since you had responded to that guy's post about him not having a root shell after booting the insecure boot.img I decided to jump in and mention I had updated the original post to include a new updated insecure boot.img that should fix his root shell problem. Sorry for any confusion I caused there buddy!
 
aDigitalPhantom

aDigitalPhantom

Senior Member
May 10, 2011
528
118
Classified
shimp208 said:
Oh what I meant chevyowner was since you had responded to that guy's post about him not having a root shell after booting the insecure boot.img I decided to jump in and mention I had updated the original post to include a new updated insecure boot.img that should fix his root shell problem. Sorry for any confusion I caused there buddy!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

No problem.

I had to change to oil in my car in a parking lot earlier because it was cheaper to change it then it would have been add 3-4 quarts and change it when I got home. My car need 5 quarts of oil. I was not in a a good mood then.
 
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N

nex86

Senior Member
Nov 9, 2010
632
48
why?

Code: 
C:\Users\Thomas>fastboot oem unlock
...
FAILED (command write failed (Unknown error))
finished. total time: 0.582s

I tried it with the Shield RAM tool, but won't work either..
 
mr.dude5660

mr.dude5660

Member
Jul 31, 2013
34
7
SACRAMENTO
so, i managed to root and install custom recovery without touching the bootloader. the status still reads as locked, but i am free to mod and install custom roms and such. i used towelroot apk. and flashify to flash the recovery image.
 
A

Aredubu

Senior Member
Sep 14, 2013
66
7
Florida
mr.dude5660 said:
so, i managed to root and install custom recovery without touching the bootloader. the status still reads as locked, but i am free to mod and install custom roms and such. i used towelroot apk. and flashify to flash the recovery image.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you find the towelroot apk? Been searching for over a month with no success.


Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk
 
CM17X

CM17X

Senior Member
May 19, 2013
833
196
youtube.com
Sorry for bump this thread, but i have to.

I want to unlock my bootloader to revert back into KK and then try to do a clean installation of LP. Reading this guide and watching the videos, and also looking into the img downloaded from nvidia, it says i have to install the fastboot drivers. The problem is that i have already installed fastboot and adb drivers since i have some other devices as a Xperia and stuff. For me, there is no Yellow sign as shown in the video, my device is recognized as Portable Device and it already says "Shield Tablet" MTP.

I've tried going into bootloader to see if it prompts any new devices but i got nothing. adb devices show my device, but i'm not sure if i need more.
 
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    shimp208
    shimp208
    Introduction

    The purpose of this guide is to provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to unlock the bootloader on your Nvidia Shield.

    Why Would I want to Unlock my Bootloader?

    Unlocking your bootloader allows you to modify all aspects of your device to suite your needs which includes but is not limited to, installing custom Recovery images such as Clockworkmod Recovery or Team Win Recovery Project, installing custom ROM's, custom Kernels, as well as other MOD's and patches.

    Will Unlocking my Bootloader Void my Warranty?

    Warning: Unlocking your Nvidia Shield's bootloader will void the warranty, please note that even if you re-lock the bootloader the bootloader still show a flag that the device is voided for warranty.

    This warning being given please also see this post by JordanKeyes regarding warranty information as it relates to hardware issues or hardware failures.

    Unlocking your Bootloader

    1. Backup everything on your device that you don't want to loose such any apps (And there respective data), pictures, videos, music, etc. as unlocking your devices bootloader will erase all data on the device. You can fully backup your devices contents without root using ADB's backup command or by using the Holo Backup Tool.
    2. Download and install the ADB and Fastboot drivers for your Shield, the drivers can be downloaded here. You can also follow along with wwjoshdew's excellent video tutorial on how to properly install the ADB and Fastboot drivers for your Shield on Windows.
    3. Make sure you have ADB and Fastboot setup and installed on your computer. If you haven't already setup and installed ADB and Fastboot a simple ADB and Fastboot installer can be downloaded from here.
    4. Fully power off your Shield by long pressing on the Power button until the power menu appears, then select the "Power off" option.
    5. Boot your Shield into Fastboot mode using one of the following ways:
    5. A. Power on your Shield while simultaneously holding the Power button + Back button + Home button. Release the buttons once the Fastboot bootloader screen appears.
    5. B. Run the following ADB command from a command prompt window (USB cable must already be connected from your Shield to your Computer):

    Code: 
    adb reboot bootloader

    6.Now that you are at the Fastboot bootloader screen, connect your Shield to your computer using your USB cable. Make sure that your USB cable is plugged into a USB 2.0 port directly connected to your motherboard as sometimes USB 3.0 ports can cause problems and front panel USB connections can be unreliable.
    7. Open up a command prompt window (cmd) in the directory where installed ADB and Fastboot to. For example if I installed ADB and Fastboot to a folder on my Desktop which is on my D: drive I would open a command window in "D:\Desktop\Fastboot_ADB".
    8. From the command prompt windows enter the following command:

    Code: 
    fastboot devices

    If you device is detected and it shows your devices serial number you are ready to move on to the next step. If no device is shown make sure you have the correctly installed the ADB and Fastboot drivers from step number 2.

    9. Now that your device is detected by Fastboot the following command is used to unlock your bootloader:

    Code: 
    fastboot oem unlock

    10. You will now be presented with the bootloader unlock menu. After reading the disclaimer, use the Back button and the Home button to navigate to the "Unlock" option. Once the "Unlock" option has been highlighted use the Shield button to confirm your selection of unlocking your bootloader. It's important to remember that unlocking the bootloader will wipe all your data from the device, and that a flag showing your warranty is void will appear at the bootloader screen.
    11. Once your bootloader has finished being unlocked, you will be taken back to the fastboot bootloader screen. From here you can power off your Shield.

    Re-locking your Bootloader

    To re-lock your bootloader you can following steps 4-8 of the procedure listed above and when you come to step 9 run the following command instead of "fastboot oem unlock":

    Code: 
    fastboot oem lock

    The above command will re-lock your Shield's bootloader. Note: As previously mentioned re-locking your Shield's bootloader will not restore your warranty or remove the warranty void flag on your device's bootloader.

    Conclusion

    Now that you have successfully unlocked the bootloader on your Nvidia Shield you are free to flash custom Recoveries, ROM's, Kernel's, MOD's etc. enjoy :good:.

    If you are stuck with the bootloader unlocking procedure I would recommend checking out this great video tutorial by wwjoshdew.

    View
    3
    themichael
    themichael
    I'm having an issue unlocking the bootloader. I have the drivers and fastboot install successfully as well as adb and fastboot. I run the command "adb reboot bootloader" which reboots my shield into bootloader but when I run "fastboot devices" nothing shows up. USB debugging is enabled.

    When the device is booted normally the command "adb devices" picks up the device. It is only in fastboot that adb commands aren't recognized.

    I added a picture, any thoughts?

    Edit: followed the instructions in the following video and all is dandy now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSisjVwcPbE&hd=1
    View
    2
    aDigitalPhantom
    aDigitalPhantom
    shimp208 said:
    Oh what I meant chevyowner was since you had responded to that guy's post about him not having a root shell after booting the insecure boot.img I decided to jump in and mention I had updated the original post to include a new updated insecure boot.img that should fix his root shell problem. Sorry for any confusion I caused there buddy!
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    No problem.

    I had to change to oil in my car in a parking lot earlier because it was cheaper to change it then it would have been add 3-4 quarts and change it when I got home. My car need 5 quarts of oil. I was not in a a good mood then.
    View
    1
    aDigitalPhantom
    aDigitalPhantom
    themichael said:
    I'm having an issue unlocking the bootloader. I have the drivers and fastboot install successfully as well as adb and fastboot. I run the command "adb reboot bootloader" which reboots my shield into bootloader but when I run "fastboot devices" nothing shows up. USB debugging is enabled.

    When the device is booted normally the command "adb devices" picks up the device. It is only in fastboot that adb commands aren't recognized.

    I added a picture, any thoughts?
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse
    Look in device manager and check if the PC recognizes the shield as an adb device when in fastboot.
    For me i have to switch between using fastboot and being able to copy files to it.
    View
    1
    wwjoshdew
    wwjoshdew
    I made two videos on the NVIDIA Shield. Please let me know what you think @shimp208.

    How To Unlock the Bootloader: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Am5WYRojMs

    How To Root the Nvidia Shield: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4-C0CzKoFs
    View

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