[GUIDE] Bootloader Unlock

[ronj1986]

To clarify, I should be on B20 to use the files posted by the OP??

 

[lolzballs]

To clarify, I should be on B20 to use the files posted by the OP??

Yes, you do.

 

[ronj1986]

Yes, you do.

Thanks I was able to figure that part out. Now rooting is kicking my butt.

 

[Tibedabeeto]

Here is what I did to get my phone unlocked and rooted, hope this helps anyone stuck on the process. I have 2017U (US) phone and I downloaded and placed all files on my sdcard from the beginning before placing it in my phone and going through this process.

My phone came preloaded with B27 so I needed to downgrade to B20 to unlock the bootloader. Link to download below....
Full B20
https://www.zteusa.com/axon-7#support
After downloading it and placing the zip file on my sdcard, I rebooted into recovery (Power + Vol Up at same time when phone is off) then flashed the update.zip file from the stock recovery. Once it ran successfully I rebooted then..

I followed this threads step to unlock the bootloader. In order to do this you need unlock the developer settings by going into your phones settings under "about phone" and tapping "build number" several times in order to see the developers options on the previous menu on the phone. You also need adb and all tools on your computer to run the adb and fastboot commands. I had wugfresh's tool when I had a nexus device so I just used his folder setup to run the commands within windows "cmd window".
Unlock Bootloader File
http://forum.xda-developers.com/axon-7/how-to/bootloader-unlock-t3437778

Once unlocked from instructions above I went back into recovery to then go into bootloader. So I can then run the twrp fastboot commands to install twrp as my recovery. I had issues with the main link to download TWRP from the OP so if you go towards the end comments you will see my comment where I found another link to the TWRP image. (Which is what I used when I just did this and it works fine)
Install TWRP
http://forum.xda-developers.com/axon-7/development/a2017u-twrp-3-0-2-0-touch-recovery-zte-t3439603
After running the fastboot command to install TWRP, I used the vol keys to select reboot into recovery option while still in bootloader then click power to reboot into TWRP

***The part below is what I did to get the rom I desired.*****
Once in TWRP I followed the guide below to update it back to B29 (No one answered my question on this thread if I had to install this B29 update before installing the rom so I did it anyways)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=68873482&postcount=2

After I installed the 2 zip back to back, I rebooted back into recovery while I was in recovery to then do a factory wipe then install rom below.
Install Rom
http://forum.xda-developers.com/axon-7/development/rom-zaxon-dmix7-stock-base-rom-t3495970

Reboot , phone reboots several times saying phone has unlocked bootloader. Eventually it will not reboot again and load into the Rom.

Profit!

 

[kgptzac]

Much thanks to @Tibedabeeto for the very informative summary on what needs to be done to a new Axon 7. Hopefully this is the last device which is BL unlockable where I have to downgrade the firmware to get it unlocked <_>

 

[Chinmonkie]

Just reading the latest 10+ pages of this tread is getting me excited for when my Axon 7 arrives. Thanks @tibedaeeto for making things easier to understand, its been a while since I have to use adb.

 

[ravi_mytouch]

Thank you for precise guide. Was able to root without any issues and upgrade to B29.
But I can't change my font size to small. The settings app crashes. Please help.

Sent from my ZTE A2017U using XDA Free mobile app

 

[ravi_mytouch]

That was fixed by a Reboot.
Before reboot, Changing the FONT to small in the display settings closed the Settings.

 

[xtermmin]

That was fixed by a Reboot.
Before reboot, Changing the FONT to small in the display settings closed the Settings.

You didn't try rebooting first?

 

[Poli169]

Does this work for the zte 7 mini aswell or just the regular? I can't seem to find much on the mini forums.

 

[xtermmin]

Does this work for the zte 7 mini aswell or just the regular? I can't seem to find much on the mini forums.

Just the regular. You can't use updates for the regular A7 on the A7 Mini, entirely different device.

 

[project_86]

***EDIT***
This was caused by the fastboot I had on my PC. Rebooting into Linux and using fastboot from that worked.

When I get to this part, I cannot get "fastboot devices" to detect anything from the bootloader menu. The file flashes fine, but after I reboot back into the bootloader menu, it still says locked and "fastboot oem unlock" does not work. Any ideas?

I followed this threads step to unlock the bootloader. In order to do this you need unlock the developer settings by going into your phones settings under "about phone" and tapping "build number" several times in order to see the developers options on the previous menu on the phone. You also need adb and all tools on your computer to run the adb and fastboot commands. I had wugfresh's tool when I had a nexus device so I just used his folder setup to run the commands within windows "cmd window".
Unlock Bootloader File
http://forum.xda-developers.com/axon-7/how-to/bootloader-unlock-t3437778

 

[jman1234]

Can someone please post a clear guide on how to unlock the bootloader on b29? All I see are walls of text and it's confusing.

 

[cincibluer6]

Can someone please post a clear guide on how to unlock the bootloader on b29? All I see are walls of text and it's confusing.

Same question. I *think* maybe this but who knows. https://forum.xda-developers.com/axon-7/how-to/guide-how-to-unlock-bootloader-stay-t3461165

I want to do this before upgrading to Nougat and losing that ability because anymore I think I might go LOS in the future.

 

[mr.mgmg]

this method work on 7.1.1?

 

[Gachmuret]

this method work on 7.1.1?

+1

 

[bkores]

No need for the guide. Use the unlock option in my toolkit here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/axon-7/development/tool-axon7toolkit-t3573108 which will work on any build!

 

[Kinanizer]

Hey I recently got the Axon M and I'm trying to unlock it's bootloader. I figure it has to be very similar to the way it's been done here with the Axon 7. Now I'm sure I need to at least change a few things in that update file to make this work with my M, but I have no clue what to open the .p files and the .dat with. The only way I get anything from them is by opening them with a hex editor, but is that my best move or is there a program specifically designed for this? Or better yet is there a better way to accomplish my goal without modifying this update file?

 

[Choose an username...]

Hey I recently got the Axon M and I'm trying to unlock it's bootloader. I figure it has to be very similar to the way it's been done here with the Axon 7. Now I'm sure I need to at least change a few things in that update file to make this work with my M, but I have no clue what to open the .p files and the .dat with. The only way I get anything from them is by opening them with a hex editor, but is that my best move or is there a program specifically designed for this? Or better yet is there a better way to accomplish my goal without modifying this update file?

what update file are you trying to modify?? Here in the Axon, unlock was initially simply a matter of entering Fastboot and using "fastboot oem unlock"

Then they got rid of fastboot on Nougat and it became harder to do, but still it was just a miflash package or pushing a couple files into the system to bring it back

 

[Kinanizer]

what update file are you trying to modify?? Here in the Axon, unlock was initially simply a matter of entering Fastboot and using "fastboot oem unlock"

Then they got rid of fastboot on Nougat and it became harder to do, but still it was just a miflash package or pushing a couple files into the system to bring it back

The P996A01B20Fastboot_ssl.zip. I was wondering if there was a way to change anything that makes it specific to the 7. It's just an idea that may not even work, but I was thinking if I could flash an Axon M version of that package then maybe I could unlock the bootloader and get twrp on there.