[GUIDE] Unlocking (& Re-locking) the Motorola Xoom for flashing

[thefredelement]

The following will VOID your warranty but will easily unlock the Xoom for fast software flashes using a custom recovery and will allow flashing root files or manipulated system files on to your current software installation.

This will ERASE your Xoom.

1) Get the Motorola USB drivers MOTODEV > Documentation & Tools > USB Drivers (you need to sign up on their but maybe you can google this and find it as well)

2) Get the Android SDK Android SDK | Android Developers (you only really need the fastboot executable file for your host OS)

2.5) - I will soon put together a windows pack for usb drivers & fastboot so you don't have to download all this stuff just to do one task.

3) Power off your Xoom

4) Press and hold the volume down button while pressing the power button

Even after the Xoom turns back on keep it pressed down and you'll see some starting fastboot protocol text on the top left of the screen.

5) Open a command window in your sdk\tools folder (not platform tools and depending on when you get the SDK you may need to copy over some DLL files)

6) type:

fastboot oem unlock

7) read the warning on your Xoom's screen, hit volume up if you wish.

You're now free to put whatever data you want on your tablet. Cheers.

-- To RE-LOCK your Xoom, boot in to fastboot, and on your computer (from the tools folder):

fastboot oem lock

Read this warning:

You actually have to read the warning and understand it - If you have modified your Xoom's software outside of the user space you won't be able to successfully re-lock your device. You'll have to restore it back to 100% factory, which you can do here: http://developer.motorola.com/produ...utm_source=supportforums&utm_term=unlockboard (The Verizon Wireless stock software).

 

[brockwitting]

This wouldn't negate the free LTE upgrade would it?

 

[thefredelement]

I'm not sure. I'd say you should re-lock the boot loader and restore any custom stuff to factory before you send it back in though.

 

[youareme7]

I'm curious, what are the hardware ids in the usb driver when the xoom is in fastboot? Is the usb driver that is active while it's in fastboot called something like single adb device?
Thanks!

Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

 

[djunio]

How do you relock it?

Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk

 

[padanfain]

Wow, that has to be the easiest unlock I have ever seen. Does this mean we will not have to install something like Amon's RA Recovery to flash ROMs whenever people get a chance to make them?

Also, if we issue a fastbook oem lock (or whatever the proper command is), can we then send it in for repairs? in other words, is there some history on the device that says I unlocked it?

 

[thefredelement]

I'm curious, what are the hardware ids in the usb driver when the xoom is in fastboot? Is the usb driver that is active while it's in fastboot called something like single adb device?
Thanks!

Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

Windows first found it as fastboot, then I got the moto driver from their dev site and I didn't look what it was called after that. I think a Moto composite device or something, I'm pretty sure it installed 3 drivers. I will double check when I'm back home.

How do you relock it?

Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk

I'm not sure but I would say "fastboot oem lock" should probably work. - What I am really curious about is if fastboot oem unlcok writes something to the tablet somewhere that lets Moto/VZW know it was unlocked.

Wow, that has to be the easiest unlock I have ever seen. Does this mean we will not have to install something like Amon's RA Recovery to flash ROMs whenever people get a chance to make them?

Also, if we issue a fastbook oem lock (or whatever the proper command is), can we then send it in for repairs? in other words, is there some history on the device that says I unlocked it?

We'll still need a custom recovery to make life easier, but after you unlock it you can push any files/images to wherever you want.

The unlock screen makes you agree to the fact you're voiding your warranty. I'm not sure if re-locking it will be enough and I'd venture to speculate that there should be a difference between a hardware fail and software fail for warranty work. I guess we'll see.

 

[mikejs78]

This will ERASE your Xoom.

What does this mean? Does unlocking the device wipe everything, or just wipe data/cache? Is system effected just by executing this, or are you referring to the flash process?

 

[thefredelement]

What does this mean? Does unlocking the device wipe everything, or just wipe data/cache? Is system effected just by executing this, or are you referring to the flash process?

It's a factory reset.

 

[ejlax]

i know this was the same unlock for Nexus One, but will this give us root? has anyone attempted to install SuperUser.apk and su?

 

[socomdark]

koush has just tried this and did not unlock bootloader. was this done on a consumer device or developer's device?

 

[thefredelement]

koush has just tried this and did not unlock bootloader. was this done on a consumer device or developer's device?

A consumer device.

Is he using the right moto dev drivers and fastboot from the 3.0 sdk?

 

[thefredelement]

koush has just tried this and did not unlock bootloader. was this done on a consumer device or developer's device?

I just saw his tweet, he was trying to boot a kernel from fastboot it looks like.

 

[socomdark]

I just saw his tweet, he was trying to boot a kernel from fastboot it looks like.

yea but it looks like he has got clockwork mod on there.

 

[chris61292]

If we void the warranty what happens to the return policy? store.motorola.com 's return policy to be specific

 

[jaxon2906]

confused

Am i supposed to hold down the volume key the whole time while I'm clicking the fastboot command. I'm a little confused if anyone help understand

 

[thefredelement]

You just hold down the volume down key and power button until the white fastboot protocol text appears.

 

[jaxon2906]

cant get it

You just hold down the volume down key and power button until the white fastboot protocol text appears.

ok done that but when it will not open in command prompt http://media.xda-developers.com/images/smilies/mad.gif. i think i will jus give up cause something not right.. The command prompt jus pops up and immediately goes away...but thanks for the help i jus wait for the thunderbolt and root it....lol big ups to all whom do and to KOUSH!!!! that brotha is awesome

 

[thefredelement]

No big deal here, you have to open the command prompt properly.

If you're on windows7, then browse to the folder in windows explorer, right click on the folder and select open command window here

In windowsXP go to start, run, type in cmd and then cd to the directory where the file is located.

 

[oc3rulz]

I just purchased a Xoom, has anyone tried to issue the fastboot OEM lock command to see if it will indeed relock the device?