Question unable to unlock the bootloader (A52 5G, SM-A526B)

[CapAdamT]

So I'm trying to unlock my bootloader to root my phone with Magisk (which also patches VBmeta, which is important for me to do). Originally the OEM unlock option was not appearing in my phone's settings, but I fixed that with the date hack (set the phone's clock to 2022-05-01 instead of 2022-08-05). But now when I reboot into the first stage of download mode, the option to unlock the bootloader does not show up, it just has the option to reboot, enter download mode, or show the barcode. When I enter download mode, the KB status shows as ACTIVE. The CSC I'm using is BTU and I'm on the latest CVG2 firmware of Android 12 (OneUI 4.1).

Any ideas?

 

[CapAdamT]

Anything?

 

[Zdrawko0o]

Make sure that USB debugging in developer options is enabled.
Turn off your device.
Hold volume up and down buttons and keep holding them.
While holding them, connect your smartphone to a PC using USB cable.
There will be a warning message.
"... to continue press volume up ..."
Don't just press volume up button, but keep holding it.

 

[CapAdamT]

Make sure that USB debugging in developer options is enabled.
Turn off your device.
Hold volume up and down buttons and keep holding them.
While holding them, connect your smartphone to a PC using USB cable.
There will be a warning message.
"... to continue press volume up ..."
Don't just press volume up button, but keep holding it.

Yeah I do that and the unlock bootloader option doesn't show up. Pressing and holding volume up goes into download mode, as described in the original post...

 

[Zdrawko0o]

Can't help you, sorry.

 

[CapAdamT]

Can't help you, sorry.

No worries lol

 

[CapAdamT]

Is the A526B (Snapdragon) as sold in the UK using BTU as the CSC considered a US device?

 

[ShaDisNX255]

Is the A526B (Snapdragon) as sold in the UK using BTU as the CSC considered a US device?

It's not. The U.S. variant is A526U and U1.

 

[Zdrawko0o]

It's not. The U.S. variant is A526U and U1.

Did you try flashing other firmware from another region?

 

[ShaDisNX255]

Did you try flashing other firmware from another region?

Odin will only let you flash U and U1 firmware on them.

 

[Zdrawko0o]

Odin will only let you flash U and U1 firmware on them.

He said that his device is SM-A526B, not SM-A526U1.

 

[ShaDisNX255]

He said that his device is SM-A526B, not SM-A526U1.

Ummmm did you check the post I was replying to. The question was, is this device a U.S. variant and I said no, the U.S. variant models are U and U1.

 

[Zdrawko0o]

Ummmm did you check the post I was replying to. The question was, is this device a U.S. variant and I said no, the U.S. variant models are U and U1.

Yep. So he can flash another firmware.

 

[ShaDisNX255]

Yep. So he can flash another firmware.

Ah Ok, I see I misunderstood your question. I assumed you asked me can you flash firmware from another region on U.S. variant devices because you quoted my post where I mentioned the U and U1 variants.

So yeah, any region can be flashed on SM-A526B as long as it's the same model.

 

[Zdrawko0o]

Is the A526B (Snapdragon) as sold in the UK using BTU as the CSC considered a US device?

BTU doesn't relate to US at all. BTU is just a region code, code for UK.

 

[ShaDisNX255]

Is the A526B (Snapdragon) as sold in the UK using BTU as the CSC considered a US device?

I'm assuming this question was asked because you weren't getting the option to unlock the bootloader in download mode. Probably the date code wasn't working properly. What I suggest doing is flashing stock firmware with Odin. Completely wipe the phone. Then when you're setting up the phone for the first time, connect to a WiFi network on the setup screen. I've noticed that sometimes OEM Unlock gets bugged when this is skipped and it seems that topjohnwu also caught on to this because he explicitly includes it in his installation instructions of Magisk

Quote from Magisk Installation on Samsung devices:

• Go through the initial setup. Skip through all the steps since data will be wiped again in later steps. Connect the device to Internet during the setup.

topjohnwu mentions Internet during the setup but I think it's worked for me better when I connect to a Wi-Fi network.

So after completely wiping the phone with Odin I suggest you connect to WiFi on setup and then check your developer settings again. Hopefully, OEM Unlock will be there without the need to do the date trick.

 

[CapAdamT]

What I suggest doing is flashing stock firmware with Odin. Completely wipe the phone. Then when you're setting up the phone for the first time, connect to a WiFi network on the setup screen.

I actually tried that a while back... Had it connected to the internet using mobile data as well as WiFi, no luck. I'll try again in a few days time once my phone has been repaired by Samsung (warranty).

 

[CapAdamT]

I actually tried that a while back... Had it connected to the internet using mobile data as well as WiFi, no luck. I'll try again in a few days time once my phone has been repaired by Samsung (warranty).

Well, that warranty repair took longer than expected. I can now report that I am still facing the same issue. I tried setting it back up while connected to WiFi (speed shouldn't be an issue, I get gigabit speeds and on WiFi I've seen 400mbps).

After checking the bit in the download mode menu, seeing that there is no `unlock bootloader` option, and then booting into Android again, the setting just disappears again, after having enabled it before shutting the phone down.

Any ideas?

 

[benjmiester]

Well, that warranty repair took longer than expected. I can now report that I am still facing the same issue. I tried setting it back up while connected to WiFi (speed shouldn't be an issue, I get gigabit speeds and on WiFi I've seen 400mbps).

After checking the bit in the download mode menu, seeing that there is no `unlock bootloader` option, and then booting into Android again, the setting just disappears again, after having enabled it before shutting the phone down.

Any ideas?

This is really strange, but I just wanted to add that I'm a U1 US variant owner that was just now looking into rooting and I came across this thread.... before even trying anything I'm already noticing I too have no OEM unlocking option in my dev settings. Really odd. I guess there's the very remote possibility my BL is already unlocked as I bought it used off eBay but I doubt it. I've run several OTAs so that seems very unlikely lol.

For me root is only desired to run Viper4Android so I'm not even 100% sure I want to bother with that now if it's going to be that steep an uphill battle.


---Edit--- Sorry, nevermind I'm dumb, the U1 Us models just aren't BL unlockable. Saw in another thread. All I want is root though, I don't need to flash roms or TWRP usage. Anyone know if that's still doable?

 

[CapAdamT]

All I want is root though, I don't need to flash roms or TWRP usage. Anyone know if that's still doable?

That still needs an unlocked BL...