Will I loose DRM functionality when the bootloader is unlocked?

[Medeon]

Just bought a new Xiaomi mi 6T device. My previous phone was a Sony Xperia m6. To unlock the bootloader and get root access was a bit of a pain on the latter. I remember having to backup a ta-partition to secure my DRM-keys.

Wanting to unlock the bootloader on this device I couldn't find any information about backing up and restoring a certain partition to secure the DRM-keys. What I did find was this post on the mi community forum about how unlocking the bootloader results in the widevine beïng downgraded from L1 to L3 (read the post for further details. The only way to reverse that process is to relock the bootloader again according to the the information I found.

So this is my question: Is there a way to keep the widevine L1 version, with better HDR performances, with an unlocked bootloader by backing up and restoring any data or partition on the phone that is responsible for widevine or other DRM content?

 

[fabsen]

Just bought a new Xiaomi mi 6T device. My previous phone was a Sony Xperia m6. To unlock the bootloader and get root access was a bit of a pain on the latter. I remember having to backup a ta-partition to secure my DRM-keys.

Wanting to unlock the bootloader on this device I couldn't find any information about backing up and restoring a certain partition to secure the DRM-keys. What I did find was this post on the mi community forum about how unlocking the bootloader results in the widevine beïng downgraded from L1 to L3 (read the post for further details. The only way to reverse that process is to relock the bootloader again according to the the information I found.

So this is my question: Is there a way to keep the widevine L1 version, with better HDR performances, with an unlocked bootloader by backing up and restoring any data or partition on the phone that is responsible for widevine or other DRM content?

No, you don't loose L1. You don't need to backup anything. You will allways have L1 with the official roms (global/eea) and L3 with all other at the moment including china official, xiaomi.eu and all forks.

e.g:
I have L1 with global rom, unlocked BL and magisk.

 

[Medeon]

No, you don't loose L1. You don't need to backup anything. You will allways have L1 with the official roms (global/eea) and L3 with all other at the moment including china official, xiaomi.eu and all forks.

e.g:
I have L1 with global rom, unlocked BL and magisk.

Thank you very much for confirming this, that's a huge relief! I also just found out about it reading this article.

 

[Gregor250385]

Thank you very much for confirming this, that's a huge relief! I also just found out about it reading this article.

I'm unlock and rooted, on L1, but u can't install Netflix from play store, so no full HD

 

[Medeon]

I kinda anticipated that, since when you root your device with magisk, Android prevents you from installing Netflix. Which is no problem in my case, since I only watch Netflix on my television or Pc. You can watch Netflix though on an unlocked device if don't root your devices, isn't it?

 

[razielmcr]

I just installed magisk and remains L1. Just that the app doesn't appear on play store. Sideloeaded and got hdr working just fine.

 

[jimkan]

i think only SONY has this problem with drm keys and widevine l1..if you unlock the bootloader of any SONY mobile said goodbye to this keys.And the hdr of the camera i think..

 

[LeonardoBordin]

I only recommend that you back up the persist partition with TWRP if you are going to change the ROM on the Mi 9T. Some ROMs try to damage this partition and if it does you will Widevine L1 forever as I lost it

 

[zgfg]

I only recommend that you back up the persist partition with TWRP if you are going to change the ROM on the Mi 9T. Some ROMs try to damage this partition and if it does you will Widevine L1 forever as I lost it

Using OrangeFox and there is no checkmark to include Persist to Backup - screenshot attached.
I think it was the same with the official TWRP.
Which TWRP offers to backup Persist?

Btw, I was able to disk-dump Persist:
https://xdaforums.com/mi-9t/how-to/to-extract-stock-boot-recovery-images-t4058447
But read somewhere (cannot find now and didn't try) that Persist.img cannot be flashed through Fastboot (?)

 

[Pupet_Master]

Just bought a new Xiaomi mi 6T device. My previous phone was a Sony Xperia m6. To unlock the bootloader and get root access was a bit of a pain on the latter. I remember having to backup a ta-partition to secure my DRM-keys.

Wanting to unlock the bootloader on this device I couldn't find any information about backing up and restoring a certain partition to secure the DRM-keys. What I did find was this post on the mi community forum about how unlocking the bootloader results in the widevine beïng downgraded from L1 to L3 (read the post for further details. The only way to reverse that process is to relock the bootloader again according to the the information I found.

So this is my question: Is there a way to keep the widevine L1 version, with better HDR performances, with an unlocked bootloader by backing up and restoring any data or partition on the phone that is responsible for widevine or other DRM content?

No, but you will lose the safeties that could lead in to a persist partition corrupted.
Backup your persist partition and store this backup OUT of the phone, on a cloud or a PC.

 

[zgfg]

No, but you will lose the safeties that could lead in to a persist partition corrupted.
Backup your persist partition and store this backup OUT of the phone, on a cloud or a PC.

The same question that was in the preceeding post:

Using OrangeFox and there is no checkmark to include Persist to Backup .
I think it was the same with the official TWRP

Which TWRP offers to backup Persist?

Btw, I was able to disk-dump Persist:
https://xdaforums.com/mi-9t/how-to/to-extract-stock-boot-recovery-images-t4058447
But read somewhere (cannot find now and didn't try) that Persist.img cannot be flashed through Fastboot (?)

 

[Pupet_Master]

The same question that was in the preceeding post:

Using OrangeFox and there is no checkmark to include Persist to Backup .
I think it was the same with the official TWRP

Which TWRP offers to backup Persist?

Btw, I was able to disk-dump Persist:
https://xdaforums.com/mi-9t/how-to/to-extract-stock-boot-recovery-images-t4058447
But read somewhere (cannot find now and didn't try) that Persist.img cannot be flashed through Fastboot (?)

The chinese team TWRP

 

[zgfg]

The chinese team TWRP

Pls link for that TWRP

Andd a question, official TWRP and OtangeFox properly support encryption - it is not needed to format Data, jus each time on booting to TWRPt to enter the current Android screen unlock pin/pass and they rrad/write to Internal storage

Is it also the case with the Chineer TWRP?

 

[Pupet_Master]

Pls link for that TWRP

Andd a question, official TWRP and OtangeFox properly support encryption - it is not needed to format Data, jus each time on booting to TWRPt to enter the current Android screen unlock pin/pass and they rrad/write to Internal storage

Is it also the case with the Chineer TWRP?

If you will flash ANY different ROM, you NEED to format. since the ROM wont be able to access a encrypted data partition from another ROM/Encryption key.

Also, you can do a forum search for the chinese TWRP, i don't have the link

Good luck.

 

[zgfg]

If you will flash ANY different ROM, you NEED to format. since the ROM wont be able to access a encrypted data partition from another ROM/Encryption key.

Also, you can do a forum search for the chinese TWRP, i don't have the link

Good luck.

Im absolutely not interested in custom ROMs (I only do rooting of the stock, and for that, as well as for official TWRP ahd OrangeFox, no kind of forkatting any partition is needed)

However, I have asked about Persist partitions just in case

Good luck

 

[Pupet_Master]

Im absolutely not interested in custom ROMs (I only do rooting of the stock, and for that, as well as for official TWRP ahd OrangeFox, no kind of forkatting any partition is needed)

However, I have asked about Persist partitions just in case

Good luck

If you install stock MIUI but from a zip, such as xiaomi.eu is is a custom rom..
Stock is just what come with the phone.

 

[zgfg]

If you install stock MIUI but from a zip, such as xiaomi.eu is is a custom rom..
Stock is just what come with the phone.

Tthank for teaching but I know what the stockk means

My Mi 9T came with v10.3.12 PFJEUXM, updated by OTA to v11.0.3 PFJEUXM and then again by OTA to v11.0.4 QFJEUXM.
Alll syock firmwares, no eu weekly ROMs and no AOSP ROMs (only debloating by ADB, twrp.me davincii TWRP, OranfeFox, Canary Magisk root and modules)

Instead of this OT discussion, I still did not get answers for sone originally asked questions but please nwm(for example about flashing from Fastboot the disk-dumped Persist.img)

Good luck and goodbye

 

[Pupet_Master]

Tthank for teaching but I know what the stockk means

My Mi 9T came with v10.3.12 PFJEUXM, updated by OTA to v11.0.3 PFJEUXM and then again by OTA to v11.0.4 QFJEUXM.
Alll syock firmwares, no eu weekly ROMs and no AOSP ROMs (only debloating by ADB, twrp.me davincii TWRP, OranfeFox, Canary Magisk root and modules)

Instead of this OT discussion, I still did not get answers for sone originally asked questions but please nwm(for example about flashing from Fastboot the disk-dumped Persist.img)

Good luck and goodbye

fastboot a disk dump persist.img will cause you to lose DRM, i did it my self and i lost.

 

[Wolfcity]

fastboot a disk dump persist.img will cause you to lose DRM, i did it my self and i lost.

What about

dd if=/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/persist of=/sdcard/persist.img

to backup and

dd if=/sdcard/persist.img of=/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/persist

to restore?
That's how I did it with my Moto G5+. Later the official TWRP recovery for that device had checkmarks for persist and efs too.

Edit: Sorry,I've seen that @zgfg posted that method so follow his steps:

https://xdaforums.com/mi-9t/how-to/to-extract-stock-boot-recovery-images-t4058447/post81871363

Sent from my Moto G5 Plus using XDA Labs

 

[Razorbacktrack5535]

You will lose DRM even with "dd" to restore (tested on Mi Mix 3 5G)