# A warning to all HTC phone users without S-OFF yet



## jellybellys (Apr 3, 2012)

*Don't* use the HTC Dev tool to unlock your phone's bootloader. Here's why:
You let them know you voided the warranty
You don't get S-OFF
Many times it makes you flash boot.img from your ROM while flashing a ROM
Many incompatibilities with ROMs.
If you use another tool to unlock your bootloader (such as Revolutionary, AlphaRev, or Unrevoked), then you get:
S-OFF
They don't know your warranty is void.
Moral of the story, don't use HTC Dev's tool to unlock your bootloader unless you really have to.


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## jasKaos (Jan 28, 2012)

I see nothing wrong with it. Either way voids your warranty, "technically"... and it doesn't bother me that HTC knows it... I still can return it if the screens breaks or it bricks.


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## poeskippds (Jan 9, 2012)

yea it voids your warranty only if you send it back rooted. Might as well be safe and use another tool to get S-OFF. I am pretty sure tho that they dont even check the status of the software when you return it. I sent my Tbolt back bc the day i got it as a replacement b4 i rooted it or anything the ear speaker crackled at ever volume.


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## Captain_Throwback (Sep 2, 2011)

In the case of the EVO 4G, it is possible to unlock the bootloader with the HTC method, and then revert the bootloader to a non-watermarked version. I don't believe HTC keeps a database of devices that are unlocked. In the case of the OG EVO, the key to the watermark lies in the misc/mtd partition. It seems that reverting that partition to a previous state restores the watermark to a locked state, while allowing the device to be downgraded (HBOOT included).


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## Azurewings125 (Dec 7, 2011)

Nice to see you on here Captain_Throwback, you were always a great help on XDA and I see your continuing that here.


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