Defeating Huawei’s draconian security measures wasn’t an easy task, but a developer named Andrey Smirnoff actually managed to decipher the bootloader unlock code generation algorithm for devices that are based on HiSilicon Kirin 960/659/655 chipsets. Apart from that, what makes PotatoNV possible is a low-level bootloader flashing method discovered by XDA Senior Member hackintosh5. The tool, which makes use of the VCOM_DOWNLOAD mode, requires users to open up the target device and access the test points on the motherboard.

With the release of PotatoNV, owners of the aforementioned Huawei and Honor devices are finally able to flash all the custom ROMs and kernels they desire. So this can mean being able to replace the Huawei software with a custom ROM like LineageOS or others, where you can optionally install the Google apps if you wanted to. Point is Huawei still gets to sell their hardware device so there is no loss to them, it just opens up additional options for users.

See https://www.xda-developers.com/huawei-honor-bootloader-unlock-potatonv/

#technology #mobile #huawei #rooting

  • @[email protected]
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    1 year ago

    Point is Huawei still gets to sell their hardware device so there is no loss to them, it just opens up additional options for users.

    Isn’t this a loss for any manufacturer that fills their ROM with crap, ads, trackers, and their own ecosystem stuff?

    The revenue doesn’t come only from the hardware.

  • Zorro
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    51 year ago

    I miss when this was common. It feels wrong that I’m unable to use a custom ROM on my phone that I own outright

    • @RaoulDook
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      21 year ago

      Then you shouldn’t buy a phone that doesn’t let you do that. The options are there for the gettin’

      • Zorro
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        11 year ago

        The ownership of this particular phone is purely circumstancial and I really like it otherwise (Note20 Ultra).

        Despite its locked down nature it has quite a few features that I really like so until it’s truly obsolete I don’t see any reason to replace it.

  • @ghariksforge
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    31 year ago

    It should be illegal to sell a device whose bootloader can’t be unlocked.

  • @BearPear
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    -71 year ago

    People still use huawei phones?

    • GadgeteerZAOP
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      61 year ago

      Yes certainly as they have great hardware specs. They see very well in South Africa still.

      • @Jmr
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        21 year ago

        Hello fellow south african :).