Why disclaimers are important

glibg10b@lemmy.ml to Android@lemmy.ml – 32 points –

User jAm-0 has issues getting into and out of his phone's bootloader. He attributes this to the bootloader being corrupt and wants to replace it.

jAm-0 posts "Is it possible to re-flash the stock bootloader? I believe mine is corrupt somehow. It's a bit hard to explain how it's acting without actually seeing it, but it acts sporadic and barely works half the time. For example I can't reboot into the bootloader via adb, trying to power off the phone via bootloader doesn't work, and 9/10 times I try to turn my phone on it goes right to the bootloader."

User return.of.octobot provides instructions to allow reflashing the bootloader. One of the steps is to run fastboot flashing unlock_critical, which allows the bootloader to be overwritten.

Overwriting the bootloader is the only way to hard brick most devices, and fastboot flashing unlock_critical tells Android you don't care and are willing to take the risk. Hard bricking makes a device unfixable on the software level.

return.of.octobot provides instructions, including the step of running fastboot flashing unlock_critical, without any disclaimer

jAm-0 has another question and receives responses from return.of.octobot and another user, nrage23. Again, no disclaimers are given and the word "brick" isn't even brought up.

nrage23 responds to another question with "You have to do the flashing unlock critical if you have not to flash things like bootloader, boot, and modem."

jAm-0 hard bricks their phone.

after nrage23 responds to the same question, jAm-0 responds with "Great to know, thanks for the info. Too bad my phone is hardbricked now. Wont power on. Wont connect to pc. No fastboot. No recovery. Beautiful paper weight"

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I mean yeah disclaiming risks is important, but googling what you're messing with is as important.

If I'm messing with a core component of something I'll google until I'm 100% certain of the effect of what I'm about to do.

If someone were to tell me to replace some part in the engine of my car, I'm for sure gonna google everything about that even if I trust that person completely before I even pop the hood of my car.

That's fair, though I've found it hard to find information on these topics. I still only half-understand what I'm doing when installing a custom ROM or sideloading Magisk because I usually just blindly follow the accompanying steps

Poor/cryptic documentation sucks for sure. It means you have to risk your device which just increases the difficulty to start with that kind of hobby for sure. The only alleviation I can think of is to again hit the forums. Ask about the risks involved and how to mitigate them if possible.

I'll admit that I've never made a post on XDA. I just created an account -- hopefully I can get some of my burning questions answered