Bad News of the Day: Motorola is Installing a 'Root Checker' on VZW ICS Devices

[sargentmajord]

They're not telling you what to do with your device. What they are telling you is that if you root yourdevice ............ you void the warranty.

So, if after rooting, you begin to have issues with your device (issues that you hadn't had before because you would have returned it), don't come to Verizon or Motorola wanting a replacement. This has to be covered with your own dime.

Rooting voids the vzw warranty not the moto one

[BJPalmer85]

Carriers spend weeks, months even, testing software to make sure it works with their network. CDMA devices are especially cumbersome because the PRI/PRL information needs to be tested even more extensively. Why does everyone get all defensive about a carrier installing a check to see if the software they spent soo much time testing was messed with?

I'm pretty sure everyone on this and other Android forums can read, so you should know when you root the device that you have VOIDED THE WARRANTY. Sure, there are other builds of Android and other modifications which *can* work with your phone but they are untested, unauthorized, and unapproved by the carrier. If you venture into the world of modding your phone you should face the fact that inevitably you will run into a problem and even if it's unrelated to an actual defect you DID void the warranty.

I agree.

It would piss me off if the manufacturer of my laptop thought this way. There's no need for verizon or Motorola to have any say in what's on my phone, whether it's apps or OS. The phone that I purchased and own.

Sent from my SCH-I535

I can see where you are coming from but i disagree slightly.

The difference with a laptop and cell phone, in most cases anyway, is that a lot of people get a cell phone at a subsidized price, where as you generally buy a laptop at full price. If you pay the $200 dollars and sign the contract for 2 years so that you can get that better price. I agree with VZW 100% on this then. They want to make sure that they aren't getting screwed over by people messing up their phones because they are modding them.

On the other hand, if you pay full price for a phone than in my opinion there should still be some sort of warranty coverage for it even if you do mod it. Like in the case with most cars, there are some modifications the dealership/manufacturer will still warranty. It should be the same way for people who buy phones at full price and want to mod them.

B

[Aixelsyd]

Is it a full fxz where it completely wipes the phone including data an emstorage? The fxz for the bionic wipes the counter

I don't believe the leaked FXZ stock ICS build for Maxx/Razr is that type where it formats/wipes out the emstorage. The only one I've ever seen that does that on the Razr/Maxx is the original GB leaked FXZ file.

[Natey2]

Motorola, at Verizon's request, has been installing "root checker" software on all Motorola devices that run Ice Cream Sandwich. This includes the Droid RAZR, RAZR MAXX, the Droid 4, and will include the Bionic once ICS rolls out for it. This "root checker" will basically allow any Big Red employee to check to see if your phone has ever been rooted.

Corporations check for rooted devices too. Good For Enterprise, MobileIron, etc. can be configured to determine if your device is rooted, and subsequently deny you access to the Corporate network.
Some Corporate SysAdmins consider rooted devices to be security-compromised devices and disallow them on their Corporate network.

I have a generic WiFi-only rooted ICS 4.0.3 tablet for rooted Android activities. Lol!
Can't beat those things for under $100

Sent from my unrooted DroidX using Tapatalk

[npro1464]

Months ago this would have made me angry, nervous, and pissed off. I would have been afraid that this would spread to all their devices. Now I could care less. I'm clocked out at this point. The GS3 bootloader was the final straw. I'm leaving to probably go to a prepaid Nexus, although I'm very tempted by T-Mobile now.

[fastnick94]

Samsung has had a flash counter incorporated into their phones for a while. The Galaxy SII and Galaxy SIII both have flash counters but they can also be reset pretty easily. Some methods of rooting can also set off the flash counter. I am not surprised that other manufacturers are also forced to follow suit.

More Info:
TriangleAway Updated for the Samsung Galaxy S III and International Note, Possibly Final Release – xda-developers

[Aixelsyd]

Corporations check for rooted devices too. Good For Enterprise, MobileIron, etc. can be configured to determine if your device is rooted, and subsequently deny you access to the Corporate network.
Some Corporate SysAdmins consider rooted devices to be security-compromised devices and disallow them on their Corporate network.

And this one of the reason why there is more and more security and devices being locked up. For them to sell to Enterprise customers they ( enterprise ) are demanding more security on the devices moving forward. That said I've heard from my contacts over the course of the next yr or so ANY deviec that will be sold or for use to Enterprise customers will require new security checks to be in place that will in turn force the mfgs & carries to have the device locked and new added security to kernels as a safety net.

That said my one contact said you want freedom down the road at some point your only option will be to buy a Nexus otherwise be ready for lockdowns and no custom ROMs or kernels

[kodiak799]

^^^all these measure are primarily geared toward the enterprise market.

It didn't get much attention, probably because most don't use 3rd party mail widgets, but Google has way cranked-up security on the Corp Email and Gmail api's so that 3rd party developers can't really access them. It basically rendered my favorite widget - Pure Messenger - useless. And with the integration of Google Wallet it's only going to get worse.

There are some hacks you can use as a work-around for the Gmail (corp. email apparently doesn't have enough demand). Now that GV will use the default message app, Pure is like the perfect widget to see all your texts, voicemail, and mail (plus FB and Twitter, if you choose). Frustrates me to no end that Google STILL hasn't made a satisfactory universal message widget for Android.

[en28so]

yet another reason im glad I just found a Galaxy Nexus on ebay 100% functional for less than $200....and im selling my bionic. No more motorola for me...and come February no more Verizon for me either.

You are my new best friend! I bet Verizon has treated you like they treated me. Signed, a disgruntled Verizon customer.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums

[Mike.757]

Corporations check for rooted devices too. Good For Enterprise, MobileIron, etc. can be configured to determine if your device is rooted, and subsequently deny you access to the Corporate network.
Some Corporate SysAdmins consider rooted devices to be security-compromised devices and disallow them on their Corporate network.

I have a generic WiFi-only rooted ICS 4.0.3 tablet for rooted Android activities. Lol!
Can't beat those things for under $100

Sent from my unrooted DroidX using Tapatalk

You are absolutely correct. I just installed Good for Enterprise (GFE) and it detected that my phone was rooted and slicked the GFE software. I unrooted and reinstalled the software. No problems. I have tinkered with ICS but do not mod my phone so it is not too much of a loss for me.