[hovatek]

Unlike in some other devices, you don't necessarily need to unlock the bootloader to flash a custom ROM to your Mediatek or Spreadtrum Android phone. You don't even need bootloader (fastboot) to flash a custom recovery since Mediatek has SP Flash tool and Spreadtrum has Research / Upgrade download tool amidst several Chinese boxes. There are however certain scenarios where fastboot is the only feasible way to get a custom recovery loaded to your device from which you can then root, backup or install a custom ROM. This guide will explain how to unlock the Bootloader on a Mediatek or Spreadtrum Android phone, an important prerequisite for flashing a custom recovery via fastboot.

Note

• This guide isn't guaranteed to work on all Mediatek & Spreadtrum Android phones
  
• Ensure to backup your important stuff because unlocking your Bootloader wipes your phone's data (/userdata)
  

Requirements

• Setup ADB-Fastboot on your PC using https://forum.hovatek.com/thread-588.html . For Spreadtrum devices, follow https://forum.hovatek.com/thread-2137.html (in order to enable adb detect your device)
  
• Enable USB Debugging and OEM Unlocking (if available) using https://forum.hovatek.com/thread-10109.html
  

How to unlock a Mediatek or Spreadtrum Android phone's Bootloader via fastboot

1. Open the adb folder
   
   
   
   
2. Hold Shift (on the keyboard) then right-click on a blank space in the folder > Select Open Command window here
   
   
   
   
3. Command prompt screen (adb) should now be open
   
   
   
   
4. Connect the phone to PC (via USB cord) while ON then run the command below (by "run", I mean type then press Enter
   
   
   Code:

   adb devices
   
   
   
   
   
5. If you've setup everything right, the device should get detected under List of devices attached
   
   
   
   
6. Run the command below to get the phone into Bootloader (fastboot)
   
   
   Code:

   adb reboot-bootloader
   
   
   
   
7. The phone should now boot into fastboot
   
   
   
   
8. In fastboot, test detection / connection to the device using
   
   
   Code:

   fastboot devices
   
   
   
   
9. If fastboot is set up right, you should see its ID printed out
   
   
   
   
10. Now, check the phone's Bootloader status (if its locked or unlocked)
    
    
    Code:

    fastboot getvar unlocked
    
    
    
    
11. If the Bootloader is already unlocked then you should see "Unlocked"; you can stop following this guide from here.
    
    
    
    
12. If the Bootloader is still locked, you should see Unlocked: no
    
    
    
    
13. Run the command below to unlock Bootloader
    
    
    Code:

    fastboot oem unlock
    
    
    
    
14. You should get a prompt (on the phone) asking you to press Volume up to confirm or Volume down to cancel. Press Volume up on the phone (for some phones its actually the opposite; Volume down would confirm while up would cancel or do nothing)
    
    
15. Once Bootloader is unlocked, reboot the phone using
    
    
    Code:

    fastboot reboot
    
    
16. The phone might take a while to boot up (since its a first boot) so be patient