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Repair information and guides for the iPhone 6S released by Apple on September 25, 2015. Models: A1688, A1633

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iCloud lock removal by hardware replacement possible?

This question might be slightly different from some of the other questions asked about this topic.

Obviously, it can be done by replacing a few chips on the logic board and reprogramming the NAND chip or something like that.

But, my question is, can you somehow reprogram the EXISTING chip that came on the iPhone or is a new one needed? I saw a forum somewhere where someone had tried this but never updated his post.

Also, some special tools and software are needed for this type of project. I would love to know specifically what kind of software and tools are needed for this kind of job, and also, where I could buy them.

There are plenty of sites that sell this kind of material, but I want to know a reputable site that sells quality products and someone who doesn’t scam you into giving them your credit card information but never gives you a product.

I plan on repairing and flipping phones later in life as a side-job and depending on how much the chips cost that need replacing, doing iCloud unlock by hardware replacement. I don’t know how much the chips cost or anything like that, but considering you can get an iCloud locked iPhone 7 for about $50 and sell it for around $400, this may be profitable.

Thanks for your time and answers, they are much appreciated!

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147 thousand employees against a couple of hackers…..&&^&

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I changed my iPhone bored and still have a problem with the icloud Activation lock how to fix it

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@richardsonkofi if you changed your logic board and it is still iCloud locked, your "new" board was from a phone that was iCloud locked. You still will have the same issues.

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Apple forbids minor to create an account on their products. Take the phone in say your kid lied and started account using their service. By law assuming you are a parent, they have to remove the account associated with the phone.

Or not I don’t know. I like to hack things and the i-phone is my biggest enemy when it is cloud locked. There really is no way to get around it. Unless you have inside help. Or you think out side the box. :)

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@ashleysandlin Right now, hardware seems to be the only viable option, but I’ve got a few ideas we could brainstorm if you’re interested

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You cannot “replace a few chips” to remove an iCloud lock nor can you reprogram these chips. If it was that easy, the market would be flooded with iCloud UNlocked devices and iPhone theft would be a rampant problem.

On GSM/LTE iPads, there is a hardware “fix” that unlocks them but they can be used as WiFi-only devices and updating them to the latest iOS usually renders them back to a locked state. Apple has done it’s homework here and made iCloud Lock essentially impenetrable. The only known exception is when an internal Apple employee sells GSX access to unlock the device but that’s a different barrel of fish.

Essentially, the CPU/NAND/Baseband CPU and EEPROM are all tied together with a secure code. While you can reprogram the NAND, there is no such access to the CPU or Baseband CPU. Therefore, the only way to make a logic board unlocked is to transfer those IC’s from a non locked board…that’s a whole lot of work for nothing as you haven’t made anything new, you risk damaging both boards (this is a very difficult repair with low success rates) and it would have been easier to just transfer the unlocked board in the first place.

Unfortunately, in regards to iCloud locked boards, you can’t make something out of nothing.

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17 Comments:

To add to @refectio - comments: Older iOS had a few holes which allowed some means of access (as an example Phone use only) these are no longer accessible with the newer iOS versions.

Besides, all you are doing is becoming a cog in the theft ring!

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@refectio Those are the components I was talking about when I said “a few chips.” But I know they CAN be replaced to remove the IC lock because I’ve seen and heard about it being done. There is also equipment made specifically for this task because I’ve viewed it online. I’m by no means calling you a liar or trying to argue or anything. You OBVIOUSLY know A LOT more about this than I do and I respect that. But from what I’ve read and understood, the three chips ARE paired together and that’s why they must all be replaced and the NAND chip is the one people are reprogramming because it stores the IMEI and things of that nature.

All I wanted to know is CAN it be done, and if done correctly, is it profitable? And if it’s profitable, where I might be able to obtain some of these parts and equipment.

I’m sorry for the trouble, I just want to make sure that I understand all this correctly. I appreciate your time in answering my questions.

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@refectio This is the link where they replace the parts and reprogram the NAND chip: http://www.3u.com/tutorial/articles/how-...

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Maybe you should re-read my answer ;>).

First of all, the link provided shows an iPhone 5S, you are talking about flipping iPhone 7's.

Since then, the CPU is included in the code-locked IC's; there is no way to access the Secure Enclave within it. There is also no know way to program or read the Baseband CPU. There are tools to read/program the NAND and EEPROM but that is a moot point when it comes to unlocking iCloud when you can't do anything with the CPU/BBCPU.

Now when it comes to transferring IC's, here's why its of no value. Suppose you have a logic board (LB1) which is iCloud locked. You also have access to another phone that is damaged but not iCloud locked, let's call it LB2. You think that you can transfer over the needed components from LB2 (CPU/NAND/BBCPU/EEPROM) to unlock LB1. Well, yes...in theory.

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In practice, it is insanely hard to do. However, Iet's assume it is done successfully. What do you have in your hands at the end of the exercise? LB1 which now works and is unlocked and LB2 which is now toast and of no value. In fact, assuming the main IC's were good to begin with, it would have been much easier to simply repair LB2. The end result would be the same and you will not have risked destroying either or both logic boards by removing CPU's.

The only way this works is if you have a steady stream of iCloud locked devices and an equally steady stream of unlocked but damaged devices that cost you almost nothing. You still have to do the work but then you haven't really unlocked anything, your just moving components around it would just be simpler to move logic boards around instead. It could probably work if you were in China, with access to low-cost labour and a near infinite supply of damaged/returned/stolen phones. But not in the "western" world.

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