Safe to buy?

Hochitaku

I am in the market for a pixel 6A and I found one for 180€. It has a problem though, this error message:

The bootloader is unlocked and software integrity cannot be guaranteed. Any data stored on the device may be available to attackers. Do not store any sensitive data on the device. Visit this link on another device g.co/abh. There are few post regarding this issue. Would It be enough to flash graphene from a PC to solve the issue?

spring-onion

Hello there. That's good news even, that proofs the device is not oem locked, so you can install GrapheneOS on there. Hopefully the previous owner didn't use it like that...

Hochitaku

spring-onion Thanks for the reply. What do you mean by "Hopefully the previous owner didn't use it like that..."?

spring-onion

Leaving the bootloader unlocked is a security risk, but maybe they purposefully unlocked it to wipe their data. Either way it doesn't matter to you, once you've flashed GrapheneOS and done the post installation steps outlined in the guide (like locking the bootloader) you'll be up and running with a perfectly functional device.

Hochitaku

spring-onion The listing description is italian and it roughly says this:
"Google pixel 6A, locked android system. The smartphone is practically new. While attempting to unlock the bootloader the phone locked and I couldn't make it work again. The sale is final, the phone is genuine without any flaw."
He posted a photo of the "error message", the one I have reported in this thread. So, basing on what you have said me, the phone does not have any flaw and it's just a matter of him being unable to proceed, am I right?

de0u

Hochitaku If it were in my hands I would definitely try an install. If it works and the signing key hash is right on the yellow boot screen I think you're in business.

There could be a problem -- who knows, maybe the microphone is bad -- but you won't know until you try.

spring-onion

His description is contradictive, it's clearly not locked at all if we can believe the picture (?). Methinks he simply isn't fully knowledgeable on the terminology. Ask him if he can toggle OEM unlock in the developer settings - he should be able to -, that will clear things up.