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<<< I like beer -------------------
To fully comprehend what is going on in this thread you have to understand a few terms and acronyms.
GB - Gingerbread 2.3.x- the name of the previous software, the Android operative system a.k.a OS.
ICS - Ice Cream Sandwich 4.x - the name of the latest software, the Android operative system.
OTA or actually FOTA - Over The Air, Firmware Over The Air, the way the software update reaches the phone.
ROM - Read Only Memory, the software package for your phone, original a.k.a stock rom, or if it has been altered a custom rom.
RUU - Rom Update Utility - This executable Windows file contains all files you need to restore your phone to original software. It is run from a Windows PC with the phone connected and it will install a clean system on your phone. The original rom comes from such a RUU file and has been extracted from it.
Bootloop - Phone keeps restarting over and over and over and ...
Flashing - Installing something is referred to as flashing
PG58IMG.zip - This type of file is useful when flashing something from hboot, hboot automagically finds this file (because of its name) if it is located on the sdcard and flashes it. It can contain almost anything, such as a new recovery, new hboot, new firmware, new rom etc.
hboot - The bootloader - code that is executed before the Operating System starts to run, during normal use of your phone you'll never see this, but it is possible to restart the phone in bootloader mode to gain access to certain functions.
CID - Carrier Identifier, a letter and number combination identifying your carrier.
SuperCID - An all powerful CID, using this allows you to use and flash any carrier software without restrictions.
Root - The lowest/deepest level of the operative system. In Windows it's basically C:\ in Linux it's / (Android is Linux).
To gain or have root - To have Superuser or Administrator access rights over the entire OS, you are able to change everything and anything you want.
Unroot - Going back to original software with a locked bootloader and hence S-ON.
NAND - A type of flash memory.
S-ON - Security on, locked NAND memory.
S-OFF - Security off, unlocked NAND memory.
CWM - ClockworkMod, backup and recovery software.
4EXT - Backup and recovery software.
Zip - Certain zip-files, those prepared for it, are installable through a custom recovery.
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This thread contains info on the following topics:
- A scenario - going from custom ICS to stock GB:
- Reverse scenario - going from stock unrooted GB to a rooted custom ICS rom:
- I am on stock software, but rooted and using a custom recovery.
- Going from stock GB to a stock, rooted ICS via OTA
scroll down to find what you are looking for
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How to downgrade from a custom ICS to stock GB to get OTA updates?
Q: I'm running a
Custom ICS ROM, how do I get back to
stock GB rom without risking a boot loop or bricking my phone ?
A: Well it is quite easy and there is not really that big of a risk as long as you have the proper file !
There is no need to fiddle with hboot versions if you
downgrade to stock rom using a RUU (
rom.zip <-> PG58IMG.zip) !
Why not ? Well, it is all contained in the package, everything will be replaced when you run the "RUU".
Note that you will also get back to stock recovery.
Just make sure that you check the integrity of all and any file you download,
so you don't end up having a damaged copy ! Do md5 sum checks !
A scenario - going from custom ICS to stock GB:I am now on HTC ICS 3.32.401.3, rooted and I want to downgrade to stock rom, in my case, this one:
(RUU_Pyramid_HTC_Europe_1.35.401.1_Radio_10.43a.9007.00U_10.51.9007.27_M3_release_198179_signed.exe)
Q: Why that RUU in particular?
A: Because I am in Europe, my CID is HTC__Y13, my stock software was 1.35.401.1, but a newer version will do too, like the 1.50.401.1
First
you have to
find and download the proper RUU for
your phone.
and my device is rooted and the hboot reads:
-Revolutionary-
PYRAMID PVT SHIP S-OFF RL
HBOOT-1.27.1100
RADIO-11.22.3504.07_M
OpenADSP-v02.6.0.2226.00.0131
eMMC-boot
Jan 13 2012,17:33:34
This is what I have done on several occassions and for me it has worked every time:
Short version:
- Backup everything
- Run the proper RUU file
Preparations:Download all necessary files if you haven't already. Read through and you'll find out which ones you'll need.
First of all I
create all sorts of backups using different tools/apps
The backups are not necessarily useful for GB, meaning I can't restore all apps from ICS when on GB !
The same goes for settings, so don't even try to use Titanium Backup to restore all your ICS settings on a GB rom or vice versa !
Those backups are for when you want to go back to the same ICS rom once again i.e. restoring what you had.
Sounds complicated ? It isn't.
Backups:- 4Ext Recovery Touch, for a complete rom backup
- Titanium Backup, batch backup of all apps and settings
- App Backup & Restore, backup of all apps to folder on sdcard
- Contacts Backup, backups all contacts to file on sdcard
Now copy the entire content of your scard to a folder on your computer,
except for files and folders starting with a (.) period/full stop.
1. Check current CID (CID Getter from Google Play Store), write back the
correct CID if you have SuperCID (download, install adb tools), in my case HTC__Y13
2. I have previously
extracted the rom.zip* from my RUU_1.35.401.1.exe
3. Rename rom.zip to PG58IMG.zip (rom.zip is the flashable "installer")
Enter your recovery, format everything, and I mean everything, even sdcard!
Stay in recovery! (plug in usb cable) connect usb storage.
* Instead of extracting the rom.zip you could of course
run the RUU.exe from Windows with the phone connected in HTC Sync Mode or in fastboot usb. Follow the onscreen directions.
(If you ran the RUU skip to step 9.)
4. Drop the PG58IMG.zip on root of the sdcard (this is the "installer")
5. Reboot phone into hboot
6. hboot finds the file and asks "Do you want to start update?" push "Volume Up" to say yes.
6. Flashing commences, it will take a while, just leave it alone. - I said leave it !
7. When it says: "Update Complete...", "Press <POWER> to reboot." you are good to go, press power and reboot !
8. First boot might take a while ... hands off !
9. Back on stock rom, no root, s-off.
OK ? Got that ? Good !
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But, but ... I want to go the other way ... how do I do that ?
(Oh, my ... *face palm* ...)
--------------------------------------------------------------------Reverse scenario - going from stock unrooted GB to a rooted custom ICS rom:First, do all the backup stuff - again.
Since your phone is now stock, i.e. unrooted
you'll have to root it.
Do the Revolutionary bit (revolutionary.io). DO NOT USE "HTCDev Unlock" to unlock bootloader!!
Flash the su-file (superuser) - and you should have super user access to root i.e. "permanently" rooted.
Download all necessary files:Download the ICS 3.32.401.3.zip (rooted)
Download the proper firmware for this rom. CID number dependant, get it right !
Download the hboot package containing hboot 1.23 and 1.27 and make sure they are the ones with s-off !
Do not flash an hboot with s-on ! You will end up crying if you do.
- Wipe/format everything from the phone and sdcard, stay in recovery !
- Toggle USB storage from recovery
- Drop the custom-rom.zip and the hboot (PG58IMG.zip) on the sdcard
- Reboot to hboot
- Flash hboot 1.23 (with s-off ! get the proper file !) (hboot 1.23 is compatible with both GB and ICS) - reboot to check if hboot 1.23 plays nice with GB. If it does, continue.
Do not take any shortcuts here ! Do not skip to flash hboot 1.27 , you will end up in a bootloop if you do ! - Flash the custom-rom.zip (this one is rooted already) reboot
- Flash hboot 1.27, reboot
- Flash the 3.32.401.* firmware, reboot, Done !
"Extra"
- Install BusyBox (only necessary if you want to install 4Ext Recovery)
- Install 4ext recovery touch (your choice, you already have ClockWorkMod if you rooted through Revolutionary)
(now copy all your files back to the sdcard-reboot once- let the system settle)
- Restore your previously made 4Ext recovery backup and you will have all your stuff back.
- Get back into Recovery and do a "Fix file permissions"
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I am on stock software, but rooted and using a custom recovery.
Can I get the OTA update? Yes, if you are using stock software, no custom ROM-ware, using the correct CID, and a
stock recovery then yes you can.
All you have to do is
flash the stock recovery included in the RUU file appropriate for your phone.
You either download the stock recovery from the Internet or you
extract it yourself.Run the RUU on a Windows PC, locate the
rom.zip in the Temp folder. Move it to another location.
Extract (unzip it*) the rom.zip and inside it you will find the recovery image, flash it using fastboot.
You should be able to get the OTA update now.
Afterwards, if you want to regain root, all you have to do is flash the su-file.zip again.
If you want custom recovery back you can flash that as well.
* I had to use Unversal Extractor to unzip the rom.zip and get to its contents.
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Going from stock GB to a stock, rooted ICS via OTA
Q: If I update to ICS using the OTA (over the air) update, can I root it with the Revolutionary tool ?
A: No, that is not possible since Revolutionary isn't compatible with hboot version past 1.18.0000
How to do it then ?
If you want to have your ICS rooted, you root it before the upgrade !In my case I have received several updates to my phone and the last was
1.50.401.3 <- note that number.
For those paying attention that number will not work for the OTA update since the OTA file number is:
OTA_PYRAMID_ICS_HTC_Europe_3.32.401.5-
1.50.401.1_P_release_246627z7pljztztog0er50-2.zip.
So first I had to run the RUU for the phone to get it to that software version. Once on the 1.50.401.1 ->
- root your phone using the Revolutionary tool.
- let Revolutionary flash the custom clockworkmod recovery when it asks to
- flash the su-2.3.6.3-efgh-signed.zip file (SuperUser)
You are now rooted
Reboot the phone check with root checker (it's an app).
If you do not have superuser permissions go back and flash the su-2.3.6.3-efgh-signed.zip again
Download and run Voodoo OTA RootKeeper (it's an app) now and also after the ICS update !Since you now have a
custom recovery you will get the OTA notification but you
CAN'T upgrade to ICS ! It will error out !
You have to change back to
stock recoveryHow to do that and the
tools for it is floating around in the forum
Once you have flashed the stock recovery, check for and download the OTA update, let it update
Now you don't have root access, you are rooted but you don't have root access.
Run Voodoo OTA RootKeeper again, "restore root" !Flash a custom recovery
Go into recovery and flash the su-bin-3.0.3.2-efghi-signed.zip file (Note - file is different from the one above !).
Reboot and check root access. Root Check Basic (it's an app).
Download ROM Manager or 4Ext Recovery Control (requires BusyBox so get BusyBox Installer and install it) and let one of those apps flash an updated recovery for you.
NOTE !If you aren't able to change back to a custom recovery in adb it might be because the bootloader is now locked !
A locked bootloader shouldn't be a problem regarding flashing but it might.
Check what it says in hboot ! ***LOCKED*** or ***UNLOCKED*** ?
If it is locked, the HTCDev tool is able to unlock it for you.
When you apply the
Unlock_code.bin file it will seem like nothing happens, but reboot into hboot and have a look.
If you don't want to use the HTCDev tool, then you'll have to find and flash an unlocked hboot v1.27.0000 from xda-developers forum.
Once ***UNLOCKED*** proceed with flashing a custom recovery using adb and then flash the the su-file.zip again if you have to, using recovery.
March 15, 2012, 10:46:18 AM
