Guide to beat the wait for 2.1 on Branded phones in UK.
***** WARNING, there seems to be some problem with certain Orange branded phones receiving the 2.1 update after using this method, I would suggest to avoid problems that Orange customers do not use this method to debrand their phones until further notice****
*****WARNING, due to some unforseen compatability issues between Windows 7 and the HTC sync software it is highly advised that either Windows xp or vista are used during the process of debranding your phone***** (some users have however managed a successful install despite using windows 7)
Hi! It was too late last night to try and write down a detailed description of how to put the generic Rom onto your phone, but now I've got some spare time, here is a step by step guide to how I did it.
1. Back up an entire copy of your sd card onto your pc.
2. Sync your contents using the newest version of HTC sync (check htc website to check you have the newest version installed) Because lets face it, losing your contacts list would be a major pain in the ass.
ok that's the main phone data backup sorted
Now you need to download 2 pieces of software these are:
Generic unbranded HTC Hero rom - which is here: [link removed]
3: Unplug your phone from the pc if it isn't already go into phone settings/Sd card and storage/ unmount sd card and then click Format sd card (you didn't forget to back it up in step 1 i hope)
4. Now go into phone settings again applictaions/development and then make sure there is a tick in the Usb Debugging box.
5. Now open the gold card generator on your pc.
6. Connect your phone via the usb cable but DO NOT MOUNT OR SYNC JUST YET
7. Now the phone is connected click the box that say's "Get CID" in the goldcard tool
if this works correctly the box next to it should now be filled with a long number, now select and copy that number. If at this stage it did not find a number, simply check the mmc0 box instead of the mmc1 box that is checked as standard and try "Get CID" again.
8. Now that you have the CID number click on the blue link below the CID box in the gold card tool, the link reads "open revskills de free HTC gold card generator"
This will open a website into which you can input your email address and a box for the CID number that you copied during the last step.
9. Go check your email and you should have been sent an email containing a file "goldcard.img" which is specific to you and you shoul save it somewhere on your pc where you won't lose it.
10. Now mount the htc hero to your pc so that it is being used as a mass storage device.
11. Now in the goldcard tool click the refresh button then select your sd card from the drop down box next to refresh. (if this shows no card then check you have mounted the phone correctly)
12. Click 'Load goldcard.img' and select the file you received by email.
13. Click patch MMC and almost instantaneously the tool will announce that you now have a goldcard.
So that was relatively simple and you can now put the generic rom onto your device without problem. To do this:
14. locate the generic rom executable file that you downloaded at the start of this tutorial and simply run the program. This is an official HTC rom, so will have the usual windows you will recognise if you've done hero software updates before, so follow the steps shown on screen and the install will begin. At this stage the screen on your phone will show some skateboarding androids at the bottom, with some info on the update progress above them. DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING NOW!!! just leave it alone and after a few minutes you will be notified that the update is complete and the phone will reboot itself.
The reboot will take slightly longer than usual, so don't panic, just let it do it's stuff.
The next screen you will see after the HTC logo is the one you would have gotten when you switched on your android for the first time (Keyboard tutorial, google mail settings etc) Don't bother to set any of this up because as soon as your phone gets a 3g/wifi signal it will prompt you that an update is available (update 1 preperatory update & youtube player) click to download this and then when it's finished downloading in the notification bar you will be prompted to install, click "install now"
The phone will now reboot again and install the official part one update, again this takes longer than usual, with various unpacking logo's on screen so don't panic just sit back and relax.
now when you get back to the setup screen again with the keyboard tutorial and all that stuff again, skip past it all again because as oon as your phone gets 3g/wifi connection again it will prompt you to download another update this one of course is the official htc 2.1 rom ota update (the holy grail) haha.
Click to download (best over wifi) as it's about 80/100mb
when the download finishes be patient because it takes about a minute or so to check the update before prompting you to install. when the option appears click to install and your phone will reboot for the final time and start installing 2.1
Please note the 2.1 update takes a long time to install and various progress bars will stop and start, so DO NOT PANIC! yes it seems like a while but it's got a lot to do.
Eventually after 2 or 3 slow progress bars you will be greeted with a spanking new 2.1 update official htc hero rom, you can now transfer any music/pictures etc on to it from your old backed up rom and of course don't forget to re-sync your contacts using htc sync.
And Phew! we are finally done, hope you have found this all helpful, I'm now gonna grab me a coffee and go play with my 2.1 some more.
P.s this has now been tried on 2x three mobile uk phones and 1x Vodafone uk phone, with 100% success rate.
Please note: this does not give you root access to your phone, it just debrands it.
Last edited by Moko76; July 3rd, 2010 at 06:39 PM.
Reason: Link to official HTC ROM removed
The Following 23 Users Say Thank You to Moko76 For This Useful Post:
__________________ Surfing on the dark side...
Previously owned smarphones: Nokia Communicators (since the 9110i), Nokia E71, N97, HTC Hero, HTC Desire HD.
Well, I haven't tried an Orange phone yet. But the majority of the procedure is actually doing little tricks with your sd card to trick the phone into thinking it's unbranded, allowing you to put on an unbranded Rom which you wouldn't otherwise be able to install.
I'm just wondering if I can install the Orange 2.1 rom when it comes out later next month? I mean as I bought mine on eBay and pretty sure as the guy was on Orange contract so the warranty can't be transferred over to me anyway, I can't really see any badpoints to using the Goldcard trick?
Is there any problems I can encounter after doing this as the serial number is still an 'Orange' phone so to speak?
Please don't provide links to HTC ROMs anywhere other than the official support sites. HTC has already served a C&D order on one site which was hosting official ROMs so let's play safe.
I mean as I bought mine on eBay and pretty sure as the guy was on Orange contract so the warranty can't be transferred over to me anyway
The warranty is for the DEVICE not PERSON who bought it and it is fully transferable. Just imagine yourself buying a 2008 BMW 3-Series - it till has three years of warranty left. So yes, if it still has the warranty on it you are still covered by it.
Ah yeah, sorry should've thought of that. So we can't post links to any site but the HTC website, but nobody with a branded phone can download it from there.
You're all just going to have to get searching on google for 2.73.405.5
I read somewhere that after using this method using the generic ROM and gold card, someone with an Orange locked phone was prompted for an unlock code after instaling the ROM.
It has something to do with the radio, and won't work with Orange Hero's
Has anyone done this successfully on a Orange locked Hero? If so can you let us know of any issues.
The issue with missing apps has now been resolved, so that's one less problem.
That's a very good point. Haha. It may very well be that what I linked too anyway, just hosted by another site. It was definitely an HTC rom because i've used official roms of theirs before, and it was identical in look and process.
I read somewhere that after using this method using the generic ROM and gold card, someone with an Orange locked phone was prompted for an unlock code after instaling the ROM.
It has something to do with the radio, and won't work with Orange Hero's
Has anyone done this successfully on a Orange locked Hero? If so can you let us know of any issues.
The issue with missing apps has now been resolved, so that's one less problem.
Wasn't that to do with the radio from the Taiwanese release? The European firmware release comes with a different radio.
So we can't post links to any site but the HTC website, but nobody with a branded phone can download it from there.
HTC went after a site that hosted their official ROMs, therefore posting direct links to d/l said ROMs might also attract their attention. I don't want to risk that. However posting indirect links i.e. to another site containing such links should keep AF in the clear. Ticho was spot-on in his post - try here.
Btw, this argument won't work with warez sites so nobody try it!
HTC went after a site that hosted their official ROMs, therefore posting direct links to d/l said ROMs might also attract their attention. I don't want to risk that. However posting indirect links i.e. to another site containing such links should keep AF in the clear. Ticho was spot-on in his post - try here.
Btw, this argument won't work with warez sites so nobody try it!
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't complaining or anything, I totally understand. I was just thinking aloud, that's all
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't complaining or anything, I totally understand.
And I wasn't suggesting otherwise mate, honest. I just wanted to clarify things. I'm probably being over-protective but better safe than sorry I reckon.
So, you need the serial to download the file... but from there on in, it should just install. Right? Wrong? Not sure?
Yes, that's right. Normally it would reject your phone, but that's what the goldcard is for; it tricks the installer into continuing even if you have the wrong serial/newer firmware.
If it all goes wrong......how do I return to my stock 3UK rom, is it just a case of going back to the HTC website and downloading the last ROM (Jan 2010) and it's as if it didn't happen?
If it all goes wrong......how do I return to my stock 3UK rom, is it just a case of going back to the HTC website and downloading the last ROM (Jan 2010) and it's as if it didn't happen?
Yep that's right as long as your serial number matches the type of rom you're downloading or HTC won't let you download it. (orange, 3, T-mobile)
You can test this on their site though without actually having to download anything, I downloaded the 3 one anyway and have just kept it on my hard drive, should I ever desire to get a load of 3 planet rubbish back on my phone.
If it all goes wrong......how do I return to my stock 3UK rom, is it just a case of going back to the HTC website and downloading the last ROM (Jan 2010) and it's as if it didn't happen?
That's what we normally do to undo anything yeah.
It would probably be a good idea to keep your goldcard in case you want to go back; I'm not exactly sure how it would react to reinstalling the branded firmware without a goldcard.
The SD card will still function the same way anyway, so you wont even notice it's different
Ok guys, this has cropped up a few times in the forums so I think android1230 is right.
If you're using an Orange branded phone, please do not de-brand it
It seems that the OTA update includes a radio incompatible with orange branded phones, and it will reject your SIM card saying the phone is network locked (even if your SIM card is an orange one)
If you have already done this, please try reinstalling the orange 1.5 ROM using a goldcard the same way you installed the generic 1.5. Hopefully this should cure it.
EDIT: Not all Orange branded phones seem to be affected, but unless you're feeling lucky, and have enough time to re-brand the phone if necessary, I still wouldn't recommend it. You'd just be wasting your time if your phone wasn't compatible. (Plus you'd have factory reset your phone for nothing).
I am running 1.5 on O2 on an unlocked Orange phone. Don't really care about the radio so can I go ahead and run this update?
On the HTC website I just played around with the last 4 digits of the serial number until I got one that worked, then downloaded the new rom. Tried to install it but after a few minutes the installer started it came up with an error.
Is that where this goldcard comes in?
If I wanted to go to 2.1, I'm currently on 2.73.61.66, do I have to downgrade to be able to root my phone, then upgrade with the generic roms to get up to 2.1?
Last edited by razputin; July 1st, 2010 at 05:03 AM.
I am running 1.5 on O2 on an unlocked Orange phone. Don't really care about the radio so can I go ahead and run this update?
On the HTC website I just played around with the last 4 digits of the serial number until I got one that worked, then downloaded the new rom. Tried to install it but after a few minutes the installer started it came up with an error.
Is that where this goldcard comes in?
If I wanted to go to 2.1, I'm currently on 2.73.61.66, do I have to downgrade to be able to root my phone, then upgrade with the generic roms to get up to 2.1?
Yes you're right, that is what a goldcard is for and that is how debranding works (although there's no rooting involved).
But yeah, you don't have any choice about installing the new radio if you did this. So I would recommend waiting, as painful as it may be.
The funny thing is too, friend of mine has a new iPhone waiting for me. Dare I turn to the dark side? What are the options? Desire? What is the best HTC phone out at the minute? Wasn't going to bother upgrading...... but needs must!
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Guide to beat the wait for 2.1 on Branded phones in UK.
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