Root [how to] downgrade desire s to hboot .98

[scotty85]

this is a guide to downgrade Desire S(code name "Saga") using htcdev to install root and recovery. after you flash the downgrade software,you will be able to achieve s-off via the Revolutionary tool.

note that this is just way to skin the cat,if youre comfortable doing the main steps another way,feel free to. the basic steps are as follows:
-unlock bootloader
-install recovery and superuser
-flash "main version low" zip file in recovery. this will lower main version and allow you to flash an older ruu
-run an older ruu,with a 0.98.0000 or 0.98.0002 hboot
-run revolutionary tool

special thanks for drellisdee for his misc version tool,and con247 for whipping it up into a flashable zip.

1) unlock your bootloader with htcdev,and install recovery and superSU

2) download the following:
-"main version low" zip http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=23169557&postcount=4
(make sure to click "thanks" for drellis and con)
-downgrade RUU: chose one from here or here
you must pick a downgrade ruu that corresponds to your build number,and CID. or,you can create a gold card and use this one: 1.28.401.1

if you download a .exe file,extract "rom.zip" in this manner:

Spoiler

the .exe utilities can be finicky,so if you have trouble getting it to run, you can extract "rom.zip" in the following manner:
-start the utility
-check the "i understand" box to move on to the next screen
-hide the utility temporarily out of site
-search your C drive for "rom.zip". you will find it in a temporary location(it will be in a different spot each time you run the utility)
-open the folder location,and transfer rom.zip to a safe location on your PC.
-unhide and cancel the utility,youre done with it.
-rom.zip can be renamed to PxxxIMG and flashed in hboot,from a FAT32 sd card

3) downgrade

Spoiler

*the following boldface commands are copy/pasted into the cmd window

-open a cmd window as you did when you unlocked

-change to adb/fastboot directory(folder named miniadb_mecha in the following examples. this guide originated for that device)
cd c:\miniadb_mecha

-shorten the name of the downgrade RUU to "RUU_saga" and transfer it to your adb/fastboot folder

-transfer the "main version low" zip to your phones sd card

-check the md5sum of the downgrade RUU
md5sums RUU_saga
it should output c159ecce2ef099b8feb9c78b47579408
if you are using 1.28.401.1 when you are satisfied with the md5 sum,then procede. otherwise,redownload or seek assistance
note:if you do not have "md5sums" utility in your adb/fastboot folder,simply check it with a utility of your choice. if you dont have an md5 of a good file to compare to,let me know.

*charge phone to 100%!

-enable usb debugging in settings/developer options. plug in the phone and select charge only

-check connectivity
adb devices
should spit back your phones serial number

-boot to recovery
adb reboot recovery

-once in recovery,wipe cache and dalvik cache using the phones on screen menus. then flash the "set main version low" zip file

*make sure to make a backup,if you wish to restore your current setup after s off!

-reboot to bootloader using recovery menu options

-once in fastboot(white screen,colored letters):

fastboot devices
should spit back serial number

fastboot getvar mainver
should return 1.00.000.0. if so,then procede

fastboot oem lock
the phone will reboot. when it finishes,re-enable usb debugging,select charge only mode

adb devices
if you get a serial number procede

adb reboot bootloader

fastboot devices
if you get a serial number procede

fastboot erase cache

fastboot oem rebootRUU
this will take you to a black screen with silver "htc". this is "RUU mode"

fastboot flash zip RUU_saga.zip
this will flash the downgrade RUU. if it fails with a pre-update error,dont panic. just run the above command again,and it will flash the rest,and finish this time.

be patient here,as it will take some time to send and check the large zip file,and it must pass several checks before the phone will allow it to flash.

once you see writing starting to flash in your cmd window,do not under any circumstance unplug or disturb the phone. doing so during the wrong partition update make casue an unrecoverable brick

once it finishes flashing and you have an "ok" in the cmd window:

fastboot reboot-bootloader

note that you now have revoutionary-rootable hboot 0.98.0000 :smokingsomb:

reboot the phone
fastboot reboot

4) S-OFF!
*you can download and run Revolutionary i will not be going into detail on that here,there is lots of info allready in the forums.

5) finishing up

Spoiler

run a new ruu to update firmware,or install newest radio using any means youre comfortable with

last and not least
here is what you should see in the cmd window(red are my inputs):

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Scott>[COLOR="Red"]cd c:\miniadb_mecha[/COLOR]

c:\miniadb_mecha>[COLOR="red"]md5sums RUU_Mecha_2.11.605.5.zip[/COLOR]

MD5sums 1.2 freeware for Win9x/ME/NT/2000/XP+
Copyright (C) 2001-2005 Jem Berkes - http://www.pc-tools.net/
Type md5sums -h for help

[Path] / filename                              MD5 sum
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[c:\miniadb_mecha\]
RUU_Mecha_2.11.605.5.zip                  100% c5fda16925a974bbd6cd7007b2cf28f0

c:\miniadb_mecha>[COLOR="red"]adb devices[/COLOR]
* daemon not running. starting it now *
* daemon started successfully *
List of devices attached
HTxxxxxxxxxx    device

c:\miniadb_mecha>[COLOR="red"]adb reboot recovery[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Blue"]*use recovery menu to wipe cache,dalvik cache,install main version low zip,and boot to bootloader[/COLOR]

c:\miniadb_mecha>[COLOR="red"]fastboot devices[/COLOR]
List of devices attached
HTxxxxxxxxxx    device

c:\miniadb_mecha>[COLOR="red"]fastboot getvar mainver[/COLOR]
mainver: 1.00.000.0
finished. total time: 0.001s

c:\miniadb_mecha>

just holler if you have questions

 

[scotty85]

mine

 

[scotty85]

mine,too

 

[knucklesdey]

Wow, Scotty, your tutorials are simply the best! They are simple and they work great! Any newcomer would know how to follow them. But my problem is that i don't know what RUU to use after getting S-OFF and do i have to unlock it again or the S-OFF contains unlock too? And another thing, do i have to install a new RUU for my backup to work or i can restore it on this one?

 

[knucklesdey]

I found a little something: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1858508 So shall i use those commands?
"the way to flash new hboot is:
a) copy new hboot.img to sdcard
b)reboot into recovery
b1)In cmd run the following commands (after each command press enter):
adb devices
adb shell
su
c)backup your alpharev hboot:
dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p18 of=/sdcard/backup.img
d) flash new hboot:
dd if=/sdcard/hboot.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p18
reboot to hboot "

Then flash TWRP recovery and restore the backup i did yesterday? That's the way to go? Sorry for being too annoying

 

[scotty85]

Wow, Scotty, your tutorials are simply the best! They are simple and they work great! Any newcomer would know how to follow them. But my problem is that i don't know what RUU to use after getting S-OFF and do i have to unlock it again or the S-OFF contains unlock too? And another thing, do i have to install a new RUU for my backup to work or i can restore it on this one?

you could use something like this to upgrade:
Shipped ROMs

if you want,you dont have to flash the whole thing.

download it,then extract rom.zip as explained above. delete everything but the radio image and android info text document. you can then rezip those 2 things,and either flash thel like above from fastboot,or rename the modifed zip to PG88IMG and flash it in hboot from the sd card.

i thot your backup would work,wich is the reason i came up with this process,but from looking at your link,if your stock rom was ICS,then it may not.

no harm in trying to restore it,if it doesnt boot,then you will prolly need to update to the newer 2.00.2002 hboot as described in your link.

I found a little something: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1858508 So shall i use those commands?
"the way to flash new hboot is:
a) copy new hboot.img to sdcard
b)reboot into recovery
b1)In cmd run the following commands (after each command press enter):
adb devices
adb shell
su
c)backup your alpharev hboot:
dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p18 of=/sdcard/backup.img
d) flash new hboot:
dd if=/sdcard/hboot.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p18
reboot to hboot "

Then flash TWRP recovery and restore the backup i did yesterday? That's the way to go? Sorry for being too annoying

i would try and restore your backup first,but if the backup fails to boot,then you will have to update the hboot

2.00.2002 is the eng version of your original hboot 2.00.0002,and since revolutionary is installing an old hboot it may not be compatible with the your backup.

the thunderbolt is able to boot ICS with a GB hboot,but it may be one of few devices that didnt chage some file structures in the shift from gb to ics. also,if your backup was of a gb rom,then the old hboot may be able to boot it just fine. only way to know for sure is to try it.

also,i think that the link is directing you to install factory ICS. alot of custom roms may be based on the partition layout of the old hboot,so they may not need the newer one. upgrading to the newer eng hboot may limit your rom selection,i dont really know,as i dont have this device.

my apologies,ifn id realized that your current hboot was an ics hboot with different partition layouts,i might have made the directions above a lil different

 

[knucklesdey]

My device had gingerbread as stock. The radio and the android-info? Not Hboot? Can't i just run the .exe while the device is plugged in? Restore didn't work, im stuck at htc splash screen.

Edit: Using this boot http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1679338 the recovery still doesn't work. I'm flashing a clean install of the rom, maybe that'll work. I'll keep in touch with the progress.

Edit 2: Clean install works perfectly, so thanks again, for the thousandth time

 

[scotty85]

My device had gingerbread as stock. The radio and the android-info? Not Hboot? Can't i just run the .exe while the device is plugged in? Restore didn't work, im stuck at htc splash screen.

glaD YOU ARw sorted. to answer your questions,if you wanted to run the entire ruu,yes,you can simply run the .exe. extracting rom.zip is only needed if you want to modify it and remove some images.

it wouldnt matter if you left hboot in place or not,as revolutionary hboot protects itself from overwrite. the eng 2.00.2002 hboot does not,however,so youd need to be cautious what you flashed so as not to accidentally overwrite it. in general,when you have "hboot s off" from any eng or patched hboot,its very good practice to remove hboot from any files that you flash

did you get your radio updated?

 

[knucklesdey]

I got radio-38.03.02.11_M but i didn't look on it's version before flashing that ruu, so i don't know if it's updated or not

 

[scotty85]

I got radio-38.03.02.11_M but i didn't look on it's version before flashing that ruu, so i don't know if it's updated or not

that looks like the radio from the downgrade ruu. the one from the newest one that i saw was this: 3822.10.08.04_M

yours looks to be many versions old

if you are happy with its perfomrance you can leave it,but i would think youd get a lil better with the newer version.

 

[knucklesdey]

i just kept the radio.img and android-info.txt from the RUU you linked and archived them into PG88IMG.zip but the bootloader doesn't automatically flashes it when i enter bootloader. So to flash the radio using adb I just have to boot to fastboot then enter fastboot flash radio radio.img command?

 

[scotty85]

I just have to boot to fastboot then enter fastboot flash radio radio.img command?

that is one way to skin the cat

 

[knucklesdey]

flashed the radio. The connection is indeed better thank you scotty, for all the helpfull guides. i wish there were more people like you, wise and calm

 

[v0 HaVoK 0v]

Thanks so much man, I made so many mistakes and ended up in doing everything in such a bad order (was seriously all over the place xD) but it still worked in the end... Thank you so much.

 

[karthickraj91]

During the following step, I got this error "custom ID check failed "
"C:\android-sdk\sdk\platform-tools>fastboot flash zip RUU_saga.zip
sending 'zip' (253818 KB)...
OKAY [ 43.638s]
writing 'zip'...
(bootloader) adopting the signature contained in this image...
(bootloader) signature checking...
(bootloader) zip header checking...
(bootloader) zip info parsing...
(bootloader) checking model ID...
(bootloader) checking custom ID...
FAILED (remote: 42 custom id check fail)
finished. total time: 86.720s"

my phone info:
My bootloader is "RELOCKED" wont go into the Recovery.
SAGA PVT SHIP S-ON RL
HBOOT-2.02.002
RADIO-3831.19.00.110
eMMC-boot
Jul 31 2012,15:41:32

I used the following RUU for downgrading
"RUU_Saga_hTC_Asia_India_1.47.720.1_Radio_20.28I.30.085AU_3805.06.02.03_M_release_199605_signed"
Please do reply me what to do after this..

 

[hola]

Can some one do a video in YouTube about downgrade HTC desire s, please,coz there no 1 single video till today about this subject,we really hoe someone show that and not just written words. Thax

 

[Aalnius]

hi i'm trying to follow your guide but when i try to relock my phone it goes into security warning mode, i'm pretty sure its because i have a custom rom on my phone.

anyway to still get s-off with a custom rom already installed on the desire s ?

 

[scotty85]

hi i'm trying to follow your guide but when i try to relock my phone it goes into security warning mode, i'm pretty sure its because i have a custom rom on my phone.

anyway to still get s-off with a custom rom already installed on the desire s ?

yes,it is becasue you have a custom rom and/or recovery. this is perfectly normal,and solved by installing the downgrade ruu.

alternately,you can re-unlock the bootloader

 

[Aalnius]

where do i get a downgrade ruu from, i've tried using RUUs from those RUU exe files but they also come up with an error.
and the .zip files i get using the method form this guide come up as being corrupt aswell.

 

[scotty85]

where do i get a downgrade ruu from, i've tried using RUUs from those RUU exe files but they also come up with an error.
and the .zip files i get using the method form this guide come up as being corrupt aswell.

reread the first post youll need to find an ruu that matches your cid,or youll need to create a cold card and use the one i linked.

the zip files are not corrupt. that is windows reaction to not being able to ope the zip with its native functionality. ICS and newer ruus are encrypted by htc so they are not unzipable,period. older versions of android may be opend with a utility such as 7zip. however,you do not need to open the zip file. just be aware that this reaction by windows is normal.

also be aware that many antivirus/firewalls may see various root tools and exploits as threats,so if you run into this issue,youll need to temporarily disable your securitys.

over and above that,i cant be of more help without knowing more info. what errors did you recieve from which ruus?(youll need to be very specific)

there may be some different ruus here:
AndroidRUU | The #1 source for Android RUU files

 

[Aalnius]

reread the first post youll need to find an ruu that matches your cid,or youll need to create a cold card and use the one i linked.

the zip files are not corrupt. that is windows reaction to not being able to ope the zip with its native functionality. ICS and newer ruus are encrypted by htc so they are not unzipable,period. older versions of android may be opend with a utility such as 7zip. however,you do not need to open the zip file. just be aware that this reaction by windows is normal.

also be aware that many antivirus/firewalls may see various root tools and exploits as threats,so if you run into this issue,youll need to temporarily disable your securitys.

over and above that,i cant be of more help without knowing more info. what errors did you recieve from which ruus?(youll need to be very specific)

there may be some different ruus here:
AndroidRUU | The #1 source for Android RUU files

hi i cant remember the errors but ive got the ruu i need (i think)
the one i got is RUU_Saga_S_HTC_Europe_2.10.401.5_Radio_20.4801.30.0822U_3822.10.08.04_M_release_219480_signed.

this is my info:
Saga PVT Ship s-on rl
HBOOT-2.00.0002
Radio-3822.10.08.04_M
eMMC-boot
baseband 20.4801.30.0822.10.08.04_M
android version 2.3.7

also i'm making a goldcard now but the website for the converter (reverse cid thing) is down or something. but ive found a tool that might work for it so im going to try that.

well ive got the stock rom back on my phone (i think) but its still at hboot 2.00.002 so i'll have to find out how to downgrade it.

well the downgrade method i followed fully goes through and completes every step now so i think my issue is that i have the wrong ruu.

as it just keeps staying at hboot 2.0 so i think i need a ruu that puts me at 0.98