first and foremost,there are many ways to skin this cat. this guide is not intended to make those who do it differently feel like they are doing something wrong.this is simply how i do it. IMO it is not a bad idea for folks to know in case their favorite root and flashing tools are for some reason not available. a good friend asked me write down some directions,and i figured i might as well put it here
read this: this is a guide describing the procedure to manually flash roms. PLEASE NOTE that since roms are now scripted for s-off phones to install the kernel from recovery,you do not really need this procedure. see the following for more info: http://androidforums.com/rezound-all-things-root/587430-s-want-flash-roms-read.html#post5167190
assumptions:
1)that you still have a folder set up from when you unlocked containing adb and fastboot(if not you cans use this file)
2)that you have working drivers for adb and fastboot installed on your pc
3)that you have some basic knowledge of wiping/flashing/making backups with whatever recovery you prefer use
4)you are comfortable moving around/copying files on your computer
the procedure
1)first,figure out what rom you wish to download. seems that alot of roms are now inclusing a PH98IMG file and a script to deposit it onto your sd card,and automatically boot you to "fastboot" after your rom install to flash it. if not,then the rom developer will include a seperate download containing the boot image(usually a PH98IMG) file.
2)open a windows explorer window and navigate to/open the folder containing your unlock code and adb/fastboot tools.
3)open a second windows explorer window and open the folder that contains your downloaded rom,or a folder youve set up to store it.
*a word on this: i have folders for all my different phones,and within each a folder for "whatever phone ROMS" to keep all my different devices downloads and such seperate. since the rezound needs a seperate flash of its boot image,i now make a folder within the "rezound ROMs" folder for each rom to house the roms flashable .zip file,and its boot image. this is just a suggestion,you can organize them in any manner that isnt confusing to you.
4)find your boot image.
-if your rom only had one download,you will likely find your boot image inside a PH98IMG that is inside a folder called "kernel". if you have no kernel folder,you may just find the boot image inside the download,with the rest of the roms install files. (it just depends on how the rom is set up for the kernel to install)
-if you had a seperarte PH98IMG download,then you will find your boot image inside the this seperate file
if you need to,you can unzip or extract your rom or PH98IMG so that you can
get to the boot image. windows 7 will unzip/extract many files without a utility,otherwise use something like 7 zip,especially if youre on an older version of windows. just make sure you dont try and flash this unzipped folder,it wont work
*extra info: if you do find your boot imange to be not inside a "kernel" folder,then likely that rom is set up for recovery to install it. rom developers are moving this direction since there is now an s-off procedure,and s-off phones are able to write boot from recovery. special note: with an s-on phone,you can flash roms and have the kernel install just like you are s-off,as long as you launch your recovery from fastboot,as described here. using the fastboot boot command does let you write to boot from recovery,only disadavantage is having to plug into a PC to do it. (more info)
5)put your boot image into the same folder as your adb/fastboot. put your recovery image into this folder as well. i personally like to drag and drop files,but you can copy/paste them,or any other means youre comfortable with. just make sure you get these images into the folder with adb,fastboot,etc. i leave my recovery image in there all the time,named accordingly. you might want to change the name of your boot image to match your rom,as youll never know which "boot.img" is wich if you accidentally put a couple of em in there.
put your roms flashable .zip file onto the root of your sd card.
6)make sure usb debugging is enabled and plug in your phone. open a command window and change to whatever directory your adb/fastboot files are in,like when you unlocked. in my case its:
cd c:\miniadb_vigor
when your prompt changes,type:
adb devices
if you get your serial# back,then your phone is connected
7)boot into fastboot:
adb reboot bootloader
8)launch your recovery:
fastboot boot <recovery name>.img
where <recovery name> is the exact name of your image.
example:
fastboot boot recovery-ra-vigor-3.13-gnm.img
is what i use,since i use amon recovery.
youll see a nifty green status bar at the top right as it downloads to the phone. youll then see white htc screen,followed by your recoverys main menu,just like youd entered it thru hboot,the quickboot,or rom manager.
9)make a backup using the on screen menus on your phone. i always keep a physical listing of the backup name and what it is,but again,do whatever your comfortable with.
10)wipe and flash your rom with the onscreen menus on your phone. minimally wipe data/factory reset,cache,and dalvik cache. some rom developers are reccomending to also wipe or format /system and /boot.
if youve come from another rooted phone,youre prolly pretty familiar with steps 9 and 10. theyre not any different than what your used to seeing.
once the rom finishes flashing,you would normally be fininished and select "reboot system now" or similar. but on the rezound,you need to install the kernel,as you cant write to the boot partition,wich is where the kernel lives,from recovery.
11)boot back to fastboot: back to the pc,type:
adb devices
you should get back "HTxxxxxxx recovery"
if so,then
adb reboot bootloader
12)flash your kernel(boot image)
fastboot flash boot<boot image name>.img
where <boot image name> is exactly the name of your boot image inside the adb/fastboot folder. note that the command fastboot flashis permanently installing the boot image,unlike fasboot boot,wich is only booting it temporarily into the phones memory.
youll see a very quick blue,then red status bar at the top right of your hboot screen as your pc sends,then flashes your kernel.
wait for the "ok" that your kernel has flashed
13)reboot. just type in your comand window:
fastboot reboot
your phone will now reboot. assuming you flashed the kernel that came with your rom,it will boot back into the OS. dont panic if it takes a few minutes,the first boot will take what seems like forever. i know mine will have sat there so long,id swear its hung,but then on pop the softkey lights and everything is fine. give the first boot a minimum of 20 minutes.
heres what the above commands will look like in your command window.red are my typed inputs,blue are additional comments:
it may seem like alot of steps,but its not any slower than letting a PxxxIMG flash,and once you do it a few times its easy.
hope this may help a few folks that would like to at least know how to do it this way
read this: this is a guide describing the procedure to manually flash roms. PLEASE NOTE that since roms are now scripted for s-off phones to install the kernel from recovery,you do not really need this procedure. see the following for more info: http://androidforums.com/rezound-all-things-root/587430-s-want-flash-roms-read.html#post5167190
assumptions:
1)that you still have a folder set up from when you unlocked containing adb and fastboot(if not you cans use this file)
2)that you have working drivers for adb and fastboot installed on your pc
3)that you have some basic knowledge of wiping/flashing/making backups with whatever recovery you prefer use
4)you are comfortable moving around/copying files on your computer
the procedure
1)first,figure out what rom you wish to download. seems that alot of roms are now inclusing a PH98IMG file and a script to deposit it onto your sd card,and automatically boot you to "fastboot" after your rom install to flash it. if not,then the rom developer will include a seperate download containing the boot image(usually a PH98IMG) file.
2)open a windows explorer window and navigate to/open the folder containing your unlock code and adb/fastboot tools.
3)open a second windows explorer window and open the folder that contains your downloaded rom,or a folder youve set up to store it.
*a word on this: i have folders for all my different phones,and within each a folder for "whatever phone ROMS" to keep all my different devices downloads and such seperate. since the rezound needs a seperate flash of its boot image,i now make a folder within the "rezound ROMs" folder for each rom to house the roms flashable .zip file,and its boot image. this is just a suggestion,you can organize them in any manner that isnt confusing to you.
4)find your boot image.
-if your rom only had one download,you will likely find your boot image inside a PH98IMG that is inside a folder called "kernel". if you have no kernel folder,you may just find the boot image inside the download,with the rest of the roms install files. (it just depends on how the rom is set up for the kernel to install)
-if you had a seperarte PH98IMG download,then you will find your boot image inside the this seperate file
if you need to,you can unzip or extract your rom or PH98IMG so that you can
get to the boot image. windows 7 will unzip/extract many files without a utility,otherwise use something like 7 zip,especially if youre on an older version of windows. just make sure you dont try and flash this unzipped folder,it wont work
*extra info: if you do find your boot imange to be not inside a "kernel" folder,then likely that rom is set up for recovery to install it. rom developers are moving this direction since there is now an s-off procedure,and s-off phones are able to write boot from recovery. special note: with an s-on phone,you can flash roms and have the kernel install just like you are s-off,as long as you launch your recovery from fastboot,as described here. using the fastboot boot command does let you write to boot from recovery,only disadavantage is having to plug into a PC to do it. (more info)
5)put your boot image into the same folder as your adb/fastboot. put your recovery image into this folder as well. i personally like to drag and drop files,but you can copy/paste them,or any other means youre comfortable with. just make sure you get these images into the folder with adb,fastboot,etc. i leave my recovery image in there all the time,named accordingly. you might want to change the name of your boot image to match your rom,as youll never know which "boot.img" is wich if you accidentally put a couple of em in there.
put your roms flashable .zip file onto the root of your sd card.
6)make sure usb debugging is enabled and plug in your phone. open a command window and change to whatever directory your adb/fastboot files are in,like when you unlocked. in my case its:
cd c:\miniadb_vigor
when your prompt changes,type:
adb devices
if you get your serial# back,then your phone is connected
7)boot into fastboot:
adb reboot bootloader
8)launch your recovery:
fastboot boot <recovery name>.img
where <recovery name> is the exact name of your image.
example:
fastboot boot recovery-ra-vigor-3.13-gnm.img
is what i use,since i use amon recovery.
youll see a nifty green status bar at the top right as it downloads to the phone. youll then see white htc screen,followed by your recoverys main menu,just like youd entered it thru hboot,the quickboot,or rom manager.
9)make a backup using the on screen menus on your phone. i always keep a physical listing of the backup name and what it is,but again,do whatever your comfortable with.
10)wipe and flash your rom with the onscreen menus on your phone. minimally wipe data/factory reset,cache,and dalvik cache. some rom developers are reccomending to also wipe or format /system and /boot.
if youve come from another rooted phone,youre prolly pretty familiar with steps 9 and 10. theyre not any different than what your used to seeing.
once the rom finishes flashing,you would normally be fininished and select "reboot system now" or similar. but on the rezound,you need to install the kernel,as you cant write to the boot partition,wich is where the kernel lives,from recovery.
11)boot back to fastboot: back to the pc,type:
adb devices
you should get back "HTxxxxxxx recovery"
if so,then
adb reboot bootloader
12)flash your kernel(boot image)
fastboot flash boot<boot image name>.img
where <boot image name> is exactly the name of your boot image inside the adb/fastboot folder. note that the command fastboot flashis permanently installing the boot image,unlike fasboot boot,wich is only booting it temporarily into the phones memory.
youll see a very quick blue,then red status bar at the top right of your hboot screen as your pc sends,then flashes your kernel.
wait for the "ok" that your kernel has flashed
13)reboot. just type in your comand window:
fastboot reboot
your phone will now reboot. assuming you flashed the kernel that came with your rom,it will boot back into the OS. dont panic if it takes a few minutes,the first boot will take what seems like forever. i know mine will have sat there so long,id swear its hung,but then on pop the softkey lights and everything is fine. give the first boot a minimum of 20 minutes.
heres what the above commands will look like in your command window.red are my typed inputs,blue are additional comments:
Code:
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\Scott>[COLOR="Red"]cd c:\mini-adb_vigor[/COLOR]
c:\mini-adb_vigor>[COLOR="Red"]adb devices[/COLOR]
List of devices attached
HTxxxxxxxx device
c:\mini-adb_vigor>[COLOR="red"]adb reboot bootloader[/COLOR]
c:\mini-adb_vigor>[COLOR="red"]fastboot boot recovery-ra-vigor-3.13-gnm.img[/COLOR]
downloading 'boot.img'... OKAY [ 1.665s]
booting... OKAY [ 0.002s]
finished. total time: 1.668s
[COLOR="Blue"]*here is where turn my attention away from the PC,and i make a
backup,wipe and flash the new rom on the phone*[/COLOR]
c:\mini-adb_vigor>[COLOR="red"]adb devices[/COLOR]
List of devices attached
HTxxxxxxxxxx recovery
c:\mini-adb_vigor>[COLOR="red"]adb reboot bootloader[/COLOR]
c:\mini-adb_vigor>[COLOR="red"]fastboot flash boot boot-sense403redeined.img[/COLOR]
sending 'boot' (3920 KB)... OKAY [ 0.950s]
writing 'boot'... OKAY [ 1.770s]
finished. total time: 2.722s
c:\mini-adb_vigor>[COLOR="red"]fastboot reboot[/COLOR]
rebooting...
finished. total time: 0.329s
c:\mini-adb_vigor>
it may seem like alot of steps,but its not any slower than letting a PxxxIMG flash,and once you do it a few times its easy.
hope this may help a few folks that would like to at least know how to do it this way