Help Help with debranding Vodafone Sensation

[rowlarry]

Hi there,

After much searching I can't seem to find an easy to follow guide to debranding and installing a stock HTC Rom onto my new Vodafone Sensation. Apologies if I have missed it!

I just got the phone today, and have some prior experience of doing this with my HTC Desire, Goldcards and RUU's etc but I gather this doesn't seem to work?

I have had a look at XDA developers but S-off and things like that mean nothing to me at present. Is anyone able to help a committed HTC owner out?

Many thanks in advance

Larry

 

[EddyOS]

You need to:

1. S-OFF using Revolutionary
2. Change the CID to HTC__001
3. Flash the RUU for the unbranded handset - 1.45.401.2 being the latest

This guide covers points 1 and 2 (follow the bit for Super CID but use HTC__001 instead):

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1192300

And here's a link to the latest RUU:

http://www.filefactory.com/file/cd1...00U_10.14.9035.01_M_release_208857_signed.exe

 

[rowlarry]

@Eddy

Thanks, that was quick! Would you be kind enough to link to the articles or programs that you mentioned, so I can download them?

Also, any good guides to this you would recommend?

Many thanks

Larry

 

[rowlarry]

Eddy, thanks again - the bottom of your post did not show up before.

 

[rowlarry]

Eddy - will this also unlock the phone for use with any Network?

Thanks

Larry

 

[EddyOS]

No, but Vodafone handsets aren't SIM locked anyway so you can use any SIM in it already

 

[rowlarry]

Eddy

Many thanks, you have made me very happy with that!

All debranded, and ready to go!

Is my phone now 'rooted'?

 

[EddyOS]

No, your phone is stock. You can now add root (using the guide I posted earlier) or flash a custom ROM

 

[rowlarry]

Please help!

After debranding and all working OK, I am now getting 'No Service' on my Sensation no matter what SIM card I try, works fine on my Desire still.

Really worried I have bricked it!

 

[EddyOS]

Please help!

After debranding and all working OK, I am now getting 'No Service' on my Sensation no matter what SIM card I try, works fine on my Desire still.

Really worried I have bricked it!

If you'd bricked it wouldn't boot full stop. Do a hard reset and see how it goes. Which RUU did you use?

 

[rowlarry]

Hi Eddy

I used the RUU you linked to in the post above.

Just done a Hard Reset to no avail. Still No Service, and can't search any networks...

 

[EddyOS]

Get a NEW SIM card, I had the same issue going from my HD2 to my Desire. Worked in the HD2, nothing in the Desire. New SIM, problem sorted.

When going through the initial setup wizard after flashing the RUU did you choose the right Carrier from the list it gives you?

 

[rowlarry]

Eddy

The weird thing is that the sim card worked before...and my other O2 sim doesn't work either..
I also selected the correct carrier-my feeling its that the radio has stopped working or corrupted...world it be worth reflashing the ruu?

 

[EddyOS]

Could well be, does the WiFi work?

 

[rowlarry]

The wifi works fine? everything works apart from the mobile network!

 

[rowlarry]

A quick update to this issue...

I tried reflashing the RUU again, and initially had no luck. 'No Service' at all.
In desperation I entered the boot menu, and noticed that when it came up it said something like:
PG58IMG not found!

I then decided to click the option - 'reboot bootloader' and the phone reset again. When it came back on, lo and behold it had a signal, and has done ever since. Weird.
The signal seems quite flaky, but it all seems to work at the moment apart from the weather app (location wrong) and a weird screenshot capturing bug.

Quite disappointed how buggy the stock HTC software seems to be, nice phone currently being let down by the software methinks...

 

[peterc10]

Can't really blame HTC too much, given that you have been mucking about with their software. As you say, it worked before. I am running stock HTC software, because I have a stock phone, and I do not have this problem.

 

[rowlarry]

Peter

But I am running a stock phone...I have the latest HTC unbranded 2.3.4 software, running on a handset with identical hardware to yours.
Whereas you say 'mucking about', I prefer thinking that I am actually restoring it to original software, and running as it is intended. It is not a custom ROM. It is what HTC would point you at for your phone if everything else failed.

All I am trying to do is to start a dialogue for all those who have been unlucky enough to have received a 'mucked about with' network phone.

Anyway, thanks for your interesting, informative and helpful comment, and good luck with your stock phone.

 

[peterc10]

Not trying to cause an argument or be rude, just trying to be fair to HTC. If I upset you I apologise.

However you have changed what was on the phone, hence my point about "mucking about". It can't be exactly the same as mine, because mine does not have the problem. And we all know that with software the devil is in the detail, which is, I guess, why unauthorised changes of the software can sometimes void the warranty.

One of the problems with getting a subsidised phone from a carrier is that they may well have changed it. I had a similar problem with my last HTC Hero on Orange, although the changes were minimal. But I did not have the technical knowledge to change it so lived with it instead. And I knew that if Orange got it wrong and mucked up the phone they, not I, would have to sort it out.

I just happen to get lucky this time round. Got a brilliant deal from a third party (buymobilephones.net) which was

 

[rowlarry]

Peter

No offence taken. If I was abrupt I apologise.

I take your points on board - however I had a positive experience with a HTC Desire and I like to have a fiddle with these phones. The downside of course is that something may go wrong, or I may end up bricking the phone...
Paying

 

[peterc10]

- it appears the sensation forum here is very small compared to XDA and others.

Smaller but MUCH friendlier.

I have found that the XDA forum is one of the most unfriendly places I have ever come across on the net. Full of useful information, but often begrudgingly imparted by rude and miserable b*******s who do not appear to have a life. I discovered that when I first went there back in my touch diamond days and asked what they deemed to be a stupid question, and have been rediscovering it ever since.

The other advantage is that this forum is more UK biased whereas XDA is international.

 

[EddyOS]

The SENSATION forum on XDA seems more US-based, and as such does get some grumpy guys on there. The Desire forum on XDA was always fine as it was mostly UK/EU as there was a seperate CDMA forum for US users

I think ultimately, as with any forum, you should really search/read before asking questions as 99 times out of 100 someone has already asked the same question. I prefer XDA as that's where the devs are

 

[rowlarry]

Eddy/Peter

Couldn't agree more guys. Hopefully as the Sensation becomes more affordable we will see a leap in numbers - the desire help here was always awesome.

I have struggled with some people in XDA too. I always try and help people where possible - we were all noobs once?

As an aside, the official HTC unlocking looks interesting...

 

[peterc10]

I prefer XDA as that's where the devs are

And that is why I don't!

And the search facility on XDA is either truly awful, or I can't use it. Not sure which, but I find it useless unless you have the odd 8 hours to waste trawling through it all.