I can answer the non orange specific questions.

No downgrade needed. Use unrevoked 3.21. No goldcard needed.

Heres your guide for that:

[ROOT] unrEVOked 3.21: one-click root for GSM & CDMA Desire - xda-developers

Install Defrost. Its an AOSP (vanilla - no sense) rom which I believe supports wiimote.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=690477

Worth noting, once you have rooted, you will have to wipe data and cache via recovery (turn on phone whilst holding vol down, then use vol to navigate to recovery and power to select it) before you flash a non-sense rom. You will essentially be starting from scratch.

You have to partition your SD card for a2sd+. Best to do it before flashing the rom.

Once rooted, download rom manager and "flash clockworkmod recovery" then partition your card. 512MB, swap=0. Make sure you have backed up youyr sd contents to a pc first.


If you have an orange splash screen, that may remain after this, but you will want to flash s-off later in life anyway, which as an added bonus replaces the splash.

 

I still dont know about the orange sim lock bit though....

 

I think its the radio that is the problem....

[Q] Orange Simlock, what have I done wrong? - xda-developers

Maybe try to keep the one you have if flashing the rom doesn't affect it (which it shouldnt)

 

create a gold card regardless of whether you use it or not. if you want to downgrade or go back for anyreason you may need it

 

Do a backup by booting into recovery.

If you have a look at the Rooting faq in my sig, it should give you more information.

Then maybe visit the flashing of a rom another day. Theres other info such as wiping in the faq you should absorb first as you will need to do this with defrost

 

Whether you choose to start the ROM flash from ROM Manager or Recovery, ultimately it is done through recovery.

Steps to flash a custom ROM:

1. Copy the .zip to the root of your SD card (Not essential but easier to find it during flashing)
2. Switch off phone.
3. Switch it on by pressing Vol- and Power button, then release power button first, then Vol button
4. Some options are shown on screen.
5. Use ur Vol buttons to navigate to Recovery and select Recovery by pressing Power button again.
6. After Recovery options are shown, Choose "Install zip from sdcard"
7. Now choose the zip file of the ROM.
8. Select it, and press Power.
9. Confirm the option by pressing the Yes option.
10. The ROM completes its task and gives you a message.
11. Use Back key and Power key to navigate to main menu.
12. Choose the reboot option.

On reboot, the first time, the ROM will take some extra time to run. From the second boot onwards, it will become normal.

 

Oh forgot something..

If after installing the ROM this way, your device gets stuck in a boot loop, you have to redo the procedure after wiping data..

1. Reboot in Recovery.
2. Choose Advanced (or something similiar. Can't confirm because my device is not with me now)
3. Next, choose Wipe Data.
4. Again, repeat steps 6-12 again and reboot.
5. It should work now. Now, you can restore your data ("Restore apps and system data") from Titanium

 

definitely need to wipe before going to an aosp rom.

 

The text and notification colours including status bar colour settings are in settings, cyanogen settings, user interface...

 

That software is for sense. Flash add blocking hosts from defrost setup app.

I set all notifications to white text. Then you have the bar and pull down colour lower down


Try changing the WiFi channel on your router

 

haha thanks for saying so.