How to reinstall 2.3

[Android Question]

I have an HTC Legend - which I recently had to factory reset (ran out of phone memory and deleting apps/clearing caches wouldn't release the memory). When I came to reinstall apps, I found they weren't listed in Google Store - and then realised why; most of my apps are for Android 2.3 upwards (which is what I must have had previously) but I now have 2.2. If I check on available software updates, it says there aren't any. I've looked up the process to change from 2.2 to 2.3 and it looks frighteningly technical (e.g. tells me the phone has to be "rooted" - what does that mean??). Is there any easy way out of this dilemma?

 

[dibblebill]

For many older phones, there isn't. "rooting" means you have adminstrative access at the top-level and can make system changes, including installing custom operating systems. It's how my Nexus One from HTC runs Android 4.4

 

[alexizawesome]

Searching around it looks like the HTC Legend never got the 2.3 upgrade. So unless you installed a custom rom yourself or if you bought used it wouldn't have been on 2.3. Also, factory reset is not supposed to downgrade your firmware(Well, only been on android since 4.0, don't know if it did back then) just personal files such as downloaded apps. Does it say Android Market or Play Store?