Root [International] Updating to 4.4 when using ClockworkMod & General Questions

[wetcardboard]

Hi folks,

HTC One user here for the past 4 months, love the phone! I was previously an iPhone user since the 3G came to Canada but always knew I'd switch to Android eventually because I'm a PC enthusiast/tech geek. Anyways, I work in corporate sales/support for a wireless dealer in Canada and had a person bring me their HTC One to try and fix yesterday. The phone was at a blue screen with little lines and wouldn't boot up. I was able to go into TWRP/recovery mode and restore a backup to get the phone working again. The reason the phone wouldn't boot is because the user is using ClockworkMod and tried to do the Android 4.4 update OTA. The reason the user didn't have a clue what to do was because they bought the phone off Kijiji, the previous user obviously knew what he was doing and rooted the phone/installed a custom ROM/etc.

The other reason I helped this guy (besides being nice), is that I want to learn about rooting/custom ROMs/bootloaders and all this other terminology that goes way over my head. I'm not a computer programmer but I've been building/servicing PC's since I was in grade school so I can grasp these concepts if someone explains things without using all the "lingo". I've gone on XDA forums looking for answers and I have no idea what anyone over there is talking about. Anyways, since I have an Android phone I should know how to do all this stuff, plain and simple. While I got the guys phone working again, he's probably gonna be curious as to how he can update to 4.4 without his phone crashing again. I'm wondering what I need to do to accomplish this. I'd also like to know how to convert my own phone from the carrier version to the Google Play Edition and get OTA updates in the future (if this is even possible). Sorry if this is vague, I'm really confused with all the terminology. I'm assuming a ROM is an operating system. I downloaded Moonshine & SDK-tools today but I don't know what to do with them. I also downloaded RUU-HTC_One_GE-2.14.1700.15.zip.

Thanks so much!

 

[scotty85]

a custom recovery cannot install htc's ota pacakages,as youve noticed. there are a couple ways to skin the cat:
1)return to stock so the phone can correctly OTA
2)flash a rom and firmware manually

im on my way to work,but can add to whatever responses youll get later this evening to elaborate on those two,and some of your other questions.

if you desire to mod and mess with phones,it is better to be s-off,as long as you are capable of using some caution what you flash and why. this means the phone is not doing any security checks,and makes it much easier to recover soft bricks,and update things like firmware.

use this thread to unlock your bootloader:
http://androidforums.com/international-one-all-things-root/720478-htc-one-root-thread.html

then run the rumrunner or moonshine(depending on the hboot) tool to gain s off.

im sure some others will be along to help explain some of your other questions,and some more later from me. im sure we can fill out your vocabulary and help you get an understanding of the wonderful world of htc root/rom/modding

 

[scotty85]

Hi folks,

HTC One user here for the past 4 months, love the phone! I was previously an iPhone user since the 3G came to Canada but always knew I'd switch to Android eventually because I'm a PC enthusiast/tech geek. Anyways, I work in corporate sales/support for a wireless dealer in Canada and had a person bring me their HTC One to try and fix yesterday. The phone was at a blue screen with little lines and wouldn't boot up. I was able to go into TWRP/recovery mode and restore a backup to get the phone working again. The reason the phone wouldn't boot is because the user is using ClockworkMod and tried to do the Android 4.4 update OTA. The reason the user didn't have a clue what to do was because they bought the phone off Kijiji, the previous user obviously knew what he was doing and rooted the phone/installed a custom ROM/etc.

The other reason I helped this guy (besides being nice), is that I want to learn about rooting/custom ROMs/bootloaders and all this other terminology that goes way over my head. I'm not a computer programmer but I've been building/servicing PC's since I was in grade school so I can grasp these concepts if someone explains things without using all the "lingo". I've gone on XDA forums looking for answers and I have no idea what anyone over there is talking about. Anyways, since I have an Android phone I should know how to do all this stuff, plain and simple. While I got the guys phone working again, he's probably gonna be curious as to how he can update to 4.4 without his phone crashing again. I'm wondering what I need to do to accomplish this. I'd also like to know how to convert my own phone from the carrier version to the Google Play Edition and get OTA updates in the future (if this is even possible). Sorry if this is vague, I'm really confused with all the terminology. I'm assuming a ROM is an operating system. I downloaded Moonshine & SDK-tools today but I don't know what to do with them. I also downloaded RUU-HTC_One_GE-2.14.1700.15.zip.

Thanks so much!

hmm. im not sure exactly where to start with all this..

first of all,an htc device with its "security on" or "s-on" is doing a number of security checks that prevent you from doing anything fun,in a nutshell. the phone is checking for an htc official signiture, the main version(wich is the software build number),the carrier id(cid),model id(mid),and hboot version,amongst other things. all this in attempt to prevent the user from running an incorrect ruu(htc's Rom Udater Utility),or an older ruu,and also to prevent us from installing custom images into recovery,system,boot,etc. in addition to the security checks,the phone has write protections in place that do not let certain blocks be written to,protecting vitaly important info,like the s-on,s-off security flag. all this makes modding the phone basically impossible,as any changes you are able to make are not permantly written,and the factory original re-appears upon reboot.

htcdev is htcs way of allowing users to "unlock" the bootloader so things can be tinkered with. it does NOT remove all security and write protections. the phone is still s on,and doing a number of checks. what it does allow is the ability to install a custom recovery,and use that custom recovery(twrp or clockwork) to install a custom rom into the boot(kernel),and system(rest of the OS) partitions. it is better than nothing() and IS a reliable means of adding root for tools like moonshine or rum runner to work.

in short,you could unlock and install a custom rom that is the GPE without doing s off. however,in order to create a full conversion with correct firmware and the ability to recieve future updates,yuo will need to:

-unlock bootloader
-achievce s off
-download the current GPE ruu(from this thread). the one you listed is older
-change your MID and CID to the correct GPE versions(PN0712000 and GOOGL001,respectively)
-run the ruu

to recieve OTAs on the device,youll need the stock recovery in place,as the custom recovery cannot install HTCs OTA packages.

we can prolly get the ball rolling by providing us with this info(x out your esn and meid):

first download and install these drivers: revolutionary drivers (mirror)

then,download this small file:
mini-adb.zip

-unzip it,and place the unzipped folder onto the root of your C drive(not inside a folder)

-open a cmd window(with win 7,click start bubble,type "command" or "cmd" in hte search box)

-now change to your mini-adb directory(assuming you didnt chagne the name). type in the black cmd window that opened on your PC:
cd c:\mini-adb

-pull the battery in your phone for a few seconds. hold volume down,then power. hold them both until you see the white/colored writing hboot screen

-select "fastboot" from the hboot menu with the vol rocker/power button

-in your cmd window type:
fastboot devices

it should output your phones serial number. if so youre good to go. if not,youre apparently having a driver issue. i usually recomend these drivers from Revolutionary: modified htc drivers download and install the drivers(you should just have to run that file). afterwards,unplug your phone,plug it back in. make sure its in fastboot. as soon as you get a result from "fastboot devices" your ready to procede to the next step.

-in your cmd window,type(or copy/paste,is much easier):
fastboot getvar all

-copy the info that outputs here. right click in your cmd window,click mark,highlight it all in white. hit enter. paste the info here. it will help us know which ruu for you to run.

that will provide some basic info on your software version,mid,cid,hboot,etc. so you will know what tool you can use for s off.

as for your customer with the rooted phone,the best thing for him to do if he does not wish to learn about custom recoveries,flahing roms,etc,would be to unroot,and return to a stock device so OTAs and things will happen naturally,and without issue. the same info requested above should be gotten from his phone,so we can try and find you a correct ruu for him to run.

dont know if that answered all your questions,but hopefully its a good start