Categories
tech

Installing Android HD 7.3 on a HTC Sensation with 1.27.100 HBOOT

So I bought a used phone, because I sold my HTC Desire with CyangenMod 7 installed and a2SD running. A great phone, and a fantastic ROM. Especially the keyboard, predictive text.  But its battery was only lasting for 8 hrs and I got tired of Android 2.3.

HTC SensationI swore to myself, that I would not root this device. It had Android ICS 4.0.3 installed and HTC Sense 3.6 and was basically running fine. But then the bug bit me again; it was kinda sluggish, I could use a couple of features.

So, ever putting way too much trust in the ease of the rooting process, I decided to install Android HD 7.3. Sounded great. Beats Audio, better Radio, longer bat-live, faster…

I unlocked my phone with HTCDev and flashed a CWM 5.8.0.9 Touch Recovery. Fine! Got SuperSU, put Android HD on the SD card and flashed the ROM. WiFi not working. Ups.

Of course I did not back up my old config, deeming this inappropriate for power users like myself. So now I tried to flash the new firmware that the excellent XDA guide mentioned. Wouldn’t work.

The problem was, that my phone was a Vodafone branded version, with HBoot 1.27.100. I needed the phone to be S-OFF so I could set the CID in a way that would allow me to flash the firmware. The only way to really do that is with Juopunutbear amazing method, which involves using a paperclip to shortcircuit the SD-Card in a very specific rhythm.

I looked at the video, read the pages, but my first 20 or so tries with a paperclip yielded nothing. Compounding my problem was that I was using Ubuntu 12.04 from VM Player. Which meant : Everytime I disconnected or rebooted the phone I head to connect it to the VM again via VM Players menu,

paper clipsSo after the paper clip I started using a piece if wire in plastic that is used for closing nut bags or cookie bags. I cut of both ends of the plastic and now had a insulated middle with naked ends. This immediately showed more promising results, because my phone now rebooted every time I did the wire trick.

To get the rhythm right I practised with a stopwatch, but honestly, you need to try a lot of times. There is an element of pure luck involved here, and it took me abaout 30 times (30 phone reboots, 30 connect to VMs) to finally get it.

Now I had S-OFF, installed the firmware, reinstalled Android HD 7.3 and everything is happy ever after. This is one fantastic ROM! The installation procedure is the most beauiful experienced so far, so big big shout out to Mike1986 for the ROM!