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Hi all!!
Ever since I got my Sprint Vogue, I have spent God only knows how many hours looking for and gathering information regarding this phone (flashing instructions, unlocking, SuperCID, etc). There are a few sites that have fairly comprehensive guides as to how to do this, but there are very few posts in the Vogue Section here at XDA-Developers.
Having said that, I figured I would create my own "How to Flash Your Vogue"-Thread. This is a multi-step process and I cannot emphasize the importance of following every step down to the "T", that is unless you are looking for a silicone-skinned brick...
Who is this guide for?
*Anyone with a CDMA version of the Touch. [highlight]That means no GSM[/highlight]
*Noobs and Seniors alike.
*People who have trouble flashing their devices.
*Anyone looking for links to more information.
*Curious people in general.
*Anyone willing to get rid of the nasty stock rom and looking for a newer and cleaner OS (notice that I never said more stable, so do not blame me afterwards ).
[highlight]Please keep in mind that there is always a chance of bricking your device with these procedures. I will not be in any way, shape, or form responsible if you damage your device while doing this.[/highlight]
Got your coffee? Alright, let's do this.
Step 1. Preparing the device
As with every phone, you have to make sure that you have the following things done before flashing:
* Battery charged at least 50%.
* All the necessary programs (see next post).
* Instructions handy.
Make sure that you back up all your information (contacts, e-mails, files).... essentially, anything that you would like to keep post-flashing. You can do this via Active Sync/Mobile Device Center or via third party software (PIM Backup is really good)...
You will have to reinstall every last piece of software in your device as it will be hard reset. Some programs may work if installed in a SD card directly, but a lot of them write things to the registry and copy files to the device, which they require to run. Long story short, keep all your cabs and exe files in a safe place so you can restore later if needed.
Step 2. Unlocking the Device (HardSPL)
Unlocking the device is done so that you can flash custom roms in your devices. The unlocker that you are about to download and use was provided by "ImCoKeMaN" at PPCGeeks. If you are interested in the full thread, please click here.
If you have read the above link, you will see two versions of the HardSPL (0.40 and 2.31). Simply use 2.31 as it works fine with most devices.
[highlight]To use this under Windows XP,[/highlight]
1. Connect your device to your computer and make sure it is synced with ActiveSync.
2. Download and extract the contents of the zip file, which is an exe. Let it run to completion. You will be prompted to disconnect and reconnect your device at one point in the process. Do it... don't worry
3. It will look like it is flashing a rom via a RUU. Do not disconnect the device after it is done!!!!!
4. Once it is done flashing, you will see a prompt that says that it will run exitbl. DO NOT DISCONNECT YOUR DEVICE. At this point, open ActiveSync, go to File>Connection Settings> Uncheck "Allow USB Connections". Continue following the on screen instructions and let it finish.
5. Go to bootloader once more to verify that it worked. You should see 2.31 CoKe MFG.
[highlight]To use this under Windows Vista/7 x64 (thanks jitajt),[/highlight]
jitajt said:
connect your device to WMDC (it's not necessary to set up device, just connect without setting up device)
then right click on the 2.31 unlocker and run as administrator
follow the directions, you will get an error about sleep.exe not being compatible with x64 but just hit ok and continue, (you will get about 10 of them)
then just keep following the directions in the command prompt and it will put your phone into bootloader then you have to disconnect and reconnect when it tells you to. and it will flash your phone and reset it. then your done you can close the command prompt and disconnect your phone.
I did it just like above and I have not had any problems.
Do this at your own risk as I am not responsible for your phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Step 3. Flashing your Roms
The time has finally arrived. You sat down patiently through the unlocker and you are now ready to take the leap of faith into what you believe will bring your device to a new level of usefulness (also known as getting rid of that nasty, bloated, stock rom )
The process is relatively simple:
1. Download the RUU package from this post. I am only posting this because some cooks only post the rom nbh files rather than the whole package.
2. Go into the threads and look for whichever rom you prefer. Look at my signature to learn which one I am using. NFSFan (my current one) is by far the best one I have tried so far. You can download it from here
3. Put your device in bootloader mode and connect the device to the computer. [highlight]Once in bootloader, activesync will NOT see the device. If the RUU gives a connection error, try to run it with the devices in regular mode (with ActiveSync connected)[/highlight]
4. Open the Romupdateutility.exe and follow the steps.
5. Once it is done flashing the rom, disconnect it from the computer and hard reset it. To do this, simply hold "Send" + "End Call" +Stylus in the reset hole for about 3 seconds. It will prompt you to erase all the data and restore to factory defaults. Press "Enter", which is the center button in the directional pad. Once it is done, press "Send" to reboot.
Congratulations, you just flashed your first rom for Vogue
Step 4. SuperCID
This step can be skipped if you are not thinking of doing anything as far as your radio (such as flashing radios other than the ones intended for Vogue). This is also used to do other things such as modifying certain important things on your device such as the NV files, which is information that will not be discussed here. However, if you are interested in finding out more, simply google it, there is a ton of information out there.
Anyways, back to SuperCID... here is the procedure (thanks to hpnasik at mobile-files.com for the post)
1. Download the following special rom . This is an Alltel rom with radio 3.37. This was specially prepared to be able to reduce the Security Level of the device to level zero.
2. Download mtty since you will need it. Do not worry if you do not how to use it. You will have a step by step in this guide.
3. Flash the Alltel rom from above.
Now comes the fun part...
4. Disable USB in Connection Settings of Active Sync
5. Boot The Phone holding power button and camera button to enter bootloader.
6. Phone Will Display Serial in Bottom
7. Connect Phone to PC
8. Phone should Display USB instead of Serial in Bottom
9. start mtty.exe
10. Select All Default and Connect to USB in drop down box and Shoot the Following Commands (All Commands are case Sensitive)
11. run command rtask a : After this Command Phone will not Display any thing
12. run command echo_on : even though nothing is shown to screen
13. run command readCID : in Sprint it will display SPCS_001
14. run command writeCID 00000000 : Set CID Value to 00000000 replaces SPCS_001 in Sprint (This make PPC Radio Security Level to Zero)
15. run command readCID : This will Display the Update CID as 00000000
16. run Command retuoR : This will return to Original Boot Loader State
Congratulations, you just SuperCIDed your device. Original thread with the instructions can be found here if you are interested.
Step 5. Flashing your radio.
Now that your device has been SuperCIDed, you will have the opportunity to flash radios that have been ported to this device (ie. there is a version of the 3.42.40 radio for the Titan, which has been ported to the Vogue). There are two ways of doing this:
Way 1: Do it by flashing via RUU (same as with flashing a rom)
Way 2: Flash via microSD card. Simply put whichever radio that you wish to flash in the root of a 2GB or less microSD card formatted to fat32. Rename the radio to VOGUIMG.NBH and put your device in bootloader. The flashing will start by itself.
Way 3 (I know I said two ways...): There are a few stock roms that come with new radios. One of them can be downloaded directly from HTC and it is for the Sprint Touch. This one comes with Radio 3.42.30
The other one is for Bell Mobility and this one comes with Radio 3.42.50.
Why am I giving "Way 3" if the other two options seem much easier?? I have run into the problem where my device would not let me flash other radios than the one that I had. SD card method did not work and the RUU started out fine but quits at 8% rebooting my phone and displaying Error 328 in the RUU on the PC. Anyway, here are the links...
Sprint rom with radio 3.42.30
Bell rom with radio 3.42.50
Verizon Stock Rom
All Shipped Roms (All Carriers) - Thanks conflipper!
All Above Radios zipped
The newer radios perform a little better and give out better GPS signal (faster locks)....
Hang on a sec... did you just say GPS?!?!? But my Vogue does not have a GPS.... It does, just read a little further and be happy
Step 6. Enabling GPS, Returning to Stock, and Carrier Cabs
As I said before, there is a GPS hidden on your device. Now, if you are like me and went straight to the specs of the phone to confirm, you will probably try to call BS on this. Long story short, there are a few custom roms which have this "tweak" already implemented (like the one I am using from NFSFan). If you require some more info, I will post it later...
[highlight]Location must be on or else your GPS will not work. To activate it, go to Settings>Personal>Phone and change the Location setting to ON instead of 911 (thanks for pointing it out, th3lolz)[/highlight]
[highlight]For Verizon Users[/highlight]
br125 said:
For those of you with the official mr1 update from verizon that cannot get their gps working:
My xv6900 came with the official update and I got it working, it involves downgrading to a NON-GPS radio, then back to a gps radio...
go here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=533639
now the instructions are going to imply that you must load the unlocker before each flash... bs don't worry about that
1. flash the .40 unlocker
2. flash the non-gps rom (reset before customization)
3. flash the 2.31 unlocker
4. flash the vzw rom (reset before customization)
5. flash any custom rom or android rom
that's it, time consuming, but it works
*ignore the multiple flashing instructions, its completely unnecessary, I've never flashed more than once with no problem ever....
I also suggest keeping the vzw radio, but do as you will, I like the 3.37.38 radio.. ain't broke don't fix it
lastly, just make sure you RESET BEFORE THE CUSTOMIZATIONS RUN...... that is what locks your gps.
good luck!
ps. the verizon radio rom that is in that post is for the "leaked" 3.37.37 radio, I reccomend using the official update from verizon here for the 3.37.38 radio rom instead:
http://www.pcdphones.com/phone_downloads.aspx?bid=95&cid=1&mid=302&carrier=Verizon Wireless
RESET BEFORE CUSTOMIZATIONS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
[highlight]How to Relock you phone[/highlight]
If, for whatever reason you need to return your phone for repair/replacement, you will need to relock it. To relock your phone, simply run the unlocker 0.40 and flash the stock rom of your carrier.
ftp://up.ppcgeeks.com/Vogue/Users/ImCoKeMaN/Vogue_unlocker.exe
[highlight]Carrier Cabs[/highlight]
Thanks to Codybear for gathering all of the cabs with settings for various carriers. But since the link went down, here is another one courtesy of LMiller1708
https://sites.google.com/site/vogueroms/vogue-files
This information was only gathered by me and I take no credit whatsoever other than trying to put it in a one stop thread. Thanks to the following people
Shadowmite
ImCoKeMaN
mindfrost
NFSFAN
Codybear
joshkoss
and a bunch of people that were involved in developing all this...
Thread sticky'd as requested
Peace,
Josh
ok so im a noob n all at this but for some reason when i go to start the Vogue unlocker it tells me to connect my phone, when its already connected. Ive tried everything my even switched to an xp from vista but still no luck. Please help
dwigginstm said:
ok so im a noob n all at this but for some reason when i go to start the Vogue unlocker it tells me to connect my phone, when its already connected. Ive tried everything my even switched to an xp from vista but still no luck. Please help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How exciting!! My first victi...erh patient
Did you put the device in bootloader mode? If you did and it is connected to the PC, you should see USB on the screen of your device. Also, do you have ActiveSync on your XP machine? You will need it for the drivers on this step. Changing USB ports sometimes help as well. And one last thing, do not use a USB hub, go directly through the USB ports in your computer. Good luck!
yes i have activesync installed xp, and yes it changes from serial to usb in bootloader mode. But once i connect it to the pc while in bootloader mode my computer recognizes just activesync doesnt, only when its on and not in bootloader mode will activesync recognize it...
yes i have activesync set up with the phone and pc, but when i put the phone in bootloader mode and connect it the pc recognizes it but not activesync. is there another program i can unlock the phone with?
dwigginstm said:
yes i have activesync installed xp, and yes it changes from serial to usb in bootloader mode. But once i connect it to the pc while in bootloader mode my computer recognizes just activesync doesnt, only when its on and not in bootloader mode will activesync recognize it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do not worry about ActiveSync. While you are in bootloader, the device is not running WM, which is why your computer only sees it as a USB device. This is perfectly fine. ActiveSync will not recognize it.
Please, follow the instructions in my post for unlocking. Read it thoroughly and try to understand it, else you will end up bricking your device.
ok but when i begin the unlocking exe it tell me to connect the device to activesync, althought the only way activesync will notice it is if i take it out of bootmode. your help is appriciated
dwigginstm said:
ok but when i begin the unlocking exe it tell me to connect the device to activesync, althought the only way activesync will notice it is if i take it out of bootmode. your help is appriciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that is a message in the RUU. do not pay attention to it. good luck...
so i finally got the unlocker to start and it begins the ten minute process and stops then show a 262 error code ive done this over and over again
Let's go from the top. I just saw the message that you were talking about. The unlocker does ask for ActiveSync as you pointed out and it is asking you to connect the device to the computer. Then it asks for you to press any key when that is done. So, try that and you should see the word "initializing" with a dotted line getting longer for about 20 seconds. Do that.
The RUU will start up afterwards. The prompt will tell you that it is going to flash a new SPL, and if I am not mistaken that is where you are getting stuck.
Just out of curiosity, which version of the Vogue do you have? (Alltel, Bell, Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular)?
no internet
i just flashes my cell for the first time in with sprint NFSFAN's WM6.5 1.00 FINAL ROM worked great but for some reason my internet doesnt work i downloaded NFSFAN Sprint Provisioning but i dont know how to use it. It has a cople files SPRINT~1.000 and 000DUMMY and setup.xls
thanks in advance
terrancextc said:
i just flashes my cell for the first time in with sprint NFSFAN's WM6.5 1.00 FINAL ROM worked great but for some reason my internet doesnt work i downloaded NFSFAN Sprint Provisioning but i dont know how to use it. It has a cople files SPRINT~1.000 and 000DUMMY and setup.xls
thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You downloaded a cab. Simply put it in your SD card and run it by tapping on it. Don't unzip it...
Unlocker is not 64 bit compatible... grrr....
Disclaimer: I make no warranties expressed or implied. This information is provided for research and educational purposes only. By reading this post, you agree not to hold me, my estate, my heirs, or my dog responsible for anything ever and waive all of your rights to legal action against said parties forever in perpetuity. Amen.
Note: this guide covers Android 2.1 (Eclair). Various builds of Android 2.2 (Froyo) are available in the forum. You should NOT use my guide if you are installing a build of Android 2.2 (Froyo). Currently I am running the Jboogie Froyo Rom, Orange DeBlur v4, which is great and (in my opinion) the best Froyo Rom out there for USA T-Mobile. Froyo is not much faster than Eclair in terms of benchmarks, but the apps are better, especially if you need the Android email app for connecting to an exchange server.
Now, on to the guide:
Goal: starting with a fresh-out-of-the-box Defy from T-Mobile USA, root the phone, install a non-US (or other) Rom, and recover your 3G capabilities.
Why: non-US Roms have much less bloatware from T-mo and Motorola, and allow you to install JIT/Deodex if you want
0) Oh noes! You've got to sign up for a Motoblur account just to use your phone! Create a throwaway email address at any of the webmail providers (gmail, yahoo etc.) and then go through the motions on the phone to set it up and get to the main home screen. Editorial note: wtf!!!
1) Get root access to your phone. Following Sorensiim's excellent guide, download the Z4Root app, which allows you to root (and unroot) your Defy. (thanks to Sorensiim for hosting!)
>> n00b notes:
First, go to Settings -> Applications and check "Unknown Sources" so you can run the Z4Root app.
Also go to Settings -> Applications -> Development and check "USB Debugging" so you can connect to your phone from your computer later.
Then open your phone's browser, navigate to this page, and download the app directly to your phone.
Install the app from your "Downloads" folder (accessible inside your Browser)
Run the Z4Root app on your phone, hit the "root" button and wait for it to work its magic.
This is what you will see if you run Z4Root after you reboot from rooting:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
2) Install recovery so that you can make a backup of your operating system to your SD card before you do anything else - that way you can go back to the stock T-mobile OS if you need to.
Following Sorensiim's excellent guide, and many thanks to tenfar who put it together for us, just go here to download the Recovery App. (thanks to Sorensiim for hosting!)
>> n00b notes:
Just like before, visit this page on your phone's browser. Click the link to download the recover app, and once it's done, install it.
Allow the app to have root access, and check the box to always allow.
Once you are in the System Recovery program, click "Install Recovery System"; it will let you know when it's successfully installed (see image below):
3) Make a backup by opening the System Recovery app, and then press the "Recovery Boot" button. Back it up! Once again, details here, big thanks to tenfar!
>> n00b notes:
Once you have booted into recovery, you'll see the black/green screen shown below.
Use the volume buttons to navigate the menu and the power button to select an option.
Go to "Backup and Restore", and then "Backup".
If you need to restore later, just do the same thing except hit "Restore" and then select the one you want.
4) Flash a different ROM! Now here's where it get's a little more tricky. First, you'll want to follow Higgsy's Debranding Guide closely. I won't repeat his excellent guide, but here are my comments on the steps in the guide:
>> n00b notes:
Technically this step is optional - you can still weed out the bloatware and overclock while keeping your stock USA ROM. However, you will miss out on being able to install JIT/Deodex and having other features of non-USA roms, such as tethering.
Step 1: I used the consumer drivers package - Motorola 4.8.0 Driver with MotoConnect - since I am using 64 bit Windows 7. You can also use the developer drivers that Higgsy links to in his guide (available here).
Step 2: I used the JRDNEM_U3_2.34.1 firmware from central Europe, since you don't have to deal with Motoblur that way. You don't have to use this Rom of course, there are a bunch of different options, but I wanted to stick with a "real" Rom from Motorola as a starting point. Note that a firmware version is not the same as an Android version - i.e. v2.34.1 is NOT android 2.3, it is still anroid 2.1. Confusing, I know. Other Rom options include custom Roms that people put together and list in the XDA Developers forum. If you want to use one of those, you would follow their instructions for installing that particular custom Rom.
Step 3: In case the RSD Lite download link in the guide doesn't work, you can also get it from Megaupload the password for the site and the rar file is 'alabama'.
Step 7: Before booting the phone into the bootloader, you may want to clear out your data manually (aka "wipe your phone"). Go back into the System Recovery app, go to "Recovery Boot", and then when you're back on the black screen, select "Wipe DATA/Factory reset", "Wipe CACHE Partition" and then also go to "Advanced" and then select "Wipe Dalvik Cache". Then hold down the power button to turn off your phone. You won't be able to boot your phone after this, except by holding down the volume up + power on buttons together to get into the bootloader, so I would make 100% sure you have the drivers and RSD Lite installed and working!
Step 8: I would recommend waiting until it says "PASS" on the right side of the RSD Lite window before closing the program (this is after the "PLEASE START PHONE MANUALLY" phase is completed).
You should now have a working phone, with EDGE connectivity (little "E" in your status bar at the top) but no 3G or H icons. What, no 3G? We'll fix that next.
5) Re-root your phone and reinstall System Recovery following steps 1 and 2 above.
6) Install JIT/Deodexed: Optional step if you flashed either the 2.21 or 2.34 ROM. If you want to make your phone a bit faster, this is for you. Higgsy's guide is here if you want to do this!
>> n00b notes:
Update: on my third time flashing the phone, I was able to get JIT/Deodexed working fine. I think my failure the first time may have been due to my old SIM card, which I replaced because I was having problems reading the card and sending text messages (couldn't update the SMSC number).
Originally, I couldn't get the JIT/Deodexed package to work on my USA phone after installing the 2.34.1 firmware (too many 'untoward things happening' like Higgsy warned about), so I just skipped it the second time I flashed the 2.34.1 firmware.
The process of installing the packages is super easy, although you may want to make a backup before you start just in case. You can never have too many backups, because you can always transfer them to your computer if your SD card gets full. They are stored on your SD card under /goapkrev/backup/
The performance improvements are substantial - see graphs below.
Obviously you must get the package that matches the version of the ROM you installed. If you didn't flash a new ROM and still have the stock USA one, you are out of luck.
7) Make another backup! Now you want to backup your freshly-installed (and possibly JIT/Deodexed) Non-US Rom. Your first backup was the USA T-mobile Rom. You'll want to make this backup in case you eff something up in one of the next couple steps and want to go back to a fresh Non-US install and try-again.
Following the instructions in Step 3 above, load the System Recovery app, Recovery Reboot, and make a backup. Then reboot your phone!
8) Install ADB and/or Android SDK on your computer - there is a great guide on the Cyanogen Mod Wiki here. Just go slow, and follow the instructions. Once you can do "adb devices" and see your phone, you're good to proceed onward.
>> n00b notes:
To open a Command Prompt in Windows, go to "start" -> "run" and type "cmd" in the box or just go to "start" -> "all programs" -> "accessories" -> "command prompt").
Note that if you have 64-bit windows, you'll still need to install the regular 32-bit Java Development Kit (JDK), not the 64-bit version.
When you're editing your "path" environment variables in windows, note that you can't have spaces before or after semicolons. This is what my full path looks like (and iTunes works now - it didn't when I accidentally left a space after QTSystem\;
Code:
C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime\QTSystem\;[B]%SystemRoot%;C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools;C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\android-sdk-windows\tools[/B]
9) Fix 3G
*** NOTE: This step only applies to USA phones. If you're not in the USA, your 3G probably works fine.
Download HandlerExploit's 3G fix from the 2.21 UK ROM or my 3G fix from the 6.19 US ROM. Thanks to HandlerExploit for figuring this out for us.
>> n00b notes:
There's not much difference between the two 3G fixes, except that each one will display different info in the "About Phone" section (either v2.21 or v6.19). For example, if you use my fix, "About Phone" will tell you that you have "Build number: JORDN_U3_6.19.0" installed - this is a side affect of the patch. For HandlerExploit's fix, "About Phone" will report v.2.21 GB
You may want to write down what Rom you actually installed if you think you might forget (for example, my phone actually has "JRDNEM_U3_2.34.1" even though it reports 6.19.0 in "About Phone")
If you downloaded HandlerExploit's 3gFix, you can choose to follow his instructions or the ones below, which are basically the same as what is in his, except you enter the commands line-by-line instead of running them through a script. I prefer line by line because I like to know what I'm doing. Both methods should work fine.
If you are unfamiliar with basic command prompt commands (cd dir ls etc.) please see my reply later in this thread
Once you download the zip file, extract it somewhere, like your desktop.
Alright, time to get some ADB skills. Plug your phone in via USB and open a command prompt. First we connect to the phone by typing this, each command followed by the "Enter" key:
Code:
adb shell
Then you want to run some commands as a super user so type:
Code:
su
Quick! Look at your phone, and tell it to always allow superuser access. You only have to do this once.
You should have a "#" command prompt now (instead of a "$" like before) indicating that you are working as a superuser (#=superuser). Now some more commands to enter. (n00b tip: you can copy and paste each line into the command prompt by copying the line from this guide and right clicking "paste" on the command prompt window)
Code:
mount -o remount,rw -t ext3 /dev/block/mmsblk1p21 /system
chmod 0777 /system/etc/motorola/bp_nvm_default
chmod 0777 /system/etc/motorola
chmod 0777 /system/etc
chmod 0777 /system/app
chmod 0777 /system/lib
chmod 0777 /system/lib/modules
chmod 0777 /system
exit
exit
So now we have set CHMOD Permissions for some folders on your phone, and then quit the adb shell. Now we've got to push some files to the phone:
Navigate to the folder where you extracted the files from the 3g fix you downloaded above, for example, type:
Code:
cd c:\users\administrator\desktop\3gfix\
then enter:
Code:
adb push system /system
This will copy all the files in the subfolder "system" to your phone's "/system" folder, overwriting them (which is why we made a backup earlier). Then enter:
Code:
adb reboot
to reboot your phone. You should have 3G connectivity now - note that it may take up to a minute or so for it to appear the first time, and you may not see the icon at all if you have WiFi enabled (so disable it in your settings to test it out).
If it still doesn't work, try going to "Settings" -> "Wireless & Networks" -> "Mobile Networks" -> "Access Point Names" -> (settings button of four squares) -> "Reset to default". Also make sure the APN name is highlighted with a green dot. You may also have to go to "Settings" -> "Wireless & Networks" -> "Mobile Networks" -> "Operator Selection" -> "Select Automatically"
This is what the 3G icon looks like of course:
10) The phone is yours. You can:
Install some apps: Titanium Backup & Launcher Pro for example.
Weed out the bloatware, overclock, and scale: see Sorensiim's awesome guide here. I highly recommend doing this, just bumping up to 1000mhz overclock makes the phone's performance much more snappy. If you overclock, you should definitely use Sorensiim's scaling method and his scaling files -- it makes a very noticeable improvement in battery life.
Benchmark your phone: with Quadrant Standard Edition, available in the app market
Play Angry Birds all day: :-D
Here is my phone benchmarked, with no overclocking, no bloatware removal, no JIT/Deodex packages, just the stock JRDNEM_U3_2.34.1 firmware (note that the phone with the US Rom straight out of the box benchmarks a little higher at 987. I'm not sure why this is.):
Here it is after overclocking to 1000mhz and my own customized bloat removal (not as much as most people, i use some of the default apps), also still no JIT/Deodex. Obviously you can get it to go faster if you want to overclock more, install JIT/Deodex, and remove more bloat:
Edit: These are the apps I disabled for the second benchmark (renaming them using Sorensiim's guide )
AdService.apk
ArcPhotoworkshop.apk
ArcVideoEditorLite.apk
esmusica_2_0_0012_embed_Signed_2010-04-13_11-05-17.apk
FBAndroid-1.3.2.apk
Fota.apk
hiphopofficial_2_0_0012_embed_Signed_2010-04-13_11-08-31.apk
Kindle-1.0.2-OEM-SingleSign.apk
LiveWallpapers.apk
LiveWallpapersPicker.apk
MagicSmokeWallpapers.apk
MySpace.apk
Protips.apk
Quickoffice_BasicViewer_2.0.52.apk
revolver_2_0_0012_embed_Signed_2010-04-13_11-07-08.apk
truecountry_2_0_0012_embed_Signed_2010-04-13_11-06-12.apk
WeatherWidget.apk
Here is what I got to after JIT/Deodexed was installed on 2.34 - same apps removed, same overclock at 1000mhz. Removing VisualizationWallpapers.apk and YouTube.apk got me to 1308.
Wow, great guide! I might try this later.. I do have a question though, if we've already set up our phones on a stock rom, can Titanum Backup or the recovery backup our apps and settings and then restore them to our new deblured ROM?
Sent from my MB525 using XDA App
Passa91 said:
Wow, great guide! I might try this later.. I do have a question though, if we've already set up our phones on a stock rom, can Titanum Backup or the recovery backup our apps and settings and then restore them to our new deblured ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you would do that with Titanium Backup. System Recovery is for making entire images. It's easier to replace things piece-by-piece with Titanium Backup.
Thanks for this...along with handler's tips on SA I got it working.
Although I´m not an US user (hence got working 3G) I´m still on the 2.34.1 ROM, and I still use som of the default apps.
Just wondering though: which ones did you remove? I´m not going to get into ADB, but I was thinking of removing some of ´em with TB.
Slightly OT - can you safely remove Swype? There´s no swedish language support for that, and I´ve gotten used to TouchPal anyway...
heglen said:
Although I´m not an US user (hence got working 3G) I´m still on the 2.34.1 ROM, and I still use som of the default apps.
Just wondering though: which ones did you remove? I´m not going to get into ADB, but I was thinking of removing some of ´em with TB.
Slightly OT - can you safely remove Swype? There´s no swedish language support for that, and I´ve gotten used to TouchPal anyway...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure you can remove Swype, theres still the standard android keyboard installed as well. Check out scandinavian keyboard from the market too
I had a big problem in step #8, installing ADB. No matter what I tried, the command "adb devices" would not work. But I was able to solve it by following this:
http://theunlockr.com/2009/10/06/how-to-set-up-adb-usb-drivers-for-android-devices/
You have to download the ADB files from
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RTEY0Q97
and put them into your
Android\android-sdk-windows\tools
directory. Word is, they were taken out by Google for whatever reason in the R08 version, and must be restored in order for ADB to work.
After I extracted the files into the Tools folder, and used the 'adb devices' command, it worked like a charm!
Quick noob question.
If I install a custom ROM on my Defy following this guide and then restore the T-mo US 3G connectivity - will I be able to use the "Web2 go" unlimited plan without being detected and blocked by T-mo? Currently as I have the stock firmware/ROM it does not let me connect to neither 3G nor Edge. I've tried my SIM with Nokia N900 and 3G works fine, since the T-mo network doesn't recognize it as a smart phone. Please let me know if de-bluring/debranding my Defy will solve this problem for me.
Thanks in advance.
nvvass said:
If I install a custom ROM on my Defy following this guide and then restore the T-mo US 3G connectivity - will I be able to use the "Web2 go" unlimited plan without being detected and blocked by T-mo?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why did you buy an android smartphone if you don't have a plan for it? Can't help ya.
rob-t said:
Why did you buy an android smartphone if you don't have a plan for it? Can't help ya.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do have a plan. Many friends' Nexuses work fine with the same plan. I know a guy with a Nokia N900 and it works in 3G even with his grandfathered T-zone for $4.99. Why pay more? You didn't answer my question though - can you give a specific answer? As in "will work" or "won't work".
Thanks.
nvvass said:
You didn't answer my question though - can you give a specific answer? As in "will work" or "won't work".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seeing as how I never had even heard of web2go before your post, I really have no idea. I'm not entirely sure I know what T-zone and web2go even /are/.
If you follow the instructions above and you still can't use your web2go thing, you can always roll back to your first backup and then use Z4root to unroot your phone, effectively returning it to 'stock' condition.
Wifi Calling?
Great tutorial for us noobs! Thanks! How does this affect wifi calling?
rob-t said:
Seeing as how I never had even heard of web2go before your post, I really have no idea. I'm not entirely sure I know what T-zone and web2go even /are/.
If you follow the instructions above and you still can't use your web2go thing, you can always roll back to your first backup and then use Z4root to unroot your phone, effectively returning it to 'stock' condition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry I assumed you're familiar with T-mo US, but thanks for responding anyway. Basically, web2go is an unlimited data plan for $10, that T-mo used to provide for "dumb" phones. T-zones was it's previous version (before 3G times) priced at $4.99 and was offered for all phones other than BBs. I remember getting a Dash (T-mo branded HTC Excalibur), witch was one of the first phones T-mo started to call "smart", and was able to get full Inet access with my T-zones just by tweaking some APN settings on the phone. In fact I (and many others) was able to get that without any data plan for awhile, before T-mo caught up with it and started blocking it. Of course it was too slow for browsing (EDGE/GPRS), but you could get your e-mails pretty easily and search stuff when in a pinch. Speaking of that - anybody remember when texting was free? Anywho, at some point in time T-mo started blocking smart phones from accessing data services on a "dumb" data plan - apparently by adding a piece of code to the FW of all T-mo branded phones, that allows their network to recognize the phone as "smart" and then block access if a "dumb" plan is used. Now, if you use a non-T-mo branded phone (even the same model that has a T-mo version) the network is not able to figure the type of phone and lets you access regardless of data plan. So, I hope this long explanation helps you understand where I was coming from with my original question. Obviously, when you flash the Defy with a non-T-mo ROM you get rid of the piece of code that makes the phone identifiable, but then when you copy part of the original ROM to restore 3G functionality, does that part contain the ID code also, I was wondering. At any rate, if you're not familiar/don't use T-mo you wouldn't know, I understand, I guess I'll have to go through the steps and figure it out for myself. Thanks anyway.
bcrawf68 said:
Great tutorial for us noobs! Thanks! How does this affect wifi calling?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WiFi calling seems to work fine for me.
nvvass said:
Now, if you use a non-T-mo branded phone (even the same model that has a T-mo version) the network is not able to figure the type of phone and lets you access regardless of data plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah OK thanks for the explanation. I currently use T-mobile but I don't really know much about their offerings. I would try the 2.21 or 2.34 firmware and then apply the UK 3G fix made by HandlerExploit, instead of the USA 3G fix I made from the US firmware.
Only one way to really find out though...
Excellent!
Steps 1-8 of your guide are also very helpful for non-US Defy users!
3G fixing, however, is probably not required on European Defys and I would not recommend following steps 9 et seq for those devices. Please correct me if I'm wrong here.
cloogshizer said:
3G fixing, however, is probably not required on European Defys and I would not recommend following steps 9 et seq for those devices. Please correct me if I'm wrong here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, yes, I updated the guide accordingly. 3G fixing should only be necessary in the USA.
nvvass said:
I'm sorry I assumed you're familiar with T-mo US, but thanks for responding anyway. Basically, web2go is an unlimited data plan for $10, that T-mo used to provide for "dumb" phones. T-zones was it's previous version (before 3G times) priced at $4.99 and was offered for all phones other than BBs. I remember getting a Dash (T-mo branded HTC Excalibur), witch was one of the first phones T-mo started to call "smart", and was able to get full Inet access with my T-zones just by tweaking some APN settings on the phone. In fact I (and many others) was able to get that without any data plan for awhile, before T-mo caught up with it and started blocking it. Of course it was too slow for browsing (EDGE/GPRS), but you could get your e-mails pretty easily and search stuff when in a pinch. Speaking of that - anybody remember when texting was free? Anywho, at some point in time T-mo started blocking smart phones from accessing data services on a "dumb" data plan - apparently by adding a piece of code to the FW of all T-mo branded phones, that allows their network to recognize the phone as "smart" and then block access if a "dumb" plan is used. Now, if you use a non-T-mo branded phone (even the same model that has a T-mo version) the network is not able to figure the type of phone and lets you access regardless of data plan. So, I hope this long explanation helps you understand where I was coming from with my original question. Obviously, when you flash the Defy with a non-T-mo ROM you get rid of the piece of code that makes the phone identifiable, but then when you copy part of the original ROM to restore 3G functionality, does that part contain the ID code also, I was wondering. At any rate, if you're not familiar/don't use T-mo you wouldn't know, I understand, I guess I'll have to go through the steps and figure it out for myself. Thanks anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cloogshizer said:
Steps 1-8 of your guide are also very helpful for non-US Defy users!
3G fixing, however, is probably not required on European Defys and I would not recommend following steps 9 et seq for those devices. Please correct me if I'm wrong here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
first of all.. thank's for the great tutorial man..!!
second of all, I got this T-mobile defy from my uncle and I used it in Indonesia.. It's true what nvvass said, that the T-mo firmware constantly tries to connect with the "smart phone" data plan.. which caused me to unable to connect to my local provider data connection.. after I flashed the defy with the central-europe de-blur firmware, Voila..!! I got 3G connection directly..!! without any settings at all..
hope this helps for anyone using US T-mobile defy outsite of US.. cheers mate..
if i have no reception (the signal bars have a red circle with a line through it on top) will this kind of 3g fix but relevant to australia fix the issue?
Jt612 said:
if i have no reception (the signal bars have a red circle with a line through it on top) will this kind of 3g fix but relevant to australia fix the issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
where did you get the phone from? if it from US and still locked with T-mobile, than it would refuse to connect with local provider.. you need unlock code..
i bought it in australia its an australian phone... works fine when i restore my backup of australian software but i would like to use the 2.34.1
I've seen so much people complaining about flashing their cellphones to another carrier but the phone isnt saving 3g info to the efs. Well, it seems like something blocked by Sprint. To get it working do this:
-Connect your phone in dial mode to your windows pc(doesnt work on other OS).
-Download this file
-Download this FREE version CDMA Workshop
-Open CDMA Workshop, on the right top side, check the box next to the textbox and introduce your spc and click connect and read.
-Navigate to memory tab and in "NV-items" click write and select the 1st file you just downloaded.
-Finally close CDMA Workshop and it'll ask you to reboot the phone, click yes and then proceed to flash your phone.
I used Qualcomm QPST to configure data in my country. I guess DFS also work but I havent tested it yet.
Links are not mine but tested it.
Original thread here, in spanish.
According to XPERIAblog, now we're able to use Flashtool for our device.
Long-term Sony Xperia users will be very familiar with Flashtool, it has been the da facto method of flashing firmware of Xperia devices to a different region. It has been around since the advent of Sony’s Android Xperia phones, but support was not added for any of the 2017 Xperia devices.
However, Flashtool developer Androxyde has updated the application to version 0.9.24.2, which now includes support for the Xperia XZ Premium, Xperia XZ1 and Xperia XZ1 Compact. Do note though that this new version of Flashtool has moved from Java 8 to Java 9, so you will need to run a 64-bit operating system. If you want to download the new version, click here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Source: http://www.xperiablog.net/2018/01/1...t-xperia-xz-premium-and-xz1-devices-0-9-24-2/
Rejoice! Thanks @Androxyde
EDIT: Relevant post: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=75141403&postcount=3641
Gave my thanks there, although I first saw the news from the same source as OP as well and came here to find more info.
Great news ! Thanks !
Could someone help me understand what the advantages of Flashtool are over Newflasher? I used flashtool on my old z3c...but is there a good reason to switch if newflasher works well enough?
jrbmed08 said:
Could someone help me understand what the advantages of Flashtool are over Newflasher? I used flashtool on my old z3c...but is there a good reason to switch if newflasher works well enough?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's just nice and convenient because it's a one-stop shop for flashing xperia devices... it includes xperifirm and such, and has checkboxes for you to remove userdata.sin etc, so you don't actually have to go and do it yourself. Probably just preference and habit. If you're totally fine with newflasher I don't think there's any difference.
I've tried unsucessfully to download 9.24.2 version, can you tell me why ?
Nothing happen when i click on "Get it".
francois64 said:
I've tried unsucessfully to download 9.24.2 version, can you tell me why ?
Nothing happen when i click on "Get it".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The "Get it" link links to the download page you're already on, of course "nothing happens".
You need to click on one of the 3 links with your OS description, like "Windows", then decide if you want to download via BT or file host.
OK thanks
My US version XZ1c arrived Wednesday afternoon and I'm fairly new to the whole flashing scene (unrootable Samsung phones and locked bootloaders all my Android life, yay....), so forgive my stupidity. I've followed the guide on XperiaFirmware.com up to part C, which says to install drivers for Flashtool. I believe I've got Flashtool working right now, but I don't know what else I'm supposed to do. Are the drivers located somewhere not on the site, or are they included in the 47.1.A.12.34 folder from XperiaFirmware? I see it contains the newflasher program in there, but I don't understand what the other files are for.
CMT 1412-4444 'Fours' said:
My US version XZ1c arrived Wednesday afternoon and I'm fairly new to the whole flashing scene (unrootable Samsung phones and locked bootloaders all my Android life, yay....), so forgive my stupidity. I've followed the guide on XperiaFirmware.com up to part C, which says to install drivers for Flashtool. I believe I've got Flashtool working right now, but I don't know what else I'm supposed to do. Are the drivers located somewhere not on the site, or are they included in the 47.1.A.12.34 folder from XperiaFirmware? I see it contains the newflasher program in there, but I don't understand what the other files are for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the install folder for the Flashtool should be a folder called Drivers. Inside that there is an .exe you should run that will install the drivers you need. When you run it you need to select the flashtool drivers from the option as well as the drivers for your model of phone, usually down towards the bottom of the list. If you are running Windows 10 then you will need to disable driver signature checking before trying to run this file. (boot into safe mode and look under advanced menu).
Download the firmware you want to install with Xperiafirm, put it in the flashtool firmware folder.
Run the program, slect the lightning bolt, select the firmware, press ok. It will then start building the image. Then it will ask you to connect your phone.
Make sure your phone is powered off completely. Then plug the USB in whilst holding the volume down button (the led should turn green), Flashtool will recognise the phone, you can let go of the volume button and let Flashtool do it's job.
Edit: having used both Newfalsher and Flashtool, I think Newflasher is easier, but you're already there now so you may as well carry on.
Didgesteve said:
In the install folder for the Flashtool should be a folder called Drivers. Inside that there is an .exe you should run that will install the drivers you need. When you run it you need to select the flashtool drivers from the option as well as the drivers for your model of phone, usually down towards the bottom of the list. If you are running Windows 10 then you will need to disable driver signature checking before trying to run this file. (boot into safe mode and look under advanced menu).
Download the firmware you want to install with Xperiafirm, put it in the flashtool firmware folder.
Run the program, slect the lightning bolt, select the firmware, press ok. It will then start building the image. Then it will ask you to connect your phone.
Make sure your phone is powered off completely. Then plug the USB in whilst holding the volume down button (the led should turn green), Flashtool will recognise the phone, you can let go of the volume button and let Flashtool do it's job.
Edit: having used both Newfalsher and Flashtool, I think Newflasher is easier, but you're already there now so you may as well carry on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went ahead with Newflasher since the guide is much easier. +1 Thanks
I recently used Flashtool to flash my USA-purchased XZ1C to the .75 Customised DE firmware, and the process was about as simple and straightforward as I can imagine. I also like that provision of the firmware locator is built-in to the Flashtool installation, and the downloaded firmware archive contains a script which puts everything into place for flashing. By default, all user data and settings appear to be maintained. The only thing that might be confusing is that the dialog that pops up indicating it's time to connect the phone only refers to 2011 and 2012 models (both X Compact and XZ1 Compact use the 2012 method). Otherwise, everything proceeds smoothly. Have others had similar positive (or negative) experiences with Flashtool?
pseudonym58 said:
By default, all user data and settings appear to be maintained.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So even the apps, data, etc. remains, like when you update OTA ? I am considering updating my (very outdated) firmware without waiting for it to come from Sony, but I don't want to reinstall and reconfigure everything.
@jeff9891
As I indicated previously, nothing seems to have been lost when I used flashtool to install firmware. Of course I can't guarantee that you'll have exactly the same experience, but I have updated both an Xperia xz1 Compact and an Xperia X compact and have not lost any data. In any case I would advise backing up with Xperia companion first.
Thanks, I'll try it this week-end and report, if no OTA update arrives beforehand.
I must be dumb, but I can't find XZ1C in the list in "Flashtool-drivers.exe". Flashtools thereforce recognizes some device is connected, yet it does not display the device's name like it is supposed to do so as far as I read in tutos (even if the program says "driver installed : true") :
Code:
09/008/2018 12:08:31 - INFO - Flashtool Version 0.9.24.4 built on 01-02-2018 22:15:00
(...)
09/009/2018 12:09:10 - INFO - Device connected with USB debugging off
09/009/2018 12:09:10 - INFO - For 2011 devices line, be sure you are not in MTP mode
09/025/2018 12:25:57 - INFO - List of connected devices (Device Id) :
09/025/2018 12:25:57 - INFO - - USB\VID_0FCE&PID_01F4\BH9043YQ9E Driver installed : true
09/025/2018 12:25:57 - INFO - List of ADB devices :
09/025/2018 12:25:57 - INFO - - none
09/025/2018 12:25:57 - INFO - List of fastboot devices :
09/025/2018 12:25:57 - INFO - - none
Sharing some XZ1C flashing process tips for those who may have to cope with the same problems I did.
1) There are no XZ1C dedicated drivers in the drivers.exe that comes with flashtools. Just select the generic "Flashmode drivers" in the list. Still necessary to install them before flashing, though.
2) It is normal that flashtools does not display your device name in its consol as it was supposed to do so with previous phones models. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctqKNAzrKpQ
3) Xperifirm (= the program to grab your phone's latest stock ROM from Sony) is integrated into flashtools. Click the "XF" logo in the top bar, then find your model and download it. It will automatically make it usable in flashtools without fiddling with the files.
4) Follow the general tutorial for flashing: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=928343 . To enter flash mode with XZ1C, you can follow this tuto : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eid4PApHffg Be aware that your screen will stay black in this mode, but your LED will turn green.
5) Once you plug the phone in flash mode, again, nothing will happen on the phone's screen, but you can follow the flashing on flashtools terminal. Do not be surprised (as I was) if the program does not indicate "flashing completed" or something like that. Just leave the phone and the computer until you obtain this (took like 10 minutes for me):
Code:
09/023/2018 17:23:49 - INFO - Sending Sync
09/026/2018 17:26:01 - INFO - Sync status : OKAY
09/026/2018 17:26:01 - INFO - Sending powerdown
09/026/2018 17:26:01 - INFO - powerdown status : OKAY
09/026/2018 17:26:05 - INFO - Device disconnected
09/026/2018 17:26:06 - INFO - Device connected in flash mode
Then you can just unplug it and turn it on.
jeff9891 said:
Sharing some XZ1C flashing process tips for those who may have to cope with the same problems I did.
[...]
Then you can just unplug it and turn it on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes; one difference in my experience with flashtool might have been due to the fact that I had connected my XZ1C to my PC (Windows 10) using Xperia Companion first. I think that ensured that the proper Sony drivers would be in place before attempting to use flashtool. But I'm not sure.
In any case, I have restored the default USA firmware to the XZ1C, as using DE or UK, etc. seemed to restrict my ability to send group text messages (has to do with USA carrier protocols, I guess), and I don't need a fingerprint sensor at this time.
pseudonym58 said:
Yes; one difference in my experience with flashtool might have been due to the fact that I had connected my XZ1C to my PC (Windows 10) using Xperia Companion first. I think that ensured that the proper Sony drivers would be in place before attempting to use flashtool. But I'm not sure.
In any case, I have restored the default USA firmware to the XZ1C, as using DE or UK, etc. seemed to restrict my ability to send group text messages (has to do with USA carrier protocols, I guess), and I don't need a fingerprint sensor at this time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also used Xperia Companion beforehand on Windows 10, but I had to add the drivers nonetheless. Unsure of the reason it worked for you here. Future flashers will know both ways, though
With Customized_DE (before and after flashing), fingerprint sensor still works for me. Not quite sure, but I believe there are legal restrictions about that in the USA ? As for group text message, I have not tried yet. You mean sending a text to multiple people, or having actual synchronized group discussion using texts ? I thought it was impossible.
jeff9891 said:
[...] As for group text message, I have not tried yet. You mean sending a text to multiple people, or having actual synchronized group discussion using texts ? I thought it was impossible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I meant was:
Sending a text (with or without image) to a group of people, and have everyone see everyone's replies.
This seems only to be possible (when used in USA on AT&T carrier) when I have the default USA firmware flashed onto the phone. If I use the DE firmware, for instance, I can send a "mass message" to multiple recipients, but then cannot attach an image, and all subsequent replies are private, i.e. between two parties.
A while back I got in a big fight with this phone (H8314 on Verizon) where I wanted to roll back to a previous version. Eventually I ended up flashing 52.1.A.0.672 and the phone worked fine. Today I decided to apply the latest update (52.1.A.3.49) and I THOUGHT that I remembered how to do it, but apparently I missed a step or something, and I need help figuring out what I've done wrong.
Here's the sequence of events:
1) When I flashed to 52.1.A.3.49, the network signal is gone (SIM is still recognized though, as it gives me the LTE bars, just no actual network signal) and WiFi was really intermittent.
2) Flashed back to 52.1.A.0.672 (which I had been on previously) and the problem persisted, still no network signal and bad WiFi
3) Used EMMA to revert to Sony stock, but all they have available is 51.1.A.11.51 (which is Android 8!) and now the network signal and WiFi works fine.
4) Tried flashing back to both versions of Android 10 and still had the same problem with network and WiFi
My exact procedure for flashing was:
1) Download firmware from Xperifirm through Flashtool
2) Make sure flashmode and fastboot drivers are installed in Flashtool
3) Delete all .TA files from firmware (both in main and boot folder) and unpack partition into partition folder
4) Copy+paste all firmware files into the newflasher folder
5) Connect phone in flashmode (volume up + plug in)
6) Run Newflasher; hit 'n' for no three times at start, and once in roughly the middle of the install
7) Close Newflasher and reboot phone.
What am I missing?? Is it something to do with the bootloader? Mine was unlocked at some point but now I'm really not sure how to tell what its status is. Something appears to be locking the SIM/network though and I know it's not an issue with the firmware itself (since one version of it was installed and working fine earlier today) so it has to be user error somewhere along the line...
Thanks!