I recently found a repository containing stock fastboot flashable firmware for pretty much every single Moto E variant out there (except Sprint XT1526, much to my dismay). I have a Sprint XT1526 which has its bootloader unlocked. I was reading about a US Cellular variant of the XT1526 and how it is network unlocked for domestic GSM/CDMA usage. Since the Sprint variant isn't unlocked domestically, and since both are the XT1526 model, I figured I'd try to flash US Cellular stock firmware through fastboot to see if it worked.
I tried both the 5.0.2 and 5.1 images from USC and both gave me the same results: everything flashed and booted fine, but the Baseband is still listed as being Sprint. The firmware packages include a modem for me to flash (called NON-HLOS.bin I believe), but even after flashing this US Cellular modem along with the rest of the files I just can't get the baseband to switch from Sprint to US Cellular.
Any help on how to get the Baseband switched from Sprint to US Cellular so I can use my T-Mobile SIM in this thing? There is a modem file in the stock firmware but there isn't a radio file. Is this the problem? I thought the modem was the same thing as the baseband, not the radio? But if I am missing a radio file is there any way I can get a US Cellular one?
P.S. I'm not sure if this is a bad sign like something broke after I tried to flash the wrong firmware or if it always did this, but now when I insert my T-Mobile SIM it isn't detected at all. It thinks I don't even have a SIM inserted when I actually do (yes, I checked to make sure it was inserted the right way)
EDIT: Did research on my own and it turns out I'm actually missing a radio file; just a modem isn't enough. Since there doesn't seem to be a place I can find a prepackaged radio, is there any way someone with a US Cellular variant could "extract" a radio image for me to flash?
EDIT2: Apparently the fsb and NON-HLOS images were all I needed all along, but flashing those like I did still didn't help. Looks like this just isn't going to work.
jasonmerc said:
I recently found a repository containing stock fastboot flashable firmware for pretty much every single Moto E variant out there (except Sprint XT1526, much to my dismay). I have a Sprint XT1526 which has its bootloader unlocked. I was reading about a US Cellular variant of the XT1526 and how it is network unlocked for domestic GSM/CDMA usage. Since the Sprint variant isn't unlocked domestically, and since both are the XT1526 model, I figured I'd try to flash US Cellular stock firmware through fastboot to see if it worked.
I tried both the 5.0.2 and 5.1 images from USC and both gave me the same results: everything flashed and booted fine, but the Baseband is still listed as being Sprint. The firmware packages include a modem for me to flash (called NON-HLOS.bin I believe), but even after flashing this US Cellular modem along with the rest of the files I just can't get the baseband to switch from Sprint to US Cellular.
Any help on how to get the Baseband switched from Sprint to US Cellular so I can use my T-Mobile SIM in this thing? There is a modem file in the stock firmware but there isn't a radio file. Is this the problem? I thought the modem was the same thing as the baseband, not the radio? But if I am missing a radio file is there any way I can get a US Cellular one?
P.S. I'm not sure if this is a bad sign like something broke after I tried to flash the wrong firmware or if it always did this, but now when I insert my T-Mobile SIM it isn't detected at all. It thinks I don't even have a SIM inserted when I actually do (yes, I checked to make sure it was inserted the right way)
EDIT: Did research on my own and it turns out I'm actually missing a radio file; just a modem isn't enough. Since there doesn't seem to be a place I can find a prepackaged radio, is there any way someone with a US Cellular variant could "extract" a radio image for me to flash?
EDIT2: Apparently the fsb and NON-HLOS images were all I needed all along, but flashing those like I did still didn't help. Looks like this just isn't going to work.
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This had been poked at quite a but in the past with no success...
Good luck
dandrumheller said:
This had been poked at quite a but in the past with no success...
Good luck
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Click to collapse
I think I'm gonna throw in the towel now. I believe I know the problem: its not that I don't have the right files to change the radio/baseband, its that fastboot is still in secure mode (even though my bootloader is unlocked) which prevents me from flashing certain images like bootloaders, partition tables, and radios. If someone were to either leak an insecure bootloader firmware package or compile their own, then baseband switching would be as easy as flashing these files.
I now have an XT1526 with a dead SIM slot, but its not like I was using it anyway so I guess there's no loss
@jasonmerc your phone's SIM card slot isn't bricked... it's just still domestically locked, so it will show that error when trying to use a non-Sprint domestic sim...
PresidentMcCain said:
@jasonmerc your phone's SIM card slot isn't bricked... it's just still domestically locked, so it will show that error when trying to use a non-Sprint domestic sim...
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I guess each variant is different then. Back when I had my Verizon one (before I did the SIM unlock) if I put in my SIM it wouldn't say I was missing a SIM card, it just said the SIM was not recognized/not valid
@jasonmerc Did you ever try flashing to the USC bootloader before trying a modem flash? I was thinking maybe the bootloader is the key to all this... but it's the highest risk flash
PresidentMcCain said:
@jasonmerc Did you ever try flashing to the USC bootloader before trying a modem flash? I was thinking maybe the bootloader is the key to all this... but it's the highest risk flash
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Yeah I tried that but nothing happened. I was speaking with squid2 over PM about this, apparently on more modern phones a bootloader unlock doesn't guarantee you FULL access to every partition to change. The partition I'd need to alter to make it work, namely the ones that have to do with GPT, bootloader and modem, are part of this "restricted area" that you can't alter.
The only way we could alter the partitions needed to make this work is to obtain leaked engineering firmware for the XT1526, which when flashed gives you 100% full access to every partition. Leaked firmware is hard to come by, and I doubt Motorola would just hand it over if we asked them
EDIT: I notice in your signature you have something about a modified ROM intended for GSM usage on your Sprint Moto E. Does this ROM somehow enable GSM for domestic use or is that for non-USA GSM?
jasonmerc said:
EDIT: I notice in your signature you have something about a modified ROM intended for GSM usage on your Sprint Moto E. Does this ROM somehow enable GSM for domestic use or is that for non-USA GSM?
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Click to collapse
I flashed an XT1527 6.0 stock system.img and boot.img directly on the Sprint XT1526, and made some modifications myself to make it work with Sprint (through build.prop mods) and have been using it that way since.
It will still only accept a Sprint SIM though...
That's too bad changing out the bootloader didn't help
Related
Hey y'all. There should be two radios now. The T-Mobile and the Tellus. Wind should have another radio altogether. Could the powers that be please pull radio.img files and start up a quick guide on how to unlock the boot loader and flash radios. I am happy to contribute, but I'm new to HTC. I am running a T mobile phone on a Canadian network - I assume that a radio designed for here would work better (wrong or right).
My Baseband is 1.07.550L.04DC_20.64.550L.07D
Thanks.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you have to have s-off to be able to flash a radio?
I flashed radios on my 3g slide and didn't have s - off
correct me if im wrong but if its an official radio, ex- signed update - s-off is there to check if its got official signature, it should be allowed to flash
I don't know much about HTC. I owned a nexus S and flashed a few radios with fastboot and adb. It helped alot through the search bug issue.
I see this full roms availble now
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1335703
The question is what will happen if I flash another providers ROM on top of my fully stock T-Mobile. The guide suggests that you just copy it onto an SD card on a fully locked phone and Voila. There doesn't seem to be an indication of someone switching ROM's ie. Tmobile to Wind. There are a few that tried the Telus Rom but no indication that it's worked for anyone yet.
FSean said:
I don't know much about HTC. I owned a nexus S and flashed a few radios with fastboot and adb. It helped alot through the search bug issue.
I see this full roms availble now
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1335703
The question is what will happen if I flash another providers ROM on top of my fully stock T-Mobile. The guide suggests that you just copy it onto an SD card on a fully locked phone and Voila. There doesn't seem to be an indication of someone switching ROM's ie. Tmobile to Wind. There are a few that tried the Telus Rom but no indication that it's worked for anyone yet.
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I'm pretty sure you have to have SuperCID to flash another carrier's ROM, and you can't get that without full radio S-Off. The current HTC unlock method doesn't allow us to flash radio images, as well as other little things like splash screens. Until full S-Off is achieved, I don't think we'll be able to do any radio switching.
So would a carrier be able flash their ROM onto a phone - ie. walk into my provider and have them flash their software and CID information onto the phone - or better yet - could HTC theoretically change my CID information directly?
Based from patrick92260's post, I'm assuming that he unlocked his ATT Lumia 920 by flashing "RM-821 unbranded euro developer" and made it to work with T-Mo..
Again, I'm also assuming that he used 059R4H6: RM-821 VAR EURO1 DEVELOPER DEVICE BLACK for I haven't gotten any response yet...
Now, while I was downloading the rom above, I noticed a file named NWP8_simlock_3gstandard_bb5_crcA59A.bin
(3G Standard - not sure if HSPA+ is included in this bin file...)
(BB5 - I think it is Baseband 5)
(crcA59A - Not sure what it means, but it looks like a hex code)
Out of curiosity, I looked at the ATT rom.. Viola, there is a file named NWP8_WP8_ATT_US_simlock_crc995C.bin
My theory is that the phone could be unlocked if we flash the file above...
Having said that, anyone brave enough to flash a normal ATT rom with a NWP8_simlock_3gstandard_bb5_crcA59A.bin?
I'm still downloading the files, and I'm still a newb when it comes to flashing WP8 devices..
Flashing another rom will not give you a sim unlock ever. My phone was unlocked via the code I got from ATT.
patrick92260 said:
Flashing another rom will not give you a sim unlock ever. My phone was unlocked via the code I got from ATT.
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Thanks for clarifying that. How did you unlock that? Were you the lucky one that called the rep or something?
I vaguely remember reading a thread like that...
EDIT: To mods, please delete/lock the thread if necessary. thanks
These files are for production only. They define the simlocks and must be signed together with the calculated individual unlock codes and IMEI.
I have the US Cellular version of the photon (electrify). I believe I upgraded to 2.3.5 but I don't fully remember, and proceeded to root. I however did not have my battery fully charged. As I was late to some print on the how-to-root page about keeping the battery at one hundred percent. So now my phone is stuck in Failed to Boot 1 when powered on. When power held with Vol up it goes to Fastboot and when held with Vol down it flashes then shuts back off. SO, my question is... do I need to unlock my bootloader or do I have to flash a stock sbf and all that jazz? Any help on the subject would be greatly appreciated, including locations of any files or drivers I might need or just a simple point to a thread that will tell me everything I need to know.
I've just confirmed it is 2.3.5 locked bootloader stock everything but I did use the OTA update. Is that bad?
random_guy83 said:
I've just confirmed it is 2.3.5 locked bootloader stock everything but I did use the OTA update. Is that bad?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cant unlock bootlader
MarcquisDale said:
Cant unlock bootlader
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Well I've brought the phone back to life using peetrs thread. Now does that mean I have to switch it to Sprint services like it says in his post In order to get it to run on prepaid? It works fine now but I cant get it into recovery or download mode. The screen gets stuck in fastboot protocol, so im assuming Ill have to flash his custom recovery and a sprint sbf radio in order to get Sprint prepaid?
random_guy83 said:
Well I've brought the phone back to life using peetrs thread. Now does that mean I have to switch it to Sprint services like it says in his post In order to get it to run on prepaid? It works fine now but I cant get it into recovery or download mode. The screen gets stuck in fastboot protocol, so im assuming Ill have to flash his custom recovery and a sprint sbf radio in order to get Sprint prepaid?
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Click to collapse
You can just slip in an activated pre paid sim card and it should work. Sprint doesnt have prepaid, if you're trying to use sprint just flash the sprint radios. As far as not being able to get into recovery, what did you do prior?
MarcquisDale said:
You can just slip in an activated pre paid sim card and it should work. Sprint doesnt have prepaid, if you're trying to use sprint just flash the sprint radios. As far as not being able to get into recovery, what did you do prior?
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I flashed the 1FF-Sunfire sbf for stock 2.3.5 and it rebooted the phone but peetr says that you have to add a bootstrap recovery and flash a sprint radio aswell as another rom but I dont need to do anything special to the phone I just had this one and decided to fix it. I thought sim card use was only for outside of the US? I know I can get it on a standard pre-paid plan but i'll have to find out monday if it will work, I mean when a dial a number into the phone it tell's me I need to purchase a pre-paid pin and it gives me different types of plans? My plan is just to go and get it on US cell pre-paid for 65 a month.
random_guy83 said:
I flashed the 1FF-Sunfire sbf for stock 2.3.5 and it rebooted the phone but peetr says that you have to add a bootstrap recovery and flash a sprint radio aswell as another rom but I dont need to do anything special to the phone I just had this one and decided to fix it. I thought sim card use was only for outside of the US? I know I can get it on a standard pre-paid plan but i'll have to find out monday if it will work, I mean when a dial a number into the phone it tell's me I need to purchase a pre-paid pin and it gives me different types of plans? My plan is just to go and get it on US cell pre-paid for 65 a month.
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Yeah the kddi radio allows the use of US prepaid. What number are you dialing
MarcquisDale said:
Yeah the kddi radio allows the use of US prepaid. What number are you dialing
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Click to collapse
I was just dialing random numbers.
So I've been unlocking and rooting/flashing phones since the HTC Universal but i'm stumped. I've downloaded the toolkit to unlock my bootloader, downloaded my .bin file and the toolkit says my bootloader is unlocked but the screen on my phone asking me whether i want to unlock it never comes out...any senior members willing to point me in the right direction? I'm using my AT&T M8 on T-mobile and i haven't had a single update since i bought the M8 so i need to update it ASAP.
Update: So I used the sunshine method to try and finally root my phone. Now I'm in the interesting situation where my boot loader is unlocked, it's s-off, yet there is still the stock recovery and not rooted yet. Quite the last 12 hours trying to get root access. I should be able to root it on the PC now that my boot loader is unlocked.
HTCFAN0923 said:
So I've been unlocking and rooting/flashing phones since the HTC Universal but i'm stumped. I've downloaded the toolkit to unlock my bootloader, downloaded my .bin file and the toolkit says my bootloader is unlocked but the screen on my phone asking me whether i want to unlock it never comes out...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Toolkit hasn't been updated in forever, is very obsolete, and will therefore cause more problems than anything.
Toolkit just does functions that are easy to do yourself "manually" anyway. You don't need the toolkit, and you didn't need to s-off to unlock the bootloader (although it can be handy for other things).
HTCFAN0923 said:
I'm using my AT&T M8 on T-mobile and i haven't had a single update since i bought the M8 so i need to update it ASAP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OTA updates for the AT&T version will only be received when connected to AT&T's network (an AT&T specific annoyance). You could have updated to Lollipop using RUU.
---------- Post added at 11:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 AM ----------
HTCFAN0923 said:
Update: So I used the sunshine method to try and finally root my phone. Now I'm in the interesting situation where my boot loader is unlocked, it's s-off, yet there is still the stock recovery and not rooted yet. Quite the last 12 hours trying to get root access. I should be able to root it on the PC now that my boot loader is unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that the bootloader is unlocked, just flash TWRP via fastboot. Then flash SuperSU 2.46 using TWRP to obtain root.
But your OP says you want to update. Here it says you want to root. Those are 2 very different things, so its not clear what your actual goal is.
redpoint73 said:
The Toolkit hasn't been updated in forever, is very obsolete, and will therefore cause more problems than anything.
Toolkit just does functions that are easy to do yourself "manually" anyway. You don't need the toolkit, and you didn't need to s-off to unlock the bootloader (although it can be handy for other things).
OTA updates for the AT&T version will only be received when connected to AT&T's network (an AT&T specific annoyance). You could have updated to Lollipop using RUU.
---------- Post added at 11:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 AM ----------
Now that the bootloader is unlocked, just flash TWRP via fastboot. Then flash SuperSU 2.46 using TWRP to obtain root.
But your OP says you want to update. Here it says you want to root. Those are 2 very different things, so its not clear what your actual goal is.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the help and sorry for the confusion.
I'm looking to update my phone AND root just because I've always rooted my phones but just now got a replacement for my old laptop that broke down shortly before I got the M8. I figured since I was on T-Mobile my best bet to update it would be to root it and upload a new ROM anyway. Your suggestion is easy enough so I'll be doing that after work.
My last question is this: On the M7, I was able to use an international M7 ROM as everything apart from the radios was the same. Is that the case with the M8 as well? I typically like having Sense ROM's but hate the bloat carriers put on their RUU's....
thanks again!
HTCFAN0923 said:
I'm looking to update my phone AND root just because I've always rooted my phones but just now got a replacement for my old laptop that broke down shortly before I got the M8. I figured since I was on T-Mobile my best bet to update it would be to root it and upload a new ROM anyway. Your suggestion is easy enough so I'll be doing that after work.
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Click to collapse
In that case, I would suggest updating by RUU first, and then root.
Reason I say that, is that RUU would wipe out root anyway, so no point in having to do it twice.
Whether you unlock the bootloader (via HTCDev.com) before or after RUU is somewhat irrelevant. Especially since you have s-off, so its not required to relock the bootloader to RUU (which is required with s-on).
But one other thing to consider. Since you are using the AT&T version on the T-Mobile US network; the ATT version is actually missing support for the AWS band that T-Mob uses in most areas for HSPA (3G). If you are in an area with good LTE coverage (and I'll assume NYC is) you may have not even noticed this. But if you move into an area where T-Mob doesn't have LTE, you might find that you don't have 3G either, and be pushed down to 2G (EDGE) data speed.
One cool thing about the M8, is the band support is actually software based. So one option would be to change your device's carrier ID (CID) and model ID (MID) which are possible with s-off, then flash the T-Mobile firmware or RUU to "convert" the phone to a T-Mob device including the proper T-Mob band support. After that, you can unlock the bootloader, root, flash a custom ROM.
HTCFAN0923 said:
My last question is this: On the M7, I was able to use an international M7 ROM as everything apart from the radios was the same. Is that the case with the M8 as well? I typically like having Sense ROM's but hate the bloat carriers put on their RUU's....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, its a similar situation on the M8. All international ROMs should work on the M8. But note that your firmware (hboot, radio, etc.) needs to be the proper version supported by the ROM. So for instance, if you are still on KitKat (sounds like you are) you will want to update firmware first, otherwise if you flash a Lollipop ROM, you will likely suffer major issues such as broken WiFi and extreme long boot times (10+ min).
redpoint73 said:
In that case, I would suggest updating by RUU first, and then root.
Reason I say that, is that RUU would wipe out root anyway, so no point in having to do it twice.
Whether you unlock the bootloader (via HTCDev.com) before or after RUU is somewhat irrelevant. Especially since you have s-off, so its not required to relock the bootloader to RUU (which is required with s-on).
But one other thing to consider. Since you are using the AT&T version on the T-Mobile US network; the ATT version is actually missing support for the AWS band that T-Mob uses in most areas for HSPA (3G). If you are in an area with good LTE coverage (and I'll assume NYC is) you may have not even noticed this. But if you move into an area where T-Mob doesn't have LTE, you might find that you don't have 3G either, and be pushed down to 2G (EDGE) data speed.
One cool thing about the M8, is the band support is actually software based. So one option would be to change your device's carrier ID (CID) and model ID (MID) which are possible with s-off, then flash the T-Mobile firmware or RUU to "convert" the phone to a T-Mob device including the proper T-Mob band support. After that, you can unlock the bootloader, root, flash a custom ROM.
Yes, its a similar situation on the M8. All international ROMs should work on the M8. But note that your firmware (hboot, radio, etc.) needs to be the proper version supported by the ROM. So for instance, if you are still on KitKat (sounds like you are) you will want to update firmware first, otherwise if you flash a Lollipop ROM, you will likely suffer major issues such as broken WiFi and extreme long boot times (10+ min).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Crap....went back to the toolkit to flash twrp and root it and lo and behold, my phone is now stuck in the entering recovery screen....How ****ty is that toolkit that it can't do even do a proper recovery flash right...8 years on XDA and I've never had such a headache from rooting/flashing a device....
HTCFAN0923 said:
Crap....went back to the toolkit to flash twrp and root it and lo and behold, my phone is now stuck in the entering recovery screen....How ****ty is that toolkit that it can't do even do a proper recovery flash right...8 years on XDA and I've never had such a headache from rooting/flashing a device....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I gave previous advice to stop using the toolkit, so I don't know why you insist on ignoring that advice.
Older versions of TWRP don't work on newer hboots; and the opposite is true where older hboots don't work with newer TWRP builds. This is the most frequent reason for TWRP not working properly.The toolkit worked fine at the time it was updated. But it hasn't been updated in a very long time, and therefore won't work on many M8 versions now. The issue is more your lack of understanding, and lack of following advice given to you.
Flashing TWRP is just a matter of downloading the proper version, and flashing with a single fastboot command (2 commands, if you want to be thorough and wipe cache before flashing TWRP). You don't need a toolkit for that, and again I advise stopping its use altogether.
Its not clear whether you chose to update before TWRP and root (current device status) and once I know the main version (OS number on bootloader screen) and present hboot number I can probably advice what version TWRP you need to flash.
And you're absolutely right about that. It was my fault for not listening. I was being lazy about it honestly.
I did end up using the lollipop pre rooted RUU and that worked after two atttempts. I think the issue was that the toolkit flashed the recovery without root. Add that to the fact that the toolkit caused the SD card issue to pop up made it a nightmare. Thankfully, I was able to fix it and now I'm running the AT&T lollipop ROM rooted.
You truly are the best and I thank you for the advice and help. Let me know your PayPal so I can send you beer money for the trouble.
HTCFAN0923 said:
I think the issue was that the toolkit flashed the recovery without root.
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Click to collapse
I don't follow. Root isn't needed to install custom recovery; nor does flashing custom recovery automatically root the phone (this has to be done as an additional step, usually by flashing SuperSU in TWRP).
I think the main issue was that the toolkit flashed an old TWRP version that was not compatible with the software/firmware that was on your phone.
HTCFAN0923 said:
You truly are the best and I thank you for the advice and help. Let me know your PayPal so I can send you beer money for the trouble.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate the thought; but your thanks is all I expect in return. I've benefited plenty from XDA from folks that don't ask for any monetary compensation; so I just like to give back to the community by helping how I can.
Hey y'all I just picked up an att go phone moto e without researching it too much and I already bricked it trying sunshine. To unbrick it, I just flashed the att system image with fastboot and it made me wonder whether I can flash any motorola firmware, use kingroot, and then try sunshine again. Does anyone know if this can brick the phone permanently or is it probably safe to try it?
EDIT: tried it didn't work lol
You would have to try it and see. The XT1527 is used in Canada, and its not bootloader locked and comes with no bloat at all (at last when setting it up with no SIM inside it). I would imagine you would have to flash everything, and not just the system image, for it to work. That is if they use the same signing key for both.
The AT&T/Cricket-branded XT1527 (as well as the Verizon XT1528) have locked bootloaders and cannot be unlocked, so you cannot flash non-carrier firmware on the device. All other models can be unlocked via Moto's bootloader unlock program.