[HOWTO] Flash a radio through hboot.

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I'm just trying to help out here and will not be held responsible if you mess up this simple process and brick your device.

Your device must be rooted. Info on rooting your device is elsewhere.

These steps describe how to upgrade your radio via hboot
Also known as how to flash your radio via hboot
The same process for how to downgrade your radio via hboot

1. Copy your radio of choice to the root of your SD card and make sure it's named PG05IMG.zip exactly. (that's a numeric zero NOT the alphabetic letter O)

2. Turn off phone. Hold the "volume down" and "power" release both once the hboot screen appears.

3. Your phone will now scan your SD card for the PG05IMG.zip file and ask you for confirmation to update.

4. Press the "volume up" button to confirm and wait for flash to complete.

5. After completion press the "power" button to reboot the device.

6. Once rebooted, (very important) delete/remove the PG05IMG.zip from the root of your SD card.

Done.

I know this is a stupid question but what is the advantage of flashing a new radio? Also, how do I tell what version I'm currently running?

I just got my Thunderbolt last Thurs. I was using a Droid X before that so I'm not used to all this kernel and radio flashing business.

Originally Posted by dbisch

I know this is a stupid question but what is the advantage of flashing a new radio? Also, how do I tell what version I'm currently running?

I just got my Thunderbolt last Thurs. I was using a Droid X before that so I'm not used to all this kernel and radio flashing business.

Consider it like device driver upgrades for computer hardware on a PC. Sometimes it will improve performance and fix bugs etc. Opinions will vary about the advantages/disadvantages from version to version.
You can tell by going to settings>about phone>software info. Look for the baseband version.

Originally Posted by Buehlar

Consider it like device driver upgrades for computer hardware on a PC. Sometimes it will improve performance and fix bugs etc. Opinions will vary about the advantages/disadvantages from version to version.
You can tell by going to settings>about phone>software info. Look for the baseband version.

I've noticed that some ROMs suggest you flash a new radio. Do I HAVE to or is it just recommended?

Originally Posted by dbisch

I've noticed that some ROMs suggest you flash a new radio. Do I HAVE to or is it just recommended?

I believe its needed to take full advantage of some of the enhancements of the new ROM that "requires" you to flash the new radio.

Having said that, I'm currently running BAMF Remix 1.5 with the stock radio without issues so my experience tell me NO you don't "technically" have to.

Some peeps are reporting random reboots but I'm not sure if the radio is the cause as I haven't experienced the reboots.

Some ROMs will either bootloop or may show no service if the radio is out of date. The Perfect Storm v1.4 that I'm running requires a new radio or you run a good chance of bootloops. Gingeritus also requires an new radio or else it will show no service. Radios are a subject I wish I understood better. It's not a scary sort of thing to have to flash one. Just a different process. It's always wise to check the md5sum on it before you flash it. Bad radio flashes on other phones have been known to brick them. Might as well avoid all possible problems shd take the 2 minutes to check the md5. It will save you a lot of acid indigestion.

Originally Posted by Buehlar

I'm just trying to help out here and will not be held responsible if you mess up this simple process and brick your device.

Your device must be rooted. Info on rooting your device is elsewhere.

These steps describe how to upgrade your radio via hboot
Also known as how to flash your radio via hboot
The same process for how to downgrade your radio via hboot

1. Copy your radio of choice to the root of your SD card and make sure it's named PG05IMG.zip exactly. (that's a numeric zero NOT the alphabetic letter O)

2. Turn off phone. Hold the "volume down" and "power" release both once the hboot screen appears.

3. Your phone will now scan your SD card for the PG05IMG.zip file and ask you for confirmation to update.

4. Press the "volume up" button to confirm and wait for flash to complete.

5. After completion press the "power" button to reboot the device.

6. Once rebooted, (very important) delete/remove the PG05IMG.zip from the root of your SD card.

Done.

I have never really seen an actual guide to do this but it is pretty easy Thanks!

For the Thunderbolt, there are a total of 4 radios that I know of: the stock one, the ota one, the downgrade one from the root process, and the new leaked Gingerbread one.

The first three are Froyo radios, and will likely work with any Froyo ROM (obviously don't recommend using the downgrade one). The last one is Gingerbread only, and will not work with Froyo ROMs and vice versa. (Cyanogenmod is a special case, and only works with Froyo radios)

A good rule of thumb is to follow the instructions in the ROM threads (who'd have thunk it??).

Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App

Originally Posted by Buehlar

I'm just trying to help out here and will not be held responsible if you mess up this simple process and brick your device.

Your device must be rooted. Info on rooting your device is elsewhere.

These steps describe how to upgrade your radio via hboot
Also known as how to flash your radio via hboot
The same process for how to downgrade your radio via hboot

1. Copy your radio of choice to the root of your SD card and make sure it's named PG05IMG.zip exactly. (that's a numeric zero NOT the alphabetic letter O)

2. Turn off phone. Hold the "volume down" and "power" release both once the hboot screen appears.

3. Your phone will now scan your SD card for the PG05IMG.zip file and ask you for confirmation to update.

4. Press the "volume up" button to confirm and wait for flash to complete.

5. After completion press the "power" button to reboot the device.

6. Once rebooted, (very important) delete/remove the PG05IMG.zip from the root of your SD card.

Done.

Awesome - thanks for the easy to follow post!

Do you happen to know which radio was on the stock build just prior to the July 8th update? I updated based upon the thread referenced below and now I know longer have a 4G signal.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1160374