[Noob-friendly] Goldcard SPL Downgrade Method; No Android-Phone and/or custom wires!

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Evening,

This a tutorial about how to easily downgrade your HTC Phones bootloader to install hspl and custom roms.

FAQ:
1) What is a GoldCard? A) It's a method to easily flash ROM files etc.
2) My phone performs an infinite reboot-loop, what to do? Answer: A couple of reboots are normal, if the phone keeps rebooting for more than 5 minutes, try this: a) Be sure to format the card to fat32 b) Try another sd-card/flashdrive or a different card reader. c) Check your cable configuration.
3) Can I fix a bricked bootloader with this method? Answer: Yes! If you're able to get into USB-Host Mode it's possible. If you're not able to get into USB Host Mode with a bricked bootloader, post a comment with you're device details, we might be able to help you out.
4) Only shows "Entering USB Mode" Answer: This means your phone can't access the file. A) Try another cable configuration B) Check if card is formatted to fat32 C) try another cable, card reader or card. Some cards/flash-drives just don't work. I highly recommend to use a SD/MicroSD card, since they're way more likely to work.



What you need

Hardware:
- Micro SD Card or SD Card. Some users succeeded using flashdrives (for example USB-sticks), but I highly recommend SD Cards/MicroSD Cards., since most flashdrives don't work.
- Card reader
- Y-Cable USB
- USB Gender Changer


Files:
- Goldcard-tool
- My custom goldcard.img
- Your device-specific .nbh image.
You need to download a nodo rom for your device and extract Ruu_signed.nbh via Winrar. Rename it to
-Sparimg.nbh for Spark (Trophy)
Rom-download: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1427904
-Spawimg.nbh for Verizon/CDMA Spark
Rom-download: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1427904
-SCHUIMG.nbh for Schubert (HD 7)
Rom-download: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1427890
-MOZAIMG.nbh for Mozart
Rom-download: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1427893
- MONDIMG.nbh for Mondrian (HTC 7 Surround)
Rom-download: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1427902
(Feel free to add more Devices in the comment section.)

or get a pregenerated package, ready to go: Many thanks to xda-user saywa!

Originally Posted by saywa

Im going to make tested Gold Card packages, ready to go

content is :
- tested rom fitted on your provider and language, already renamed
- gold card software and image
- Tutorial from here
- HSPL

after this you only have to download for downgrade only once, so your second download will be your favorite Custom rom
will edit this and put this in first posts, as previous download links are dead

Mozart_Europe_GoldCard : http://ul.to/d48qszrx
Mozart_TMO_DE GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/22uao98s
Mozart_TMO_AT_GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/3kbw4zec
Mozart_Telestra_WWE_GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/bvmq1wxa
Schubert_HD7_O2_DE_GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/0ohiwhc1
Schubert_HD7_Europe_GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/ir2rnue2
Schubert_HD7_Telestra_WWE_GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/i8w0tgnu
Schubert_HD7_BellMobility_WWE_GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/qcroufxt
Schubert_HD7_Asia_WWE_GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/ulcjku60
Schubert_HD7_TMOUS_GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/ee8is5qe
Schubert_HD7_O2_UK_GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/pw4y404k
Schubert_HD7_CingularUS_GoldCard : http://ul.to/vjvq5shj
Schubert_HD7_TIM_IT_GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/2gva3dua
Spark_Trophy_Europe_GoldCard Pack : http://ul.to/xowk23mg

So let's start:

1. Make sure you're battery is above 50%
2. Format the MicroSD Card to fat32
3. Copy the .nbh Image to the MicroSD Card
4. Launch Goldcard Tool
5. While ignoring the cid box, choose "Load GoldCard.img" and select the goldcard.img you just downloaded
6. Press "Patch MMC" and wait for confirmation
7. Unplug the MicroSD Card
8. Connect the Y-Cable and the USB-gender-changer like shown in the picture
   
9. Connect the MicroSD-Card
   
10. Connect your phone
    
11. Connect the y-cable to an ordinary usb port
    
12. Hold Power+Camera+VolumeDown until the USB Host Mode appears
13. Wait about 30 min until the update completes. The phone may reboot a couple of times.
14. After the update completed, unplug your phone and reboot
    

Now your spl should be downgraded.

Now you can install HSPL, visit this thread for further details: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1195647
After that, you can install any custom roms. You'll find those in the Development section of your Device forum in XDA. For example for Tropy here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=812
How to flash a ROM: http://www.guidingtech.com/mobiles/f...s-coming-soon/

Cheers, Klaus.



- And uh, if you spend money to buy all those cables or got kind support, please be so kind and donate a few bucks to the guy who told you how to do it.


Disclaimer:
Certainly I do not take responsibility for any possible damage caused.

Credits for research to
Kr3i0s http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1371073
sh4d0w86 http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...&postcount=286
xboxmod http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...php?p=10176994
Nullstring http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1429318

same old thing........

But, a much better-written tutorial, plus links, than was available in one place before. Good stuff!

You can add to first post my movie about this (if you want).

Originally Posted by Magpir

same old thing........

I think this is something that we done to our HD7 right? (If i'm not mistaken)

It can be done to any gen1 HTC phone to safely downgrade the SPL (in order tin install RSPL/HSPL and custom ROMs).

I believe there is a thread about goldcard somewhere in the forum.

Originally Posted by Ttblondey

I believe there is a thread about goldcard somewhere in the forum.

There are few ones. I credited them in the OP.

The point why I wrote this guide is, that the previous guides often included unnecessary steps, they were sometimes inconsistent between each other, not very detailed, you needed to build yourself custom wires, and manually find the necessary files yourself.

So I wrote an easy, minimal, noob-friendly guide.

anyway I like your thread and post.

I'll have to order the parts to try this GoldCard method next week.

Can you please add information to your first post about Spark_W (CDMA Trophy for Verizon Wireless)?
Image name: SPAWIMG.nhb
Rom image link is exact same as Spark, since Football also includes Spark_W roms in the list. Also note that SPL downgrade for Spark_W is from ver 2.x to ver 1.03.

I plan on buying the stuff to try this method next week, since it is much easier then regular GoldCard method, and I've been too lazy to solder my hacked up USB y-cable.

So this custom GoldCard.img doesn't require a serial number of an SDCard? That's awesome

Spark_W users, even though they have a downgrade method using roms, still might need GoldCard method to fix half-bricked bootloaders.. which I actually found a repeatable scenerio that might become common for some shortly.

If your setup works for Spark_W, then it will totally become my go-to guide to point people at, since it removes the need for a phone, and its in a simple and easy to understand guide with links to items that make it work.

Only thing I would add (which was one the reasons I was going to write a guide to GoldCard) would be.. at the start of your guide:

1) Q. What is a GoldCard? A) A specially formatted SDCard used to flash a stock rom to a phone when normal flashing methods do not work.

2) Q. Why would I need to make a GoldCard? A) To downgrade your SPL when you are unable to flash an SPL downgrade using other methods, or when your bootloader becomes "halfbricked" and will not allow you to flash using a PC and a USB cable.

Great job, and I'll be bookmarking this for future use... and probably editing my HSPL Spark_W guide to point at this.