[TUT] Re-flash stock ROM (RUU) after bricking a rooted device (for noobs)

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Before you start, you will need to set up your computer to properly recognize the phone. You probably did this when rooting originally, but just in case... Install SDK tools for Android, Java runtime, and HTC Sync.

About HTC Sync: The only reason you need HTC Sync installed is for the USB drivers that come with it. But the program itself has been known to cause conflicts. Make sure that HTC Sync is not running in the background by opening Task Manager in Windows and killing it if you find it lurking in there.

Here we go:

1. Download the correct RUU (ROM Update Utility) for your device from androidfiles.org. Make sure you download a Primo_C RUU for a CDMA device (no sim card) or a Primo_U RUU for a GSM device (uses a sim card)!! Also make sure you get the correct RUU for your carrier.

2. Charge the battery above 50% or for at least one hour. If the battery dies during the flashing process, you could hard brick the phone!

3. Run the RUU until the wizard comes up. While the RUU wizard is open, find the temporary folder it created. (Open Explorer in Windows and type %temp% in the navigation bar.) There will be two folders with long encrypted names. In one of them you will find ROM.zip. Open it with 7zip and extract recovery.img or recovery_signed.img. Put it in the location were you've installed Android SDK tools. This is the stock HTC Recovery and it is needed to run the RUU.

4. Boot the phone into bootloader (power off, hold down volume and press power) and highlight FASTBOOT using the volume rocker and pressing power. Then connect the USB cable. You should see FASTBOOT USB.

5. Open a command prompt in Windows and navigate to the folder where you installed Android SDK tools. Flash the stock recovery extracted in step 3 above using the following command:

fastboot flash recovery recovery.img

or

fastboot flash recovery recovery_signed.img

6. Relock the bootloader using the following command:

fastboot oem lock

7. Re-run the RUU. It will restore the device to it's original condition, locked (though *** RELOCKED ***) and unrooted.

Once the install is done you'll have unlock the bootloader again using the token you already have from the first time, reflash CWM Recovery and re-root. All this will be 10x easier than the first time.

If you do re-root your phone, be 100% you backup the stock ROM in ClockworkMod Recovery before making changes!

Hi

Thanks for that perfect decsription exactly when I needed it

I just had a weired effect with my new windows 7 laptop that I want to share.

I installed the USB drivers and "fastboot devices" showed my HTC fine
but even flashing the stock recovery image was not working.
So it was stucking in the "Sending" part and never continued.

I then moved to my old laptop with Vista did exactly the same things
and there it worked without problems.

I disabled virus scanner, checked for htsync and used the original USB cable
without success.

But now I know why I normally never touch Windows and only
work on linux

Regards

max

---------- Post added at 11:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:33 PM ----------

Hi

Originally Posted by CafeKampuchia

If you do re-root your phone, be 100% you backup the stock ROM in ClockworkMod Recovery before making changes!

I have done that now - compared to my first "try"

Regards

max

hi. thanks for the tips.

however when i do this, i get an error "FAILED <remote: signature verify fail>

Any suggestions?

ur RUU and CID is diff...

Originally Posted by ryanlow134

ur RUU and CID is diff...

and... how do i make them the same?

Originally Posted by lcavada

and... how do i make them the same?

Use the correct RUU package for your device

regards

max

Another way of saying it is that you downloaded the wrong RUU for your device.

not working:(

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it keeps on saying waiting for device n does not proceed further
i tried installing the drivers again but that doesnt help either

pls help me out

I use fastboot flasher for this.. this tool is good .

Originally Posted by sush93

it keeps on saying waiting for device n does not proceed further
i tried installing the drivers again but that doesnt help either

pls help me out

"Waiting for Device" at fastboot usually related to bootloader driver. You need Android USB Driver

See : http://developer.android.com/sdk/win-usb.html