[DOWNGRADE HBOOT/UNBRICK] HBOOT 1.50 -> 1.40 for S-OFF/Root

[Unknownforce]

Yes, I have searched google but find nothing valuable about this strange number. I can only boot into fastboot, but can not boot into recovery or system

well, you can try to do fastboot flash misc misc.img (the file from the tools.zip)

But I doubt it will let you do that...

We're you HTC Unlocked before?

 

[Unknownforce]

Just got my phone back from repair.... refurb what a surprise.... now I'm looking to root again.... and now I need to use a live cd... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH trying to find my backed up version of the old manual instructions as I prefer that over a live disc... maybe I am just masochistic LOL.... however I am a native linux user so I just need to find the commands to use again since I cant remember them 100% and I am not willing to take a gamble.

Read the guide here, then hop over to closeone's thread for the liveCD, (the link for this is in the main guide as well)

Burn that CD or make a USB Boot disk (in his thread also)

Then you can boot to linux and just do ./downgrade

 

[Unknownforce]

Something I just thought was funny in thinking about it... They screwed us on the new EVO 4G LTE. Non-Removable Battery... This downgrade method here won't work with that device.

 

[dgotgame816]

I gave up so i decided to unlock the phone HTC method I am still S-on but I did change the OS system but I wait until some one add the 1.50 at Rev.io then I will lock it and go from their. hopefully before it get done Before the New Batman comes out lol but Good work on the downgrade back 1.40

 

[mpgrimm2]

Yes, I have searched google but find nothing valuable about this strange number. (3.21.401.2) I can only boot into fastboot, but can not boot into recovery or system

Are you able to identify the installed radio? ie: 10.55.9020.00_10.13.9020.29. You may be able to identify a possible firmware match by using that.

 

[subaochen]

well, you can try to do fastboot flash misc misc.img (the file from the tools.zip)

But I doubt it will let you do that...

We're you HTC Unlocked before?

I tried flash misc using:

sudo ./fastboot-linux flash misc misc.img

but failed, the message is:

sending 'misc' (1022 KB)... OKAY
writing 'misc'... INFOsignature checking...
FAILED (remote: signature verify fail)

I have unlocked with HTC method before, but relocked with "fastboot oem lock", and now the fastboot screen looks like below:

*** RELOCEK ***
SHOOTER XC SHIP S-ON RL
HBOOT-1.50.0000
RADIO-0.97.10.0000
eMMC-boot
Aug 7 2011,10:21:40

Any idea? Anyway, thanks all first!

---------- Post added at 11:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:05 AM ----------

Are you able to identify the installed radio? ie: 10.55.9020.00_10.13.9020.29. You may be able to identify a possible firmware match by using that.

I'm sorry, I don't know how to identify the installed radio? I can not boot into the system, only fastboot is available. Would like to point out how to identity the installed radio? thanks!

 

[Unknownforce]

I tried flash misc using:

sudo ./fastboot-linux flash misc misc.img

but failed, the message is:

sending 'misc' (1022 KB)... OKAY
writing 'misc'... INFOsignature checking...
FAILED (remote: signature verify fail)

I have unlocked with HTC method before, but relocked with "fastboot oem lock", and now the fastboot screen looks like below:

*** RELOCEK ***
SHOOTER XC SHIP S-ON RL
HBOOT-1.50.0000
RADIO-0.97.10.0000
eMMC-boot
Aug 7 2011,10:21:40

Any idea? Anyway, thanks all first!

---------- Post added at 11:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:05 AM ----------



I'm sorry, I don't know how to identify the installed radio? I can not boot into the system, only fastboot is available. Would like to point out how to identity the installed radio? thanks!

IIRC you can just Unlock again, can't you? Then flash a recovery and start over...

 

[Knucklehead101]

Read the guide here, then hop over to closeone's thread for the liveCD, (the link for this is in the main guide as well)

Burn that CD or make a USB Boot disk (in his thread also)

Then you can boot to linux and just do ./downgrade

Yea I didn't have CDs or a USB drive in order to do this which is where my frustration came from. I did however notice that the phone is 1.5 s-off but it says locked... I stopped there and have been reading... Am I pretty well screwed out of being able to root this refurb? Oh and fastboot oem lock isn't working to make it s-on so I can proceed with the downgrade.

 

[Unknownforce]

Yea I didn't have CDs or a USB drive in order to do this which is where my frustration came from. I did however notice that the phone is 1.5 s-off but it says locked... I stopped there and have been reading... Am I pretty well screwed out of being able to root this refurb? Oh and fastboot oem lock isn't working to make it s-on so I can proceed with the downgrade.

Don't try, just get a PG86IMG.zip file with the ENG Hboot in it and flash that, you're S-OFF, that means it doesn't check signatures on PG86IMG.zip files.

Or if you really want, just pull the hboot.img (which is 1.40.0000) from the tools.zip and call it hboot_1.40.0000_signedbyaa.nb0, put it in a zip file with the android-info.txt from a stock RUU zip file, place it on your sdcard called PG86IMG.zip and boot to bootloader and flash it there.

Or... if you have the 1.13 RUU already, pull the zip file from that, delete everything else but that hboot image file and the android-info.txt file and same thing, SD card and flash from bootloader.

 

[Twolazyg]

Yea I didn't have CDs or a USB drive in order to do this which is where my frustration came from. I did however notice that the phone is 1.5 s-off but it says locked... I stopped there and have been reading... Am I pretty well screwed out of being able to root this refurb? Oh and fastboot oem lock isn't working to make it s-on so I can proceed with the downgrade.

1.5 hboot s-off huh? Just flash a recovery from fastboot and you win.

Also get superuser and you're rooted.

 

[Knucklehead101]

Yea I flashed the 2.08 RUU file that I renamed to PG86IMG.zip from rooting my phone before killing it and getting the refurb and it worked fine. I am in uncharted waters for my own experience here. I have a few ROMS on my SD so I'll try renaming one of those to PG86IMG.zip and flashing it. I kind of want a customer recovery how would I go about getting that on my phone... I tried to flash through fastboot flash recovery <file.img> and it failed with the message of FAILED (remote: not allowed)

 

[Unknownforce]

1.5 hboot s-off huh? Just flash a recovery from fastboot and you win.

This won't work, hboot is still locked, meaning it disables a lot of fastboot commands, one of those disabled is flashing to protected partitions, but HBOOT flashing is checked by the radio, which is S-OFF, so PG86IMG.zip files will not be signature checked.

 

[Twolazyg]

This won't work, hboot is still locked, meaning it disables a lot of fastboot commands, one of those disabled is flashing to protected partitions, but HBOOT flashing is checked by the radio, which is S-OFF, so PG86IMG.zip files will not be signature checked.

Right, but he could still run a recovery as a PG86IMG.ZIP and have root.

 

[Unknownforce]

Yea I flashed the 2.08 RUU file that I renamed to PG86IMG.zip from rooting my phone before killing it and getting the refurb and it worked fine. I am in uncharted waters for my own experience here. I have a few ROMS on my SD so I'll try renaming one of those to PG86IMG.zip and flashing it. I kind of want a customer recovery how would I go about getting that on my phone... I tried to flash through fastboot flash recovery <file.img> and it failed with the message of FAILED (remote: not allowed)

There are a few things you can do, what I recommend is going back to 1.40, read my post a few back on that. After you go to 1.40, run 1.13 Stock RUU, and then revolutionary, this will install a hacked hboot that will allow the fastboot commands you're trying to do as well as unlock everything, no more permission issues or not allowed issues, all problems solved.

The other thing you can do is download the recovery image in a PG86IMG.zip format. TWRP distributes theirs in both formats. Many others do as well. Drop that on the SD card and flash it from bootloader.

Then you can just boot to recovery.

 

[KL45SiiK]

When I use the live cd on the terminal its stuck on step one.. I plug the device while holding g vol down and nothin.g happens can someone help?

Sent from my PG86100 using xda premium

 

[Unknownforce]

When I use the live cd on the terminal its stuck on step one.. I plug the device while holding g vol down and nothin.g happens can someone help?

Sent from my PG86100 using xda premium

Put the battery back in the phone. Does it boot? If so you didn't brick properly.

 

[spyke24]

Thank you

I have been trying to get closeones live disk to work on my computer for a couple days now. with no success. however, with your help i managed to get your downgrade zip to work, and as of a few mins ago. i now am downgraded and flashing a rom. thank you again for all your hard work.

 

[franky_402]

step one is killing me, i have the 2.17 zip on the sd card it finds it and checks it. When it asks if i want to start the update i let it sit for 5 minutes plug it into AC power with original HTC cord and then pull the battery. Then as soon as i push volume up the phone shuts off. I was HTC Unlocked so i relocked and flashed 2.08 was having this problem so i flashed 2.17 and still no dice. I cant even get the thing to try and brick because i cant get it to stay on after i press volume up. I have my transformer prime power block that i could try but it outputs more power. ANy help is appreciated i got my phone sitting here cleared of my info so i cant even use it until i downgrade!

 

[takmsdsm]

I also had 1.50 S-Off. I was able to to just flash the 1.40 Hboot PG86IMG.zip file and was able to go back to 1.40.

 

[Will32]

Something I just thought was funny in thinking about it... They screwed us on the new EVO 4G LTE. Non-Removable Battery... This downgrade method here won't work with that device.

I'm sure this won't stop you from finding a way.