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Hey guys,
it's my first post here, but I'm still some days here in this board, consuming the contents for my HD2 with apreciation.
HD2 was and still is -hardwaresides- a milestone. When it comes up to the stock OS, there are some major things that I don't get. M*cr*s*fts OS is making this device a cripple, if you ask me. But that's another discussion and even more I was excited when I firstly saw a good friend these days holding me his Leo up the nose with Android embedded.
Now, I'd like to know some things before "flashing" my Leo - if you can say so, as the only thing to do seems to apply some kind of bootloader instaed of cleaning and rewriting the ROM. Which leads me to the
1. Will the installer overwrite the WM6.5 ROM or will it run in a dual-boot system?
2. Will a physical hardreset (volume-buttons) return to the stock-Rom?
3. Which of the local Froyo versions is the most stable with nearly all components working and - if possible - NO skin customizations except SENSE?
Thanks for your help and I hope that Android will bring my Leo to a whole new level.
Prepare yourself for a flaming of a lifetime.
Postaldude said:
Hey guys,
it's my first post here, but I'm still some days here in this board, consuming the contents for my HD2 with apreciation.
HD2 was and still is -hardwaresides- a milestone. When it comes up to the stock OS, there are some major things that I don't get. M*cr*s*fts OS is making this device a cripple, if you ask me. But that's another discussion and even more I was excited when I firstly saw a good friend these days holding me his Leo up the nose with Android embedded.
Now, I'd like to know some things before "flashing" my Leo - if you can say so, as the only thing to do seems to apply some kind of bootloader instaed of cleaning and rewriting the ROM. Which leads me to the
1. Will the installer overwrite the WM6.5 ROM or will it run in a dual-boot system?
2. Will a physical hardreset (volume-buttons) return to the stock-Rom?
3. Which of the local Froyo versions is the most stable with nearly all components working and - if possible - NO skin customizations except SENSE?
Thanks for your help and I hope that Android will bring my Leo to a whole new level.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, why are you afraid to spell out Microsoft?
Second, Winmo didn't cripple HD2 at all, you have fully function phone.
Now, if you put Android on this phone, this make HD2 a cripple phone.
To answer your questions
1. No, Android will not overwrite the wm 6.5 rom, it need wm to run and it runs from sd card.
2. see #1, it will not alter wm rom, wm will be wm after reboot, you dont need to hardset.
3. This is like... personal preference, you have to try to see which build is for you.
the core here is kernel, if you try this build and you have problem, and you see another the build with the same kernel, it likely not going to fix your problem.
justwonder said:
First of all, why are you afraid to spell out Microsoft?
Second, Winmo didn't cripple HD2 at all, you have fully function phone.
Now, if you put Android on this phone, this make HD2 a cripple phone.
To answer your questions
1. No, Android will not overwrite the wm 6.5 rom, it need wm to run and it runs from sd card.
2. see #1, it will not alter wm rom, wm will be wm after reboot, you dont need to hardset.
3. This is like... personal preference, you have to try to see which build is for you.
the core here is kernel, if you try this build and you have problem, and you see another the build with the same kernel, it likely not going to fix your problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Why shouldn't I? There are enough examples, that anonymity is not given in every way these days on the web...
2. No, it did run well. But it
-isn't nearly as smooth as the iPhone-OS or Android
-HTC Sense seems to stuck several times with WM 6.5, which brings me to conclusion that HTC wasn't allowed to create a consequent GUI without corrupting MS license restrictions
-Browsers (Stock Opera, Opera 10, Opera Mini, Skyfire) are really slow
-I got a bunch of crashes even with updated stock ROMs and CF 3.5 installed
-the response between OS and touchscreen is still very laggy which results in the over-sensibility and the so-called ghost-effect, when the screenkeys begin jerking out/ the screen is working commands that had been given more than a minute along
-pinch-to-zoom only seems to be a gimmick clearly running in the SENSE environment and apps based upon it. The WM GUI isn't compatible to it in many ways
- and most important, it still is giving me white knuckles that MS at last decided to make WMP 7 NOT available, needless to say, AFTER several Leos were sold with prediction for WMP 7 being available sooner or later
Sure, you got a working OS for everydays use, but it is as unattractive and as imperformant as it could be the day it came on such a steroidic device like the HD2. MS has epicly failed in giving attention to the mobile phone market, that's for sure. It isn't done with borderless synchonization of Outlook e-mail and contacts - because todays smartphones are capabale of so much more. For something like this, you don't need a 1 GHz Snapdragon, together with 512 MB systemmemory. And after making such hard license restrictions for developers that are in charge to use WMP7, I think this won't ever change.
And sure, you're able to customize this OS as far as you want. But take the usual Jon Doe, excited by HD2-Ads and offended by an OS, that feels and looks like it is 10 years old under the SENSE-surface, with an app-catalogue that's growing slower and slower. And Jon Doe's not the man to deal with custom roms and tweaks.
Now take Android on the other hand. Based on the Linux-Kernel, which is known to give you every possible freedom, together with every possible brick to handle - which you're able to fix by yourself and what makes it attractive mostly for enthusiastics - it's a good blend of functionality ergonomics/ease-of-use. These two words together exclamated each other more or less in the past and this is one of the reasons, why Linux as a desktop-system hasn't become more popular over the years of development. Besides this, linux distributions are the fastest and most stable running OS I ever used on a PC. Now, Android is in charge and able to become as popular as MS is on desktop-systems, because it's working good. Most of the start-up problems that occured on early Droids are eliminated, this phone-OS becomes more and more performant. And it seems to be a lot more flexible than any other phone-OS
Finally, this discussion turned right the way i thought it would end. I'd like to thank you all for your information at first. If you'd like to make further dialogue affecting the goods and bads of WM, please contact me PM.
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED THIS TO THE FRONT PAGE!!!
Alright people, I am making this to aggregate information for the n00bs among us. And I’m not talking about just people new to the HD2; I’m talking about TRUE WinMo n00bs, as well as people new to the HD2. This is mostly from my own research, so anyone that has anything to add please do so. This guide is meant to be super easy for ANYONE to follow along with, and as such, PLEASE read ALL the information before posting a question. At certain points in the guide you will see the following tag-[IMG(X)] where (X) is a number. When you see this tag, it means that there is an image at the bottom of the post that refers to or helps explain what the text is telling you, so please refer to those images to help you along.
Onto the guide!
Note that this guide assumes that you are using your US T-Mobile HTC HD2...on T-Mobile US service. Other carriers need not apply.
Please note that things in CAPITAL LETTERS and RED are IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE READ. DON'T SKIP OVER STUFF!
PLEASE NOTE!!! THIS GUIDE IS !ONLY! FOR THE T-Mobile US VERSION OF THE HD2!!! DO NOT! I REPEAT !NOT! FOLLOW THE FLASHING INSTRUCTIONS IF YOU ARE USING AN INTERNATIONAL HD2! I TAKE !NO! RESPONSIBILITY IF YOU BRICK YOUR DEVICE FOLLOWING THIS GUIDE!!!
CURRENT SECTIONS:
SECTION 1-ANDROID
SECTION 2-WINDOWS MOBILE
SECTION 3-WINDOWS PHONE 7
SECTION 4-INTERNET ON THE HD2
SECTION 5-PROGRAMS, HACKS AND TWEAKS
SECTION 6-GENERAL HD2 Q&A
SECTION 7-WARRANTY RETURNS
SECTION 8-MAGDLR AND NANDROID
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Section 1-ANDROID ON THE HD2 AND YOU!
Alright, this is going to be a simple, broken down, easy to understand answer to the most common Android questions.
Q1-CAN I RUN ANDROID ON MY HD2?
A1-Yes, you can.
Q2-ALRIGHT, HOW?
A-Almost all Android distros come in a folder called "Android" that you then copy to your storage card. Now, where is the most common question. The answer-to the ROOT of your storage card. The ROOT of your storage card is where all of your files begin. [IMG1] is a screenshot of my HD2 connected to my PC via USB. The icon on the left with the name of "\" is your device's internal memory, and of course "Storage Card" is your Micro SD card inserted into your device. THAT is where you will copy your Android folder to. Double click on the "Storage Card" icon and then copy the Android folder inside it. See [IMG2].
Q3-ALRIGHT I'VE DONE THAT, NOW HOW DO I RUN IT?
A-Hold on there Skippy, you need to check something first. Are you running the stock T-Mobile ROM on your phone? If so, most builds of Android WILL NOT have the proper sound support. To check which version of Windows Mobile you are running, please see the next section. If you ARE NOT running the stock ROM, OR have a build of Android that is confirmed to work on the stock ROM then you are good to go! To run Android, simply navigate to the Android folder that you copied to your storage card using File Explorer, run the CLRCAD.exe program(nothing will happen, it’s not supposed to), then run the HaRET.exe program to begin booting Android. See [IMG3] for what this looks like. For more detailed instructions please refer to your particular builds thread for more information. DO NOT ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT SPECIFIC ANDROID PROBLEMS IN THIS THREAD. THEY WILL BE IGNORED.
Q4-COOL, ANDROID IS BOOTED. NOW, WHY DON I HAZ INTERNETS?!?
A-Because you have to setup your APN settings. Some builds of Android don't include the T-Mobile APN settings, and you have to enter them manually. Please refer to your builds thread for more information.
Q5-BUT WAIT, DO I NEED HARDSPL TO RUN ANDROID?
A-If you are going to be using the stock ROM and radio, no; you do not need HardSPL in order to boot Android. But since most builds of Android don't work on the stock ROM, you will need to flash HardSPL and a custom ROM in order to boot Android. Please refer to the Windows Mobile section below.
Q6-MAH PROGRAMS ARE SLOW ON ANDROID!
A-Of course they are. Android was not built to run on the HD2, all of the builds are unofficial ones that people have made in their spare time, so some programs may not work very well or at all on the HD2. Which leads into the next question...
Q7-OH NOES! BLUETOOTH/Wi-Fi/GPS/CAMERA ETC DON’T WORK! HALPS!
A-Not all builds of Android have everything working. Some don't have GPS, but have full camera. While others have no GPS but great Bluetooth, it all depends on the build and who made it. Please refer to the builds thread for more information. DO NOT POST ABOUT NON WORKING HARDWARE FEATURES IN THE GUIDE. THEY WILL BE IGNORED.
Alright, that's about it for Android I think. I will update it as I see fit. Onto WinMo!
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SECTION 2-Windows Mobile, the dyeing giant.
Lets face it people, as awesome as Windows Mobile is...its dying. I love it, and most people at XDA love WinMo (it IS what XDA was founded for after all contrary to popular belief), but it’s now overshadowed by iN00b OS, Android and pretty soon WP7...but WinMo can still be awesome! Thanks to the EXCELLENT work by the cooks at XDA, WinMo is still alive, and better than ever. Let’s get to it!
Q1-WHAT VERSION OF WINMO DO I HAVE?
A-A good question! With so many out there now, it can get a bit confusing, but never fear, it’s not hard to find out which you have. If your Start button is in the top left hand corner of your screen, you are using Windows Mobile 6.5.1 or earlier. If your Start button is on the bottom left of your screen, then you are using Windows Mobile 6.5.3 or later (maybe). To get your specific version and build numbers, simply navigate to Start->Settings->System->About. On that page at the top is displayed your OS version and build number. Please see [IMG4] for an example of what mine looks like.
Q2-KK, I'VE GOT 6.5.1, AND I WANT 6.5.3!
A-Cool, then you will need to flash a custom ROM. Doing so is relatively easy to do. But you will need some things before you start. Here's what you need:
#1-A T-Mobile US HD2 (this guide is ONLY for the US version!)
#2-A MicroUSB cable
#3-The HardSPL3 kit
#4-The ROM of your choice
#5a-If on Windows XP-Activesync
#5b-If on Windows Vista/7-Windows Sync Center-AKA Windows Mobile Device Center
HardSPL3 can be downloaded from the main section of the T-Mo LEO forums. I am not going to hotlink out of respect to the creator, and WMDC or AS can be downloaded from http://www.windowsmobile.com.
After you assemble all these components, first things first, a proper warning. BACKUP ANYTHING YOU DO NOT WANT TO LOSE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO FLASH! Files, pictures, texts, emails...anything you don't want lost. You can either use a backup program, or move these items to your SD card. EVERYTHING ON YOUR DEVICES INTERNAL MEMORY WILL BE DELETED WHEN YOU FLASH A NEW ROM!!! PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND! Now, follow these steps to get yourself flashed with a new ROM!
#1-Install WMDC or AC.
#2-Connect your device and let it fully sync. If some windows pop up asking you to enter a device name and such, just close them. Every time you flash a new ROM you will have to go through that process again as your computer thinks that it is a new device.
#3-Once your device is connected and synced unzip HardSPL and follow the instructions in the HardSPL thread to get it applied.
#4-After HardSPL is applied, connect your device again, and then navigate to your custom ROMs folder that you downloaded earlier and run the "CustomRUU" program from within and follow the instructions. THAT'S IT! If all went well, you have now successfully flashed a new ROM onto your HD2!
Q3-BUT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, I CAN'T FLASH USING USB!!!
A-Follow my man Snarksneeze's guide here in the T-Mobile HD2 forums for COMPLETE details on flashing both your ROM and radio via Micro SD card. I can't explain it any better than he does...so I'm not gonna even try!
Q4-COOL! I HAVE A NEW ROM!!! BUT IT DOESN'T WORK LIKE THE OLD ONE...
A-Of course it doesn't. All ROMs are different, and every cook is different. No two ROMs are ever exactly the same. Try them all out! Which leads too...
Q5-WHICH ROM IS BEST?? JUST POINT ME TO IT!!
A-Asking this question, ESPECIALLY making a new thread about it, is about the fastest way to get hated at XDA. Lemme say this nice and calm...WHICH ROM IS BEST IS A SUBJECTIVE THING. THERE IS NO ONE BEST ROM, THERE IS ONLY THE BEST ROM FOR YOUR NEEDS. PLEASE PEOPLE, WE DON'T NEED MORE THREADS ABOUT THIS!
Q6-I DON'T THINK I LIKE THIS CUSTOM ROM, CAN I GO BACK TO STOCK!!
A-Yes! You can! Simply connect your phone via USB again, download the CORRECT stock ROM for your device (look below for more info) and flash away1
Q7-CORRECT STOCK ROM? QUE?
A-The T-Mobile HD2 is NOT, IN ANY WAY, compatible with international, or other carrier ROMs. It is imperative that you ONLY flash the T-Mobile US carrier ROMs to your US HD2 or you will end up with a nice shiny brick of a device. You can find T-Mobile US HD2 carrier ROMs in the "Official ROMS" thread in the ROMs section.
Q8-WHAT ABOUT RADIOS?!
A-Radio ROMs are what control your cell radio, your GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, among other things. And they can be JUST as dangerous as custom ROMs, if not more. You CANNOT flash a radio ROM to your HD2 if it has the number (.51) in its name. CANNOT. IF you do, it will insta-brick your HD2 beyond repair. Radio ROMs that have .51 in their name are specifically for international HD2s and will not work with the T-Mobile US version. Radio ROMS flash just like regular ROMs.
Q9-MAH SPL! IT CHANGED!
A-If you flashed an official T-Mobile ROM via MicroSD, then yes, it did. When flashing via USB, your SPL is not touched. But when flashing via MicroSD, it overwrites ANY SPL you have applied, even HardSPL.
Q10-HOW DO I INSTALL PROGRAMS?
A-Windows Mobile programs generally come in a format that ends with ".cab". These files are simply installers, very similar to .exe's on your PC. To install a WinMo program, simply copy that .cab file to either your device or storage card, navigate to it using file explorer on your device and click on it. Follow the instructions and BAM, new program.
Q11-ZOMG WHY CAN'T I DOWNLOAD THE NEW OFFICIAL ROM UPDATE???? WHERE CAN I GET IT?!?
A-Because you aren't a T-Mobile customer, or because you aren't looking very hard. To make this easy for people, I have downloaded the official update, and uploaded it to Multiupload. You can download it from this link-http://www.multiupload.com/6W0HRU5PGU
Q12-I HAVE A MAC, HOW CAN I FLASH MY PHONE?
A-The RUU of course will not run under a Mac OS environment, but there are a few ways to get your phone flashed. Some users have had success using DarWINE, a Windows API emulator to run the RUU, but some have also run into problems with Mac OS not having proper RDIS drivers to recognize the device with. Other Mac users simply create a Bootcamp partition, install some flavor of Windows, and flash normally. And the third, and easiest way to flash your phone while using Mac OS, is to simply extract the ROM itself and flash it via SD card, here's how; If you download an official T-Mobile ROM it will come in the form of an .exe, which is simply a self extracting archive that extracts the ROM file itself (xxxxxx_SIGNED.nbh) and the RUU to a temporary folder on your PC, then runs the RUU and flashes your phone, then deletes the temp data. Under a Mac OS system, you can simply download this .exe, and use an archiving program such as StuffIt to un-archive the .exe and gain the raw files. StuffIt may or may not recognize the .exe as an archive, but select it anyways and it should continue. After you have extracted the files to a folder, connect your SD card to your computer through a reader of some sort, and follow the directions in Snarksneeze's stickie on how to flash a ROM via an SD card. If you downloaded a custom ROM, then you can skip the un-archiving step, and just follow the SD card flashing guide.
For right now, that's it for the WinMo section...now onto something ALOT worse...
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SECTION 3-Windows Phone 7...on the HD2?
Yes, it’s true; Windows Phone 7 CAN be installed on the HD2.
Q1-WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD A WP7 ROM?
A-By using Google. At this time, there is no OFFICIAL Cotulla release of WP7 for the HD2, likewise posting direct links to the leaked release are AGAINST the XDA rules.
Q2-WHY CAN'T WE HAVE IT?
A-Because the current release hasn't been officially released to XDA yet, but only on Cotulla's personal site.
Q3-WELL, WHO IS DEVELOPING IT? CAN I HELP TEST?
A-Cotulla and his team are currently working on porting WP7 to the HD2, and if they need your help they will ask. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not bother Cotulla or his team about WP7, they are doing what they can, and if it works they will release it to the public. Not any sooner, begging for it will only make it take longer.
Q4-BUT, THE HARDWARE IS THE SAME, WHY WON'T WP7 JUST BOOT NOW?
A-Because the hardware isn't actually the same. Yes the HD7 has more or less the same specs, but the hardware itself is completely different. Different processor, different type of RAM, different storage. It’s not as simple as just hacking the RUU to work with the HD2; proper drivers have to be written first. It’s just like Android at this point.
Q5-OKAY, I HAZ WP7...BUT I CAN'T DOWNLOAD APPS!
A-No, you can't. Currently ALL WP7 devices have what is called a PVK(private key) embedded in the software, which basically acts like Windows Genuine Advantage for desktop versions of Windows.
Q6-CAN I BYPASS THIS "PVK"?
A-Not officially no. Methods do exist, but we at XDA DO NOT recommend or support them in ANY WAY. Users posting activation keys or requests for such keys will be warned.
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SECTION 4-Internet on the HD2....whatsup?
As some of you may know, it seems that T-Mobile has finally decided to close the T-Zones proxy loophole with the HD2, and force people to upgrade their plans to the 20USD or more a month mobile internet plan. It is currently unknown if this is permanent, here-say or a wives tale as the effect does not seem to be nationwide. We will just have to wait and see how it pans out.
Q1-DO I NEED AN INTERNET PLAN TO USE THE HD2?
A-It's not required in order to use the phone, but highly recommended. As with all WinMo phones, the HD2 has loads of options to be connected...streaming video, music, full desktop like browsing, IM, downloading programs, Twitter, Facebook...the works...and it all uses the internet to connect of course. You can of course use Wi-Fi with the HD2, but that will only work if you have a hotspot to connect to. While internet service isn't needed for the HD2 to function, I DEFINATELY recommend it.
Q2-DOES THE HD2 SUPPORT Wi-Fi N? OR N+?
A-Using a registry hack yes, the HD2 does indeed support Wi-Fi N. N+ is currently not supported and is unlikely to ever be supported as the HD2 lacks the hardware to do so.
Q3-UNDER NORMAL USE, HOW MANY MB OF DATA DOES THE HD2 USE A MONTH?
A-This is completely upto you. If you hardly ever use data, then very little. If you are like me, and have 4 email accounts syncing every 30 minutes, stream music with Slacker at least an hour a day, update Twitter and Facebook every now and then, and use Bing for navigation, you can EASILY use 500MB or more of data a month. I usually average about 1.2GB of downstream data a month with my kind of usage but your mileage will of course vary.
Q4-DOES THE HD2 SUPPORT HSPA? OR HSPA+?
A-Yes and yes. The HD2 does support both forms of pseudo-4G that T-Mobile is providing right now. You do not need to sign up for anything or enable anything in order to receive 4G speeds, you just need to be in an area that supports it...which leads to...
Q5-WHEN WILL I GET 4G?
A-Who knows? T-Mobile does. T-Mobile's website has a map that shows what coverage and where is provided in any given state of the US. Check it out at http://www.tmobile.com/coverage.
Q6-MY DOWNLOAD SPEEDS ARE SLOWER IN WINMO THAN IN ANDROID!
A-For some reason...yes, they probably are. For reasons that I cannot explain, nor have found an answer for, download speeds seem faster in Android than in WinMo. Go figure. I currently get 4MBps down in WinMo so I don't complain .
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SECTION 5-PROGRAMS, HACKS AND TWEAKS
So you have an HD2. AWESOME! Now, you want some cool programs to make the iTards jealous eh? AWESOME. Now, how do you get them?
Q1-I WANTS ME SOME PROGRAMS!
A-Well that's cool.
Q2-SERIOUSLY, GIVE THEM TO ME!
A-Alright, alright. There are literally hundreds of thousands of freeware programs available for Windows Mobile nowadays, and there are some great resources to find them aswell. One of the BEST places is the Opnmarket, a program that runs on your phone and connects you to the depository of programs at http://www.freewarePocketPC.net and download them straight to your device. Best of all, EVERYTHING at FPPC is, as the name implies, FREE...and so is the program! The only thing you need in order to use the program is an account at the site, which is ALSO free. Seriously, it’s a win/win/win situation. You can download Opnmarket from the main page of FPPC, and then register for an account right on your phone and start downloading. If the OpnMarket isn't your thing, then there is also the inbuilt Windows Marketplace for Mobile. The Marketplace isn't all that great in my opinion, but it does have its benefits...such as downloading free updates to Microsoft built programs. To use it simply hit Start and find the icon for Marketplace. If you are using a custom ROM and the Marketplace isn't already installed, simply search the forums for "MS Skymarket" and you should be able to find it. The third option is the new-ish XDA-Marketplace. Now right now there really isn't all that much there, and the program itself is pretty buggy, but before long I feel confident that it will become the premiere repository for XDA members to post applications. The XDA-Marketplace is where XDA members can post their work for FREE, and allow XDA members to download them...FOR FREE! See a pattern here? So far there isn't much there...so please be patient. And lastly, there is the internet...AKA, the world’s LARGEST app store. Seriously, if you need a program, fire up your nearest browser and search away, as I stated above, there are hundreds of thousands of WinMo compatible programs out there, and not all of them are available in marketplaces...so search around!
Q3-AWESOME. IVE GOT SOME PROGRAMS FROM THE INTERNET. NOW, WTF IS THE ".cab" FILE?
A-It is an installer that runs under WinMo. To install programs to your device you must first copy these .cab files onto either your storage card or internal memory and then navigate to them using File Explorer, on your device, and clicking on it. The installer will then start and ask you where to install the program. Unless specifically stated to install the program to internal memory, it’s usually best to install things to your SD card. The more free internal memory you have, generally the faster your device will run as WinMo caches to the internal memory of your device. One of the few exceptions to this is registry hacks or tweaks to internal Windows functions, if asked, go ahead and install those to main memory as installing them to your SD card usually will not yield any results.
Q4-COOL. THAT MAKES SENSE, WHAT ABOUT IF I DOWNLOAD STUFF FROM ONE OF THE MARKETS? WHERE DO THEY INSTALL?
A-If using either the OpnMarket or XDA-Marketplace, after the program is downloaded through the program, the installer will ask you where to install the program to. If using the MS Marketplace, you can change where programs default their install locations to using the Settings menu from the main page. If your storage card is full, or if a program must be installed to main memory, the Marketplace will notify you upon beginning the installation.
Q5-WELL, ARE INSTALLERS CACHED SOMEWHERE?
A-If using the OpnMarket or XDA-Marketplace...yes, they are cached on your storage card. The exact location may vary. And if using the MS Marketplace, no, the installers are not cached and are deleted once the program has been installed.
Q6-I SEE SCREENSHOTS OF PEOPLE's HOMESCREENS THAT LOOK AWESOME AND DIFFERENT THEN MINE...HOW DO I MAKE MINE LOOK THAT WAY?
A-Well that depends. There are several different homescreen replacements available for Windows Mobile. In no particular order the ones I know of and have experience with are:
#1-Titanium-The basic WinMo 6.5 homescreen, also known as "Sliding Panels Homescreen"
#2-Sense-The stock homescreen that comes with a stock ROM on the HD2, used to be known as TouchFlo3D
#3-Today Screen-The AMAZINGLY old and standard WinMo homescreen from back in the day of WinMo 2003. Hasn't changed much over the years, but can be customized with LOADS of plugins
#4-SPB Mobile Shell-A commercial app that offers alot of customization, but in my opinion a massive resource hog for what it does
#5-CHT Sense-A modification of the stock Sense homescreen that comes with your device that offers MUCH more customization than stock. What I usually use personally.
For explanations on the various homescreens, please see the next post!
Alright people, that’s it for now...more to come! Please let me know what to improve!
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SECTION 6-GENERAL HD2 Q&A
We all know that the HD2 runs WinMo, and that WinMo has its share of weirdness...but what about the device itself?
Q1-I JUST GOT A NEW HD2, AND MY RESET BUTTON IS A DIFFERENT COLOR!!!
A-Yep, hopefully it's yellow. The reset button is widely believed to be a hardware revision giveaway, IE, depending on the color is what revision of the device you have. So far 2 different colors are in circulation that we know of, those being RED and YELLOW. The HD2's that have red reset buttons seem to be revision ones, or based off of the Euro hardware, and seem to be more flaky when it comes to touchscreen quality and overall stability. For whatever reason, HD2's with red buttons seem to have touchscreens, mainly the digitizers that are more prone to failure. The second revision HD2's seem to all have yellow reset buttons and as far as we know these are the only ones being produced as of late. Yellow button models seem to be more stable hardware wise, and use a completely different motherboard and touchscreen/digitizer assembly.
Q2-HOW CAN I SIM UNLOCK MY HD2?
A-Well, if you are a T-Mobile customer, then you can do so pretty easily. Simply have an account with them in good standing for 60-90 days and call Customer Care to request an unlock code. It should be sent to your email within 48ish hours. If you are not a T-Mobile customer you can use one of the MANY sources available on the internet to SIM unlock your device...eBay usually has the best deals. Most services cost around 15USD and are instant.
Q3-OKAY I GOT MAH CODE, WHERE DO IT GOEZ?
A-Once you have your code, simply slap a different, non T-Mobile SIM into your HD2 and it will ask for the code upon reboot. If for whatever reason it doesn't ask for the code upon reboot, or you do not have another SIM handy, simply use File Explorer on your device to navigate to the \Windows folder on your phone, then scroll down near the bottom and run a program called "simlock.exe", which will then ask for the code.
Q4-ALRIGHT, MY HD2 IS UNLOCKED...BUT MY SIM ISN'T RECOGNIZED!!!
A-Are you using a prepaid SIM from a service like ATT GoPhone or TracPhone? If you are then that's why you aren't getting any signal. It is the current belief that prepaid SIM cards do not work with US HD2s, but I CANNOT 100% CONFIRM THIS. I say that they don't because of several threads here about trying to use prepaid SIMs, and getting no signal.
CHANGELOG:
10/13/2010-INITIAL START
10/17/2010-UPDATE #1
10/18/2010-UPDATE #2
10/26/2010-UPDATE #3
1/21/2011-UPDATE #4
THINGS TO COME:
PICTURES
COLOR
EMBEDDED LINKS
[GUIDE]The ULTIMATE n00bs guide to the HD2-HardSPL, Androidm ROMs, Radios and more!
SECTION 7-WARRANTY RETURNS
As much as I would like to say that it doesn't happen, the HD2 does indeed sometimes completely fail because of user error, or just plain hardware faults and must be returned to either T-Mobile or HTC. The warranty process can be a scary one, especially if you HardSPL'd your phone or installed a custom ROM. But fear not! You can get your device back to stock rather easily! In this section I am going to cover the more common HD2 failures and their solutions, as well as how to revert back to your stock carrier ROM and SPL for warranty purposes. Now, this guide assumes that you bought your HD2 from a T-Mobile store and that you are a T-Mobile USA customer. If you purchased your HD2 through an online reseller, or are not with T-Mobile USA, the only option you have is to send your device to HTC directly and have them repair it. See the bottom of this section for more info.
Q1-MY TOUCHSCREEN DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE! WHAT HAPPENED? DID SOMEONE SET ME UP THE BOMB?
A-Where you running Android? For some reason, there seems to be a connection between touchscreen failure and running Android on the HD2. No one currently knows why it happens more often under Android, but it does happen. Please run Android at your own risk. If your screen fails under WinMo, it's more than likely just a strange hardware quirk, and not because of what you are running.
Q2-OKAY WELL NOW MY SCREEN IS BAD, WHAT DO I DO FOR WARRANTY?
A-If you bought your device through a T-Mobile store and it is COMPLETELY STOCK, IE stock SPL and stock ROM, then simply take your phone up to the store you got it from(or any store for that matter) and request that they replace it because the screen seems to be faulty. Most of the time they will have no problem doing so. If your device is NOT in warranty(the warranty period is one year from purchase) you will need to call Customer Care and request they quote you a repair cost. It is usually around 120USD for a new touchscreen includeing shipping, and takes around 4 weeks round trip to be repaired.
Q3-OH NOES! I HAZ CUSTOM ROM! HALPS!
A-No worries. Reverting from a custom ROM to the T-Mobile stock is a fairly simple process, as is reverting back to the stock SPL from HardSPL, and they can be done at the same time with one process. Simply download the latest T-Mobile stock ROM(3.14 as of this writing) extract the .nbh from it and rename it LEOIMG.nbh and place it on the root of your storage card. Then place that card into your device, and start your phone whilst holding down the DOWN volume key to go into bootloader. Follow the onscreen instructions and voila! Stock ROM and SPL in one shot! You are now good to either goto a T-Mobile store and request a new device, or send it back to T-Mobile or HTC for warranty without fears of being denied or paying an extra 50USD for "software restoration".
Q4-WHAT ABOUT A CRACKED SCREEN? IS THAT COVERED?
A-No, cracked screens are NOT covered under either T-Mobile's or HTC's warranty.
Q4.5-BUT I HAVE INSURANCE!
A-Doesn't matter, T-Mobile does not cover cracked or damaged screens, of any kind, under warranty or insurance.
Q5-I BOUGHT MY HD2 THROUGH EBAY, OR FROM ANOTHER SELLER, DOES IT HAVE WARRANTY THROUGH T-MOBILE?
A-Maybe. It all depends on wether the person who bought it originally before reselling it bought it officially through T-Mobile or not. if they did, then again, maybe it does. Warranty status and eligebility also depends on whether you are a T-Mobile customer or not. If you are, then the worst they can tell you is no. Now, if it is NOT covered by T-Mobile, and is less than a year old, it MAY be covered by HTC directly. A call to HTC's warranty department is a harrowing process, so be prepared to be on the phone for at least 30 minutes before you start the call. Goto HTC's website for a phone number for your correct region.
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SECTION 8-MAGDLR AND NANDROID
What's this? MAGDLR? NANDROID? What does that mean? Quite simply friends...MAGDLR is a bootloader that allows Android to be flashed and booted directly from NAND on the HD2.
Q1-WOW! SO I CAN BOOT ANDROID AND WINMO!
A-No. You can boot either or. MAGDLR takes the place of the WinMo loader, and as such, you cannot have MAGDLR flashed and a WinMo ROM on NAND at the same time.
Q2-OKAY, HOW DO I GET IT?
A-From the Android development section. It's a sticky near the top. Be sure to download the latest version for the most compatability.
Q3-GOT IT, FLASHED IT...NOW WHAT?
A-Now, you either flash Android or WP7.
Q4-OKAY, BUT HOW!
A-Read the directions contained within the MAGDLR folder and your NANDroid distro. Basically they are all the same.
Q5-I HATE NANDROID! I WANT TO GO BAQ TO WINMO!
A-Fair enough, simply download the proper stock WinMo ROM for your device and flash it via MicroSD card. Please note that this WILL remove both MAGDLR AND HardSPL, so you will need to re-apply HardSPL if you want to then flash to a custom ROM.
SENSE-Alright. Personally, I like Sense. On the HD2, it works well. ESPECIALLY if you apply cOokies Home Tab, or CHT for short. CHT is an extension of Sense if you will, that adds TONS more functionality to it. I mean really, the customization and flexibility of CHT is HUGE. If you are using Sense, and NOT using CHT, you really owe it to yourself todo so. Once you use CHT you will never go back. It's that good. You can download it from the main HTC LEO section of the forums.
Now, Sense is referred to sometimes as Touchflo, Touchflo3D or Manilla...and essentially it is all of those. The main core of Sense is called Manilla, and it's been around for nigh on 4 years now. TF and TF3D where the older versions of Sense, and basically didn't work unless you had a super bare-bones ROM and a powerful device like the Diamond or Touch Pro, so essentially Sense is just an upgraded Touchflo...but it's also MUCH more than that. While Sense is mainly just a homescreen, its roots go throughout your device. Many times while using the HD2, you will find that Sense-looking programs or pages will often crop up, and that is what is supposed to happen. The only big thing that people don't like about Sense is that it does hog a bit of RAM...about 25MB under normal usage. Sense is everywhere on the HD2 and it's a real shame if you disable it for another homescreen...which brings us to...
TITANIUM-Ahhh Titanium. Windows Mobile 6.5.1 brought us Titanium, which I personally think is a really boss homescreen. If you have a WinMo smartphone device, you might know this as "Sliding Panel Homescreen". Titanium, for what it's worth, is very customizable through plugins and .net programs, but isn't compatible with older WM homescreen plugins. Titanium was basically Microsoft's attempt at making WinMo more finger friendly...and in a way worked, and in a way didn't. See, Titanium starts out on a panel in the middle, which is where all the panels can be interacted with, by scrolling the panels up or down, you bring one into focus at the middle of the screen and can click it, slide it left or right, hit switches on it etc. Not a great description, but hey, sue me. Anyways, the way that it didn't work was that at the time, Titanium was only on devices that had resistive screens, IE, all of them (the HD2 is still the only WinMo device with a capacitive screen) and trying to scroll up or down with your finger was often a game of over or under scrolling trying to get to the item you wanted...and made alot of people (me included) just use the d-pad instead, which kinda defeats the purpose. Titanium looks cool nonetheless, and doesn't use quite as much RAM as Sense, try it out and see for yourself.
TODAY SCREEN-If you have used a WinMo device from around 2-3 years ago, then you more than likely have use the standard WinMo Today screen. It’s basically just a list of things aggregated to your homescreen. Ugly, but functional. It's biggest plus is that it's HIGHLY customizable through the use of plugins. Now I know that I have said that about both Sense and Titanium, but the standard Today screen is BY FAR the most customizable. The reason for this of course, is because it's been around the longest. Seriously, switch over to the Today screen on your HD2. Now...imagine the year 2002...now look at your screen. THAT is what WinMo has looked like since Windows Mobile 2002. Seriously. Not a pretty sight is it? Not really, but through the use of plugins it can be INFINITELY useful. The entire point of the Today screen is to aggregate all your stuff, emails, appointments, missed calls, texts...everything, and show it to you at a quick glance, without having to drill too far into your device, or scroll around a whole lot. There are extensions and plugins for the Today screen like there are snakes in a sugar cane field, so be on the lookout!
SPB MOBILE SHELL-Ugh...SPB. Some swear by and it uses nothing else, others (like me) have always avoided it like the plague. SPB Mobile Shell is a complete UI replacement for much of WinMo, and it's also one of the few that costs. It's around 30USD, but with one purchase you get free updates and can re-download it as many times as you like. SPB not only replaces your homescreen, but your Start menu and most of the settings as well. It makes them all nice, bubbly and shiny...kinda like the iPhone. Personally, I hate the iPhone and everything about it, and as such I hate SPB. But that's not the only reason...SPB is a massive resource hog. Historically SPB has only run on advanced or high end devices, and even on the HD2 it's slow to start, slow to move around...it's just slow overall in my opinion. It does look pretty, and if that's what you want, then go with SPB. SPB can all be customized just like all the others by the use of modules...but these modules are rather few and far between, so there is not a whole lot there. But with CHT in the running for your homescreen, it's kinda hard to justify SPB nowadays, as CHT offer the same amount of customization, for free, and works better overall.
The real true beauty of Windows Mobile is how customizable it is. From things like fonts, to the pixel height of scroll bars...nearly EVERYTHING can be customized to death. All in all, it doesn't really matter what type of homescreen you choose, as they all offer the same basic core functionality, it all comes down to your preference. Do you want flashy? Functional? Stable? Choose accordingly:
HOMESCREEN MATRIX v1.0a(will one day be an inserted Excel spread, use this for now)
[X] represents a point towards the particular homescreen in a given area. [O] represents a point away.
HS NAME======EXPANDABILITY======STABILITY======COST======EYE CANDY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today......................[X].........................[X].................FREE...............[O].....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HTC Sense................[O].........................[O]................FREE...............[X].....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HTC Sense w/CHT......[X].........................[X]...........DONATIONWARE......[X].....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPB Mobile Shell.........[O].........................[O]...........30USD PER LISC......[X].....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Titanium...................[X].........................[O].......FREE WITH 6.5.1.........[O].....
Now eventually I am going to merge these posts together...and the formatting will be correct! And the color will eventually come back aswell. Stay tuned for more updates!
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Great Post.
Yeah man that would be awesome!
I got 2 question regarding the t-mobile hd2 because I'm thinking to buy one !
I can flesh the international HD2 custom roms that are based on tmous driver ?
If I wanna cook a my personal rom for the t-mobile HD2 the only difference between the standard hd2 and the t-mobile one is that I have to use the driver of the official t-mobile roms instead of the internation hd2 drivers right ?
Android build that boot from memory card can all be installed on t-mobile HD2 or I have to check if they are compatible with t-mobile hd2 like windows mobile ?
Sorry for all this question but I need to know those things !
light_n_roses said:
I got 2 question regarding the t-mobile hd2 because I'm thinking to buy one !
I can flesh the international HD2 custom roms that are based on tmous driver ?
If I wanna cook a my personal rom for the t-mobile HD2 the only difference between the standard hd2 and the t-mobile one is that I have to use the driver of the official t-mobile roms instead of the internation hd2 drivers right ?
Android build that boot from memory card can all be installed on t-mobile HD2 or I have to check if they are compatible with t-mobile hd2 like windows mobile ?
Sorry for all this question but I need to know those things !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What exactly do you mean by international version? If I had a US and International HD2 I could flash the same custom rom onto both. For example Energy Rom and Chucky Roms. I would have to first change the international HD2 radio to a .50. radio due to them having a .51. radio.
If you provide me with a link to a specific rom I could say yes or now.
These rom http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=534 for the most part are compatible with both US and International HD2 devices. With the expectation of a few which are probably International stock rom dumps with a .51. radio.
Custom rom cooking is not at all an easy task. But, yes all the drivers are available online. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=592663 is a good source for drivers.
Just because HTC cooked a specific driver into the rom does not mean it's the best. All program / cabs and easliy be found on XDA. Take a look at my sticky and you'll see links to stock cabs that have been extracted from both US and international devices. A good example is the wifi router cab which wasn't released in the US stock rom but was included in the international stock rom. The program / cab can be used on any HD2 device.
I meant the t-mobile version of the HD2 and the standard ( or european version call it how you want ! ) of the HD2, I was asking this because in many rom here : http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=534 has been specified to not be used on the t-mobile version od the HD2 to avoid brick of the phone..
So I can use rom all rom dased on tmous rom and not the one based on the "radio" series right ?
Is there this difference also for android build or no ?
Android is universal, its only loads from the SDcard.
Can you give me a link to a rom in that thread that you shouldn't load on your phone? I want to see if you know what to look for.
For example the one that say Europe Rom....don't get that one. It's mostly the shipped roms that come with a radio already installed.
If it makes you feel better here the link http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=624 to what should be an only USA rom thread.
yea I have checked now and it seems that almost all rom are compatible...maybe I have had the bad luck to find one of the few ones that are not compatible the last time I checked...the onyl big problems seems to be the HD2 with 1 GB rom from t-mobile..
plz xplain about USB host, we are all confused
Ok can someone please explain why wp7can run on hd2 but not on desire or sgs
you said it ur self that drivers will have to be written for hd2 because the hardware isnt actually the same so isnt that the case for desire and sgs write new drivers and it should work
i am not an expert and iam not saying give me wp7on my sgs
but i just want to know the reason why it cant be run on other devices
please explain and thanks.
Ps also not saying i wouldnt appreciate wp7 on sgs but it needs to have android working well first
I have a very strange problem and if anyone could help me I'd very much appreciate it as I can't find anything similar in the forums (with a solution) after a month of searching.
My HD2 has HardSPL3 and the ChuckyDroid ROM with Android on an SDCard.
The USB connector on the handset has stopped working (the metal D-shape thing wobbles about) so I cannot flash a ROM to it via the ROM Update Utility, only by the LEOIMG.nbh on an SDCard method works.
I need to send the handset back to Vodafone for a warranty repair, but obviously having HSPL3 and a custom WM ROM invalidates my warranty so I need to flash the stock ROM back to the phone to remove them both.
Problem is that I can flash any custom ROM I find to the handset using the SDCard method (Except Energy ROM's for some reason) but when I try to flash the stock Vodafone ROM using this method it fails to start the phones flash routine.
So I'm stuck with a phone I can't charge (using desktop charger for the battery atm) and I can't send back for repair.
Any ideas?????
Thanks in advance!
faresmasouty said:
Ok can someone please explain why wp7can run on hd2 but not on desire or sgs
you said it ur self that drivers will have to be written for hd2 because the hardware isnt actually the same so isnt that the case for desire and sgs write new drivers and it should work
i am not an expert and iam not saying give me wp7on my sgs
but i just want to know the reason why it cant be run on other devices
please explain and thanks.
Ps also not saying i wouldnt appreciate wp7 on sgs but it needs to have android working well first
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok so your answer in simple words is NOTHING IN THIS WORLD IS IMPOSSIBLE
of course it is possible to have wp7 running on any of the devices , android running on any device, iphone os running on any devices .. provided there are thousands of dedicated developers working on it...
when you see android running on the galaxy s or the desire there are thousands of people which these big companies hire to work for them and develop the operating systems and make it 100% compatible for running on that device
so if you want wp7 to run on samsung galaxy s or any other device its very simple.. hire thousand developers and give them this job of making it compatible for any device u wish simple as that.
the bottom line:- the people who make so many great builds, custom roms, android roms compatible for our devices put hours and months in making their roms .. and thats why please give them respect by not asking such silly questions....
nlo said:
I have a very strange problem and if anyone could help me I'd very much appreciate it as I can't find anything similar in the forums (with a solution) after a month of searching.
My HD2 has HardSPL3 and the ChuckyDroid ROM with Android on an SDCard.
The USB connector on the handset has stopped working (the metal D-shape thing wobbles about) so I cannot flash a ROM to it via the ROM Update Utility, only by the LEOIMG.nbh on an SDCard method works.
I need to send the handset back to Vodafone for a warranty repair, but obviously having HSPL3 and a custom WM ROM invalidates my warranty so I need to flash the stock ROM back to the phone to remove them both.
Problem is that I can flash any custom ROM I find to the handset using the SDCard method (Except Energy ROM's for some reason) but when I try to flash the stock Vodafone ROM using this method it fails to start the phones flash routine.
So I'm stuck with a phone I can't charge (using desktop charger for the battery atm) and I can't send back for repair.
Any ideas?????
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ohhh.... thats really a tricky situation .. may be open up a new thread so that some of the experienced dev's can help u out ..
just copy the whole thing and put it in a new thread.. cozz this post could go unnoticed ...
devabhishek said:
ohhh.... thats really a tricky situation .. may be open up a new thread so that some of the experienced dev's can help u out ..
just copy the whole thing and put it in a new thread.. cozz this post could go unnoticed ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, will do.
Any suggestions on which would be the best forum section to post it in?
Thanks!
nlo said:
Ok, will do.
Any suggestions on which would be the best forum section to post it in?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This one cuz it has more traffic
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=532
Have you tried cleaning your usb ports with a toothbrush? Turn off the computer before doing so.
My question is this.
I have the US T-Mo HTC HD 2 of course. Running a Nexus One Android ROM on it.
How do I go about modifying it? Do I have to use the Nexus One themes and apps? Where and how do I install my tweaks?
What kind of tweaks? I've never hear of any tweaks being available for only one certain build.
Tweak away.
ddgarcia05 said:
What kind of tweaks? I've never hear of any tweaks being available for only one certain build.
Tweak away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Icons, clocks, taskbar, colorize the black & white stuff....etc
My reasoning is that since it's a N1 based ROM I figured I needed N1 themes.
And as far as tweaking where do I place it on my sd card?
I used WP7 for little less than 10 hours and went back to WM6.5....below are my reasons. Feel free to post if you have any.
May be you find a answer from the experts...
-> I use iGo 8.0 GPS software. I couldn't install it in WP7
-> I also use mNotes to sync emails, contacts and calendar from Lotus notes to my phone. (I used Companion link...Lotus notes to Gmail to WP7)
-> It did not recognize my SD card. I use 16GB San disk. May be it is my fault, I did have my card during the first reboot
-> My laptop has XP 64bit OS. There is no Zune software available for this OS.
-> I am not sure if there is a "Mass storage" mode available..
I think it is not possible to use any of the WM applications on WP7. Correct me if I am wrong.
DFT team did a amazing job of porting the WP7 for HD2. But I am blaming Windows for following apple's strategy...in locking the hardware capabilities by using s/w....and be dependent to zune for everything (like itune)
Ari
- iGo is not available for WP7, but you can use Navigon. Maps are basically the same as they come from the same provider.
- You already found a solution for your Lotus sync.
- Was the card in the phone during first boot? How do you know it wans't recognized? WP7 uses it's own file system and the card can't be seen by dektop Windows anymore!
- XP 64bit? WOW, that's really exotic.
- There is a sort of mass storage mode with a registry hack on the desktop PC. Google for it.
- Old WM software is NOT compatible as WP7 is a completely new OS.
Problem
I am trying to revert back to my old roms and having problems.
I put a ottoman rom in it worked once,now the opening screen shows up and it boots into windows 7.I tried task 29,flashed a radio rom all unsuccessful.
Please need help.
My Reason
For me it was because of the battery drain. I loved W7, but if my phone dies quickly it just is not worth all the eye candy and feeling of sticking it to the man...so went back to Android in hopes that there will be real update soon that gives better battery performance.
geewld44 said:
I am trying to revert back to my old roms and having problems.
I put a ottoman rom in it worked once,now the opening screen shows up and it boots into windows 7.I tried task 29,flashed a radio rom all unsuccessful.
Please need help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try to flash a standard ROM (if your HD2 is Tmobile, then download it from Tmobile.com).
Enter into boot loader mode and then try executing the exe file.
Thats what I did. Everything worked fine for me.
Ari
Ok
WOW
Directed at: dr_derqami
Some people are the most unappreciative a**holes in the community.
WP7 should have this,
Magldr should have this,
Who are you?
Last I check the HSPL said Cotulla, Magldr - Cotulla, DFT, Da G, who are we to make demands.
Consider yourself lucky you are able to have anything other than Windows Mobile ( not saying its great, it works).
Show the respect to this community and others before you post.
cdguider.. Chill out dude he's just stating his oppinion about WP7 and hoping for certain features in the future, nothing disrespectfull about that. Please stop crying about such bs...
i would view the current wp7 rom = android cupcake
its a total re-haul and time will tell (they need to catch up at a faster pace though)
Some reasons why I changed:
(i) Camera in the WM7 HD2 port is very poor quality, no autofocus.
(ii) Incoming caller names were not recognised from my contacts list.
(iii) Could order apps from Windows Marketplace, but they never arrived.
(iv) Wanted to try Artemis for WM6.5, which I think is far more polished.
I'll try WP7 again, say in a year's time once the bugs are ironed out. Sunk enought time on this trial - time to move on.
Credit to those that managed the port. Impressive.
[J]
Johnnyboy21 said:
Some reasons why I changed:
(i) Camera in the WM7 HD2 port is very poor quality, no autofocus.
(ii) Incoming caller names were not recognised from my contacts list.
(iii) Could order apps from Windows Marketplace, but they never arrived.
(iv) Wanted to try Artemis for WM6.5, which I think is far more polished.
I'll try WP7 again, say in a year's time once the bugs are ironed out. Sunk enought time on this trial - time to move on.
Credit to those that managed the port. Impressive.
[J]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
camera- auto focus works ok for me, quality is the same but it doesnt appear to do wide screen shots just yet which is its only down side
Caller ID- mine works just fine
Market place- Downloaded free apps and bought Music without any issues
WM 6.5 may be polished, probably because its been out for a long time, what version that up to now, 50 odd?
What i find really amusing with peoples complaints of WP7 is that almost all of them are well known, i do find it intresting that people flash this with software they know to not meet their needs then complain about it.
Personally, coming from a very heavy WM user, i wasnt sure what to expect, would i like the UI, could i do without the WM apps, could i make do with whats available? would the inability to mod the crap out of the OS put me off, and the answer is, none of its bothered me, yet, im very intrested if it lasts.
There is only one single program i really do need that isnt available on WP, thats a major pain in the bum, but i only need that every once in a while so i think ill dust off my Old Touch HD and use that when i need too.
Call me a dork, but i check the DFT got Nodo Working link EVERYDAY! I have yet to post anything remotely like "when will we get Nodo"! Simply because, I know it can't be easy doing what those devs like Cotulla and DFT do and I think it is rude to rush them, especially if you're not making any donations! Furthermore, that thread is only becoming a bit*hfest. So here is something to discuss while waiting for Nodo.
So, I was doing some reading in the Android and WM 6.5 sections of our wonderful HTC HD2 device and I saw that Android is the only section with new things to play with! So, after nearly 4 months of having the same WP7 ROM on my HD2, I flashed a NAND Android yesterday.
Played with it a bit, set it up while I read about some other Android ROMs. Downloaded those, while setting up and playing with current install. Then flashed another, and another.
I remembered that this is what it was like before WP7 came out for HD2! I was expecting an important phone call this morning 9am, but at 8:10, flashed another Android ROM. Got it all ready to go before the phone call came in! (oh, and the ROM worked perfectly for the phone call)! Currently still on that one (which one is irrelevant) but yet still looking for more! "Why?", I ask myself!
I was content with WP7 and still am, but just waiting for Nodo and I'll go back. I just wanted to share my take on WP7 vs Android vs WM 6.5 and why I think I flash all the time with Android and WM 6.5 and not with WP7.
WM 6.5 - I love it. I think the the HTC sense made it buggy and that the DEVs did a great job with custom ROMs and made it less buggy. I loved how open it is to save, delete and install files and better yet, copy and paste! OMG I miss that! I consider myself a power user of my Windows phones because I've been flashing them since Win CE days in 2003. I know how they work and what to do when I mess it up. The average user could really mess some stuff up because of it's freedoms so to speak (which is why WM 6.5 didn't take off like iOS and Android) I feel I flashed a lot because of the different customizations made available and the fluidity of some. However, even the best ROM was not as fluid as WP7 and lack of Apps and games is an issue. With the latest Bing we finally got a decent turn-by-turn navigation with good search ability.
Android - I like it. I didn't at first because I was biased toward WM. It isn't as open and free as WM 6.5 is, but it is close. It is buggy and not as fluid as WM 6.5, and it does have copy and paste and some decent games. A good variety of builds and ROMs are available for us flash-oholics to satisfy our customization needs. A real good selection of games and apps and decent turn-by-turn navigation (with a British voice on some ROMs) make the Android system a good choice. And the ease of trying new ROMs without losing all your settings is an awesome feature that WP7 needs.
WP7 - I kept waiting and waiting for WP7 to come out for HD2 and finally 1-23-11 it hits! A bit buggy at first with the Chevron unlock and side loading apps, but for the most part, very solid OS. We have a ever growing selection of decent apps and games and recently got am alright navigation program (with horrible search options) from Telenav (T-Mobile) but it has a monthly fee! A newer free one I'm sure is just around the corner as with a bunch of other stuff like flash (expected for a new OS). I'd like to see google maps on WP7 as well as Multitasking. I know Microsoft designed WP7's back feature with tombstoning to be a form of multitasking, but let's say you are using a GPS calorie program while walking and a phone call comes in and you answer it, the GPS software is tombstoned (put to sleep exactly where it was when the call was answered) but it isn't counting calories or tracking your location anymore. Basically, WP7 is fast and stable and has a quick and unique way of connecting with facebook, and like the commercials say, "it's designed to get you in and out of your phone and back to your life."
But why was I satisfied with WP7 for nearly 4 months when I flashed nearly every day before? That is my question to all of you. Is it the lack of ROMs available or the lack of customization or what. Is there anyone else that has wondered the same thing?
I have to agree WM6.5 was awesome, but missing one thing which is important to me: the apps and games. It did have some great games, but not as much as android and wp7. Right now I'm (just like you) waiting for Nodo and using Android on a very nice build (Imilka's GB Sense), but with android and WM6.5 I was, and am, flashing several times a week. I really like WP7, but it's missing some nice features too (copy & paste, file browser, installing XAP, browsing through your phone when connected to PC instead of only being able to sync music, videos and apps with zune etc.). But the most important reason for me why I don't use WP7, I can't sideload!! There was only one build which did work with sideloading, and that was the first LEO70 (I was really excited about it), but it needed so much regedits before I could sideload, use file explorer, keep it unlocked etc., that I decided to use the custom builds with build-in regedits and chevron, but those just can't be sideloaded (if anyone had this problem and/or has solution, please tell). I think I'll just buy the class 10 micro-sd 16gb for €21,49 (yes that cheap, yes trusted site) instead of my stupid 8Gb sandisk ultra (which appeared to be a class 2 ultra, so not too impressive), so I can dual boot WP7 and Android, without being low on storage.
BTW here is link to SD card if you're interested: http://www.play.com/Mobiles/Mobile/-/1005/1250/-/19254851/PNY-16GB-Micro-SD-Memory-Card-Class-10/Product.html?source=9593&_$ja=tsid:11853|prd:85386
Now I have tried most of the WP7 ROMs and I could side load xaps on all of them. The first Leo70 was lot more involved to enable that feature.
Not sure exactly what I did other than install the DEV tools and change the HOST file to prevent relocking.
Open the drive please
I like WP7, I was using Android, back from 1.6 to 2.3, and have a dual boot right now (Android 2.3 CM7 and WP7).
Currently I am using the WP 7, but i am getting frstrated with nto beign able to simply drag and drop photos, music etc to the device.
As for side loading, I have not found that to be an issue for me, as there doesn't seem to be much out there that is not from the marketplace (maybe I am missing out on a bunch of stuff).
Looking forward to NoDo, and hopefully a crack to allow easy sideloading and direct memory access.
I alos have a ZUNE and it has the same structure (only loadign throug the software) but I know there are ways to load directly to the memory. I believe that the change is actually to regedit you PC to stop the PC from lockign out directa access.
Hopefully someone figures this out for our WP7's
Good luck the then and thaks to all the devs working on WP7
But do you find that you flash a lot use Android? How long did you run WP7 before going back to Android?
[email protected] said:
But do you find that you flash a lot use Android? How long did you run WP7 before going back to Android?
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Yup.. lots of flashing. I think that's because Android has idk how many different styles, builds, themes whatever (sense, gingerbread, cyanogenmod, honeycomb, t-mobile mytouch you get the point), but wp7 has one simple, easy to use and yet graphical interface, which doesn't change a lot (there is one which has custom tiles, xboxmod I thought, don't know for sure). I've been on the first leo70 for about 2 weeks, which is very very long for me. I'm a ms person, but until wp7 gets better I'll just use Android. And believe me, I can't wait to raise my gamerscore from ~16000 to ~17000 thx to wp7.
Sent from my HD2 GB Sense using XDA App
WM6.5....lack of apps and games?
ok, give you the games, but WM had shed loads of programs, and more importantely you could freely install anything you liked, i will admit that the marketplace does have a lot, but like android and iOS much of it is ****e
I use WP7, i love it, but i also love WM6.5, that OS is a beast, it will do anything , yeah its a bit sluggish and not as pretty but hay it works. If it wasnt for HTC and QC screwing us over drivers WM6.5 would be a viable modern day OS.
If you're looking to hack your HD2 to get Windows Phone 7, be aware of this:
1. It's completely unsupported by Microsoft or HTC
2. It will erase all data on your phone and SD card in it
3. Unless you get a correct micro SD card, it will randomly reboot. A short term fix for this is to play an album in Zune and put the phone on vibrate.
4. It will greatly diminish your battery life. You will need an extended battery just to make it through a whole day.
5. You have to jailbreak it and install a certificate and move a file or two using third party app to download apps and then call up Microsoft in hopes they will give you the code.
6. There is a minor 3G problem; to fix it, try going into the settings, then tap on cellular, scroll down and click add apn, then in the APN field, type in internet2.voicestream.com and leave the user name and password fields blank. If that doesn't work, try typing in wap.voicestream.com or epc.tmobile.com. Make sure you turn roaming on. Note: Only works if you have T-Mobile.
I tried it but I put WP6.5 back on because it has a file explorer, you don't need Marketplace to install all of you apps you can just download them from the internet and install them, it has internet sharing, and for $25 I can get a personal hotspot. I also like the camera better because it is widescreen and takes panorama. I can do prettymuch anything with it!
I was JUST about to see what the fuss was about... And now I see its not worth it. Thanks! You saved me some headaches, lol
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA Premium App
Ared777 said:
If you're looking to hack your HD2 to get Windows Phone 7, be aware of this:
1. It's completely unsupported by Microsoft or HTC - Who gives a hoot? If people are on XDA, they're not very likely to worry too much about that... They get all their support right here...
2. It will erase all data on your phone and SD card in it - True, but anyone thinking of going WP7 on their HD2 should already be aware of this and have purchased a decent card...
3. Unless you get a correct micro SD card, it will randomly reboot. A short term fix for this is to play an album in Zune and put the phone on vibrate. - True, but anyone thinking of going WP7 on their HD2 should already be aware of this and have purchased a decent card...
4. It will greatly diminish your battery life.- I have not found this to be the case... I find it drains about the same as the stock rom that was delivered with my phone... You will need an extended battery just to make it through a whole day.
5. You have to jailbreak it and install a certificate and move a file or two using third party app to download apps and then call up Microsoft in hopes they will give you the code. Crap, just get the code... I didn't have to jailbreak a thing...
6. There is a minor 3G problem; to fix it, try going into the settings, then tap on cellular, scroll down and click add apn, then in the APN field, type in internet2.voicestream.com and leave the user name and password fields blank. If that doesn't work, try typing in wap.voicestream.com or epc.tmobile.com. Make sure you turn roaming on. Note: Only works if you have T-Mobile. - T who?
I tried it but I put WP6.5 back on because it has a file explorer, you don't need Marketplace to install all of you apps you can just download them from the internet and install them, it has internet sharing, and for $25 I can get a personal hotspot. I also like the camera better because it is widescreen and takes panorama. I can do prettymuch anything with it!
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Without marketplace and xbox live the WP7 is pretty spartan, but when fully operational there's not an OS near it...
My view for anyone thinking of trying WP7 is, try it fully working and then make a decision... Have a stock WM rom ready if WP7 aint for you...
Im sorry but most of this is utter FUD!
There are a few things wrong with the HD2 running WP7 but given that it was never supposed to work with it anyway i think its amazing
WP7 has been on my HD2 for months, it works fantasticly, and i wont go back to Droid or WM for my main OS
Note i do sill use a WM6.5 device for some key software that i cant get on WP7 but other than 2 pieces of software its great!
SD cards are a big issue, its luck if you get one taht works, that is one of the things you have to pay to be able to use this OS on our Device, if you dont like it buy an HD7
APN settings are operator specific, use the HTC connection tool and it will sort it all out for you
you dont need to unlock the device if you intend to use LEGAL apps from the market place, if you wish to use dodgy apps or unsigned XAPs developed by users then you will need to unlock it. Normally ALL you have to do is phone MS or use the chat and get a code, and thats it, everything works
Of course its unsupported by MS, your using software on a device that it was never intened for, why would you think other wise? and it is exactly that thinking that would stop MS from allowing (but not supporting) the HD2 because people like you assume MS should help them! Why!? anyhow, thats why we have XDA-DEV
Battery life is much the same, and very good if you consider PUSH is working
of course it will format the card, i dont see the argument here?
Install linux on your windows computer (not VM), does it format anything? yes it does
GunBuri said:
I was JUST about to see what the fuss was about... And now I see its not worth it. Thanks! You saved me some headaches, lol
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA Premium App
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mate, talk to people on here that know what they are talking about before you make your mind up, of course the choice is yours but at least make an informed decision based on facts.
argentocruz said:
Without marketplace and xbox live the WP7 is pretty spartan, but when fully operational there's not an OS near it...
You forgot to mention facebook, but anyway those three things are what WP7 is targeted for. I got to play around with two native devices and to me they feel like a mobile gaming device that has the added advantage of making phonne calls and accessing the internet via a mobile network and not WiFi
My view for anyone thinking of trying WP7 is, try it fully working and then make a decision... Have a stock WM rom ready if WP7 aint for you...[/B]
I agree totally as WP7 as it is currently even in native WP7 devices is not for everyone. Maybe in the future it will improve but something tells me it will not as it is not geared to be a functional OS for a mobile device but just a gaming and social networking device OS.
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Blah, blah, blah, blah
I just had to reply to this.
I'm tech savvy, but not so when it comes to phones, so i spent weeks reading up on here. No way could I do what you guys do, but I read enough to not brick my phone.
I followed one of the guides, phone worked but was buggy.
Then followed another guide, installed a different ROM and phone is great. Activated via online chat with microsoft rep who was very patient and helpful as I originally entered code using caps, should all be lower case.
I now have a fully functional wp7 device, bing maps works very quick, hotmail contacts sync constantly, zune music sync is flawless, battery now actually lasts more than a full day (used to barely do that on wm6.5) and now I even have a full res camera too, nothing wrong at all with wp7 on my phone.
Every once in a while it stops accessing my apps, but to be honest my hd2 already had the occasional quirk. A quick reboot fixes that (and it is quick).
I bought a 16gb class 2 sandisk sd card from amazon for £16 as I read that is likely to work. Not had an issue with it.
If you read around and understand it takes a little work (though not that much) then having wp7 on an hd2 is really good.
The only thing I'm missing is turn by turn with voice satnav, but that's missing from wp7 itself and will hopefully be resolved legitimately soon.
Sorry for the long post, but I really felt like I needed to comment.
by the way, thanks to all you guys for the amazing work you've done, allowing me to post the above.
guys is there any way i can dual boot wp7 and android , either from nand or sd card ??
Absolutely, via SD card and MAGLDR.
There is a thread with full instructions on the Development forum - here
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true........ but
argentocruz:
1. True dat
2. 16 gb micro sd card: $50, for that much, just extend your contract and get a refurb HD7, same price.
3. [Same]
4. Not in my experience
5. I live in the U.S. enough said.
You are still forgetting the internet sharing, which doesnt exist on WP7, which was one of the main reasons I bought the HD2. Also you have the file explorer, which was also very nice. I could be wrong, but I don't think you can download files directly from the internet, either in WP7; didn't have long enough to try it.
Bottom line: WP7 is just a glorified iPhone, Windows Mobile gives you true freedom.
I absolutely love WP7 on my HD2. Sure there are a few....I mean VERY few things I miss from WinMo, but not enough to revert back or go to android (bleh). I actually have a phone that works now, lol! The main thing I miss from WinMo on HD2 is the camera. Other than that, I'm EXTREMELY happy with WP7. And getting the activation code & unlocking the phone are so easy, it wouldn't deter any real poweruser. Plus I love the challenge of learning/hacking a new OS, especially one that's a challenge.
Ared777 said:
argentocruz:
Bottom line: WP7 is just a glorified iPhone, Windows Mobile gives you true freedom.
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i agree that WM is an amazing OS, it was seriously hampered by the networks and very poor driver support though, IF we had the correct drivers for the graphics it would rival WP7 and Android.
However, that is not the case, so whilst WM remains a beast of an OS that can do almost anything its not got a good UI and its social intigration isnt as good.
which is exactly why i want to dual boot WM and WP7, at the moment i have to take my old Touch HD around if i wish to use WM which isnt ideal
To say WP7 is like an iPhone isnt completely correct, its similar yes, are targeted to the same demographic but after using an iphone and android for quite a long time, you wont find me moving back.
If they cant get WM to dual boot with WP7 i would love WP7 to have a sandboxed WM environment to allow me to run WM apps or even better as devices get more powerful with dual cores to have an Emulated WM OS
The potential for WP7 is massive, we can only hope they take WM and somehow shove its functionality in to WP7, sand boxed for course to maintain OS integrity, which unfortunatly is what WM failed at.
The carriers buggered it for WM, and MS got the blame for it, what people dont realise is that MS had little to do with what happened to MS, other than its inaction and sorting it out that is!
yeah
dazza9075 said:
i agree that WM is an amazing OS, it was seriously hampered by the networks and very poor driver support though, IF we had the correct drivers for the graphics it would rival WP7 and Android.
However, that is not the case, so whilst WM remains a beast of an OS that can do almost anything its not got a good UI and its social intigration isnt as good.
which is exactly why i want to dual boot WM and WP7, at the moment i have to take my old Touch HD around if i wish to use WM which isnt ideal
To say WP7 is like an iPhone isnt completely correct, its similar yes, are targeted to the same demographic but after using an iphone and android for quite a long time, you wont find me moving back.
If they cant get WM to dual boot with WP7 i would love WP7 to have a sandboxed WM environment to allow me to run WM apps or even better as devices get more powerful with dual cores to have an Emulated WM OS
The potential for WP7 is massive, we can only hope they take WM and somehow shove its functionality in to WP7, sand boxed for course to maintain OS integrity, which unfortunatly is what WM failed at.
The carriers buggered it for WM, and MS got the blame for it, what people dont realise is that MS had little to do with what happened to MS, other than its inaction and sorting it out that is!
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^agreed. I'm waiting for someone to release (probably cotulla) to release WM6.5 or WP7 for an SD card and just boot into whichever system is necessary. WP7 would probably be my primary because it is less buggy, easier to use, and has much better apps. Also I agree with you that they should have put WM functionality into WP7, because WM was probably the closest mobile OS to an actual computer OS, because it had the file explorer, also you can install programs from anywhere, not just Marketplace. That was what really disappointed me about WP7, and also it didn't have internet sharing, which was such a great feature! All you had to do was tap the button, plug it into your computer, and click connect and within 2 minutes you were getting internet on your PC through your phone.
Actually, if properly installed WP7 runs better than its native WinMo 6.5, and much better than Android!
I have been using it for the last few months without glitches, bugs, etc.
It is simple, all your basics (texts, emails, contacts, IE) are easily accessible; typing on it is better than anything out there (including Iphone), very simple and intuitive graphics.
However, when you get into 'hubs' and apps WP7's sheer graphic beauty comes forward. And this is what makes it a great OS, simple for every day use (too many screens and widgets in Android come to mind as something I wish to avoid), and beautiful when you get deeper into it!
Also, it is very FAST and stable!
There is also something called Touch Explorer which is same as File Explorer in WM6.5.
You can also download Navigo for your navigational needs, and may I tell you it runs perfectly and is very accurate.
There is a plethora of apps here on XDA which you can download onto your unlocked HD2 (an advantage over native devices) just do some research and you will have everything you had on your old WM6.5.
Do you remember the Voice Commander on the old OS, you had to reinstall it every time you flashed a ROM, it was slow, and leggy. On WP7 is fast and very accurate.
My advice is to properly flash this OS, use it for a month and you will not revert to WM or Android.
Also, it would not hurt to see the upcoming Mango update (go to Youtube) to see in which direction this OS is moving.
Microsoft did not enter the mobile market with this OS to play, it came to kill.
mfrey0118 said:
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Sorry for being off topic, but this guy's sig attracted me.
"Black HTC HD2" .. lol wut ?
I love the fluidity of the OS, but sometimes it is so simple and clean that it become annoying (Coming from Android NAND). I would still prefer android but you really can't beat WP7 on the HD2 since it has 720p recording. The HTC Hub application is pretty nice too.