Database Users

[Q] Intro and a uple ??s

Hi people,
I am a noob as far as Android goes, but I am pretty good at PC stuff. I run a 3D CAD department and I've been the "unofficial" tech guy at every job I've had in the last 10 years.
That being said, I just got the HTC Hero from Sprint last weekend, Android 2.1, update 1. I have always wanted to play with Linux but have never really had the time. So, this is my first encounter with Android or Linux.
So ..... , as much as I'd love to root the phone, I'm afraid to brick it. Is there any way to get rid of all the bloatware without rooting my phone? Also, what are the chances of bricking the phone? I've read a couple "how to root" articles on the net and it doesn't seem like it would be that hard, but I LOVE this phone so far (other than battery life) and I honestly can't afford to go buy a new one at full price if I end up killing my phone.
Another question; I've seen a few people in other posts who have the HTC Hero and say they're running 2.2. How is this done? Is this something else that I would need to root the phone to accomplish?
Also, I just ordered an 8GB microSD card. My laptop has a card slot, so I'm figuring I can put the new card in the slot, connect my phone via USB, and copy everything on the phone to the new 8GB card, then just swapping the cards.
Am I correct thinking this should be as simple as it sounds, or is there more involved?
I appreciate you taking the time to read my post, and I look forward to reading/posting here on a regular basis.
Thanks,
Eric Mortenson

Hey, welcome to XDA!
It is VERY HARD to brick this phone, so don't worry....about the only way we've seen that is by flashing a GSM radio to it, so just don't do that and you'll be fine trying anything else.
There are a couple rooting methods here, and there won't be any problems at all as long as you follow the instructions. It's not as daunting as it may first seem. You do have to root to get rid of bloatware, it can't be done without rooting. I recommend this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=694572 although there are 'one-click' and 'universal' methods out there too.
The ones running Android 2.2 are doing it through a custom ROM called Cyanogenmod. Check out the Development section to find it. It doesn't have the HTC Sense UI though, so it will look and feel different than your stock 2.1. But lots of people here are using it and loving it. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=755795
And yes, you should just be able to swap out the SD cards with no problems.

chromiumleaf
Thanks for the quick and helpful reply. It is greatly appreciated.
I think I am going to try to root my phone. Pre-installed "bloatware" on PCs is one of my biggest pet peeves. So, the biggest reason I have right now for rooting my phone is to get rid of the stuff I don't want/need/use.
I will probably leave the 2.1 on the phone because I love the phone so far and if as you say, it will look and feel different. Maybe I'll keep digging through the site and change my mind later. Thanks for the "heads up".
Please do me one favor, and I hate to sound ignorant (I did say earlier I was new at this), but what does "flashing a GSM radio to it" mean, and is it something I could do my mistake?
Sorry, tried doing a search so I wouldn't have to bother you but I'm just not sure.
Thanks again.
Eric

Eric_1966_FXE said:
...what does "flashing a GSM radio to it" mean, and is it something I could do my mistake?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To "flash" some code means to burn it into your phone's read-only memory. A number of things can be flashed to your phone's memory, including the radio operating code, high-level operating system code, and "kernel" (system "core") code.
What the poster meant by "flashing a GSM radio" is "downloading the code that operates the phone's radio". Our Sprint Hero phones have what is called CDMA radio hardware, while European Hero phones have GSM radio hardware. The two different radios are not compatible with each other's operating code. So if you ever download ("flash") the wrong radio code (GSM code) into your CDMA phone, that will render your radio inoperative, which will effectively brick your phone.
With that in mind, just read carefully any information relating to any system code you're considering flashing to your phone, and make SURE it's for a CDMA phone, and you'll be fine.

I loved sense and was all against even trying an aosp rom( vanilla/ stock android), but once I flashed CM6 and found beautiful widgets and launcher pro plus and dialer one I haven't looked back. The speed of my phone and the overall appearance is far better than Sense UI. Rooting the 2.1 is far easier than it was when I got mine. You had to download and type in a whole bunch of crap, now its as easy as installing an app and running it.

Thanks
Thank you to all three of you for your quick (and more importantly useful) answers.
You guys are awesome.

Go for it
I have 4 Hero's here at my home on a family plan,and mine is the only one running CM6-RC1 and they are all jealous. Every one that has a Hero at work or a different Android running 2.1 that has seen mine including a few Evo users loves the way mine looks and how fast it is. I thought in the beginning I wouldn't want to loose Sense and feared I would brick my phone as well,but these guys here are great and are a very supportive Hero community and walked me through the process. It is a lot easier now with the universal 1 click method than before,so that was what I did. The nice thing is if you do everything correctly,you can revert right back to you stock phone if you ever have to take it in for service.
Taking your time and researching all of this pretty good before deciding what to do is a good thing,but I can honestly say, there is so much more you can do once you unlock your phone than just downloading apps and bloat ware...you can actually make it work and do what you want it to do.
The chiefs here at XDA are working hard to bring us stable working Roms for everyday use,and I tip my hat to all of them and I certainly am loving how my Hero is now compared to what it was when it was stock.The RC-1 build I am running is awesome and (knock wood) haven't crashed 1x with it where I needed to do anything nor have I had any shutdowns or unexpected forced closed programs that were installed correctly.
So I say... Don't be afraid and just go for it.. you can still have it similar to what it is now,or you can see what aosp is all about like many here have and try it.That's the beauty of Rooting...YOU have the choice of what is on your phone..not someone else.
Good Luck
Mac

Thanks Mac
And Thank you to all who responded.
Like I said in my intro, I am a tech geek when it comes to PCs but this is my first venture into this kind of forum.
You have all been extremely helpful and have made me feel welcome.
I only hope that I can return the favor at some point to others on XDA.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend.
Thanks again,
Eric

100% Functional ROM

I'm currently using a Vibrant (rooted, flashed, blah blah) but I've been looking into getting an HD2 to play with now that they're going for dirt cheap on craigslist. Before I do this, could anyone tell me if there are any 100% functional android roms out? I had an hd2 when it first came out, and wasn't a winmo fan. At all. But now that there's been a lot of progress made, I'm willing to give it another try.

No... there are currently no Android ROMs for the HD2. you still need a Windows Mobile ROM and run Android off of the SD
Please refer to the Android Development section in the other HD2 area for Android builds and news regarding Android development.

Nope, there is no a 100% working build yet. All android builds have users reporting SOD, long wake up time, and other issues like low in call volume levels.

Alright, thank you both. As for winmo, one of my main concerns was the lag in texting, using sense, etc. Have any steps been taken to improve these issues? I would search the forums if I could, but I'm getting a pretty lousy connection here in my building. Also, I didn't get very good 3g on my HD2. Have any connection fixes come out?

To answer your questions, No and Yes(Maybe). Texting through the HTC client is still as slow as ever, but if you disable it and use the regular WinMo text program everything is gravy. And the connection issues are probobly just your area, but you can always flash a new Radio ROM and see if it helps any.

OHHitsKB said:
I'm currently using a Vibrant (rooted, flashed, blah blah) but I've been looking into getting an HD2 to play with now that they're going for dirt cheap on craigslist. Before I do this, could anyone tell me if there are any 100% functional android roms out? I had an hd2 when it first came out, and wasn't a winmo fan. At all. But now that there's been a lot of progress made, I'm willing to give it another try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow are stories are exactly the same! I had a HD2 the first week they came out then sold it because of WinMo. I also bought a Vibrant and still have it (Rooted and playing with ROMS). I now bought a HD2 to play with and experiment with ROMS and Android on it.

OHHitsKB said:
I'm currently using a Vibrant (rooted, flashed, blah blah) but I've been looking into getting an HD2 to play with now that they're going for dirt cheap on craigslist. Before I do this, could anyone tell me if there are any 100% functional android roms out? I had an hd2 when it first came out, and wasn't a winmo fan. At all. But now that there's been a lot of progress made, I'm willing to give it another try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The world will never know!

I can tell you that there is an offical 3.15 tmo rom out there as a RC. I've put it on several phones and so far can state that it has cured all problems we've experienced with the HD2.
I need to test swype+text tho, forgot about that one!!

Official 3.15 ROM eh? Where is the link?

Actually it's 3.14, and still officially in testing phase, although it's more of a release candidate. Splash screen says "Test, not for sale" and all that.
So "official" was a bad choice of a word, but I did get it directly from TMO.

I too own the Vibrant and got an HD2 to play around with. The HD2 is nice, but I love my Vibrant, and would never use the HD2 as a primary phone until a complete Android port is available. Nice hardware, just a POS OS. I am curious to see what the update brings to WinMo on the HD2. It goes without saying that I am anxiously awaiting a 100% functional Droid ROM on this thing.

See, its people like this that bring WinMo down for no reason. WinMo, especially on the HD2 is no "POS OS". WinMo runs circles around Android as far as compatability and open-ness is concerned. Android may look "nicer"(if looking like Ubuntu is nice...), but WinMo has it where it counts...*cough no rooting to access file system cough*.

See, its people like this that bring WinMo down for no reason. WinMo, especially on the HD2 is no "POS OS". WinMo runs circles around Android as far as compatability and open-ness is concerned. Android may look "nicer"(if looking like Ubuntu is nice...), but WinMo has it where it counts...*cough no rooting to access file system cough*.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are joking right? Anyway...didn't mean to offend anyone. The HD2 is a nice phone.

kmdub said:
You are joking right? Anyway...didn't mean to offend anyone. The HD2 is a nice phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried installing Cookies Home Tab Editor on your HD2? It's free and makes a Winmo phone have the same functionality as Android with all of the icons, widgets, etc. Supports multiple pages of icons with a home screen just like Android, but also with the sweet Windows mobile stuff as well. Double the awesome. Check it out if you haven't.
WinMo is just a little more nerdy in terms of customization compared to the Iphone and Android. There is a lot to learn and if you aren't at least semi computer savvy and into nerding out on your phone (reading a lot), it's not the phone for you. I wouldn't recommend it for my 60 year old mom.
Mostly, Winmo phones aren't awesome out of the box usually. In terms of out of the box, the HD2 is the best winmo phone that I've seen. Sense is clean.
I have an HD2, Jailbroken Iphone and a Rooted G1 and have played with newer Android devices. The HD2 is by far, still the best. It just does more awesome stuff. You can customize anything on Winmo. ANYTHING.
I really like all three operating systems though. None of them suck.

[Q] My phone is on the way and after reading this I am very worried!!!

Ok so I just ordered 2 T-Mobile HTC HD2 phones through T-Mobile and while waiting for them to come in the mail I decided to look deeply into this phone and I have to tell you that I am extremely worried about what I have seen. It almost seems as if I have purchased 2 phones that flat out wont work properly. Is this the case? I am not tech savy and there is a short buyers remorse period. I just want my very expensive phones to work. Is this phone going to work? Is it going to freeze all the time? If so can someone take me under their wing to teach me about ROM's and setting up the proper Android version? I am really looking to get with someone who can teach me the in's and out's of this phone and hopefully walk me through the process of making this phone everything that I know it can be. Please help me!!!!

Dont worry
I love this phone. I haven't always. I have spent a lot of time reading this forum and learning about this phone. First when you get the phone update to the latest ROM Its very easy to do threw the T-mobile website, just search latest HD2 software you will need the windows mobile software also, but you need that no matter what software comes on the phone. then set up the phone how ever you want. try it like that for a while. If you don't like it download some apps. To make it so you do like it. It is an amazing piece of hardware. windows is just ok. some of the things i like about the phone are how easy it syncs with outlook. I love the swype keyboard and i really like the phone book. Search the internet for apps, the market place is kind of limited. Look at the SD card that comes with the phone. If it is a 16gb card with a 2 on it call tmobile and they will give you the HTC # to get it exchanged. Since the new ROM and the new SD card i have no more trouble. I run Winmo 6.5 and Android by darkstone. good luck

Expect to have to put in a lot of time reading, learning, and finding solutions to bugs and problems if you want to run android on it. Its not that hard as long as you can follow instructions and search when you come across an issue... it can be very time consuming. Is there a reason that you didn't get a native android phone if you want to run android.... there are plenty of good android phones out there now.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App

It's called buyer's remorse. That's why you have a return period. If you don't like the HD2, you may return it. I love mine, but if this is a first windows device, the learning curve is steep! One thing, battery life is considerably shorter with sense enabled.

With the latest windows rom which your phones should come with you don't need to root your phone or change roms to run android. I run mdj's clean froyo 2.3 with hastarin 8.2 kernel. This combo gives me such a stable version of android I never use windows.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App

[Q] Getting an HD2, is it worth it?

Hi!
I know this question was probably asked here lots of times,
and I apologize in advance, because I still haven't found the answer to my question
I have an option to buy a practically mint condition HD2 from a friend (he got a Desire HD, lucky him, I don't the money), he can sell it to me cheaper.
He says he installed Android on it, but as an app, (I still have no idea what ROMs, Flashing and all that means) not as a self loading OS, and the phone is still running WM.
So the question being, is it really worth my while getting the phone, fiddling around with it, installing Android and/or WP7 (I heard that's possible) and losing on battery time?
Is the battery time the only problem affecting daily usage?
How difficult/risky is it to install android/wp7 on the HD2?
Or should I just get a simple android phone (desire, legend, wildfire etc...)?

The HD2 is a beast of a device, and as long as you read, flashing isn't really all that hard at all. May I suggest my guide in my signature?
The HD2 can indeed run Android and WP7 directly from NAND, and most Android builds on the HD2 are actually faster than "real" decicated Android devices.

Thanks,
The guide is very interesting,
but turns out I'm a bigger noob then I thought,
Where can I find a guide on the basics (what is NAND, ROMs, Flashing etc...)?

I'm a little reluctant to reply but I'll give it a go.
It's not difficult to flash a ROM but before you do anything you MUST READ THOROUGHLY about whatever it is that you are doing.
Firstly, it is possible to put Android onto an SD card and run it without making any changes to your phone. You have to boot into Win Mo then switch Android. When you re-boot the phone it will boot back to Win Mo. This is what this whole section of this forum is about. http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=735
If you want to change your phone permanently then you have to flash a ROM and it is the slightly risky element. READ all the ROM flashing guides here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=713977
You can also Flash Android to your phone so that it replaces Win Mo. This is what this whole section of this forum is about. http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=928
To put Win Phone 7 or Win Mobile 6.5 on your phone you have to flash it like an Android NAND ROM.

If you can buy it cheap, then yes go for it.
It's highly addictive and most of all very impressive device.
I wouldn't say that the battery is still an issue now since it lasts at least a full day and USB to charge is everywhere nowadays.
Like Bouncypete wrote you will have to read alot on the go.
The safest bet is to use the standard WinMo and start Android from the SD-card.
If you like that you can always go to a Nand version which replaces the actually WinMo version inside the HD2.
You can always go back to WinMO incase you don't like Android (or WP7) or warranty purposes.
Most Nand and probably other SD versions have a good tutorial in the thread itself on how to get it on the device, or there are the stickies.
We are also not un-human so if you need something do a search, read, read again and then ask. No person will shoot you if you have searched and don't know what to do.
Now if you don't like the HD2 you can probably resell it for the same price you bought it for.

TDB!
The HD2 is still the best pda on the market. For anybody who wants anything just a bit more than a phone/media player, windows mobile still has the the largest and most flexible range of apps with the most options. I'm booting winmo 6.5 with Android 2.2 running from sd and there's nothing I see on the market at the moment which could begin to tempt me away from it. All the preceding of course subject to the all embracing "IMHO"!

patcooke said:
The HD2 is still the best pda on the market. For anybody who wants anything just a bit more than a phone/media player, windows mobile still has the the largest and most flexible range of apps with the most options. I'm booting winmo 6.5 with Android 2.2 running from sd and there's nothing I see on the market at the moment which could begin to tempt me away from it. All the preceding of course subject to the all embracing "IMHO"!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed, the range of free and custom apps is what keeps me on WM. I have several preferred applications that I use. And I like the fact that there is (was) such a large developer community for the device. It encouraged innovation. I think there is less such activity when one is forced to deal with an "App" store that is monitored by the OS manufacturer.

OP,
Just make sure that you are indeed getting it for "cheap".
While the HD2 is a great device, it does not change the hard reality that it is an antique by today's tech standards.
You need to know how long your friend has owned the device, how much calls has been made on it.
I ask this because the longer he has owned the device, the greater your risk of having the physical buttons eventually fail on you. As much as I love my HD2, I am aware that the buttons will eventually fail. Please consider this.
Cheers.

just my 2c as the guyz above have given you tremendous input.
I have an option to buy a practically mint condition HD2 from a friend (he got a Desire HD, lucky him, I don't the money), he can sell it to me cheaper.
-> just check how "mint" the condition is. screen scratches, button usage (are they still springy or dull), etc.
He says he installed Android on it, but as an app, (I still have no idea what ROMs, Flashing and all that means) not as a self loading OS, and the phone is still running WM.
-> android is installed in the microsd of the phone. the hd2 is essentially still running windows 6.5 but you can launch android and use this as your os. the advantage being is if android crashes...and that's IF given the stability of the roms developed by the rom-Gods here....your phone is still fine as it was originally in windows. if you want to get android up and running again, you simply have to reformat your microsd and reinstall a new android build
So the question being, is it really worth my while getting the phone, fiddling around with it, installing Android and/or WP7 (I heard that's possible) and losing on battery time?
Is the battery time the only problem affecting daily usage?
-> battery life will probably be your first problem as you get into android. but as you go along, i would recommend that you "sample" the other roms and find out which one gives you the optimal results. the way you set up your phone is also vital. as i mentioned in another thread regarding battery usage, i'm quite pleased with my current set up. i normally unplug my unit from charging at around 10pm. in the morning when i get up, the battery shows 97% remaining. not bad considering that was an 8-hour standby and i'm also using live video wallpaper. again, it'll depend on the set up
How difficult/risky is it to install android/wp7 on the HD2?
-> installing android is EASY as everything is in the microsd. if you want to boot up via android then as the chaps recommended, you have to do further reading.
to answer your question, i would say yes it's worth getting the phone. the hd2 is an awesome device. it's a great way to get started if you want to have android or wm7 or other operating systems
some things to consider if you do decide to get the phone:
-upgrading the rom itself (the windows rom)
-upgrading the radio
although not essential to run android, upgrading these will definitely give you better stability when running the os. again, the guides are all there and the chaps are happy to help out.

With reading, the HD2 can be a very fun device. But if you have the mentality of unwilling to search, read, try out, then I'd say you should stay away from this phone. The HD2's isn't marketed to people who want something that just works, it's marketed to people who like to tweak, tinker, play around with or hack their phones.
So if you're unwilling to go read, understand, etc and just want something that works "perfect" out of the box, then I suggest you get a WP7 phone or iPhone.

Kailkti
You touched a nerve there, I'm currently using (or better say, being abused by) a Nokia 5800 with the latest firmware, and just 10 minutes ago, during a call it just froze up, wouldn't let me close the call, so I restarted it, and it took 3 minutes to connect to the network, what the hey?!
on one hand I love twinkering, but as long as stuff works, and gets better,
not twinkering for basic usability, which is kinda what's in store for me if take the HD2
regarding the condition of said phone, it was bought about a year ago, for my friend's father (being the largest screen available) and he never got around to use it much, just some skype calls from abroad, and a little of regular calls here and there
didn't leave the house much, so it's about as mint as they come.
price wise, how much does an HD2 cost nowadays?

Eugene_N said:
Kailkti
You touched a nerve there, I'm currently using (or better say, being abused by) a Nokia 5800 with the latest firmware, and just 10 minutes ago, during a call it just froze up, wouldn't let me close the call, so I restarted it, and it took 3 minutes to connect to the network, what the hey?!
on one hand I love twinkering, but as long as stuff works, and gets better,
not twinkering for basic usability, which is kinda what's in store for me if take the HD2
regarding the condition of said phone, it was bought about a year ago, for my friend's father (being the largest screen available) and he never got around to use it much, just some skype calls from abroad, and a little of regular calls here and there
didn't leave the house much, so it's about as mint as they come.
price wise, how much does an HD2 cost nowadays?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
New ones are between 450 and 500 on ebay. Used ones generally go around $300 - 350.
But be careful of those cheaper "New" ones on ebay: many of them are in fact replacement phones sent by the carrier as warranty fixes - and my be refurbished, not actually new.

Eugene_N said:
...price wise, how much does an HD2 cost nowadays?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Asking price on CL here in the Bay Area is generally $200-$300.
I picked a pretty clean used one up Saturday for $150.
Got it running the unofficial CM7 nightlys now.
Bit of a learning curve but not bad.
I hadn't really touched anything but Nokia devices for several years.

Eugene_N said:
Kailkti
on one hand I love twinkering, but as long as stuff works, and gets better,
not twinkering for basic usability, which is kinda what's in store for me if take the HD2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The HD2 running WinMo has been VERY stable and useful for me regardless of all the crap people say about WinMO. To me it sounds like the HD2 would be a good choice for you as you can tweak WinMo as much as you like and have Andriod on SD and play with that as well.

If you like to explore and tinker, then feel free to get this fun device. It can entertain you in many ways.

So, I got it for a trial run,
It's awesome!!!
So I'm using an SD Android, with some sense features, dunno what it's called. But it's a bit sluggish and the screen freezes up from time to time, used a more stockish SD Android before, worked better though
But the battery times are lousy, after 4-5 hours with WiFi on, without 3g (no dim inside) I have to recharge it,
Is it normal? Or is the battery dead?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

I've owned a number of devices over the last 8+years and the HD2 is the best so far.
I dropped my HD2 last year and had the option to sell the insurance replacement or keep it. I kept it.
I probably won't upgrade from my HD2 until there is a dual core phone on the market with both cores running at 1 Gig.
RAM ? I have plenty on the HD2, make it a LOT faster and I'll upgrade.
ROM ? Ditto.
Micro SD expansion ? Again, haven't used the whole 16Gb I have on this device.
What else is there ? Retina type display like on the iPhone (spit) ? Yes please.
HDMI Out ? I don't use HD content in that way preferring VLC or DLNA
Android ? Already doable but Android is still in beta, too, and it's still a bit rubbish
Is the HD2 worth it ? For me, the HD2 is the first fully converged device I've had and
it does everything I need it to do reliably, in a decently sized package without fuss.

@ eugene
If you're browsing the web, you can expect that amount of battery usage, especially if you're watch videos.
With normal use, and I mean say just about 2-4 hrs of on screen time, and the rest stanby, you can expect the battery to last two days.

buy it now!!!!!!!!!!!

I will add my two cents if i may...
terms ROM ( which can either be WM6.5, WM7 or Android)
HSPL ( a secondary boot-loader that should be flashed first to safeguards us noobs bricking our phones)
RADIO ( the software that talks to the hardware )
KERNEL ( don't know what this does as yet or how to upgrade it)
I bought mine only two weeks ago...
1. i read alot....from the HTC leo section
2. I flashed first MAGLDR v1.13 (HSPL) to safeguard against any major mishaps
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=10197474&postcount=1
3. and then flashed a NAND android rom ... this we not so smooth as the phone kept on rebooting without notice
4. I upgraded the radio to as xx.50.xx.xx
5. I downgraded again to WM6.5
6. then back up to a nand CMYLXGO's BlueTopia HD(2)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=916707
It is bascially that simple......run as smooth now as a baby's bottom

[Q] Thinking about buying a HD2

I’ve currently got a HTC Touch Pro and I’m thinking about maybe buying a HD2 which I can get on eBay for about £170 - £200 and that’s quite a lot of money so I want to be sure before I buy it. What has mainly gotten me interested in this phone is the fact it can run Windows Phone 7 which looks lovely. A few things I’m unsure about is the size and the fact this phone doesn’t have a hardware keyboard, I’ve used a friend’s HD2 before but only for a few minutes. Anybody here upgrade to the HD2 from a phone with a hardware QWERTY keyboard how did you find getting use to the onscreen one, was it better?
Thanks

It can run WP7, but it's a bit of a hack, you basically can't "activate" it to get apps from the marketplace or other xbox live services without calling Microsoft and getting a gullible representative on the line, which are hard to come by because by now they've mostly been briefed on this.
Also, who knows when nodo comes out in March if the old ROMs will still function indefinitely, nodo itself will have to be hacked in order for it to accept sideloading which Microsoft has stated they'd close. Also half the reason why the closed-source WP7 works so well on the HD2 is because it was prototyped on the HD2, the ROMs available now are based on those prototypes, after nodo, that also won't be the case, necessitating the making of drivers for a closed-source OS with no native SDK.
I don't want to sound negative, but my experience with WP7 is that it's not a "daily driver" on the HD2, and unlike Android on the HD2 is very much an unfinished work with an uncertain future due to Microsoft locking up the platform. It is fun to play with though, and I think you'd enjoy the HD2 in general, but if what you want is a WP7 phone, you probably should buy a WP7 phone.

I bought the HD2 for use as a student/scientist to be able to communicate with work effectively through email along with mobile office and all the great features it has. The lack of qwerty keyboard is made up for by the large screen. It gives a touch screen keyboard a lot of real estate to work with. But I just recently decided to install android on it instead of upgrading to WM7. That has made me love this phone. You can keep WM6.5 on the phone as well as install android for all the fun quirkiness you need. It has made this phone perfect for me. This phone is like a mullet: Business in the front (windows), party in the back (android, and by back I mean SD card).

I had a Desire and moved on to the HD2 about a month ago - the larger screen makes using the touch keyboard easier.
A side effect of booting Android off an SD card (as I do) is that a *full* backup of the installation can be made by simply copying the contents of the relevant directories on the SD card. Also, the data.img file (equivalent to the data partition on a phone where the O/S is installed in EEPROM) can be resized (with some care) to a larger size if needed.

Should you buy an HD2?
YES.
Firstly WP7 works properly and is EASY to activate via MS helpline.(1 phone call approx. 2 mins). There is a ton of support for you and any questions or problems you have, right here on this site.
A bit of a hack?... Yes, well this is XDA and I'm pretty sure you know that and are comfortable with it already.
WP7 on the HD2 works better (faster) than on the HD7!!!!
Secondly if you don't like WP7 as an everyday OS (are you ill?) then you can have WM6.5, Android, Ubuntu, Meego and even Win 95/98 or I think I read somewhere XP????
Why would you even ask if you should buy one?
£200 is cheap (£400+ rrp) compared to anything else on the market especially when you look at the specs and performance of those devices compared with the HD2.
I've had to upgrade my SD Card for £30, but I didn't have to fork out £300 for HD7, and I was going to upgrade anyway to fit more music on.
As for the soft keyboard...what can I say? It's bigger than the hard keys you've got at the minute and the Touch Screen works great.
The only question you should be asking is;
Why hasn't everyone got an HD2?
No matter what you prefer as an OS, the HD2 has got you covered thanks to the hard work of some great people on XDA, Cotulla and Bepe @ DFT and lots of others, too many to name here.
Essentially the HD2 will do what you want it to do when you want it to do it. And if what you want to do is sell it, for a new iPhone or HD7 (seriously, you may want to book some time with your GP), then plenty of people on here will want to buy it.
BUY... BUY... BUY....

Negativity
PloniAlmoni said:
It can run WP7, but it's a bit of a hack, you basically can't "activate" it to get apps from the marketplace or other xbox live services without calling Microsoft and getting a gullible representative on the line, which are hard to come by because by now they've mostly been briefed on this.
Also, who knows when nodo comes out in March if the old ROMs will still function indefinitely, nodo itself will have to be hacked in order for it to accept sideloading which Microsoft has stated they'd close. Also half the reason why the closed-source WP7 works so well on the HD2 is because it was prototyped on the HD2, the ROMs available now are based on those prototypes, after nodo, that also won't be the case, necessitating the making of drivers for a closed-source OS with no native SDK.
I don't want to sound negative, but my experience with WP7 is that it's not a "daily driver" on the HD2, and unlike Android on the HD2 is very much an unfinished work with an uncertain future due to Microsoft locking up the platform. It is fun to play with though, and I think you'd enjoy the HD2 in general, but if what you want is a WP7 phone, you probably should buy a WP7 phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WP7 on HD2 is a hack, yes, but this is the XDA site, and if you're here, you're probably already comfortable with that fact.
WP7 works properly and is EASY to activate via MS helpline.(1 phone call approx. 2 mins). There is a ton of support for you and any questions or problems you have, right here on this site.
HD2 was the test bed for WP7 on HTC devices, and HD7 is a slightly worse re-worked version of the HD2, so any future HD7 updates will be portable to HD2 which, if experience is an indicator, will run them better than HD7.
The Chevron7 unlock guys have been talking with MS about their sideload app, and although MS are going to close the loophole, Windows is Windows...infinitely hackable.
You may not be trying to sound negative, but you're not doing a very good job.

Definitely buy a HD2 and run Android (NAND) and you'll never look back.

Hi! I'd like to buy an hd2 too. My questions (in part you have already answered) are the following: i would buy an used hd2 to run above all android (and maybe occasionally i could try wp7 or the original wm6.5). But worth buying an hd2 for an unofficial rom? and android on hd2 is stable as the official one? has it problems (maybe it freezes...)? thank you very much!!!

jackal992 said:
Hi! I'd like to buy an hd2 too. My questions (in part you have already answered) are the following: i would buy an used hd2 to run above all android (and maybe occasionally i could try wp7 or the original wm6.5). But worth buying an hd2 for an unofficial rom? and android on hd2 is stable as the official one? has it problems (maybe it freezes...)? thank you very much!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Running WM6.5 I stuck with HTC ROMs, but WP7 means Custom is the new Standard. I don't know about Android, there is a seperate forum, I've never used it, too happy with WP7 (WM6.5 is also very good functionally), which works perfectly if you do it properly. See the posts on this forum about SD Cards.
In short, if you've thought about buying an HD2 you've made a mistake. JUST DO IT, you (probably) wont regret it.
I offer no guarantees on your experience when you decide to purchase. My experience has been awesome.
I am not paid by HTC to advertise their product, however if they offered to pay me, I would gladly advertise the HD2.

I have a Touch Pro & bought the HD2 about a month ago. It is a good device. In my opinion Android is not that special & WM7 is not worth the hassle.
I find Energy WM6.5.x build ROMs superb, rock solid with great GUI of sense & CHT.
The only thing better in Android is available games, Android platform itself is far from ground breaking & graphically dull as dull can get.
On screen keyboard options are good with WM although I still prefer a hard keyboard but the HD2 is good becuase of the huge screen & of course the SnapDragon.
Viewing websites is also far easier with the large screen & Opera 10 or 9.7.
You won't go far wrong with a HD2 if you are up to speed on modding WM, W7 & Android will leave you with problems (W7) or dull OS (Android).
Everyone is different but at least with the HD2 you can have many platforms in one device if you so wish.

ok. thanks a lot!! last question: i already tried to change bootloaders and roms in previuos winmo phones, luckily always all was ok. But in the hd2 is enough simple change bootloader/radio? i know that there are always risks but i've seen a lot of threads about "bricked" and "dead"/no more usable hd2. My question then is: if you follow carefully instructions of cookers is enough improbable that you brick your phone?? is this true? sorry for my bad english!
ps: can i trust buying used hd2 that already have android or however unofficial roms? This doesn't mean that these phones are "bricked", is this correct? even better then i may not have to change radio, correct? thank you very much!!

First Time
I only found out about Custom ROMs, flashing and Bootloaders 3 weeks ago, the first time I flashed everything worked. The HD2 is very stable, the ROMs on this site can be very stable.
Read the instructions carefully, make sure you have everything you need and a few hours spare to do the work. If you do this everything will be fine.
The Radio, MAGLDR and HSPL are as easy to install as a stock ROM, once you've read the instructions available.
NOW GO BUY YOUR HD2!!!!
NOW INSTALL WP7!!!

Thank you all for the replies and your be happy to know that I brought a HD2 yesterday on eBay for £177 I can't wait to get my hands on it =-D

jackal992 said:
ok. thanks a lot!! last question: i already tried to change bootloaders and roms in previuos winmo phones, luckily always all was ok. But in the hd2 is enough simple change bootloader/radio? i know that there are always risks but i've seen a lot of threads about "bricked" and "dead"/no more usable hd2. My question then is: if you follow carefully instructions of cookers is enough improbable that you brick your phone?? is this true? sorry for my bad english!
ps: can i trust buying used hd2 that already have android or however unofficial roms? This doesn't mean that these phones are "bricked", is this correct? even better then i may not have to change radio, correct? thank you very much!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would prefer to buy a stock device rather than one that could of been subject to a lot of flashing ect.
Also try to buy the revision model identified by having yellow reset button rather than red.
These are reported to have better motherboards & screen assemblies (HTC revised model due to large amount of motherboard & screen fault warranty returns)
If buying used don't buy anything that sounds a bit iffy, HD2 is not a cheap or simple device to fix.