[HTC Inspire 4G] Gene Poole:
I'm working on a single-package solution for S-ON full factory reset. It's a PD98IMG type package that, in addition to the program itself, contains the complete factory stock 1.80.502.3 RUU. It runs in three phases:

Overview:

Installs itself as a PD98IMG type package (it contains a stripped down CM6 OS with a single app--the app that does the restoration, the correct radio/kernel combo for gfree exploit, and a data partition containing the RUU); Simply copy the file to the SD card (with an adapter if you can't do it through the phone), rename it to exactly "PD98IMG.zip", then boot into HBOOT (disconnect USB if connected, pull and put back battery, then hold VOL-DOWN and momentarily press POWER).

Boots and runs the restoration program as the only app in the OS, prompting the user at each step to make sure all goes well. The last step copies the RUU from the data partition to the SD card, thereby replacing the PD98IMG.zip that installed everything with the RUU, then reboots to HBOOT for the final phase.

The final phase is loading and running the RUU on the newly restored (S-ON) device to return it to full factory status. The RUU copied in phase 2 is a genuine HTC stock 1.80.502.3 restoration RUU. Allow it to unzip and self-check, then press VOL-UP to write it to the device.

Once completed successfully, you should be in the same condition as an out-of-box new phone.

If you do have to send your phone back for warranty or insurance purposes, it should be a lot easier than the currently available methods.

Important! The newest batch of Inspires shipped from HTC (probably anything bought new after Aug. 2011) have hardware that is incompatible with the hboot in the Froyo update as listed here. If your Inspire is a later model Inspire, do not run the Froyo version on it. Use the Gingerbread version only!

Instructions:

Do a nandroid and/or Titanium backup! It never hurts!

While still in ClockWorkMod recovery, do a "Factory Reset/Wipe Data". This is necessary if you've got an ext4 cache or CM7 dalvik-cache on /cache. If not it will cause boot hang after installation. EXT4 cache will not work with this tool. If your recovery has ext4, be sure you format the cache to EXT3.

Download from the URL below, copy to the SD card and rename to "PD98IMG.zip"

Reboot to HBOOT: Shutdown completely (disconnect USB if connected and pull battery if necessary) then while holding down the VOL-DOWN key, press the POWER key for about half a second. The phone should boot into HBOOT, check the PD98IMG.zip for consistency, then prompt you to install. Select VOL-UP to install.

Once installed, HBOOT will prompt you to reboot by pressing the POWER button. Do this.

The operating system in this tool is a stripped down CM6 install with only the minimum features necessary to run an apk. The apk for the tool will run after the HTC splash screen, then prompt you through the process. Depending on the speed of your SD card, the last step, copying the RUU to the SD card, may take several minutes.

Once successfully completed, the phone will automatically reboot to HBOOT and begin the process of installing the RUU. The only thing you have to do at this point is acknowledge the prompt to install by pressing VOL-UP. (Note: the RUU install may skip a couple of images during the install but this is normal.)

Once the RUU is installed, press POWER to reboot and your phone should be in 100% factory out-of-box condition.

Changelog:

13-SEP-2011 -- Added emphasis to step 2 to drive home the fact that this will not work if you have an EXT4 cache partition.

21-AUG-2011 -- 1.07: Removed "beta" designation. Added both Gingerbread (2.3.3) and Froyo (2.2.2) versions since 2.3.3 is now officially released for Inspire. Cleaned up the launcher a bit, fixed some typos and scrolling issues.

11-AUG-2011 -- 1.06b: Reverted to a PD98IMG that does NOT erase the cache. This was causing boot hangs. There is now a new step 2 in the instructions. Be sure to clear your data/cache.

10-AUG-2011 -- 1.05b: Fixed black screen for some Inspires with different mfg. LCD panels. Added cache wipe to main image as a dirty cache partition could cause bootloops in some situations. Disabled screen timeout so screen doesn't blank out while copying RUU.

Download (restores to official Froyo 2.2.2) (315MB):

http://hoxnet.com/droid/s-on/PD98IMG_Inspire_S-ON_FactoryRestore_FR_1.07.zip

MD5: 4402961aef54f2928a757bd385e6c151

Download (restores to official Gingerbread 2.3.3) (309MB):

http://hoxnet.com/droid/s-on/PD98IMG_Inspire_S-ON_FactoryRestore_GB_1.07.zip

MD5: f6d519b11cc6229eb02c3ba274680c1e

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Special thanks to ATTN1 and the rest of the crew at #liberatedAria for their guidance in producing this. Thanks to m0biusace and kem52 for alpha testing this. Thanks to XDA crew for all the help they've provided with this forum.