[Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE] glgehman:
Digest time?

Do you think we could prevail upon fuses to update the OP of THIS THREAD - or to assign ownership of it to someone else, possibly lowetax - to include a set of absolute prerequisites?

I just successfully completed S-OFF last night, but only after three failed attempts (one under WinXP and two under Linux) and three unbricks. But I would never have been able to unbrick the first time if I had not gotten on IRC and had hyuh recover it for me. Took HIM 90 minutes and a different version of the unbricker to do it!

This thread now has >1500 messages and anyone who wants to S-OFF successfully has to read through at least 400 of them before fully understanding what they need to do and what they need before they start doing anything. That stuff should be in the OP.

In my case, I had to dump MeanROM 0.9 and install Fresh 5.1.1. I also, in the process - because it couldn't hurt - switched from XP to Win7 and replaced my thread-thin USB cable for one as thick as a baby's arm (not quite). In the end, I had the right combination, because it worked. But yeah, like the guy just said a few posts above mine, you have to wait A GOOD LONG WHILE for the driver install to register. Because I didn't, I got the "failed software install" warning and FeedPanda counted up to (155) before it finally kicked in. I didn't bail because the phone stayed lit and kept rebooting, so I knew something was happening. Also, because I did everything right this time, my SDCard came through intact.

Anyway, I propose that the following be added into the original post:

PREREQUISITES:

1) You phone MUST be rooted stock (1.13 base!) or one of these known working ROMs that uses stock build.prop (Fresh 5.1.1, whatever others are known). Any other ROM will brick your phone! If you are running a different ROM that you like, make a Nandroid backup and then flash one of the known working ROMs. You won't have to deal with it for long.

2) You MUST uninstall any and all HTC software and drivers from your Windows computer and ONLY use the drivers provided at the link on the unlimited.io LazyPanda web page. Failure to do so will brick your phone!

3) You should back up the contents of your SDCard to your computer or, better still, use a spare SDCard that you don't mind losing for this process. This process should not, but may and frequently has, resulted in complete loss of the data on the SDCard. For good measure, format any SDCard you use on the phone. I did this through TWRP recovery. Formatting on the phone places Android-specific files there that formatting on a PC doesn't.

4) When you have met these requirements, then proceed to post #475 of this thread and follow the instructions there to the letter. Note that for steps 5, 6 and 9, you must be patient. Let everything happen until it's done. In step 9* (the crucial part), many distressing things can happen: warnings, alerts that software installation failed, etc. As long as your phone continues to reboot and/or light up, it is busy and working. Let it finish. You will likely hear your USB connect/disconnect sounds many times.

5) If at any time your phone goes dark and unresponsive FOR MORE THAN 5 MINUTES, then it is time to suspect you may be bricked. Spend that 5 minutes reading this thread: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1738481 and follow its procedures. If all else fails, go to the unlimited.io website and click the support link. Someone there will probably be able to help you through IRC chat.

Those are my suggestions anyway,

glg

* - PS: During step 9 you will not be tempted to touch your cat. You will be too scared. BUT, your cat will know that something extremely important is happening and will try to jump up on your computer or your USB cable or phone. Better to put the cat in the basement until this is over.