[HTC Amaze 4G] TheCount01:
Being a noobie and learning a lot recently, I wanted to lay out step-by-step instructions, for all of us other noobs, on how I went from GB (Gingerbread) 2.3.4 with custom rom to stock ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich) 4.0.3 via T-Mobile OTA (Over the Air) upgrade. These are steps for my T-Mobile Amaze 4G with S-on and written in noobie language. I found some variations but none were in great detail or explained everything. I wanted to write this to save all other noobies all the lost hours I’ve spent reading forums after forums.

For background purposes, T-Mobile Amaze will not receive its update to ICS if the phone has a custom rom so you’ll need to get the phone back to its original software. Likewise, if you have a warranty issue and need to send your phone back, you’ll want to bring it back to stock.

In my instructions, I’ll try to answer all the questions I had myself (from a noobie’s perspective) so forgive me if you’re a pro.

Disclaimer: Do this at your own risk. I will not be liable for any damages whatsoever. If you’re unsure, then do your own research for supporting evidence. These are the steps I did to my phone and how I accomplished getting stock ICS on my T-Mobile Amaze 4G. These steps may not apply to you or your phone.

Terms and definitions

:

•RUU (ROM Utility Update): For the purposes of this posting, this is the original software (operating system) issued for the phone. GB 2.3.4 is one RUU and ICS is another RUU.

•Custom ROM: For the purposes of this posting, this is a modified RUU not from T-Mobile/HTC but customized by someone else a lot smarter than me.

•OTA (Over the Air): For the purposes of this posting, this is an upgrade to your phone’s operating system. In these steps, an OTA will be used to go from GB to ICS. OTA’s get pushed to the phone directly from the provider (T-Mobile) by using the phone’s software updates.

•S-on (Security on): With Security on, you’re limited to what you can flash (i.e. install) on your phone. For this purpose, you can flash a stock RUU with S-on as long as you’re staying on the same operating system or upgrading, however, your bootloader must be locked (see below). You cannot flash a downgraded RUU with S-on. For example, if your phone is S-on and you’re on GB (with bootloader locked), you can flash a GB RUU or ICS RUU. However, if you’re on ICS, you cannot downgrade to GB with S-on. To downgrade, you’ll need S-off.

•S-off (Security off): With Security off, you are much less limited and can flash just about any compatible software (i.e., roms) including stock RUUs. To get S-off, you’ll have to do the wire trick method along with a helpful program. For the purposes of this posting, having S-off doesn’t matter so I won’t go into how to get S-off.

•Bootloader locked/unlocked: Bootloader is a program executed on your phone before your operating system (i.e. GB or ICS) runs. Locked bootloaders will not allow custom roms (unless S-off, I believe), but will install stock RUUs. If you have a custom rom, you’re bootloader is probably unlocked.

•How to check if you’re S-on/off and locked/unlocked: Power on the phone into bootloader by holding the volume down rocker and power button at the same time. In bootloader, look at the top and it will say, “Locked”, “Relocked” or “Unlocked”. Below that, it should say S-on or S-off somewhere.

With these steps, you’ll backup the phone (just in case something goes horribly wrong), flash stock GB 2.3.4 RUU, and upgraded to stock ICS 4.0.3 with HTC/T-Mobile OTA software update. As a side note, the stock ICS RUU can be flashed instead of GB RUU, thus, skipping the upgrade step. However, my research shows a lot more successful upgrades by doing the following method. So that’s the route these instructions will take.

1.You’ll need at least one microSD card for these steps. With the phone off, eject the microSD card in your phone if you have one in there. If you have multiple microSD cards, then set this one aside, if not, copy any information from the card onto your computer if you want to save it. Then format the card.

2. Turn on the phone and wait for it to boot up. Connect your phone to a computer with a USB cable, select data disk on the phone, and use your computer to backup or copying anything on your phone that you would like to keep. Pictures, music, videos, etc… What you’re about to do will wipe your phone clean as if it’s from T-Mobile out of the box. Think of it as going from Windows XP to Windows 7.

3. Next, turn off your phone, unplug USB cable, and make sure to have your phone well charged. Now is a good time to charge it with a wall plug.

4. On your computer, download T-Mobile’s original GB RUU. If the link doesn't work, do a search on XDA’s site and you should find it. The file name is: “PH85IMG_Ruby_TMOUS_1.43.531.3_Radio_1.08.550L.19DC _30.66.550L.08D_release_228638_signed”. http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1617644

5. After the download is complete, rename this file to PH85IMG Make sure your computer sees this as a .zip file. Keep it as a .zip file. You’ll need to copy this later so know where you saved it.

6. On your computer, download and install Hasoon2000 toolkit for Amaze. Make sure it’s for Amaze. There are several toolkits available. If the link doesn't work, do a search. You’ll also need WinRAR to extract the software. http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1493905

a.Note: I do not personally know Hasoon2000, I only used his toolkit. During all my readings, he appears to be a reputable person who has helped thousands of people and noobs. With that said, whenever I attempted to install his toolkit, my Norton antivirus gave me a virus warning and would not install. This could be a false warning, but I have no idea. To play it safe, I took my extra laptop and made a system image on an external hard drive. System image will duplicate your entire computer including operating system at the current time. Once completed, I disconnected the external hard drive, unplugged my internet (or turned off WiFi antenna), disabled my antivirus software, installed the toolkit, and did the remaining steps below. Finally, once I finished using the toolkit, I reimaged my laptop to where it was before. If you decide to go this route, make reimaging the very last thing you do. You may need the toolkit if you run into problems. I had no problems.

7. Make sure your phone is well charged. I had mine over 95% charged.

8. If you have a custom rom, then you’re phone is probably unlocked. Look above under “terms and definitions” to see how to check if you haven’t done so already. If unlocked, go to step 10. If locked, continue on.

9. To flash a stock RUU with S-on (i.e. install stock GB or stock ICS), you’ll need to have your phone’s bootloader locked; however, if you want to backup you phone first, you’ll need to unlock your bootloader. Follow Hasoon2000 video instructions to unlock your phone. To watch his video, go to youtube.com and searched for “Hasoon2000”. You’ll see two videos. Watch the 11 minute video. You can stop watching after flashing the custom recovery. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b-BReM6HF8

a. Steps to unlocking bootloader at a high level: Install HTC drivers. Request a token ID (a request to unlock your phone from HTC). Submit and receive your unlock.bin (code to unlock your bootloader), and unlock bootloader. All seen in the video.

10.	If you skipped step 9, you need to watch hasoon2000 toolkit tutorial video. In the next few steps, you will be installing HTC drivers and flashing a custom recovery. The video will go over these steps. Don’t worry about anything else if you’re unlock. If you’re still locked, go back to step 9. To watch the video, go to youtube.com and searched for “Hasoon2000”. You’ll see two videos. Watch the 11 minute video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b-BReM6HF8

11. With your bootloader unlocked, power on your phone normally, have the toolkit open and connect your phone to your computer via USB cable.

12. Right here, my computer automatically installed drivers. I waited for the process to finish.

13. In the toolkit, select “Install HTC Drivers” and click “Go”. This will install drivers on your computer to run your HTC Amaze.

14. At anytime in these steps, if you see the cmd screen (black command screen) pop up, then wait for all the command lines to stop writing. Once done, close the cmd screen. The toolkit cannot run future commands if this window is open.

15. On your Amaze, make sure you’re phone settings are connected to PC as “charge only”. For GB go to, settings>PC Connections (I believe, I already upgraded to ICS so I can’t confirm)

16. Next make sure “Enable USB debugging” is selected: For GB it’s: Settings>Apps>Development>USB Debugging

17. After that, you will flash a custom recovery onto the phone so that you can make a backup. 4EXT is the custom recovery that was highly recommended and is the one I flashed. To flash 4EXT, use the toolkit, select “4EXT”, and click “Flash Recovery”. Watch the video to see the flashing process, your computer’s reactions, and your phone’s reactions. As a side note: I already had a custom recovery flashed on my phone from the previous owner but it was out-of-date. After I flashed 4EXT, it appeared to have flashed over my out-of-date custom recovery.

18. Once the flashing process is complete and after 4EXT is installed, power off your phone and unplug the USB cable.

19. Powered on the phone as normal and make sure everything is working as it should. If not, you may want to re-flash 4EXT. I didn’t have any problems.

20. Power off the phone.

21. Pull battery

22. Insert a decent size formatted microSD card to store your phone’s backup. Mine was 4GB. I believe it took over 2GB of space.

23. Reboot into Bootloader by holding the bottom volume rocker and power button at the same time.

24. In Bootloader, use your volume rocker to highlight “recovery” and hit the power button to select. This will boot you into your newly flashed 4EXT custom recovery program.

25. Once in 4EXT, navigate to “backup” and use the option to backup to an external card.

26. After the backup is complete, unmount your card if that option is available. I can’t remember. Then select the option to power off your phone.

27. With the phone off, pull battery, and eject microSD card. If you still have an extra microSD card, put this one aside, if not, copy the backup onto your computer with a card reader. You’ll need this microSD card again later.

28. Put the battery back in (and back cover if you want), power on the phone as normal, and make sure you’re still good.

29. With the toolkit open and the phone on, connect the Amaze back into the computer with the USB cable.

30. Right here, my computer starting making the USB connection/disconnection sounds. I waited until the beeps finished.

31. Next, you need to relock the phone. To do this, go back to the toolkit and select “relock” and click “do command” and let the toolkit do all the work. If you see the cmd screen (black command screen), then wait for all the command lines to stop writing and close the screen.

32. After it’s done and if your phone is on, then power off the phone.

33. Power on the phone into Bootloader by holding the bottom volume rocker and power button at the same time.

34. Look at the top of your screen in Bootloader and it should say, “Relocked”. You must be either “Relocked” or “Locked” to go any further (for S-on). If you’re not, try to relock again.

35. Power off the phone

36. Unplug USB cord from computer

37. Now get a formatted microSD card and copy the PH85IMG file you download earlier. Put this file on the root of a microSD card. Root means directly on the card with no folders. This file is T-Mobile’s stock Ginger Bread 2.3.4 RUU in .zip format.

38. Put the microSD card into the phone

39. Power on the phone into bootloader by holding the bottom volume rocker and power button at the same time.

40. Upon starting up, it should start extracting the files from the SD card. Once complete, it will ask you if you want to install updates. Select “yes” by using volume UP rocker. If you accidently hit down, then you just cancelled it. No worries. Power off and then go back to step 39.

41. While it’s installing updates, it will say, “No image or wrong image” on the first two files. That’s okay. You’re still good.

42. Now you’ll need to wait awhile. For each file, you should see a status bar on the right. The “System” file takes awhile so be patient.

43. You should get a “complete” message once complete. Select “Reboot”

44. This reboot will take you into your newly flashed stock T-Mobile GB 2.3.4 RUU. The first boot up takes longer than normal so be patient.

45. Now the phone will act like it’s new out of the box so you’ll have to go through a few setup procedures. Just go through the forced screens and don’t worry about anything else because it’s all about to get wiped and upgraded to ICS.

46. Now while the phone is on, setup your WiFi so you’ll get a fast download.

47. On your phone, check for software updates: Settings>About Phone>HTC updates (software updates). I saw both HTC updates and Google updates. I went with HTC updates and selected “check for updates” at the bottom.

48. After going through the update process, my phone rebooted and installed ICS. You’ll see a hard drive image and some arrows during the reboot and installation process.

49. After installation, the phone will begin to boot up. Remember this is the first boot on ICS so it’ll take awhile. Be patient.

50. Once your phone is on, go to settings>About Phone>Software information. Under Android version, you should see 4.0.3. If so, you’re done! Enjoy! If not, go back to software updates, and click “check now” again.

Hit the thanks button if you appreciate these steps. I’m sure I maybe technically incorrect on some bits. Remember, I’m a noob trying to help other noobs so please take it easy on me.