[Sprint HTC One (M7)] Super_Annoyed:
Okay let me preface this post by saying, I did a good deal of research before I began this process, and was confident that I knew the steps sufficiently, and also the "plan B" recovery options.

Every video I watched on YouTube, every guide I found on various forums, and everyone I talked to made this process seem like cake. I have grown to disagree.

I am not a moron, nor am I incapable of following instructions. Every time I had a problem, I consulted with Google/YouTube/Forums, and researched how to fix it. I generally consider myself tech literate, but this is new to me. As such, I find it quite astonishing that, after so many years of development/home projects/general interest, there is NOT A SINGLE valuable 'getting started' guide. Granted, this is probably considered an advanced process, but even *nix development has more information than this FFS.

Anyway.

My task was simple; I wanted to update My GF's HTC One (m7spr) from 4.06xx to 4.4x. (Way overdue)

First things first; Settings -> About Phone -> Update -> Download it -> Install

Somehow this process got botched??? And the phone refused to accept 4.4, despite it being officially supported for several months.

Phone stuck at 4.06. Google had no information on failing to update, nothing relevant/useful anyway.

After dealing with that for 2 weeks, with zero progress, I decided to try the Root+Custom ROM process. That was, I believe, my only mistake.

The steps I followed, not necessarily in order*** :

-Install TWRP (so many problems with this, can't even find the words)

-Root phone (didn't work after multiple attempts, despite following directions perfectly, finally got it to work, and it didn't accomplish anything?!)

-Attempted to install SLIMkat ROM (took several attempts, finally got it running) This ROM was --no offense to the developer(s)--, for my purposes, disfunctional/broken, decided to attempt to rid myself of it

-Followed guides on YouTube to remove a ROM // flash stock

-Found several RUU's (all claimed to be valid, functioning and "simple solutions". None of which worked, and in every case, my device would 'lock' at the white screen/fastboot menu, and rebooting was a serious problem. During one failed attempt, my device would not reboot, causing me to be forced to let the battery drain before attempting again. (Hence the significance of removable batteries, but that's a whole other matter)

This is where it gets interesting

-SOMEHOW(???) "Chameleon OS" was attempting to be installed on the device. I had never heard of it, I had never seen it, I had no prior knowledge of it, I had not intentionally or even unintentionally collected this ROM, and surely did not have any intention of installing it. I wish to warn the community of potential maliciousness on the part of Chameleon OS. I did not give it permission to install, I was not even aware of its existance until the animated Chameleon came up, upon boot. I could not exit the install process, and it never finished booting. I had to simply let the battery die before I could re-enter the boot console/white screen. To be clear, I am not accusing the developers of anything malicious, I am simply pointing it out that this happened and the community should be aware of it.

Moving on.

-Using TWRP, I reset data, then factory reset the phone, then used the backup function, to boot into stock 4.06x Official.

-At this point, every time I restart the device, trying to enter TWRP, I can only access the white screen/fastboot menu -- I consider this to be progress, although it created a new problem; I am able to see the 4.4x update, and after it downloads, it asks me to restart the device so it can install. In doing so, it does NOT apply the update, however it stalls at the white screen/fastboot menu. I can reboot device and get back into Android, and the process repeats.

-

Allow me to sum up my current state;

-Device is fully functional within 4.06x, but for intents and purposes this is unacceptable

-Device can not be updated to newer version of Android, stuck at 4.06x

This process has been so long and drawn out, I am completely turned around with what problem requires what solution, and frankly I am exausted of trying to figure it out.

The real problem at hand is that the people who create guides/tutorials expect you to know certain things, and if you don't know certain things, they expect you to pause the video you're watching, go watch another video they made (irritating way to make your channel look like it has more traffic), and then resume what you were watching. As a first-time ROOTer, you're expected to pick up a ton of information that is not properly laid out in chronological order. Terms are not defined, and you're expected to just go with it.

This is why I did so much research beforehand. I was under the impression that the process was as simple as follows:

-ROOT device

-Install recovery option

-Create backup

-Install ROM

-Enjoy

Guides/forums/videos make it seem like a 10 minute proceedure. Lolnope. Going on several days of dealing with the current state. I waited so long to post because I was sure I was missing something, or messing it up. But I'm out of ideas now. :/

*** = Please understand that the process became frustratingly convoluted with various "I have B* problem, so I have to google the answer, which led me to learn about Y* treatment/process, and to complete Y* steps I needed Z* program, and to get Z* program I had to find Q* obscure information about my device, which requires me to go into BLUE* menu...and so on" ... it's irritating, to say the least.

I am frustrated, stuck and confused. The process is way more complex than the guides led on, and I have no idea what my next move should be. I'm humbly asking for help.

I would be more than glad to offer any non-personal information about my device's current state, in order to help you help me. Although as it stands I don't know what you need. Just ask. All I want to do is make the device COMPLETELY STOCK/FACTORY 4.4

Please forgive me if this post sounded ranty/salty. I'm honestly just tired of dealing with it, and I'm hoping to find some help from the people who know what they're doing.

Please and thank you.