[GUIDE] How to restore Gen1 SAFELY after Windows upgrade to Gen2

[Guest The Soup Thief]

This assumes you are on gen2 having used the Windows method - the flasher modified by radmir. It was previously posted here

If you have upgraded Gen1->Gen2 using wbaw's TPT method, ignore all the information below and get yourself to wbaw's pinned topic on this subject

TPT method is obviously the one to use if you have any choice in it - this guide just gives you a way to restore that option if you previously lost it by upgrading to Gen2 with the Windows method. Not sure how many people there are still in that category, but if it includes you then I hope you find this helpful

I really don't know if this is safe or not to use with phones purchased with Gen2 already in order to enable their access to TPT - perhaps someone smarter than me can advise

Also I am assuming also that you currently have the correct IMEI on your phone. If you no longer have the correct IMEI, there are ways of generating a replacement, and I advise that you follow the guides to doing so located elsewhere on the forum (eg this one Update-save-ur-bricked-v880-and-also-the-imei)

So, this is compiled from information given here in posts by CaptainSpectacular principally, though dibbles and others contributed also

CaptainSpectacular has put together a .rar with all the important files already in the correct places, simplifying this process significantly

Mauritzius added the final piece of the jigsaw, enabling one to restore the correct IMEI. Basically, the upshot of Mauritzius' realisation is that noone on this forum has been using the flasher correctly to downgrade so far, since when it stops at 98% during downgrades, people have been assuming that's the job done, while it plainly isn't. There was still work to do, but the flasher was giving you a chance to flash a Gen1 ROM before completing the job. In fact there were two flashers in the original download, one of which I seem to recall was for downgrading Gen2->Gen1 out of the box and may well have had all the correct files already for all I remember, but that's irrellavent now. I've run through this method a coupld of times and a few brave souls have followed my directions and provided very helpful feedback.

It seems to be fine, but as always, I accept no responsibility if anything whatsoever bad happens in your life subsequent to your reading this... Don't have any power cuts during this or otherwise go off piste or all bets are off. If you don't know what you're doing, please don't do it (or if you do, don't blame me if your phone bursts)

Paraphrasing CaptainSpectacular's directions, here's what you do:

1 Put a ROM on your phone's SD that's compatible with both Gen1 and Gen2 so you can boot no matter what Gen you end up in (should end up Gen 1 of course, but this will guard against pilot error!) Swedish Spring release 5 is a good bet

2 Make sure your phone can access "FTM" recovery mode, ie you need to get rid of the recovery mode you probably have at the moment, most likely clockworkmod recovery. You do this by checking restore_stock_recovery.zip is on your sd card then flashing it in clockwork. Likely you will have this file on your sd card already from the original flash from gen1 to gen2 (if not, hecatae uploaded it here)

3 You need to download the flasher next: GEN2 to GEN1 Windows.rar.

4 Unpack GEN2 to GEN1 Windows.rar. Find the flasher application, download_nochecksGen2.exe. Double click this to launch it - you will see a window with "OSF flasher patched by Radmir" at the top. You will recognise this from when you first upgraded Gen1-Gen2. We'll come back to this in a minute - now over to the phone...

5 Switch your phone off, then reboot holding the Volume button pressed down, as you ordinarily would to access Clockwork. Your android should disappear to show a white square with FTM written in it. If you find that clockwork starts up, this means you haven't flashed the stock recovery yet. Flashing restore_stock_recovery.zip from within clockwork right now would be a good idea (as mentioned in 2 above). Then reboot again with the volume - held to access FTM

6 Plug the phone into the PC and look at your PC to see the flasher program ("OSF flasher patched by Radmir")

The start button previously wasn't clickable but now will be

Go on... press it!

Watch as the progress meter increases all the way to 98%, at which point it will stop

7 DO NOT unplug the phone until I say so!

This is mauritzius's bit - very clever bit of lateral thinking...

The phone will have booted into clockwork (v2. something - green text) at 98% to allow you an opportunity to restore a Gen1 ROM before continuing with the last 2% of the downgrade, where the flasher goes back and restores your IMEI to what it was before you began this downgrade. In order to let the flasher do that, you need to flash a new ROM for the phone to boot into then get the phone back into FTM mode again, just as you did a little earlier

i. So, still within clockwork, flash the Gen1 ROM you want the phone to boot into next (Swedish Spring anyone? It's useful here cos if you've done this wrong and are still on Gen2, SS will still boot ok).

ii. Before you leave Clockwork, flash restore_stock_recovery.zip again

iii. Only then, when you've flashed both the new ROM and the stock recovery, reboot from within clockwork, holding the Volume - .

The flasher will spring back into life and will do the final 2%. Leave it until it tells you it's finished ("Download complete" message flashes up)

8 NOW you can unplug the phone and reboot properly. When your ROM boots up download Ask Mr Pigfish and run it to make sure you have gen1 (bloody better have, after all this)

9 Check your IMEI is as it should be

10 Do whatever you like next - your TPT options should be restored, so you might wanna go and download and flash a TPT Gen2 upgrade with CM7 as per curl66's directions

I think all this is right - I tried it out earlier and it worked fine, but I don't want to waste another half hour of my bank holiday checking it again!

Let me know if there are any obvious errors and I'll make corrections

EDIT - thanks to CaptainSpectacular for uploading the rar with the correctly modified flasher - it didn't occur to me to do this!

Thanks also to shootomanUK and ThrashMan for feedback

If anyone's interested I did a similar guide a couple of weeks ago on how to upgrade Gen1-Gen2 using the windows method. I don't advise you do this though unless you have a very good reason as you will lose TPT

Edited May 3, 2011 by The Soup Thief

[Guest hedgepigdaniel]

Awesome work, this really does need to be pinned! :mellow:

I have one suggestion, to try to minimize the risk involved (especially at the last part). I suggest that the Gen1 upgrade files have stock recovery in the recovery partition and clockworkmod in the boot partition (the partition that is booted if no buttons are pressed). This would eliminate the need to do any flashing work in clockworkmod (which people might get wrong) while the flasher is patiently waiting, since the phone would have the right recovery as soon as it is downgraded, and would still guarantee access to clockworkmod simply by rebooting the phone. In fact, I would not be surprised if the flasher made the phone boot clockworkmod automatically after this process. The user would then have to flash clockworkmod (from clockworkmod) and a ROM.

I have not tested this, it is just an idea. I will try installing clockworkmod to the boot partition and see if it works as i expect, and report back.

EDIT: I tried flashing clockworkmod 3.0.2.8 to the boot partition and it works perfectly (on a Gen2 phone, but it should be the same) - flashed my ROM straight back from it. All that needs to be done to the downgrade files is putting the stock gen1 recovery.img in it and putting a Gen1 CWM image in, but named boot.img.

Edited May 3, 2011 by hedgepigdaniel

[Guest isambard]

Cheers. I suggest you put a warning on the old method and a link to here to avoid people using the old method.

[Guest The Soup Thief]

EDIT: I tried flashing clockworkmod 3.0.2.8 to the boot partition and it works perfectly (on a Gen2 phone, but it should be the same) - flashed my ROM straight back from it. All that needs to be done to the downgrade files is putting the stock gen1 recovery.img in it and putting a Gen1 CWM image in, but named boot.img.

Hi Daniel - excellent!

Would you mind uploading what you have and posting the changes to the text here - I'll incorporate them above

I'd rather not spend more time fathoming it, then rewriting it only to find I've made a mistake

Thanks

Also, @isambard - the other guide is in a thread by Hecatae - my guide was about 15 pages through it, but perhaps Hecatae might want to link here

[Guest hedgepigdaniel]

Hi Daniel - excellent!

Would you mind uploading what you have and posting the changes to the text here - I'll incorporate them above

I'd rather not spend more time fathoming it, then rewriting it only to find I've made a mistake

Thanks

Also, @isambard - the other guide is in a thread by Hecatae - my guide was about 15 pages through it, but perhaps Hecatae might want to link here

Sure, I'll also test the whole procedure in case I've made a big mistake. Might be a few days before I get time to do that but I'll post it here when I do.

[Guest hecatae]

Hi Daniel - excellent!

Would you mind uploading what you have and posting the changes to the text here - I'll incorporate them above

I'd rather not spend more time fathoming it, then rewriting it only to find I've made a mistake

Thanks

Also, @isambard - the other guide is in a thread by Hecatae - my guide was about 15 pages through it, but perhaps Hecatae might want to link here

watching with interest, nothing to stop us considering replacing the entire gen1 to gen2 windows upgrade sticky with a "how to upgrade to gen2 or downgrade to gen1 safely using windows" guide.

also nothing to stop ZTE releasing a gen3, but I hope they dont. I still see no reason to downgrade to gen1

[Guest hedgepigdaniel]

also nothing to stop ZTE releasing a gen3

Now I'm frightened!

[Guest hecatae]

Now I'm frightened!

ZTE build to order:

Gen1 partition layout was built for Orange as the San Francisco and the P729BB01 radio image

Gen2 partition layout was built for Softbank as the 003Z with an OEM Partition and the P729B01 radio image

Gen3 could be a new partition layout and new radio image for the Gingerbread build that is being evaluated.

[Guest The Soup Thief]

watching with interest, nothing to stop us considering replacing the entire gen1 to gen2 windows upgrade sticky with a "how to upgrade to gen2 or downgrade to gen1 safely using windows" guide.

also nothing to stop ZTE releasing a gen3, but I hope they dont. I still see no reason to downgrade to gen1

True - nonetheless people were trying hard to do it and some were getting themselves in some real pickles

A Gen3? Let's cross that bridge when/if we come to it! (you could have started a game of chinese whispers here - let's see if anyone's posting anxiously about Gen3 blades in a few days' time!)

If you'd like to copy some or all of my first post into your Pinned thread (with or without bits of my guide for upgrading Gen1-Gen2 using the windows method) please go ahead

On second thoughts though, I'm not sure there's anything to be gained by making it easier for people to upgrade with this approach! TPT is just easier

[Guest iKrautDroid]

ZTE build to order:

Gen1 partition layout was built for Orange as the San Francisco and the P729BB01 radio image

Gen2 partition layout was built for Softbank as the 003Z with an OEM Partition and the P729B01 radio image

Gen3 could be a new partition layout and new radio image for the Gingerbread build that is being evaluated.

So there's gonna be an official gingerbread update for the blade!!!!!!!!!!??????

[Guest hecatae]

If you'd like to copy some or all of my first post into your Pinned thread (with or without bits of my guide for upgrading Gen1-Gen2 using the windows method) please go ahead

On second thoughts though, I'm not sure there's anything to be gained by making it easier for people to upgrade with this approach! TPT is just easier

if this works for a stock purchased gen2 to downgrade to gen1 so TPT can be used, it may be beneficial, though a stock gen2 blade owner has no real reason to downgrade as it makes it harder to get back to actual gen2, as you would still need to windows flash back to gen2

So there's gonna be an official gingerbread update for the blade!!!!!!!!!!??????

http://android.modaco.com/content/zte-blad...-san-francisco/

Edited May 3, 2011 by hecatae

[Guest The Soup Thief]

So there's gonna be an official gingerbread update for the blade!!!!!!!!!!??????

here we go... :o

I think (hope) the critical words were

could be

:mellow:

EDIT - I forgot all about that report. Might be of some benefit if they did this (and if we could all TPT to it)

Edited May 3, 2011 by The Soup Thief

[Guest iKrautDroid]

here we go... :o

I think (hope) the critical words were

:mellow:

EDIT - I forgot all about that report. Might be useful if it had a new kernel

Why "here we go"?

Did I do something wrong.

If yes, I'm sorry (I'm not being sarcastic).

[Guest The Soup Thief]

Why "here we go"?

Did I do something wrong.

If yes, I'm sorry (I'm not being sarcastic).

Sorry - no offence intended

Moments earlier I'd posted

you could have started a game of chinese whispers here - let's see if anyone's posting anxiously about Gen3 blades in a few days' time!)

I hadn't realised hecatae was being half serious about the remote possibility of a gen3 format

[Guest iKrautDroid]

Sorry - no offence intended

Moments earlier I'd posted

I hadn't realised hecatae was being half serious about the remote possibility of a gen3 format

None taken. :mellow:

I'm sorry if I started a game of Chinese whispers.

But an official 2.3 by ORANGE! !!! would be awesome.

Sorry I missed your topic, hecatae.

Edited May 3, 2011 by iKrautDroid

[Guest hedgepigdaniel]

I have tested out my idea and it works as intended. No Damage to IMEI. This should make the process a fair bit more reliable and less frightening.

Files needed for downgrade

• Gen2toGen1Windows_v2.zip – contains the downgrade tool and Gen1 Firmware. md5:219775DFAB48828919B87E46D9ABFA93

• restore_stock_recovery.zip - flashes stock recovery which enables FTM mode

• recovery-clockwork-3.0.2.8-blade-gen1-update_signed.zip – this is so you can flash clockworkmod correctly after the downgrade

• http://www.mediafire.com/?iv91d1edrd2iytj or another ROM that supports Gen1 – This is so you can install a ROM after the downgrade

Method

1. Save restore_stock_recovery.zip, recovery-clockwork-3.0.2.8-blade-gen1-update_signed.zip, and Swedish_Spring_RLS5.zip to your phone's SD Card.

2. Restart your phone with volume down held. From clockworkmod recovery, flash restore_stock_recovery.zip. This will replace clockworkmod for the time being.

3. Restart your phone with volume down held. The words FTM should appear on the screen.

4. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.

5. Unzip the contents of Gen2toGen1Windows_v2.zip to your computer and run download_nochecksGen2.exe. There should be a green “Ready” under the start button. Press the start button.

6. Wait patiently while your phone is upgraded. Do not interrupt this process! Your screen will go black for a while.

7. When the upgrade is complete, a message will appear saying that flashing was successful.

8. Disconnect your phone and remove the battery. Reinsert the battery and turn on the phone (normally, with no buttons pressed). Your phone should boot into clockworkmod recovery.

9. This is IMPORTANT: clockworkmod is now installed to your phone’s boot partition. This means that if you install a ROM at this point you will overwrite clockworkmod. You must now flash recovery-clockwork 3.0.2.8-blade-gen1-update_signed.zip. This will install clockworkmod to the recovery partition where it belongs, replacing stock recovery (FTM mode).

10. Restart your phone with volume down held. It should boot into clockworkmod.

11. Install Swedish_Spring_RLS5.zip (or any other Gen1 ROM) in clockworkmod, and wipe data. Your phone is now Gen1 with Spedish Spring.

12. Check your IMEI and make sure it is the same as the one written behind the battery, and use the Ask Mr Pigfish app if you want to confirm you are running Gen1.

The changes I have made

All I have changed from v1 is to replace recovery.img with the stock gen1 recovery image and update boot.img with the latest Gen1 version of clockwork. The phone automatically boots into FTM mode at the end of the upgrade process – there is no need to intervene until the flasher has completed. As I said above, that means that clockworkmod will overwrite itself if you install a ROM before step 9. If you flash the wrong ROM at that point, your phone would become unbootable. After step 9, everything is back to normal and you can install as many incompatible ROMs as you like.

Edited May 3, 2011 by hedgepigdaniel

[Guest hecatae]

I have tested out my idea and it works as intended. No Damage to IMEI. This should make the process a fair bit more reliable and less frightening.

Files needed for downgrade

• Gen2toGen1Windows_v2.zip – contains the downgrade tool and Gen1 Firmware. md5:219775DFAB48828919B87E46D9ABFA93

• restore_stock_recovery.zip - flashes stock recovery which enables FTM mode

• recovery-clockwork-3.0.2.8-blade-gen1-update_signed.zip – this is so you can flash clockworkmod correctly after the downgrade

• http://www.mediafire.com/?iv91d1edrd2iytj or another ROM that supports Gen1 – This is so you can install a ROM after the downgrade

Method

1. Save restore_stock_recovery.zip, recovery-clockwork-3.0.2.8-blade-gen1-update_signed.zip, and Swedish_Spring_RLS5.zip to your phone's SD Card.

2. Restart your phone with volume down held. From clockworkmod recovery, flash restore_stock_recovery.zip. This will replace clockworkmod for the time being.

3. Restart your phone with volume down held. The words FTM should appear on the screen.

4. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.

5. Unzip the contents of Gen2toGen1Windows_v2.zip to your computer and run download_nochecksGen2.exe. There should be a green “Ready” under the start button. Press the start button.

6. Wait patiently while your phone is upgraded. Do not interrupt this process! Your screen will go black for a while.

7. When the upgrade is complete, a message will appear saying that flashing was successful.

8. Disconnect your phone and remove the battery. Reinsert the battery and turn on the phone (normally, with no buttons pressed). Your phone should boot into clockworkmod recovery.

9. This is IMPORTANT: clockworkmod is now installed to your phone’s boot partition. This means that if you install a ROM at this point you will overwrite clockworkmod. You must now flash recovery-clockwork 3.0.2.8-blade-gen1-update_signed.zip. This will install clockworkmod to the recovery partition where it belongs, replacing stock recovery (FTM mode).

10. Restart your phone with volume down held. It should boot into clockworkmod.

11. Install Swedish_Spring_RLS5.zip (or any other Gen1 ROM) in clockworkmod, and wipe data. Your phone is now Gen1 with Spedish Spring.

12. Check your IMEI and make sure it is the same as the one written behind the battery, and use the Ask Mr Pigfish app if you want to confirm you are running Gen1.

The changes I have made

All I have changed from v1 is to replace recovery.img with the stock gen1 recovery image and update boot.img with the latest Gen1 version of clockwork. The phone automatically boots into FTM mode at the end of the upgrade process – there is no need to intervene until the flasher has completed. As I said above, that means that clockworkmod will overwrite itself if you install a ROM before step 9. If you flash the wrong ROM at that point, your phone would become unbootable. After step 9, everything is back to normal and you can install as many incompatible ROMs as you like.

added to the gen2 upgrade windows sticky

[Guest salah_heart]

verry nice

need to be pinned

[Guest crblues]

Hello all...

Another success story here with my "Sapo A5" blade in Portugal. Followed V2 guide and all went smooth Not that I was unhappy with my gen2 upgrade but... what the hell, I must try every crazy thing I guess.. :mellow: :o :D

Now I can go from Gen 1 to Gen2 and back as needed.

Thank You!!!

[Guest opc100]

I'd just like to say thank you. I was absolutely despairing of all the hard to understand information about restoring my IMEI, but then I found this and it worked perfectly. Thank you so much!