[HOW TO] Rooting Unlocking and De-Branding your ZTE Crescent [Updated Now Complete]

[Guest Thomas J Marshall]

PC (Unpack each to it's own folder and/or install) :

Driver Setup.zip

Unlock_OSF2.zip

QPST_2.7_366.rar

ADB.zip

Phone (Copy to SD Card) :

recovery-clockwork-4.0.1.5-blade2.img (You do know that ClockworkMod Recovery 5.0.2.7 is available now too?)

Crescent.zip

sanfran2kernel.zip

You have to flash the Crescent (or another custom rom) first and then without restarting flash the default SFII kernel, then restart. If you don't do it like that then you will have a skewed keyboard and the wireless won't work.

Also, the first thing you should do is backup your phone's settings using the QPST "software download" backup section, then if you lose your wireless settings you can restore them.

As for what to do with them, the steps for each are explained in their posts, read slowly through them and make sure you understand what you're gonna be doing before you actually do it but most importantly backup your settings using the QPST or you're gonna lose your wireless, I also took a note of the mac address for the wireless and stuck it in a txt file on my desktop just for safety.

Thanks. How do I install the QPST file? You've said to put it on the PC but I can't open or run it so do I use the phone menu after that? Edited December 14, 2011 by Thomas J Marshall

[Guest fr0do]

Thanks would I do that thru control panel,system?

You can use the QPST software as it has that ability.

[Guest Markski]

Thanks. How do I install the QPST file? You've said to put it on the PC but I can't open or run it so do I use the phone menu after that?

Whats the difference between sanfran2kernel.zip & vivacitykernel.zip?

[Guest arvind16982]

T-Mobile Vivacity.doc Hi,

I bought 2 TMob Vivacity phones and after lots of hesitation undertook the unlock and debrand steps provided by Bouncer5 in this thread.

In the process of unlocking my 2 phones (successfully), I was tracking my various steps in the attached document and thought of sharing it with all the members.

All credit goes to Bouncer5 without a doubt. Hope my document helps some hesitant newbie!!!

cheers

Arvind

Edited December 16, 2011 by arvind16982

[Guest Thomas J Marshall]

Hi,

I bought 2 TMob Vivacity phones and after lots of hesitation undertook the unlock and debrand steps provided by Bouncer5 in this thread.

In the process of unlocking my 2 phones (successfully), I was tracking my various steps in a document and thought of sharing it with members here.

Link for the document

All credit goes to Bouncer5 without a doubt. Hope my document helps some hesitant newbie!!!

cheers

Arvind

That's a good guide. I could do with one for the san fran 2 although I can hopefully follow yours and replace the files. Managed to install qpst so that's a start! :D

[Guest Bouncer5]

Whats the difference between sanfran2kernel.zip & vivacitykernel.zip?

One if for the Orange branded version, And one is for the Tmobile version.

[Guest snowbord]

Great stuff but I am having difficulty flashing clockworkmod via ADB mode. It gets stuck in 'waiting for root device'. Also, I can only get it to that point if I run 'adb-windows.exe reboot bootloader' from Clockworkmod. It does not seem to work once the phone has booted. This has been suggested to be down to the drivers entering 'USB mode'.

How to switch the drivers to ADB mode once the phone is booted? Using Win XP 32 bit.

Also, how can I restore FTM mode if I want to e.g. reflash the phone?

Any ideas?

Edited December 16, 2011 by snowbord

[Guest texarkana]

If you follow the guide in the first post of this thread, but use the stock ROM, do you end up with a phone which is unlocked, but not rooted (and obviously not debranded )?

[Guest texarkana]

Thanks Arvind - some useful extra details in there for us Newbies

[Guest confusedperson]

Hi,

RE: SAN FRANCISCO II

before taking it to a repair shop where they said they would be able to unlock my phone i thought ill try doing it myself..

thanks for the pictures & document off the process exactly what I needed.

just wondering wherever it says vivacity I just download the SanFran 2 files?

and i would like to ask do i need to root/clockwork before doing the unlocking process? or even after? because i dont want to clockwork or rom it you see?

[Guest snowbord]

confusedperson: Yes, just replace with OSF2 files. Follow the guide and you will be alright. I flashed an OSF2 as well as a TMV using the guide. Make sure the QCN backup is not 0k in size (should be about 153k) if you don't want to lose wifi! ;)

You do not (and can not) root / unlock this phone unless you flash it. The flash / ROM install does this.

Quite simples really.. I'm having what seems to be USB driver problems so I can't flash Clockworkmod permanently, but that's quite unrelated to unlocking / rooting the phone.

Edited December 16, 2011 by snowbord

[Guest bigupajc]

Brill guide Arvind. Is there a major difference between the SF2 and vivacity?

Edited December 16, 2011 by bigupajc

[Guest Thomas J Marshall]

What does the QCN file backup? :rolleyes:

[Guest craigmc]

Hi

Thanks for the great thread,

I modded the original san fran last year but am a little rusty as I have only done it the once and have got stuck at an early stage.

I am having trouble getting QPST to recognise my phone!! I have installed drivers again and still no go!

Can anyone point me in the right direction please, its probably a really easy fix, but i do tend to do things the hard way.

Thanks

Help please

Still cant get QPST to recognise my phone, I get the FTM screen up start QPST to add the port but my phone is not displayed as an active phone??

Stuck!

Thanks

[Guest arvind16982]

Brill guide Arvind. Is there a major difference between the SF2 and vivacity?

Not to my knowledge as per Bouncer5's 1st thread where he explains the unlock process for both OSF2 and TMV to be exactly similar. But still I would let someone like Bouncer5 asnwer this question

[Guest arvind16982]

Help please

Still cant get QPST to recognise my phone, I get the FTM screen up start QPST to add the port but my phone is not displayed as an active phone??

Stuck!

Thanks

Couple of points:

- Is your phone in USB Debugging mode?

- does your computer recognize your phone normally when it is connected. At 1st time it may install some drivers on your computer. Allow this to happen.

- by any chance is your phone already connected to the computer before you see FTM on your screen. Ensure you bring up the FTM screen just by holding the volume down and power buttons, inserting the battery and then wait for a couple of secs. Thereafter connect the phone to your computer.

I hope you clicked on Add New Port on the QPST Configuration screen and selected the COM5 option

try these and if it still does not work then I am sure one of the mods should be able to help you out. Best of luck!!!

[Guest arvind16982]

That's a good guide. I could do with one for the san fran 2 although I can hopefully follow yours and replace the files. Managed to install qpst so that's a start! :D

Thanks, I have replaced the link with an attachment containing the same document in my earlier post here.

Edited December 16, 2011 by arvind16982

[Guest arvind16982]

If you follow the guide in the first post of this thread, but use the stock ROM, do you end up with a phone which is unlocked, but not rooted (and obviously not debranded )?

If you follow any steps mentioned in this thread, the flashing process roots your phone. So there is no just unlock process.

One has to follow Section 3 described by Bouncer5 irrespective of whether they want stock T-Mob or Orange firmware or plain vanilla version of Android 2.3.5

If you pick up and use just these for section 3:

For San Francisco 2 ONLY sanfran2kernel.zip (3.45 MB)

For T-Mobile Vivacity ONLY vivacitykernel.zip (3.45 MB)

then you will get the plain vanilla version of Android 2.3.5

If you pick up and use just these for section 3:

Latest Orange SFII Update (128 MB)

Lastest T-Mobile Vivacity Update (119 MB)

then you will get the branded version back minus the network lock.

This is my understanding from the 2 TMV phones which I unlocked and unbranded. I would let one of the mods to confirm on my post though and correct me if I am wrong.

Edited December 16, 2011 by arvind16982

[Guest snowbord]

Huge news. Amphoras has released thorough TPTs, most notably the 40MB cache jobs which are our best bet before cache/ redirects are implemented into the ROMs.. For noobs, this means more room for apps (data).

Also, CWM is part of the TPT! For people having issues installing CWM via ADB, this is huge.

http://android.modac...-vivacity-tpts/

[Guest jjcg75]

Worked a treat for me, my mum can have her brand new San Fran II phone for Christmas and pop her O2 sim in it.

Thanks for your hard work Bouncer5

[Guest Ay Kay]

If you follow any steps mentioned in this thread, the flashing process roots your phone. So there is no just unlock process.

One has to follow Section 3 described by Bouncer5 irrespective of whether they want stock T-Mob or Orange firmware or plain vanilla version of Android 2.3.5

If you pick up and use just these for section 3:

For San Francisco 2 ONLY sanfran2kernel.zip (3.45 MB)

For T-Mobile Vivacity ONLY vivacitykernel.zip (3.45 MB)

then you will get the plain vanilla version of Android 2.3.5

If you pick up and use just these for section 3:

Latest Orange SFII Update (128 MB)

Lastest T-Mobile Vivacity Update (119 MB)

then you will get the branded version back minus the network lock.

This is my understanding from the 2 TMV phones which I unlocked and unbranded. I would let one of the mods to confirm on my post though and correct me if I am wrong.

Hi Arvind,

I have an OSF2 which is network unlocked (Giffgaff all the way!!!!)

However, if you flash this

Latest Orange SFII Update (128 MB)

you get an UNLOCKED phone minus the root. I can confirm that from my unlocking experience on the OSF2 as I'm currently running a giffgaff sim on the Orange firmware (filled to the brim with bloatware)

It also wipes away the CWM and gets the phone back to FTM. So well, anyone had luck getting root on the branded rom?

[Guest ozskin]

Great Guide Thanks, am I now brave enough to try?

[Guest confusedperson]

Solved 3. but please look below i have a query which needs an answer please ;)

Edited December 21, 2011 by confusedperson

[Guest confusedperson]

Hi,

mine does not go into FTM mode? what to do?

all i get is the options to switch it to airplane mode/power off..

SOLVED

Edited December 21, 2011 by confusedperson

[Guest fr0do]

Confused: it's when you turn it on that it goes into FTM mode & not when you turn it off :)