Htc a8181 firmware android 5. Review of alternative firmwares for HTC Desire A8181 Bravo

Yes, a little off topic, but the other day I flashed my already quite old smartphone and have some experience. As they say, the same firmware has something in common with satellite receivers.

I hope with this post I will help someone and reduce the time spent, since there is a lot of information, but most of it is very scattered. Further myself HTC Desire A8181 phone firmware process on android versions 4 or higher.

To start. Many people write that you need to unlock the bootloader - I never succeeded, nor with the program HTC Bootloader Unlock, nor the standard method through the office. htc website.

Instructions for flashing HTC Desire phone firmware on Android 4+

As it turned out, I had the latest official update with Android version 2.3. Accordingly, S-ON is software change protection. Which first needs to be removed.

But before you do anything, you need to install the drivers for your device on your computer, twice.

This must be done in semi-automatic mode, each time pointing to the folder with drivers.

First HTC+Drivers are needed when the phone is working normally, and the second Android USB Driver– when working with the bootloader and in recovery mode.

According to the instructions. Personally, I uploaded the archives to the root of drive C and installed them from there, or rather indicated where they were located.

So the drivers are installed and the phone is visible on the computer, let's move on.

As already mentioned, you need to remove S-ON to become S-OFF. You can view the status like this. Turn off the phone - take out the battery and press volume down + turn on.

You can see it at the very top.

How to remove S-OFF htc?

More precisely, how I did it. Go to the website http://rev.alpharev.nl/ - download the application for Windows there. Fill in the data here. Serial number take it from your phone - look for it in the settings or look under the battery.

Please enter according to register. We generate and receive the code which we enter into the running application from there. The phone must be connected by cable.

After which you should get S-OFF and the inscription in pink.

The next step is to sew a recovery to an alternative one. We will need an archive Android– which we unzip to the root of drive C.

There is Recovery Flash.bat and recovery.img (recovery-clockwork-touch-5.8.0.2-bravo.img). When you start the first one, the second one should be flashed. I chose this version of recovery because it seemed convenient to me, it worked adequately and the controls are familiar - with your finger. You can look for an alternative and just rename it to recovery.img and sew it the same way.

Next you need to get super user rights. The program worked for me Kingo ROOT from under Windows with the phone normally turned on via cable.

All this allowed me to flash the phone with custom firmware. Of course, the first one I found didn’t suit me, and the second one didn’t install well either. In short, I settled on this CM10.1_VJ_4.2.2_V6.2_Sense_Data++.zip . With increased space for programs on an external flash drive.

Don’t think that everything is just about firmware – that is, installing software. It still needs to be configured. So it's almost a bare system.

The instructions at the address helped me a lot

http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=366523&st=7220#entry39335246

But you shouldn't trust her completely. Look for yourself what you need more.

I didn’t delete Google services and updates - I just turned them off and this immediately gave me a lot of space for the necessary programs.

I thought it necessary to install LowSoundFixer_v1.0.8.apk(increases volume - firmware bug) and SD+Maid+Pro+v3.1.4.6_arm-zipalign(cleans cache and garbage on the phone). But the rest is not.

pic phone screen

Conclusion - the phone works perfectly and is configured for modern Android. Now you can install the necessary applications that did not work on old version, besides, there is a lot of space for games and programs. Definitely need to sew.

Video firmware htc desire a8181 android 4

Many users specifically install firmware without the proprietary shell - Sense - on their HTC smartphones in order to free up more memory, get rid of lags, and install other launchers. But there are also those who like HTC Sense and they can be understood, because the shell from HTC is rightfully considered the best interface from the manufacturer Android devices. In this post we will look at the best way to get custom firmware on your HTC Desire with the most latest version HTC Sense, which is used on top HTC Sensation series smartphones (Original, XL, XE) - Runnymede And RuHD.

Runnymede AIO firmware

Is the most popular custom firmware with Sense shell for HTC Desire. Thanks to the huge community on xda and dedicated programmers, the firmware really amazes with the beauty of Sens 3.5 and its speed.

Peculiarities Runnymede for Desire:

The firmware is based on official firmware HTC Sensation XL 1.22.461.2 : Android 2.3.5 with shell HTC Sense 3.5
Full version of Sense 3.5 including everything 3D widgets and effects.
RCMix3D Tweaks: special settings menu for lockscreen, status bar, processor and system tweaks and many other system settings.
Built-in App2SD to transfer any applications to the card
Deodexed & zipaligned
init.d support
Full system optimization for best performance with all Sense 3.5 effects
Multilingual
Ability to configure unlocking and waking by pressing the trackpad.
Superuser 3.0.7
Opportunity fine tuning CPU power and frequency (Daemon controller, IncrediControl)
Graphic touch installer
Beats Audio

Video presentation of the firmware Runnymede for HTC Desire

Requirements Runnymede for HTC Desire

Installation Runnymede for HTC Desire

Make sure that your Desire meets all the requirements described above, all of them are required for the correct operation of Runnymede (partition table, s-off, ext partition), if this is your first time installing custom firmware and you are not confident in your abilities, you should .
Runnymede-
Install .zip from SD card in recovery)
The graphical installer will download, follow the onscreen instructions

Firmware RuHD

The RuHD firmware for HTC Desire is essentially a domestic modification or version of Runnymede, some goodies have been added, some have been removed, tweaks and scripts from domestic craftsmen have been added.

Features of RuHD for Desire:

Android 2.3.5 And HTC Sense 3.5
Beat bass & Xloud
Works in WiFi networks N
Integration with HTCSense.com
All languages except English and Russian have been removed, and Russian translation has been improved wherever possible.
Installation completely in /system (free memory - 15mb), does not require ext partition
The firmware includes su, busybox, terminfo, passwd and group
hosts are configured to ad cutting (no need to install third-party AdFree applications, etc.)
APP2SD+- ability to transfer applications to a memory card (ext partition required!)
Optimized loading, sqlite defragmentation during startup, zipallign
Availability of processor profiles
Support OTA updates and installation of firmware additions of one branch
Additional RuHD settings menu - system tweaks, processor controls, advanced interface settings (analogous to the RCMix3D Tweaks menu in Runnymede)

RuHD requirements for Desire:

Preferable, but mandatory: S-OFF, ext-section on the card
Latest version of the radio module (available on the firmware website, you can flash it after installing the firmware)

Installing RuHD for Desire:

Make sure that your Desire meets all the requirements described above, all of them are required for the correct operation of RuHD, if this is your first time installing custom firmware and you are not confident in your abilities, you should .
Do backup copy data (for example using)
If you are switching from another firmware, then before starting you need to do a full wipe! (full wipe - data\factory reset in recovery)
If you want to update the version RuHD- clean cache and dalvik cache, /system and /boot through recovery
Download the firmware from the links above, put the zip archive in the root of the card and flash it from recovery ( Install .zip from SD card in recovery)
Follow the onscreen instructions

Conclusion

Both firmware are very high quality and stable, great for everyday use. The main and perhaps the only drawback of both firmware is excessive power consumption, but this, of course, is the price for all the features of Sense 3.5, compared to other custom firmware for Desire without Sense (for example), the battery lasts 10-15% less. But the speed of both firmware is excellent; the developers really managed to achieve almost perfectly smooth and fast operation.

The best firmware for HTC Desire with Sense shell - Runnymede and RuHD:
rating 80 out of 80 based on 80 ratings.
There are 80 reviews in total.

In this article we will tell you how to install standard and modified firmware on HTC smartphones.

Important! All responsibility for the actions taken lies solely with you. Without knowledge, experience and understanding of the risks, do not flash your phone, but rather study more information.

Standard way to update firmware

This method is standard for all Android smartphones. Allows you to get the latest version of the system. The update process is safe and primarily aimed at novice users. In this case, the update will be installed, subject to availability from the manufacturer. If the manufacturer has stopped supporting the smartphone, you will not receive the update.

For detailed update instructions, see the subtitle.

Installing the RUU image

Using the RUU image, the smartphone returns to its standard state and the stock firmware is flashed. All user settings are reset only if S-On protection is enabled. When S-Off, the data is saved. Additionally, it is recommended to remove the SIM and MicroSD card for the duration of the firmware.

If S-On protection is enabled, the bootloader must be in the closed state - LOCKED, otherwise error 155 will appear in the process. In this case, you should close the bootloader with the command fastboot oem lock.

You cannot install old firmware over new firmware.

Before flashing the firmware, it is important to check the compliance of the CID and MID of the smartphone. You cannot install European firmware on Chinese firmware.

Algorithm of actions for RUU.exe:

Boot your smartphone in bootloader mode.
Connect to a computer where drivers, ADB and Fastboot are installed.
When the “fastboot usb” message appears on the screen, run the RUU.exe utility on your computer, then follow the installer’s instructions.

Algorithm of actions for RUU.zip:

Download the HTC fastbbot program. Place the utility in the folder with ADB.
Connect your smartphone to your computer.
Open command line and enter fastboot oem rebootRUU.
Next – htc_fastboot flash zip /rom.zip, where XXXXX is the path to the firmware.

Installing firmware.zip

Another way to install stock firmware. The requirements are the same as for the RUU image.

Algorithm of actions:

Download the appropriate firmware, then place the archive in the fastboot folder. Change the name of the firmware to “firmware”.
Boot the device into bootloader mode. Connect to PC.
Open a command prompt. Write the path to the folder where fastboot is located. For example cd c:\androfon.
Further fastboot oem rebootRUU.
After the phone restarts and HTC appears, enter . An error message will appear on the screen, this is normal, please enter again fastboot flash zip firmware.zip.
Once the firmware is complete, enter fastboot reboot.

Installing custom firmware

Custom firmware is installed via third-party recovery - or . Required in advance. If you have TWRP installed on your device, follow the instructions:

Important! Before installing custom firmware, be sure to ask about additional conditions for installing the image.

Installation instructions for TWRP

Important! This installation method is applicable for older devices, since in the latest models, installation is performed through Magisk. Before installing TWRP, be sure to check which method is relevant for your model.

Algorithm of actions:

Download TWRP, rename the file recovery. If you downloaded the archive, unzip the archive and then rename the file recovery.
Place the file in the folder with adb and fastboot, for example, in the C:\Androfon folder.
Connect your phone to your PC.
Open a command prompt. Put your phone into download mode – adb reboot download.
Enter CD C:\Androfon.
Then fastboot flash recovery recovery.img. You may need to clear the cache, check this before installation. The command for cleaning is fastboot erase cache.
To enter recovery, run the bootloader, where select the firmware recovery.

Conclusion

The article describes ways to flash htc smartphones official and custom firmware; how to install TWRP recovery.

If you have any questions, or have suggestions for corrections and additions, write your comments in the comments.

I am the proud owner of an HTC Desire A8181. When I purchased it a year ago, my joy knew no bounds. Came out after a while Samsung Galaxy S, HTC Desire HD, HTC Incredible S, etc. and then one fine day the era of “monsters” began on 2 cores with powerful graphics coprocessors (I think there is no point in listing the models)

I realized that I had a phone in my hands, which I bought “gray” for almost $700, but then it was a “monster”, now it’s hardly relevant against the backdrop of fresh interfaces and high performance. Since the warranty had come to an end, I decided not to waste time and squeeze everything I could out of my “desire”. The first thing I did was get my license ROOT, then S-OFF. Let me explain:

ROOT— in other words, “granting super-user rights” allows you to feel more free in managing your phone, working with applications, almost all of them (with ROOT rights) become on the memory card; the ability to create Ext (the system will see the allocated space on the memory card as part of the phone’s memory) and Swap (a section that works as a “swap file”, as if creating an additional amount of RAM) partitions.

S-OFF- Security OFF - disable phone protection to “expand the capabilities” of working with it.

Then I flashed the latest version of the radio module (responsible for the quality of the signal in the GSM/CDMA network and the stability of Wi-Fi). Then there was the question (the most interesting thing) of installing custom (modified/ported from another device, more colorful/productive) firmware.

In this article I will talk about 4 firmwares that on my HTC Desire showed themselves the brightest and differed from other firmwares in a number of “features”, “usefulness” and “goodies”. Let's get started.

In order not to clutter the blog with huge screenshots, you can view them slightly reduced in flash. Full length screenshots !

MIUI. (currently relevant for me personally.FCR_MIUI_R29.3, but there are many modifications of this firmware)

The appearance of the firmware is beautifully “licked” from the iPhone. NTS Sense is missing from the firmware. The settings menu looks the same as in the iPhone. Ability to customize themes and background not only for the desktop, but also for the lock screen. The ability in the lock screen to jump directly to the phone (dialer) / SMS / simply unlock the screen (by the way, this function was used in MIUI earlier than in Sense from NTS), at the bottom of the desktop there is a scroll bar - under it there is a block of dedicated programs that you can fill in yourself / edit

Performance. The firmware does not slow down or freeze in any way. Based on the test results in Quadrant, NeoCore, Benchmark AnTuTu, we can conclude that MIUI is a very productive and fast firmware!

Personal opinion: The firmware is original, clearly differs from others, has a unique appearance, has high performance and its own proprietary add-ons. It is not suitable for everyone, “Apple phobes” should avoid it! Those who have nothing against the iPhone and its interface - I advise you to take a closer look!

Oxygen. (I tested oxygen-2.1.4)

What we have before us is what is called “naked” Android. The NTS Sense interface is missing (a sacrifice in the direction of performance). The firmware looks insufficient - everything was removed from it - NTS Sense, all the built-in programs, and even the set of widgets is limited. But this is the whole essence of Oxygen - this is the firmware that the user “cuts” for himself, installing only those applications and widgets that he needs.

It is also possible to install additional those, by using which the device changes before our eyes (I used Oceanis_oxygenv2-6). There is a specialized menu from Oxygen in which you can make serious settings regarding the phone.

Performance. The firmware has proven itself well, it’s really fast, which is why it’s popular.

Personal opinion: the ability to customize the device for yourself; everything that could slow down the capabilities of the device has been cut out. This is one of the most productive “naked” Androids. Suitable for all those who are chasing performance, who are looking for the most customizable firmware option. But in my case, some system glitches occurred: the bottom bar of programs disappeared into nowhere, or the phone rebooted itself, in general, it was a little unstable.

CyanogenMod 7.

Again, we have before us “naked” Android, without the NTS Sense interface. The firmware is notable for the fact that it is updated once a day, CyanogenMod 7 has the concept of “nightly” - nightly (frequent updates), the guys from this team update the firmware every day, and when they release a stable version, they post it separately, calling it stable, which logical

The firmware is also quite productive and very “customizable”, and to the maximum, you even need to install applications from Google separately. Quite fast and stable, unlike Oxygen (perhaps this is only in my case).

Performance. The firmware behaves well both in simple situations and in moments of special stress. It performed well in tests.

Personal opinion: An excellent alternative to Oxygen, frequently updated, stable, fast. Suitable for all speed seekers. In my case, the sound of the speaker was reduced

RCMixS. (I used version RCMixS_v2.1_A2SD_CM7Hboot_TEST4).

This is the brightest and juiciest firmware I have ever installed. NTS Sense 2.1+3.0 is used here. The firmware is “live”, very beautiful, but cannot boast of performance unlike the firmware listed above. Everything is compensated by beauty.

Performance. Performance is low, but not lower than on the “native” firmware for HTC Desire. IN everyday use There is no sense of slowness in the device - bad results are visible only in tests, but not in practice.

Personal opinion. This firmware is just a dream for those who are looking for firmware with Sense. In it, Sense does not glitch or crash, animated wallpaper, weather and active icons on the lock screen - everything works fabulously. NTS Sense 2.1+3.0 is only here and only now! It feels like your Desire is turning into Sensation, or at least Incredible S. I still can’t get over it myself.

My verdict

1.The most original is MIUI
2.The most productive (fast) - MIUI / Oxygen / CyanogenMod 7 (to each his own)
3.The most beautiful - RCMixS

Of course, there are still a huge number of firmwares for HTC Desire, and they are all interesting in their own way. In some cases, a more interesting interface, in others, the camera behaves better and shoots HD video, in others, perhaps something else unusual. Everyone chooses what they like best and sets their own priorities. I showed an example on my HTC Desire, but similar firmware (radically changing the impression of the device) is available for almost every Android smartphone, so I wish you good luck in flashing the firmware!

Thank you all for your attention, I hope my work helped someone, someone was just interested, in any case - good luck to everyone!