Last night on the Twitter, Chris Walsh, aka one of the people who brought ChevronWP7 to the masses, was working on something "big", having Raphael Rivera testing something related to those new tools release by Microsoft. Those tools were meant to fix two rare but possible update errors people may be experiencing with the NoDo updater.
Turns out, when modified, those tools were able to force pre-NoDo and NoDo updates to any phone, any carrier with any language. Indeed. There's no sideloading here, no modifying of registries, etc. Just a multi-step process that will bring you the update to your phone right now.
Basically they’ve created a managed wrapper over the whole update process for us, rather nice of them.
So I flashed my HTC Mozart back to RTM (7004) via a ROM update HTC ship and whipped up a little application to flash pre-NoDo (7008), NoDo (7355), NoDo update 1 (7389) & NoDo update 2 (7390) all in a single process. No I don’t care which carrier you are on, which phone you have, it’ll just update your phone accordingly.
We really have to commend Microsoft here for being able to split up the OS updates into differential packs, which saves users downloading 200+ MB updates, unlike the IFruit updates.
All you need to do is run the ChevronWP7.Updater.exe console app and follow the prompts.
For the instructions and custom updater file (both for 32 and 64 bit Windows), go to Walsh's blog for more info. [Also, see Simple Mobile Review for a step-by-step walkthrough]
Comments
This worked for me, Samsung Omnia 7 (UK - had preNodo)Do follow instructions though!Well done
Not every device. Nothing happens on my Panther.
Microsoft has said officially that the Panther is NOT getting NoDo. This only pushes NoDo updates to phones that are approved for the update and nothing will change that, unfortunately :-/
Damn it. Why are you guys teasing me by saying "works for every device"?Also, where did they officially say that?
I still want to know if AT&T is including any carrier-specific changes with the NoDo update. I'm more than happy to debrand or use this tool to snag the NoDo update early, but not if it's going to rob me of any changes AT&T makes to NoDo on their end.Edit: Per Walsh's blog, there is no revert process, so I'm less inclined to do this now.
Same here. I was going to give it a try until I saw that currently there's no way to reverse the process. I'd hate to unlock my phone and potentially lose any features because I can't re-brand it.
It's just crazy users have to resort to this to get an update. Glad it works for most though.
How is this any crazier than Jailbreaking iPhone or rooting your Android? Everyone is eventually getting NoDo, just some people don't want to wait. You don't have "have to do this" to get NoDo, you just have to do this if you don't want to wait. It isn't like AT&T is going to deny NoDo, they are just taking their sweet time approving it.
in a perfect world all wp7 users will receive a NoDo update notification. But, that's unrealistic to think that's going to happen. Considering a number of unpredicted factors can happen where the user never receive a notification and thus can't download the update without using a hack. Thats the #1 flaw with the push to notification for updates. Microsoft should do what Apple does, and give all the users the update at once. Even if that means waiting till all the carriers have approved the update before announcing the update is ready.
I dont get it. how is different from the ios updates, you do not have to get the notification to update your device. Just connect it to Zune and manually check for updates.And you want MS to wait for every carrier to approve the update b4 pushing it. that sounds like major fail. atleast this way you can switch to a carrier which does not delay updates and get it on time or just buy an unlocked device.
Not everyone.
Which carrier has blocked NoDO?
LG Panther & Samsung Taylor phones will not be updated.
Seems to be working on my Focus, im currently running it the second time, updated to 7008 fine bout to see if we got NoDo
Does anyone know if this process re-locks a previously unlocked Samsung Focus?
No. Your phone will stay unlocked unless you hard reset it. At which point, your phone needs to be a Developer Unlocked phone (either purchased, or linked to your MS App Center Dev account.)
Thanks for the info!
It worked perfectly on my Focus.I can't tell you if it locks an unlocked phone though.
Everyone who is updating, please keep in mind that this tool does *NOT* create a Restore Point (aka backup) of your phone. And there is no current way to manually create a Restore Point for your phone. Unless you *REALLY* must have NoDo, I would advise folks to wait for the official release, which will create a Restore Point/backup.
It should not be much longer before the official update for all ATT phones is out early April would officially run out I would think around the 10th which is next Sunday. I can wait.
I thought the process is Testing, then up to 10 days later Microsoft approves it, then in the next few days they start the rolling out the updates. So ATT done on the 10th, microsoft gets done on the 15-20th, then starts rolling it out. Im betting it will be May when we get the update on ATT (Focus), that way im not disappointed.
I would love if it was true, however this DOES NOT work on every phone. I have tried over 10 times now. Im using windows 7 ultimate. downloaded the correct version and followed both the pic tutorial and the blog. done this about 10 times now and every time it says installing prenodo. does its thing the sync diagrams shows on phone then it restarts. when i go to run the updater again, since i have version 7004, it says installing prenodo. so its not a simple click and ur done.
Same here. I am using Samsung Focus and the process completes but no changes. Always stays 7004.
Pull up the Windows Support Tools program first, follow the direction on there and then try the update again when that is finished. I did this on 2 phones and both then updated to 7390. This doesnt do anything to your phone and nothing is lost. So no worries!
thanks! it worked!
Worked on my Samsung Focus(AT&T) Its not unlocked or unbranded this is the best and easiest method as of now. Running NoDo(7390)
Worked on my AT&T Samsung Focus, but I can't copy and paste. I can select text, although not in emails, but nothing shows up for copy or paste.
Nevermind, helps when I RTFM.
Got NoDo now, but I don't have Zune or Marketplace. Tried a full reset, no dice, and now I have no games either.
i know im not dumb and have followed each step. it refuses to install on my focus :(
Awesome! Thanks. As an AT&T Focus owner I'd braced myself to wait until the end of time. I downloaded the 64-bit versions, ran Chevron twice and was done in about 10 minutes.Sign me: One happy developer. No problems. Copy/Paste works. My app is loading slightly faster (although it was under 2 seconds before). No speed up on the one time-consuming action in the app, but hey, you don't get a new processor along with NoDo.
Finally a way that actually works!!!Updated to NoDo on my Samsung Omnia 7 (T-Mobile UK), finally!!
Two Samsung Focus AT&T phones done here. I ran the Windows Support tool on both and followed the steps there and then did the steps on the blog and both flew right through and are now both sporting version 7390 and working great! You wont lose anything doing the Recover option, seems to just reset your phone so it remembers its on 7004... Now I just want to see what happens when the 'real' update comes out, Id really love to be given the option to backup my phone....
did he take down the ChevronWP7.Updater.zip file?
I guess hind-site is 20/20. I updated my Focus and with no problems. It updated it all in 3-4 parts. Much to my surprise everything worked as everyone stated that it would. I hope the ChevronWP7 tool didn't break my phone.