Android update

[stephenm17]

I haven't had an update for my t-mobile pulse since i got it two years ago and I am wondering if I should think about getting a different phone when my contract ends. My parents both got new phones about a year ago and they have already had update and theres are the HTC ones. Their phones version was 2.0 and they already got the update for 2.1.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

I learnt this very quickly with my phone: don't wait for your provider to release the updates. Root your phone and download a custom ROM. They tend to come with the benefits of the Android updates, plus some other nifty things.

I was waiting for 2.2 while I was on 2.1, then news came out that 2.3 was being released. I was then 2 versions behind. I decided to use a custom ROM and I've never looked back.

[stephenm17]

How do you do that.

[stephenm17]

how do you use a custom ROM.

my android version is 1.5 and need an update for it.

[Sulphy]

goto XDA Developers

and find your phone... the instructions are very easy to follow :)

[thommcg]

Try Google "Pulse root" or similar, e.g.

http://android.modaco.com/content/t-mobile-pulse-pulse-modaco-com/308515/how-to-root-phone-and-install-android-v-2-1/

http://www.stealthcopter.com/blog/2009/12/installing-custom-roms-and-backing-up-the-t-mobile-pulse-huawei/

[stephenm17]

ok

[Teebor]

http://forum.xda-developers.com/

Probably the best place to start

[stephenm17]

thanks its is now doing the upgrade

[stephenm17]

my phone now won't work

[techbeck]

my phone now won't work

No offense, but you dont sound like the person that should of been messing a round with rooting your phone. You dont seem to know to much about it and a screw up could render your phone useless as it may have now. I am not familiar with the pulse and the methods of rooting it, so not sure if you can unbrick it or not.

T-Mobile is good with phone replacements. Call them up, tell them your phone just stopped working and wont turn on. DO NOT tell them you tried to root it or else they will not replace the phone. I dropped my phone in water and was not covered under regular replacement. I just told them it stopped working, waited for the phone to dry a little, and sent it back. I got a replacement phone no questions asked.

I would also see if you qualify for a replacement phone but would wait until more 4g phones are released. Should be more on TMO soon like the Vibrant 4g or the dual core Vibrant. Of course the G2 is a solid phone as well.

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

yeah OP, i think you dove right into the deep end. sounds like you didnt do your homework before you attempted the root. :pinch:

[Nick H. Supervisor]

Hang on, what do you mean it won't work?

When I first tried rooting my phone I had a problem where it wouldn't receive phone calls anymore. However, I could turn my phone on and get access to the menu.

If this is similar to your problem (i.e. you can turn it on and get to the menu) then try restoring your phone to the factory defaults. I did that and got the functionality back.

If I'd seen this thread where you asked how to do it, I would have warned you that it isn't necessarily a simple process. Many times it works without a problem, sometimes it doesn't. But as I've been told (and found out first-hand) just because it messes up doesn't mean that all is lost straight away.

[iamawesomewicked]

Hang on, what do you mean it won't work?

When I first tried rooting my phone I had a problem where it wouldn't receive phone calls anymore. However, I could turn my phone on and get access to the menu.

If this is similar to your problem (i.e. you can turn it on and get to the menu) then try restoring your phone to the factory defaults. I did that and got the functionality back.

If I'd seen this thread where you asked how to do it, I would have warned you that it isn't necessarily a simple process. Many times it works without a problem, sometimes it doesn't. But as I've been told (and found out first-hand) just because it messes up doesn't mean that all is lost straight away.

You probably require a custom radio file for that phone specifically.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

You probably require a custom radio file for that phone specifically.

But rooting the phone by default doesn't touch the radio files. It grants the user access to the system (the root). And installing CFW doesn't necessarily muck about with the phones radio files (after all, they should be fine in the first place), it installs other items.

I could be wrong though, my experience in this matter went as far as "screwing up" my phone, then getting it to work again by doing a factory reset. Then I tried again and it worked. :laugh:

[techbeck]

But rooting the phone by default doesn't touch the radio files. It grants the user access to the system (the root). And installing CFW doesn't necessarily muck about with the phones radio files (after all, they should be fine in the first place), it installs other items.

Just rooting shoudlnt touch the radio files. All rooting does is unlock the phone and allows you to do what you want basically. Apply custom roms, themes, remove bloat...that kind of thing.

NOw if he is switching kernals and trying to go from 1.5 to 2.1 or 2.2, then he may have to flash a new radio as well. Again, not sure on the PULSE phones so this will need to be researched.

[Subject Delta]

Having a wrong radio should only brick the phone if the radio and SPL are incompatible. A software incompatibility should never brick a phone