How To (Un)Brick Your htc Incredible

Another Great Customer Service Experience

Following on the heels of me breaking my phone for 2 days, I am now up and running again with the latest CyanogenMod 6.0.2 release.

How did I do it? Was it magic? My mad skillz (magic would be more believable)?

We'll go with none-of-the-above.

Mostly, it was Jake. I think he's my unofficial protector.

Late last night he saw my tweets and did a quick post, How is Geekery Like Bank Robbery?, basically talking about the geekiness of many of us who just can't stop what we're doing.

After a few more updates by me, Jake tweeted Android001 and "copied" me.

Next thing I knew I was in an IRC chatroom called #rootmydroid.

I guess I shouldn't be so amazed any more, but I am. People are just awesome. Going out of their way to help those they do not know, for no pay and lot of gratitude from people like me.

What follows is the transcript of that discussion. Blank lines are another user or off topic comments.

[16:46] == chet [ad414951@gateway/web/freenode/ip.173.65.73.81] has joined #rootmydroid
[16:46] -ChanServ- [#rootmydroid] Welcome to #rootmydroid. If nobody is around, please come back later!
[16:47] <@tur42keys> Hi chet
[16:47]  hi! @Android001 asked me to stop by (@oraclenerd)
[16:48] <@tur42keys> yeah, I've been reading :)
[16:48] <@Android001> Hi chet
[16:48] <@Android001> Herr we can help :)
[16:48]  lol - well, I hope I haven't completely bricked this thing
[16:49]  What information can I provide to help you help me?
[16:49]  (I'm fairly technically savy)
[16:49] <@tur42keys> Well I've read this, http://www.oraclenerd.com/2010/11/how-to-brick-your-htc-incredible.html
[16:49] <@tur42keys> So I think I'm up to speed :)
[16:50] <@Android001> Agreed
[16:50] <@tur42keys> Have you tried to unroot using an RUU?
[16:50]  Not that I am aware of.  I was just getting to that last night when I gave up.
[16:51] <@tur42keys> actually, have you done a 'Wipe data/factory reset' in clockworkmod?
[16:51] == noddy_ [6d9922ca@gateway/web/freenode/ip.109.153.34.202] has joined #rootmydroid
[16:51] <@tur42keys> that usually fixes most FCs
[16:51] <@Android001> Well there are 2 possible solutions so far
[16:52]  I've done all manner of Wipe data/Factory Reset, wipe cache, wipe system (didn't care about user data)
[16:52] <@Android001> Hmm
[16:52] <@tur42keys> and it's still FCing?
[16:52]  after just installing 6.0.1, it goes to the cmod splash screen where it just gets in an infinite loop
[16:52] <@tur42keys> hmm
[16:53]  i have to pull the battery to stop it
[16:53] <@tur42keys> Do you have adb?
[16:53] <@Android001> Shh
[16:53] <@Android001> Shh
[16:53] <@Android001> Sorry
[16:53]  I do have adb
[16:53] <@tur42keys> lol
[16:53] <@tur42keys> boot it up, then
[16:53]  I thought you were telling @tur42keys to not tell me about adb! :)
[16:53] <@tur42keys> do adb logcat
[16:54] <@dmzda> adb = aweseome
[16:54] <@dmzda> damn
[16:54] <@dmzda> adb = awesome
[16:54] <@tur42keys> hehe
[16:54] <@Android001> chet: no! I'm on my phone was a typo
[16:54] <@Android001> :p
[16:54]  logcat: not found
[16:55] <@tur42keys> Is your phone booting up?
[16:55]  ah...I'm in recovery...shoudl i just let it go into that splash loop?
[16:55] <@tur42keys> yeah
[16:55] <@Android001> Yes
[16:55]  doing that now
[16:56] <@tur42keys> adb lolcat also works :)

[16:57]  ooh...that's pretty awesome!

[16:58] <@tur42keys> chet: actually, do adb lolcat *:EW > logcat.txt
[16:58]  10-4

[16:58] <@tur42keys> Then upload the logcat.txt to our dropbox thingy

[17:02]  I have 300 KB of logcat, is that enough? (didn't seem to want to end)
[17:03] <@tur42keys> Yeah that's fine

[17:03] <@tur42keys> Pastebin it pls

[17:04]  Here's the link: http://pastebin.com/Kh1AYW0n

[17:04] <@tur42keys> Thx chet

[17:08] <@tur42keys> Chet: that's a lot of errors lol

[17:09]  yeah, scary...lines 105 to 153 just seems to repeat over and over
[17:10] <@Android001> Ye. It isn't good
[17:10]  i'm game for whatever you suggest - this is an expensive paper weight right now

[17:11] <@dmzda> I meant at chet

[17:12]  i'm running on ubuntu, just an FYI
[17:13] <@dmzda> Me too :D
[17:13] <@tur42keys> chet: yay :-)
[17:13]  all the guides seem to be in windows...for whatever reason, the adb thing worked like a charm
[17:13] <@tur42keys> Yeah
[17:14] <@Android001> chet: excellent, rarely do we get people with enough sense to be running Linux
[17:14]  lol
[17:14] <@tur42keys> Yeah
[17:14]  i think i'm blushing
[17:14] <@tur42keys> Hehe
[17:15] <@Android001> Lol

Yeah for me!

[17:16] <@dmzda> chet: What have you tried so far?
[17:18]  boy...that list is long...just a sec

[17:21]  I can write up another post and list the details there - that should give you time to figure out 
all my wrong doings
[17:21] <@tur42keys> I can see a few ways forward
[17:22] <@tur42keys> We can unroot via fastboot on command line
[17:23]  that would be awesome
[17:23]  * Android001 if I kick someone in the next minute its just a test :p
[17:24] <@tur42keys> So you've got fastboot on your computer?
[17:24]  if i did would i get the kudos like with ubuntu?

[17:24] <@tur42keys> Hehe yeah chet
[17:24] <@Android001> Lol

[17:29]  6.0.2 doesn't have market, so I found out

[17:29]  i do not have fastboot installed on my computer
[17:29] <@tur42keys> chet: it should come with adb
[17:29]  ah...checking
[17:30] <@Android001> In same /tools directory
[17:30]  i don't see fastboot in that directory

[17:30] <@tur42keys> U got the android sdk?

[17:31]  i do have it, but I don't see fastboot in the /tools folder
[17:31] <@tur42keys> Hmm

[17:31] <@Android001> chet: odd..

[17:32]  should I redownload the sdk?
[17:32] <@tur42keys> Yeah try chet
[17:32] <@Android001> Sure its not hiding files?
[17:32]  noddy: http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/index.php?title=Gapps#Google_Apps
[17:33]  ls -la
[17:33]  etcltool then hierarchyviewer
[17:33] <@Android001> chet: make sure show hidden files is checked
[17:33] <@Android001> An easy mistake
[17:34] <@tur42keys> Hmm strange chet
[17:35] <@Android001> Very weird
[17:35] <@tur42keys> I'll get you something with fastboot in
[17:36] <@tur42keys> filefactory.com/file/b3d8bhc/n/Other-Shitz-DesireRoot.zip
[17:36] <@tur42keys> In there

[17:36] <@tur42keys> Called fastboot-linux
[17:39]  waiting for download

[17:40] <@Android001> Right I must depart
[17:40] <@Android001> Good luck change
[17:40] <@Android001> chet:
[17:40] <@Android001> Not change :p
[17:40] <@tur42keys> Spell check fail
[17:40] <@Android001> Yup
[17:40] <@Android001> See ya tur42keys
[17:40] <@tur42keys> Byee

[17:42]  should i just copy fastboot-linux into my /sdk/tools folder?
[17:42] <@tur42keys> Yeah
[17:43] <@tur42keys> Then rename to fastboot
[17:43] <@tur42keys> And copy that zip file you were trying to flash in hboot earlier too
[17:44]  PBG1IMG.zip?
[17:44] <@tur42keys> Yeah
[17:44] <@tur42keys> And rename it to rom.zip
[17:44]  where would you like me to put it? on the root of the sdcard?
[17:44]  or local, on my 'puter
[17:44] <@tur42keys> In the same folder as fastboot
[17:45]  10-4
[17:45] <@tur42keys> On your computer
[17:45] <@tur42keys> Then boot your phone in fastboot
[17:46] <@tur42keys> Power + back
[17:47]  I think I'm ready...I'm at the ClockwordMod boot screen - 
HBOOT USB PLUG -> FASTBOOT (highlighted)
[17:47] <@tur42keys> Ok
[17:48] <@tur42keys> Press power
[17:48]  ok, FASTBOOT -> BOOTLOADER
[17:48] <@tur42keys> Yeah
[17:48] <@tur42keys> Now on your pc
[17:49] <@tur42keys> fastboot oem rebootRUU
[17:49] <@tur42keys> Sudo, ./ etc
[17:49] <@tur42keys> :-)
[17:49]  chet@cdj-laptop:/tools/downgrade_files$ fastboot-linux oem rebootRUU ... OKAY
[17:50] <@tur42keys> What do u see on your phone?
[17:50]  OOOHH...the pretty HTC logo that i saw in one of those downgrades!
[17:50] <@tur42keys> Hehe
[17:51] <@tur42keys> Now fastboot flash zip rom.zip
[17:52]  "sending 'zip' (142861 KB)...
[17:52]  writing 'zip'...
[17:52] <@tur42keys> [INFO] etc :-)
[17:52]  FAILED (remote: 90 hboot pre-update! please flush image again immediately)
[17:53] <@tur42keys> Ok
[17:53] <@tur42keys> Run that command again
[17:53] <@tur42keys> fastboot flash zip rom.zip
[17:53]  working...
[17:54]  * tur42keys crosses fingers
[17:54]  (further along)!
[17:55] <@tur42keys> Don't touch your phone btw :-)
[17:55]  not touching...pretty green bar across the bottom now
[17:55] <@tur42keys> Coolio

[17:56]  sweet!
[17:56] <@tur42keys> And you're done
[17:56] <@tur42keys> fastboot reboot
[17:58]  htc Incredible...
[17:58]  htc - quietly brilliant
[17:58]  verizon wireless...
[17:58]  effing awesome sauce!
[17:58] <@AColwill> htc - quietly retarded
[17:58] <@tur42keys> Woop!
[17:58] <@dmzda> YAY
[17:58] <@dmzda> Awesome
[17:59]  side question: would you guys mind if I posted this dialogue?
[17:59] <@tur42keys> Nah its fine
[17:59] <@dmzda> No
[17:59]  sweet...i have a screen again!

[17:59] <@tur42keys> Publicly logged anyway :-)
[17:59] <@tur42keys> LOL
[17:59]  Select your language!
[17:59]  all of you are my new heros
[18:00]  i owe you multiple beers
[18:00] <@dmzda> chet: Glad it worked out
[18:00]  if anyone is near tampa or chicago...
[18:00]  thank you all so much...very freaking awesome.
[18:01] <@tur42keys> np :-)
[18:01] <@tur42keys> Gotta go
[18:01] <@dmzda> cya tur42keys
[18:02] <@dmzda> chet: Yay for mention :D
[18:02] == tur42keys [~OnPhone@pdpc/supporter/student/tur42keys] has quit [Quit: Pulser is awesome! 
Badgers ftw! Vote :coolbadger:]
[18:02]  very much appreciated...thanks again!

So thanks again to Android001 (David), @dmzda and @tur42keys. I owe many, many beers.