noobie WP7 system update question - Windows Phone 7 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello xda! , newbie WP7 user here, getting my first WP7 device here, I am switching from iPhone 4,
I have a pretty simple question but searched all over the place and didn't seem to find a straight answer - is the OS updates for WP7 done via Zune (like itunes with iphone) or like most Android devices via Carrier OTA? I'm getting a HTC Surround and it's going to replace my ATT iphone line, that's why I am concerned.
Thanks for any input.

You get the update notification on your phone (or Zune if you hook up before you phone tells you) and then the update is done through Zune on the computer as it allows a back up of your phone to be made and makes the update process more reliable... Fairly easy though, does all the work for you

FiyaFleye said:
You get the update notification on your phone (or Zune if you hook up before you phone tells you) and then the update is done through Zune on the computer as it allows a back up of your phone to be made and makes the update process more reliable... Fairly easy though, does all the work for you
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thanks! that's exactly what I needed to know sounds quite straight forward, I'm concerned because a lot of android devices can be a PITA when it comes to OS updates.

Related

A few questions about devices

Before I start, yes I did look around, and the best I found were unanswered questions, but if someone can link me to some answers I would much appreciate it.
Anyway my questions mostly deal with unlocking. Now I've heard about ChevronWP7, but, as far as I can tell, it's only for a jailbreak type of 'unlock' rather than the traditional carrier unlocking, is that correct?
If so, is there a free way to unlock phones to use on different carriers?
Also, if a phone is already carrier unlocked, will the lock return when syncing with a computer?
Finally, if I were to get a phone just for development, would I need to use it as a phone at all (meaning have a SIM card inserted), or could I just treat it like an iPhone's iPod Touch?
Thanks in advanced
ChevronWP7 unlocks a phone, so you can install applications from other sources than marketplace. For example, develop your own application, and install it on phone.
Official way: Pay 99$ for MS, to be able to do that.
Jefis said:
ChevronWP7 unlocks a phone, so you can install applications from other sources than marketplace. For example, develop your own application, and install it on phone.
Official way: Pay 99$ for MS, to be able to do that.
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Thanks, that's what I figured. But as a student, I get it free anyway. Do you know the answers to my other questions?
Also, if I were to get an HD2 and install Windows Phone 7 on that, would I be able to use the marketplace and develop applications on that?
To develop apps you dont need the phone just the SDK and the emulator.
crsnwby said:
To develop apps you dont need the phone just the SDK and the emulator.
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I know, I actually have a few apps up already. But the emulator only goes so far, you don't get to see how your apps look in the marketplace and you don't get to try out competing apps. The main reason I want a device now is because I'm working on a game and the emulator doesn't have multi-touch capabilities and in general it can be sluggish
DrederickTatum said:
I know, I actually have a few apps up already. But the emulator only goes so far, you don't get to see how your apps look in the marketplace and you don't get to try out competing apps. The main reason I want a device now is because I'm working on a game and the emulator doesn't have multi-touch capabilities and in general it can be sluggish
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If you're saying the game performs sluggishly in the emulator, it's much more likely that you have a memory leak or performance problem with your game, assuming your computer isn't slow.
If you want the apps on the phone you're going to either need to use ChevronWP7 (which will stop working after this next patch although apparently Microsoft will release or allow some sort of homerbrew solution after that patch) or get the dev unlock. Unfortunately, if you're in the App Hub through DreamSpark, they don't check your ID (which is required to get an unlock) until you try to submit your first app. This means you either have to upload a dummy app (which counts against your 5 free submissions) or you have to build an app entirely based on the emulator.
In terms of carrier unlock, I don't believe there is a free solution, but I'm entirely unsure about that.
FishFaceMcGee said:
If you're saying the game performs sluggishly in the emulator, it's much more likely that you have a memory leak or performance problem with your game, assuming your computer isn't slow.
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It runs okay, but not as smooth as when I run it natively in Windows. This one is just a board game, I ran a more complex game I was working on in the past and it also ran fullspeed in Windows but was quite sluggish in the emulator. I know there are differences in the way the platforms handle memory, but I'm a pretty careful coder, I'm pretty sure it's more to do with the fact that the whole Windows Phone 7 dev kit is still quite new.
Anyway, I'm still thinking of going with the HD2 option. Would I be able to register that as a dev phone? If not how about ChevronWP7?
i think it was suggested earlier but you register your windows live account as a dev account (to activiate requires you to submit an app). once that's done, the phone automatically unlocks and works as a dev phone. i still don't agree on using HD2 as the basis of your dev phone, but i understand your lack of finances.
The Gate Keeper said:
i think it was suggested earlier but you register your windows live account as a dev account (to activiate requires you to submit an app). once that's done, the phone automatically unlocks and works as a dev phone. i still don't agree on using HD2 as the basis of your dev phone, but i understand your lack of finances.
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I like the idea of getting an HD2 just because of it's versatility, I could put Android on it if I wanted to try developing for that platform, the only thing stopping me is the fact that WP7 for HD2 will probably hit a snag when 7.1 comes out and I'd be stuck on the emulator again.
Actually I could get a proper Windows Phone, I just don't like paying for data. I just want to run it on WiFi and use it like an iPod touch. That's why I wanted to know if the device works fine without a SIM card or will it not let you do anything until you insert one? Surely owners of a device could answer this question.
DrederickTatum said:
I like the idea of getting an HD2 just because of it's versatility, I could put Android on it if I wanted to try developing for that platform, the only thing stopping me is the fact that WP7 for HD2 will probably hit a snag when 7.1 comes out and I'd be stuck on the emulator again.
Actually I could get a proper Windows Phone, I just don't like paying for data. I just want to run it on WiFi and use it like an iPod touch. That's why I wanted to know if the device works fine without a SIM card or will it not let you do anything until you insert one? Surely owners of a device could answer this question.
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yes it can be used wifi only.
Now I'm reading from some places that you need to be on 3G to install Apps from the marketplace, true?
Never had a data plan as we have city wide wifi and i have all the apps I want
z33dev33l said:
Never had a data plan as we have city wide wifi and i have all the apps I want
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Out of curiosity, what phones are you guys using?
Edit: Doh, just saw the Venue in your signature. Has T-Mobile ever bothered you about not having data?
Not once, they can't tell... I have an HD7, a venue pro, 2 focus' one quantum, and one surround. I'm a major fan

[Q] Brand new to WP7

I just got my WP7 phone, an Arrive - it "arrrived" yesterday - and I'm about to take the plunge into Windows Phone 7 development. I have previously developed on PPC4, WM5, and WM6, but this is all new...
I'm about to register on the marketplace as a dev, and if I understand correctly, I will then unlock my phone so I can sideload apps from VS2010.
If I've read right, the Chevron unlock doesn't work with the Arrive, but I'm wondering if unlocking it by registering as a dev means I can still sideload the apps for tethering?
Yeah, probably a noob question, but I just want to make sure I don't end up screwing up my phone.
Thanks!
Yeah man if you get the official unlock you'll be able to install any sideloading apps you want!
Thanks. That's what I thought...
Now if I could ever get anything to go right with this whole deal. Now I'm waiting on GeoTrust to verify that I am who I say I am before I can get my account finished, and the Windows Phone Developer Unlocker tool in VS won't connect to my phone, even though Zune is working with it just fine. Ugh.
Yeah, until your account is verified the developer unlock tool won't work. Also note that while VS may send you to Zune to do the unlock, this is incorrect: installing teh WP7 dev tools placed an app on your PC called "Windows Phone Developer Registration" and it is this app that you will need to use for the unlock.
Deleted Post

[Q] Need help unlocking my phone

Ok, so I hate boring generic ringtones. And plus, I like to have a unique ringtone that no one else would ever use, so that I always know when it's my phone ringing. However, some corporate idiot at Microsoft actually decided that us having the freedom to pick our personal ringtones on our personal phones, is a bad idea. I'd like to punch that guy.
So, anyways, last week my phone told me I needed to update it, and I did hoping that maybe one of these updates would allow me to add ringtones. Nope.
So, I started searching, and found some chevron app that is supposed to add ringtones. I followed the instructions step by step, and it didn't work. These instructions didn't suggest or say there were any requirements for me to have taken action to unlock my phone, so I can only assume whoever put up the instructions are idiots that didn't put complete instructions up, or made a program that doesn't work. Either way, that's quite frustrating.
So, I search, and while I've not found anything that actually states that you definitely need to unlock your phone for the ringtone app to work (It would be nice if someone out there could actually give clear instructions, but no one seems to understand that concept), but from what I gather that's probably what I need to do.
So, I get the chevronwp7 installer, which was a ***** to find, since most links go to the website for the app, which oddly enough doesn't have the app, but does have the ringtone app that doesn't work for me. Finally I find it, and it keeps telling me it can't communicate with the phone.
Now then, a little more searching, and I find some certificates that I need to install on the phone. So I do that. The thing still can't communicate with my phone.
So I search more, and I find that microsoft decided they really don't want me to pick a ringtone, and have blocked this chevron thing from working with their updates.
Who the hell do they think they are? I buy a device, once I pay my money to buy something, don't I have the freedom to do what I want with the device that I now own? I really think these developers that try to control how I use my devices that I own really need to get out of my business! I just want microsoft to leave me and my device that I own alone. But, they didn't, and screwed me over.
So, now I need to find a way to get rid of the update. I could reset my phone, but I've not found anything that clearly tells me if that removes the updates or not, or how to remove the updates.
Also, I installed the windows phone device manager, which looks to be official software that should work, and when I try to use the set ringtones option in there to add ringtones to my device, all I get is unable to connect to work phone (work phone is the name of my phone).
Can someone here offer some clear instructions how I can just get some damn ringtones? Please?
Many thanks in advance.
some corporate idiot at Microsoft actually decided that us having the freedom to pick our personal ringtones on our personal phones said:
Microsoft has no wish to keep you from setting your own ringtones. This feature is coming in the next update and was not included with the release of the OS because Microsoft was trying to get it to market as soon as possible.
So said:
I have no idea where you get this false sense of entitlement.
So said:
You come to XDA for help, yet you call the dedicated people here who work hard to let us make the most of our devices idiots. Just because you are not technically proficient constitutes no fault on our part; that is your own.
It is clear that you are only here for yourself and have no intention to contribute to XDA. Your tone also makes people not want to help you.
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Oscardog777 said:
Microsoft has no wish to keep you from setting your own ringtones. This feature is coming in the next update and was not included with the release of the OS because Microsoft was trying to get it to market as soon as possible.
I have no idea where you get this false sense of entitlement.
You come to XDA for help, yet you call the dedicated people here who work hard to let us make the most of our devices idiots. Just because you are not technically proficient constitutes no fault on our part; that is your own.
It is clear that you are only here for yourself and have no intention to contribute to XDA. Your tone also makes people not want to help you.
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Click to collapse
I contribute where I have something to contribute. I didn't call anyone here idiots, but I did express frustration in unclear instructions that weren't complete. I have followed any instructions I have found step by step, I deal with computers and electronics all the time and know what I'm doing. So, if it isn't working, it's because no one has been clear in how to properly do this.
And I don't understand why I"m being criticized for feeling entitled to use something that I paid for. If I knew microsoft was going to lock this thing down to this point, and take away features I had taken for granted, I would have never gotten the thing.
If I have something to contribute to you, I will. I contribute to places all over the internet where I have knowledge or material to contribute. When it comes to this phone, I'm out of my element. It's not that I came here to specifically not contribute, but what do you want from me? If you can get me ringtones, I will definitely express my thankfulness. I would think asking the right questions, and getting a step by step set of instructions put up here would be a contribution to this place, since at this time there is no step by step beginning to end clear to follow instructions on how to get ringtones on a windows phone.
So, once again, please explain how I can do what I am trying to do here. I thought that's what this forum was for.
I understand that you are frustrated, and that's fine. In the future though, try not to take it out on the people that can help you
To answer your question, the tool that allows you to unlock your device, Chevron WP7, only works on OS versions 7004 (the original release version) and 7008 (the pre copy and paste version). Chevron does the same as paying Microsoft $99 to developer unlock your phone, which lets you put home-made apps (like the ones people make here, such as the custom ringtone installer) and apps not in the marketplace on your phone. Since you said you updated your phone, I'm assuming you have the NoDo update, which is OS version 7390 (the update that adds the copy and paste feature to your phone). Unfortunately, there is currently no way to unlock your phone if it is running NoDo, but Zune should have created a backup of your phone that if you restored it would put you back to version 7004 or 7008, which are unlockable.
Ok, thanks, I appreciate your help on this.
I figured out how to run a restore from the Zune, and have done so. However, I still can't get the chevronwp7.exe file to work. The phone is restored to it's previous state, zune is open, the phone is connected, and when I run the file all I get is
"Sorry, I'm having trouble communicating with the phone
- Please make sure it's connected using USB
- Please start the Zune application"
I have met both requirements, it does not work. And I have confirmed that this has OS 7008. I've run the certificate file on the phone, and have set the installer to run as administrator in XP SP3 mode, as a site online suggested. Nothing works, it doesn't work, and I'm following all instructions properly.
What do I need to do to get this to work?
Thanks.
every one just can unlock his/her phone from pre-nodo update...
Have you made sure that you have the phone's screen on and is displaying the home screen where all your tiles are and not the lockscreen?
Sent from my Samsung Focus using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
Oscardog777 said:
Have you made sure that you have the phone's screen on and is displaying the home screen where all your tiles are and not the lockscreen?
Sent from my Samsung Focus using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
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I didn't do that, as there were no instructions to do that. But, now I have tried to do that, and that has made no difference.
What do I need to do to get this to work?
JonnyGators said:
What do I need to do to get this to work?
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somebody who will take your phone and do it for you? I am pretty sure you will get it to work if you take your time, keep reading and trying. Worked for me too.
I've read everything there is out there to do this, and followed every step. I have the phone on a version that is compatible. I have installed the certificates to the phone. I have the chevron installer. I have the phone connected with zune, not as a guest phone. I have zune open. I have the phone out of sleep mode, showing the tile screen. I run the installer. I keep getting that error message that it can't connect to the phone that tells me to connect it via usb (it is) and to run zune (it is).
I've tried everything.
There is something missing from the instructions.
I need further help, which is why I am here. Can someone please help me?
I really wish someone would post some proper instructions or actually get a working procedure posted.
Once again, I have my windows phone on a compatible version with the chevron installer. I downloaded both the certificates and chevron installer. I installed the certificates to the phone. I've synced the phone with zune, it is connected to the computer, and not as a guest. I have the phone on, and on the tile screen. I run the installer, and I still get that same error prompting me to connect the phone with usb and open zune.
I've done everything.
There is something missing.
Are you guys here to help, or just to laugh at others misfortunes? I've done all you've said, it doesn't work.
Can you guys get a working procedure and/or installers please?
what OS are you running (XP? Vista? 7?) and also what version of the os are you running (x32 or x64) on your host computer. I know that when I was trying to unlock my phone that it wouldn't work on my desktop however, it would work on my laptop (both x64 win7). I don't know why, but sometimes switching USB ports also helps with this (some usb ports are lower power than others). Also, don't get mad if you cant get it on the first try. Last resort would be to hard reset your phone.
Are you sure that zune is also running while you are trying to unlock your phone? You should try it while zune is running because that is how the phone knows that it is connected to a computer at all. Also, if your phone says Syncing then you may have better success
I hope this helps a little bit ;-)
you would think there would be 100s of people posting problems with the installation if you were correct and the instructions were clearly poor. I don't see those posts. You apparently tried the obvious. There might just be a registry entry on your machine that prevents you from doing what you want (e.g. USB related) or your Antivirus and Firewall program prevent the connection.
I suggest you try this on an entirely different computer.
edit: Just in case you have an LG phone you can actually unlock it before AND after the NoDo update using the LG registry editor. Directions are listed here.
I am using Windows 7 x64. I have tried multiple usb ports. It is a samsung phone. I have also tried disabling my antivirus, but that didn't help either. Zune is always open, and phone and zune are syncing without problems.
I will try on another computer tomorrow and see what happens.
Ok, I have tried again on a different computer and have the same problem.
Once again, I have followed all instructions as posted. I have my windows phone on a compatible version. I have zune open. I have the phone awake and on the tile screen. I installed the certificates on the phone. I run the chevron installer, and it continues to tell me I need to have zune open and the phone connected with usb, of which I have done both.
I've yet to see any evidence that this program actually works.
I've found several threads around the internet world with people reporting my same problem, with no solution ever found for them. Usually the thread ends up getting hijacked and talking about different issues that aren't mine, and no one solves the initial problem.
Please, could someone get together a set of instructions that works for this process, because this isn't working.
Thanks.
I guess u could try hard resetting your phone (in settings/about) and then trying to unlock 1 more time. Last resort, buy a wp7 dev license and then u can sideload all you want (at a 99$ price, of course). If u don't want to pay that, then try again. Also make sure that the second computer you tried detects your phone as NOT a guest when you try to unlock it. Just keep trying!
before you hard reset try this registry mod. It fixes some usb connection problems for users who are trying to use the device manager. I've had connection problems on my laptop and this fixed it.
good luck
also, please do not make statements like "it's not working". just because it's not working for you doesn't mean you can make a global statement like that. The people who put instructions up here are not trying to lead people into a dead-end like your posts suggest. They are trying to help. Put yourself in a position of somebody who posts a solution which apparently works for most people and then somebody comes back and writes "you must be an idiot". Or in other words. It's working for me and others here, so it must be working for everybody. You must be an "idiot" who cannot follow instructions and you must be doing something wrong. Wouldn't that annoy you? Note that I am using your own description of the situation. All that does is shut the door for any help you could get in the first place. Why would I help somebody who calls me an idiot?
Thanks for that suggestion, I will give that a try.
My purpose in emphasizing that I've followed the instructions step by step is to make it clear that I am doing that. I'm not suggesting that the people that write these procedures are idiots, but I know that often when someone comes along posting issues they are viewed as the idiot. So I just want to make it clear that I've read the sites, I've done the research, I've tried all the suggestions out there, and I have verified I've done everything correctly, just to make sure no one shrugs it off as a id-10-t error, or suggest I need to rtfm.
I apologize if I've come off as insulting the people that have done the work to make what I"m trying to do possible.
try turning off all data related options? enable airplane mode, turn-off wifi, blutooth etc.

NEW WP7 Update disable unlock??????

Oh nohs...
Today i updated my phone with the new security update from zune.
from: v7.0.7000.8 to v7.0.7392.0
and now i cant unlock my phone anymore?!?!??!
FIX MS the chevronwp7 Hack??????
oh nos.... :/
why i updated my phone ((((
hope anybody can help me???
if i want to update i became the notice:
Sorry, I'm having trouble communicationg with the phone.
-Please make sure it's connected using USB
-Please start the Zune application
but it worked nice after the update....?
NEEED HELP! and have any other the same problem???
big thx
Yeah just flash your ROM there are some posts about that in here, but be carefull and chose the right ROM for the right device PS i have not test this but i belive its safe as long you know what your doing by reading every step. i hope that this will help you out
MS fixed the hole that the ChevronWP7 unlocker was using in the NoDo update (7390). You seem to have skipped NoDo and gone straight to the minor security update (7392) but updates are cumulative, so you will have gotten the Chevron hole closed too.
There are a few options here, though.
1) Get an official unlock. If you're a student with a .edu email address, this is free (through Dreamspark, I think). Otherwise, it costs $99. http://create.msdn.com has more info.
2) Restore your phone to 7008 using the Zune software (Settings -> Device -> Update). Then unlock using Chevron, and apply the hacks to prevent it from re-locking. Then re-update.
thx for your fast reply's !
that are bad news for me -.-
is anybody here who have also the same problem like me and have a solution witch worked?
or is it maybe possible to unlock the phone with the new update?
i dont't want to hard reset my phone -.-
We need another method
What we need, especially those of us running Windows XP on disk space restricted PC's, with a Samsung Focus, is a method to unlock that does not require the installation and use of that disk hog Windows Phone Developers Tools. There must be another method that does not require this full install, but possible just some of the connectivity files. Wish someone would come up with it. I have no interest in stealing apps or anything like that. I would just like to be able to load custom ringtones and make some registry changes. Such a simple thing that has proven to be a nightmare using Windows XP.
@JamesAllen:
*WHY* would you run a 10-year-old OS, on a computer with such a restricted disk space that the tools are a burden (agreed they're large, but hard drives are about $0.04 USD / GB right now), and then want to hack on a cutting-edge smartphone OS?
Working to provide a low-footprint, downlevel-OS-compatible tool yourself is great, and I'm sure some people would love to have it. If you want somebody else to do it, though, you may get a better response if you provide a better reason than "my computer is so out-of-date that I could get a 3x better one for less than the cost of my new smartphone."
Oh, and for the record, I'm pretty sure the Developer Registration tool (used for official unlock) and its dependencies, including Zune, comes to less than 200 MB (the Zune install folder is <80 MB).
gore23 said:
thx for your fast reply's !
that are bad news for me -.-
is anybody here who have also the same problem like me and have a solution witch worked?
or is it maybe possible to unlock the phone with the new update?
i dont't want to hard reset my phone -.-
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What phone do you have?

Surface RT not receiving updates

Hi everybody.
Here is the story of the pointless week I just had. Some of the information might be needed to help me, but if you want you can skip to the end for the actual question.
I got hold of an old surface rt at my girlfriend's place and, since I left my laptop in my own house, I thought I might try to set it up and use it for a few things I needed to do (not much more than checking emails, watching youtube and stuff like that). I quickly realised the device was a bit useless (microsoft store and windows update were not working properly, internet explorer being internet explorer and so on).
I then found a guide from alexenferman, and a few threads in this forum, on how to install windows 10. I am neither developer nor a true geek, but I can follow instructions and I messed about with this type of things in the past, so I thought I'd give it a try.
The first half of the process went quite smoothly and I was able to install windows 10 with SecureBooth disabled. The only issues I had were that I could not update windows 10 either, and I could not sign in with a microsoft account, which prevented me to use the store again and I had no way of installing apps from the appstore put together by alexenferman.
Quite frankly, I just got tired of wasting my time, so I decided to revert back to 8.1. For that, I first clean installed windows 8. Then, since I could not update to 8.1, I used a usb recovery image and reset my surface rt with windows 8.1.
At the moment I am on windows 8.1, the store works, but windows update doesn't. I keep checking for updates and get different errors. After troubleshooting a couple of times I now just get error 8024A000. I looked it up and tried the methods found online, sfc scannow cannot find anything, other fixes do not really work. Basically I feel in a loop and a bit lost (Speaking of loops, contacting microsoft support has been an infinite loop between the windows and surface division).
tldr: is there anybody here that can help me with updating Windows 8.1 RT (My goal would be to get to update 3 and possibly jailbreaking after that)? Did I mess things up irreversibly by installing windows 10? Should I just buy a new tablet and chuck away this useless piece of junk that is causing me a nervous breakdown? Thank you very much for your attention, and sorry for the lengthy message but I need someone to talk to, somebody that doesn't simply repeat a script.
Updates ( read: patches ) automatically get rolled out by OEM if they deem it necessary.

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