Upgrade HTC Desire S

[adam]

Hi anyone,

I'm currently using HTC Desire S phone with Android version 2.3.5. I'm just curious to know whether there is any chance for me to upgrade the phone to 4.0.3?

If so, I would be thankful to anyone who could guide me how to do so.

Any help on this would be kindly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[HansV]

You can download Android 4 from Kernel Source Code, Binaries and Updates for HTC Android Phones.
Instructions for installing: How To Install Android 4.0.4 on HTC Desire S (yes, I know the version number is not exactly the same)

[stuck]

Hans' link to the HTC dev-center will not really help you, as the Desire S is an old-ish handset and so 2.3 (Gingerbread) is the highest version of Android that HTC officially built ROMs etc for your phone for.

However, the wider Android community will likely have developed an ICS (Android 4.0.3) ROM for the Desire S - possibly based on a HTC kernel, or on an AOKP (Android Open Kernel Project) build of the OS. To choose the correct ROM for your phone you will need to do your homework - read up on which ones are best, and pay very careful attention to things like firmware numbers, radios etc, because suppliers and carriers make tweaks and customisations to their ROMs to suit the different hardware used in different regions. As an example, you'll need to find out whether your Desire has NFC or not. It will have a different chipset if it does - this may affect what you can and can't flash onto it.

The forum, XDA developers, http://forum.xda-developers.com/ , is the place to start as this is inhabited by the people that develop the ROMs etc for Android phones. There are some helpful, newbie friendly guides available, but there are also very technical detailed discussions of the workings of Android. The sub-forum for the Desire S is here http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1030

Generally you will first need to root your phone, i.e gain access to (usually protected) OS files. You would then need to install a custom Recovery (see http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/wha ... ete-guide/ ) e.g. ClockworkMod. However, there may be additional steps you would need to work through, and the process varies from phone to phone and can be quite technical.

Somewhere in the XDA forum will be a guide on rooting your phone and installing CWM - but be careful to ensure you know exactly what you're trying to do before you start, if you do it wrong you could brick your phone.

stuckling1 borrowing stuck's login because I'm at home for the weekend and don't have my own laptop with me.

[HansV]

Thanks, stuckling1!