[Q] Questions regarding how to install ICS on my T-mobile Amaze 4G. - HTC Amaze 4G

Hi,
I got a second hand T-mobile Amaze 4G and since it's second hand, I don't have very accurate info regarding what the previous guy had done with it. I've been reading extensively the forums for past weeks since all this stuff was new to me and I'm better now but still have a few questions though.
What I want to achieve is to have a stable ICS ROM on my phone. If I understood correctly, as of now nightly build of Cyanogenmod and
Info regarding my phone:
A) Carrier is T-mobile.
B) Probably is S-on, I can be wrong.
C) Have no idea about it's SuperCID status.
D) It's recovery was "CWM-based Recovery v5.0.2.7" but I installed 4EXT Recovery Touch V.1.0.0.5 RC7 on it since I read most ROMs require this.
(That's all I can think off from what I read is required to know about one's phone, but if not, ask me and I'll do my best to reply)
My questions:
1- Since my phone's carrier is T-mobile, do I still have to s-off my phone if I want to install ICS on it?
2- If the previous question's answer is positive, do I have to run Juopunutbear under Ubuntu? I read unlimited.io's website and they suggested Ubuntu and removed Windows versions of Juopunutbear due to compatibility (and user trolls) but I see youtube tutorials on to do it under Windows. Is it advised to do it under Ubuntu? It's hard to download 700Mb and also work under Ubuntu for me.
3- Which ROM is better for me? I'm a game developer and just need a stable phone so I can test my game on it. I need SD card access when I mount the phone to my computer so I can easily deploy my games. I do like the stock ICS look of Cyanogenmod but apparently Revolution is more stable, right? I'm open to other alternatives, I just want a stable ROM and hopefully look of stock ICS.
4- I tried installing both of the Cyanogenmod and Revolution but after the installing them and restarting the phone, it gets stuck at htc logo. I've read that this can be due to s-on but I also read that T-mobile phones do not require those steps. So this is my main problem now.
Thank guys so much in advance.
Update
I put the the 4EXT recovery into SmartFlash mode and then flashed the Cyanogenmod again and after the install, it did not stuck at htc logo but when I unlock the phone, it freezes after 1-2 seconds and the auto restarts! :'(

---

This is a good thread to read through before you start flashing ROMs, since your phone is S-ON.
Make sure you enable smartflash in 4EXT
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2096563

---

tube517 said:
This is a good thread to read through before you start flashing ROMs, since your phone is S-ON.
Make sure you enable smartflash in 4EXT
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2096563
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. What's I believe is missing from that topic is that you need to upgrade the firmware. I think that's why my phone gets frozen after 1-2 seconds, amsearching for the firmware I have to upgrade.
Another question to my initial ones:
5- If I upgrade my firmware, will I be able to install GB ROMs again on it? Or do I have to downgrade my firmware in order to do so?

---

did you wipe completely before flashing the ROM? Wipe cache, dalvik cache and wipe data?

---

tube517 said:
did you wipe completely before flashing the ROM? Wipe cache, dalvik cache and wipe data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I run the Super Wipe script, "Super_Wipe_Amaze_4G.zip", so it does all that. I strongly believe my problem is that I didn't install the stock ICS ROM before installing Cyanogenmod and am downloading the latest one.
So I have two questions:
1) When I upgrade my firmware to ICS, how am I will be able to install GB ROMs again? Do I have to install older firmwares first?
2) Which ICS ROM has stock lookingness of ICS but with most features and stability?
Thanks.

---

Cm10 is a jellybean rom and wont work until your phone is already running ics. If youre on gb, install a stock tmobile ics ruu and then flash cm10. For stock look and performance id recommend the energy rom.
Also someone correct me if im wrong but youll have to soff to go back to gb

---

Success!
Yes the problem WAS that I had to flash stock ICS RUU first then flash any ICS custom ROM over it. I now have a nice CryogenMod 10 on my device. It's not complete but I really love how it looks! Thanks to it's great devs.
It's not that stable and I see
And it lacks SD card drive mount which I used a lot, maybe I try to use AirDroid instead. Have to try it for a few days.
Hassaan.W said:
Cm10 is a jellybean rom and wont work until your phone is already running ics. If youre on gb, install a stock tmobile ics ruu and then flash cm10. For stock look and performance id recommend the energy rom.
Also someone correct me if im wrong but youll have to soff to go back to gb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Hassan, what I meant by stock is not the sense look, I don't like it. What I meant is original ICS look that Nexus 7 has for example. The look that CryogenMod has. What I was asking is that is there any other ROM which looks like CryogenMod but is more stable and has more features?
And is there any comparison chart between current state of ICS ROMs? Which ones are good for daily usage?
And I still have my questions:
1) What should I do if I want to get back to GingerBreak ROMs? Should I have to install/flash GB RUU and then a custom GB ROM over it?
2) My WiFi signal is worse, like half of what is used to be, since I'm sitting next to my router, so do I have to run/flash anything to fix this?
And let me thank EXT4 Recovery's SmartFlash, I didn't need to s-off my device, which is tricky, needs Ubuntu to work fine, etc.

---

test84 said:
Success!
Yes the problem WAS that I had to flash stock ICS RUU first then flash any ICS custom ROM over it. I now have a nice CryogenMod 10 on my device. It's not complete but I really love how it looks! Thanks to it's great devs.
It's not that stable and I see
And it lacks SD card drive mount which I used a lot, maybe I try to use AirDroid instead. Have to try it for a few days.
Thanks Hassan, what I meant by stock is not the sense look, I don't like it. What I meant is original ICS look that Nexus 7 has for example. The look that CryogenMod has. What I was asking is that is there any other ROM which looks like CryogenMod but is more stable and has more features?
And is there any comparison chart between current state of ICS ROMs? Which ones are good for daily usage?
And I still have my questions:
1) What should I do if I want to get back to GingerBreak ROMs? Should I have to install/flash GB RUU and then a custom GB ROM over it?
2) My WiFi signal is worse, like half of what is used to be, since I'm sitting next to my router, so do I have to run/flash anything to fix this?
And let me thank EXT4 Recovery's SmartFlash, I didn't need to s-off my device, which is tricky, needs Ubuntu to work fine, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont think were allowed to compare roms here. But for the look you like with features, there are several options. One is fourth bar infusion by craigtut. Another is the one im using which is jellybam. A personal favourite rom is the dark glass 0.3 pacman by josegaire. These are tge roms with a nexus look.. the wifi signal must have something to do with the rom. Try a different one and see if it improves.
Sent from my Amaze 4G using xda app-developers app
---------- Post added at 10:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:00 AM ----------
Also to go back to gingerbread you will have to S- off your device first.
Sent from my Amaze 4G using xda app-developers app

---

test84 said:
Success!
Yes the problem WAS that I had to flash stock ICS RUU first then flash any ICS custom ROM over it. I now have a nice CryogenMod 10 on my device. It's not complete but I really love how it looks! Thanks to it's great devs.
It's not that stable and I see
And it lacks SD card drive mount which I used a lot, maybe I try to use AirDroid instead. Have to try it for a few days.
Thanks Hassan, what I meant by stock is not the sense look, I don't like it. What I meant is original ICS look that Nexus 7 has for example. The look that CryogenMod has. What I was asking is that is there any other ROM which looks like CryogenMod but is more stable and has more features?
And is there any comparison chart between current state of ICS ROMs? Which ones are good for daily usage?
And I still have my questions:
1) What should I do if I want to get back to GingerBreak ROMs? Should I have to install/flash GB RUU and then a custom GB ROM over it?
2) My WiFi signal is worse, like half of what is used to be, since I'm sitting next to my router, so do I have to run/flash anything to fix this?
And let me thank EXT4 Recovery's SmartFlash, I didn't need to s-off my device, which is tricky, needs Ubuntu to work fine, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if your looking for stable roms which are fully functional with a good battery life and ICS stock looking i'd recommend Android Revolution HD 3.0.1 | ICS | High Quality & Performance | Best STOCK ROM or |Aug 6th| Energy™ -.¸¸.·´¯ ICS 4.0.3 Tweaks / Beats / Blue ¯´·.¸¸. - other roms are great aswell these are stock base so yea fully functional!! :good:

---

ravike14 said:
if your looking for stable roms which are fully functional with a good battery life and ICS stock looking i'd recommend Android Revolution HD 3.0.1 | ICS | High Quality & Performance | Best STOCK ROM or |Aug 6th| Energy™ -.¸¸.·´¯ ICS 4.0.3 Tweaks / Beats / Blue ¯´·.¸¸. - other roms are great aswell these are stock base so yea fully functional!! :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but both of them have the sense look but CyanogenMod has the Nexus look that I'm after but is not mature as the other two that you mentioned.
I also would appreciate if someone would answer my two questions I asked previously.

---

test84 said:
Thanks but both of them have the sense look but CyanogenMod has the Nexus look that I'm after but is not mature as the other two that you mentioned.
I also would appreciate if someone would answer my two questions I asked previously.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well it's your choice and for the downgrade part thats the procedure just flash a GB ROM but never seen a post who downgrade their firmware version you can try if you want it wont hurt you..but if you want to go to stock flash the ics ruu it'll do the same thing and the wifi issue i'd say try flashing the [25.MAR.13] T-Mobile OTA 2.14.531.30 [STOCK] and then flash cyanogenMod if the problem still exist ask from the Cyanogen users whether is it a problem with the rom itself

---

test84 said:
Thanks but both of them have the sense look but CyanogenMod has the Nexus look that I'm after but is not mature as the other two that you mentioned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you are looking for a "Nexus look" the fourth bar ROM by craigtut aims for that.

---

ravike14 said:
well it's your choice and for the downgrade part thats the procedure just flash a GB ROM but never seen a post who downgrade their firmware version you can try if you want it wont hurt you..but if you want to go to stock flash the ics ruu it'll do the same thing and the wifi issue i'd say try flashing the [25.MAR.13] T-Mobile OTA 2.14.531.30 [STOCK] and then flash cyanogenMod if the problem still exist ask from the Cyanogen users whether is it a problem with the rom itself
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually did the very same thing, flashed the latest RUU which is 2.14.531.30 [STOCK] and then CM10 on it.
tube517 said:
Since you are looking for a "Nexus look" the fourth bar ROM by craigtut aims for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I think the only ROMs that have the Nexus look are CM and FourthBar, right? Is FourthBar more stable for daily use than CM10? I love CM but sudden lags and occasional bugs is irritating.

---

The fourth bar has no issues at all. There used to be an older version of it called fourth bar nexus that was even more stable with better battery life but i think it has been taken down. Fourth bar infusion is a great daily driver though.
Sent from my HTC Ruby using xda app-developers app

---

I'd suggest s-off then super cid then tmobile ics.. Telus is a Canadian carrier known for being major a##holes..
Running tmobile on my Canadian (wind mobile) amaze required Soff
Sig:
What do you mean I can't say that??!!.. It's the fkin Internet!

---

test84 said:
I actually did the very same thing, flashed the latest RUU which is 2.14.531.30 [STOCK] and then CM10 on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why dont you just flash a stable ICS rom and flash a go launcher theme which looks like nexus?? solves all the problems right

---

Hassaan.W said:
The fourth bar has no issues at all. There used to be an older version of it called fourth bar nexus that was even more stable with better battery life but i think it has been taken down. Fourth bar infusion is a great daily driver though.
Sent from my HTC Ruby using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you compare it to CM10? What are advantages and disadvantages between the two.
kazzxtrismus said:
I'd suggest s-off then super cid then tmobile ics.. Telus is a Canadian carrier known for being major a##holes..
Running tmobile on my Canadian (wind mobile) amaze required Soff
Sig:
What do you mean I can't say that??!!.. It's the fkin Internet!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My phone's carrier IS T-mobile! So ... ?
ravike14 said:
why dont you just flash a stable ICS rom and flash a go launcher theme which looks like nexus?? solves all the problems right
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know what you meant by "stable ICS rom" but the latest ICS that T-mobile released has Sense UI but I want Nexus UI.

---

Your phone carrier is tmobile.. But.. The phone was not made for tmobile.. It was made for telus..
Telus would luck up a cockroach if they could derive a profit from even 1 customer.
You need super cid.. So you need to Soff first.
Then you can flash anything in the future
I've seen a big difference in problems between those who do Soff and those who don't.. I watch closely since I did my Soff.. It's worth it.
Sig:
What do you mean I can't say that??!!.. It's the fkin Internet!

---

I flashed this "RUBY_ICS_35_S_TMOUS_2.14.531.3_R2_Radio_1.14.550L. 17DC_30.78.550L.15_release_262141_signed.zip" (and then CM10 over it) so I think it's a T-mobile ROM, right?

---

test84 said:
I flashed this "RUBY_ICS_35_S_TMOUS_2.14.531.3_R2_Radio_1.14.550L. 17DC_30.78.550L.15_release_262141_signed.zip" (and then CM10 over it) so I think it's a T-mobile ROM, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By stable Rom I meant something like arhd or energy Rom or that infusion or something like that Rom (I didn't use it reason I can't remember tje name) then get a nexus ui theme from playstore....thing kazz said was since your s on you mite face weird issues when flashing roms and its good to be s off...