Mainver problems? Not anymore!!

[Bigbootyman]

To my fellow ROMheads,
Those of you reading this are probably as fond of flashing roms as much as I do, but probably not. I love flashing roms. It's addicting and I love having the latest and greatest.
If there's a new leak, I gotta have it. The only thing that has plagued my fun, has been the stupid mainver. Can I get an Amen?

I was enlightened today by a post on Scottsroms, by the man himself. This guy is a genius and I think that I can add to his help that he's given with our flashing issues.
I found and easier way to flash any rom, by not changing the the mainver on my phone, but the mainver in the rom instead. It's so much easier than screwing around with ADB and fastbooting images, etc. I imagine the devs can appreciate this post and implement this into their new leaks.

#1. Download your favorite rom to your computer
#2. Download and install 7zip. Grab the .exe file 7-Zip
#3. Click start and open ALL PROGRAMS. Open the 7-Zip folder and select the file manager.
#4. Navigate to the folder where your Rom is downloaded to. Mine is in my download folder: computer. user. Bigbootyman. download folder. Rom of choice
#5. Open the rom, then the kernal folder, then the PH98IMG.zip.
#6. Here is the fun part. Right click on the android-info file and click EDIT. This is important as you cannot change it if you open it. You will find a similar text to this:
modelid: PH9810000 cidnum: VZW__001 STUPID MAINVER: 3.10.605.13 hbootpreupdate:12
I added the STUPID PART
#7. You can change the mainver to whatever you want from here, but you must maintain the sequence x.xx.xxx.x
#8. click file, then save and exit.
#9. you will be asked "Do you want to update in the archive?" Click OK.
#10. Under the add button with the green +, is a folder with a backwards arrow. Click this
#11. It will ask you if you want to update the PH98IMG file in the archive. Click OK.
#12. 7-zip will now update the zip file. Close 7-zip. Your rom is now ready.
#13. Open the rom to make sure that your changes were saved. Rom -Kernal -PH98IMG -info. If the mainver text reads what you changed it to, smile and exit.
#14. Make sure to delete any PH98IMG zips from your card, prior to flashing any new roms.
#15. Transfer the rom to your SD card and flash as you normally would and remember to wipe, wipe, wipe!
You have now changed your rom to accept any mainver that is on your phone. YAY!!!

This took me about 3 hours to type, because I only use my 2 index fingers, so I hope you appreciate this post and good luck to all of you!

Booty out!

g in the archivein Click yes

 

[mlmiller240]

How would you implement this if you were trying to restore a nandroid backup? Or, can this even be done this way?

 

[MrSmith317]

How would you implement this if you were trying to restore a nandroid backup? Or, can this even be done this way?

Do the steps above after restoring your nandroid. The nandroid backup doesn't flash the kernel which is exactly what the above procedure does.

 

[mlmiller240]

Do the steps above after restoring your nandroid. The nandroid backup doesn't flash the kernel which is exactly what the above procedure does.

Just to make sure, I can do this after I restore the backup? I am on the new mainver and am trying to get back to the nandroid backup, which is stock rooted. Thanks for your help!

 

[MrSmith317]

Just to make sure, I can do this after I restore the backup? I am on the new mainver and am trying to get back to the nandroid backup, which is stock rooted. Thanks for your help!

Yes. Mainver will not stop you from restoring your backup. You will however need to restore the kernel before you'll be able to boot into your ROM.

 

[mlmiller240]

Yes. Mainver will not stop you from restoring your backup. You will however need to restore the kernel before you'll be able to boot into your ROM.

I tried loading RezRom 1.6 using this method and still got the Mainver is older fail. I changed the mainver to 1.00.000.00, was that the problem?

Edit: I was on 2.01.605.11 to start. I was coming from an ICS ROM. Now I have a paperwight.

 

[Bigbootyman]

An updated Mainver will stop you from running any previous versions of a rom, with an older mainver. Once you reload 1.6 with the instructions above , you can then go back and restore that older backup of 1.6.

 

[Bigbootyman]

On second thought, your backup is probably run and saved with the older mainver. This process will not work for backups with older mainvers, unless you change the zip file in your nandroid backup.

 

[mlmiller240]

On second thought, your backup is probably run and saved with the older mainver. This process will not work for backups with older mainvers, unless you change the zip file in your nandroid backup.

Do you mean change the PHIMG file, or the whole ROM?

 

[MrSmith317]

I tried loading RezRom 1.6 using this method and still got the Mainver is older fail. I changed the mainver to 1.00.000.00, was that the problem?

Edit: I was on 2.01.605.11 to start. I was coming from an ICS ROM. Now I have a paperwight.

The mainver in the PH98IMG.zip would have to be greater than 2.01.605.11 not lower. Unless you mean you changed the mainver on your phone.

 

[mlmiller240]

The mainver in the PH98IMG.zip would have to be greater than 2.01.605.11 not lower. Unless you mean you changed the mainver on your phone.

I got it to work. Thank god! I changed the ROM to the new Sense one by Joel. My mainver is back to 3.10.605.13.So, are you saying that I can go back to any ROM, or Nandroid as long as I edit the "android info file" to the 3.10.605.13 in the ROM?

 

[Bigbootyman]

Exactly. Its that simple. You need to change the mainver of any rom or backup that you want to flash, to match the mainver of your device.

 

[mlmiller240]

Exactly. Its that simple. You need to change the mainver of any rom or backup that you want to flash, to match the mainver of your device.

I think I finally got it!! Your way is a lot easier than some of the ways that are out there! THANKS for all of your help! You too MrSmith! BTW-the new ROM from Joel is pretty SWEET!

 

[kc6wke]

I want to try this on Ineffabilis-v1.0, but the PH98IMG.zip is not in the Ineffabilis-v1.0.zip file.
Any Ideas/solutions? can I add the PH98IMG.zip file from another rom to the Ineffabilis-v1.0.zip file?

 

[Bigbootyman]

I want to try this on Ineffabilis-v1.0, but the PH98IMG.zip is not in the Ineffabilis-v1.0.zip file.
Any Ideas/solutions? can I add the PH98IMG.zip file from another rom to the Ineffabilis-v1.0.zip file?

No, you'll neet to use their PH98IMG.zip. You know the part that reads: Stock Rooted Kernel (Flash in Bootloader) ? well, you'll need to download this and change the file in this zip to whatever your current mainver is.