Update: 6/11/2009 – Wow… it has only been nearly half a year, and not only have I gotten DONUT updates, but also the new ENCLAIR (2.0) updates are coming in slowly. And in between that time, I have extended the battery of my HTC Dream by using 1,600 mAh Andida branded batteries. Have a read here: http://erlern.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/extended-battery-for-htc-dream-singtel-set-1600-mah/. For those who successfully rooted their phones, may I suggest that you flash Cyanogen’s ROM. It is the BEST!

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The Original Post:

I am still waiting for the Cupcake update to be released. I am really tempted to ‘root’ my HTC Dream phone. If you ever give up on waiting for the update, here are the steps you should take (this is taken from the comments from: http://www.codeandroid.org/2009/05/10/faq-for-singtel-dream-users-regarding-firmware-update/ by user “act1988_3_9″.

Steps to Install other ROM versions on your HTC Dream (Singtel)

1. Download QMAT http://revskills.de/pages/download.html
It’s a demo version so will only can open for 10 minutes.

2. Format your memory card to fat32. Please keep in mind some card does not work.

3. Search in your android market for ‘Terminal Emulator’

4. type ‘ cat /sys/class/mmc_host/mmc1/mmc1:*/cid ‘ without the quote sign.

5. Note that code down on a notepad or something. Make sure everything is noted correctly.

6) Go to QMAT site http://revskills.de/pages/download.html, download QMAT 4.36
7) Extract the file, double click on qmat.exe
8 ) Click on Cyptoanalysis Tools > Crypto Toolbox
9) Look way below, there is a text box (beside “Reverse String” button. Key in the cid number you’ve got earlier
Click on the “Reverse String” button, the result is reversed…
Example: 532600bd227d9c0347329407514d5402
10) Copy the reversed cid
11) Go to QMAT again http://revskills.de/pages/goldcard.html to generate your goldcard (this is free for G1 phone, Thanks to Viper!)

12) Enter your email. For the CID, enter the reversed cid you’ve got earlier. However you need to replace the first 2 characters to 00.

Example: From “532600bd227d9c0347329407514d5402” to “002600bd227d9c0347329407514d5402”

13) click Continue and you will receive the goldcard.img via your email.
14) Go to your email, download the goldcard.img and save it to a directory first.
15) Now, download HxD Hex Editor for this site
http://download.cnet.com/HxD-Hex-Editor/3000-2352-10891068.html?part=dl-HxDHexEdi&subj=uo&tag=button

16) Install and launch HxD Hex Editor program
17) Go to Extra tab > Open Disk. Under Physical disk, select Removable Disk (Must be your SD card), uncheck “Open as Readonly), click OK.

18) Go to Extra again, Open Disk Image, open up goldcard.img which you’ve saved to a directory earlier.
Now, you should have two tabs, one is your removable disk, the other is goldcard.img. Press OK when prompted for “Sector Size” 512 (Hard disks/Floppy disks), click OK.

19) Click on goldcard.img tab. Go to Edit tab > Select All, edit tab again > copy.
20) Click on the “removable disk” tab. Select offset 00000000 till offset 00000170, click on Edit tab and then Paste Write.
21) Click on File > Save. You may exit this program

Now, do a test to see if your SD card is “compatible”

Disconnect the USB cable connected to your SD card, then plug it back again. Go to My Computer, you will see your SD card (E.g. “Removable Disk ( F:)” ), double click and see if you can access it. If it prompted you to format, then forget about this SD card, don’t think it will work. After trying for days, I ended up buying a Kingston 2GB card.

If you are able to access your SD card after written the goldcard.img to your removable disk proceed point 21.

22) Download RC7 from http://koushikdutta.blurryfox.com/G1/DREAMIMG-RC7.zip
I used RC7, you may use other version if you want to, just google around.
23) Extract DREAIMG.nbh to the root of your SD card.
24) Exiting moment is now… Power off your phone, power on again by holding the camera and the power button at the same time.
25) If all went smoothly, it will prompt you to press the Power button again to update
26) Once all is done, remove the battery manually to power off the phone. Place the battery back and power on again, you are on RC7 now

27) Same as usual, you will need to sign in to your google account. However do take note that after RC 7 image, all APN configuration is not relevant to the ISP in Singapore.
Click on the Menu key on your phone and configure the APN manually (google around, you should able to find you ISP APN configuration) Remember to set your APN to default.

Sign in to google again. Only once you are signed in, then proceed to (Point 26) because you need to download App like telnet from the Market.

28) Proceed to gain root access by following the instruction “Rooting your RC29 or lower phone” and “What To Do Now That You Have Root” on this link (posted in this forum by Chua as well) here at http://theunlockr.com/2009/05/30/how_to_gain_root_access_on_the_t-mobile_g1/… they even have a video for you. However, I find that it is easier to download the recovery.img and HardSPL from: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=442480

Follow the steps from 3 – 14. Let me repeat: download the recovery.img and HardSPL files from the xda link above but follow the Unlockr’s steps (3 – 14). Once you have rooted your phone… it is time to load a custom ROM. If something does not work, power down your phone, and start the steps again, especially in the ‘telnetd’ part. Have faith, and don’t think too much

well… now that your phone is rooted.. just upgrade it to some firmware.. JF is quite good… Here is the link for Latest JF…: http://jf.andblogs.net/2009/05/24/jfv151-images-are-out/

If you do not know how to change the firmware from original to the JF or other modded one.. just follow the direction from previous link on how to root RC29 or lower phone..http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=442480

29) Follow steps I and II from http://theunlockr.com/2009/06/07/how-to-load-a-custom-rom-radio-theme-on-the-t-mobile-g1/. Load the JF1.51 ROM first BEFORE you update your Radio. Very important. Do not bother to update any other SPLs (Second Program Loader). You will ‘brick’ it… if you ever find yourself in a situation like that (where the T-Mobile logo loads and freezes everytime you power on your phone), do NOT panic. Just follow back the steps to “Load your ROM” and you will be back on track. It is hard to brick your phone in reality when you have successfully completed step 28 of installing HardSPL. It is a safety measure.

Note: Please update the radio update from uk or us htc website before you update to JF version

By the way for those who want to see paid app in the android market you will need the ‘market enabler’ app.. (search in google ‘android market enabler’.. This will work only in rooted G1.

I have to say that the method to do this ’surgery’ is quite complicated, when compared with Windows Mobile.

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