Hi,
Could some kind soul help me out with a step by step guide to debrand the n97 to rid it of the vodafone guff.
I know there's a few guides out there already on other forums, but I'd like something definitive. I'm not totally computer illiterate or anything I did debrand my n95 8GB with no fuss.
I'm using the RC of win 7, I'm guessing I'll probably have to install xp sp2 on another partition? I've already used navifirm to grab the 7 firmware files (RM505_0585262_11.0.02) But I'm getting a bit fuddled on the whole JAF version / modded version / use .ini files from one version to another? :con?
I'd just rather not kill the phone over something daft, so some clear help would be excellent.
thanks in advance,
R.😊
So is there more than one way of doing this? I only knew about the NSS method where you change the product code and then use Nokia's own firmware updater to do the rest.....which was quite simple. That link looks quite involved - is it something special to Vodaphone?
rosstackular wrote:
Could some kind soul help me out with a step by step guide to debrand the n97 to rid it of the vodafone guff. I'm using the RC of win 7, I'm guessing I'll probably have to install xp sp2 on another partition?
Instead of a 2nd partition (which is messy) you could install XP on a Virtual Machine using VMware Workstation (although there is a license cost for Workstation app - unless you are a fan of bir Torrent!).
You can have your base OS (W7) loaded at the same time as all your VMs (if you have 2GB+ RAM) and swap between them, which you can't do with dual boot partitions.
I have successfully flashed several S60 phones with both NSU and PHOENIX running inside an XP VMware virtual machine.
P.S.
Hopefully you have been made aware that de-branding firmware INVALIDATES THE WARRANTY with Nokia and they will may refuse to repair your handset for free if it ever goes faulty?
In addition, NSU sends your phone IMEI number, current Product-Code and FW version details to Nokia everytime you load NSU, so Nokia has a record of every product code change on a handset.
Furthermore, Nokia engineers can usually read the product code and FW version (and FW variant) from a non-bootable handset, so they will still know if you de-branded using Phoenix offline.
De-Branding is your choice, but please be aware of the risks and the warranty implications for your expensive property.
Thanks for the suggestions and links everyone. There seems to be no definite guide to doing this, it really is a slap dash mix but it is de-branded now.
I actually grabbed the wrong firmware files, not that it mattered as I didn't have to write any.
I did this on win7 64bit:
installed jaf and replaced the new .ini files.
installed OGM_JAF_PKEY_Emulator_v 5.exe (must be run as admin in winXp sp2) mode)
Went into the BB5 tab and did this:
Select BB5 tab, tick Prod. Manager and then click the service button .Click the Read Values button.
Now you can enter your product code and press the Write Values button.
With win7 it does not show you your phones model or the read or write values buttons, I think aero messes with the gui. Anywho, I just wrote the values with the new product code inserted, went on to nokia updater, went from v11 to v11, hard reset the phone after (just for giggles) and all branding gone.
I'm not the only one this has happened to btw.
Just to add, there was no bricking / power cycle stage either.
Cheers,
R.
Just so you guys know, I've just got the phone - I suppose the next thing is some wallpaper + themes of quality if anyone knows somewhere exceptionally good? I'll read up on the tweaks etc - despite a few niggles, pretty good phone. :icon14: