Alcatel open market 4s

[Danial Hilow]

Yes I have. It failed to download the software package

 

[Danial Hilow]

I tried downloading it again and it went through.
It asked me to turn off the phone, turn on and press up when it vibrate, to flash the phone.
However, that always ended in failure. So, i stopped trying it in case it bricks the phone or something.
This flashing of the 4S is different to Lumias, they don't require rebooting and pressing up.

 

[RumoredNow]

I tried downloading it again and it went through.
It asked me to turn off the phone, turn on and press up when it vibrate, to flash the phone.
However, that always ended in failure. So, i stopped trying it in case it bricks the phone or something.
This flashing of the 4S is different to Lumias, they don't require rebooting and pressing up.

IMHO, WDRT gets this instruction backward. From what I've seen personally and read in posts, it works better if you put (any) device in Flashing mode first and then connect it to WDRT.

Windows Device Recovery Tool Expanded... Covers More OEMs - Windows Central Forums

 

[anon(10197358)]

@Alex Alderson

The thor2 command that I've indicated is just for the example. The example supposes that the name of specified .ffu file in the thor2 command is FullFlashUpdate.ffu and that it's located in the directory where thor2 is executed. So, you must adapt the thor2 command by adapting .ffu file name and path to .ffu file that you wish install. But, don't retry, because, anyway, it will give you the same error.

 

[nate0]

Yes.
Non Lumia (OEM) flashing, devices, and FFUs are different.

With that said...
The open market FFU is different as far as the PLAT ID in the FFU and I did confirm. My open market model IDOL 4s phone Plat ID is ALCATEL.8996.IDOL4S identified from a xml under an Image Update folder. Not sure why this is but it is. I have not figured out how to mount the PLAT partition from my phone as an MTP mount or some other way. And that is the only way it could be changed. It looks like it resides in a SMBIOS.CFG file under PLAT:\SMBIOS\SMBIOS.CFG


I confirmed a dump from the FFUs below:

TMOUS PLAT ID identified in the FFU below:
Number of partitions found 34
Warning: RKH of SBL1 is missing from the FFU. Flashing the FFU may result non-booting device.
Warning: RKH of UEFI is missing from the FFU. Flashing the FFU may result non-booting device.
Platform ID: ALCATEL.8996.IDOL4S
Hi. index sector 40955648
Computing integrity of FFU. Please wait...
.............

FFU integrity OK.

Open Market FFU PLAT ID identified in the FFU below:
Number of partitions found 34
Warning: RKH of SBL1 is missing from the FFU. Flashing the FFU may result non-booting device.
Warning: RKH of UEFI is missing from the FFU. Flashing the FFU may result non-booting device.
Platform ID: ALCATEL.8996.IDOL4S.NA
Hi. index sector 40955648
Computing integrity of FFU. Please wait...
...............

FFU integrity OK.


Now, what does not make sense is that the PLAT partition extracted from the FFU of the OPEN market device is also listed with PLAT ID info as ALCATEL.8996.IDOL4S. I think the OEM really messed up here honestly. It is a hex file and you can see it below. I am not sure if the FFUs are signed this way on purpose and the PLAT info was never updated or if something else is at fault here. Anyone can chime in to add info that would be great.


Cfg version, if the data layout changes ever, Ignore for now.
CFG:01.01
# Compatible SMBIOS versions, Ignore for now.
VER:02.03
VER:02.06
# Manufacturer
01,04,S,"ALCATEL"
# Family
01,1A,S,"8996"
# Product Name
01,05,S,"IDOL4S"
# Version
01,06,S,"1.0"
# Blank line needed after the last config

 

[nate0]

@Alex Alderson
The thor2 command that I've indicated is just for the example. The example supposes that the name of specified .ffu file in the thor2 command is FullFlashUpdate.ffu and that it's located in the directory where thor2 is executed. So, you must adapt the thor2 command by adapting .ffu file name and path to .ffu file that you wish install. But, don't retry, because, anyway, it will give you the same error.

@DylanCochard
I think WDRT uses a different command to flash from the gear/lightning screen. The command you have with the actual ffu file defined gives the same result.

I did figure out that I can put my device into Emg mode by holding both vol up and vol down in at the same time, but it does not accept any emergency thor2 commands.

 

[anon(10197358)]

@Nate W

What's the screen appears when you flash with WDRT ? I means, it's UEFI flash app, or it's FFU Download mode (like that) ?

Edit : it's FFU Download mode (used, e.g, with FFUTool.exe and ImageDesigner.exe). So, it's sure that it's not this thor2 command that's executed. It's either with another thor2 command (but I doubt, I don't see a thor2 command that allow flash from FFU Download mode), or either directly with WDRT (FFUComponents.dll and ToolsCommon.dll are used by FFUTool.exe and ImageDesigner.exe, but those programs aren't presents).

 

[nate0]

@Nate W

What's the screen appears when you flash with WDRT ? I means, it's UEFI flash app, or it's FFU Download mode (like that) ?

Edit : it's FFU Download mode (used, e.g, with FFUTool.exe and ImageDesigner.exe). So, it's sure that it's not this thor2 command that's executed. It's either with another thor2 command (but I doubt, I don't see a thor2 command that allow flash from FFU Download mode), or either directly with WDRT (FFUComponents.dll and ToolsCommon.dll are used by FFUTool.exe and ImageDesigner.exe, but those programs aren't presents).

The HP elite X3 flashes this way too. I am not certain yet.

 

[anon(10197358)]

@Nate W

I think that all devices, supported by WDRT and that have just a .ffu file, are flashed with this way. OEMs having choice either to use flashing tools provided by Microsoft, either to use or create their own (e.g, HTC and Samsung).

 

[nate0]

Correct, and by that reason Alcatel, HP, and or others choose to explicitly use flash file download mode. I caught the commands used on the Elite X3 last year, but I lost those logs...

 

[Iain_S]

so whats the bottom line here? did someone make a mistake in the files before uploading to the ms servers?

 

[nate0]

Be nice to know how these files end up being accessible...

 

[Danial Hilow]

IMHO, WDRT gets this instruction backward. From what I've seen personally and read in posts, it works better if you put (any) device in Flashing mode first and then connect it to WDRT.

Windows Device Recovery Tool Expanded... Covers More OEMs - Windows Central Forums

Thanks for that tip. I actually did not know that previously.
I tried this method, but unfortunately, it still fails.

 

[RumoredNow]

Drats

 

[nate0]

Alcatel needs to correct this ASAP.

 

[Jonathanmr7]

Alcatel needs to correct this ASAP.

We should start ask on support or something

 

[nate0]

Like I mentioned before...their support is not all that great. Why I was inclined to figure out a way to mount the PLAT partition and edit my phone manually to make it work...

 

[anon(10197358)]

@Nate W

Or install .cab files, like to unbrand AT&T devices ?

 

[nate0]

@Nate W

Or install .cab files, like to unbrand AT&T devices ?

I'll take a look.

 

[nate0]

@DylanCochard
After searching for a couple hours I do not think I will find the cab needed. What I mean by this...I know the cab type needed, it would be a *fih.qc8996.smbios_cfg* type cab for this model. The current manifest on the PLAT partition though for the open market ffu has the SMBIOS configuration the same as the T-Mobile version, just different firmware revisions. I think Alcatel needs to push a FW update to the unlocked NA models for one to get this corrected, or correct the FFU. As to why the current FFU needs the device to have a smbios.cfg with the trailing .NA text is confusing, especially when the FFU itself does not contain that in its smbios.cfg. Two, since there is no FW revisions yet, nothing has been published for this phone as far as I can tell. I found only 5 of those type of cab files, and all are HP related.