Alcatel open market 4s

[nate0]

@DylanCochard
What is the Full Flash Update process of checks in sequential order? I know you have listed this somewhere before but I cannot find it. I want to know at what point the RKH check occurs and if it is before the PLAT ID check or not. Thanks.

 

[anon(10197358)]

@Nate W

*I think, not sure,* that RKH is checked after Platform ID.
https://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/...e/mobile/developing-custom-oem-flashing-tools

 

[nate0]

That is what I needed. Thanks, I bookmarked that.

 

[Iain_S]

anyone been able to get the open market FFU to flash yet on their device?

 

[Danial Hilow]

anyone been able to get the open market FFU to flash yet on their device?

I tried about 4-5 times but all failed.

 

[nate0]

Unless for some reason your phones PLAT ID matches what the FFU expects than nobody can.

 

[nate0]

I have an official ticket in with Alcatel that has been directed to upper level. First time that has happened. Will report in if any new news.

 

[Iain_S]

I have an official ticket in with Alcatel that has been directed to upper level. First time that has happened. Will report in if any new news.

that's good hopefully they figure it out and update the FFU, thanks.

 

[Danial Hilow]

I have an official ticket in with Alcatel that has been directed to upper level. First time that has happened. Will report in if any new news.

Please keep us posted. It would be great for Alcatel to provide support for this phone.

 

[nate0]

I located the logs from WDRT, I also understand a little more on how the WDRT app flashes using flash mode and not a UEFI app/boot manager method. In the Alcatel's case it is using the Microsoft.WindowsDeviceRecoveryTool.AlcatelAdaptation.dll file and services to check the device and FFU file. I am wondering also now if a WDRT update from Microsoft could fix this issue. Definitely seems plausible here that either or parties could be at fault Microsoft or Alcatel. The FFU would come from Alcatel, but an updated DLL if needed would come from Microsoft. My bet is still leaning on Alcatel being at fault though.

 

[Danial Hilow]

That makes sense. Interesting finding.

 

[nate0]

Well the only update since Wednesday is the following: "Hi Nathan! Good day, I'm really sorry for all these inconvenient, already updated your case with the IMEI and your RMA and escalated it to my supervisor."

The RMA is already done (speaker issue), but they wanted to look into that I am guessing in the event the flash failing with WDRT is related to it, which it is not obviously. I will call them today hopefully in about an hour and try to find out the next steps, then post back what I find out.

Update: Not open on Sunday's...

 

[nate0]

I spoke to a rep in chat from the support department. He had no update to provide me on the current case. I explained the scenario in a nutshell and that the PLAT ID is a mismatch between the open market devices and the open market ffu. I asked him what Alcatel plans to do about it and here is the quote from him in an excerpt of the chat transcript. Looks like they know about it, but no time line. My name was replaced with "Me" and the admins name replaced with "Tech":

5/15/2017 13:17 Me can you tell me if anyone looked at my case, or updated it since last Thursday?
5/15/2017 13:18 Me If not can you tell me what I need to do to escalate my case?
5/15/2017 13:18 Me or return my phone ?
5/15/2017 13:19 Tech For this to be correct it would be to wait for an update.
5/15/2017 13:19 Me but how do I or you know that is coming?
5/15/2017 13:19 Me and yes, I would assume the same as you
5/15/2017 13:19 Me but we do not know if that will happen
5/15/2017 13:20 Me is there a time line?
5/15/2017 13:20 Tech They are working on it, but we do not have an estimated time on when it will be available.
5/15/2017 13:20 Me ok
5/15/2017 13:20 Me Do you have any details you can provide at all?
5/15/2017 13:21 Me I do not mind waiting, but how do you know they are working on a FW update that would correct the PLAT ID issue?
5/15/2017 13:23 Tech That information, I wouldn't be able to provide you with. It would be to wait for the update and see if this corrects the issue.

 

[RumoredNow]

Q: will they update the phone or the FFU?

If the FFU then there is hope to just cross flash T-Mo branded Idol 4S.

 

[nate0]

Q: will they update the phone or the FFU?

If the FFU then there is hope to just cross flash T-Mo branded Idol 4S.

If they update the FW and it holds true for them how these updates have been provisioned, tracked, and archived in the past for other Windows 10 phones. Then there's hope of un-branding the T-Mobile model still.

In my viewpoint it's a simple fix. But I did not engineer the device or sw. Tired of waiting to see what might happen, you know. Hoping though it's the fw update like originally thought. With other fixes

 

[nate0]

Even though it was my fault and I purposely flashed the T-Mobile FW, and even though anyone could make that mistake since it lets you flash it without restrictions---I ended up having to mail my IDOL4s back (again). They emailed me back on Thursday stating that was the only solution they could provide me at this time to have the FW and OS corrected for the open market model. Good news from this though, is it seems Alcatel is aware of the problem with the FFU being unable to flash on it's own and are working on a solution, or at least that is what I am concluding. Will report back if I have any more current news on this.

 

[fatclue_98]

Microsoft would have fewer irate customers if they locked down the firmwares to specific variants like Apple and BlackBerry do.

 

[Iain_S]

yes take for example the HP firmware for the x3 on wdrt, they have 2 different versions but hp was smart and neither firmware can be flashed to the wrong device. I visited the MS store here where I lived and expressed my issue with the 4s, the tech person said their they they don't have any tools to fix the problem because Microsoft have been very bad at supplying stores with the appropriate tools to fix issues when it comes to mobile and they only have the same tools as the customer for fixing issues.

 

[anon(10197358)]

@Iain_S

It was their fault (OEM involved) ; they used only the flashing tools provided by Microsoft as I said in one of my messages from this thread, while they could have use or develop theirs own flashing tools.

 

[nate0]

So, they mailed my phone back. I got it today. It is an ESN change, which equates basically to an exchanged device. The weird part is that when booting it up it has the T-Mobile FW still. So they either gave me a T-Mobile model for some reason or they themselves could not flash the right FW to this newer device. I am only hoping it is not locked to T-Mobile...

UPDATE: yep. Locked to T-Mobile. New case escalated...