[GUIDE] Cricket Lumia 650: Debrand / Microsoft Pay / Double Tap to Wake / Seamless Updates

[pankaj981]

[WARN]
Before proceeding please be warned that this process may damage your device permanently if not done correctly. I would not be taking any responsibility for any issues that may arise
[/WARN]​

What is this for?
This process is for the Lumia 650 RM-1150 sold via Cricket Wireless in the United States

What does this process do?
It replaces the stock Cricket Wireless firmware with the stock factory unlocked US variant firmware that supports NFC payments through Microsoft Pay, enables Double Tap to Wake screen and enables seamless future firmware updates directly from Microsoft along with additional stability fixes.

Microsoft Lumia Update History

So should I proceed?
This process is mainly targeted for advanced users who like tinkering with firmware and registry. I wouldn't deep dive much into the interop unlock or registry editor sideload process. Whether to proceed or not is solely at your discretion.

What do I need/how should I prepare?

• Backup device (download link)
• Download Windows Device Recovery Tool (download link)
• Download Official unlocked FFU from LumiaFirmware (download link)
• Interop Unlock dependencies (download link) credits gus33000@xda-developers

Steps:

1. Developer unlock your device from Settings >> Update & security >> For Developers >> Enable "Developer Mode"
2. Side load Interop Tools along with dependencies
3. Edit following registry entries:
   • HKLM >> SYSTEM >> Platform >> DeviceTargetInfo >> PhoneMobileOperatorName >> "000-US"
   • HKLM >> SYSTEM >> Platform >> DeviceTargetInfo >> PhoneManufacturerModelName >> "RM-1150_15887" (FYI - this is US unlocked single-SIM variant)
4. Check for updates >> the MicrosoftMDG firmware will start downloading >> Reboot to update
5. Run this using command prompt to permanently set the product code for WDRT reinstall:
   • thor2 -mode uefiflash -ffufile "location of ffu downloaded from lumiafirmware" -productcodeupdate "059X7P2" -skip_flash >> followed by
   • thor2 -mode rnd -bootnormalmode
6. Run this to perform a final full firmware flash
   • thor2 -mode uefiflash -ffufile "location of ffu downloaded from lumiafirmware" -do_full_nvi_update -do_factory_reset >> followed by
   • thor2 -mode rnd -bootnormalmode
7. Check for Anniversary Update and proceed setting up device as usual

This process has been tested on 3 Lumia 650s and everything has been working as expected. I haven't tried going back to the Cricket firmware and probably won't.

 

[nate0]

...
What is this for? ...

... This process has been tested on 2 Lumia 650s and everything has been working as expected. I haven't tried going back to the Cricket firmware and probably won't.

When able can your run thor2 -mode rnd -readdeviceinfo with your cricket Lumia 650 and tell me the value for the line PlatformInfo? Thanks

 

[anon(10197358)]

@pankaj981

WDRT uses variant packing list (VPL) mode to flash. The following command is not exactly the command that WDRT uses to flash, but I think it's the one we should use to flash. Flag -skip_exit_on_post_op_failure executes all specified post flash operations (factory reset, full NVI update, etc.).

thor2 -mode vpl -vplfile VariantPackingList.vpl -skip_exit_on_post_op_failure -reboot

Or directly flash with WDRT after DPP CTR update.

 

[RumoredNow]

Thanks @pankaj981

Who doesn't like a nice debrand?

 

[nate0]

@pankaj981

WDRT uses variant packing list (VPL) mode to flash. The following command is not exactly the command that WDRT uses to flash, but I think it's the one we should use to flash. Flag -skip_exit_on_post_op_failure executes all specified post flash operations (factory reset, full NVI update, etc.).



Or directly flash with WDRT after DPP CTR update.

This type of flashing is done only for Lumia's atm correct? Or other devices packaged with vpl flashing ffu's?

 

[anon(10197358)]

@Nate W

Among all devices supported by WDRT, only HTC devices have their own tools (HTCDeviceInfo.exe and HTCRomUpdater.exe). All other devices haven't their own tools, therefore obviously that these devices use thor2. I don't know if this is the case for all these other devices, but the Elite x3, e.g, uses only a *.ffu file, no other files. Devices using only a *.ffu file uses certainly the -uefiflash mode with the -ffufile argument with other flags and/or arguments).

It would be interesting that a user with a device (other than Lumia devices and other than HTC devices, e.g. Elite x3) gives us the *.log files of WDRT to see the exact thor2 commands used for these devices.

 

[Leonel Funes]

Oh, cool thread. Let me confirm that this worked as expected

 

[Jakoh]

Does the phone have to be unlocked at the beginning?
Will the lock status change?

 

[Witness]

Thank you for this. Will try this later.

 

[pankaj981]

Does the phone have to be unlocked at the beginning?
Will the lock status change?

SIM unlocking is different than debranding.

 

[RumoredNow]

Does the phone have to be unlocked at the beginning?
No. It does not need to be SIM unlocked to debrand.

Will the lock status change?
No. If it was locked to Cricket before you started it will still be locked to Cricket.
If you got it unlocked from Cricket before starting the debrand it will remain unlocked afterwards.

 

[nate0]

When able can your run thor2 -mode rnd -readdeviceinfo with your cricket Lumia 650 and tell me the value for the line PlatformInfo? Thanks

Nevermind, I figured out what I needed from this.

 

[juanitoriv]

Saving a spot to use later.

 

[jonahtrav]

Thanks for posting the ... How to... No I'm not an advance user but I'm an adventurous user... Could you go into more on step #3 ... And maybe add anything you could think of to help those of us who want to try...
Thanks again,
Jonah

 

[juanitoriv]

[WARN]
Before proceeding please be warned that this process may damage your device permanently if not done correctly. I would not be taking any responsibility for any issues that may arise
[/WARN]​

What is this for?
This process is for the Lumia 650 RM-1150 sold via Cricket Wireless in the United States

What does this process do?
It replaces the stock Cricket Wireless firmware with the stock factory unlocked US variant firmware that supports NFC payments through Microsoft Pay, enables Double Tap to Wake screen and enables seamless future firmware updates directly from Microsoft along with additional stability fixes.

Microsoft Lumia Update History

So should I proceed?
This process is mainly targeted for advanced users who like tinkering with firmware and registry. I wouldn't deep dive much into the interop unlock or registry editor sideload process. Whether to proceed or not is solely at your discretion.

What do I need/how should I prepare?

• Backup device (download link)
• Download Windows Device Recovery Tool (download link)
• Download Official unlocked FFU from LumiaFirmware (download link)
• Interop Unlock dependencies (download link) credits gus33000@xda-developers

Steps:

1. Developer unlock your device from Settings >> Update & security >> For Developers >> Enable "Developer Mode"
2. Side load Interop Tools along with dependencies
3. Edit following registry entries:
   • HKLM >> SYSTEM >> Platform >> DeviceTargetInfo >> PhoneMobileOperatorName >> "000-US"
   • HKLM >> SYSTEM >> Platform >> DeviceTargetInfo >> PhoneManufacturerModelName >> "RM-1150_15887" (FYI - this is US unlocked single-SIM variant)
4. Check for updates >> the MicrosoftMDG firmware will start downloading >> Reboot to update
5. Run this using command prompt to permanently set the product code for WDRT reinstall:
   • thor2 -mode uefiflash -ffufile "location of ffu downloaded from lumiafirmware" -productcodeupdate "059X7P2" -skip_flash >> followed by
   • thor2 -mode rnd -bootnormalmode
6. Run this to perform a final full firmware flash
   • thor2 -mode uefiflash -ffufile "location of ffu downloaded from lumiafirmware" -do_full_nvi_update -do_factory_reset >> followed by
   • thor2 -mode rnd -bootnormalmode
7. Check for Anniversary Update and proceed setting up device as usual

This process has been tested on 3 Lumia 650s and everything has been working as expected. I haven't tried going back to the Cricket firmware and probably won't.

Did you need to use VCreg? I'm having some troubles getting that thing to work.

 

[pankaj981]

Did you need to use VCreg? I'm having some troubles getting that thing to work.

Nope, just the Interop Tool

 

[juanitoriv]

Nope, just the Interop Tool

Yeah. I got it working yesterday using just the Interop Tools App from the Store. I didn't even have to download or flash FFU using WDRT.

Now, I have unbranded firmware, LTE connection that actually works, DTW, NFC, 10+ minute lock screen, & HotSpot without paying for it.

It's just that without vcreg, I couldn't get the changes to my Sys Paging File to stick. Not sure why....

 

[JMX777]

First thx for posting this!
This will work on an unlocked device?

 

[juanitoriv]

First thx for posting this!
This will work on an unlocked device?

Yeah bro, it does. You do need to sideload the Registry Providers, but I could never even get into that acer thing. I DID use the Interop Tools from the Store.

Interop Tools (Preview) https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...p-tools-preview%2F9ntgwlc0d3cs&token=VJU-qRpZ

The 16352.50003 Firmware downloaded, no problem. I am so happy now. I got all the little whatzits back that I missed on my 640, which is now, my designated streaming device. Maybe the best $0.99 I ever spent.

 

[romant56]

Thank you so much! I've never messed with the registry on anything before, but I was able to figure this out. I just installed the Interop Tools from the Store on my phone, saved the Registry files or Extensions or whatever they were called (I downloaded them from a mega link from the forum), finally ran the right one and modified the two registry entries.

I only had to go through step #4 to get the new firmware. Even after a full factory reset it still thinks I have a non-Cricket generic phone and the Cricket startup splash screen is gone.