How to pick the ideal product_code/variant in order to d'load the best fw

[JediTWang]

I want to flash to a better fw image than the one provided by my telco (Telstra), they add much of their own crap & remove some good WP8 features.
Plus latest updates for GDR2/GDR3+ are much slower to arrive when coming via them instead of directly from MS_AU, although I've seen conflicting info about that.

So I've found some sources which claim to list all the current product_codes/variants (1st one is way more comprehensive):
Nokia Product Code Listing for Care Suite Download - (Nokia 925T Added) - Page 2 - GSM-Forum
http://forums.windowscentral.com/no...020-complete-list-variants-product-codes.html
Is this all of them, or is there a way to obtain a more up-to-date & "complete" listing myself? (Nokia Care Suite or Navifirm+ etc?)

What is the exact procedure/process for picking the most optimal one?
I know CV = country variant, do I just pick the one with my region "APAC", + my country "AU", + "CV", + my colour "BLACK", & that's it?
e.g: 059T4B1 RM-875 VAR APAC AU CV BLACK
But don't some countries/regions often get updates much sooner than others, shouldn't that be factored into my decision?

Once I've flashed one of the 875 variants (is that really where the bulk of them sit?), can I flash to one of the others later?
I know on old Nokia's you had to be careful about what you flashed, else you'd be locked-out from trying others later.
Aside from moving from a telco branded/locked fw to a more vanilla one, I also want to move to GDR3 dev preview.
So if anyone has pointers on dev_unlock, or can link to some good info. relating to it, please do so.

Thank-you!

 

[montsa007]

Subscribed, I'll give you a candy if you can get something for AT&T

 

[alv3st3r]

I also want to move to GDR3 dev preview.
So if anyone has pointers on dev_unlock, or can link to some good info. relating to it, please do so.

http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...updating-gdr3-when-available-later-today.html

 

[montsa007]

If you go GDR 3 you cannot revert to GDR 2, in case you dislike something you have to live with it forever or until GDR 3 is officially launched.

 

[JediTWang]

In the interim I’ve paid for Navifirm+ & downloaded some variants. I wasn’t sure exactly what would be the optimal one, but based on the little info. I could find about what all the abbreviations mean; I settled on the Finland & Great Britain country variants.

Later I’ll also download the Netherlands, Australia, & Singapore CV’s. I realise I could’ve used an older version of NCS to do the same thing, but I figured I’d want to keep NCS updated so it can be used for other purposes (inc. flashing). So, it makes sense to also have Navifirm+ for finding/downloading firmware’s.

So, assuming these are the optimal fw images(?), the next step is working out how to flash! That seems pretty straight-forward, but I’ll avoid that tonight & do it tomorrow during the day. In the meantime if anyone can advise that NCS is best for flashing, or whether there’s a better tool, please do.

http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...updating-gdr3-when-available-later-today.html

Thanks buddy, I'll look more closely at that thread after I've settled on a product_code/fw_image & then flashed it...

 

[montsa007]

Optimal firmware - Anything that is not tied to a carrier period

 

[JediTWang]

Nope, different variants that aren't carrier-specific are often also packaged diff, according country/region -or even within countries...
Also, CV's often (not necessarily exclusive to CV's -this is one thing I'm trying to verify) get releases in phased batches, so some CV groups will get the latest updates long before others.

 

[Blacklac]

If you go GDR 3 you cannot revert to GDR 2, in case you dislike something you have to live with it forever or until GDR 3 is officially launched.

There was a "How To" on how to revert back the day the GDR 3 dev preview came out. Not sure what came of it though... To lazy to look.

 

[montsa007]

Come on flash it already LOL!
Just don't put a third world ROM like South Africa or Vietnam, you'll end up in the corner.

 

[MDak280]

I think that France and Germany get updates pretty quickly. Don't take my word for it, though!

 

[JediTWang]

I think that France and Germany get updates pretty quickly. Don't take my word for it, though!

Quicker than Finland, Great Britain, or Netherlands?
I've already d'loaded 2 of those 3, I chose them by looking at the releases history in Navifirm+ (or what I suspect is a chrono release history).
Germany was similarly quick, though not quite as quick as the others I listed, & France was slightly less quick than Germany.
But the way I'm using Navifirm+ to determine all this could be flawed, it completely sux that there's no proper doco anywhere.

 

[MDak280]

Quicker than Finland, Great Britain, or Netherlands?
I've already d'loaded 2 of those 3, I chose them by looking at the releases history in Navifirm+ (or what I suspect is a chrono release history).
Germany was similarly quick, though not quite as quick as the others I listed, & France was slightly less quick than Germany.
But the way I'm using Navifirm+ to determine all this could be flawed, it completely sux that there's no proper doco anywhere.

Does the Navifirm+ release correspond with when Nokia/MS actually released the updates?

 

[alv3st3r]

Does the Navifirm+ release correspond with when Nokia/MS actually released the updates?

NAVIFIRM downloads the firmware images straight from Nokia's servers. So, yeah.

 

[JediTWang]

Does the Navifirm+ release correspond with when Nokia/MS actually released the updates?

If you know what I'm talking about within the UX of that app, yes, I suspect it does....

C'mon people, I thought this was supposed to be "the premier" WP community!? I'm now about to flash...
Would've preferred to be sure I've chosen the optimal fw image + flashing_tool/procedure, & that avoiding my telco's image won't affect cellular perf/reliability.


Adding this to my notes for later:
http://winsupersite.com/windows-phone/windows-phone-8-update-3-update-your-handset-today

 

[JediTWang]

Wow... Anyway almost done now, I'm not sure if I'll share any of my findings...

 

[eortizr]

Wow... Anyway almost done now, I'm not sure if I'll share any of my findings...

where you able to get BLACK firmware installed?