Unsupported CU phone users: What will you do now?

libra89

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I'm sure you heard the news about Microsoft only limiting the Creator's Update to a few devices last week but a lot of phones were left out.

This has been indirectly discussed in other threads so I figured it makes more sense to have this thread as a discussion point.

Anyway, I'll like to know:
If you have an unsupported CU phone, what are you going to do?
Are you going to go the Insider route to get the update and then stay there?
Are you going to "hack" your phone to get the update? Are you going to try to locate a supported phone or leave the platform altogether or a mix of the above options?

Edit: 4/14 : MS confirms that only 13 phones are getting the update: http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-confirms-creators-update-will-only-come-11-windows-phones
 
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HoosierDaddy

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Anyway, I'll like to know:
If you have an unsupported CU phone, what are you going to do?
Are you going to go the Insider route to get the update and then stay there?
Are you going to "hack" your phone to get the update? Are you going to try to locate a supported phone or leave the platform altogether or a mix of the above options?
Our primary phones are on the list.

Insider if available and stable for family member backup phones: L1520.3, L640, L925(?).

But I'm not clear about the hacking option. Is that when the Insider option isn't available for some phones? Otherwise, why would someone take the time and risk of hacking when Insider is just a click?
 

libra89

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Our primary phones are on the list.

Insider if available and stable for family member backup phones: L1520.3, L640, L925(?).

But I'm not clear about the hacking option. Is that when the Insider option isn't available for some phones? Otherwise, why would someone take the time and risk of hacking when Insider is just a click?

Insider is going to be a window for a limited time but once you get in for those other phones that aren't supported, I'm guessing that is all you'll get. I'm guessing hacking allows you to continue getting updates after the original update.
 

Hyrokumata

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Our primary phones are on the list.

Insider if available and stable for family member backup phones: L1520.3, L640, L925(?).

But I'm not clear about the hacking option. Is that when the Insider option isn't available for some phones? Otherwise, why would someone take the time and risk of hacking when Insider is just a click?

The problem with Insider is that it checks the hardware, as far as I know, while the Windows Update seems to read values from registry. Alright, at this moment Lumia 830, 930, etc can get CU through Insider program, but probably Microsoft will disable the Insider program for those devices soon, as libra89 said.
I have a Lumia 530 currently running Redstone 1. If I join the Insider program, there is no way to get updates. Not Redstone 2, nor cumulative updates from Redstone 1. However, hacking the registry is the workaround and the method I am using since Lumia 530 was abandoned on Windows 10 Technical Preview days. I simply edit two registry keys related with model name. There is one key that describes the model as Lumia 530. There is another key that has the RM code that is unique for each model. I change those two keys for valid and supported values and I get the updates.
Therefore, once Microsoft refreshes the devices supported on Insider program, the hacking method is the only way. Is quite simple though. There is a good tool called Interop Tools with great interface and that is coming to Windows Store. It allows registry editing (interop) and has dedicated features for browsing and editing registry keys. And Windows always install the correct drivers, despite the RM code you choose. I guess it's a safe procedure, I used it so many times, but there is always a risk.

By the way, when I read the news, I though it was suppose to be a rumor. Has Microsoft confirmed this? It is sad news, no doubt, and I was going to purchase the L830 a few weeks ago...
 

Rinsun

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I am not sure whether to stay on AU and be satisfied with cumulative updates till available or opt for Insider slow or fast ring and get the Creators' update then leave Insider.I have never been an Insider enthusiastic person.
 

bprashant19

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The problem with Insider is that it checks the hardware, as far as I know, while the Windows Update seems to read values from registry. Alright, at this moment Lumia 830, 930, etc can get CU through Insider program, but probably Microsoft will disable the Insider program for those devices soon, as libra89 said.
I have a Lumia 530 currently running Redstone 1. If I join the Insider program, there is no way to get updates. Not Redstone 2, nor cumulative updates from Redstone 1. However, hacking the registry is the workaround and the method I am using since Lumia 530 was abandoned on Windows 10 Technical Preview days. I simply edit two registry keys related with model name. There is one key that describes the model as Lumia 530. There is another key that has the RM code that is unique for each model. I change those two keys for valid and supported values and I get the updates.
Therefore, once Microsoft refreshes the devices supported on Insider program, the hacking method is the only way. Is quite simple though. There is a good tool called Interop Tools with great interface and that is coming to Windows Store. It allows registry editing (interop) and has dedicated features for browsing and editing registry keys. And Windows always install the correct drivers, despite the RM code you choose. I guess it's a safe procedure, I used it so many times, but there is always a risk.

By the way, when I read the news, I though it was suppose to be a rumor. Has Microsoft confirmed this? It is sad news, no doubt, and I was going to purchase the L830 a few weeks ago...

Thanks for the explanation, I was going to ask the question about unsupported devices. So for now I am going to jump on the insider slow ring and get creators update and later will hack it to look like a 650 to get production builds.

thanks to @libra89 for creating the thread.
 

bprashant19

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so tonight I'll jump to slow ring to get creators update on my Lumia 635; can someone tell me how much space is needed to get it installed?

I mean from downloading till completing the installation.
 

RJ Priest

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I'll keep using Windows Phone 8.1 on my Lumia 1520, hoping to last until something good happens with Microsoft. It's painful that apps keep dying, but this phone is still doing almost everything I need other than Facebook messenger and package tracker.
 

etphoto

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I am on a 735 and installed the CU via the insider program. Runs fine. What will I do when RS3 gets here and it won't install via the insider program? <shrug>

Twitter: @PhotographyET
 

Zachary Boddy

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I'm pretty sure it's not been entirely confirmed at this time by Microsoft. I'm not naïve enough to be optimistic that the rumors are false but I'm also not willing to completely throw in the towel and say it's over for all those phones.
If it's true, I'm sad that my beloved Lumia 830 is falling behind. It was the first smartphone I truly fell in love with. Such a beautiful device. I love my Lumia 520 (my first phone) but it wasn't until my second phone (the 830) that I knew I was sticking with Windows. But my Lumia 950 XL is in a different league entirely and I'm happy with it.
 

techiez

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I'm sure you heard the news about Microsoft only limiting the Creator's Update to a few devices last week but a lot of phones were left out.

This has been indirectly discussed in other threads so I figured it makes more sense to have this thread as a discussion point.

Anyway, I'll like to know:
If you have an unsupported CU phone, what are you going to do?
Are you going to go the Insider route to get the update and then stay there?
Are you going to "hack" your phone to get the update? Are you going to try to locate a supported phone or leave the platform altogether or a mix of the above options?

Well my L730 is my primary daily driver, cant risk, so I guess its end of road for me, waiting for Nokia flagship or will get a Xiaomi Mi Mix imported.
 

meattray

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Would probably hack it if that's the solution. Like to stay up to date with things and try the newest features.
 

nate0

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I do not have this issue for now. I own a Cricket unlocked 650 and the unlocked Idol 4s. I use to own some of those devices. Last one I had was the 830, it was a good little phone.

But if it were me I would jump to the slow ring on whatever device I had, until I could find out if there was a clear path to get into the creators update as a work around or not. Though some folks who have been running the creators update via insider already, it almost seems like bad business on Microsoft's part to cut all of those phones and all the things those folks invested in with the insider program. Though it was not to hard to see the writing on the wall from afar for those Nokia phones. I think all of them dropped certain features throughout the upgrades, and such while the Microsoft phones kept features. It will be sad to see those phones retired in the next 12 months, but they severed their purpose well to the end. This also give more reason for Someone, Microsoft, or both to step into the spot light now with something different or 'something' whatever that might be.

Update: Also why not leave it on the AU update. Fairly stable. Will be supported for some time forward. It aint all that bad unless you needed a feature on the CU build that is not on the AU one. If the Idol 4s was stuck on 14393 I would be content with it being there and just hope for continual support from the OEM (fw or other feature updates hopefully) since the phone is pretty plain other than the build and sound quality.
 
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unichips

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For what it's worth, I have had two different experiences with officially unsupported devices.

The Acer Liquid M220 came in 2 variants, one with 4GB storage and 512 MB RAM, and the other with 8GB storage and 1 GB RAM. I have the 8GB variant. It had access to the original Windows 10 Mobile Technical Preview, via the Insider program, but was never officially supported for the production release. I used the "release preview" ring to install the initial RTM version of Windows 10 Mobile, and left the insider program (ie switched to the production ring) immediately thereafter. It has remained current ever since, making the jump to the Anniversary Update without the need of any additional intervention.

I also used the exact same procedure on another officially unsupported device, the 512 MB variant of the Lumia 635. Through to the most recent cumulative build for the Anniversary Update, I've the same results on both devices.

This week, I preemptively opted back into the Insider Slow ring in order to try out the Creator's Update. I tried doing this with both my Liquid M220 and my Lumia 635; the Liquid M220 allowed the Insider update to go through, but the Lumia 635 did not.

I'm not going to bother with trying to hack the Lumia 635, because its 512 MB RAM is already showing its severe limitations with frequent app crashing. It just isn't worth it.

Time will tell, but I think it's entirely possible that you may need to hack in order to jump from one major release series to another (ie. to jump from Anniversary to Creators), but if you didn't need to hack to make the initial jump, then receiving cumulative updates within that series shouldn't require hacking either.
 

Axeelant

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I really don't think devices like like Lumia 930 and 1520 will and should be left out, but if that does happen, I'll go the slow ring way. I'm sure the phone is fast enough for it, and people who did install the CU on them say it works eve better than before.

I still hope the update comes the natural way tho :)
 

dgr_874

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So, what should I be doing to keep my 1520 as up to date as possible? I am currently on 15063.2 and on the release preview ring. I am still pretty fuzzy how this whole thing works so any help would be appreciated.
 

bprashant19

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For what it's worth, I have had two different experiences with officially unsupported devices.

The Acer Liquid M220 came in 2 variants, one with 4GB storage and 512 MB RAM, and the other with 8GB storage and 1 GB RAM. I have the 8GB variant. It had access to the original Windows 10 Mobile Technical Preview, via the Insider program, but was never officially supported for the production release. I used the "release preview" ring to install the initial RTM version of Windows 10 Mobile, and left the insider program (ie switched to the production ring) immediately thereafter. It has remained current ever since, making the jump to the Anniversary Update without the need of any additional intervention.

I also used the exact same procedure on another officially unsupported device, the 512 MB variant of the Lumia 635. Through to the most recent cumulative build for the Anniversary Update, I've the same results on both devices.

This week, I preemptively opted back into the Insider Slow ring in order to try out the Creator's Update. I tried doing this with both my Liquid M220 and my Lumia 635; the Liquid M220 allowed the Insider update to go through, but the Lumia 635 did not.

I'm not going to bother with trying to hack the Lumia 635, because its 512 MB RAM is already showing its severe limitations with frequent app crashing. It just isn't worth it.

Time will tell, but I think it's entirely possible that you may need to hack in order to jump from one major release series to another (ie. to jump from Anniversary to Creators), but if you didn't need to hack to make the initial jump, then receiving cumulative updates within that series shouldn't require hacking either.

I have a lumia 635 as well and it doesn't get updated via insider program. Can you do me a favor and check how the creators update works on 635? I need to drag this phone a couple of more months before I buy a new one, was thinking of making the most out of it.
 

EspHack

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nothing changed for me, I already "hack" my icon to remain unmolested by forced updates, now I will spoof it as a 950 when a worthy update appears on release preview next time around

the 950 seems like the only upgrade path for me, but I'm not willing to buy anything at this time really, kind of depressing, I just want my phone to continue to work and get better over time
 

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