[Windows Central Question]

Hey Everyone,
My phone is in a bad state. Most apps won't open, cannot call, text, or email. I've done a reset before and it's worked fine.

Now, using either Settings, About, Reset or the hardware button reset, it only does a reboot. It won't actually reset. It shuts down, then just comes right back to the start screen. It seems like the file system is hosed.

Is there a way to reload the OS or force a reset? Or, any other tool I can use to possibly fix the OS? I only need it to limp along long enough until the new Lumias are available.

Thanks!

[Daniel B1]

Do whatever you have to do to get the phone to reboot, then when it vibrates, hold VOLUME-UP and VOLUME-DOWN at the same time, to put the phone into bootloader mode.

Install and run the Windows Device Recovery Tool (Microsoft Canada link, but it's the same instruction wherever you are) then when it prompts you, plug in the phone via USB, click "my device was not detected" and choose HTC. Depending on your phone's original carrier, a recovery file (firmware) may be available. It will check and let you know. If one is available for your phone, you can re-flash your phone via the tool. It will of course wipe everything.