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How to root a HTC Sensation 4G and Best ROM

How to root a HTC Sensation 4G and Best ROM

Posted on Sep 12, 2011 by Paul White

Now that you have an HTC Sensation 4G you might be wondering why your phone doesn't feel any faster than your old HD2.  If you want to unlock your phone's true potential for power, you have to root it then install a custom ROM.  This article should help you get this done.

Why is my HTC Sensation 4G slow?

The HTC Sensation 4G is a monster of a phone.  Dual Core 1.2 Ghz processor, 8MP camera that supports 1080P video recording, and support for 4G data speeds ( assuming you live in one of the metro areas with 4G data support ).  Your Sensation comes out of the box with an extremely bloated OS.  Yes its running Android, but HTC is not happy with just running Android AOSP in the way Google intended it.  No HTC decided to add Sense 3.0 which is heavily embedded into the OS.  Each of the manufacturers of Android phones typically make their own customizations to make their phones different from other manufacturers. Sense 3.0 is HTC own customization trying to set it self apart from other phones.  However Sense 3.0 no matter how much you like it, is a performance robbing leach that prevents your phone from performing the way you would want.  Think of your phone like a dragster.  If your phone is towing a boat then its not going to win any races.  Sense 3.0 is that boat. 

How do I make my HTC Sensation 4G faster?

Simple.  First you root your phone,  Then you install one of the many custom Sensation 4G roms you can find on XDA-Developers.com.

How do I Root my HTC Sensation 4g?

Easy visit the Guide to Root your Sensation 4G
I know its long, but just follow it step by step and you will be fine.
Once your phones is rooted, you should have S-OFF, which means the phone's security has been disabled, and you should have ClockworkMod, which is what you will use to install the ROM

How do I pick a ROM for the Sensation 4G?

UPDATE 2/12/2012
If you want the fastest Android 4.0 ROM then check out my new article
How to install Android 4.0 on your HTC Sensation

Once your phone is rooted you need to pick a ROM to install.
Visit the Sensation Android Development section on XDA-developers.com
There will be a dedicated thread for each ROM
The threads will be labeled as such
ROM Date Name
ROM = specifies that this is a ROM you can install on your Sensation
Date = the date of the latest release
Name = the name of the ROM and any main features it has

If you want the fastest ROMs then get the ones without Sense
Some people like Sense and there are plenty of ROMs that have Sense, but ultimately you are going to sacrifice performance if you want HTC Sense 3.0 or 3.5 on your Sensation.

when you open the thread for a ROM it will typically have the following layout
  • Name of ROM
  • What is included
  • What is not included
  • What is working
  • What is not working ( if any )
  • Change Log ( showing how progress has been made on each release )
  • Screen Shots, showing what the ROM will look like on your phone after the install.
  • Installation instructions. Some ROMs are very specific on how to install.
  • Download Links for the ROMs
  • Credits to other developers
  • Mod zips, which add or remove functionality to the ROM
The ROMs are downloaded as a ZIP file.  Put this Zip file on the root of your SD card, and then boot your phone in recovery mode.  Here are the instructions.
Pull your battery ( which turns off your phone )
Hold the volume down and power button at the same time, and continue holding them until you see a boot loader appear.  Once you see this boat loader you can let go of them.
use the volume up and down buttons to navigate to "RECOVERY"


Which is the best ROM for the Sensation 4G?

Everyone has their own opinions, but currently my favorite Rom is XboarderMOD CM7/AOSP Hybrid V1.0.3 by Xboarder56.  His was the first ROM based on the CM7 Alpha release ( Cyanogenmod ).  It has absolutely no Sense 3.0 components to it.  If you want your phone to move fast, and smooth this ROM is the best.

UPDATE Best ROM For Sensation 2/12/2012
I have made the move to Android 4.x.  I have found what I consider to be the fastest and most stable Android 4.0 ROM for the Sensation.  If you want Android 4.0 then see my other guide
How to Install Android 4.0 on your HTC Sensation

UPDATE Best ROM for Sensation 11/2/2011
At this point I have tried out quite a few ROMs from XDA-Developers.  Some Sense, Some CyanogenMod 7 based, Some AOSP ( Android Open Source Project, the way Google intended it to be ).  I tried the HyperSensation ROMs but my phone would lock up, and randomly reboot after a day or two.  I tried the Plain CyanogenMod, but this still had some bugs. 

Finally I settled on Reverted AOSP v1.1.0. At this point in time if you want the smoothest and most stable ROM I feel Reverted is the one to get.  Reverted is a variant of the original XboarderMOD ROM, and is a cumulative work of XdTDroidD & Xboarder56.  These two Developers have done an awesome job on making a great ROM.  Reverted is is Android 2.3.7 with AOSP and CM7 components.  The result is an awesome ROM that gives you enough customization, while keeping things fast.  It comes with the 3D App Drawer, which performs great.  I highly recommend people stay away from ADW launcher.  It seems that the last couple ROMs I used with ADW felt very sluggish.  Just stick with the Stock Launcher.   Since this is a Variant of XboarderMOD, you can still use all the upgrade / downgrade zips that worked on the original ROM.  I highly recommend everyone install the CyanogenMOD7 Phone and MMS zip after you install the ROM.  Its a much better feel and design than the stock MMS App

What can I expect from XboarderMOD CM7/AOSP Hybrid

First the ROM comes with very few applications.  All applications it does come with are either Cyanogenmod components or are pure AOSP components.  There is no weather widgets, or any other crap that the Sensation usually comes with. Even the camera is AOSP. 

What is Cyanogenmod?

Cyanogenmod is a team of developers who make custom Android Roms.  They pretty much set the standard for ROM development.  Their roms are fast, stable, and perfect in every respect.  They will make your phone faster, easier to use, and better battery life.  The process for building custom ROMs is not simple.  Typically developers will initially come out with an Alpha Release, which is considered usable but there might be some known bugs.  Then comes the Beta Release.  Then Release Candidates, One a developer is putting on RC releases, they are very close to having a production ready ROM.  Currently as of this writing Cyanogen had released an Alpha Release,  but Cyanogen's Alpha releases typically are still excellent as a daily driver.  Many other developers will use Cyanogen's ROM as the foundation for their own ROM.  That is what XboarderMOD is.  It was built on the foundation of Cyanogenmod 7, and then Google AOSP.  Eventually you will be able to download full Cyanogenmod for the Senation 4G from their website here.

Tutorial for installing a custom ROM (Android 2.x ) on your Sensation 4G

Installing a custom ROM on your Sensation is easy.  Use this step by step guide.
For future reference to navigate in your boot loader or clockworkmod you will use your volume up and down buttons to toggle, and your power button as an enter button.  Also to keep things simple you should already have the ROM you want to install stored at the root of your phone's SD card.  For this example we will assume you are installing Xboarder CM7/AOSP Version 1.0.3.  Which is the file XboarderMOD_v1.0.3.zip

HTC Sensation 4G Boot Loader Revolutionary

HTC Sensation 4G clockworkmod

Boot phone into ClockworkMod

  1. Pull the battery from you Phone ( to turn it off )
  2. Put the battery back in and put the cover back on
  3. Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons at the same time, and keep holding until you see your boot loader
  4. Navigate to "RECOVERY", then press the power button
  5. You will see an HTC Logo appear for a few moments, then the ClockworkMod main screen will appear

Wipe your phone's Memory from ClockworkMod

  1. Navigate to "wipe data/factory reset" and press your power button.
  2. Navigate to "yes -- delete all user data", then press your power button. ( Note there is no turning back after this )
  3. Your Phone's Memory has now been wiped

Install the ROM

  1. Navigate to "install zip from sdcard" and press your power button
  2. Navigate to "choose zip from sdcard" and press your power button
  3. Navigate to "XboarderMOD_v1.0.3.zip" and press your power button
  4. Navigate to "Yes - Install XboarderMOD_v1.0.3.zip" and press your power button
  5. The installation will take about a minute.  When finished it will say "Install from sdcard complete"
  6. Navigate to "++++++Go Back++++++" and press your power button
  7. Navigate to "wipe cache partition" and press your power button
  8. Navigate to "Yes - Wipe Cache" and press your power button
  9. navigate to "advanced" and press your power button
  10. navigate to "Wipe Dalvik Cache" and press your power button
  11. navigate to "Yes - Wipe Dalvik Cache" and press your power button
  12. navigate to "Fix Permissions" and press your power button
  13. Navigate to "++++++Go Back++++++" and press your power button
  14. navigate to "reboot system now" and press your power button
now your done.  Your phone will boot up and you will see an android logo in the middle of your screen.  Press it and continue on with setting up your phone. 

What other Android Apps do you recommend with this ROM?

  • K-9 Email Client ( Great for Multiple Email accounts ) Better than AOSP
  • ADW Launcher ( Customize Home Screens, and customize App Drawer ), Performance Issues
  • Fancy Widgets ( If you like the Sense Clock and Weather Widget, you will love this substitute )
  • Quadrant Standard ( Benchmarking program )
  • Titanium Backup ( great to backup and restore your app data, when you flash new ROMs )
  • XDA ( keep up to date on news of new ROMs )
  • Ebay
  • CNN
  • CNET
  • Engadget
  • Winamp ( Internet Radio )
  • USA Today

Screen Shots from Cyanogenmod 7 / AOSP

Please note the background does not come with it, this is my own custom background
HTC Sensation 4G Cyanogenmod 7 / AOSP Lock ScreenHTC Sensation 4G Cyanogenmod 7 / AOSP Home ScreenHTC Sensation 4G Cyanogenmod 7 / AOSP Fancy Widget WeatherHTC Sensation 4G Cyanogenmod 7 / AOSP App DrawerHTC Sensation 4G Cyanogenmod 7 / AOSP Phone ScreenHTC Sensation 4G Cyanogenmod 7 / AOSP Contacts ScreenHTC Sensation 4G Cyanogenmod 7 / AOSP K9 Email ClientHTC Sensation 4G Cyanogenmod 7 / AOSP Quadrant Score 3049

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Discussion

Dave | Sep 25, 2011 11:18 PM
Paul, thanks for the tutorial. It's about time that one like you having hands-on experience and knowledge with the Sensation makes a stable, well outlined tutorial. Your information is both for the 'newbies' as well as the ones who may have done this once or twice but not enough to have a system in place. Thanks again, Dave
Paul | Sep 26, 2011 3:35 AM
@ Dave
Thanks for the feedback.  Hoping this tutorial will encourage others to also root their phones.  Now I am just waiting for the AOSP Camera Mods to come out, that will enable much higher Bitrates for Video.  Currently recording in HD( 1920 x 1080 ) is only 8 Mbits/sec.  There are Mods for the Sense Camera that pushes it up to 40 Mbits/sec.  It makes a huge difference in quality.  Hopefully the Cyanogenmod team bring out that feature soon.
Dee | Sep 27, 2011 11:59 AM
Awesome post! I was actually, thinking of putting InsertCoin ROM. Any thoughts on InsertCoin's ROM? Thanks again! Dee
Paul | Sep 27, 2011 12:31 PM
@Dee
I took a look at the InsertCoin Rom.  Seems to have Sense on it, so I wouldn't use it.  Even though some people like the HTC Sense, I prefer a more AOSP/CM7 experience, which is why I am using the XboarderMOD rom.  Just upgraded to v1.1.3 last night. There is a huge speed difference between the Sense Roms and Non Sense Roms. 
Dee | Sep 27, 2011 12:44 PM
Thank you Paul for your prompt reply. I'm getting my new sensation today. I guess I will try both. When you say "huge speed difference" Are you saying 4g speeds or processor/memory speed?
Paul | Sep 27, 2011 12:55 PM
@Dee
Roms without sense are overall more responsive.  Example on your apps drawer, the scrolling is a lot smoother, plus transitions are faster too.  Just think of using Windows when you have a spyware infection, that robs your OS of CPU and network speed.  That is how I view sense.

To put things into perspective.  Before I installed XboarderMOD, and I was using the stock ROM, when I would go to the gym, I would listen to Shoutcast streams, or watch NetFlix while doing cardio.  With the Stock ROM, I would get Buffering every few minutes,  With XboarderROM there is no buffering. 
Dee | Sep 27, 2011 1:12 PM
That is awesome news! I'll try both ROMs, but I'm leaning towards not using the sense 3.5. I mean it looks great, but if I can get faster data throughput, I rather get that!
shadab khan | Oct 12, 2011 8:24 AM
nice tips here..........thanks
Paul | Oct 12, 2011 8:33 AM
@Shadab
Knock it off with the SEO spamming.



Gene | Oct 19, 2011 9:49 AM
Guys, xda referring to the Sensation, not sensation 4g. what is the difference in rooting?
TC | Nov 5, 2011 11:20 PM
I may want to root my HTC phone. I am a new user and customer to T-mobile. I am a little hesitant as I do not want to void any warranty and insurance I am paying on the phone. Is there a way to go back to stock software if one has to and how to do it. If I feel I can go back to stock, I may go ahead and root the phone to see if there is any speed improvement.
Paul | Nov 5, 2011 11:50 PM
@TC
Yes you can always unroot your phone and install the stock ROM.  However the chances are if you are sending the phone in for warranty, its probably not in any state to revert it back to the original ROM.  By the way the performance benefits are HUGE!  If you have a sensation I highly recommend the Reverted AOSP v1.1.0 ROM. Its the fastest one currently out for the Sensation.  I have rooted my last 3 phones with no issues.  Its pretty safe to do.  Just make sure you read the guides.
Gabe | Nov 12, 2011 6:02 PM
After its rooted does it still have the swipe texting feature?
Ganja_smoke | Nov 13, 2011 12:46 PM
After rooting the Sensation, will I be able to tether without T-mobile interrupting my speeds?
TC | Nov 13, 2011 1:50 PM
I think I may root the phone after the 2 year agreement is up. I just found a software package: Datapilot Tether that might work in linking computer to cell phone for internet access. All I need to confirm from them is how many computers can connect wirelessly when actually just one will be sufficient and just need to confirm if connected via USB cable if internet access is allowed as well. I am not sure I want to take a risk in messing something up just now while I have the full warranty. Thank you for the information. I will file it away for future use and look for any updated information.
Paul | Nov 13, 2011 2:46 PM
@TC
If you root your phone and install a custom ROM, you will unlock USB tethering, and WIFI tethering.  No need to wait til your 2 year agreement is up.  Seriously this is the one of the biggest reasons to root your phone.  Its not as scary as people make it out to be.  Just be patient and follow the guides. You can't go wrong with the Reverted AOSP ROM for Sensation.  Been running it on my phone for several weeks now with no problems.  Way Faster than stock, and much better battery life too.

@Ganja_smoke
Rooting will allow you to tether, but it will have no affect on your wireless speeds as per the network.  However if you root and install a custom ROM, you will be removing the tons of bloat that is installed on the Stock Sensation.  This software will just eat data in the background, and slows down your experience.  Tmobile controls how much data you get from the network, but they do not control what you do with that data.  That is controlled at the phone level.  This is why rooting unlocks features.  For instance my plan with T-Mobile gives me 5 GB of 4G/3G speed.  If you want more data than 5GB call into Tmobile and ask to add an additional 10GB of tethering to your plan for $15.  This will push you up to 15 GB of data.  Its an Addon that they don't advertise, but its there.  I never even break 2GB with my monthly usage.  My wife almost went over her 5GB limit.  She was watching Netflix for about 45 minutes every day at the gym while doing cardio.  She got right up to the limit by the last day.

If you are having speed issues, this could be a faulty back cover, or you might need to upgrade your phone's radio software.  Just be aware that after upgrading your radio software, you will need to reflash your ROM too. 
TC | Nov 13, 2011 11:28 PM
Ok, I will consider rooting the phone after I have rested and can focus on the steps to do it. I am pretty technical and think I can pull it off without damaging the phone. One more question, I kind of like the FM Tuner Radio feature on this phone using headphones as an antenna. After rooting, will this feature be eliminated and if so, can it be recovered? I want to keep the FM RF tuner radio feature and not stream radio using internet bandwidth. Also, I need to catalog all of the software I have downloaded already to recover them. Probably should refresh the phone as it is getting slow in booting. Is there a way to easily print a list of applications installed on the phone or do I have to patiently write down each one? :) Thank you again for all the useful information.
TC | Nov 14, 2011 1:33 AM
Addendum: I was going to consider rooting the phone. The thing is I went to a shop that specializes in rooting phones and the agent there said they root iPhones but avoid Androids and indicated there is a difficulty in rooting Androids and there is a risk involved. Another question, will rooting the phone help me experience real, higher 4G speeds? I am a bit disappointed averaging 3 to 4 Mbps and a lot of times just over 1 Mbps. The highest I have gotten is 8.29 Mbps in Chicago. If there can be an improvement in this department with rooting the phone, I think I will be quicker at doing it. Thanks again.
Jason | Nov 14, 2011 2:27 PM
Thank you Paul for the guide. I just wanted to ask about your comment on upgrading to CyanogenMOD7 Phone and MMS. Do we install it through clockworkmod or is there another way to install it? Thank you.
Paul | Nov 14, 2011 2:55 PM
@ TC
The FM tuner app doesn't come with this ROM, though there are other FM tuner apps you can install after installing a custom ROM.  Some of the other ROMs come with the FM Tuner apps.  I haven't installed one, so I could tell you which one to use, but just search on XDA and you should find one.

Most of your software should restore itself from your google account. This depends on how you have your google account setup.  Once you are rooted you can install titanium backup to backup your apps and settings.

The problem with rooting android phones is every phone is different. It would be too much work for a store to learn how to root every Android Device. 

Rooting will have no affect on Data speeds, this is controlled at the hardware and network level.  I personally have terrible data speeds from home, but excellent data speeds at the gym.  A lot of it depends on what towers you are closest too and how much bandwidth those towers support.  Other than Verizon, most of the 4G/3G networks have spotty service.  If you want consistent data just about everywhere you have to move to Verizon and prepare to pay double what you pay with T-Mobile.

@Jason
Install it from Clockworkmod, just like you would a ROM.  Except you don't need to empty any caches, although I would recommend empty Dalvik cache, and fix Permissions just in case.
Paul | Nov 14, 2011 6:52 PM
@Jason
Different dialers have different features.  I guess the cyanogenmod dialer doesn't support custom ring tones per contact.  I can see how that is an important feature, even though I have never used. I am more worried about different ringtone alerts for emails vs MMS
TC | Nov 15, 2011 12:28 AM
@Paul Thank you Paul for the detailed, easy to understand information. I agree with the Verizon comment and will consider Verizon, my former carrier the previous 2 years, in the future for faster speeds. I left Verizon because of the costs involved in maintaining service. T-Mobile was the best, average choice for what I wanted: tethering capabilities and 4G speeds on top of them going to at&t if the deal goes through. I thought I would benefit eventually from at&t's roll over minutes. Again, thank you and I appreciate the great technical advice given here.
TC | Nov 15, 2011 1:10 PM
I know I have said a lot. I am one more step closer to rooting the HTC Sensation phone. I am not experiencing slow boot times. I have loaded like 120 applications and who knows what is on my phone now, a virus? I assume rooting the phone and it will boot faster even if I re-download all the applications. Thank you for your patience with me, a novice. I just want to be cautious when doing these things.
Paul | Nov 15, 2011 3:47 PM
@TC
Rooting alone won't do anything for speed.  The real speed is in a custom ROM that does not have HTC Sense.  Thats the reason I recommend the Reverted AOSP ROM.  Its by far the fastest and most Noob proof ROM I have come across. 
TC | Nov 15, 2011 5:15 PM
Sorry, I made a typo. I meant to say "I am now experiencing slow boot times." I wish there was a way to edit these posting when one makes a mistake. :) No response is needed for this. Thank you, you all have been more than helpful.
Eduardo | Nov 23, 2011 3:44 PM
Thanks for the tutorial! After installing Reverted, my battery life is ridiculously long, the phone is much more responsive, and the memory is not full. I am so happy I found this webpage.
TC | Nov 23, 2011 6:08 PM
Right now, I have been struggling with customers fixing their computers and working on invoices to get paid. Right now I am not focused and I am still afraid of doing something wrong that may brick my phone, even though I am kind of good at technical things. And my laptop computer has not been too reliable and it would be just my luck while I am updating something to root the phone, the computer will crash or die in the middle of it. :) Is there some guarantee or back up plan that if something does go wrong, the phone can be recovered? I think I will feel safer knowing that. Also, I need to find a way to back up my apps (about 120 of them) from Google someone said? Thank you for the information and I will save it to work on at a later date.
Paul | Nov 23, 2011 7:53 PM
@Eduardo
Glad you are enjoying the ROM.  Spread the word! : )
Paul | Nov 23, 2011 8:00 PM
@ TC
Honestly there is very little risk in doing this.  Once you root your phone you should be able to install titanium backup, to backup all your apps and settings.  But honestly I would recommend you just flash your rom and let google restore all your APPs for you.  Everytime I reflash a ROM google automatically restores all my APPs.  This happends after you setup your google account during the setup.

The first time is scary.  But after the first time you will understand how easy it is. 
Jason | Nov 23, 2011 8:04 PM
Hello Paul, I wanted to ask if it's possible to check what kernel, radio and rom you're currently on.  Sometimes when I update or reflash, I'm not sure if the flash actually goes through.  I'm also wondering if I'm switching between kernels, is there any specific way I should be doing it?  Thank you very much. 
Paul | Nov 23, 2011 8:12 PM
@Jason
To find out what stuff you are running
Home Screen > Menu > Settings > About Phone

Android Version is your version of android ( 2.3.4, 2.3.5, 2.3.6, 2.3.7 )
Baseband version is your radio
Kernel version is your kernel
Mod Version is your ROM

In my case I am running
Android Version: 2.3.7
Basebase: 10.58.9035.00P_10.15.9035.02_2
Kernel: 2.6.35.13_CyanogenMod+ bumble-bee@Hive2 #1
Mod Version: Reverted AOSP v1.1.0

I have never switched the kernels, I just always use whatever the ROM comes with.
I am using a different Radio ( baseband ) but I am thinking about reflashing to a different one as I have not been very happy with the way my current radio has been handling data.  Eventually I plan on running a bunch of test with various radios to check my signal strength in dMb.
Jason | Nov 24, 2011 4:46 PM
Thanks for the advice Paul! I'm sorry to bother you again but I recently had an issue with the hearing aid icon and I tried to turn it off but that setting is gone after I flashed a new rom.  I see many people also having this problem and they suggest to flash back to stock and reflash.  I was hoping there's another way and I would like to hear your advice.  Thank you!
Paul | Nov 24, 2011 5:27 PM
@Jason
The Icon should be located on your quick settings / notifications ( swip down from the top of the screen ) the top should have some icons ( part of cyanogenmod ) that are quick toggles for various functions.  If there are icons you want but don't see, you can enable them from
Home Screen > Settings > CyanogenMod Settings > Interface > Notification Power Widget >  Widget Buttons
the widget you need is probably Toggle Sound,  then just tap it to enabled / disable sound and vibrate
Jason | Nov 24, 2011 5:56 PM
I'm actually on android revolution hd 3.6.7 xe now.  Should I flash back?
Paul | Nov 24, 2011 6:52 PM
@Jason
Android Revolution is a Sense based ROM and will not have the CyanogenMod enhancements.  Stick with whatever ROM you like,  Revolution does have the enhanced camera which is something the CyanogenMod based ROMs don't yet support.  Currently they force close when trying to record 1080P for more than a few seconds.  I personally prefer Reverted AOSP, because its faster, and smoother than the Sense based ROMs.  Granted I give up some of the nicer parts of Sense like the Camera, but that is the sacrifice I am willing to make for performance.
TC | Nov 26, 2011 6:28 PM
I am curious, will rooting the phone eliminate this annoying vibration feature when a call is connected or during an incoming call? I may root this phone sooner than later with this annoyance of vibration that prevents me from hearing the initial voice at the beginning of the call. HTC and T-Mobile and technical supports cannot seem to find a solution to this other than resetting my phone back to factory settings. How could they let a feature like this occur without a disable option, I don't know? TC
Paul | Nov 26, 2011 6:46 PM
Thats probably a ROM specific feature.  With the Stock ROM having it.  Root your phone and try the Reverted ROM.  I don't have any vibrations when I answer calls.
TC | Nov 26, 2011 7:20 PM
OK... help me out. Give me a link or location where to find the step by step instructions for rooting. I think I backed up all my applications onto the SD card. I attempted to back up online but I think I had too much data for the 100 MB limit at RerWare and My Backup Pro. I want to print this out and be focused while doing it. I think it is time to root. Thank you.
TC | Nov 26, 2011 7:27 PM
I went to some link and got here http://dev-host.org/jrgg7vqyxow3/Reverted_AOSP_v1.1.0.zip I think it is asking me to pay $5.00 or some amount. Do I have to pay for this download? Am I doing something wrong? It seems as if things are difficult everywhere I turn with this phone now, battery life is poor, vibrating sounds, now have to pay for another ROM... I should have gotten an iPhone.
TC | Nov 26, 2011 7:30 PM
Never mind. I did not see the sending file download link in the middle. My eyes are getting bad. Thanks.
Paul | Nov 26, 2011 7:30 PM
This is the guide from XDA
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1192300

I know its kind of long, but just go through it step by step.
When I rooted my phone it was as simple as going to http://revolutionary.io/
running the program, and responding to the prompts.

After that I had CWM and was ready to flash my ROM.
The version on Revolutionary should work fine, even though I belive there have been some newer CWM released.
Paul | Nov 26, 2011 7:33 PM
The download is free, just click the download file button on the download site
TC | Nov 26, 2011 7:51 PM
If I should go with Reverted ROM, will I be able to keep the Wi-Fi calling feature that T-Mobile offers or would I have to download it from somewhere? I am not sure if that is on the market and could be a T-Mobile internal feature that my get lost going to a different ROM. Just being cautious again before I commit to downloading.
Paul | Nov 26, 2011 7:55 PM
Thats a good concern as some ROMs force you to install it after the fact, or have problems with it.  There is nothing to worrry about with Reverted.  The ROM comes with the Tmobile WIFI calling APP.  The only thing you might want to do after you get comfortable with this ROM is install the Camera Mod, which will double your cameras Bitrate for Video, and turns off JPG compression.
TC | Nov 26, 2011 7:58 PM
Wi-Fi calling from T-Mobile allows one to make calls using an existing wi-fi network via wireless router, internal home network or public wi-fi network such as attwifi at McDonald's and useful when the T-Mobile signal is weak (like in the basement). It also allows me to make calls and not use up plan minutes (so T-Mobile says). Will that be lost using this ROM? and if so can it be recovered? This is an important feature to me. I am so sorry for being so cautious in doing this but I must dot all eyes and cross all tees. :)
TC | Nov 26, 2011 8:00 PM
Ok, ignore the last question... You answered it as I was typing the new question which was a better clarification of the previous question. Thank you.
TC | Nov 26, 2011 8:08 PM
No need to comment on this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1192300 That is a lot to read and seems a bit intimidating to do. Maybe I will focus on it tomorrow. :) I need to also focus on how to recover the factory settings (old ROM installed already). I am sure it is in the manual. I would want this as I have a pretty good warranty with the phone and would like to be able to invoke that if I have to in the future.
TC | Nov 26, 2011 10:15 PM
no comment needed: Just as I feared, my laptop is having video problems again and is not reliable. I will root once I have changed computers and gotten a Mac hopefully by mid Dec..
Paul | Nov 26, 2011 10:20 PM
Don't expect much help with android if you start using a MAC. Most of the tutorials and help guides on XDA are intended for guys running windows or Linux. 
Gus | Dec 5, 2011 4:35 PM
I am having problems with CyanogenMOD7 Phone and MMS. I get a lot of force closes and i cant get into market or get into gmail contacts. How do I revert back from it or fix it
Paul | Dec 5, 2011 4:41 PM
If its giving your problems. Reflash the reverted AOSP v1.1 rom, then aftewards don't flash the cyanogenmod Phone and MMS addon. 
Gus | Dec 8, 2011 2:02 PM
I installed xboarder rom and i am getting no data service. bout to switch back to asop unless i can find out how to change it
Paul | Dec 8, 2011 3:20 PM
@Gus
Stick to the Reverted AOSP v1.1 ROM.  Best and most stable ROM for the Senstaion right now.  I might have to update this article.
Dan | Dec 16, 2011 4:56 PM
Hello all,
I have rooted my HTC sensation (followed all the steps) and now I have Xboarder ROM, now what exactly can I do from this point? I want for example to be able to use wi-fi and the market :P apparently these 'kernels' are supposed to be manually installed? if so how do i do that? I have superuser and clockwork on. How do I turn it into a powerful gadget once again? So far it's unable to do anything, its not even picking up a carrier signal....
Paul | Dec 16, 2011 5:00 PM
Guys once again,  use Reverted AOSP v1.1 ROM, not the Xborder ROM that I originally wrote this tutorial on.  With Reverted everything will work without needing to tweak anything.  Flash the ROM, and then enjoy.
Dane | Dec 19, 2011 12:04 AM
I have a qwestion if I root and add the best Rom that's on this pages on how to root and best Rom your htc sensation will it make my processor a 1.5 GHz and also will it be Gingerbread 2.3.5? Would you please explain my qwestions.I would greatly appreciate it. Dane
Paul | Dec 19, 2011 1:05 AM
Reverted is 2.3.7 CPU is variable going from 192 MHz to 1188 MHz. Some Roms have a governor that can push the CPU up to 1.6 ghz and higher, however this takes a toll on your battery, stability. Other people report not much noticeable gains from pushing the CPU up higher than 1.2 ghz.
Dane | Dec 28, 2011 12:49 AM
What Rom is the best for fast downloading speeds on the sensation.and also how do I get the Rom installed on my ad card?Do I need to use a computer with avian cable or do I do it all from the phone?Do I only needbto install the one Rom?will you please explainbmy qwestions. Thanks,Dane
Greg | Dec 28, 2011 1:59 AM
Can I change my frenquencies on my sensation to at&tsp for I can use their network and get 4G?If yes how do I do it. Greg
Paul | Dec 28, 2011 10:04 AM
@Greg,
No, the Radio is hardwired to the T-mobile Frequencies.  There is no way to change this.
Dane | Dec 28, 2011 5:30 PM
I want to thank-you for answering my qwestions.I have another qwestion how do I get the Rom that I want to use on my ad card or my phone for I can install it?I have a htc sensation.Do I hook-up my laptops to my phone with a USB cable and send it from my computer to my phone?would you please explain.I would greatly appreciate it. Dane
Paul | Dec 28, 2011 5:35 PM
@Dane
use the USB cable that came with your phone to plug it into your computer. Then switch the phone into USB storage mode so you can move the ROM ( zip file ) to the device just like you would a USB flash drive.
Dane | Dec 28, 2011 6:16 PM
How do I actually get the Rom on my sd card?Do I download it from my laptop to my phones sd card?and what Rom would you recommend me using to get more speed out of my sensation?and do I have to install a different Rom for everything like for speed,mms,texting,etc?If you do what are all the Rom that you recommend installing on my sensation? Thanks,Dane
Paul | Dec 28, 2011 7:09 PM
Dane
Stick to Reverted AOSP V1.1.0
From my experience that is the fastest and most stable ROM out currently.
At this point I think everyone is waiting on CM9 ( cyanogenmod ) to come out on the Sensation.

I recommend you try a few of the popular ROMS on XDA until you find one you like.
Its all about personal preference.

mike | Dec 28, 2011 7:13 PM
What Rom would u use on a sensation for faster downloading speeds?
Paul | Dec 28, 2011 7:17 PM
None of the roms are going to make downloads happen faster.  That has to do with your network.  The only benefit to a new ROM is it won't have all the software running in the background eating up your bandwidth.  Its no different than a desktop computer, if you have tons of spyware and crap running, everything will be slower.  Cell Phones are no different.  If you want very little crap running in the background stick with the Reverted AOSP ROM
Paul | Dec 28, 2011 7:34 PM
Yes that is the only ROM you need to install
Dane | Dec 28, 2011 9:25 PM
I have a qwestion once I Rom my sensation what happens when Ice cream 4.0 comes out?
James | Dec 28, 2011 10:51 PM
If I put a 4g at&t sim card in my unlocked htc sensation how would the phone work?and if I wasbto change the access point names would the voice,data,mms and texting work alright?what are at&ts access point names that I would use in my sensation? James
Paul | Dec 29, 2011 10:51 AM
@James
The Sensation 3G/4G data WILL NOT WORK on AT&T.  So unless you are fine with GPRS and Edge ( dial up speeds ), don't even bother.  Spend some time on XDA-developers.com and do your own research.

@Dane
Nothing happens.  Its just a new version of Android.  However if you want it you will have to find a ROM that has it.

Guys no more questions, Do your own research on XDA


sam | Dec 30, 2011 10:52 AM
I was told that the sensation and Galaxy s2 has Lye bands.Is that true?If they go can they be used on verizon?please explain?
Paul | Dec 30, 2011 11:44 AM
A GSM phone WILL NOT WORK on a CDMA network ( sprint, verizon ).  LTE is a buzz word and does not represent any standard frequency.  Its no different than 3G or 4G.  They are just buzz words designed for marketing purposes to get people to buy phones. 
sam | Dec 30, 2011 12:31 PM
Thanks answering that qwestion.would the t-mobile Galaxy s 2 phone work on att since their gsm?once att updates to Lte service?and what would I dial on my t-mobile unlocked sensation to see what bands it has?for example I dialed *#2236# on my unlocked t-mobile Galaxy s 2 inorder to see the Lte bands. Thanks. Sam
Paul | Dec 30, 2011 12:38 PM
A Tmobile phone WILL NOT WORK on the 3G / 4G data on any other network period!
Tmobile uses 1700 and 2100 bands for their data.  No other network in the USA uses 1700, this is the main reason Tmobile and AT&T phones are not inter changable.

Do your research on XDA-Developers.  No more questions as this could get out of control quickly with Noobs flooding this blog.
sam | Dec 30, 2011 1:02 PM
Sorry Paul I will never ask you. anymore. qwestions. sam
scott | Jan 1, 2012 3:39 PM
Can a htc sensation 4G be timed,updated to the same specs as the sensation xe?or are there to many differences? Scott
Paul | Jan 1, 2012 4:41 PM
Yes there are ROMs which allow you to overclock the CPU giving it the same clock speed as the XE, but it will kill your battery life.  Don't ask me which ROM, that is up to you to research on your own.
Dennis | Jan 1, 2012 7:44 PM
Do you know what xda-developers.com technical or supports e-mail address is? Dennis
Paul | Jan 1, 2012 7:52 PM
No I don't.  If you are having trouble with rooting your phone, I suggest you join their forum and spend a lot of time reading up on the Guides and ROMs.  XDA is not going to directly support people trying to root their phones.  They just provide a forum for people to have discussions and share knowledge.
william | Jan 8, 2012 6:21 PM
Once I pull out the battery put it back in and then hold down the volume and power button and bring up that screen how do I turn off the security for I can install a custom Rom on my htc sensation? William
Paul | Jan 8, 2012 7:15 PM
William.
When you initially boot your phone while holding the power and volume buttons, you will boot into the boot loader. (White background )  At the top of the screen it will say S-ON, or S-OFF.  If your phone says S-ON then you are not rooted.  If your phone says S-OFF then you are.  If you are rooted, then go ahead and select recovery to load ClockWorksMod ( where you can flash a new ROM ).  Else if you were not rooted, you need to root your phone,  Use this guide Guide to Root your Sensation 4G. Also please take some time to learn more about rooting and custom ROMs on XDA-developers.com.  I wish I could be more help, but unfortunately I don't have the time to answer everyone's questions
william | Jan 8, 2012 9:59 PM
Alright I can get to the white screen but everytime the s-on is always on.what do I hit or push from the white screen in order to s-off my htc sensation for I can start toning it. William
Paul | Jan 9, 2012 11:27 AM
@William
You need to root the phone before you will have S-OFF
Use the Guide in the previous comment.  Just follow the guide step by step and you will be fine.
Lee | Jan 9, 2012 3:08 PM
Do I need to have my laptop hooked to my htc sensation when unroting it?
Paul | Jan 9, 2012 3:14 PM
@ Lee
I have never Unrooted my phone before, but I am pretty sure you do have to plug it into your computer to Unroot it.  The guide to Root your sensation I believe also included instructions for how to Unroot it if you ever needed to. Chceck the link 3 comments ago.
Donovan | Jan 9, 2012 11:47 PM
Once I fill in the beta key and generate it what else do I have to do to root my sensation. Donovan
Russ | Jan 11, 2012 4:12 PM
I'm in need of some help rooting my htc sensation.when I hook up my USB cable to my sensation and laptop then I go to the guide to root your sensation and I fill-out the beta key info with serial no.,hboot,etc.The letters &numbers it generates do I put that somewhere?I would greatfully love any help. Russ
Dane | Jan 11, 2012 7:27 PM
If anyone out there would like to make some money rooting and roming my htc sensation please e-mail me at moparexpert@gmail.com. Dane
Greyson | Jan 19, 2012 7:09 PM
if i root can go back to the way it was and could i be abile to update to 4.0 when it comes out??
Paul | Jan 19, 2012 7:16 PM
@ Greyson
Yes, but why wait.  4.0 with sense will run just as slow as 2.x with sense.  Root your phone then hit up XDA and update it to 4.0 now. 
greyson | Jan 19, 2012 7:26 PM
I could get 4.0 now ?? For someone that has not done this is it hard for first timers ? Any great tips??
Paul | Jan 19, 2012 7:42 PM
@ Greyson
If you want Android 4.0 you might want to try this ROM out
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1408351

Be sure you read the entire page.  Spend some time on XDA-developers.com on the sensation section in the forum, and read up on the process of rooting and flashing your phone. 
Cartman | Jan 29, 2012 10:44 PM
I currently have cyanogenmod 7 on my htc sensation 4g but want to restore it back to sense cause i'm giving it away. So i have a couple of questions. Do you know where i can find the ROM so i can switch it back to sense? And can it be done by following the step by step instructions on top of the page? Thanks in advance.
Paul | Jan 29, 2012 10:57 PM
@Cartman
Just flash one of the sense ROMs that are available on XDA-Developers ( under the sensation section of the forum )
cartman | Jan 29, 2012 11:07 PM
Thanks for replying. Appreciate it
Papikev1714 | Feb 1, 2012 3:02 PM
Hello, I have been running reverted aosp for about 2 months now and I am loving it, fast, stable and just a well put together rom. Have there been any updates for it or will there be in the future?

Thanks from a noob.
Paul | Feb 1, 2012 3:06 PM
@Papikev1714 There haven't been any updates to reverted for quite a while. I think the developer who built it has moved on to other ROMs. Most Developers are getting into the new Android 4.0 stuff. I am now running a Senseless Android 4.0 ROM. Everything works, but I do get random reboots about once a day. Hopefully CM9 comes out soon.
Papikev1714 | Feb 1, 2012 3:19 PM
Thank you for the response. I too am looking forward to cm9 and hope it comes out soon. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy my reverted. Thanks again.
Josh | Feb 2, 2012 8:45 PM
I want to root and Rom my htc sensation with the Rom best for speed,stability what Rom would you recommend. Josh
nick | Feb 4, 2012 3:48 PM
please help me. i am trying to run the revolutionary utility. the first time it worked with no problem but it could not detect my htc sensation because i didn't have htc sync installed. so i installed htc sync and was excited to get started only to find out the revolutionary utility won't open. it simply opens for a split second, and automatically closes. the frustration is killing me
Paul | Feb 7, 2012 1:54 PM
@Josh
If you want Android 4.0 Try Virtuous Inquisition V3.0 AOSP Senseless
If you prefer Android 2.3 Try Reverted AOSP V1.1.0

There might be some better Android 4.0 Roms, but I haven't had the time to test very many.  Most of the Android 4.0 Roms I tried would put my phone into a boot loop.  I didn't have this problem with Virtuous.  Though with Virtuous my phone does randomly reboot about once a day. 

With Reverted I never had any issues. It was fast and stable.
Hope this helps
Paul | Feb 7, 2012 1:57 PM
@nick
Try this
Run the revolutionary utility as Administrator ( right click, Run As Administrator ). 
Martin | Feb 8, 2012 2:35 AM
Hi Paul,

Great tutorial, thank you. I flashed Revoked and I love it, but something really weird happened:
When all was done and I booted up the phone, my old wallpaper was still there, along with some other settings. Also, Firefox was installed (I doubt that's part of the Revoked package, correct?) and it had remembered my bookmarks and history.

Note: I did delete the caches etc, exactly as per your instructions. The reason this is a problem: My phone does some pretty weird stuff, which is why I wanted to flash a rom and start clean to begin with. My assumption is that it misbehaves due to broken user settings, or something like that.

The most annoying of it: Make call, plug in headset, talk for 5 seconds: call gets cut, song starts being played.

Any tips on how to REALLY wipe off EVERYTHING?

Thanks in advance.


Martin
Martin | Feb 8, 2012 5:03 AM
Of course I meant to say that I flashed Reverted, not Revoked. Hope you'll have any tips.

Cheers
Paul | Feb 8, 2012 10:22 AM
@Martin
Most of those settings are stored on your SD card.
So unless you wipe your SD card, some settings, and even APPs you might have installed to your SD card will still be there.  If you really want to start from scratch, I recommend you wipe your entire SD card ( format it from your computer, then just put your ROM's Zip on the Root of it.  Just be sure to backup any photos and music before doing so.  Then reflash your ROM.

I have never had the problem you described with music starting to play when I plug in my headset.  Though I also prefer to use Winamp for my music and shoutcast player.  So it could be an APP specific issue.  There is a script called SuperWipe for Sensation on XDA.  That is honestly the best way to wipe your phone before flashing a new ROM.  Hope this helps
Martin | Feb 8, 2012 2:43 PM
Hi Paul,

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it.
I understand what you're saying. I thought the wipes in your instructions would take care of that, but I'll give SuperWipe a go and see if that helps.

Cheers!
Paul | Feb 10, 2012 8:28 AM
I have made the move to Android 4.x.  Finding a good Android 4.x ROM took some time, as many of the current Android 4.x ROMs would put my phone into a boot loop.  I finally came across one that was fast and stable.  Extreme Senseless Blitz 3.  This ROM is perfect. It is mostly AOSP components, while still keeping the Sense Camera.  I ran some tests with it, and I was still able to record video in 1080P.  The Installation is not very straight forward.  I may have to write another tutorial that is android 4.x specific.  However I have noticed better signal and fewer dropped calls with this ROM, so it might be worth the trouble of upgrading.  Just a warning DO NOT JUST FLASH THIS ROM.  You have to update your firmware first, then flash the ROM, then Flash a SU binary. Make sure you read the first two posts on that thread I linked you to earlier. 
Papikev1714 | Feb 12, 2012 9:52 AM
Paul, have you had any experience with the Miui rom? I am on the verge of trying it out as it looks to be pretty decent. I do realize that although the customization of it might appear to be second to none, I think you might compromise speed for customization, which in the end I would want the former. Any suggestion on this rom? Currently I am running Reverted aosp and like it, however I am ready to try something that has good support and is current with with quickly progressing technology. I do think I might try as well the Extreme Senseless Blitz 3. Any thoughts on this? Thanks for your time.
Nicholas | Feb 12, 2012 10:12 AM
Hey,
This is a fantastic tutorial.  Thanks a lot for putting it all together.  A question: I'm running reverted AOSP v1.10 on my sensation as you recommended, and I'm finding that the battery is draining pretty fast.  I've purged it of most battery sucking apps and settings, but it looks like the phone doesn't go to deep sleep when it's on idle, the screen just switches off.  Do you know if there's a setting that allows this to happen or other changes I can make that will improve battery life?

waiting eagerly for your android 4.x tutorial.
thanks
Nicholas
Paul | Feb 12, 2012 12:29 PM
@Papikev1714
I haven't used the MIUI Roms.  All I know is the layout is supposed to mimic IOS ( IPhone ).  Personally I am not a fan of IOS of the way it works.  I feel google did it right the first time with AOSP.  Thus far I am very happy with the new Rom I am running ( Extreme Senseless Blitz 3 ).  Not a single issue, no random reboots, and I even seem to be getting better signal or voice coverage ( could be my imagination ).  Being Extreme Senseless is Android 4.x based, its faster than the Android 2.3x roms.  Most of the HTC Sense stuff has been removed for performance, though they did leave the Sense Based Camera, as its better than the AOSP equivalent.  I highly recommend you try the Extreme Senseless Blitz 3 Rom.  Just make sure you stick to the directions for the install as its a little different than Android 2.3x roms.
Paul | Feb 12, 2012 12:46 PM
Nicholas,
I actually never had any problems with fast draining battery with Reverted.  Of course this depends on what you are using for it.  On reverted I remember a setting that would prevent the phone from falling asleep, which is what you want, and this greatly helped battery life.  You might have to search the thread on XDA to find the exact setting to toggle.  Bluetooth will also kill your battery life.  What I would recommend is going on Ebay and buying some extra batteries for your Sensation.  They are Dirt Cheap.  Plus have higher capacities than stock and a wall charger.  I usually keep 2 extra batteries in my gym bag and my work bag just in case.  The stock batteries were only 1520 mAh.  I bought some 1750 mAh batteries and they definitely increased my capacity.  On ebay they also have some 1800, 1900, and even 2300 mAh batteries.  Not sure I believe the 2300 mAh batteries are real.  There is an auction that is selling 3 x 1800 mAh batteries with wall charger for $11.95 with free shipping.  That is similar to what I bought and worked great.  Only negative is these are shipped directly from china, so it might take 2-3 weeks to arrive, but its worth it.  The sellers are good too.  My first order the charger was all deformed and broken from shipping, and the seller gladly shipped out a replacement charger. 

The other option is to get a double stacked extended battery off ebay, which includes a thicker back cover to fit the battery.  The battery is then rated for 3500 mAh.  But its almost $100 to buy which sucks. 

An Android 4.x tutorial for Sensation is on my ToDo list,  I will post back here when its ready
Papikev1714 | Feb 12, 2012 12:52 PM
Thanks Paul, I think I am going to go with Extreme Senseless. I think you gave excellent advice on Reverted and couldn't have been happier during the time I have used it. I think it is time to move on to something new. I'll be sure to follow through with the instructions and how to install it. Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate it.

Papikev.
Paul | Feb 12, 2012 6:31 PM
Who is ready for an Android 4.0 install tutorial!
How to install Android 4.0 on your HTC Sensation
Its very fast and stable.  Its my current daily driver.
If the new article helps you please like it, and link to it.
Papikev1714 | Feb 12, 2012 6:38 PM
"Did we just become best friends?"

Awesome. Thanks Paul.
Paul | Feb 14, 2012 10:55 AM
Extreme Senseless Blitz 4 just came out.
I have updated the HTC Sensation Android 4.0 install guide
Much faster than Blitz 3.  Highly recommend everyone make the upgrade.
You are going to fall in love with your phone all over again!
Please post your comments to the Android 4.0 Blog page.
curtis little | Mar 16, 2012 6:45 PM
Will the new sense 3.6 update for the htc sensation 4G have Dr.step beats on it? Curtis
Gary | Mar 24, 2012 5:37 AM
Do you have a htc sensation install guide for the jellybean 5.0. Gary
mike | Apr 9, 2012 3:18 PM
I have a qwestion your personal opinion would it be a waste of money to buy the htc one if you own a htc sensation 4G with Ics 4.0 with sense 4.0 on it?Because the only difference would be a larger screen. Mike
Eric | Apr 13, 2012 5:18 PM
I rooted and timed my sensation with 4.0.3 with sense 3.6.my phone keeps switching from 3G and H why is it doing that and what does H stand for?and If by chance if I was to do a factory reset would my sensation go back to the stock Rom and would the phone unroot?would you please answer my couple qwestions.. thanks,Eric
Dave | Apr 25, 2012 1:16 PM
 Hi! paul ever sense I rooted & rom my sensation 4G keeps powering off and on.could the Ics 4.0 that I put on my phone.   Dave
Greyson | Apr 25, 2012 5:07 PM
can you give me a link to the stock kernal amd rom  i need to sell my phone so i can get the one x :) thanks   ??
Josh | Apr 28, 2012 2:25 PM
I rooted and romed my htc sensation 4G and now you know the area in the settings where you get htc and google updates its no longer their so does that mean that I will never get anymore updates from htc or google ever again since I rooted and.romed my sensation 4G? and why did it take away that option to receive any new updaes from google or htc?      Josh
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