Custom versions of Android can be great, but that doesn’t mean you’ll fall in love with every one of them. As much as I liked the T-Mod/LeeDrOiD 2.3d ROM, for example, I found it slow to boot, which was a problem because I like to turn my phone off if I’m not using it. So it’s worth asking: if you root your Android phone and install a custom ROM, can you take it back? While the exact solution will be different for each phone, the answer is generally yes. We’ll show you how to do it for an HTC Desire from Telstra.
What you’ll lose
Every time you flash your phone’s ROM, you erase the data on the built-in memory. Data on the SD card will remain intact. So you need to back up your personal data and any applications you’ve downloaded. What you’ll also lose is your phone’s ClockworkMod recovery feature, if you installed it, and root access. As we said, this process returns your phone to its original unmodded condition.
Preparing your HTC Desire
- Make sure you have latest version of HTC Sync from HTC's web site.
- Remove the back cover of your Desire, remove the battery and write down the serial number from the sticker.
- Back on the HTC site, go to the ROM Upgrade for HTC Desire (Telstra) page. Scroll to the bottom of the page, type in your serial number and press Submit. If all goes well, the Download button will go live. Click it and download the file, which is about 180MB. Now you're ready to install the ROM.
Restoring a modded HTC Desire
