How to Restore HTC One to Stock Firmware

John Clarkson June 9, 2013 HTC, One

It is kind of easy to root and flash custom rom on your HTC One device. Nevertheless, you might find some unexpected issue on your device after the root or you just cannot find a suitable custom rom for your needs. Reverse engineering to get back stock firmware on your device is always permissible. Not to worry as it is as simply as what have done to root your device.

Restore to stock firmware is applied when you need to sell or return your device to the state where HTC stock software on board. There are three ways to restore HTC One to stock firmware depending on the pre-requisites and availability of backup files. The easier way is to restore from nandroid backup you did right after installing CWM which keep all of the stock software. In case you miss out the backup, you can still follow restoration method 1 & 2 right after this introduction.

HTC One is HTC’s flagship device in 2013 with 1.7GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor and 2GB RAM. It is the second 5 inch full HD display (1920 x 1080p) device from HTC after HTC Butterfly. It comes with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean firmware and upgradable to Android 4.2.

How To Unroot/Restore HTC One to Stock Firmware

Disclaimer: It’s always a risk to modify your device. We, Android Teen are not responsible for any damage or bricks on your device. Your device warranty may void with any mod. Check your devices warranty’s term & conditions before start.(HTC,Samsung, LG, Sony, Motorola). Use this guide on your own risk, contact us for help if you face problem.

Pre-requisites & Requirements

  1. HTC One – International (Ensure correct device model and firmware; Check device model – Go to Settings -> About Device -> Model Number)
  2. Windows-based computer or laptop
  3. Download HTC One USB driver for Windows and install in your computer.
  4. Connect device to computer with USB cable to complete installation.
  5. Skip this step if you have installed the USB driver.
  6. Enable USB Debugging on your device. How to Enable USB Debugging Mode on Android Devices.
  7. Make sure your phone is charged to 60% 80% to avoid battery blackout and interruption during this tutorial.
  8. We recommend you make a backup on your data and media files before the tutorial. You may restore the data and files if necessary.

Reminder: Ensure you make a backup before proceed. Your device must be unlocked bootloader. Besides that, ensure you meet the requirements before proceed. Contact us if you face problem.

Choose Your Restoration Methods:

Instructions: For Users With .401 Device

  1. Download and extract Mini SDK into a folder in computer. Renamed folder to mini-sdk.
  2. Download Stock Odexed firmware into your computer. Extract the firmware file while keep a copy of firmware in zip format. You will see the *.img file inside the extracted firmware folder. Renamed .img file to recovery.img.
  3. Copy and paste recovery.img into the mini-sdk folder.
  4. Connect your device to computer.
  5. Copy and paste the firmware.zip file to the root directory of your device internal storage.
  6. Unplug your device from computer.
  7. Press and hold Power button to turn off your device.
  8. Enter HBoot Mode by pressing and hold the Volume Down key and Power button.
  9. Navigate and select Recovery with Volume Up and Down button and use Power button to select.
  10. In Recovery home menu, perform a full Wipe Data/Factory Reset to avoid crashing and ROM compatibility issue.
  11. Back to Recovery home menu, perform Wipe Cache Partition and select Yes to confirm.
  12. Back to Recovery home menu, perform Wipe Dalvik Cache and select Yes to confirm.
  13. Back to Recovery home menu, select install zip from sdcard, then select choose zip from internal sdcard.
  14. Select One_2.17.401.1_odexed.zip and click Yes to install.
  15. Back to Recovery home menu, select power off.
  16. Boot your device into HBoot Mode by pressing and hold the Volume Down key and Power button.
  17. Navigate and select Fastboot with Volume Up and Down button and use Power button to select.
  18. Connect your device to computer.
  19. In computer, open Command Prompt windows. (To Open Command Prompt –>Windows Logo–> Type CMD in search box –>Enter)
  20. Type cd C:\mini-sdk in the command prompt windows to navigate to your mini-sdk folder.
  21. Type fastboot flash recovery recovery.img to flash the recovery *.img file to your device.
  22. Type fastboot reboot-bootloader and fastboot erase cache.
  23. Type fastboot oem lock to relock the bootloader. Next time your device boot into HBoot mode, you shall see “RELOCKED” instead of “LOCKED” or “UNLOCKED”.
  24. Your device shall with stock firmware, recovery and boot image.

Instructions: Flashing RUU (Rom Update Utility)

  1. Visit this thread to find the correct RUU for your device and download to your computer. Click here to check RUU variant for your region. Please drop us a message in case you fail to find the RUU.
  2. Power off your device by press and hold Power button.
  3. Boot your device into HBoot Mode by pressing and hold the Volume Down key and Power button.
  4. Navigate and select Fastboot with Volume Up and Down button and use Power button to select.
  5. Connect your device to computer.
  6. In computer, open Command Prompt windows. (To Open Command Prompt –>Windows Logo–> Type CMD in search box –>Enter)
  7. Type cd C:\mini-sdk in the command prompt windows to navigate to your mini-sdk folder.
  8. Type fastboot oem lock to relock the bootloader.
  9. Doube click on the RUU.exe file downloaded in Step 1.
  10. Wait until the RUU software detect your device. Check “I have completed the steps indicated above” and “Next”.
  11. Click “Update” on the RUU software. You are required to confirm to update firmware, click on “Next”.
  12. Click “Next” if you are ready to update ROM image.
  13. Transferring files from your computer to the device is in progress. The operation will normally takes approximately 10 minutes.
  14. The flashing progress will be shown in both computer and device.
  15. Once the flashing complete, you shall get a message on computer “Congratulation! Your ROM update has been completed. Your Android phone is now ready for use”.
  16. Your device will reboot automatically.
  17. It’s take longer time to boot up for the first time, so wait patiently.

Instructions: Flashing Nandroid Backup

  1. Download and extract Mini SDK into a folder in computer. Renamed folder to mini-sdk.
  2. Connect your device to computer.
  3. In computer, access to your device internal storage directory, locate for clockworkmod folder. You shall see backup folder with numerous number of backup folder within.
  4. Choose the backup folder with the date you make the first backup after permanently installed custom recovery.
  5. Within the correct backup folder in Step 3, copy the recovery.img file and paste in mini-sdk folder at desktop.
  6. Unplug your device from the computer and power off the device.
  7. Enter HBoot Mode by pressing and hold the Volume Down key and Power button.
  8. Navigate and select Recovery with Volume Up and Down button and use Power button to select.
  9. In Recovery home menu, perform a full Wipe Data/Factory Reset to avoid crashing and ROM compatibility issue.
  10. Back to Recovery home menu, perform Wipe Cache Partition and select Yes to confirm.
  11. Back to Recovery home menu, perform Wipe Dalvik Cache and select Yes to confirm.
  12. Back to Recovery home menu, select backup and storage, then select restore.
  13. From the backup file list, select the backup file with the date you make the first NANDROID backup and click Yes to install.
  14. Back to Recovery home menu, select power off.
  15. Boot your device into HBoot Mode by pressing and hold the Volume Down key and Power button.
  16. Navigate and select Fastboot with Volume Up and Down button and use Power button to select.
  17. Connect your device to computer.
  18. In computer, open Command Prompt windows. (To Open Command Prompt –>Windows Logo–> Type CMD in search box –>Enter)
  19. Type cd C:\mini-sdk in the command prompt windows to navigate to your mini-sdk folder.
  20. Type fastboot flash recovery recovery.img to flash the recovery *.img file to your device.
  21. Type fastboot reboot-bootloader and fastboot erase cache.
  22. Type fastboot oem lock to relock the bootloader. Next time your device boot into HBoot mode, you shall see “RELOCKED” instead of “LOCKED” or “UNLOCKED”.
  23. Your device shall with stock firmware, recovery and boot image.

us or give us a if it works for you.

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By John Clarkson
A 17 years old young tech enthusiast who loves Android and smartphone. He love to learn and share Android latest technologies to public users. He likes to play around with custom ROM flashing, customize theme, system tweaking and discussion with other developers on Android development. Now, he owns Galaxy S3, LG Optimus L5, Sony Xperia Z and pre-owned Sony Xperia P, HTC One X, LG Optimus G.
  • Kamazuki Junuh

    I used TWRP and I saw no recovery.img in the backup folder.. any help?

  • johndude333

    I was able to restore my One back to Stock Sense 5.0 ROM with the RUU method. It worked perfectly. Thanks for the detailed instructions!

    • https://androidteen.com/ androidteen

      Glad to heard that! Please consider to like us or +1 to motivate us to publish more quality post. Thanks.

  • rilx

    Tried to restore nandroid backup of 1.29 base from 2.24 base but it seem that it does not seem to work. THe restoration process works but the firmware base remain unchanged i.e., still stuck with the 2.24 base. Any suggestion mate?

    • https://androidteen.com/ androidteen

      that’s weird, we have no experience on this issue. Nandroid backup supposing restore exactly the backup file to your device including data.

  • Spark

    can’t find the RUU for the HTC One T-MOB101?

  • Johndry Tjai

    can help me to find RUU for HTC One with cidnum HTC__044,midnum PN711000 and GSM only. thx for the help.

  • https://androidteen.com/ androidteen

    you need to extract the zip file to obtain the exe file.