Give Your HD2 the Gift of Froyo

So the HTC HD2 for T-Mobile may not be the new Nexus S which rocks Gingerbread (Android 2.3), but it sure is one luscious slab of smart phone, even 8 months after launch. Problem is all its hardware loveliness is slathered with the slime of Windows Mobile 6.5. Imagine if you could coax this device to slough off its sickly Windows skin and be reborn with the beating heart of a Lion, namely Android 2.2? Well we did, all without permanently altering the handset, thanks to the help of the ingenious Android community. Learn how we breathed fresh Froyo life into this mobile monster after the jump.

Before we get started, let’s get the obligatory warning out of the way. Altering your handset to run a new OS ROM is always risky and could void your warranty or even brick your phone. Do so at your own peril. Even so, this modification is relatively mild.

Back in July, many enthusiast Web sites began posting links to custom-designed OS software (commonly called ROMs) claiming to install Android on the HD2. Instead of completely obliterating the phone’s original OS in main memory (known as flashing), these hacks use a program called Haret to boot Android from the microSD card. The benefit of this technique is you don’t lose Windows in case things go horribly wrong. The big drawback is that Android boots from the microSD card which doesn’t perform as well as device main memory. Also, you can’t remove the card while in Android mode.

OK, let’s get cracking. The first step is to download the software from a site you trust. We started at the Unlockr, a handy destination devoted to covering smart phone hacks. This then led straight to XDA Developers, the primary resource for Android ROM development. As for a ROM, we chose the FroyoStone Sense software version 3.3 since it closely resembles the HTC Evo’s slick interface, download available here. A new 3.4 version is already out with some tweaks, so it’s always a good idea to check back often.

Once downloaded and extracted to our PC, we plugged the HD2 into our test Acer Aspire 1830T Laptop (running Windows 7), and transferred the Android folder directly to the phone’s microSD card. We then unplugged the phone, rebooted it, and used the Windows 6.5 File Explorer to navigate to the Android Folder on the HD2’s microSD card.

On the phone, in quick succession we located the Clrad.exe file and tapped it to launch, and did the same for the Haret.exe file. The procedure, which must be done within 30 seconds of Windows Mobile starting up, causes the HD2 to gloriously reboot into Android. It does take a few minutes, but it’s worth the wait.

This version of Android 2.2, cooked up by XDA member DarkStone1337, offers plenty of goodies such as wireless HotSpot and tethering apps, plus some overclocking tools (use at your own risk!) and even Angry Birds thrown in for good measure. Be advised however, once booted into Android we had to enter our T-Mobile API settings manually (Settings>Wireless Networks>Mobile Networks>Access Point Names).

So how did it work? We found this build to be fast and very stable for the most part. One annoyance is that sometimes after the HD2′s screen automatically shuts down, it refuses to fire up again. This could be a problem with the HD2 ambient light sensor driver being  wonky, perhaps the proximity detector, or maybe it’s simply a poorly mapped button. Also a pain it how when you’re on a call and want to shut down the screen before it times out, pressing the HD2′s power/end button…well…ends the call.

Even so, this software really makes the HD2 flex its hadware muscle and turns an otherwise blah handset into an Android contender that packs a mean wallop. We hope to check out the latest versions for improvements and also have our eyes peeled if an alleged ROM running in the HD2’s main memory should become reality.

Check out our video to see what we did.