ChevronWP7.Updater pulled, breaks future updates on Windows Phones? Maybe not.

By Daniel Rubino
last updated

Information is a bit murky, but it looks like there could be a problem with the recently released ChevronWP7.Updater that was posted a few days ago by Chris Walsh. The updater as of now has been pulled offline with no explanation given. Based on Microsoft's own tools for fixing NoDo installation errors, Walsh was able to modify it so that it forced a NoDo update for any device queued for the ROM upgrade without any "hacking" to the phone itself.

Adding fire to the mix is a report, unconfirmed, from the::unwired who said this:

According to Microsoft, the use of ChevronWP7.Updater could possibly put the updated Windows Phone 7 device into a state where it cannot receive future regular updates to the OS anymore and the only fix will be re-flashing the device with an original stock ROM. At the end of the day if could mean that such Windows Phone 7 devices have to be send to the manufacturers or carriers service centers because unlike for Windows Mobile, stock ROMs are officially not available as a public download for end-users.

However, before we all start panicking, the man himself, Chris Walsh, has chimed in on Twitter saying "Don't believe everything you read" in response from numerous people mentioning the potential issues.

Pure speculation here, but we imagine Microsoft asked Walsh to pull the update till they could test all the ramifications of the hack. In the process, some premature dire warnings made it out to the 'net without 100% confidence behind them e.g. better to be cautious than not. In short, if you haven't done this update yet, your best bet is to wait a few days for the dust to settle as we're sure Walsh and Microsoft will have something to announce on the matter when something definitive can be said.

Source: the:unwired, My Coding Adventures, Twitter 1, Twitter 2

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.

13 Comments
  • Presumably, even if it breaks automatic updates in future, future versions of ChevronWP7 will still supply future updates before the lackadaisical carriers get around to doing so...... also not entirely clear to me why forcing an upgrade without any hacking on the phone and without the use of propriety ROMs (we are upgrading to stock ROMs) would prevent automatic future updates. IF such a thing were the case, it would be on Microsoft's end and nothing to do with the device/ROM combination itself. Maybe Microsoft just puts a black mark against your phone in their database for trying to get around corporate control.
  • NO, actually some phones also got and are going to get future FW updates from the OEMs, like Dell for example, and how HTC released some. This updater tool just updates the OS, but you still need (if there are any) FW updates from the OEM which this does NOT give you from the looks of it.You'll have to get those officially in the end, and that's going to get pushed out through the Zune software as well.
  • I did the forced update the day before yesterday.Yesterday, my carrier O2 released the update and I got the usual notification.I was able to install the manufacturer specific HTC-Update without any issues... so lets hope that goes for future OS updates too...
  • Ya, all they're saying is that using the tool "might" mess something up, not that it does for sure. I think it's good to be safe instead of sorry in the end.
  • I think this was the right thing to do, they can't be for sure what will happen, so might as well test it. MS didn't say it breaks future updates for sure just that it might, which is a valid point, unless you test it out you just don't know for sure.Of course if it does cause problems it's not actually MS's problem in this case, it's un-official to say the least. But I think it's good on them for looking into it.
  • Even on Walsh's website he warned that there's no way to reverse the hack. He even stated, "flash at your own risk." Microsoft is right to warn people about possible complications from an untested hack.
  • Yeah, who cares if I don't get any more updates. My NoDo hasn't arrived yet (neither the Feb update, which is good for nothing). Based on that my phone is almost half year old now, and Microsoft releasing schedule (+carrier's) is going to take literally months (if not years) to produce a new update, so by then I'll be a happy Android user.
  • Relax, it's the first update. As an early adopter you mentally agree that you are aware that things may not go as smooth for the v1 product. Once they figure out and get NoDo pushed to all devices, we shouldn't see this issue in the future. They have plenty of time to finish, test, and fix any future updating issues, if any exist.
  • I can't argue with you that I'm an early adopter indeed. But as I have 1Ghz CPU in my phone, how come that there isn't any Twitter app for instance, that has smooth scrolling. That is just a small nuisance.Early adopters (who buy these phones at these high prices) should be sacred to MS or any corporation. My, and your and all of the early A's opinion should be the leading voice in further development process. Just a tip for MS: if the early adopters get angry because of the delays in the update process, then make a high profile game free for a day or so in exchange. This is so simple. So the folks like me would shut up and wait ;)
  • ChevronWP7 .Updater doesn´t prevent future official updates at all as I did update my german 02 HD7 with zune again today in the morning
  • I think he pulled the Tool down because alot of people are having problems using the Tool to get NoDo. The problem with this back door update is that it wasn't installing right for some people, it caused No syncing for their hotmail, Zune automatically crashes and marketplace crashes and even some people successfully update but are stuck on 7004. And it is said on his blog You will void your warranty using this Chevron tool and when a device is messed up with one of the above issues you cant get a another one. SO Chris Walsh took it down to prevent from bad installations or by Microsoft to prevent Messed up phones.I tried this method and successfully got NoDo. i love being able to fly through the marketplace and finally look for quality apps. EDIT: and people from various sites are still getting updates through zune from carriers
  • Well, either way, I just got my Focus less than a week ago, and wasn't in an incredible hurry to mess with it immediately. Hopefully the update is imminent so I'll just wait it out now anyways.
  • Just curious...I've updated my HTC Mozart already through Zune using the "disconnect network" method posted here on WPCentral some time ago. This worked well but does this warning also concerns that update method, or is it just for that Chevron thing?I guess many used the "disconnect method"... Fot the people without NoDo yet, you are not missing out a lot, so I would wait now.